Active Magazine // Stamford & Rutland // June 2022

Adventures with an axe; axe throwing at Adventure Rutland The life of a water gypsy; living on a narrow boat The Birdfair is back in Rutland under a new banner and different venue Britain in Bloom; we talk to local towns about the competition ISSUE 114 | JUNE 2022

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E E R F

Ahoy captain!

Three women on a boat

w w w .t h e a c t i ve m a g . c o m

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E DI TO R ’ S L E T T E R 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

www.theactivemag.com

Disclaimer

Copyright (c) Triangle Publishing Ltd (TPL) 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or be stored in any retrieval system, of any nature, without prior permission from TPL. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of T L or its affiliates. Disclaimer of Liability. Whilst every e ort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press, TPL and its affiliates assume no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the extent permitted by law, shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statement contained in this publication.

Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of the advertising material which they submit and for ensuring the material complies with applicable laws.

T L and its affiliates are are not responsible for any error, omission or inaccuracy in any advertisement and will not be liable for any damages arising from any use of products or services or any action or omissions taken in reliance on information or any statement contained in advertising material. Inclusion of any advertisement is not intended to endorse any view expressed, nor products or services o ered nor the organisations sponsoring the advertisement.

‘This month we prised Lisa out from behind her desk and the three of us had some fun.’

WELL WHAT A month we’ve had! The three of us obviously work closely together producing the magazine every month, but we do it remotely. We all work from home, which makes a lot of sense and is successful, but it means we only usually see each other monthly when the issue goes to press and then when we are distributing the maga ine. This is fine but it means when we get together, yes we enjoy each other’s company, but everything is predominantly work related with lots of planning and discussions taking place.

Well not this month! This month we prised Lisa out from behind her desk and the three of us had some fun. Kate and I are used to being out and about interviewing people and often try di erent things but unfortunately Lisa rarely gets to do this. o this month we first got her out on a narrow boat (which she was very unsure about) and then the three of us went axe throwing at Sibson Lake courtesy of Adventure Rutland. And I can assure you she took to it like a duck to water (sorry, couldn’t resist that). We all enjoyed ourselves immensely, trying things we have never done before.

And then I did a yoga class at Oakham’s new yoga studio, South Street Loft Studio to calm down after all the excitement, which I very much enjoyed. ate has been finding out about the revamped, rejuvenated, relocated Global Birdfair and talking to the local Britain in Bloom contestants in our market towns.

After spending a day on a narrow boat I wanted to know what it was like to actually live on one permanently, so headed o to oxton to talk to Sarah Kennedy who told me all about it. Will has two walks for us this month so hopefully you can get out and about to enjoy them as well as enjoying some Platinum Jubilee celebrations over a long weekend.

Enjoy the issue.

Mary - Editor

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June 2022 / theactivemag.com

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I S S U E 114 / J U NE 2022

Contents 42

ACTIVE LIFE 18 AHOY THERE CAPTAIN!

Three women on a narrow boat

26 BIRDS UNITE OUR WORLD

The Global Birdfair is back under a new banner and in a new location

28 BLOOMING MARVELLOUS

We talk to the di erent towns in our area about Britain in Bloom

36 ADVENTURES WITH AN AXE The three of us channelled our inner Pocahontas

42 WILL’S WALKS

28

Two walks from Will this month

40 SERIES; MANAGE YOUR LIFE Don’t move, improve

ACTIVE BODY 51 TRAIN TO RUN, NOT RUN TO TRAIN How to avoid injury whilst running

ACTIVE KIDS

26

52 LOCAL SCHOOL NEWS

ACTIVE SPORT 55 FESTIVAL OF SPORT

Have fun this summer at Holkham Hall, Norfolk

56 THE ROUNDUP

Jeremy catches up with local teams and their sports news

18 June 2022 / theactivemag.com

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Unit 21B, Gwash Way, Ryhall Road, Stamford, Lincs PE9 1XP Tel: 01780 654321 Email: sales@classicstamford.co.uk www.classicstamford.co.uk

Be Inspired

ActiveLife Three women on a boat | Birdfair is back in Rutland | Britain in Bloom The life of a water gypsy; living on a narrow boat | South Street Loft studio in Oakham Manage your life; don’t move, improve | Two walks from Will E D I T E D B Y M A RY B R E M N E R

Adventures with an axe; we release our inner Pocahontas p 36 June 2022 / theactivemag.com

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A weekend of family fun with sporting legends!

12th - 15th August 2022, Holkham Park, Norfolk Expert coaching

Will Greenwood

Camping and Glamping

Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh

Austin Healey

Outdoor Cinema

Tamsin Greenway

Live Music

Dean Ashton

And more!

Day tickets now on sale!

Book your tickets at festivalofsportuk.com

Lyddingto Lydd Lyddington dingto Large South Facing Patio & Garden

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51 Main Street, Lyddington, Oakham, Rutland. LE15 9LR Tel : 01572 821703 www.oldwhitehart.co.uk e-mail: mail@oldwhitehart.co.uk

Active life

Inner tube recycling GEORGE HALL CYCLE Centre in Market Harborough is going that extra mile on the sustainability front. They recycle all their old inner tubes – approximately 250 per year - by sending them to Cycle of Good to be turned into eco friendly gifts.

Cycle of Good send the inner tubes to Malawi in Africa where workers turn them into bags, wallets, key rings and shopping bags. The range is stocked in the shop on Northampton Road, Market Harborough. www.georgehallscycles.co.uk www.cycleofgood.com

Buddha Bowls arrive in Uppingham THE CROWN, UPPINGHAM, has just launched its new deli; you can expect Ottolenghi inspired big, bright salads, Buddha bowls and deli style nibbly bits all available to eat in or takeaway. s the owner Laura Totten says, there’s more to lunch than sandwiches, and if you are looking for a balanced diet you can always pair your salad with one of our burgers or hand stretched pizzas.’ f you are looking for a speedy grab go’ lunch it couldn’t be easier. ou can order and pay via their app to avoid the ueues, or, for a more leisurely lunch, order from your table and then pop through to the deli and take your pick from that day’s selection while the rest of your order is being prepared. So if you are looking for a bright, summery lunch then head to The Crown’s Deli at the back’. www.crownuppingham.co.uk

Rumble’s Big Family Camp Out RUMBLE LIVE IS running its first overnight family camping event on the ubilee weekend at its site at Grafham Water.

Combining the thrilling elements of paintball with the technology and contactless gameplay of laser tag, it is great fun for all the family.

The overnight camping pass costs 0 per head which will include a spot to pitch your tent in the woods; three 60 minute Rumble Live woodland laser tag sessions (two evening sessions and one morning session, worth ) evening campfire food including hot dogs and toasted marshmallows and bacon rolls for breakfast. egetarian food options will also be provided.

There will be music around the campfire in the evening and a special soundtrack at the Rumble Live sessions to add to the atmosphere.

To mark the ubilee, Rumble Live will be running a latinum tournament’ at the event which will involve a leaderboard across the three sessions. The highest scorer will win a session for 10 players, as well as a Rumble Live latinum medal.

For those who want to camp but not participate in the Rumble Live sessions, the entry fee will be 20 which will include food.

Campers can arrive from pm on Thursday 2nd and the event will end at 10.30am on Friday 3rd, after the morning session. It is open to adults and children of all ages, although children must be aged eight and above to participate in the Rumble Live sessions.

Bookings for Rumble’s Big Family Camp Out can be made by emailing ask@rumblelive.co.uk.

