Ranmoor Outing Oct 1990
Sheffield & District Branch, YA, Newsletter Autumn 1990 |
| Woke up this morning to the sound of pouring rain. Here it was at last, my first tower outing, as intimidating as a first day at school, as promising as a first date. After a good breakfast, quick glance at the map, we were off, ready to meet the others at the unseemly early hour of 7.45am. There were eight of us in all, complete with sheets showing North Rauceby Place Doubles and Helpringham Doubles — surely not for a beginner like me but after today who knows? Our first tower was aptly named Helpringham and with trembling knees in we went, only to find my first ground floor ring — five bells, new springy ropes. Take a deep breath, listen to all the advice and here goes. The day flashed by in a whirl of ringing chambers, some bare and functional, some homely (Heckington especially was beautifully organised and cared for), reached by ladder, spiral steps, worn steps, steps up, steps down, each chamber an adventure. The clocks were a surprise too, sometimes intrusive with their wirring and clanking, sometimes obstructive, hiding a bell and sometimes low and even dangerous, with blood stains on the floor to prove it! The churches welcomed us too, with their smell of polish and flowers, their damp and even their warnings of mice! How lovely it was to be greeted at North Raunchy by a gentleman who was looking forward to hearing the bells rung — there is no regular ringing there, yet their condition made the bells a pleasure to ring. And, most important, what of the bells themselves? We looked after them, we worked hard with them and we enjoyed them. I plain hunted, I dodged, I rang Grandsire on the two and I tried Plain Bob Minor on an inside bell. Yes, I'll remember the bells and the exhilarating feeling at the end of our day. Now lets get down to some practice ~ who's for Fulbeck Bob Minor? " Helpringham (5) Heckington (8) Ruskington (6) North Rauncby (5) Leadenham (6) Fulbeck (6) Caythorpe (8) Janet Greenwood End of Article |
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