Stoke Fleming 2002

For the past 7 years, the month of June has seen a group of ringers from the Swindon, Salisbury and Portsmouth areas descending on Stoke Fleming, (3 miles south of Dartmouth) for a long weekend break at the Stoke Lodge Hotel.

This year, Friday started with a swim for the early risers before catching the 09:43 bus from Stoke Fleming to Dartmouth. It is unusual for more than one or two people to join this service from Plymouth so when a party of 13 people are waiting at the small bus shelter at Stoke Fleming it causes a degree of amazement from the bus driver. We arrive in Dartmouth in time to catch the 10:30 ferry sailing to Totnes. Despite poor weather, the boat trip up the river Dart is nevertheless scenic and interesting.

Upon arrival at Totnes we are met by John Dietz, the local tower captain at Stoke Fleming who has made all the tower arrangements for the weekend. We disembark from the Dartmouth ferry and catch another small boat that takes us the short trip further up river to the South Devon Railway station where we board the 13:00 steam train to Buckfastleigh. John is there to meet us and provide transport to the church for those who prefer not to take the 196 step climb to the top of the hill where the remains of Buckfastleigh church, which was gutted by fire in 1992 is situated. We enjoy a quick ring and Neil also gets his first experience of bellringing and does exceptionally well. We return to Dartmouth, hail four taxis and arrive back at the hotel in time for dinner.

Saturday morning and we are ringing at three local towers, Staverton, Berry Pomeroy and Stoke Gabriel before adjourning to the local pub for lunch.

Saturday afternoon, sees the traditional Stoke Fleming tennis championships held and this year we have a couple of new players in the championship, Neil and Robert. The weather is not so kind as previous years but despite this, the championship is completed on time and for the third year in succession, Mrs Howell wins the competition, this year ably parterned by the young Master Sheppard. Runners-up were Mrs Carey and Mr Jones. We were very honoured to have George Newman in the umpires chair for the first time this year and he manages to maintain excellent control of proceedings throughout the competition.

For those still not exhausted, a swim in the pool to loosen up the over-stretched muscles from the tennis is next on the agenda follwed by pre-dinner drinks and nibbles in the Sherriff's apartment

The evening event starts with dinner and we are joined by John and Jan Dietz. During the course of the evening a vote of thanks is given to John for his excellent tower arrangements yet again and a small photograph of John and his son Robert ringing the tenor at Exeter Cathedral is given to John as a token of our appreciation.

After dinner we adjourn to the sitting room where John has brought his handbells for entertainment. A course of Plain Bob Major is mastered before moving onto 'lapping' and 3 leads of Bristol Surprise Major, the latter with people moving positions, which produces a lot of laughter and several 'fire ups'.

Sunday morning we have the traditional ring at Stoke Fleming for morning service and the challenge of more Devon call-changes. This is always an enjoyable experience and our striking is closely monitored and corrected by John during the course of the ringing. Unlike previous years, ringing had been arranged for the homeward journey and after saying farewell to Stoke Fleming we move on to Feniton, Buckerell and Awliscombe for quick grabs before all going our separate ways home.

Our thanks to Sherriff Tours (alias Robert) for another well organised event and to John Dietz for arranging the local ringing, providing transportation on the Friday and for bringing his handbells on Saturday evening.

Roll on next year I say !

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