New counsellor for Archway ARCHWAY HEALTH AND Wellbeing centre in Market Harborough has welcomed a new counsellor for young people, Helen Campbell. Helen counsels young people aged eight to 2 and has worked with children throughout much of her career. rchway now has four counsellors and has o ered counselling services to the Harborough area for 20 years. To make an appointment email admin@archwayhealth.co.uk

June 2022/ theactivemag.com

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27 June -10 July

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Active life

From still to summit The plan is to depart from the front of Ben Nevis Distillery in Fort William via the visitors’ centre in Glen Nevis before following the pony path up 1,345m to the summit of Ben Nevis. The route will cover approximately 12 miles in total with a team carrying the Hogshead cask the whole way between them.

Since coming up with the idea over two years ago the team has changed and now comprises Stu Clark, Dom Hulton, Bobby Holmes and Michael Smyth; all current members of the RAF. If you wish to show your support please donate at justgiving.com/fundraising/ stilltosummit and follow the challenge on social media.

YOU MIGHT REMEMBER before Covid struck we featured regular readers’ challenges? And one that was nipped in the bud was the plan to carry a whisky barrel from the distillery to the summit of the UK’s highest peak, Ben Nevis, all to raise money for the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. Well From still to summit has been resurrected!

The idea was originally conceived before the pandemic struck and the original team has changed since then, but now the four-man team is ready to tackle the challenge on June 4.

June 2022/ theactivemag.com

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Active life

What’s on...

Great things to see and do in the region

FOLLOWING THE SUCCESS of last year’s event, the Nene Valley Trail Races will be held on Saturday, June 11 starting from Fotheringhay Castle Campsite. Distances covered are 10 and 20 miles. New for this year is chip timing. www.nenevalleyraces.wordpress.com/ THE WHISSENDINE 6 Road Race is back on Friday July 8.

Enjoy six miles of undulating country roads through Whissendine heading out towards Stapleford Park. They promise a downhill finish and bottle of beer from sponsors the Grainstore Brewery for all finishers. www.grainstorebrewery.com/shop/ whissendine-6-race-entry/ BOUJI NIGHTS IN Stamford is the chance to get dressed up and dance the night away; aimed at an older party crowd. Hosted in the Stamford Corn Exchange Lounge Bar with DJ Rick Santini, the launch party is on June 10 from 8pm until midnight. Tickets are £12 online via the @boujinightsstamford Facebook page or the Stamford Corn Exchange Box ffice https://bit.ly/3F9qNTL

HARBOROUGH SINGERS ARE back at St Dionysus Church on June 18 performing a concert entitled Music for a Summer Evening.

Tickets are £10 and available from www.harboroughsingers.com THE GRETTON CHARITY Sportive returns on une 2 o ering either a 0 or 100km route through the stunning Welland Valley. There will be plenty of well stocked feed stations and a bar and bbq at the end. Money raised will go to the Travers Foundation. www.wilddogevents.com/gretton-sportive NEW LODGE FARM is collaborating with the Serious Dough Co every Saturday for ‘Pizza in the Park.’ You can enjoy freshly made pizzas between 5pm – 8pm every Saturday, for campers and locals.

STAMFORD SHOESTRING THEATRE will be presenting Blackbird by David Harrower at the Arts Centre from June 7-11. www.stamfordartscentre.com/ whats-on/live-shows/theatre/ THE FRIDAY NIGHT Summer Series (FNSS) is for mountain bike cross country racers in the Midlands. Held on Friday evenings it is completely grass roots racing for aged 12 and upwards. No race licence is needed. For info on dates and venues visit www.fnssmtb.co.uk THE FESTIVAL OF Leicestershire and Rutland Archaeology runs throughout July from 2-31. There is lots going on and an opportunity to find out more about the Rutland Dinosaur www.leicsfieldworkers.org/festival-ofarchaeology/

June 2022 / theactivemag.com

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Upholstery Upholstery workshops Workshop Dates

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Active life

RECIPE

Broad beans with goat’s cheese, peas, mint and lemon Broad beans and peas are both in season now and there’s nothing better than picking them straight from the garden or buying fresh from the market

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• 30g blanched hazelnuts • 250g podded broad beans • 200g fresh peas • 4 tbsp olive oil • 2 shallots peeled and thinly sliced • 100g grated beetroot mall bunch of finely chopped mint • Small bunch of finely chopped parsley • 1 lemon zested and juiced • 150g log of goat’s cheese, sliced

• Heat the oven to 200C and roast the hazelnuts until golden. Cook the broad beans and peas in a pan of boiling water then drain.

• Heat half the oil in a small frying pan over a lowish heat and cook the shallots until softened. Remove and leave to cool.

• Chop the cooked hazelnuts then toss with broad beans and peas. Add the mint, parsley, remaining olive oil, lemon zest and juice along with the shallots and grated beetroot. Season with salt and pepper.

• Serve topped with sliced goat’s cheese and a drizzle of olive oil and scatter with torn mint leaves along with crusty bread if desired.

June 2022 / theactivemag.com

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WINDOWS • DOORS • WARM ROOFS • BI-FOLDS • ROOF LINE • GARAGE DOORS • CLADDING & MORE

Tel: 01780 654321 sales@classicstamford.co.uk www.classicstamford.co.uk Unit 21B, Gwash Way, Ryhall Road, Stamford, Lincs PE9 1XP

Active life

Flaming June The garden is in full cry now that it’s summer and there’s plenty to do FLAMING JUNE; IT can be the hottest month of the year with long, long hours of daylight. This is excellent for growing, the daylight anyway, but if the weather is very hot you will need to be watering the garden, particularly pots and hanging baskets.

As it has been such a dry spring, water butts can even be running dry. If you do not have a water butt I strongly recommend you buy one and set it up so that excess rainwater from your drainpipe runs into it. This not only saves money but also saves water and makes use of rainwater; sustainable and economical, what’s not to like?

Other jobs this month are to lift spring bulbs and store them until the autumn; prune your wisteria, cutting the long side shoots back to help promote flowering next year. And whilst looking at your climbers, tie new stems of climbing and rambling roses up.

Keep feeding pots and containers and pinch out tips of fuchsias and petunias to encourage bushy growth and plenty of flowers.

And most of all, get that deckchair out and enjoy sitting in the garden getting some vitamin D!

GARDE NING

All Yew need to know

T

Rowan Griffiths tells us why we should keep the yew tree at a distance

HE YEW (TAXUS baccata) is Britain's longest living tree species. It is slow growing and known to live more than 1,000 years if left to its own devices. The Fothingall Yew in Perthshire is estimated to be between 2,000 and 5,000 years old.

To put that in context, our hairy ancestors were still scratching their heads over the finer points of the alignment of Stonehenge when that particular tree took root.

It is a native species and whilst growing wild around Britain is more commonly encountered planted in church yards and older formal gardens. The tree is an evergreen and grows up to 20 feet in height but is quite often trimmed and used in hedging and topiary.

The leaves are small, flat and lanceolate (spear shaped), growing in pairs in the same plane along the twig. The bark is red brown in colour, flaking and becomes

deeply gnarled with age. As it gets older the trunk often hollows out, giving the appearance of a group of trees rather than a single specimen. There are separate male and female trees and the latter produces a cup shaped red berry in the autumn with the brown seed visible inside.

Apart from the casing of the berry all parts of the yew are poisonous. Whilst birds are attracted to the sweet flesh, when eaten the seed passes through. This is not so in humans and these kernels are highly toxic.

The leaves too are deadly and only a small handful will be sufficient to see you o .

Even the ground under which they grow becomes poisonous from falling needles and will be a hazard to grazing livestock. It is also said that to sit under a yew for a prolonged period on a hot day can induce hallucinations!

