A picture is louder than words Explore Plymouth We try an electric mountain bike Anyone for tennis? Manage your life; how ‘green’ is your house Will heads to Yorkshire and walks the Herriot Way ISSUE 105 | AUGUST 2021
! E E R F Home is where the heart is Deene Park has been home to the same family for 14 generations
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Editor and Publisher Mary Bremner mary@theactivemag.com Deputy editor Kate Maxim kate@theactivemag.com Art editor Matt Tarrant Contributors Will Hetherington, Jeremy Smithson-Beswick Advertisement Sales Director Lisa Chauhan lisa@theactivemag.com Production assistant Gary Curtis Accounts accounts@theactivemag.com Active magazine, Eventus Business Centre, Sunderland Road, Northfield Industrial Estate, Market Deeping, PE6 8FD If you have information about a club then please get in touch by emailing editor@theactivemag.com. If you would like to stock Active magazine please email distribution@theactivemag.com. Active magazine is published monthly 12 times per year. ISSN 2059-8513 Published by Triangle Publishing Ltd Printed by Warner’s of Bourne
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E DI TO R ’ S L E T T E R ‘We all need to be aware of the changes that are coming with regards to the country becoming carbon neutral.’ THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS have begun! Most of us may not be hopping on a plane this year but there’s still plenty to do locally, so days out can be planned, enjoyed and looked forward to. Football may be a bit of a sore point at the moment, although I do think England should be congratulated for coming second; which does seem to have been overlooked. And there are very many other sports that can be enjoyed, with or without a ball. Kate tried all things tennis and enjoyed watching a roller derby session, whilst our designer Gary got out on an electric mountain bike which he loved. And anyone for cricket? Like Will I’ve always been a fan of All Creatures Great and Small, the original series and the new one. This month Will walks the Herriot Way in the orkshire ales and after reading the piece ’m definitely adding it to my list of ‘things to do.’ Talking of things to do, we all need to be aware of the changes that are coming with regards to the country becoming carbon neutral; the government is really upping the agenda with this and committing to cutting emissions drastically. Gas boilers will be a thing of the past joining diesel and petrol cars on the scrapheap - and we can no longer ignore EPCs with regards to our houses. I had a very interesting, quite robust conversation with James Tucker from Allexton Energy about it all and he offered some great advice. I was privileged to be shown around Deene Park (our front cover shot) this month and it really is stunning. ut it on your list to visit you’ll find out about The Charge of the Light Brigade and its link to the house, and a naughty countess and you’ll enjoy beautiful gardens and cake and meet Ronald… We have really been busy this month; Kate has been to Plymouth and I’ve been chatting to an artist who is doing her bit to help the local businesses in Market Harborough. And to top it all off visited The Grange Spa; after the hectic month we’ve had I should have been enjoying some much needed R&R but no time for that, got to keep moving! Mary - Editor FIND US ONLINE
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August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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I S S U E 105 / AU G U ST 2021
Contents
ACTIVE LIFE 16 ARTIST ALLIE WHELAN
A picture is louder than words
18 DEENE PARK
What has The Charge of the Light Brigade got to do with the house?
22
22 TRAVEL
Plymouth in all its glory
30 THE GRANGE SPA
Visit this luxury boutique spa in the heart of Lincolnshire
32 ANYONE FOR TENNIS?
35
ate tries lots of different versions
35 ELECTRIC BIKE REVIEW
We try an electric mountain bike
38 WILL’S WALKS
This month Will heads to the Yorkshire Dales to tackle the Herriot Way
SERIES
28 MANAGE YOUR LIFE
How ‘green’ is your house?
ACTIVE BODY 50 PHYSIO
30
38
Ripping yarns; how to treat a torn or strained muscle
ACTIVE SPORT 58 TOM FLOWERS
How you can benefit from some cricket coaching
August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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FORD PUMA MILD HYBRID
AT T. C . H A R R I S O N F O R D
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C O N TA C T U S F O R M O R E D E TA I L S
C O N TA C T U S V I A
LIVECHAT | EMAIL SOCIAL | TELEPHONE TO B O O K Y O U R T E S T D R I V E
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Celebrating 90 years together
GROUP Est. 1931
Model shown is All-New Puma ST-Line X mHEV 125PS 5 Door, Fuel economy mpg (1/100km) (Combined): 51.4 (5.5) *CO2 emissions 96-99g/km. Puma ST anticipated fuel efficiency from 6.0 l/100 km and CO2 emissions from 134 g/km NEDC (6.9 l/100 km and 155 g/km WLTP). Officially homologated fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions figures will be published closer to on-sale date. Figures shown are for comparability purposes; only compare fuel consumption and CO2 figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend on a number on factors including the accessories fitted, variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load. There is a new test used for fuel consumption and CO2 figures. The CO2 figures shown however, are based on the outgoing test cycle and will be used to calculate vehicle tax on first registration. T. C. Harrison Group Limited, Milford House, Mill Street, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1HH acts as a credit broker in relation to financial products and not a lender. For customers requiring finance we can introduce you to a small number of carefully selected credit providers who may be able to offer you different finance products to suit your needs, subject to assessment of your personal circumstances. You are not obliged to use these finance products which may have different interest rates and charges. We do not charge a fee for our services but a lender we introduce will typically provide us with a commission for the work that we do, which is a percentage of the amount you borrow. The lenders we work with may pay commission at different rates and the amount of commission we receive from a lender does not affect the amount that you pay to that lender under your credit agreement. We are only able to offer finance products from the providers we work with. T. C. Harrison Group Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA Reg. No. 312522
ActiveLife Visit Deene Park | Anyone for tennis? | And relax at The Grange Spa Will walks the Herriot Way | We try out an electric mountain bike Series: Manage your life; How ‘green’ is your house | Explore Plymouth E DI T E D BY M A RY B R E M N E R
A picture is louder than words p16 Local artist helps independent businesses
August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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Active life
Men needed Men United in Song are back in full voice and looking for singers to join them to help raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK. Launching in September they are looking for 40 men, singing experience immaterial, to take part in a 10 week pop up singing experience that will culminate in a concert at The Cresset in Peterborough in November. You’ll learn to sing, meet new people, make new friends, help raise funds for a worthy cause and enjoy drinks in the pub after rehearsals sounds perfect To find out more visit www.peterboroughsings.org.uk
Join the JETRide A virtual relay hosted by youth charity JET (John Egging Trust) has raised over £25,000. These funds will help to launch the charity’s 10 year mission to reach one million youngsters by 2031. Participants signed up from all over the world and each team of 10 decided how they would complete the 10km relay; walking, running even paddleboarding. JET’s next big fundraising event is the JETRide, a 50-100 mile cycle race which takes place on September 2 . To find out more go to www.joneggingtrust.org.uk/events
New products at Stamford Strings Stamford Strings now stocks ecorosin for violin, viola and cello. Ecorosin is a new line of premium rosins that uses natural plant based ingredients and resins including organic waxes and hemp. Presented in a recycled container, it is biodegradable, will leave no water and CO2 emissions are offset through investment in renewable energy products. In the same eco-friendly vein they have new stock of locally made cello anchors, made from offcuts of hardwood from a local timber merchant. New colours are also available for their violin silk bags, which are also made locally from offcuts of material from a tailor that would otherwise go to landfill. And have a look at their gorgeous pure silk scarves which are screen printed from paintings by artist Andrew Richardson. These are perfect for keeping violins protected in their case during winter and summer and will also appeal to non players. www.stamfordstrings.co.uk Please check website for opening times
Walk for Parkinson’s This year you can walk for Parkinson’s UK near you, or take part virtually. Our local walk is at Burghley on October 3; entries are now open. There is also the option to take part in Walk for Parkinson’s Your Way. You choose your own course, when you do it and who you walk with over the weekend of September 25 and 26. You can choose to walk either two or six miles, whichever suits you best. The money raised by the Walk for Parkinson’s series will help transform the way the charity provides information and support to people with Parkinson’s, and the people in their lives. This year, thanks to the Frank and Evelyn Brake Connect Fund, sponsorship will be matched pound for pound, doubling the impact for people affected by arkinson’s. Broadcaster and journalist Dave Clark is supporting the Walk for Parkinson’s events. Dave was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2011 at the age of 44 and, as Parkinson’s UK’s Champion of Walking, he has helped to raise over £350,000 for the charity. To take part in Walk for Parkinson’s, visit: www.parkinsons.org.uk/get-involved/walk-parkinsons
August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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Active life
What’s on...
Great things to see and do in the region THERE’S GOING TO be a fun-filled family picnic at Tod’s iece, Uppingham sponsored by Uppingham irst and The Crown on Sunday August 22 from 1-5pm. Bring along a picnic blanket and en oy a day of music and entertainment provided by touring company Bell Orchestra and local arts group oot and Branch Out. There will be plenty of family activities to en oy. Either bring your own picnic or en oy the food that will be available on the day. The Crown will be manning their mobile bar to keep the drinks cool and owing and all profits are being donated to local groups. En oy an opportunity to see friends, relax and support the local community. Slade School-trained artist ebecca vatts will be teaching a series of half-day workshops 10am-1pm to be held in her own large painting studio in Uppingham. rawing brings us back into the moment, to really see what’s in front of us. ebecca will show you a new, liberating approach to drawing with the emphasis on looking rather than on preconceived notions of good and bad art. orkshops include ntroduction to drawing take a line for a walk ife drawing basic anatomy and measuring estural life drawing and movement ink and mixed media rawing a head from still life to abstraction and colour mixing and composition. Materials and refreshments supplied. Suitable for beginners and intermediate level artists. or course details www.ivatts.art/courses/
The Buttonhole caf in the grounds of ing Hall will be open every day during the school holidays from am until 10pm. And there will be ama ing BB s on weekend evenings throughout the summer held on the glorious lawns of ing Hall. There is also a carefully curated wine list featuring small producers, organic and biodynamic wines. Also on various weekends throughout the summer there will be live music from pm- pm. Check the website or nstagram for more details as dates are being added throughout the summer. www.thebuttonholewing.com
ocal artists are busy preparing to open their studios to the public over three weekends in September for the utland Open Studios 2021 on the 11th, 1 th and 25th. There is a wide range of media to see from paintings to pottery, sculpture, ewellery and photography. All information, including a full list of the artists exhibiting is on the utland Open Studios website www.rutlandopenstudios.co.uk, follow on facebook @therutlandopenstudios. Brochures can be downloaded or can be found in many shops, pubs, hotels and public information places throughout utland.
Equifest returns to the East of England Arena on August 19-21. t’s perfect for all horse lovers and there are classes and competitions galore, lots going on in the show rings and evening performances as well. The Old icarage at Harringworth is opening its gardens for the N S on Sunday August and 15 from 1-5pm. The garden stretches down to the iver elland and visitors are welcome to bring a picnic and watch the kingfishers, and of course there is always great cake www.ngs.org.uk
August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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Active life
RECIPE
Gazpacho This month there is a glut of tomatoes in the garden and the supermarkets are full of them; lovely juicy, tasty English tomatoes. This delicious gazpacho recipe is very simple to make, refreshing, very good for you as it’s stuffed full of vitamins and minerals and, most importantly, delicious! INGREDIENTS
METHOD
• 1kg quartered tomatoes • 2 chopped cucumbers • 1 red pepper, chopped • 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar • 250ml water • 5 tbsp olive oil • salt and pepper to taste • 2 tbsp sliced fresh basil
• Blend tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, garlic, vinegar and water together until smooth. Then add olive oil and blend to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper, add more red wine vinegar if needed. • Cover and refrigerate. • Once chilled split into four bowls and serve with croutons, chopped basil and a drizzle of olive oil.
