Wednesday 25 April 2018

Easter was long gone, 3 weeks hence, indeed the calendar told us it was the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin and yet 13 turned up at Outwoods Drive. A portent of what was to come perhaps and yet here we all were on a brisk fresh April morning. The sun was shining and although a cool south westerly was blowing, all was well as we set out. Leadership was split between Howard and Terry in what can only be described as a confused if not a slightly schizophrenic lead team. Modern parlance may call it a shared partnership of the management structure (mutterings from the older mass in the middle of the group called in a b...ers muddle) Destination Bradgate (the long way round) was passed through the field as Marcus, Mick, Phil, Rosalind, Norman, Lyn, Clyde, Geoff, Pat, David and Eric, followed like lemmings in their usual state of semi ignorance.

South down the A 6 with wind on the right cheek, when disaster struck and it was all too much for Normans tyre before we had even reached Quorn. He decided discretion was the better part of valour and headed home, in possibly the most sensible decision made all day.

Through to Mountsorrel, turning right at the green and past Christ Church and St Peters we headed to Rothley. Turning right again in the village past Bradleys supermarket, and past Rothley Court (who could forget our wondrous Christmas dinner venue?). Over the railway and just after North’s we made an unusual left down Thurcaston Lane. Into Thurcaston and across the crossroads we headed past All Saints and on to Anstey. Through Anstey village we came, observing much new building in the area, and out the other side on Bradgate Road... well we must be heading in the right direction then!

Hitherto the sun had shone, as forecast by the font of all knowledge ...The BBC weather app. Then as we descended into Newtown Linford ..... the Heavens opened. Judus himself may not have made an appearance (in fact Noah may have been more appropriate) but that starting 13 was certainly carrying some ill fated happen chance. As luck would have it Jade tea rooms was close at hand for quick shelter and relief from the downpour, as was Bradgate park tea rooms, so we turned right into the park instead and headed through the pouring rain to Deer Barn tea rooms, some mile or so away, in order to get a good drenching!

The steaming group drank steaming teas and coffees, ate cake and scones and wondered why they were not better equipped for such inclement weather. However by the time we had put the world to rights and emerged in a slightly damp trousered gait, the sun was shining again and all was well with the world as we headed to the Cropston Reservoir entrance of the Park. Turning right out the gate and over the Dam and left up Station road, and left again at another Bradgate road we headed to Swithland. We had barely got through Cropston village when a deluge, this time of truly Biblical proportions hit us and only an appearance from the Lord himself could have saved us from the soaking we got.

We squelched on turning left onto Main street Swithland and onto Brand lane through to Old Woodhouse. Passing Pestilence cottage and having had the flood we only needed the famine to have got the hatrick. Turning right at St Mary in the Elms we came past Beaumanor Hall and The Manor Pub onto Quorn. At the crossroads on the A 6 some of the team broke off whilst the majority turned left and headed home to Loughborough for a warm Bath and a mug of Bovril.

Many thanks to Eric for this almost libelous missive.