The ew is an ancient and magnificent tree but perhaps best enjoyed at arm’s length.

June 2022 / theactivemag.com

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Ahoy captain!

Mary divulges how three women on a narrow boat got on recently

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Canal life

F

OXTON LOCKS; MOST of us have visited and if we haven’t we’ve heard of them, and if you haven’t you should have as they are quite beautiful and an iconic sight. The largest run of locks in the world, 10 locks split into two lots of five locks which rise feet up the hillside, and right on our doorstep.

I’m quite fascinated by them and every month when we drop maga ines o hope that someone is in the lock so can have a quick gawp. And goodness knows why, because I’m claustrophobic and think I’d struggle when the boat is at the bottom of the empty lock; I want to have a go at them.

What I didn’t realise was that you don’t have to work the locks yourself (and that would be the fun/hard bit) as there are volunteers and lock keepers, particularly throughout the summer, who will operate the lock gates for you so all the boat owner needs to do is drive into the lock. There’s even someone to tether and feed the rope as the boat goes up and down so you can manage it alone. It takes almost an hour to get through all 10 locks and that’s without any delays or having to wait for another boat.

Undeterred, for almost three years I have been on at Kate and Lisa that we need to take a canal boat out and that it would be even better if we could spend the night on one.

Lisa looks at me with utter horror every time I raise the subject as she is not keen on water, nor camping.

Covid came and went and eventually we got ourselves organised. Courtesy of Foxton Boat Services we had a boat for the day. Three women on a boat! So no overnighter,

much to Lisa’s relief and we weren’t allowed to head north through the locks which, as we only had a day, made perfect sense and as we didn’t know what we were doing, probably even more sense.

We decided prior to boarding that we would head to Market Harborough so we would be on the final section of the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal which extended the line just over five miles from Debdale Wharf in 1809 and terminates at Market Harborough. ut first of all we had to learn how to handle a narrow boat. Kate and I had been on narrow boats, but decades ago.

Lisa had never been on one; so complete amateurs all of us.

Sam Matts from Foxton Boat Services showed us round the boat and gave us clear and precise instructions. How to use the loo, boil the kettle - simple. Then turn the engine on, put boat into drive, how to steer, locate the ropes for tying up, the pole for fending o and learn the rules of the canal, and we were not to go on the roof. Apart from the roof these instructions were a bit more complicated; nothing insurmountable but we needed to concentrate.

You steer a narrow boat from the back. The driver stands at the tiller and I can assure you, despite our boat only being 36 feet long it’s a long way to the other end. To put it into perspective, our boat was half the length of the maximum boat allowed on this canal which is 2 feet. nd all narrow boats are 6ft 10in wide. That might seem narrow, but I can assure you at times it does not feel narrow at all.

And the most important thing of all, which we chanted all day; lefty righty; righty lefty. Basically if you want to go left your steer right and vice versa. Sounds oh so simple, and it is - most of the time. A lengthy narrow boat takes a long time to change direction; they do not turn on a sixpence.

But as Sam told us, our boat was half the length of a traditional narrow boat so twice as responsive and twice as manoeuvrable.

You stay in the middle of the canal whilst cruising as this is where the deepest water is. We had to slow down if we passed any moored craft from slow to dead slow and if you met another boat you do the same. And, vital this, with any oncoming traffic, you pass to the right so the port side (left)

June 2022 / theactivemag.com

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Canal life

of your boat is alongside their port side.

And that was about it. Oh yes, there was a universal key in the galley which must stay on the boat at all times and we needed it 10 minutes down the canal as there was a swing bridge we had to operate to get the boat through.

What???? s ate was nearest the tiller she was first to steer. we set, very cautiously and slowly. Our maximum speed was 4mph; we were not doing that. We are three very capable women who run a successful company and produce a magazine every month; surely we are capable of handling a boat? Of course we are.

We motored serenely along with Kate getting more comfortable with the steering and, slightly longer than 10 minutes later (we were going very slowly) we got to the bollards on the tow path where we had to tie up to negotiate the swing bridge. We had decided that Kate would stay onboard and do the steering. would hop o and hold the boat on the rope (at this stage I was paranoid about losing the boat) and Lisa would work the swing bridge. And this is what we did. Kate managed to throw me a rope that wasn’t attached to the boat and we hadn’t realised how heavy the bridge was, but all rookie errors. Swinging the bridge meant the road was closed so we had an audience. nd then we were o again. ur biggest hurdle had been negotiated successfully and wasn’t too stressful. We were all surprised how narrow the canal was and were a bit concerned about how tight passing another boat would be.

But onwards and upwards.

And then it was my turn to steer. Righty lefty, lefty righty all the way and on this quiet stretch I quite quickly got the hang of it, working the steering out and how long it took the boat to actually change direction. By now we were up to full speed and me being me found this frustratingly slow.

But once I accepted it (there’s nothing you can do to go faster anyway) I could feel the stress levels drop, breathing calm and life slowed down. Slow travel has a lot going for it, meandering down a canal is relaxing, waving at dog walkers and other boaters. There was time to watch the lambs, spot the moorhens, watch the red kites, listen to the woodpecker, spot the ducklings and enjoy the scenery.

We had calmed down enough to be able to enjoy a cup of tea and some co ee cake whilst we motored towards Market Harborough. It was interesting to go under the bridges and talk about how in the old days a horse would have been pulling us along.

We all had a go at steering and encountered a few hazards. Passing other boats is tricky because the canal is very shallow when you pull into the sides. We grounded the boat a couple of times so had to use the pole to push ourselves o . That was not easy as the pole was long and unwieldy. It would have been easier to be able to nip down to the front of the boat to fend it o but the runners (if that’s what they are called) on the side of our hire boat were extremely narrow and we didn’t have a paddle anyway. But we managed with a bit of teamwork and brute force; and there was no shouting.

I managed to collide with a boat we were passing because righty lefty went out of the window at just the wrong moment, but no harm was done. We knew we had to turn the boat round when we got to the basin at Market Harborough as the canal ends there. We decided we would turn round before mooring for lunch and there were a few tense moments worrying about it. But there was no need.

Kate executed a perfect circle in the middle of the basin just like the pros we now were and we were able to admire the gardens of the Market Harborough canal side properties before we moored for a spot of lunch. It had taken us nearly three hours to travel five miles and now we needed to head back.

We were all very surprised that this part of the canal was quite bendy, so you had to concentrate on the steering.

Apparently it follows the contours of the land hence avoiding more locks. And that swing bridge on the way back? By now we were experts. Lisa and I did the swinging, Kate drove and all the cars and mothers and children coming out of school were amazed at our skill!

The boats are available for day hire from 9.30am-5pm for up to 12 people and cost £175 mid week or £220 at weekends and holidays. Foxton Boat Services Ltd 0116 279 2285

June 2022 / theactivemag.com

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Canal life

The life of a water gypsy It’s all very well taking a narrow boat out for the day, or even spending a few nights on one. But what’s it like making one your permanent home? Mary finds out from Sarah Kennedy

S

ARAH AND SHANE Kennedy lived in Market Harborough and often used to come to Foxton to Route 61 for a drink. ‘We lived in the middle of the town so it was nice to come out here and relax,’ says Sarah. Both had pretty stressful jobs, Shane working at Gartree prison. ‘We used to watch the boats and decided that we would rent our house out when we retired and live on a boat for a while.’ A pipe dream maybe, but everyone needs them and why not dream?

Shane and Sarah had never even been on a narrow boat so it really would be a big leap of faith. Sarah had been brought up on the south coast with sea-going yachts, with the family having a boat on the Isle of Wight. ‘We spent a lot of time on it, sleeping on it too.’