August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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Active life
Scrabs, scroggs and gribbles Rowan Griffiths tells us more about the crab apple THE WILD CRAB apple (or as nicknamed in the title) is the ancestor of all the cultivated species of apple that have been grown in this country since before records began. Pips have even been found in neolithic cooking vessels. The crab apple, Malus sylvestris, is a small thorny tree and fairly common on the edges of woods and along hedgerows. It has dark green oval shaped leaves with toothed edges and blossoms pink to red with five petalled owers in the late spring. The trunk becomes gnarled and twisted with age. The fruits are small, round apples but can vary in size and range in colour from a yellowish green to a deep scarlet. They may be harvested from July to December and are often seen defiantly hanging on the tree even after the leaves have fallen. The apples have a very sharp, dry taste and are not often eaten raw unless you are competing in a game of ‘try not to pull a face’. As the crab apple will cross pollinate quite happily, varieties that have hybridised with more domestic apples will have a sweeter and more palatable avour. The sourer the taste the more likely it is to be a genuine crab. However, despite its taste, when raw the crab apple has many uses. It makes a delightful jelly and since the fruit contains a lot of pectin it can be used to help other milder fruit jellies set. One of my favourite uses is to make a ‘schnapps’ by slicing up crab apples, packing them into a Kilner jar with sugar added to taste and then filling the ar with vodka. Decanted after a year (if you can wait that long) the result will be a pleasant apple liqueur.
GARDE NING
Veggies galore It’s harvest time this month in the vegetable garden
A
UGUST IS THE month of harvest. In the Pagan calendar August 1st is known as Lughnasadh and falls approximately midway between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox. The date would be celebrated as a harvest festival. Songs would be sung, games played and food eaten. The date is also known as Lammas. The word Lammas originates from the old English meaning Loaf Mass and it would be customary to bake a loaf of bread using grains from the first harvest. These loaves would then be taken to church and blessed. Some believed that breaking the bread into four and placing a piece in each of the corners of the barn would protect their crop through the winter. Back in our own vegetable gardens there is also plenty to harvest. Courgettes will still be providing crops, but remember to pick them frequently before they turn to marrows! Other fruit and vegetables ready this month include aubergines, beetroot, cabbage, cucumbers, cauli ower and globe artichokes. The artichoke is one of the oldest foods known to humans and originates from the thistle family. The edible part is the buds before they come into bloom. There are over 140 varieties of artichoke, but commercially
only around 40 varieties are grown, mainly in France, Italy and Spain. They are certainly an alternative to many of our staple vegetables and worth trying. If not eaten the buds will open and ower producing a violet blue ower that can be up to inches across. Lawn care in August really does depend on the weather. If it has been really dry raise the cutting blades. There should not be too much growth in hot weather and the clippings can be left to provide a mulch. Or if wet the blades can be lowered and cuttings collected. August is also one of the times to prune wisteria to ensure they keep owering. Cut back the wispy new growth of the summer leaving five or six leaves after owering. This helps keep the plant in shape, but also prevents it from getting into cracks in bricks and stonework causing damage. Winter pruning should be done in February. Many of the plants you see for sale at our garden centres are grown at our own nursery in Burton Latimer. Each year we grow around a million plants. Look out for the 'grown at' labels to know that you have a healthy plant that really hasn’t travelled that far to be with you. www.bosworthsgc.co.uk
August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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A picture is louder than words Local artist Allie Whelan is supporting Market Harborough’s independent businesses
A
LLIE WHELAN HAS always loved painting, even as a child but then decided to do a ‘real’ degree in history and pursue a business career. She still carried on taking commissions whilst a student and then dived in to the world of work. She headed to London and became a recruitment consultant. Four years later she had set up on her own and moved with her family to Market Harborough; that was over 20 years ago. ‘We chose Market Harborough because it was halfway between both our families who are in Lincoln and Leeds. And we loved the town. It’s a small market town with a great vibe; people are friendly and welcoming, it was the perfect place to put roots down and raise a family.’ Four children later Allie was still painting, ‘it’s my retreat,’ managing up to five commissions a year as well as running a successful business and enjoying living in Market Harborough. As a business owner and resident she’d got to know many of the independent retailers and life was going well. Then in 2019 she was diagnosed with cancer. ‘I was one of the lucky ones,’ says Allie. ‘I was diagnosed before the pandemic and treated so was already in the system.’ Her diagnosis made her think though and she started to realise there was more to life than living a highly stressful, albeit successful one; it was time to slow down. ‘I turned more to art and used it as a therapy to grow a ‘new me’ allowing myself more time. I was receiving more and more commissions so concentrated on my painting whilst also recovering. And then Covid hit and my business really struggled. I was still receiving treatment and spent a lot of time walking my dogs in Welland Park. It was an absolute lifeline for many of us. I was having to shield early on so it was a tranquil, safe place to get outside and
16
enjoy some fresh air and exercise. Many of us in the town were using it as our safe haven.’ Allie recovered but her illness had made her think, as did Covid. ‘I decided to take a step back from the business and concentrate on my painting. I was so pleased with people’s reactions to my paintings when I delivered them. I was making people happy, which has always been my aim, business-wise as well. This gave me confidence to push on with taking more commissions.’ Allie has always been a runner and last year decided to run a marathon to celebrate her recovery. Slightly ambitious possibly and she damaged her achilles heel whilst doing it, but she managed it. Whilst recovering from her injury she spent more time in the town talking to the local business owners and en oying coffees in some of the local coffee shops. got chatting to the owners and asked them about trade which, disappointingly, was poor. Many small independent businesses were really struggling. It was heartbreaking as many of these businesses are run by Market Harborough families, many for generations, and if we weren’t careful we would lose them. ‘I’m a business woman at heart so set my mind to thinking about what I could do to help. I live in a fabulous place. Market Harborough is a wonderful market town with a lot to shout about and the local businesses needed some love. We needed to attract people into the town to spend money locally and support the local independents who desperately needed this support.’ ‘I had already painted the Café in the Park as their takeaway drinks had been a lifeline throughout the lockdowns for many of us. We were able to come and grab a coffee and meet up at a social distance and it had made such a difference to many of us, it was a bit of a life saver. And I wanted to thank them so painted the café. It got me thinking. If
August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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Active life
‘Market Harborough is a wonderful market town with a lot to shout about and the local businesses needed some love.’ I painted some of the local businesses and held an exhibition it would hopefully raise awareness and attract more customers. I expected to paint between 10 and 15 and planned to do them in fives. visited the businesses, had a chat, took photos and asked if they wanted a painting done. ell, now have 25 to do and the number is rising More than 50 of the businesses have already said they want to buy my painting which will cost them about 200. will produce postcards and greeting cards of the paintings for the businesses to use and sell as well. I’m planning to approach the council to see if there is any funding available for an exhibition. And plans are afoot to celebrate 800 years of the indoor market, that really does need celebrating so that’s definitely one will be painting ’ Allie has set herself a deadline of the end of September to have all her paintings finished and at the same time she’s also working on commissions. She’s pretty busy but is bringing oy to the town and her work is bringing the public’s attention to these independents who need our support. To contact Allie you will find her on instagram @alliewhelan.art or on facebook alliewhelanart
August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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Deene Park
Home is where the heart is Mary recently enjoyed a guided tour of Deene Park and found out some fascinating facts about the Brudenell family
M
OST OF US have heard of the Charge of the Light Brigade which took place in 1854 against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War. But many of us might not know of its connection to our area. It was an unsuccessful charge which resulted in large British casualties and was thought to have happened due to a miscommunication. It was led, very bravely whatever the almost inevitable outcome, by the 7th Earl of Cardigan, James Brudenell, whose family seat was Deene Park which lies halfway between Corby and Stamford. The history of Deene Park goes back much earlier than the 7th Earl though. The house dates to 1514 when it was a Tudor manor and was originally owned by The See of Westminster and leased to the family. Quite extraordinarily the Brudenell family has lived at Deene Park for over 500 years without any changes of name. It has always been a family home and Robert Brudenell and his wife Charlotte are the 14th generation of the family to live at the Park, with the 15th, son William waiting in the wings. The rooms are not museum rooms, most of them are used by the family. The beds are slept in, bathrooms work usually and fires are lit. The house has changed and evolved over the years but
the Tudor heart of it is still very much in contention alongside beautiful Georgian extensions dating from the 1790s. And it is well worth a visit. Steeped in history there are many stories to be told about the longevity and history of this family. And because of the length of their tenure their history sits alongside the broader history of the country. Artefacts and works of art are in every room whilst it still retains the comfort of a family home. It must be fascinating as one of the family to compare your features with the 14 previous generations’ portraits that are hung within the house. Something quite noticeable is that all the portraits are of fairly elderly owners, not young men in their prime. A portrait was painted of a son who did not outlive his father who died aged 97. Since then no owner of Deene Park is painted until they have actually inherited the estate and this tradition still continues today. Deene Park was shut throughout last year because of the pandemic but this year has reopened. It is open for 28 days of the year, every Sunday between April and September plus Bank Holidays and welcomes up to 4,000 visitors a year. It also opens during the week for pre-booked group visits. You are able to visit the house and enjoy the stunning gardens and parkland. Weddings are also held at the house with up to 15 taking place every year. A new pavilion has been built in the walled gardens so couples are now able to marry outside. Full use of the gardens can be made by guests and the photographs could not be taken in a more attractive setting. Whilst the house was closed last year the family took the opportunity to redecorate rooms and restore others including treating the ceiling in the Great Hall as well as moving portraits around and repositioning certain items. They have slowly been reopening and are delighted that virtually all of their 23 guides, who work voluntarily, are now back in action. Recently a rose garden has been established where the medieval chapel was once situated. This was knocked down during Georgian times and it would appear that everything was just pushed to one side disturbing the bodies of medieval monks buried in the crypt beneath, as in 2019 when the garden was being established human bones were found. The police had to be called, because of the human remains, but it transpires that they
August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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THE BUTTONHOLE
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Breakfast and brunch are served from the morning into the early afternoon with exceptional coffee and cakes served all-day. In the evening, a pared back bar menu of small ‘sharing’ plates and, at weekends, a BBQ on the lawns is the perfect foil to our carefully curated wine list.
We are open daytime and evening throughout the school holidays: Saturday 17th July - Monday 29th August: 8am - 10pm Breakfast, brunch, afternoon cakes, dinner and drinks. Booking is advised, please see our website for details and link for reservations: www.buttonholewing.com
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Deene Park
There are so many stories to tell including a visit from Elizabeth I. Apparently, she was supposed to stay at Burghley but they had an outbreak of smallpox so she visited Deene instead.
