INSIDE THE WORLD OF MEETUP

  It was a rare occasion of having a meetup so close to home and to be fair a walk up Bardon hill was long overdue.  We set off from mount St Bernard's abbey, across warren hills before heading up Bardon Hill. It was a mud bath from the rain, so much so that we choose to do a longer, less steep route back down. At least the rain held off and the view was ok. We back via the footpath by the schools to Whitwick quarry. 

  Another drinking night after the days walk, met at the pitcher and piano, stayed for a couple of hours. Next stop was Das Kino just up the road, this wasn't great so we moved on to a third venue but I just wasn't feeling it and called it a night.

  The last walk before Christmas, I missed the pre breakfast but was ready to go. It was a 90 minute short walk with no stop.

It was admittedly  a long way to travel just for a walk but turned out to be well worth it. A place I'd never set foot in before so wasn't sure what to expect. A cold, but clear and calm day so no winds to bother us walking around a very flat route. We headed south along the canal, it definitely had a "nice place to sit outside in summer" feel about it. We went around the park and back through the centre of town. Stopping at the Lord Nelson pub.  At Winthorpe we re-joined  the canal and headed south to the starting point. One of the best walks.  

  It was great to have a meetup closer to home as the Leicester group came over Ashby for the afternoon. I have had dozens of nights out here but never a daytime drink.  We started off the afternoon at the White Hart, and slowly made our way around the town. The Tap at number 76 micropub was a new one for me as was The vine restaurant and cocktail bar which was severely overpriced and the beer was horrible!!!!! I did enjoy visiting the usual suspects such as Weatherspoon's, the lamb and the bulls head. Unfortunately as it started to get lively the rest of the group headed back to Leicester. I managed to grab fish and chips while waiting for the last bus. 

Headed in the usually excellent Weatherspoon's with the group from the museum tour. Passed on food as the portions were small. Talked to some of the usual crowd as well as a few new people. After a couple of hours people started leaving so I headed to the bus stop. 

  Until I seen it on meetup I'd never been aware there even was a prison museum in Derby. It was a small poorly signposted place on a side street. I met the group and we went in, because of the group size we got a guided tour. It was a very interesting hour, we heard many stories about the prisoners, the public executions and seen the graffiti on the doors. 

  I'd not had a big night out for a few weeks. Due to the massive increase in taxi fares from the airport it's more cost effective to stay in the cheapest hotel. Unfortunately it's usually booked up solid, thankfully this time I managed to get in. Beeston social was a restaurant, pub and games room all thrown into one venue. Nice place and made a bit of a welcome change from the usual city center. Caught up with some old faces and generally had a reasonable night. Some were heading into town after midnight but I'd run out of steam by that point.

  We met in the Forge mill tea room where the others had a breakfast meetup that I didn't attend.  We headed towards Bestwood colliery, there was a good turnout and the weather was fine for the time of year. I'd not been on many of these walks lately because many of them were now on Sundays where the transport. I'd also got to the point where many of the walks were repeats. It was a flat walk that finished with a lap of Mill lakes.   

  I'd not been on a walk with this group for a while because for some reason they had shifted a lot of their walks from Saturday to Sunday. This is not good since public transport home is poor.  Had to go to Ilkeston via Derby due to traffic disruption and nearly missed the start of the walk.  We headed across mostly flat open fields to the halfway point at Strelley where we stopped for (overpriced) coffee and cake. Moved on through the housing estates then to Wollaton park where we see plenty of deer. Finally heading back to Nottingham city center.  

  An afternoon drink in Leicester with a difference, this time we were out of the usual city center places and down Welford road. The only downside to the day was that it was in the middle of the worst heatwave in living memory. Despite it being cool inside everyone insisted on sitting out the back. I alternated beers with diet cokes which I was thankful of later on.  It was a social afternoon which I enjoyed, the pub was a popular venue for live music in the evening but everyone was moving on by that point.

A day out in Nottingham with the Leicester group looked good on paper. I was feeling a lot better and was ready for it. Met them an hour after the start, once I know a group for drinking events I don't become the first to arrive unless due to public transport. The canal house was very busy for the time of day with security already on the door. Moved on to Ye olde trip to Jerusalem which was a change from the usual. I'm a fan of going to old historic places especially on daytime sessions.   We moved on to other pubs including the Magic garden, nice place to sit on a summer afternoon but the price of drinks were 20-30% higher than the other pubs. We then headed to the familiar Pitcher and piano, by this point it was gone 18:00 and the group was starting to go downhill. Had one more beer across the road then called it a day. 

  Bit of an early start at 5:45 and only a small group of 6 but it was good to catch up with a few old faces. A warm evening with no coats required until about 9. It wasn't nearly as busy as usual a couple of obvious stag parties but no queues for food and drinks. Did my usual terrible self trying to pick winners 1 out of 12, left after final race and got bus straight home.