This intrepid pair did have experience of camping though. ‘When we met we had a VW Camper van before we bought a house together so we both enjoyed camping and the nomadic life. We weren’t afraid of roughing it.’

They did lots of research, five years of planning, visiting boat shows and chatting to people who permanently lived on narrow boats.

And then fate took over; Shane became seriously ill. ‘That was it for me,’ says Sarah. ‘I knew it was now or never so I became the driving force behind it all. We sold our house and found a boat. And then both fell through.’ Undeterred

the pair decided to try again and completed on their house sale, then moved into bed and breakfast at The Bell in Husbands Bosworth whilst they found a boat.

‘We had been in the house for 11 years so had a lot of stu to get rid of. We were o oading our possessions, including to our adult daughters. One of them had a shed so we were able to store a lot of stu in there until we knew what we were doing.’

Twelve weeks later they had bought a boat and their life was about to change. ‘We knew what we wanted; a 65-70 foot old, converted boat with a fixed bed which went across the boat. We didn’t want a bath and there were a few other provisos. Of course we ended up with the complete opposite! hane spotted her first, online. said no straight away. he was brand new, only feet with a non fixed bed.

Shane persuaded me so we went to have a look. She was in the Evesham marina. As soon as I walked onboard I knew it was our boat. If felt just like a home, just right. She was an empty shell with a kitchen and bathroom and I knew that we could make her ours and there was so much we could add. Welcome to Tus Nua which is Irish for new beginning.’

With an 0,000 budget they did the deal and set o to Evesham marina to bring her home. That’s when the adventures began. ‘We had the joy of moving it! Neither of us had driven one before and it took us a week to bring it up

June 2022 / theactivemag.com 23

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Canal life

the River Avon to Stratford and on to the Grand Union canal which is where we are. It was hard going. I could feel every muscle. We didn’t know what we were doing so over heated the engine and managed to ground the boat as well. was doing a lot of walking with the dog, mainly to get o the boat and give us both some space. Whilst doing this at Warwick I got chatting to a couple on a boat and they gave us so much advice. They got us back on track, helped Shane with the engine, fed us and sent us on our way. And they have been lovely friends ever since.’

Shane and Sarah then spent six months continuously cruising. Mooring licences vary. A continuous cruising one means you can moor for up to two weeks in the same spot but then have to move on. They had intended to moor at South Kilworth in the new marina as it is near both their daughters but decided that it wasn’t for them as the boats were moored too close together. ‘It just wasn’t what we wanted.’

They had made friends at Foxton so when their mooring came up they went for it. This was a leisure mooring which means that as long as either the boat or the occupants move o at some point they can stay permanently. They come o their mooring, often for weeks at a time until the end of September when they will then settle for the winter. They chose this mooring as it has a nice garden so they can have some sheds for storage and can sit out. No one walks past it and it’s peaceful and quiet. They have access to running water, electricity and there’s an Elson point too (for emptying the toilet). There are nine boats altogether here and a strong community.

Sarah works from home so with good internet connections can work from anywhere on the canal. Shane works locally but they manage to move their car (remember you don’t travel far in a day on a boat) so he can access it. Or he uses a bike.

Living on a boat is definitely cheaper than living in a house but there are certain provisos to meet and costs, hidden ones as well. You have to bid for your mooring. The Kennedy’s cost about £2,500, this is an annual fee. Once you have your mooring no one else can use it and you can’t sub let it. You have to have a river licence which is charged per the length of the boat. The Kennedy’s is over £1,000 a year.

Obviously the boat must be insured (no insurance no licence) and every four years the boat has to be taken out of the water and blacked, and a safety certificate is also needed every four years. ‘There is always something that needs doing on a boat, maintenance-wise and Shane in particular quickly learnt to be very handy.’ You don’t pay council tax, and electricity is much cheaper as there’s no standing charge and most of the usage is only 12 volt. Fire and carbon monoxide poisoning are two major hazards on a boat.

Virtually all narrow boat residents moor for the winter.

It’s obviously not pleasant sailing in the rain and the wind can be a real problem, blowing you against the bank constantly. ‘I have never been cold on the boat,’ says Sarah.

‘She’s well insulated and we have a multi fuel stove that we light towards the end of September (depending on the weather) and keep lit until March. We don’t su er with condensation as we keep the boat well ventilated. It gets very hot in the summer though so cooking onboard is kept to a minimum.’

Shane and Sarah learnt an awful lot in those early years but have literally taken to life on board like a duck to water (sorry couldn’t resist that). They have all mod cons including a washing machine and have even got to grips with the toilet and showering facilities. ‘These can be a deal breaker.’

‘There are bad times. If it’s very cold or wet it’s not pleasant filling up with water or emptying the loo and that’s doubled if you are ill. So yes, it does get tough and winters are the worst but only if you make it so be positive and adapt. We love living afloat. ou are close to nature, very aware of the seasons and weather and we would never go back to living in a house.’

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Birds unite our world The Birdfair is back in Rutland, under a new banner, Global Birdfair. Kate meets founder Tim Appleton MBE, to find out more

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IM APPLETON FOUNDED and has run the Birdfair in Rutland for over thirty years but during the pandemic it was forced to stop. Now Tim and his partner Penny Robinson have created the Global Birdfair and it is moving to a new site at Rutland Showground. Taking place during the weekend of 15, 16 and 17 July, there will be a whole raft of exhibitors and experts sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm of all things birding with an international audience. Passionate birdwatchers will come from all over the world to attend 180 lectures, panel discussions and ui es. They will find the most up to date optical e uipment on o er, and learn about nature tourism and global conservation. The head of Natural England Tony Juniper is coming, along with the CEOs of WWT and Birdlife International plus other guests for State of the Earth Question Time.

However, it is not just for seasoned birdwatchers and conservationists. There is something for everyone to enjoy, novices and nature lovers alike. The whole purpose of Global Birdfair is to create a space for people to come together to share knowledge and ideas for the benefit of the natural world. ature conservation is in Tim’s DNA, but how did his work begin?

Tim started his career in nature conservation in a wildlife park in Bristol where he came from. After that he worked for the Duke and Duchess of Bedford while waiting for a job to come up at a place he’d always wanted to work, The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at Slimbridge, founded by Sir Peter Scott. He became deputy curator there where he learnt from the very best. In 1975 an amazing opportunity came up to create a new nature reserve at Rutland

Water, the biggest habitat creation project of the 1970s. Having always been involved with wildfowl, particularly swans, geese and ducks, Tim was the perfect choice for the job. And he stayed there until retiring as reserve manager in 2017. During his time at Rutland Water he worked on many fascinating projects including the re-introduction of ospreys to England. The reserve has become an SSSI, a special protection area SPA and also a Ramsar site which is a wetland of international importance for migratory birds.

As he says, ‘why would I leave? My garden is quite nice

26 June 2022/ theactivemag.com

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Active life

overlooking the reservoir with lots to look at on the water. I do a bird count every day and if I’m not here someone else does it. The garden has the highest list of bird species seen in Britain so far this year. We have seen 113 birds since 1 January. It’s fun to do.’

Tim keeps pigs and hens on his land. Why indeed would he leave?

He was often headhunted to go elsewhere but one year in the mid eighties when the Game air was held locally he had an epiphany.

He wondered why there wasn’t an e uivalent for the conservation business. Membership of the RSPB and Wildlife Trust was growing but there was nowhere for these interested people to go to buy binoculars or telescopes, or find out about eco tourism, or to buy bird food. So he started one.