were medieval remains. It has never been established exactly who these people are but there does not appear to have been any foul play involved. The bodies have now been reinterred next to the current chapel. As well as the house and beautiful gardens there is over 300 acres of parkland to enjoy, look out for the Highland cattle which are a particular favourite of the current incumbent. There are many acres of tenanted farms as well as more land in Leicestershire. At one point the estates of Deene Park and Boughton House were joined by marriage with most of east Northamptonshire being owned by the families. And going the other way, another fortunate marriage to one of the Treshams at Rushden Hall means there is an extensive collection of fabulous, ancient books from both the Tresham and Brudenell libraries in the Bow Room, which was perhaps my favourite room. There are so many stories to tell including a visit from Elizabeth I. Apparently, she was supposed to stay at Burghley but they had an outbreak of smallpox so she visited Deene instead. The large Tudor dining table in the Great Hall is the one she sat at. And take a look at the photos dotted around the house: Diana, Princess of Wales is in one, the Duke of Edinburgh in another along with many other famous faces; Nancy Reagan being another. But back to the 7th Earl. He survived the Charge of the Light Brigade along with his horse Ronald whose agility could probably be credited with saving the Earl’s life. This Earl had a great love of horses which is re ected in some of the magnificent paintings which hang in the dining room. And such was his love of Ronald, who outlived him, that his head was preserved. He watches over the Earl’s portraits in the White Hall, and very handsome he is too. Rather macabre possibly but well deserved. The 7th Earl was not purported to be a pleasant man and led quite a checkered life. He married ‘the naughty countess, Adeline’ who was nearly 30 years younger than him and whom Queen Victoria disapproved of as she was his mistress who he married with indecent haste after his first wife died. He broke the entail of the estate in order for her to live at Deene during her widowhood whilst the title passed to his cousin who owned Tottenham House. The house fell upon hard times during the war and had
troops billeted there during WWll with the family forced to withdraw to ust a few rooms. Some officers did not respect the house and by the time it was returned to the family it was in a very bad state of repair, with only two functioning bathrooms and barely any electricity. So much so that it was almost lost to the family. But a fortunate find after the war of a genuine copy of the Magna Carta saved the house. After much soul searching this was sold so that Robert’s parents Edward and Marian were able to use the funds from the sale to restore the house for the family to live in again; and of course this is a constant task for each incumbent. The house is steeped in history and the tales of family trysts and marriages are fascinating with more to come apparently with a recent find. isit for yourself and en oy the Old Masters including a Gainsborough and a Reynolds. Explore the beautiful gardens, the white garden is a favourite of mine and yes, there is even a secret door which leads into a secret octagonal room… www.deenepark.com
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Plymouth, Britain’s ocean city Kate Maxim visits Plymouth for the first time and delights in its heritage, cultural attractions, yacht races and, most of all, the view over the Sound
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Plymouth
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Image: Summit Imagery
LYMOUTH IS KNOWN as Britain’s ocean city and having spent the weekend there in baking sunshine during the reat Britain Sail rand rix can safely agree with that description. One of the ex-Olympic commentators at the race suggested there is a boat out there for everyone regardless of age, si e or ability and, having watched the mass of activities in the huge bay called the lymouth Sound, which is like a natural amphitheatre, can testify to that too. There were sail boats in their hundreds, power boats, kayaks, paddle boards and, of course, the ultra high performance fully-foiled 50 ft catamarans manned by the eight international teams taking part in the rand rix. And if you’re not on the water, or watching the water, there is plenty to do on land. hether you’re a history or naval buff, into arts and culture, en oy excellent food and drink, love walking or shopping there is something for everyone in lymouth. ith its natural harbour and open access to the Atlantic, lymouth has always been of strategic importance from both a naval and pioneering point of view. The origins of the town were in lympton at the head of the tidal estuary of the river lym but as that silted up, ships used the harbour at the lym’s mouth instead. Always an important fishing town, it also became a great trading port of goods such as leather, tin and wool. However, over time commercial trade dropped off as it grew as a naval base and ship construction town, building battleships for the oyal Navy. Huge dockyards were built in the nearby town of evonport. t also became the departure point for many historic sea voyages including the May ower in 1 20 with the ilgrim athers on board to establish the second English colony in America. The first voyage of ames Cook in 1 aboard HMS Endeavour also set sail from here as did the second voyage of HMS Beagle in 1 1 with Charles arwin on board. But perhaps the most famous resident of lymouth was Sir rancis rake navigator, privateer and vice admiral of the oyal Navy. made sure walked past the bowls club where he reputedly insisted on finishing his game despite the threat of the Spanish Armada off the coast. Supposedly the delay allowed the wind and tide to change in his favour.
With its natural harbour and open access to the Atlantic, Plymouth has always been of strategic importance from both a naval and pioneering point of view.
Fortifying the town
The town was often the target of enemies from across the English Channel so in the early fifteenth century lymouth Castle was built to protect the Sutton ool which was where the naval eet was based before the creation of lymouth ock. Then in 1512 an Act of arliament was passed to further fortify lymouth. rake’s ort was built in 159 which later became the site for the oyal Citadel at the eastern end of lymouth overlooking the Sound. unded by a tax on every hogshead of pilchards exported from lymouth, it is a truly imposing sight with 0ft high walls made of limestone and granite. Since 19 2 it has been controlled by the 29 Commando egiment of the oyal Artillery who provide support to Commando Brigade of the Royal Marines. To the west of the town near the river Tamar and opposite Mount Edgcumbe is oyal illiam ard. Built between 1 25 and 1 1, covering 1 acres, it was the main victualling depot of the oyal Navy and is the largest collection of rade military buildings in Europe. t was released from the Ministry of efence in 1992 and since then has benefitted from a 0 million refurbishment programme. f you visit in the evening when the walls glimmer in the sunset, or you arrive by ferry from the Barbican for lunch or to visit the arts and crafts markets, open air cinema or outdoor theatre, it is a magical place. was lucky enough to stay at Bistrot ierre’s esidence One which used to be an Admiral’s House. rom the secret garden at the back, where he used to stand every day to check on his eet in the harbour, you can see a stretch of the South est Coast ath which is a 0-mile long route from Minehead to oole. walked some of it in the evening and first thing the next morning and thoroughly en oyed the incredible views. And also watching the hive of activity as people umped on stand up paddleboards and sea kayaks, went coasteering, wakeboarding or open water swimming. was ready to ump in with them right then but later in the day when was back on lymouth Hoe in the bla ing sun, the place really wanted to dive into was the Tinside ido. A perfect turquoise, art deco, semi-circular saltwater pool utting out over the Sound it would have been the perfect spot to cool down while also being a great vantage point to watch the Sail races.
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Plymouth Image: Wayne Perry
Image: Bob Martin from Sail GP Image: Summit Imagery
Sail GP
had watched the first three races on day one, marvelling at how rapid yet graceful the boats are. e were up close and personal with 1,000 other boats moored up in the Sound watching eight teams from all around the world competing in the third leg of this incredible yacht racing league after events in Bermuda and Taranto in taly. Unlike the America’s Cup where the boats vary massively in design and performance, these boats cost from -10 million and are all equal so no team should have a distinct advantage. But as lymouth Sound is a notoriously challenging venue with the wind coming at the boats from all directions, while one crew could experience a difficult pocket of wind one minute, another crew would manage to avoid it and whip ahead, exceeding speeds of 0mph. t was truly nail biting stuff to watch. The races saw on day one left the B team unfortunately trailing but on the second day the team, helmed by aul oodison, rallied superbly by winning the fifth race to land in fourth place overall ready for the next stage in enmark on August 20-21. eaving the bay behind, was interested to look around The Box which is the fully refurbished museum, art gallery and archive in the sky’ housing over 2 million ob ects in six collections that were previously scattered around the county. t opened in September 2020 costing million and it’s ust one of the venues in the city showing lymouth’s commitment to culture. The Market Hall with its 0 degree state-of-the-art immersive dome is another. This is definitely a city on the up so much re uvenation has taken place and a lot of that stems from all the work done for the May ower 00 commemorations last year. only had time to whi around the exhibitions but wish ’d had longer. The figurehead collection is wonderful fourteen 19th century wooden figureheads, weighing over 20 tonnes each, which previously graced the front of naval vessels have been completely restored and are now hung in the entrance to the Box. also en oyed all the interactive displays in each collection, as they really bring each story to life. Map aficionados will be thrilled to pore over the historical OS maps that can be overlaid with modern ones to chart changes over time. And there have been plenty of changes in the city particularly since because during the lymouth Blit more bombs were dropped here per
head than on the east end of ondon. The lan for lymouth was designed to rebuild the city and construct wide, modern boulevards.
Walk this way
walked down the very grand and wide Armada ay en route to lymouth Hoe to start one of the lymouth Trails’ self guided walking tours. There are nine trails currently, with more in development including arts and wellbeing tours. They are so easy to use, you ust download the app which gives you maps to guide you around the city. Each stop has a mixture of text, photos and videos and some of them have image overlays to give you a now and then’ perspective. ou can listen to audio versions too, and in rench, Spanish and erman. And there are plenty of children’s activities to keep them occupied. Some of the trails interlink, so was following the lymouth Hoe trail but crossed at points to take in Nancy Astor’s statue on the lymouth’s owerful omen tour and also the May ower Steps Memorial on the May ower trail. istance and accessibility guides are given so you know exactly what you’re getting into and the trails really bring the city and its residents to life. Standing in front of
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Walk for Parkinson's Burghley Sunday 3 October 2021 Burghley House, Stamford, PE9 3JY
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Plymouth Smeaton’s Tower I was able to easily visualise how it was built and why it was moved from its original position on the reef 1 miles offshore by reading the guide, looking at the images and watching a YouTube video. Then when I was looking at the naval memorials behind the tower could link to the Commonwealth ar raves website to look up a list of over 2 ,000 identified casualties of war. A lot of hard work has patently gone into the trails by May ower 00 and associated partners including lymouth City Council, and into the regeneration of the city as a whole. There is such a bu and energy, and there’s more to come with the establishment of the U ’s first national marine park. The aim is to bring businesses and the community together to help people get out onto the Sound even more to promote health and wellbeing and also to showcase world class marine science, engineering and research. Seagrass beds are also being planted as it’s one of the best ways of capturing carbon. Having done so much sightseeing you’ve got to have some relaxation finished my walking tour in the Barbican which is the oldest part of town with beautiful cobbled streets, a restored Eli abethan house and a whole host of places to eat. ou can also take a ferry from the Barbican to Cawsand ust along the coast in Cornwall to relax on beautifully secluded beaches.
Ice and a slice
Tempting as that sounded en oyed a delicious meal instead, cooked by chef Chris Tanner at the Barbican itchen, then oined a tour of the lymouth in distillery in the same building. As Sutton Harbour was a huge spice port in 1 9 when the distillery was established, the founder Thomas Coates had the pick of botanicals from all around the world to use in his gin. Apart from the
obligatory uniper berries he settled on key citrus notes for his recipe and now the lemons and sweet eating oranges come from Spain. There are ussian coriander seeds, cardamom pods from uatemala, angelica from ermany and orris powder, which is the dried root of the iris ower, from taly. The local artmoor water makes the gin very soft and a slice of orange or lemon tops the lot off nicely. Navy strength gin at 57% proof was given to sailors with angostura bitters to help ward off seasickness, and with lime uice to reduce the likelihood of scurvy. The navy was their biggest customer for a long time! Nowadays Sean Harrison is the master distiller and continues to make gin in the original copper pot still, overseeing the production of 1. million litres of lymouth gin a year. That’s a lot of gin. didn’t partake in the navy strength but as well as the standard 1.2 gin also tasted fruit cup made from orange, lemon and herbal liqueurs Mr ing’s gin which is purely made from uniper berries and is very silky, and the sloe gin made using 0 tonnes of local sloes every year. uite delicious and a perfect end to my trip. Cheers www.visitplymouth.co.uk www.theboxplymouth.com www.sailgp.com www.royalwilliamyard.com www.bistrotpierre.co.uk www.barbicankitchen.com www.plymouthgin.com www.visitengland.com
August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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LI F E
MAN
E YOU R AG
Assume the brace position Mary invited James Tucker from Allexton Energy to assess her home for its energy efficiency; before long she was assuming the brace position
E
PCS ON PROPERTIES, or energy performance certificates to be more precise, are something we have all heard of in relation to properties, but do we really know much about them Every house when it is sold or built must have an E C as does any property that is rented out. But until recently not many people really took much notice of them, and estate agents certainly don’t seem to. But times are definitely changing and we all need to sit up and take notice. ames Tucker from Allexton Energy is someone who knows all about E Cs and can offer excellent advice. An E C shows you how much a property will cost to heat and light, what its carbon dioxide emissions are and what can be done to improve this rating. A property is rated from A excellent to poor and this certificate is valid for 10 years. There are two
charts on your certificate. The one in colour gives the current rating of your house and the second shows what could be achieved if recommended improvements are made. Houses that are rated E, F and G are effectively haemorrhaging heat. roperty is the third biggest effector of climate change with 1 of fossil fuels in the air coming from buildings. So we do need to sit up and take notice and start doing something about it. The government has committed to the U being carbon neutral by 2050 which is an ambitious move. e all know that diesel cars now have a limited shelf life and many of us are worrying about how we are going to first, afford an electric car and secondly, how we are going to charge it. And now the government has turned their attention to our houses. New gas boilers are going to be banned from the mid
20 0s 2025 for new houses which is not far away and at the moment, more than 90 of us currently heat our homes using gas or oil. ou won’t have to replace your current boiler but you won’t be able to replace it come the mid 20 0s. as boilers are efficient in providing heat but they burn natural gas which releases carbon dioxide as a byproduct. So what’s the alternative ou will need to use a low carbon alternative and at the moment that is a heat source boiler which uses the air or the ground via a pump. Hyrdogen is being looked at as well. These quite large and cumbersome boilers think air conditioning unit si e will need to be situated in your garden and apparently hum and cost about ,000 so are much more expensive then a traditional gas or oil boiler. And what if you don’t have a garden, or a very small one There does seem to be some huge gaps in how this is all going to be
28 August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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MANAGE YOUR LIFE
funded and the practicalities of it, but we do all need to work on our carbon emissions, and if every one of us does something surely that will help? Making your home more energy efficient won’t just make it cheaper to run and warmer to live in, it can also increase its value. And soon, it will make the difference between if you can rent it out or not; and quite possibly how sellable it is. Apparently banks are getting in on the act to increase their green credentials and some of them won’t lend money on a property that is less than a C rating. I live in a Victorian terrace in Stamford so it would be interesting to see what James had to say about the efficiency of my home. When I bought my house I didn’t even look at the EPC rating on it. I wanted to live in the centre of Stamford in an old house with character with an open fire, and love it. The odd draught doesn’t worry me. My mantra
has always been ‘put another jumper on if you’re cold.’ n fact the most energy efficient way of keeping warm is to wear more clothes. When James arrived he had already checked my EPC and it was an F; nearly the lowest it could be; not quite the start I had hoped for. ames offers advice about how to improve the energy efficiency of your home and can point you in the right direction to obtain grants as well. To be fair the E C on my house is almost 10 years old. I have lived here for eight years and improvements have been made. I have double glazing and a newish gas combi boiler and use energy efficient lightbulbs. But don’t have cavity wall insulation, nor much in my roof apparently. As I live in Stamford I live in a conservation area so there is a limit to what I can do. Solar panels I think are only allowed on the back of the house and insulation on the walls outside would quite
'An EPC shows you how much a property will cost to heat and light, what its carbon dioxide emissions are and what can be done to improve this rating.'