  Due to the heatwave I can honestly say I wasn't looking forward to this. It was only a short bus ride from Coalville to Thornton which made a change from the usual. We headed south to Bagworth heath woods, which offered some welcome shade. Looping up to the main road. There was an option for some of the group to cut the walk off early which 2 or 3 did. Then we did a lap of Thornton reservoir, another example of going somewhere I'd never been before despite being only a few miles from home. It was easy and flat with some welcome breeze from the heat. Has a quick drink a local pub while waiting for the bus. 

  I'd been looking forward to this particular meetup for a while because I'd not seen the Leicester crowd since the Camden pub crawl. We met in the distillery but it became clear that after a couple of drinks I was not feeling too good.  We moved around the corner to the Rutland and Derby and had a few more on the rooftop with the sun out. I still wasn't feeling it and it was clear that it wasn't happening that day. I bailed out around 6pm and got the bus home.

  Headed to Nottingham Weatherspoon's with the intention of meeting the group for a couple of hours before crossing the road to the event. It took nearly an hour to locate the group which at that point was only 5 people. A couple more turned up and conversations started to flow but it was a long way from the 48 that were on the list. Other meetups were happening and there was even talk of abandoning this one. In the end we went across the road where more and more people started turning up. Lesson learned for future, turn up an hour later when already established in a group. It turned out to be an ok night in the end, there was talk of hitting the clubs but I'd had enough buy that point. 

  Slightly unusual walk with a 4pm starting time and a group I'd never been with before despite being based in Nottingham. I didn't recognise any of the faces which was the first in a long time. The walk couldn't have been simpler, follow the canal to Beeston. A dozen people turned out at the weather was perfect and not too hot. Finished up in the Victoria pub next to the train station which was good for getting home. 

  Another canal walk but this time somewhere slightly different, it was a bus and a train ride (via Long Eaton) to get to Willington. Met at the marina and walked towards Stenson for a coffee and cake pitstop. Helped out with getting a boat through the lock then walked a slightly different route back to the starting point.

  No hotel available so this time I was at the mercy of public transport to get home. We started off at the Pitcher and piano which has to go down as the strangest pub I have ever been in. It's basically a church with the seats taken out and a bar placed in the same place.   It was nearly an hour of sitting at the bar before locating the group who were actually in a bar outside, we talked for a couple of hours before moving across the road. We headed across the road, nice place but not the kind of venue I'd want to linger all night. As time goes past midnight I need a more club like environment to keep going or I just fade away. Which is basically what happened. 

 Not been out in London properly for years so it was long overdue for the (apparently) annual trip to Camden. Nearly missed the bus so it wasn't the best start on Friday, stayed overnight at Palmers lodge in Swiss cottage before meeting the group at midday. 47 were on the list and around a dozen turned up another let down for the numbers at least. £5.65 for a beer is just crazy and it didn't get much better from there, the pubs were good however and had a good atmosphere even early on. With good weather it was perfect to be outside around the locks, it was very busy and took some time to get served in Weatherspoon's. At the temperature dropped we moved back indoors. As the evening rolled on inevitably the group fragmented, they were all going back on the train while I had a couple of miles back to my accommodation. Overall it was a great day out.....

This was one walk where I didn't mind too much about covering old ground since it was a great walk last time. We headed through Wilford village and the church ground then onto Clifton playing fields and central park. Clifton Village was the final call for myself, we had the option of doing an extra 3 miles but as my hourly bus was imminent I bailed out.  

  Leicester meets seemed to be getting a little thin on the ground lately so with a long weekend to recover I headed out. First stop was the usual Queen of Bradgate which was unusually quiet for the first hour, maybe a sign of the times. We then headed next door to the tree, the turnout was only 8 which was a bit of a let down but the night gradually got better as we went along. Finally we headed to the Fan club where we all got a Cadburys crème egg on entry. It was 80s night and my "era" is a decade later but it turned out to be a good one in the end. Stayed until 2:30am then got the long bus combination home.  

  After walking in Derby I stopped in Weatherspoon's for dinner then checked into a hotel in Stapleford (my usual one in Beeston was booked up) then got the bus into town. Met at Spanky van Dykes like back in January where I met some familiar faces. I felt like part of a group now instead of an outsider which is only a good thing. Went to a late bar (below pop world where we went last time) and had a good night. Moved on to Mojos at around 2:30am but it was packed out which was a bit too much so made the journey back to Stapleford.

 I'd been here before and it was only a short walk but I had a night meetup later on in Nottingham. For saying it was good weather I thought the turnout was very poor with only 5 people. Still it was good conversation and a fairly easy walk up the Ace walk hiking area before heading back to the park.