Over the years the Birdfair grew and grew but right from the start Tim wanted it to do three things: be a shop window for the birding industry; a networking opportunity and a vehicle to raise money for conservation. He started to work with irdLife nternational which has 120 partners around the world so he could identify crucial conservation projects. We raised . million in profit from the Birdfair,’ Tim says, ‘and have been able to secure a further £35 million around the world through bank loans, so that’s over £40 million from these little fields in Rutland.’

Tim and Penny are also co-founders of Global Birding which is a venture encouraging birdwatchers from all around the world to come together as a global community by taking part in birdwatching events. Their motto is ‘birds unite our world’ and they already have legions of followers. Each year teams from across the planet enter the Global Big Day event to record the birds they’ve spotted on the same single day.

‘We started Global Birding because of the pandemic as so many people were in their homes, not being able to travel,’ Tim says. ‘The growth in interest in nature and the realisation of the benefits to health and wellbeing was wonderful. There weren’t any cars around and people could hear the birds. Sales of optics soared. Travel didn’t but that’s beginning to pick up.’

‘Over the years the Birdfair grew and grew but right from the start Tim wanted it to do three things: be a shop window for the birding industry; a networking opportunity and a vehicle to raise money for conservation.’

There was already an established event called Global Big Day run almost exclusively in the States by E Bird which is part of Cornell University and is the biggest citizen science project in the world. As Tim knew the founders of E Bird they joined resources.

‘We set four world records on our second Global Big Day,’ Tim explains. ‘Over 7,250 species of birds were seen on a single day; there’s only 10,500 species in total in the world. We had 52,000 people from 195 countries taking part. Global Birding now has more representatives on the ground than the UN and the people who get involved are amazing, encouraging people to protect what we’ve got. irding Live on Location is filmed in di erent places all over the world and people can see the film clips live on acebook or on YouTube afterwards.’

Global Birding and The Global Birdfair take a huge amount of work to organise. Tim and Penny do the lion’s share but they have a wonderful book keeper, friends Jackie and Peter Murray who do the volunteer co-ordinating, a great team of volunteers on the day and people building the stands.

‘I’m coming up to my mid 70s but you just get on with things,’ says Tim. ‘I’m lucky because I’m completely passionate about what I do. I carry binoculars all the time and I love to look. What I love about birds is they are the flagship for all other species. Here in the garden the only things you see moving, bar the sheep, are the birds.

But once you’ve seen them you start to wonder what they’re feeding on, how nature works together, and the whole picture slowly builds.’

For more information about the Global Birdfair and Global Birding visit www.globalbirdfair.

June 2022 / theactivemag.com

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Blooming marvellous Britain in Bloom is the UK’s longest running gardening competition started in 1963. We chat to our local towns’ members about it

28 June 2022 / theactivemag.com

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Britain in bloom

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UR AREA FORMS part of East Midlands in Bloom, one of 18 regions that comprise Britain in Bloom. The aim of the competition is to encourage the improvement of a town’s surroundings through the imaginative use of trees, shrubs, flowers and landscaping along with a litter free and sustainable environment. This links directly to the three RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) core pillars of excellence which are horticultural achievement, environmental responsibility and community participation.

Each group has their own way of doing things; some meet on a set day, others gather when there’s a job to be done. Either way, it entails hard work, dedication but most of all a passion for gardening.

Stamford in Bloom Back in 2017 local resident Ann Ellis was of the opinion that despite being a beautiful town, Stamford was, in fact, a bit of a mess. When she mentioned this to the Town Hall sta she was invited to a council meeting that very evening and the ball rolled from there. The Stamford in Bloom group was formed. At the time the RHS was running a campaign to ‘green Great Britain’ and that’s what Ann wanted to do in Stamford; focus on greening the town, soften the edges and o er more plants for the bees. Municipal style planting wasn’t her style at all.

Ann soon joined forces with Neil McIvor of Team Stamford (who we wrote about in the March issue). The council came on board and entered the newly formed group into the 2018 Towns in Bloom competition. The Rotary Club, Round Table, Ladies Circle, Mindspace, The Civic Society and many more groups became involved. As Ann says, ‘it’s not the actual competition that counts. It’s the town itself and the people we work with who are important.’

Now there are around 50 locations that the group plant and maintain including flower beds, planters and two bicycles, one outside The George, the other by St John’s church. These areas are planted with winter bulbs then replenished with plants for the summer.

Anyone walking through the town can’t fail to notice the dining chairs - currently 36 of them - beautifully planted up by the team and placed outside the doors of the businesses that sponsor them. Each chair will have been purchased at auction, stripped back, painted or varnished, lined then planted. And we mustn’t forget the watering. It’s a huge operation carried out by the volunteers, unfortunately without the help of a trailer as there are so many steps to navigate around the town.

There are around 30 volunteers with no more than six working at one time in an area. ‘We can do a lot of work with six of us in two hours,’ Ann says, ‘particularly with help from the young sta from local company lltech who come to us for a couple of hours during the day when we ask for help.’ Many businesses sponsor the group or give donations, as do many local residents.

It’s an intense time for the team at this time of year; during the winter things slow down a little. But there are always jobs to be done. People are very generous with their time doing the PR, asking for donations and sponsorship, creating an illustrated map for the judges to follow, as well as lugging compost around and obviously doing the actual planting and weeding. Ann and a number of volunteers no longer have gardens of their own, so relish the opportunity to garden for the benefit of the town. t’s also a great way to make friends and be sociable. ‘People stop us all the time to thank us or comment on the flowers, it’s very rewarding.’

June 2022 / theactivemag.com 29

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Britain in bloom

Oakham in Bloom

Market Harborough in Bloom usan Clow, communications officer from Market Harborough in loom explains what their team get up to.

Market Harborough in loom was set up in 1 with 20 hanging baskets. We’ve entered East Midlands in loom every year since then, achieving a gold award 11 times and been picked to enter ritain in loom twice. We are usually well represented in judges awards too, having won Least Littered Town, had a special award for our uni ue blooming branded phone box, a wildflower award and many park awards. The competition itself has evolved over the years and currently is more focused on community and sustainability which is already at the heart of the group.

The group, now a band of about 20 regulars, meets on Monday and Wednesday mornings throughout the year.

Even in the depths of winter there is work to do although it does calm down to a less frenetic pace. ur H is in Welland ark and we are responsible for a large greenhouse and polytunnel. t is here we start our days, moving o to the rose garden, the town centre or one of our many planting locations. We started gardening at t Luke’s Hospital during the pandemic and now work there on alternate aturday mornings. We have always had a presence at the railway station and canal basin too. We created an arboretum in the park that needs tending. The park’s rose garden is the jewel in our crown. ne judge told us it was probably the best public rose garden in the country. ften a challenge and very labour intensive, it involves us hand edging 1,000 metres of the 0 plus rose beds and the care of an extensive knot garden, lavender and herb gardens. This year we are planning a special latinum themed bed behind our ld Grammar chool using dramatic silver foliage. f course, the whole community plays a part in all this.

The judges, who come in uly are always impressed with the support we have built up over the years. We work with the council and its contractors, local businesses (who sponsor planters), litter picking groups, schools and leisure groups. This year we will be wearing our second set of sponsored T shirts which always gives everyone a boost.

We have benefitted from some generous donations too.

We visit an allotment site with the judges, and the allotment holders always go that extra mile. We support each other in all sorts of ways especially as a third of our volunteers are allotment holders too. Gluttons for punishment!

