Author: Pam

Short Walk at Clanfield and lunch at Ye Olde Swan Radcot

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Short walk at Clanfield with lunch at Ye Olde Swan, Radcot  –  15th January 2019 – approx 3 miles

It was a raw cold morning when 25 members left Carterton for Clanfield.  As we arrived 2 more walkers were waiting for us and 2 more joined us for lunch.  The original walk was to be just over 2 miles but as we had time to spare we made it into a longer walk.  Most of the walk was on pavements alongside the brook running down the side of the main road, down a lane which looked to be a bridle way and across 3 small meadows. It was a flat walk and not muddy.  After finishing the walk, we made our way to Radcot for lunch.  The Inn was welcoming with open fires and friendly staff. The meals were well received, served on time, and with good sized portions.  It is certainly a venue we will visit again.  Thanks once again to the car drivers.  Our next short walk is on 12th February at Sherborne where we hope to see snowdrops.  Pam

Walk from Minster Lovell 8th January 18

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6.5 miles walk starting at Minster Lovell 8 January 2019

On a beautiful, cool, crisp and sunny morning 13 members left the usual meeting place and made our way to Wash Meadow, Minster Lovell.  Arriving at Minster Lovell we were all taken aback with the amount of cars in the car park, in fact it was full.  Most of the vehicles belonged to contractors who were working at the Old Swan.  Six more members met us here for the walk. Mike and Alan were going to do a shorter walk and meet us later.  Although several members live in Minster Lovell they hadn’t walked the route we took. We crossed the bridge and then took a set of steep steps onto a track besides a hedge.  At the end of the hedge was a lovely memorial to the husbands of 3 of our members; bulbs had been planted and the memorial is maintained by  the 3  widows who live in Minster Lovell.  A moving tribute. The terrain was relatively dry with a few undulations.  Short sections of road walking made up part of the walk, one passing Worsham Mill.  A short steep downhill was not  as slippery as expected and was successfully navigated by all.  After 2 or 3 fields we emerged onto the road and this was the final section of the walk back to our cars and mysterious Minster Lovell.

Thank you to all those that came on the walk and to the car drivers.  Our next long walk is on 20th February Coombe/Blenheim Palace Parkland. Pam

Walk on 18th December 2018 Black Bourton

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On a dull morning, with heavy rain promised later, the group set off for our walk to Hazel and Jane’s home for coffee and mince pies.  Approx 3 miles each way.

 Ian and Josephine met us in Corbett Road and Alan drove to The Crescent to park his car.

It was quite windy but we were still able to walk at a good pace.  The route took us round the airfield perimeter past the sewerage works and then down the main road in Black Bourton.  Hazel and Teresa started from Black Bourton and met us in Black Bourton itself.  Arriving at our Hosts home we were served coffee and mince pies and some of Hazel’s all butter Christmas stars, Yum!  We had a nice natter and then retraced our steps, and managed to reach Carterton with only a few drops of rain falling.  The usual animals were in the fields at the rescue farm, and the RAF provided us with numerous fly pasts  which provided a topic of conversation.

Thank you to Hazel and Jane and to the walkers. 

Our next 2 walks are on the 8th January 2019, yet tbd, 15th January at Clanfield followed by lunch at Ye old Swan Radcot. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  Pam

Tai Chi update Dec 2018

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*In the last practice four members were able to get the end of of the sequence.
 
**The excercises for stronger legs have worked  out very well. The members are able to stand on one leg for a minute or so.
 
***Next year, to make the practices more active, every week I shall ask a member to give a demonstration on a number of postures : This will be discussed between Mike, Pat and  members of the group.
 
****No correction and criticism will be mentioned to the demo.
 
*****Next year, to make learning more effective I shall ask a member to give a demonstration  of up to 5 postures every week.
 
If anyone would like to take part in Tai Chi we can organise a 2nd class on a different day.   Minh
 

Cycle Ride 4th December 2018

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On a frosty morning, with the sun shining 3 of us met for the cycle ride.  Ian was joining us for the first time since his operation, and so a short ride was planned.  We rode along Burford / Shilton Roads,  through Swinbrook Park, down Kilkenny Lane, Monahan Way and Brize Norton Road back to the Town Centre and Huffkins.  A hot beverage and a natter completed a lovely morning.  Pam

Outing to Waddesdon on 5th December 2018

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Visit to Waddesdon Manor Christmas Carnival 5th December 2018