probably not be allowed either. I could insulate internally but that would reduce the room sizes and the cost would quite probably be prohibitive. And of course I will have to replace my boiler… If you live in a listed building an EPC is not required for your property and if you live in a conversation area, if energy improvements would ‘unacceptably alter’ the property’s character or appearance there might be leeway there too. But wouldn’t sit on your laurels for too long as this might change and there might be a con ict of interest between what the planners want to preserve conservation-wise and what the E C inspector wants efficiency-wise. James and I had quite a robust debate about the practicalities of all these ‘improvements’ which have to be made; albeit fundamentally agreeing on the principal, if not the outcome. James really is someone who you need to turn to as he knows which grants are available and will quickly know when more are becoming available. James made lots of practical recommendations and there are many things you can do to improve the energy efficiency of your home. The obvious ones are roof and loft insulation as well as cavity wall insulation. ou can fit under oor heating and double glaze your windows. Even using energy efficient light bulbs and fitting thermostat controls to your radiators helps. Some of the improvements are cheap and simple to do, and of course you can improve your boiler and the type of fuel you use. It’s quite frightening if you really think about it those of us living in old, inefficient houses could end up trapped if we cannot afford to make the improvements to make them more efficient. e won’t be able to sell them and certainly won’t be able to rent them out as by 2025 any property that is rented out will have to have a C or above rating by law; at the moment it’s an E. Confusingly there are grants available for landlords which are available from the local authority. If your tenant is eligible; earns less than £28,000 a year or is on some sort of benefit, including child benefit, loft and cavity wall insulation is free. If you are a homeowner your income has to be less than £25,000 per household to qualify which does seem rather an anomaly. These changes, which it looks like we will all have to make, can initially seem quite alarming, particularly the impact this is going to have on our bank balances. But someone like James is here to help and can offer sensible, pragmatic and practical advice which we are all going to need. I think I might have to have his number on speed dial but first of all ’m going to put another jumper on. www.allextonenergy.com
August 2021 / theactivemag.com 29
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And relax Mary visits a luxury boutique spa that sits in the heart of the Lincolnshire countryside
H
EAD NORTH OF Bourne, turn off the A15 and head further into the incolnshire countryside with the ens stretching out to your right, and after the village of owsby you will come to The range Spa, incolnshire’s luxury boutique day spa. t’s officially in ointon, but you’ll find it ust before the village. Head up the drive and you will immediately be struck by how quiet a spot this is, as well as the tranquil, stunning surroundings. ou can see for miles across the atlands of incolnshire and it’s really pretty. Big open skies to lose yourself in and swathes of wheat and barley swaying in the wind. elcome to The range Spa, and this is before you’ve even entered the place. Matt and Emma Craven have owned The range Spa now for 12 years and they are the ones who transformed some old farm buildings into what you see today. They met 1 years ago on a cruise ship. Emma was doing the treatments whilst Matt was the personal trainer. Matt is originally from incolnshire and was doing leisure club management when he packed it all in to escape and work on a cruise liner. lans are never what they are meant to be and after a year Matt and Emma returned to the U , to incolnshire. Emma was managing a local salon, Matt a leisure centre. But by now they had a plan and were on the look out for a site for a spa. My family are a farming family so we knew about the grange buildings,’ says Matt. They were originally a grain store and then it became a car storage for very expensive cars. The location was ideal rural which is what we wanted in an incredibly beautiful spot. But within a small radius is incoln, eterborough, rantham and Melton Mowbray and Stamford not far away. e have over nine acres which guests can use it was ust perfect.’ So when the barns came up they snapped them up and spent the next 11 months converting them into the spa you can en oy today. Matt pro ect managed the building works and Emma designed much of the layout and interiors, paying particular attention to the treatment rooms. Between them Emma runs the treatments side of the business and Matt the fitness side as well as the business. He offers T sessions and, as an ex sportsman, ultra endurance races were his thing, he can offer good advice. And he still manages to slip the odd endurance event in even now. A unique selling point of the spa is the space that is available. Treatment rooms are large, there’s plenty of space around the large pool and you can literally rattle around in the gym. And that’s what
they planned. e want guests to feel completely relaxed and to en oy surroundings where they can find their own space,’ said Matt. And they certainly can here. re Covid we would only have 20 guests at a time with arrivals and departures staggered to allow optimum space. Now we only have 1 , and we think we will continue with this number. e have a lot of room so people can disappear and find their own quiet corner. e want them to visit to destress and completely relax.’ Because of this many people are happy to come on their own and en oy a day of relaxation and pampering. Since reopening after lockdowns Matt and Emma have found they are getting busier and busier. More locals have found them and demand is high. eople are spending money on themselves and the pandemic has made us all more aware of wellness and our mental state. And of course as we are not able to travel abroad many people are making the most of facilities that can be found locally. e are also finding now that we have visitors who are staying nearby at campsites and cottages and want to en oy time at a spa,’ says Emma. Spa and gym memberships are also available and are being snapped up. ou can either come to the spa for a full day hours or half day hours . unch or afternoon tea is provided. ou can come to en oy the spa without having a treatment, combine the two or ust come for the treatment. Because of its si e this family run business is able to be exible and personalise everything for you. The range Spa is spacious and the words luxury and boutique sum it up perfectly. There are many different spa treatments on offer, including special offers and ones specifically for men and it was good to see many men there the day visited . Emma and her team offer different treatments and her facials and massages are very popular. Then you can lounge by the pool, en oy herbal baths which are like saunas, two different steam rooms, two showers, cold and tropical and the ice fountain which will certainly wake you up and help the immune system This couple have big plans for their business sadly on hold because of the pandemic, but in the pipeline, and it won’t be long, knowing these two, before there is an outdoor spa area. The plan is very popular with guests and it will mean they can have slightly more at a time as there will be even more space to absorb everyone including a hot tub that will be open to the elements and cabanas offering spa facilities much of it al fresco and open all year round can’t wait. To find out more about spa offers including group bookings visit www.thegrangespa.co.uk Be aware that you will need to book about three weeks in advance and Saturdays are now full until the end of September.
‘We want guests to feel completely relaxed and to enjoy surroundings where they can find their own space, and they certainly can here.’ 30 August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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Active life
August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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Anyone for tennis? Kate was knocked out by the friendly atmosphere at the ‘tennis’ clubs in our area
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KNOW IT’S a cliché but inspired by watching Wimbledon I decided to dig out my tennis racket, which hasn’t seen the light of day for years, and find out what’s going on in the club scene in our area. Tennis and golf were the first sports to resume play when restrictions lifted as they are naturally socially distanced and played in the fresh air. And the overwhelming impression got at each club visited was how pleased the members are at being able to meet other players again. discovered that not only is regular tennis thriving, but that table tennis is popular in village halls up and down the valley and, even more exciting, Market Harborough Squash Club is the first venue in the East Midlands to boast padel courts, having raised 1 0,000 to build two of them. Padel tennis is the second most popular sport in Spain, after football – but perhaps we shouldn’t mention that right now And with about 0 clubs in the U it’s slowly growing in popularity here too. Steve and Alison Avil, chairman and secretary at Market Harborough Squash Club discovered the sport on a Spanish holiday and could see the attraction immediately. The courts are two-thirds the si e of a regular tennis court with enclosed sides like in squash, and you use the walls to continue play. The most appealing benefit according to Steve is, you can get a rally going right from the
first or second attempt, not like in tennis.’ The racket is solid which is much easier for making contact with the ball and there’s no overarm movements so it’s brilliant for anyone with shoulder problems. I went along to one of the Pay and Play mornings which they hold monthly. There was a mixture of families, couples, individuals and groups of friends. Some were already either squash, tennis or racketball players, but many were either complete beginners or had given up the sports years ago. One woman explained that she’d never got on with tennis, but found padel much more accessible right from the start. t’s much easier to hit the ball, so you immediately have fun.’ You always play doubles and it works well even with mixed abilities. e have many parents and children playing together,’ says Alison, and on the open mornings we all swap with everyone else.’ The morning was there a Spaniard from Derby came along, so excited to find a padel court local’ to him. There are plenty of coaches available on those mornings too. Once you’re hooked, you become a member of the squash club and then you can book your slots online to play. On Saturday mornings the juniors aged from three upwards rotate around squash, racketball and padel. The first unior and adult padel competition has now been played and a padel ladder is being organised so players can challenge other members. www.harboroughcsc.co.uk
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Active life I left the squash club with a huge grin on my face buoyed up by an addictive game and a wonderful community atmosphere. Next on my list was table tennis. I roped in my friend Susanna as I knew she’d played as a youngster and thought she might like to have another go. We joined the Harringworth Table Tennis club in the village hall. With funding from Table Tennis England they purchased two tables in 2016 and now run sessions on Tuesday afternoons from 2. 0- . 0pm and again on Thursdays from 5- pm. t’s mainly retirees on a Tuesday boasting at least one hip replacement and some new knees but they offer a very energetic, highly competitive standard. On Thursdays there’s a broader spread of ages, both men and women. The club plays in the Stamford & Rutland table tennis league with a game per week, mainly against teams from other villages and one from Stamford School. Some team members abscond to join neighbouring teams from time to time, but the rivalry is friendly, and even though the atmosphere can get tense during a tight game, it’s always very good natured. Susanna stepped straight back in to the game with her backhand a particular strong point, despite struggling initially as the rules have changed since she last played. You no longer play up to 21 points, a game now finishes at 11, and you swap after two serves now not five, to have more crucial match points. We had plenty of those in both our doubles and singles games, which made for a highly charged atmosphere and some nail biting moments. If you want great camaraderie while getting the heart rate up, this is the game for you. And it’s a very low cost sport at £2.50 per session with no kit required. I think we’ll be going again. For details phone Helmut Salander on 01572 747633 or just turn up at Harringworth village hall.
‘What I took away most of all from my whiz around the different tennis clubs was, not only are the games great fun as well as being brilliant exercise, the clubs are sociable places.’