We use acebook to tell people what we are doing and are very happy with the very positive support from the community that follows us.’

oyce Lucas, co founder of akham in loom ( i ) told us The n loom project is not just about gardening and winning a competition but includes active civic pride campaigns, litter picking, cleaning of roadside signs, pavement weed control, education, fund raising, awareness campaigns, social events and much, much more.’ t all began in 1 when oyce and her husband ob asked for volunteers to assemble at the end of Lonsdale Way, akham to plant spring bulbs. The idea was to brighten up the wide grass verge in raunston Road. ers subse uently flooded in of bulbs to plant and people to plant them.

Then they came up with the idea of pen Gardens, starting with two gardens. The next year it was eight and the following year 1 home owners in akham opened their gardens to the public. nitary tatus for Rutland became a reality in 1 and that’s the time when akham n loom ( i ) was formed, then blossomed.

Their first project was to clear the listed walls at the rear of the library of all the ivy, and the whole area of weeds.

Later they added a sensory garden. mongst the many volunteers that came forward, inmates at shwell prison o ered to grow plants in their greenhouses. akham Town Council entered into the spirit and organised hanging baskets and wall mangers to add colour to the town. Later the i volunteers took over the management of the flower beds around the bandstand in the park and then adopted the traffic islands on the bypass.

The ancient Catmose rboretum was given a new lease of life after a plea was sent out for extra trees. luebells, cowslips and primroses were added and then the final touch was to number the trees and print a leaflet guide.

Walks through the town on undays bring in funds and encourage people to become gardeners. und raising is a vital part of the group’s commitment to the town. ponsored walks, garage sales and cake bakes became the norm. The i lottery was introduced and is still a vital part of fund raising. n une 201 the nner Wheel icycle ed, as it is a ectionally known, was created at the entrance to the town on ppingham Road. The Lands’ End flower bed was also created. n une 2010 a woven willow replica of a pitfire was donated to the town to commemorate the 0th nniversary of the attle of ritain.

They’ve recently ac uired a greenhouse and potting shed with a donation from Tesco which enables i to teach beginners how to produce new plants from cuttings. n 201 the group called Men in heds was approached to make wheelbarrows which are dotted around the town and used as planters.

The akham Da odil Trail was created with ,000 da odil bulbs and a trail booklet launched by the Rutland Lord Lieutenant in ebruary 2022. The Rotary Club of Rutland donated ,000 purple crocus bulbs to help raise awareness of the campaign to eradicate polio worldwide which were planted at the entrance to the library. akham in loom is a year round project with working parties and social events and they have a good relationship with the whole community and the two local authorities.

June 2022 / theactivemag.com

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Britain in bloom

Uppingham in Bloom Uppingham in Bloom was founded in 1983 by three shopkeepers, Pam Dalby tells us, who wanted to add much needed colour to the town. They entered the East Midlands in Bloom competition and so started a yearly tradition amongst a dedicated band of volunteers.

Over the last 39 years they’ve achieved winning entries for the Best Small Town in the East Midlands and recently Gold year on year, which is extremely hard to maintain. The pinnacle has been their accolade as the Best Small Town in Britain in the National competition in 2015.

The volunteers are supported by Uppingham School gardens’ department who source plants, help with planting and colour schemes to blend in with the school’s planting.

A sensory garden on Tod’s Piece, which was an old Tarmac area, has continued to grow and evolve over the last 10 years providing a green haven for locals to enjoy.

Various planting beds around the town give colour and form all year round. Planters provide statement spring planting with tulips giving the wow factor annually.

Summer planting then provides colour through to October, when the winter planting is added.

Uppingham in Bloom developed a tree trail and tree quiz for children to give the whole community an appreciation of their wonderful trees and heritage. Doug Stacey, a longstanding member of the Bloom committee researched the trees and the route allowing those following the trail fabulous glimpses of the town they wouldn’t ordinarily see.

A community garden on the Leicester road allotments provides a quiet spot to rest and to pick produce to take home. A swap table for allotment holders to leave excess produce has fed locals with fresh vegetables for years and was well used during the pandemic.

Tree planting has been a huge part of the group’s work over the last few years and more so this year to coincide with the Queen’s Green Canopy. Tod’s Piece is the main focus of new planting with the support of Uppingham Town Council who own the park.

Uppingham in Bloom work with other voluntary groups and schools in the town such as the Rotary, Women’s Institute, scouts and primary schools. A big part of their work is raising funds to pay for the year round planting, maintenance, projects, printing costs and watering; around £4,500 is needed each year. The small band of volunteers organise a winter warmer lunch yearly serving up to 90 covers for lunch along with a Tombola. There are also regular Open Garden events, and a Ball and barn dance in recent years.

As Pam says: ‘Sponsorship and support from local businesses is paramount to our ability to produce such stunning displays in Uppingham. Without their help we would not be able to do what we do for the community to enjoy. Huge thanks to Uppingham Town Council for their grant funding and to Uppingham School gardens’ department for all their physical help.’ www.rhs.org.uk

June 2022 / theactivemag.com 33

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Active life

And Breathe Oakham now has its own yoga studio and Mary enjoyed an early morning class there recently

S

HORTLY BEFORE CHRISTMAS Tash Whileman opened the South Street Loft yoga studio in Oakham. It’s situated above igma ports if you’ve yet to find it. t’s a bright, spacious, airy place that makes you feel welcome and relaxed as soon as you walk up the stairs. ir conditioned as well, it’s a wellbeing space for everyone.

There are now 1 classes a week available to choose from, ranging from flow to move to fitness, recharge and ilates. There’s a lot of variation and various times so plenty to choose from with four teachers running di erent classes and teaching di erent disciplines.

Classes are 12 for an individual class or you can buy bundles of five for 0 or ten for 100.

Tash has over 20 years experience of ilates teaching and four of yoga, having discovered it over 10 years ago in bi a. Her enthusiasm and joie de vive is infectious and you can’t help but join in with her. did a move class with her at . 0am and it’s the perfect way to wake your body and set yourself up well for the day.

‘I love to have a play so my class is very light hearted. I have a

theme every week and this week is balance and twist. t’s all about having a go. t doesn’t matter how far you get it’s up to the individual and how you feel on the day. think it’s important to make people feel welcome so you know you can breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy that hour on the mat. This time is for you and it’s calm and relaxed. t doesn’t matter how much you can do, think everyone benefits from that hour. t’s fun to explore what you can do and it’s fun to roll around and be silly, finding your inner child again. To have a go is important, it doesn’t matter if it goes wrong.’

The class was fun and everyone was very friendly. t was uite difficult in parts but never felt uncomfortable or inade uate and there are di erent levels to opt for. Relaxed, friendly and not scary is how would describe the class. ome of the movements had never done before and ’m keen to have another go. nd felt it the next day and that is enough for me. www.southstloft.co.uk

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Adventures with an axe

Kate, Lisa and Mary channel their inner Pocahontas and have a go at axe throwing at Adventure Rutland. Mary tells us how it went

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Axe throwing

I

F YOU HEAD south down the A1 and pass the Nene Valley Railway turning and look to your left (safely!) you might notice a large lake. I would bet quite high odds that you never have though. None of us ever had.

Welcome to Adventure Rutland’s new home, Sibson Lake, which lies right next to the River ene. t’s a very pretty spot, a six acre lake sitting amongst 20 acres of grassland and trees which runs into the river. nitially dug out for gravel in 201 , Dan Wallace took over the lake in une 2020 thus establishing his mobile adventure centre in one spot. Previously he had worked from Yarwell on the River Nene and from Rutland Water as well, specialising mainly in water sports. ‘It was great to come here because we had a complete blank canvas to work on,’ he told me.

‘The lake was here and nothing else. Everything was completely overgrown so we were able to start from scratch including the buildings.’

