Where are you based?
Inverness
When and where did you learn to ring handbells?
Tulloch Ringing Centre in 2016, a latecomer to bell ringing at the age of 56. Having never rung previously, I moved from central England to live in Scotland, 1 mile from Tulloch Farm. Despite only having a small, inexperienced tower band at Tulloch, my tower ringing progressed well for 3 years until Covid, with help from lots of visiting ringers, then unfortunately went backwards (as visitors to Tulloch dried up for 2 years). Conversely my handbell progress continued unaffected with the benefit of regular online practices from 2020 onwards.
Who has influenced your handbell ringing?
Helen McGregor, who spent lots of time teaching me and my wife Sue the basics at Tulloch, with support from Peter Bevis. (Helen is a great believer in using handbells as a teaching aid for tower bell ringing). Then Nick Jones in Fort William, who patiently stretched me and Sue to do more tricky things.
Blue lines, place notation or structure?
Still blue lines predominantly, trying now to gain an understanding of structure.
Trebles or tenors?
I like the trebles, and ring inside pairs a lot with the local Highland band. However, I’m currently working on tenors when doing anything more advanced away from Inverness.
Quarters or peals?
Limited opportunities locally for peals, so mainly quarters. I have managed 3 peals so far but would love to do more.
What is the most unusual place in which you have rung handbells?
On a causeway in Alderney linking the mainland to Fort Clonque as the high tide started to cut us off: https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1457658
What is your favourite handbell-ringing anecdote?
During Covid lockdowns, Sue, Nick and I regularly rang in a layby on a B-road halfway between Fort William and Tulloch, overlooking the Caledonian Canal, Ben Nevis and the spectacular Nevis Range. We had some interesting socially distant chats with the locals about what we were doing.
Any further comments about handbell ringing in general?
I enjoy the mental challenge of two bells, and the opportunity to regularly ring much more complicated things (like Maximus and Surprise Major) than I can currently achieve on tower bells.