Finally, and with some trepidation, I went along to Great Bowden Lawn Tennis Club near Market Harborough. At the end of June they opened their brand new 00,000 club house, and a fine building it is too. In fact, the whole venue is beautiful with towering horse chestnut trees lining the four courts. There are definitely worse places to spend a summer’s evening. Carol Krone, a committee member who organises the club nights, explained that Tuesday evenings normally involve a mix of players who may have just come through the beginners’ coaching programme or have returned to the game after time away, and want a gentler session. Thursdays are a bit more full blown with harder hitters. You can go along to one of the club nights to see if it’s for you before committing to membership. But at £150 per year for the most expensive membership it equates to ust one cup of takeaway coffee per week. That’s not a lot for full access to oodlit courts, tennis balls, coaching sessions and a load of players willing to join you for a game. For many members the social side of the club is the main draw, and I can certainly testify that they are a friendly bunch. You partner up for five games then you move on to a different grouping. This means you play with a variety of people at all different levels. was rather nervous at first - having never been a great player anyway - and the words extremely rusty’ kept bouncing around my head, particularly when I was pretty inept at the net, and let’s not mention my serves. But my first partner ittorio soon put me at ease as he’d only recently started playing again after 30 years. hat took away most of all from my whi around the different tennis clubs was, not only are the games great fun as well as being brilliant exercise, the clubs are sociable places. And it is so nice to be back mixing with other players. www.clubspark.lta.org.uk/MarketHarboroughLawnTennisClub
August 2021 / theactivemag.com 33
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Active life
Ain’t no mountain high enough Gary Curtis tries out the Mondraker Prime electric mountain bike
I
’VE RIDDEN A mountain bike for several years, but never an electric one, so I was very excited to try one. I have used electric scooters and scoozers abroad and liked them so it was time to find out if an electric mountain bike really can make that much difference. I’ve walked past the dazzling, cool looking Cranking E-Bikes shop in Stamford’s Bath Row many times, always admiring the bikes on display, so was excited to be asked to try one out. Wakerley Woods was the perfect place to try the Mondraker Prime. There’s a purpose built bike route which I’ve used many times so this would give me a good chance to find out what this electric version could do, especially when it came to the steep lung-busting climbs. Robert, who owns Cranking E-Bikes, gave me a quick demo of the controls which are very simple to use. The bike looks and feels like a very nice standard mountain bike but next to your left hand is a small screen and up/down buttons to let you know which setting the bike is in: Eco, Tour, eMTB or Turbo. e ad usted the seat and off went. As I headed to my usual route I could feel the bike instantly giving me a helping hand.
It’s an odd feeling to start with but you soon get used to it. Heading into the woods the bike felt lighter than I expected and very agile, it’s beautifully balanced so dealt with any tree roots or rocks with ease. I cruised in Tour mode for a while getting the hang of it until I started to climb. Pushing up on the display is really easy. Large buttons allow you to switch modes without taking your eyes off the track moved to a setting called eMTB. This instantly gave me extra power and the bike cruised up the hill. The power when it comes is very natural and there isn’t a sudden surge so tricky trails are easy to power around with confidence. As you ride the bike clearly shows you how many more kilometres you have on the current charge. There is an eco setting which gives more than enough power on the at and this would take you around 100km on a full charge. As was ying along through the woods, knew ahead of me was the steepest climb in
Wakerley, a climb I had struggled up many a time on my standard mountain bike. Putting the Mondraker Prime into Turbo I attacked the steep, rugged route. The power produced in this mode is staggering. A reassuring, confident power which makes you feel like a professional athlete while using minimum effort. As weaved around the tight corners the bike never missed a beat. Reaching the top of the hill I knew I had a long, fast cruise down again to look forward to. I put the bike in eco and headed back to base. After my experience today I can say to anyone who hasn’t tried an electric bike that it’s a total game changer. t offers a helping hand without taking any of the thrill or fun out of the ride. In fact it gives you the confidence to attack routes you wouldn’t on a standard bike. If you are looking for a new bike, this is the way to go. Highly recommended; I want one. www.cranking.co.uk The Mondraker Prime costs £3,600.
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Active life
Roller on down Kate Maxim enjoys watching a session of junior roller derby
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T SOMETIMES ONLY takes one parent and a handful of friends to start a new club, then a whole raft of children benefit. That’s exactly what happened in Stamford three years ago. onathan ono’ Emery had been keeping his children company at the local roller disco and got quite the taste for skating. He promptly took himself off to the nearest roller derby team which is the mixed Borderland Brawlers great name at Stamford elland Academy. Here he met like-minded folk and between them they set up the Stamford and eterborough unior oller erby Club. ono then went on to play for incolnshire oller Thunder Club, which is currently ranked third in Europe. Based at Borderville in Stamford the unior club caters for -1 year-olds teaching them how to play this fast-paced contact sport described to me by one mother as rugby on skates.’ see her point. layers are fully kitted out in helmets, elbow and knee pads, wrist guards and, if you play in a match, mouth guards. The aim is to get past the opposition to score points. But there’s a long way to go from beginner to playing competitively first you have to learn how to skate And in the very first lesson, you’re taught how to fall properly so much of the fear of in ury is removed straight away. ith five coaches per session, there’s a high ratio of instructors to players which immediately helps. Two fathers was chatting to were thrilled because their six and seven-year-olds, in ust four weeks, were now gliding smoothly, umping and even skating backwards. ast year the seven-year-old had come last in all her events at school sports day after four weeks at roller derby she’d gained so much confidence she came first in all her events this year. One dad said t’s completely different to anything else they do they learn new skills it’s an equal mix of boys and girls it’s such fun they don’t even realise they’re
exercising and it gets them out of the house.’ Another ma or benefit of the game is superb teamwork skills because they have to constantly communicate their positions to each other. One mother says that watching the older children umping, ipping and darting in and out of the pack gives the younger children something to aspire to. Certainly there can’t be many sports where seven-year-olds practice alongside 1 -year-olds. The height difference can make for interesting moments but the atmosphere is one of inclusion and kindness, and think that speaks volumes. The older children can subsequently oin the adult teams and it’s not an expensive sport at 0 per term. ou can borrow all the kit including the quad skates and the first lesson is free. The sessions start with warm up exercises as there’ll be a lot of sharp twists, turns and stops during the drills. These consist of number drills, positioning and pad work. No-one seems to stand still for a moment and everyone looked like they were having a great time. Then towards the end they had a practice round. ’d read the rules beforehand and, quite frankly, was more confused than was before, so seeing the moves put into practice was enlightening. Each team fields five players in each am’ session of play and the scoring player, the ammer’ indicated with a star on their helmet , has to pass the opposing team’s blockers’ and skate counter clockwise round the circuit. The blockers have to use body contact and change their positions in order to block the opposing ammer while helping their own ammer to score. There’s a lot to take in, and that’s ust for the audience. But the children seemed to know exactly what to do. And that’s what counts. Sessions take place at Borderville Sport Centre on Wednesdays in term time from 6-7pm. For more information visit www.spjrd.co.uk
August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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W I L L’ S W A L K
The Herriot Way For Will Hetherington and a group of friends this 56-mile walk through James Herriot Country in the Yorkshire Dales was the perfect way to spend a Bank Holiday weekend
38 August 2021 / the activemag.com
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Will’s Walks
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ROM THE LATE 1970s until 1990 there were 90 episodes of All Creatures Great and Small aired on the BBC. This enchanting show was based in the idyllic Yorkshire Dales and starred Christopher Timothy as the main man, James Herriot; Robert Hardy as Siegfried Farnon and Peter Davison as Siegfried’s haphazard younger brother Tristan Farnon. It was based on the books by the vet Alf Wight who wrote under the pseudonym James Herriot about the challenges and rewards he faced through the seasons working in this remote rural community, with its idiosyncratic farmers and land owners. And pretty much everybody loved it at the time. There’s a new version now, and the first series was on Channel 5 last year, with another series out later this year. I have watched it and love it – remakes don’t always hit the right notes but this one is just as entertaining as the original.
In love with the landscape
The author fell in love with this landscape when he came down from Glasgow to join the practice in the 1930s and went on to become the most famous standard bearer for the region. I was born in 1977 so started to enjoy the programme in the late 1980s, but a family camping holiday to Swaledale high up in the northern Dales sowed the early seeds of attachment to this glorious landscape. When I discovered in recent years there is such a thing as the Herriot Way, based on a route in Wensleydale and Swaledale the author walked with his son and a friend some 70 years ago, I was hooked. I bought the guidebook and studied the form. I’m lucky enough to have a small group of resilient friends who indulge me by allowing me to plan a multi-day walk so I set to work. According to the guide the official Herriot ay starts and finishes in Aysgarth, of waterfall fame, but in his original account Herriot started and finished in eyburn, the small market town at the eastern end of wide, sweeping Wensleydale, the greenest of valleys. I thought if it was good enough for the great man then it must be good enough for us, so Leyburn became our start and end point. Originally we were meant to undertake this 5 -mile four-day walk in May 2020, but we were all locked in our homes then so we postponed it until the second Bank Holiday weekend in May this year.
shadow. Today it’s a tourist attraction and a wedding venue, but it was built on the junction of Bishopdale to the south and Wensleydale for strategic reasons. With some benches around the castle it’s a convenient place for a refreshment break but with 20 miles to cover we couldn’t linger long. From here it’s a half hour walk downhill through the farm at West Bolton to Carperby. It was at the Wheatsheaf here that Herriot and his wife spent their honeymoon all those years ago, working to vaccinate cattle during the day and enjoying the simple pleasures of an old English pub by night. Of course the world has moved on in many ways since then, but walking through the Dales today it is still more than possible to forget about coronavirus, crypto currencies and social media.
A pint with Tristan?
From Carperby it’s just a 20-minute stroll to Aysgarth Falls, through a sequence of magical ower meadows hemmed in by the archetypal network of dry stone walls. This series of wide falls where the River Ure has carved through the rock over the ages is famous for the scene in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves when Kevin Costner’s Robin battled Little John. It’s a popular tourist attraction and is one of the points on the Herriot Way when the peace is disrupted slightly, but it’s also good to see the falls and there are some picnic benches which are useful for lunch. We ate our homecooked ham sandwiches with English mustard and thick fresh white bread as a light drizzle became slightly more persistent. It couldn’t have been more British. The onward four miles loosely follow the old railway on the northern side of the river Ure, and it’s largely pleasant and easy walking all the way to Askrigg, one of the jewels in the crown in Wensleydale. There’s no doubting the attraction of the village, and the inside of the King’s Arms pub was used as the Drover’s Arms in the original All Creatures Great and Small. There are lots of photos on the walls of this ancient hostelry of the cast enjoying pints of ale, so it only seemed right for us to stop and enjoy the pleasures of a pint of Black Sheep. In fact we had made such
Images: Matt Tarrant and Will Hetherington
DAY ON E - FRIDAY MAY 28TH LEYBU RN TO HAWES 20.2 M ILES
By far the longest day saw five of us start walking from Commercial Square in Leyburn at 9am. Within a minute of leaving the hustle of the Friday market the sheer majesty of eastern Wensleydale is unveiled from the top of the Leyburn Shawl. The path heads west from town along the top of this limestone escarpment, and it offers a series of panoramic views of this green and pleasant land which won’t be beaten in this dale. In folklore the Shawl is named after the shawl dropped by Mary ueen of Scots in 15 as she attempted to ee captivity in Bolton Castle, ust a few miles west. In more mundane reality it’s probably a derivation of a Norse or old English word describing the landscape. Either way the views are quite sensational. But we soon left them behind as we passed through the first two villages; tranquil Preston under Scar, and then Redmire with its double green. Shortly after Redmire the path heads uphill to imposing Bolton Castle with the confusingly named Castle Bolton village lying in its
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good progress that we extended that to a second pint. As we were enveloped by the cosiness of the pub and the beer, it wasn’t hard to drift off into a parallel universe with ames Herriot and Tristan stood at the bar and farmers supping ale all around. But when came out of my reverie remembered we still had some five miles to walk to get to Hawes. Along this last section we made the brief detour to the enchanting Mill Gill Force (that’s a waterfall in case you were wondering) and we even had the distinctive Dales pleasure of being held up by 150 head of cattle plodding half a mile into the farm for afternoon milking. The kindly man herding them in explained to us that he was actually on his annual holiday from ent. The charms of the Mediterranean and the Caribbean are not for everybody. inally at nearly pm we walked down the hill from Sedbusk and were treated to the welcoming sight of Hawes ahead, nestled into the valley right in the heart of the ennines and the orkshire ales National ark. A couple more pints and a fine supper in the hite Hart nn preceded a good night’s sleep in Dales House B&B right in the middle of this thriving market town and tourist honeypot.
to allow incredible views and the temperature stayed cool enough to remain comfortable. As you climb there are excellent views of the road over the Buttertubs Pass to the right. This epic route has been a Top Gear favourite over the years, and it was at Simonstone Hall Hotel at the foot of the pass where eremy Clarkson had his famous meltdown and punched a producer on the show. The road was also a seriously challenging section of the Tour de France when it made a detour to orkshire in 201 .
