A crowd in the countryside

Regular readers know I’m a member of a walking group.  Regular readers don’t know that one of the features of our summer programme is a series of evening pub walks: walks of only three or four miles, finishing up at a pub for a convivial meal or drink together.  Usually about eight to twelve people come along.  This time, it was my turn to lead the walk, which had been publicised round the area in a low-key kind of way.

I’d already been messaged by a Chinese woman who asked if, though they weren’t members of ‘rumbles’, a group of nine of them could come along.  Three other new-to-us people got in touch, and on the night, two other ‘newbies’ were there.  Then there were Emily and Miquel, over from Spain.

The group of nine proved after all to be eleven, and included two small children.  They were an extended family, living in various places all over the north of England, who’d snatched a few precious days staying together at a local campsite.

The usual regulars turned up.  I did a quick head count.  Twenty nine people….

The walk begins……

Have you ever tried getting twenty nine people over several stiles, down narrow paths, along the lakeside, through the woods, across the fields, down the road and back through the Nature Reserve without losing anyone en route?  Actually, because of the small children, the Chinese team left us at half time, but we had fun making new friends and promising to try out the restaurant that one branch of the family runs, many miles north from here.

Sunset over the lake at the Nature Reserve.

The pub coped admirably.  In fact only twelve of us chose to eat there, though most of the others stayed for a drink.  Here’s free publicity for The Freemason’s Arms, Nosterfield.  Great home-cooked food (try the fish and chips if you dare.  Massive), provided by a friendly, unflappable team.

Photo courtesy of Miquel, who was almost, but not quite, defeated by this plateful.

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and living in North Yorkshire, where I walk as often as I can, write, volunteer, and travel as often as I can.

22 thoughts on “A crowd in the countryside”

    1. I could easily have shared a fish that size with the entire family. Luckily I chose something else from the menu. As to organisation …. the walkers organised themselves.

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  7. I had a death by fish experience in Warkworth a couple of weekends ago. 🙂 🙂 I love the idea of the evening walks. Our group over here are pretty elderly so it wouldn’t happen. Bit of a long hop to join yours but I shall check out the pub in Nosterfield. 🙂 The numbers on the Strollers walks in the Algarve get pretty high too, and there’s always food at the end.

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    1. Food at the end is definitely the way to go. And that pub in Nosterfield? Prince William and Kate chose to eat there when the Tour de France came our way in 2014. If it’s good enough for them …..

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