We had a little extra handbell focus over the Christmas holidays, due to an invitation to a handbell weekend on Tulloch Farm.
Tulloch is possibly more well-known as the location of a quite new ring of 12 bells, but owners Peter Bevis and Helen McGregor are widely known as very enthusiastic handbell ringers and have attended a couple of our own handbell days.
The attenders included our own band from Glasgow, as well as ringers from Aberdeen and Reading. Nick Jones organised the ringing schedule, which was organised around helping everyone to achieve a particular goal they had been working on at home. For us, it was the chance to practice ringing on 12. For Colin North, it was a chance to practice calling touches with a steady band. For Thomas it was a chance to practice ringing without his parents. And so on.....
Unfortunately, Nick's excellent schedule was put into disarray by weather-related late arrivals. He showed excellent resilience, hourly shifting bands and attempts without losing track of the overall goals. The effort paid off, and two quarters were scored as well as some very useful practice by everyone, including a lot of playing around with Norwich on higher numbers.
The main day's ringing ended, as is traditional, with a chili, wine and attempts on unattainable things. By some miracle, however, we managed to stumble to the end of a half course of Cambridge Max, to the amazement of all of the band.
Simon and I thought it was lovely to turn up and just ring what we were told, and the children had the run of the farm and surrounding lands instead of having to stay put in one room. It was so much fun we are coming back next year to do the same again.
Tulloch, Highland
Tulloch Lodge
Saturday, 28 December 2013 in 42m (12F)
1280 Kent Treble Bob Major
1–2 Angela H Deakin
3–4 Jonathan S Frye
5-6 Nicholas W Jones (C)
7–8 Colin P North
First Treble Bob in hand: 7-8
Tulloch, Highland
Tulloch Lodge
Saturday, 28 December 2013 in 52m (15C)
1344 Kent Treble Bob Maximus
1–2 Tina R Stoecklin
3–4 Angela H Deakin
5–6 Nicholas W Jones
7–8 Jonathan S Frye
9–10 Simon J Gay (C)
11–12 Jack Page
We headed south again on the Sunday after a rare sunny morning's walk, some more handbell ringing and some tower bell tuition for the children. However, the remaining ringers saw in the New Year with some style:
Tulloch, Highland
Tulloch lodge
Monday, 30 December 2013 (12)
1260 Minor (3 methods)
720 Cambridge Surprise, 360 Plain Bob, 180 St Clements College Bob
1–2 Peter J R Bevis
3–4 Helen M McGregor
5–6 Jack Page (C)
Tulloch, Highland
Tulloch Lodge
Tuesday, 31 December 2013 (13 in E)
1360 Kent Treble Bob Royal
1–2 Peter J R Bevis
3–4 Jennifer A Holden
5–6 Nicholas W Jones
7–8 Jack Page (C)
9–10 Helen M McGregor
First Kent Royal: 1-2