INSIDE THE WORLD OF MEETUP

I'd not set foot in Abbey park during daylight hours for at least 30 years. So it was more than long overdue... We headed north out of the park doing a loop around Wolsey island before heading south along the canal. Leicester seems to be a strange contrast between the brand new apartment blocks and old abandoned factories with broken windows and pigeons flying out. We went past Frog island following the canal down towards Leicester castle. We stopped for a short break and headed back to Abbey park. 

  It was a simple one big lap of the park which I nearly missed thanks to mistiming the walk from the bus stop to the top edge of the park. It was a warm sunny day with a good turnout. For some reason we didn't see any deer but it was a good walk all the same. Stopped for coffee at the end and got invited to a birthday party later in the year. Bonus got a lift back to the airport.

  If you didn't care about the King's Coronation then walking with meetup was the best way to escape. About a dozen of us met at the park entrance and did the standard clockwise route around the park. It was strange being empty with the slight rain and thick fog. We walked to old John and walked back to the entrance. On the way back one of the girls slipped into a puddle. We stopped off at The Bradgate for a meal, I opted for just a drink.

  After the success of last year I quickly signed up for this years event. I stayed the 2 nights instead of getting the train home after a long day. It was very much a carbon copy of last year , down to the route. Starting at the Elephants head and progressing down to the locks. We visited about 8 pubs finishing around 9PM. Most of them left to go home while 2 other went to a cocktail bar (over 20 pounds a drink). 

  A nice day for a walk, meeting at the boathouse site and heading south along the canal. It was a walk of less than a couple of minutes before stopping at the Kings lock tea rooms. This was unusual as we always have a meal before a walk or at a halfway point not 5 minutes in. Then there was an issue at the tea room which I reviewed as follows. Stopped by in a walking group of 7, all ordered drinks, 5 ordered food (4 sandwiches, 1 cooked). A couple that ordered food had to wait ages, one made a casual remark when going back to the counter to find out why. The owner/older guy got angry with us, saying they were short staffed (which they could have pointed out when we arrived). He also said we should have precooked, seriously!!! It was a few sandwiches not a 3 course gourmet meal. When one of the group pointed out she worked in catering at the hospital in far busier conditions the owner had a fit and demanded she left. She said, "yes when I have finished eating". The owner stor

  Walking friends had been the group providing the most walks (obviously). So with a slightly different crowd than usual we met at Lambley lane park which had been wrongly put on the map as Lambley road which was several miles away. I figured out the mistake but some others didn't and missed the walk. The walk was straightforward enough around a well defined pathway. A little bit sterile to be honest but the weather and the company were good.  I even got a lift back to Nottingham which helped.

  Following the afternoons drinking we headed to the second meetup. Coppers was a strange place to start, a dead quiet café type place an hour before closing time. Is was a good place to talk to new people so we spent an hour then headed to the Slug and Lettuce. Easter Sunday was busy but not completely packed, a pint of Peroni was a hefty 6 pounds 20 which was bad even by city centre standards. The atmosphere was good and we moved on to Revolution de Cuba. Not as good as the one in Derby but a reasonable night. Headed back to hotel at midnight.   

  A drinking day in Nottingham was long overdue so I joined 2 consecutive meets and booked a cheap hotel. We met in the canal house which was busy but not packed. It was a bit cold sitting outside which contributed to the slightly lower than expected turnout. About a dozen of us moved onto olde trip to Jerusalem which was a good place to sit outside. The organisers had the other meetup in mind so we headed into the city centre.     

  Another local(ish) walk this time less than an hours bus ride on the way into Leicester. Starting in Glenfield we headed downhill to the tunnel that I previously didn't know existed. Unfortunately we were not allowed to walk through it. Overall it was a good walk passing Kirby Muxloe castle which I also  previously didn't know existed and was also closed for visitors during the winter. Got a lift home stopping off for a drink at the copt oak.