Gardening Group

by WebmasterGardening GroupPosted on Comments are Disabled

July’s meeting was a trip out. After a longer journey than anticipated due to traffic hold-ups, we arrived at the Dorothy Clive Gardens near |Stoke on Trent. It was an ideal day for walking around as it was not too hot.

There are many different beautiful flowers, so colourful, as well as trees, birds and butterflies, it was amazing, not to mention the waterfall and wonderful bronze statue of a stag, and carved owls in the tree trunks along with a very nice cafe and grounds around it. We even saw a tree creeper, which is a very rare sight.

I am sure everyone enjoyed their day. Thank you to Anne and Sandra for a great day out. Thank you to Pam Farrell for this report, and to Jane Pointon for the pictures.

The next meeting is on 4th August when we hear a talk about flowers beginning with “A”.

We are now taking names for the next trip on 1st September, which will be our last for this year, to Harlow Carr.

Anne Wilkinson

History Group

by WebmasterHistory GroupPosted on Comments are Disabled

July has been an interesting month!  Members elected to visit The Flight Test Museum which was recently opened on a site off Watnall Road.  It is totally staffed by volunteers some of whom are Hucknall U3a members.  It was a good day weather wise and we filled a car park without realising there was one slightly nearer.  

We were treated to a short talk some video film and then let loose to wander round the site by ourselves, although there were volunteer helpers around to explain how things worked.  All the land on what was Rolls Royce site has been sold and it seemed strange after all the years to discover we need to call the area by a different name. The volunteers on the museum site were Am-A-Zing and we thank them all for an interesting visit.  

Next month, August, we are going to Nottingham University Museum.  Please be there by 10 minutes to 1pm for us to get settled before the talk by Dr. Pickersgill.  If you would like to go earlier there are other things to do such as exhibitions and decent cafe’s for refreshments and of course the tram stop for Nottingham University is ideal.  If you are not sure that your name is on the list please check at the main meeting at John Godber.

For the September meeting we are back inside at Central Methodist Church when David Skillen will be telling us about Belper.

TTFN Maureen Newton

Real Ale Group

by WebmasterReal Ale GroupPosted on Comments are Disabled

Just a short resume of our outings this year:-

January, we went to the Canning Circus area in Nottingham and visited four public houses there – The Organ Grinder, The Falcon, Sir John Borlase Warren and the Hand & Heart.

February, we attended the CAMRA Beer Festival at the John Godber Centre and sampled a great variety of real ales.

March, we did what is known as the Tram Trail, catching the tram to New Basford for The Lion, Then back to Basford for The Fox & Crown, on to Bulwell for The Bulls Well, then home to Hucknall for the Pilgrim Oak.

April we took the tram to Beeston and visited The Malt Shovel, the Commercial Inn, The Crown Inn & the White Lion, then back to Hucknall by tram.

May, we stayed in Hucknall, starting at Wetherspoon’s Pilgrim Oak, then the Baker & Beer and Byron’s Rest.

June and July, we had two excellent “Beer B Q’s” in two of our members gardens with food and home made beer, both of wonderful quality.

The photos above and below show us in the Byron’s Rest and at one of our Beer B Q’s.

Medium Walks

by WebmasterMedium WalksPosted on Comments are Disabled

For our July walk we ventured north to Ollerton village, and followed a circular route, pausing at Wellow for our coffee stop, and to hear about the history of the famous Maypole which stands in the centre of the village green.

The photo stop was on the steep steps at the side of the old railway line which we crossed – we recreated a similar photo of around 7 years ago when we last used that particular path.

Although it was not yet August, the large field of wheat which we crossed looked ready for harvesting. We then walked around to Rufford Country Park, where the ford across the road became briefly famous on YouTube, before being closed on safety grounds.

Finally, we made our way back to Ollerton village, avoiding the forecast thunderstorms, which appeared as we were heading back home.

Our next walk will be on Monday 18th August – new members are always welcome to join us, just use the contact form on our website.

John Tedstone