Views of Ravenseat
At the top of Great Shunner there is a cross-shaped head-high stone shelter with benches against each of the eight sides to provide protection from the wind whichever direction it’s coming from. t’s the obvious spot to eat lunch so we took our time to eat and absorb the views. To the north the remote road over to irkby Stephen in Cumbria is clearly visible, as is tiny hitsundale where avenseat arm is nestled away in its remote spot. This is the home of Amanda and Clive Owen and their nine children who star in the wonderful Our orkshire arm on Channel 5. rom
DAY TWO - SATU RDAY MAY 29TH HAWES TO KE LD 14 .3 M ILES
After an ample breakfast courtesy of Nina, the owner of the B B and in the company of her golden retriever illiam, the team were ready for departure by 9.15am. A pleasant start down and across the valley to Hardraw precedes the long climb up reat Shunner ell. At 1 metres this is the third highest point in orkshire, after hernside and ngleborough, and it certainly feels like it. The first half an hour or so is the steepest, but this is followed by another hour and a half of gentle uphill over the peaty moorland. Thankfully there are long sections which have been slabbed. This may feel like cheating but anyone who has waded through thick boggy moorland for more than 100 metres will know it can be intensely draining. e were blessed with perfect weather as the skies cleared
40 August 2021 / the activemag.com
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Will’s Walks
“Keld Lodge is strategically placed on the intersection of the Coast to Coast long distance path, the Pennine Way and the Herriot Way.”
KELD REETH
DAY 3
DAY 2
DAY 4
LEYBURN
HAWES DAY 1
this viewpoint it’s easy to see why this resilient family need to be so self-sufficient. They are a very long way away from the nearest shop. The three-mile walk down from the summit to Thwaite is hard work on a rocky bridleway and wasn’t the only one who found it less en oyable than the ascent. alking downhill is hard on the feet, knees and hips. However, it served a purpose and we soon dropped into magnificent Swaledale, which looks quite different from ensleydale because it is a lot narrower and generally has much steeper sides. t is also a lot more remote, with ust one road linking its villages and fewer amenities. But it is also a camping paradise with seemingly endless grassy meadows open for campers down by the banks of the river.
Wild swimming in the Swale
e quickly passed through the pretty village of Thwaite
and the fabulous Usha ap campsite with Straw Beck gurgling away in the background. And within a mile we were in Muker, which is one of the most well-known villages in the whole National ark. ith its bridge over the beck on entry, position up near the head of the dale and patchwork of world famous wild ower meadows it’s not hard to see why it’s so famous. And so it proved on this sunny Bank Holiday Saturday ust after another tranche of Covid restrictions had been lifted. n fact it was so busy we couldn’t get a seat at the armer’s Arms, but a table in the tea rooms was a fair substitute before we made our way north to follow the Swale through the ower meadows. The unusually cold April meant everything was a little late this year so, apart from buttercups, the meadows were a little devoid of colour. Even so this is a dramatic landscape with the Swale surrounded by steep slopes as it meanders around from eld to the north west, which was our destination this afternoon. Along the way we made a welcome detour to isdon Upper orce where some of us en oyed a brief dip in a deep pool of cold water which comes straight off the high ennines to the north and west. eld odge is strategically placed on the intersection of the Coast to Coast long distance path, the ennine ay and the Herriot ay and it started life as a outh Hostel where ames Herriot stayed. These days it’s quite a lot smarter, but retains the communal atmosphere engendered by small groups walking long distances. Tales of blisters, peat bogs, foggy mountain tops, driving rain and blissful moments abound on the patio outside, while dishes of delicious and hearty food at dinner and breakfast replace calories burned on those hills.
August 2021 / the activemag.com
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Will’s Walks
“The clear blue skies and blazing sunshine were welcome as we crossed the Swale and took the high route past the ruins of Crackpot Hall.”
DAY TH RE E - SU N DAY MAY 30TH KE LD TO RE ETH 12 M ILES
We had a thoroughly enjoyable time with like-minded walkers at Keld Lodge and were sad to leave in the morning. But our route would coincide with the Coast to Coast path on this day, so we bumped into a few friendly faces along the way. The clear blue skies and blazing sunshine were welcome as we crossed the Swale and took the high route past the ruins of Crackpot Hall clinging to the edge of Beldi Hill on the way to Gunnerside Moor beyond. From the ruins of the old farmhouse the view south towards Muker is one of the finest on the Herriot ay. After Crackpot Hall the path dips down into Swinner Gill and then begins a steep climb up the East Grain towards the grouse moor. As a result of the steep slopes, wild weather and geology of the area, some of the landscape looks distinctly lunar in places here, which provides a good contrast to the green of Wensleydale and the heights of Shunner Fell on the previous day. Once we reached the top of the East Grain the path took us over the heather of Gunnerside Moor and soon we descended into Gunnerside Gill to the impressive remains of the old Blakethwaite lead mine and peat drying house. There’s a stone footbridge over the beck and as we basked in the sunshine this spot seemed as close to paradise as we were likely to find on this earth. nevitably after the descent into Gunnerside Gill we were faced with a steep climb to continue our way east over the moors and occasional patches of rocky terrain towards the memorably named Surrender Bridge.
Along the way we passed more derelict lead mine buildings at Old Gang and stopped for lunch on the grass near the old smelting mill just above the bridge. From Surrender Bridge the path gradually drops off the moorland towards and through Healaugh before the final walk across the meadows to eeth where we arrived before pm. t’s not a long day’s walking, but with one serious climb and a second shorter but equally steep ascent out of Gunnerside Gill we had earned our rewards. Reeth is the market town of rural Swaledale but it’s no more than a village with a population of just 700. However it does have three pubs, a smart hotel (The Burgoyne) and a number of shops and tearooms, all congregated around the vast green which dominates the settlement and gives it a special identity. We enjoyed a drink on the lawn of the Burgoyne before checking into the King’s Arms and then walking the short distance to the excellent Bridge nn at Grinton for dinner.
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Will’s Walks DAY FOU R - MON DAY MAY 31ST RE ETH TO LEYBU RN 10 M ILES
Our final day walking in Herriot country saw us head out of eeth at 9.15am to cross the Swale at rinton and then gradually climb the steep hill past the famous rinton outh Hostel. This rest place for weary walkers sits like a castle high above rinton and is protected from the elements by a stand of tall trees. Herriot actually fell in love with the ales for the first time whilst driving from eyburn to rinton on hipperdale Bank very near here. But our route today took us off the road and high up on to rinton moor, past yet another old lead mine along the way. ead mining was a huge industry in Swaledale and Arkengarthdale in the 1 00s and the population in the area was much greater then, so it’s no surprise there are so many relics of that hard underground toil. find them a useful reminder of our own transience and the reality that land use and employment changes with the ages. On rinton moor we reached the high ground and kept heading south as ensleydale came back into view for the first time since we left the peak of reat Shunner two days previously. There is something uniquely satisfying and exciting about crossing from dale to dale on foot over the high ground. And it was no different on this occasion. Having passed through an old quarry we went over a small bank and were suddenly greeted with that sweeping vista of ensleydale, with the river Ure meandering along for miles on end towards Hawes around the corner in the far
distance. t was a fitting reminder of how far we had walked, and we were soon back in reston under Scar and retracing our steps for the three remaining miles to eyburn. t was a short last day, but that’s the best way, particularly on a sunny Bank Holiday in May. Because most of this walk is within the orkshire ales National ark the scenery and settlements have been extremely well protected since it was established in 195 , which was also the era that ames Herriot wrote so evocatively about. As a result this walk through dramatic landscapes of rivers, waterfalls, dry stone walls and mountains, and the quaintest of villages with ancient cosy pubs and stone farmhouses is packed full of comforting charm. f walking is your thing then there are few better ways to spend a long weekend.
“Herriot actually fell in love with the Dales for the first time whilst driving from Leyburn to Grinton on Whipperdale Bank very near here.”
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Orbea Gain: E.Bike in disguise
School’s out for Summer! The OAKs club is a daily holiday club for 5-11 year olds delivering a range of fun Sports, Activities and Crafts with the aim of encouraging play, creativity, and building confidence. Location: Whissendine Sports Centre Time: 9am-3pm.
Limited Spaces Available - Book Now OAKs Club Dates:
GEORGE HALLS CYCLE CENTRE
27th-30th July, 2nd-5th August, 23rd-27th August Just £25 per child per day or 10% discount when booking 4 or more days over the Summer holidays.
10-12 Northampton Road, Market Harborough, Leics, LE16 9HE. 01858 465507
Rise2Shine (Anytime from 8:15-9am): £2.50 per child per day Extra-Time (up to 4:30pm): £5 per child per day
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Summer fun for all with Stamford Holiday Courses
Email: ameadows@myfutureoak.com to book your place. Website: myfutureoak.com to find out more
Introducing a brand-new programme of holiday courses and camps for children aged from 7 to 16. A range of different weeklong activities to suit all interests – there is something for everyone! Art Circus Skills Drama Hockey Musical Theatre Sports Camp
26-30 July and 2-6 August 9-13 August 9-13 and 16-20 August 23-27 August 2-6 August 16-20 and 23-27 August
For more information or to book:www.stamfordschools.org.uk/holiday-courses
Active Kids E DI T E D BY M A RY BR E M N E R
Rutland Youth victorious Year 11 students Isabel Leetch and Ellie Hattam from Stamford High School recently represented the Rutland Sailing Club Youth Team. The Championships, previously postponed due to Covid-19, involved 10 teams and were held across two days at Rutland Sailing Club. Saturday’s event saw a round-robin, with all teams racing against each other; the Rutland Youth team emerged as the only unbeaten team, guaranteeing their place in the knock-out semi-finals and finals planned for Sunday. Rutland Youth were declared undisputed 2021 Women’s National Champions on the Sunday, when further racing was cancelled due to lack of wind. The team beat alumni teams from Oxford, Cambridge, and London universities, as well as a scratch team of parents.
Oakham School Girls 1st XI Cricket team in a 24-hour charity marathon The Oakham School Girls 1st XI cricket team has raised more than £3,000 for the charity Chance to Shine after running a 24-hour net session. They aimed to raise awareness for girls’ cricket within the school community whilst also raising money to help children get into the sport. Chance to Shine has helped over two million girls get into the game and over five million children in total. Form 7 pupils Flo, Issy and Emma who organised the event, said, ‘It went really well, and we weren’t expecting to raise so much money. It was mentally tough as we got into the early hours of the morning, but at the same time, everyone had so much fun, and it felt good knowing we would be helping the charity.’ Headmaster Henry Price bowled the opening and closing overs of the 24-hour marathon. He congratulated the girls on their initiative and said that he was ‘incredibly proud of the girls for making such a significant contribution to the charity.’ The team was delighted to hear from Chance to Shine that their efforts will help 500 children have an opportunity to get into the sport.