But as well as watersports, for which they are well known - paddle boarding, SUP yoga, SUP club, kayaking, canoeing and open water swimming, dventure Rutland o er archery and axe throwing indoor and outdoor. And today the three of us were going to have a go at the axes!

Dan passed us over into the capable hands of instructor Charlie and o we trotted. The axe throwing set up is within the bushcraft area of the site. This area is used by a lot of school parties and for

'Kate quickly got the hang of it on the next attempt with the perfect throw and Lisa wasn’t far behind (once she got angry).' corporate days too. There were wigwams, trails and tarp covered shelters to get you out of the sun and rain. There are cooking areas too along with sensory trails and tracks. And then we came into a clearing where the targets were set up.

Charlie had brought the equipment with him and we were given a thorough safety briefing before being handed the first axe which they call the angel and you can see why, that is exactly what it looks like. Charlie told us how to hold it, how to throw it and where to stand. And most importantly to make jazz hands at the end of each throwing session to ensure no one was throwing whilst we were clearing the targets. Safety was obviously stressed throughout the session.

And then it was stand behind the plank on the ground and throw.

You bring your elbow up above your head, as close to your ear as possible and then bring your arm forward quickly and let go when you can see your hand. If you get this technique right, in theory the axe flies through the air, rotates and lodges itself in the target.

Well technique and theory are all very well. Let’s just say it’s harder than it looks. We all hit the target but none of us managed to get our axes lodged. Try again.

‘You need to be cutting the cake, not slicing the butter,’ said Charlie, demonstrating what he meant. Meaning the axe needs to be kept vertical not hori ontal. o that means not flicking the wrist.

Strength doesn’t come into it. It’s all about placement and technique. ate uickly got the hang of it on the next attempt with the perfect throw and Lisa wasn’t far behind (once she got angry). I was not so good (useless in fact) and seemed to manage to twist my body and wrist so my axes were flying through the air hori ontally mainly hitting the target but not sticking in.

I don’t know if you have ever seen knife throwers on programmes such as Britain’s Got Talent? Well I now view them with much

June 2022 / theactivemag.com

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Axe throwing

greater respect. As I said, I found it much harder than it looks and to achieve such consistent accuracy is no mean feat. Talking of accuracy, Kate at the far end of the targets was now getting ready to join the circus; hitting the target every time, with every axe, and placing them incredibly accurately. If she didn’t join the circus, she’d make a deadly assassin.

Eventually I managed to get an axe to stick. As soon as I threw it I knew it was going to; it felt right. But I found it hard to be consistent whilst the other two were away flinging axes accurately every time.

Charlie had us competing then as the targets are marked with scores. I won’t bother telling you who won that little competition….

And then it was on to knives. Let’s just say that they bounce a lot and it’s very important you ‘cut the cake not slice the butter.’ The circus performer of course got the hang of it immediately and was a natural. A word of warning, never get on the wrong side of Kate, particularly not in the kitchen…

Lisa channelled her inner anger and was away and I was trailing behind again bouncing knives all over the place. I think it’s easy to overthink which I was obviously doing; and you need to concentrate. Charlie set up another little competition and the stand out winner again was Kate, but Lisa was giving her a run for her money. Then Charlie had us pinning playing cards to the targets so we had to specifically aim. Harder than you think for some of us.

And then it was time to move on to the big boys; the tomahawk axes. Well if you have ever played cowboys and Indians, or watched a western you will know exactly what I mean. Probably think more Comanches fighting paches in this instance rather than cowboys and ndians as there were no rifles involved. These axes were big and quite unwieldy. If you got one on the target you then had to stop as it would have been easy to split the axe throwing another at it.

Well Hiawatha next to me (Lisa) got hers in the first throw. nd virtually every one after that; she was loving life. Kate and I were flinging axes everywhere with very little success. ate eventually worked it out; I never did. Apparently you can throw them two handed as well.

By now we were coming to the end of the hour. We reverted to the angels and Charlie told us we would find it much easier, which think we all did not that ate and Lisa found it hard first time round. nd then it was the final challenge walk along the targets and hit all six as you did. I chose the angels, Kate the knives and Lisa the tomahawk. And it turns out I’m much better on the move hitting

'And then it was on to knives.

Let’s just say that they bounce a lot and it’s very important you ‘cut the cake not slice the butter.’' four out of six and winning that challenge. robably a bit of a fluke well most definitely but also because had something else to think about.

We all really enjoyed the axe throwing and can see how it would make the perfect hen or stag do, family party or corporate event. It’s good fun, competitive and unusual. There’s nothing to be scared of as safety is paramount and you are closely watched. Charlie drummed ‘jazz hands’ into us at every point. t was interesting how the three of us had di erent skills and possibly explains why we work well together. In another life; think Robin Hood and his merry men maybe ate would be the natural assassin, never missing; you’d never go near Lisa with an axe in her hand and ’d be picking o targets on the move. Thankfully that’s a fantasy life; go and indulge yours with an axe throwing stint at Adventure Rutland. And maybe Kate should just join the circus, it might be safer.

Up to six people £90 an hour. £15 per person extra for up to 12 for 8 years + www.adventurerutland.com

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Don’t move, improve Garage doors, external doors, new windows; not very glamorous but if you own your home, at some point you will probably need to replace them.

So who do you turn to? Mary talks to someone who knows

E YOU R AG

LI F E

MAN

U

NFORTUNATELY, SO CALLED double glazing ‘experts’ have historically had a reputation for ‘hard sell and awful customer service.’ How many remember horror stories about salesmen refusing to leave pensioners’ houses until they had signed up to spend thousands on replacement windows, sometimes that weren’t needed.

Thankfully those days are mainly gone, or we are more aware of them so are more wary. As well as replacement doors and windows, as home owners we may need the more pleasant purchase such as a new kitchen, warm roof or extension. Any home improvement is a major investment so we need to know we are spending our money wisely. And we can turn to the same company for all home improvements. A company that has a really good reputation for customer service and which prides itself that most of its business - 75% - comes from customer recommendations. Now that is something to be extremely proud of.

Classic Stamford arrived in the town in St Leonard’s Street in 2015. Spud and his wife Patricia set up Classic Stamford for their daughter and son-in-law. But it made sense for them both to be very heavily involved with the running of it day to day as they had had a large home improvement business in Cambridgeshire for over 28 years and Spud has been in the windows/doors industry since 1986; so you could say they know the home improvement market quite well. on in law Daniel originally fitted kitchens for them in the Cambridgeshire business and he runs the kitchen side of the business today. He is the design and installation expert.

Recently Classic Stamford has moved to large new premises on Gwash Way just o Ryhall Road and they are proud that they now have the largest showroom in the area.

And it’s impressive, pop along and have a look. ou will see lots of di erent windows on display ranging from wood to UPVC to aluminium. Doors galore, warm roofs, lanterns and kitchens. A home improvements' (because that is what Classic’s business is) showroom at its best.

Windows and doors are 60% of their business and this is where their reputation comes in. Every window, even if you buy just one, is guaranteed for 10 years. And the company take great pride in this guarantee

which they will always honour. ‘It can cost us, going out to someone after eight years for a single window but it doesn’t matter.

We are an honest company and if we say we will do something, we will,’ says Spud. And the referrals from new customers back this up.

In our area replacement windows can be contentious. Much of Stamford (and surrounding villages) are in a conservation area with many, many listed buildings. So you would think that replacing traditional wooden windows with UPVC would never be allowed. This is not always the case as some plastic windows don’t look plastic, they have greatly improved and it can

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MANAGE YOUR LIFE

sometimes be hard to tell whether they are wood or not. And planners have cottoned on to this. But hold on - and I have to confess here nearly fell o my chair when pud told me - UPVC windows are no longer the most popular choice for new windows; aluminium ones are!