  It was a big of a trek to Ashbourne having to catch 3 buses just to get there but it was well worth it in the end. Arriving early with time for breakfast before meeting the group. Headed up the track and across field/rolling hills in the direction of Dovedale.  We voted on weather or not to climb Thorpe cloud, the only one who didn't walked round got lost and we ended up spending half an hour searching for her at the car park. The views from the top were good and well worth it. It was a very popular place as seen when we went past the stepping stones. We then stopped at the pub in Mapleton before heading across the fields back to the starting point. Had fish and chips with others at the bus stop before the long ride home.

  After breakfast it was the standard 6 mile walk. through the streets to Breck hill park, wood Thorpe park where we stopped for our break which was probably the highlight of the day. Then finally Digby park back near the starting point. While the company and weather were good the walk consisted of a high percentage of streets and very little park and woodland.  Not one of the best walks.....

  This was a first that I'd missed out on several times before, breakfast at a pub before a walk. The food was good as usual and so was the company. Only complaint was that it was hard to leave so close after eating.

  It was a rare meetup less than 10 miles from home. Not only was I going to a pub that I'd never been before but also a town so close to home. As with the night in Derby the previous week the turnout was a disappointment at just 5 of us. It was good to catch up with one person I'd not seen in over 2 years. We had a pre booked table right near the stage, the atmosphere is the pub was good and the band was good. The major downside is the noise was not good for conversation and getting to know others in the group. There was no after drinks or anything like that.

 Not been Derby at night since before covid so I chose this night over several other options. By the time I arrived in The standing order which was very busy the number of people had dropped to 7. This combined with the age range meant that it wasn't going to be a wild night so I accepted it for what it was and enjoyed the evening. We headed down to Ye old Dolphin and the Flowerpot before going to a pub I'd never been in before which was the Exeter Arms pictured above before heading home. A quiet and fairly uneventful evening with a long journey home.

 It was another hotel job that I fully intend to make a habit of from now on. Trouble is I was a bit late from the walk in the afternoon and only had 90 minutes to shower, change eat 2 pot noodles, relax then go back out. The streets were full of drunken football fans (not good) and so was MOJOs bar that we met in but thankfully they were all gone after an hour. I'd been in that bar 2 years ago and the memories soon came back.  Some of the faces I knew from 2 weeks ago so it was a good start, the main downside was that we were staying in the same place all night. A few of them arranged to move on to a club but admittedly I was a bit tired from rushing around earlier on.  Headed back to hotel not long after 1AM.

 For this walk we met at the Apple Tree near Wilford nature reserve, everyone was having breakfast from a previous meetup which I missed out on as I didn't notice it on the website, note for future meetings. Got slightly lost in the nature reserve as the footpaths didn't match what was on the map. Headed down to Clifton and Ruddington where we stopped for our break which was a little strange since it was only meant to be an hour from the finish.  The mud slowed us down a lot and we had to keep stopping so the older ones could catch up. Normally we finish early but time was pushing on and I had to check into my hotel and get sorted out for my second meet that evening Last part of the walk was over Wilford hill, it was starting to get dark by then. Normally I would have gone back to the pub with the group but went to the nearest bus stop to get back to Beeston.

 Came to this meetup with minimal expectations as none of the usual "party animals" were attending. I was just happy to be out in the most boring month of the year. Caught up with a lot of people I had not seen since before Christmas. Only had 2 alcoholic drinks all evening. After a few in firebug we went to the distillery where we'd been on a previous meet, since it was obvious it was not going to be a wild night I got the 11:10 last bus back to Markfield and walked home.    

 I'd only been to one meetup with this group (2 if you count the meal before), I'd always been reluctant to go back due to the size of the groups as it's a lot more difficult to "get in" a group. However after the worst Christmas and new year in the local pubs (12 people were in my local as 2022 chimed in) something needed to change.  I figured the first weekend of the new year would be quieter and easier to break the ice with new people. We spent the first couple of hours at a pub called spanky van dykes, only about 30 of the 60 or so people who were on the list turned up which did make it a lot easier. Met some good people right from the start and things went really well.  About 10:30 we moved on to a club called pop world, all covid passes were checked on entry which I don't have a problem with but it was the first time. I'd never expected a place to be busy the week after New year, most of the group stayed until midnight then gradually drifted off. It

 With a poor Christmas/New Year combined with the end of suffering from long covid I made the decision to step things up a bit with meetup. The plan for today was to go walking during the afternoon, check into a cheap hotel get changed then go out for a separate meetup that evening.  Went all the way to Nottingham to discover the event had been cancelled. This is the first time to my knowledge that an event has been cancelled with less than 12 hours notice.  I had 8 hours to kill so I walked through Highfields park and Wollaton park which I'd been to almost exactly a year earlier. Checking into my hotel at around 4pm.