INSIDE THE WORLD OF MEETUP

  Been feeling under the weather for over a month, so an afternoon drinking day with the easy option of jumping back on the bus if I started feeling worse was what I needed. It was nice to see some new pubs like the distillery pictured above. Typically over 60 people were on the list and the actual figure was close to 20. I caught up with a few faces I'd not seen for over a year as well as met some new ones. We moved on to the Rutland and Derby where we spent a couple of hours. Then we moved onto the outdoors to the craft beer festival. Most of the beers had already sold out despite it being an all weekend event and not even Saturday night. The rest of the group didn't seem impressed and we moved onto a nearby pub after one drink. The final pub was table service only but all of the previous Covid restrictions elsewhere had been lifted. I was enjoying the evening but didn't want to push my look any further, headed home around 20:30.

 I'd been ill for the best part of a month, a night out in Leicester for that evening was cancelled. I managed to get myself to Shardlow for a walk as it wasn't too far from home. Only 5 of us turned up but it was good to catch up with the organizer who I'd not seen for nearly 18 months. It was good flat easy route alongside the canals, started near Great Wilne. Headed past a couple of marinas and stopped for a drink at the steamboat inn. We all wanted to stay longer but managed to get back on the footpaths. The return leg was basically retracing our steps on a path close to the one we went out on.  Nice area, as per usual the group were stopping for a drink but I was only 15 minutes from the next bus so it was home early.

 I didn't enjoy the majority of this walk, nothing to do with the route or the people of course but the hot weather. I'd been on afternoon shift so it was a late finish followed by an early start which didn't help. I'd never been to Market Bosworth before so as usual it was walking on unfamiliar ground. We followed the path down towards Sutton Cheney. Then up a few hill that wouldn't have been a problem in normal weather to the battlefield visitors centre. We had a well needed pitstop where I felt much better after food and drink. We headed to the canal which I thought was the best part of the walk.  A lot of boats and a lot of people were also walking but a few questioned us for doing that distance in that heat. We walked to the north of Market Bosworth crossing what looked like an old golf course before heading back into town.  It was more than enough, thankfully I got a lift home. 

 With the overdue Euro 2020 under way I was taking a mini break out of meetups but since this one didn't interfere with anything I thought why not. It was also only 5 miles instead of the usual 8, we met outside a pub on the main road and did a circuit of the nature reserve. It was flat and easy despite the muggy weather and another place I'd never been before. A few faces I'd not seen for a year since a few were still cautious about Covid.   To be honest I was a bit on the tired side due to lack of sleep so glad I didn't go any further. Had the chance to stay for a drink but with one bus an hour and the next one due in 10 minutes I opted for the early ride home.

  How long have I waited for this, almost 16 months at a rough guess. An afternoon / evening out drinking away from my own village. Not including short stop-offs at pubs while out with walking groups. We met in Weatherspoon's at 4pm, I caught up with a couple of old faces as well as meeting several new ones. After a few drinks we moved to an outside area where you could order food and drinks from nearby places. I wasn't hungry and the group split into 2 for a couple of hours between those who wanted to eat and those who didn't It was a very hot summers afternoon and with Covid restrictions in place most of the pubs had security controlling the people going in so there were lengthy queues. We ended up going in the cooler indoors at Hogarth's. Just as back in the village near home there were obvious inconstancies on how strict the pubs are with the restrictions. You could sit 7 on a table for hours in one pub without anyone saying a word only to do the same in another and...

A new group had formed during lockdown and I was invited to join, the first time I have had to pay a membership fee, only a few pounds a year so no big deal. I did question spending longer on the bus (one way) than the actual walk itself and the fact that there was only 2 others going. But with nothing else pending and I be sitting at home watching the Euros the next few weekends I went anyway. The other 2 on the walk were friendly and talkative which always helps, we headed to an area north of Markeaton park. The scenery was unexpectedly good and not too hilly.   With the temperature going above 20 degrees it was a good thing it was only around 90 minutes long. Ultimately I had to get my foot in a new meetup group as so many others had closed during lockdown.

  Good news I didn't have to catch multiple busses before I even started the walk, unfortunately I wasn't seeing anything new as the Nottingham group came over to Coalville this week. The turnout was a bit low compared to the usual with less than 8 people. We headed back into Whitwick via the Hermitage lake and towards Grace Dieu ruins via cademan woods, even passing by my own street which was not actually on the route plan. For once I could be a bit of a tour guide but to be fair Edward knew some things I didn't. From there it was up the old railway line between Whitwick and Swannington and back to Coalville. I did about 5 minutes of footpath I'd never walked on before.  Others commented it was one of the best walks we had done which was good to know for my local area.

  Another weekend another walk, this time a 2 bus ride to Melbourne. We met and walked down the cloud trail again covering a lot of ground I'd never walked over in my life. It seemed to be an older crowd this week for some reason but we all still managed the short but steep climb to the top of breedon hill. It was a bit windy so we chose to stop and eat when we got back down. We headed back across farmland towards Melbourne Hall pictured. Then is was back into town where I has a nightmare getting home as I missed 2 connections.

 Typically I had a good walk from Kegworth to East midlands parkway station before I even started. Also typically I was going through an area less than an hours car ride from home that I'd never walked through in my life.  I also wondered why they put a train station in the middle of nowhere. It was a poor turnout, less than 10 people for what was a good walk on flat terrain in sunny but not too hot weather.  We headed through the villages of Thrumpton, Barton (where we stopped at the church grounds for our break), Clifton Grove and Wilford. The area around Clifton woods and along the canal was outstanding. Overall it was one of the best walks we had done, having good people to talk to along the way always helps. Somehow managed do get into Nottingham city center with the maximum of country side on the way in.

Can't believe I have never been to Sherwood forest despite being less than a 90 minute car ride from home. It was a bit further than I thought and was close to 3 hours on public transport. We didn't go the route of the major oak tree but went through some well defined paths towards Rotary wood. After a couple of hours we got to our dinner stop at Rufford Abbey.  It was the best part of the walk around the ground and the lake with lots of people about. Personally I would have like to have spent more time around here. On the way back it was over farmland which was a bit less interesting. The main event going home was having to run through the city to just make the bus home.