August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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Active Kids
Forest Fun
Join a netball club
Stamford and Rutland Junior Netball Club hosted their fourth successful unior netball league this spring. 2 teams played weekly matches across four age groups and teams from Stamford, Grantham, Hampton and Peterborough battled it out to top the league tables. Winners of each age group were decided in a week of seeded finals. Stamford and utland unior Netball club was launched in 201 and now runs weekly training sessions for over 200 unior members. n September the club will add a new age group, U1 , in addition to its U , U9, U11, U12 and U1 categories. The next Stamford and Rutland Junior Netball league will also launch in September 2021 and hopes to welcome back teams that halted play due to the restraints in place due to Covid-19. If you have a child that would like to play netball, the club has spaces in all age categories. Visit www.srjnc.co.uk to find out more. The club prides itself on being inclusive and focuses on fun and friendship and has over 0 members.
Forest School is an educational concept that is rapidly gaining popularity in this country, but what is it and why is it so good for pre-school children? The concept first started in Scandinavia and was inspired by educationalists who believed that nature, the rhythms of the earth and the cycles of life are essential for spiritual and physical growth. Giving pre-school children the opportunity to explore and experience the natural world, their self-esteem and confidence is built with outdoor activities that involve creativity, working together and child-led learning. Forest School is the perfect place to assess and take risks in a safe environment; a perfect antidote to our risk averse society. The challenging play helps develop self-confidence, competence, emotional resilience and independence; all of which helps build aspiration and ambition. Jo O’Bryan-Tear, owner of the new ‘Wild at Heart’ Outdoor Nursery and Forest School in Ketton, owns two Ofsted Outstanding nurseries in Stamford called the Ark, one on Foundry Road, near St Gilbert’s Primary School, the other on Kesteven Road, near St George’s School. n 2012 she began to run orest School sessions from her own woodland in Ketton. This is an idyllic spot with a wood, about three acres of paddock and a river frontage. She is a great enthusiast of orest School having seen the benefits it can offer for the emotional and physical development of pre-school children. ild at Heart means she can bring the benefits of orest School to all pre-school children in and around the Stamford area, and she’s delighted to be able to do this. egistrations for September 2021 are now being taken on a first come, first served basis. Call 01780 721079 for more information or email enquiries@wild-at-heart.uk www.wild-at-heart.uk
Science award for Stamford Juniors Stamford Junior School has been awarded the Primary Science Quality Mark, recognising and celebrating the school’s commitment to excellence in science teaching and learning. The Primary Science Quality Mark is the only national award scheme to develop and celebrate the quality of science teaching and learning in primary schools. A year-long process of audit, action and evidence-based re ection is how it is udged. Stamford unior School were specifically praised for their engagement of the whole school community in the teaching and learning of science.
August 2021 / theactivemag.com 49
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ActiveBody E DI T E D BY K AT E M A X I M
proprioception the body’s awareness of position, balance and posture which improves recovery and reduces reoccurrence of in ury. There is no suggestion of ice therapy in the above management as it is thought that, like anti-in ammatories, ice can impair long term resolution. However sometimes in the first few days ice can be helpful with pain if used udiciously.
Ripping Yarns What do you do if you strain or tear a muscle? Physio Sarah Babbs explains
M
ANY OF US have taken a tumble, worked too enthusiastically in an exercise class or pushed ourselves on a run and found ourselves pulled up by a pain, a strain or very much more frustratingly a rupture of a muscle. There are a couple of ways of grading muscle in ury but the most common is a three stage classification. rade 1 means minimal tissue damage, pain local to the in ury and the ability to continue with the activity at the time of in ury. This could possibly happen after overworking the muscle and includes OMS elayed Onset Muscle Soreness familiar to many gym goers . Grade 2 tears have disruption of a greater number of muscle fibres. Movement is often limited by pain and there may be some weakness in the muscle. rade is more severe with significant tissue damage, pain, weakness and loss of function. enerally this means a 50 disruption of the muscle belly through to the complete rupture in the muscle, tendon or at a bony attachment. British Athletics uses a 5 grade system, 0 being OMS type soreness and 4 being rupture. have written before about the CE principles for acute in uries. As with many things there is discussion about this and EACE O E has been offered as the best plan to manage both immediate and follow
Post injury management
up care. The British Journal of Sports Medicine published this approach.
‘Immediately after a soft tissue injury, do no harm and let PEACE guide your approach’
Protect - unload or restrict activities that cause pain for the first few days after in ury. Elevation - elevate the in ured limb above the heart as often as possible. Avoid anti inflammatory medication. It has been shown that they may inhibit the healing in ammatory process which could impair the healing process in the longer term. Compression - to limit swelling. Education - this includes setting realistic expectations about recovery timings as well as avoiding some passive treatments which may not be necessary.
‘After the first days have passed, soft tissues need LOVE’
Load - let pain guide the return to activity. Optimism - the brain plays an enormous part in recovery. Being confident and positive aids recovery. Vascularisation - finding pain free cardiovascular activities to improve blood ow and thus healing of tissue. or example swimming or cycling if weight bearing is an issue. Exercise - to restore mobility, strength and
Often a grade 1 in ury will have been because the muscle involved is not strong enough to tolerate the activity asked of it. This could be calf weakness in a runner so strengthening programmes including calf raises as well as whole body exercise, progressed appropriately, would be part of the recovery plan. rade 2 in uries such as a hamstring strain while sprinting for a run in a cricket match, will be managed with EACE and O E as above involving a graduated programme of exercises to reload the tissue, as well as maintaining fitness, confidence and wellbeing. This will include plyometric exercise using force and speed challenges to improve muscle capacity ready for return to the cricket pitch. rade in uries are treated similarly unless there is a rupture of a muscle. Complete rupture of a muscle will require early investigation, correct diagnosis and management, sometimes a boot or other support and sometimes surgery, but this will depend on many factors. My own hamstring rupture after, rather embarrassingly, slipping on a wet bathroom oor, has been managed with exercise. But had been a young professional tennis player or footballer, surgery would almost certainly have been offered. ollowing the early management, the same pattern of appropriate exercise and care is still used. This in ury has a longer recovery time but with good physical management as well as good psychological support, return to play is almost always possible. To contact Sarah ring 07780 900201
50 August 2021 / the activemag.com
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ActiveBody
Be prepared Holidaying in the UK can also mean tummy bugs, sunburn and insect bites. Gary Trickett offers advice on how to avoid these hazards
L
ET’S FACE IT, we don’t have to travel half way around the world to catch too much sun, fall victim to biting insects or succumb to a dodgy tum, it can happen close to home too. If you’re looking forward to a staycation in the UK you’ll still want to put in some pre-holiday prep. Bolster your defences. A strong immune system is important at all times but especially so when we travel. Echinacea purpurea is one of the best immune-supporting herbs there is, so make sure this makes it into your suitcase. A Vogel Echinacea Lozenges are particularly travel-friendly but you should ideally start to prime your immune system two to four weeks before you travel. Anticipating a stressful journey? Breathe. By taking fewer but deeper breaths you will optimise your oxygen intake which helps you relax and remain calm; brilliant for when your family makes helpful suggestions! For a little herbal assistance try assi ora tablets or drops. They can be used when a period of
stress is anticipated or encountered. A handy spray is also available – perfect for when that car journey becomes unbearable. You know the one. Support your tummy on your travels with a good probiotic supplement before and when you travel. For travel sickness try ginger. Motion sickness is caused by a con ict between what your eyes and other senses tell your brain. Your eyes adjust to motion but the inner ear, which contains uid-filled canals that control balance, does not. The resulting signals to the brain from the eye and the inner ear do not tally and the brain becomes confused, which can leave you with a horrible feeling of nausea, dizziness and an upset stomach. Fresh ginger tea before and during travel may help with this. Keep biting insects at bay. If mosquitoes and biting insects are a problem, a good insect repellent on exposed skin should help. ou may not be travelling to any far ung
corners of the world this year but mosquitoes and midges can still be a nuisance, especially if you’re looking forward to a camping or walking holiday. Neem seed extract is a popular alternative to DEET-containing sprays. Try A Vogel’s Herbal Insect Repellent Spray. The scent of neem masks your individual scent, making you less easy to find. Summer sni es Hayfever affects approximately 15 million people in the UK, causing blocked and runny noses as well as a number of other unpleasant symptoms. Stay one step ahead of your pollen-shaped foe by keeping an eye on pollen counts and checking prevailing winds. Remember that wind dried clothes can become pollen catchers; hang them inside instead. Try to limit outdoor activity during the early morning hours which is when pollen counts tend to peak. And if you have been out when the pollen count has been high get undressed in the bathroom, not the bedroom, to reduce the risk of bedtime sneezing. Stay hydrated! We lose water through sweat when we exercise and when it’s hot, and whilst the UK might not be as warm as some holiday destinations, we are still more likely to become dehydrated during the summer months. If you’re sweating more than usual drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. The NHS recommends drinking between six to eight glasses of water a day. There are also plenty of ‘summer foods’ that have a naturally high water content. Watermelon (the clue is in the name), strawberries and cucumber are all over 90% water and will help to increase your water intake. Look after your liver. For many of us this year’s summer holiday will be extra special and if that means your liver may need to work a little harder, stash a little Milk thistle in your First Aid kit. Milk thistle is well known for its role in protecting the liver against alcohol-related toxins and is often called upon to help counter the effects of a hangover. Finally, have fun in the sun but do so safely. Always wear a good SPF, avoid sitting in the sun when it’s at its strongest – typically this is between 12pm and 2pm. And if you do get caught out, Aloe vera applied topically can help soothe dry, reddened or sundamaged skin. For further information visit Gary and his team at Healthy Route, 18 Silver Street, Leicester.
August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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Cricket coaching | Training for the marathon | Cycle route
ActiveSport Take a step outside For the sake of our mental health Ordnance Survey GetOutside champion Professor Greg Whyte is urging the public to simply open their front door and step outside
I
F EXERCISE WAS a pill, it would be the biggest selling drug on the planet. It’s free and accessible to everyone – just getting outside for a walk has profound benefits for our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. The pandemic has shone a light on the importance of physical exercise and the outdoors on the nation’s health. The benefits of exercise for physical and mental health are well-known, and many mental health organisations are citing ‘green exercise’ as a means of improving mental health with the NHS even prescribing it. Green social prescribing links people in need of it to nature-based interventions and activities, such as local walking for health schemes, community gardening and food-growing projects. But you don’t need a prescription. Here are four tips to start you off.
1. Rise and shine and get outside – Morning sunlight is a natural way to help the body produce dopamine and serotonin, both essential mood regulating hormones. We’re all exposed to a large amount of blue lights from TV, phones and computer screens, however the red light associated with the morning sun can provide a powerful counterforce to this blue light. The early morning sun increases melatonin which can assist with anxiety and make you feel happier, also making sleeping at night easier and increasing energy levels throughout the day. 2. Skip the sunglasses ust taking off your sunglasses for 5-10 minutes a day will gently expose the naked eye to enhance the benefits of natural light. The human eye contains photosensitive cells in its retina which connects directly to the brain and this sun stimulation can give you more energy, keep you calm and boost your mood. Just be careful not to stare directly at the sun.