Waddesdon was purchased in 1874. Since this time members of the Rothschild family have taken it in turns to improve and develop the estate. On arrival we were met and given badges (instead of tickets) and maps and then transported from the car park, by buses to the House. Unfortunately, it was not good weather for our trip to Waddesdon.  We are normally so lucky with the weather and have often wondered what it would be like to make a visit on a wet day.  Today we found out; we were all dressed in our wet weather clothes and enjoyed and made the most of the day.  Apart from visiting the Manor House  with its Festive decorations we went to see the Winter Lights and explore over 80 Christmas market stalls.  There were samples to taste of mulled wine, cheese and caramel to name just a few.  There were plenty of opportunities to sit and enjoy the festive foods.  From dusk there  was a light trail full of movement, sound and light.  The front of the Manor house was bathed in lights of changing colours.  By the stables was a tunnel of light and a projected light show onto the walls. Inside the Manor the rooms were decorated from floor to ceiling with dazzling lights and Christmas trees.  The East Wing and Bachelor Wing were most impressive, while some rooms were closed for cleaning. Fortunately, our driver stayed on the coach so that we could return and sit in the dry.  Some did this while others stayed until the return time home. Both journeys were good  and quite quick.  In spite of the weather the visit was enjoyed.  Pam

Short Walk in Carterton 11 December 2018

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On a beautiful morning 16 members left the Town centre and walked footpaths, lanes and through Kilkenny Park arriving back 2 hours later. We had stayed in Carterton as it was the U3A meeting in the afternoon.  We did managed to have a quick coffee and chat before dashing off to get to the meeting on time.  Thank you to all those that walked.  Our next short walk is on 8th January at Clanfield and then lunch at Ye Old Swan, Radcot.  Pam 

 

Visit to Classical Extravaganza at The Royal Albert Hall Thursday 22nd November 18

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As usual, the trip to the Classical Spectacular at the Royal Albert Hall was looked forward to with excited enthusiasm, especially those who had not been to the Royal Albert Hall before let alone  the Classical Extravaganza.

The journey to London was good.  The driver was able to drop us off and wait right outside the Albert Hall.  This was so convenient and eliminated the hunt for the coach in the main road after the concert, as so often happens.  The journey home was a different matter, roads works etc making the journey over 2 hours.

The members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by John Rigby, were their usual brilliant selves and ably supported by the Royal Choral Society and a band of retired Military Musicians.

The atmosphere inside the Albert Hall was exhilarating as we enjoyed an evening of good music culminating with the usual patriotic music and songs that we all love so much.

We were treated to a plethora of well-known, and popular music from Grieg, Rossini, Sousa, Bixet, Holst, Pachelbel and Suppe.  The Orchestra and choir really excelled with their rendition of Finlandia. There was a standing ovation for Peter Auty (tenor), after he sang Nessun Dorma.  The highlight was the Benedictus by Jenkins which was first performed in public in this Hall in 1999.  The Cello Soloist was particularly good.

The 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky, brought to an end an evening of  superb musical entertainment.  Despite knowing that the cannons and firearms would burst forth at a certain point in the music, many were caught out and jumped at the suddenness of the of the muskets and cannons being fired. Many were amused at being startled by the noise from both sides of the auditorium.

As an encore the Classical Spectacular Dancers brought a smile to our faces, as they danced the Can-Can .

After the finale a large net released many hundreds of red, white and blue balloons on to the audience.  Not many survived the popping frenzy that followed.

Without exception we all had a great night out with Carterton U3A,  and many thanks to Pam Howard for her impeccable organisation. 

Henry Howard

Circular Walk from The Green, Delly End Hailey – 5.5 miles on Tuesday 20th November 20

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18 walkers turned out for this walk, all well wrapped up as we were promised biting cold winds.  We met Angela at Hailey and commenced the walk. The area around the green was very picturesque with a variety of trees and with  a memorial at one end.  There was a short road walk before joining a footpath and entering a very long avenue of trees.  The majority of the walk was beautiful with the ground being covered in a carpet of leaves, which many of us enjoyed listening the  rustle beneath our feet and the odd kicking of them into the air.

Several large remote houses were visible between the hedgerows.  Leaving the footpath, we crossed the B4022 road to continue the footpath again past Chasewood Farm.  Here we joined the course of the Roman road Akerman Street which linked Cirencester to Bicester. Following the track through open fields we saw Leafield Church to our right and Witney Church and Didcot power station to our left.  We came to a cross of two concrete tracks which were part of a World War II airfield. A short length of road walking came next and then we joined a byway towards Orchard Farm.  Reaching farm cottages, we stopped for a breather and then walked along another byway, Pay Lane, and through some woods.  At the end of the woods we crossed the B4022 again and walked down St John’s Lane.  The Wychwood Project volunteers had reconstructed a dry stone wall on this byway. Continuing to the end of the wood we came to a lane, which led to the road where we had started from and back to our cars.  It was a great walk with great company, and we had managed to stay sheltered from the wind. Thank you to the car drivers.  The next long walk is to Hazel and Jane’s at Black Bourton on the 18th December, where we will have coffee and mince pies, and then walk back again.  Pam