New Forest
Something caught my eye on the Non-Heart Related Topics “The GUCH Walking Club is going for its Summer BBQ”. Hmm! aren’t they the mega-fit bunch that walked the 84 miles of Hadrian’s Wall and camped out in all weathers! Not for me I thought, all that 'yomping’ and slumming it under canvas. But this was a ‘Summer Stroll and Social’ in the New Forest. For those of you who remember the Southampton Conference and the visit to Beaulieu, the New Forest is well worth a visit.
Some of the group had booked to camp over the weekend but sadly all the camp sites and B&BS were all full up. I managed to book in to a hotel in Lyndhurst, 2 miles down the road from where the others were camping. Friday afternoon, Elizabeth and Gill from Scotland were passing through Lyndhurst when I contacted them on the mobile and arranged to meet up with the campers. On arrival at the site, the campers were settled in their various tents ranging from the luxurious with separate bedrooms and a veranda, to the extremely compact and bijou. I was greeted by Elizabeth and Gill from Scotland (who was camping for the first time), Beth, Paul, Charlie, his wife Gill and their three children. Charlie and Gill had prepared a delicious pasta and vegetable dish (there is a real art to opening the right tins!) All washed down with a tumbler of red wine! There were no refusals as off-loaded most of my wine into the varying drinking vessels. After all, I had to drive back to Lyndhurst and the forest is crawling with – ponies!
Saturday morning, we met up at Bolderwood Deer Park and were joined by Kieran and Karen and Shelagh and her husband David, who kindly brought down all the food and equipment for the BBQ. Having compared my night with the campers, who all slept soundly (including Gill from Scotland, who was delighted to discover that camping was much better than she’d anticipated). Although, they had been visited by some New Forest ponies nibbling at their tents - probably smelt the remains of the pasta dish, or were after the red wine (oopps, sorry, none of that left!).
We set off at a gentle pace on the 1 mile stretch aided by the help of Charlie’s son, Alex, who found the green arrows. It was great to be out in the fresh air and enjoy the beauty of the forest, with plenty of photo opportunities – Charlie posing by a magnificent tree, a fantastic root formation which caught the eye of the budding ‘David Baileys’, not to mention the herd of deer including two white stags. Also, we spotted two fawns and one squirrel. Despite the heavy rain we have all been experiencing, the weather was perfect.
Facilities in the Forest are excellent. Plenty of seats to rest up, a good information centre and well kept toilet facilities back at the car park and picnic tables with metal sections for your BBQ. Yet again, the GUCH Walking Club had done their homework.
The walk took about an hour, with stops. When we returned to the picnic site, the kettle was on the boil for tea and coffee and the BBQs were alight.
Shelagh and David provided a superb menu of pork and leek sausages, finest burgers, veggie burgers, lamb and mint kebabs, buns, salads, relishes and drinks. If that was not enough, quite a few of us just had to sample the New Forest ice-cream – apple and cinnamon was among the top.
One thing you forget about BBQs, is if there is a slight breeze, you have to keep dodging the smoke. I was going to give this ‘write up’ the title of “GUCHs going up in smoke” but Beth more aptly entitled it ”GUCHs set the world on fire”. Well, I don’t know about that, but I was so glad I’d made the effort and not been put off by the forecast.
If you are a GUCH who feels less able and you don’t think you have much to offer, then just be reminded – you are a real encouragement to those in a similar situation, not to mention the rest of us! Isn’t that what GUCH is all about. Having fun, sharing problems and joys and encouraging one another. Now, where did I put my walking boots?
Liz |