3. Walking and talking – Walking doesn’t require any specialist equipment or knowledge, and you can do it anywhere. It provides a great opportunity to improve social health by going for a walk with friends and family. Talking is also a great therapy and can improve our mood, making the nation feel happier and generally more relaxed. 4. Just open your front door – With working from home, self isolating, quarantining and restrictions, we’ve lost our sense of structure and purpose, and this can worryingly lead to apathy. With the weather so good, now is the time to start looking forward and recreating a sense of purpose. Just a short amount of physical activity can make a huge difference, and the benefits of exercising are heightened when doing so outside. Any level of movement counts, we just need to move more instead of sitting down for prolonged periods of time. www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk
52 August 2021 / theactivemag.com
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ActiveSport
Football shaped distractions London Marathon 2021 – the challenge hits home, unlike the football…
W
E ARE NOW unbelievably into week four or is it five of our totally integrated and highly organised training plan! It’s actually really not that integrated or organised, but it is rolling along quite nicely, although things like the Euros then got in the way. With full support for the England team performances being mandatory (beer, peanuts, chips etc it played havoc with an otherwise saintly training regime! And this is the thing with training for a challenge like this – real life often seems to get in the way. But the countdown clock still ticks along, relentlessly. The increased training of late with associated aches and niggles is being nicely balanced by growing support on the fundraising team, and seeing actual donations rolling in is really heart-warming and inspiring. I keep having to pinch myself, every time I think about the amazing support being shown. Support has been forthcoming from an event organisation perspective, a pledge of prizes for fundraising auctions and actual donations on the Virgin Money page. Feeling this support must be exactly how it feels to be on the receiving end of support from Macmillan. Like a lifeline has been thrown. To everyone who has pledged, is giving or has donated I am extremely grateful. On the running front, dizzying heights of
Use it or Lose it, keep your brain and body active
Second helpings, a group helping reduce food waste
Winter walks with Will
We try out a ‘god pod’
Meet fly fishing guide Nick Dunn
Brentingby Gin, the local company foraging for botanicals ISSUE 92 | FEBRUARY 2020
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Further positive thinking guidance came in from Virgin Radio’s Vassos Alexander in his really useful book ‘How to run a marathon.’ Vassos says several times, if you take failure as an option off the mental decision-making table then everything else is still possible. ncluding finishing There was also another brilliant idea in Vassos’s book. He mentioned that sometimes for his last ten miles he dedicates a mile to a family member or friend and runs that mile for that person. Andy and I have decided we will each do this and try to spend about half a mile (if we can hear each other over the crowds talking about why a person is important and what they would say about us doing a marathon. That should work. It should make the time and the distance y past! We all know someone or will know someone who will be impacted by cancer. So please do whatever you can to help. It might be a small amount, a whopping big amount, or just some advice and help on raising what is a mountainous amount of money: £10,000. But like the Marathon, every step, no matter how small, gets you closer to the end so every little bit of support helps! Thank you in advance.
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32km per week of running as of last week. I know there will be many more seasoned runners out there who could literally eat that distance before breakfast all in one go, but for us non-runners we are rightly proud of that achievement, noting that 32km is about ¾ of the total distance to run on the great day (it’s actually 2km . e have definitely learned a few lessons along the way of this great journey. Especially the importance of warming up, cooling down and stretching out on completion of every run. This is being driven home by many of the more seasoned supporters we have amassed, along with actual aching feet/limbs. It does feel so tempting to scrimp on these activities, but I am sure if we do, we will pay a heavy price. On the distance, or range anxiety front, cross training one Sunday saw me complete a lovely 42km cycle loop through Rutland with my wife with a bacon sandwich pit stop and it dawned on me that what we had just cycled was exactly the distance we need to run on the day. While it did feel like a jolly long way, (and on the day we will not be able to have a bacon sandwich stop it did strangely feel more approachable as a mental goal by being able to visualise the distance relating it to a route with familiar villages and landmarks of the local area. My own form of mind mapping!
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August 2021 / theactivemag.com 53
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CORBY GLEN START / FINISH
SWAYFIELD SWINSTEAD
On your bike! This month Gary Waterfall rides out from Corby Glen. A gentle 23 mile route with a well-paced 1,300 feet of climb. CREETON
SOUTH WITHAM
CASTLE BYTHAM
Distance: 23.4 miles Elevation:1,332ft Ride type: Road
LITTLE BYTHAM
CLIPSHAM
CAREBY
STRETTON
S
TART FROM THE middle of Corby Glen. Take care on the A151 towards Colsterworth, but it’s only for a short stretch, before turning left to Swayfield. rom here head on to Castle Bytham. The terrain for the first five miles is undulating so try and push up the hills and rest on the downhill stretches. Turn right at Castle Bytham and head to South Witham and then left towards Thistleton. But turn left again well before the village to pass back under the A1 at Stretton.
This part of the route sees a gradual climb throughout and take care at both roundabouts as you pass under the A1. rom Stretton follow the road to Clipsham before turning right to follow the road past the beautiful Hollywell Hall then on to Careby. Here, turn left to Little Bytham, pass under the large railway bridge and then follow the road north, through Swinsted, and back to Corby Glen. When back, treat yourself to a treat from Amy Meadows’ March Hare Tearooms. The sausage bap is my post ride favourite.
https://www.strava.com/ routes/2842413669607957244
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The rugby season is starting and scrums and mauls are back; but that’s not all that’s happening this month. Jeremy Smithson-Beswick updates us
J
UST AS THE season is about to start, fans of local rugby - and particularly forwards - will be delighted with the latest news coming from the RFU. The community game can finally now move on to full scrums and mauls in training and, what’s more, this will also apply to competitive grassroots ties when the first real fixtures get underway soon. So, unless there are unexpected developments, we’re in for a normal season at last. Touch rugby, which is all we’ve had going for us for some time at this level, is alright as far as it goes but it’s primarily a game for the faster, lighter backs. Obviously ’m completely impartial about the backs, even though the posing ninnies tend to get more than enough of the limelight as it is if you ask me, what with never getting their kit dirty and being about ten times more handsome and clever than the proper players. All those who wear numbers one through to eight on their backs will be heaving a mighty sigh of relief that we’re getting our sport back from those skinny, long-necked male models we’ve had to lend it to for far too long, and all proper, right thinking aficionados will be delighted that the only social distancing involved in the game henceforth is keeping two metres from anyone in favour of uncontested scrums. There, that’s journalistic balance for you. eicester Tigers have made two announcements of note recently - the signing of Dan Lancaster and the establishment of their first women’s side. ancaster, who is no less than coach Steve Borthwick’s twelfth close season recruit, arrives from eeds Tykes and was part of the England Under-20s squad who landed a grand slam in the recent Six Nations Championship. A back who is a goal-kicker and can also play y-half and centre, he professed himself delighted, saying t’s hugely exciting. eicester have a great thing going and can’t wait to get started.’
The new women’s set up will be run by ex-England international icky Macqueen who is also looking to recruit development and team managers under her role as Head of ugby. Chief Executive Andrea inchen explained One of the driving forces at the Tigers is to promote the game of rugby at all levels within our community.’ oing on to add that this was a ‘major programme’ she clarified that Macqueen’s first priority will be
building a squad of players. ith Bath recently announcing a similar initiative and asps, Saracens, loucester and Harlequins, among others, having bla ed the trail some years ago it’s not before time. Anyone who would like to contribute, on or off the field, is invited to get in touch at community tigers. co.uk Before we leave the Tigers, there’s been much comment about how the current Lions
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squad is without a single player from the club for the first time in many a year, but there’s still an opportunity to win a bet with your friends with this carefully phrased question. ‘Which Tigers players are Lions Tour squad members ’ Even though the rugby season is almost upon us our cricketers still have a way to go - and much to play for - before their own campaign closes for the autumn. Uppingham are right in it as far as the fight for promotion to the premier league is concerned, a cause that was helped by their recent impressive win over Loughborough 2nds. Opening bowler Danny Dumford has been an indispensable member of the side for as long as can remember and, although he only recorded one wicket in the match, he was able to limit Loughborough to just twenty runs off his nine overs. The bowlers that followed would be the first to acknowledge that the pressure he’d put on the Loughborough batsmen contributed enormously to the wickets that tumbled subsequently as a result. Mark Cox, another omnipresent name over the past decade, tidied up the tail and finished with a five-for. anny’s brother amie, not to be outdone, opened the batting for Town and got a half-century as, ably assisted by arnsworth and ickerman, he helped them to reach the required target of 150 in just 24 overs to put them up to second place in the table. One tier above Oakham have tailed off of late and slipped to sixth having looked to have an outside chance of challenging for the top spot early on. Nevertheless, it’s already been a creditable inaugural Premier season for ichard Martin’s men. Over in the Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire remier, Stamford sit comfortably in mid-table.
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‘I was pleased with my lads. It took Posh 30 minutes to score and our shape was good behind the ball which frustrated them a little bit because it was always going to be Peterborough’s way in terms of possession.’
n the footballing world, congratulations are due to Cottesmore A C and Oakham United who will meet in the final of the utland Cup, having defeated axley and Uppingham Town respectively in the semis. It should be a fascinating decider. t’s not often a manager will express himself delighted with a 0-4 defeat but that was the case with Stamford’s raham rury after the visit of Peterborough United for a pre-season friendly. Newly promoted to the Championship, United are after all a full five tiers above the aniels and, to put it into perspective, that’s the same gulf as if Manchester United played Accrington Stanley. As an aside, eterborough’s manager is Alex erguson’s son arren. rury called it a fantastic night’ and
continued ‘I was pleased with my lads. It took Posh 30 minutes to score and our shape was good behind the ball which frustrated them a little bit because it was always going to be eterborough’s way in terms of possession. I felt we had done really well at half-time and, if we took the penalty out of it, they had only scored once from open play.’ Peterborough had arrived fresh from an 8-0 win against Bedford Town – who are at the same level as Stamford so the sell-out crowd won’t have been too disappointed either. e can expect rury’s men to challenge strongly for promotion this term. That’d be asper
iese and newly-signed Marco van
Staden. They’re ust on the wrong side.
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Not out! Kate Maxim watches budding cricketer James Clarke getting the Tom Flowers treatment
T
HERE ARE PLENTY of private golf and tennis instructors around. Lots of riding instructors too. But interestingly there are very few cricket coaches around. Ex Leicestershire CCC, Loughborough University and Dorset player Tom Flowers is filling that gap. His expanding team of ECB registered coaches teach players across Rutland, Leicestershire, Northants, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire from beginners to advanced. His aim is to give local cricketers access to high level coaching locally. Tom is a level 4 ECB coach and specialises in batting and fielding. He has four full-time coaches, two male and two female and then a whole raft of staff he calls on to provide coaching at more than 20 cricket clubs in the area including Medbourne, Oakham, Burghley Park, Uppingham and Bowden near Market Harborough. He runs club nights and weekend coaching at the different clubs, generally delivering a 20-week programme for the participants to work on their batting, bowling, keeping and fielding skills. And he runs at least one holiday camp for children at each club throughout the year. He offers residential camps too, at Oakham School and one at Medbourne cricket club
from August 15-19 which is also approved for the gold Duke of Edinburgh award. And the team can assist with PE including GCSE filming footage, following the syllabus for all major exam boards. Also popular, particularly with adults, are his one-to-one coaching sessions. One man who was just about to start his coaching session told me he was fed up with getting out the same way every Saturday and then sitting around for two hours watching everyone else play. Since starting his coaching sessions with Tom he’s grown in confidence as his technique improved, particularly with his footwork. It’s often just a simple adjustment that needs to be made, then practiced regularly until the player is able to really hit their stride. I had come to watch James Clarke, a business and economics student who plays for Sheffield University’s second team and Medbourne Cricket Club when he’s home. He’s played cricket since he was very young and is proficient at it, normally batting at number three. But he knew he could improve and had come to Tom to work on his technique. Normally Tom suggests a course of four or more sessions on a one-to-one basis so he can fairly assess and unpick each aspect of a person’s game, before then building it
back up whilst giving them a chance to embed the information. In James’ lesson Tom noticed immediately that his head position was out. As the heaviest part of the body it’s crucial that the head is correctly aligned and balanced. James’ head was falling across his body causing Tom to remark that ‘if his head goes early, his hands will go early too.’ Tom also wanted James to show him the full face of his bat giving more chance to hit the ball straight; cricket being all about straight lines. It’s not just the technical aspects of play Tom addresses, he’s keen on getting to the heart of tactical issues too. If they have two things to work on: technical, for example head position, and tactical, such as working on intent to hit the ball straighter then there’s more chance of getting one aspect right, thus finding potentially multiple solutions to one problem. This takes the pressure off the inevitable and unachievable idea of ‘perfection’ every player dreams of. Getting to know the player is important to Tom as is stopping them overthinking their game. He checks in constantly, asking the player how they perceive their game, keeping the dialogue going, building up trust. James had known something was not quite right with his technique, but it took a session with Tom to address the problem and as soon as his head was correctly aligned, the rest of his body followed in the right place too. For full details of summer camps, one-to-one and club coaching visit www.tomflowerscricketcoaching.com
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