Discovering Britain

by WebmasterDiscovering BritainPosted on Comments are Disabled

On Friday, 11th July, we arrived in Hunstanton, Norfolk, to bright skies and pleasantly warm weather, with a peak temperature of around 29°C (84°F) under mostly clear conditions. The sunshine made the coast welcoming and perfect for seaside strolls. We began the day with a walk along the promenade, admiring the iconic Hunstanton Cliffs, whose dramatic red-and-white strata are a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. Clear skies and ample light made photographing the cliffs perfect.

 For lunch we sat on a wall and ate fabulous, fresh fish and chips from an award winning fish and chip shop, followed by a pint at a local pub.

In the afternoon, the warmth lingered, making it ideal for a steady stroll along the coastal path toward Old Hunstanton.

As evening approached, we had an ice cream as we made our way back to the coach taking in the wonderful views over The Wash. It was a very hot day but ideal for a relaxing day by the seaside.

Mark

National Trust

by WebmasterNational TrustPosted on Comments are Disabled

Visit to Charlecote Park on 14th July

The National Trust group left Hucknall Market place at 8.30 am and enjoyed a relatively trouble free journey to Charlecote arriving just after 10.00 am. After collecting our tickets for the tour of the House and our maps we then continued in to the grounds to begin our day. The estate has been the family home for the Lucy Family for nine hundred years. The house was extensively changed during the early nineteenth century.

The estate has been home to fallow deer for many centuries and there are rumours of a young William Shakespeare poaching on the grounds.

Within the House there is a  service courtyard with Carriage Houses, Laundry and Brewhouse and also  a Victorian Kitchen and Servants quarter.

The river Avon passes through the grounds which also has various gardens, an Orangery Cafe, and Summerhouse, along with a choice of beautiful walks. The ground also housed the National Trust gift shop, plant shop and second hand book shop.

Apart from two very brief rain showers the weather was perfect and we returned to the coach at 4.00 pm to enjoy the journey back to Hucknall.

Next month sees the group travel to Lyme Park in Cheshire.

Barrie

Litter Picking

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Litter Picking

The hot weather we experienced during June is not really conducive to spending a lot of time litter picking in the searing heat. Nevertheless 13 bags of litter have been collected by some hardy members of the group. It is a timely reminder not just to the litter pickers but to all u3a members during a heatwave to:

·         Keep exposure to the sun to a minimum

·         Wear light, airy clothing including a sun hat

·         Use high-factor suncream

·         Keep hydrated.

Val (Gant)

History Group

by WebmasterHistory GroupPosted on Comments are Disabled

Our group had a fantastic visit to Lincoln on 18th June when Vallances Coaches did us proud again.  (I have booked Vallances Coaches again for our outings next year).  The weather was very nice, warm without being scorching for us to wander around the city.  What everyone else did I’m not sure but I saw members enjoying the outdoor café culture for food and drinks whilst I decided to go to the Jail inside the castle grounds. The jail had a special room inside which was the Magna Carta parchment document dating back to 1215 and there were other charters of the forest dating back to 1217.  This made me think of King John who signed Magna Carta at Runnymede and died at Newark Castle where the group went a few years ago. How did the scribes manage to write so much so small on these documents when you consider they were writing with quill pens – and no blots of ink?  

At the next John Godber meeting I will be taking names for the visit to Nottingham University on 20th August where we will be going to the museum and have a ‘hands on’ look at some of the artifacts.  It seems that the visit to the Flight Test Museum on 16th July is full but if there is enough interest we can ask for another date.

17th September is the date for our next indoor meeting at Central Methodist Church.  David Skillen is coming to tell us about ‘Knitters, Nailors and Traitors’ which he says is about Belper in the Industrial Revolution.  David is a good speaker who did an excellent job when he came to John Godber Centre and spoke to Hucknall u3a main meeting.

Maureen Newton

Strollers

by WebmasterStrollersPosted on Comments are Disabled

For our June walk we strolled round Papplewick Woods and made our way via the River Leen to the site of the old Papplewick Lido, it’s interesting to stay local and learn some interesting facts both from signage on the route and a member of our group who has a lot of local knowledge!

We called in at the Griffins Head for cool drinks on our way back to the car park.

Another lovely walk.