In my mind aluminium windows are those awful silver, single glazed windows that replaced traditional wood ones in the 1950s and ‘60s. And you can still see them sadly debasing the looks of many houses in the area. Well those days are gone.

Aluminium windows are rapidly taking over a larger share of the market. They come in any colour, are slim, strong, recycled, so more sustainable and are now a big seller.

They are thermally efficient and will last for years, well over 30, so are much harder wearing and, according to Spud, are more secure. And they are incredibly low maintenance; all the frames need is running over with a cloth and warm water. They are still more expensive than UPVC but prices are rapidly becoming comparable. One of their biggest advantages is that, unlike

'Recently Classic Stamford has moved to large new premises on Gwash Way just off Ryhall Road and they are proud that they now have the largest showroom in the area.'

plastic, aluminium does not expand or contract in extremes of temperature.

Aluminium is perfect for bi-fold doors too.

And bi-fold doors are what everyone wants.

There’s not a huge di erence, to be fair in aluminium or UPVC windows,’ says Spud.

They are both thermally efficient, hard wearing, low maintenance and will last for years. All the glass sealed units used today are very thermally efficient too. Glass is also recycled which makes a big di erence.’

Timber windows are at least double the price of aluminium or UPVC which doesn’t make a lot of sense to me as environmentally they are more ‘friendly.’

But they are available, and all of Classic’s windows, whatever materials they are made of, are British made and many are bespoke.

There is no doubt, home improvements do not come cheap. The price of a new front door is costly. But a new front door can transform the look of a house completely, make it more secure and, like new windows make it thermally more efficient and that means saving on heating bills; vital these days.

Another large part of Classic’s business is ‘Warm Roofs.’ Everyone used to want a conservatory. And anyone who has a conservatory knows that they are not all they are cracked up to be. In the winter, they are freezing so too cold to sit in and in the summer can be far too hot. So to make them a useful all year round room you put a fully insulated warm roof on it with a choice of di erent tiles and add some heating. Then it complies with building regulations and, hey presto, you have another fully functioning room! Classic are doing a lot of these installations and interestingly haven’t fitted a new conservatory this year.

Classic employs 21 people, plus a building crew and has five teams of installers. nd they need them, being extremely busy. They also do a lot of kitchen extensions, knocking walls down and installing bi-fold and large patio doors; they convert garages and will do single storey extensions as well. They even employ a full time plasterer so you can see how busy they are.

But what’s most important is that you can trust them. ‘We are a moral company,’ says Spud. 'We will not sell products that aren’t suitable or safe. We pride ourselves on our customer service and quality of work. Yes things sometimes go wrong, but our customers know we will put it right; efficiently and without any fuss.’

Classic tamford won’t fit something that is not fit for purpose, can o er you lots of unbiased advice about di erent frames, doors, roofs and glass. And that new showroom is definitely worth a visit. www.classicstamford.co.uk

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W I L L’ S W A L K

Brooke, Egleton and Gunthorpe The rolling hills between Oakham, Rutland Water and Uppingham make for a superb walk.

By Will Hetherington

Images: Will Hetherington

Open land on the way to Brooke.

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Will’s Walk

Difficulty rating The route

like to start and finish this one in impossibly charming rooke but there is limited parking in the village so please park carefully. Take the road which runs downhill to the left of the idyllic church and follow it round the corner and then north out of the village past ridge arm.

This stretch forms part of the Macmillan Way and the Rutland Round and you will soon be on a steady climb past Hillside Cottage on the left and then through two large pastures. hortly after you pass under the overhead cables you will come to a footpath junction. Turn right here and begin your descent towards Rutland Water, passing rooke Covert East on the left. There are some lovely views of akham and beyond from this path. eep heading gradually downhill until you cross the ACTIVE INFO railway and then cross straight over Gunthorpe’s population grew the 00 and walk down to several hundred before being Hambleton Road into Egleton, devastated by the plague which another jewel in the Rutland ravaged Great Britain and much of crown of glorious villages.

Europe from 1347 to 1351. These days s you arrive in Egleton you the magnificent hall is still there with its south facing aspect and will see a footpath on the right, but there are a number of other for this walk it’s much better to properties on site. carry on here and head down to the car park for the birdwatching centre. rom here you can turn right on to the Rutland Water cycling and walking circuit. ollow the easy trail for approximately a mile until you come to an obvious new steel kissing gate in the woods on the right with a post marker. Go through this gate and keep the hedge on your immediate right until you come back to the 00 . Cross the road and then the railway beyond and take the path gradually uphill to majestic old Gunthorpe.

Go past the colourful blue houses on your right and then pick up the farm track which leads west all the way back to rooke with great views to the south.

June 2022/ the activemag.com 43

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Will’s Walk

START/ FINISH

A colourful surprise on the route.

Essential information ©Crown copyright 2022 Ordnance Survey. Media 023/22

WHERE TO PARK Somewhere responsible in Brooke or the birdwatching centre at Egleton.

DISTANCE AND TIME Five and a half miles/two hours.

HIGHLIGHTS Brooke, Egleton and Gunthorpe are all charming in their own right and there are plenty of panoramic views of Rutland from the high points.

LOWLIGHTS You will have to cross the A6003 twice but that’s no hardship.

REFRESHMENTS The Blue Ball in Braunston is special.

On the way to Gunthorpe.

DIFFICULTY RATING Three paws. A couple of decent climbs.

THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE There are sheep in some fields on the way round and you have to be careful on the Rutland Water path. And apart from the Gwash at Brooke there isn’t much accessible fresh water. So be prepared in high summer.

For your own safety and navigation make sure you have an OS map with you when you go out walking. You won’t regret it.

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W I L L’ S W A L K

Castle Bytham and Clipsham A beautiful walk with quintessential English countryside, quarries, woodland, perfect pubs and a prison.

By Will Hetherington

Images: Will Hetherington

The woodland between Clipsham and Stocken.

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Will’s Walk

Difficulty rating The route

Park in Castle Bytham and take the footpath immediately to the right of the Castle Inn as you look at it from the road. Follow the path around the church and then the graveyard beyond and you will soon come to a field edge with a footpath sign with two options. ollow the left hand branch over the field and cross straight over Clipsham Road within five minutes. eep going south across another two large open fields and you will then come to a narrow path between the uarries, which are so characteristic of this corner of north east Rutland. This path is also the boundary between Lincolnshire and Rutland and it soon starts to head downhill. When you get to the first house on the left look out for the obvious right turn on to the farm track through the small piece of woodland. Once you are on this track follow it west for one mile, passing to the north of ew uarry House, and you will come into beautiful little Clipsham.

Walk straight ahead into the village on Main Road and turn right on to ew Road before you get to the live ranch. Then turn right again on to West treet, which becomes radley Lane after the church entrance. Look out for the footpath sign on the left as you walk north along Bradley Lane and take this route out of Clipsham. From here follow the footpath signs over the peaceful fields for about a kilometre, before entering ddah Wood. ery soon you will see the security fencing around the south side of HM tocken and this is when the woodland path turns right. In some ways it seems incongruous to find a prison in this tran uil place, but it certainly makes one appreciate the freedom to enjoy the great outdoors.

ACTIVE INFO Follow the wonderful woodland path as it meanders from Castle Bytham is loaded with ddah Wood and into Lady Wood, before emerging into the history as you might expect, but open air on the western edge of Little Haw Wood. eep these days there is no castle. There heading north until you clear the wood and then turn right is the evident mound where the castle was built soon after the Norman along the banks of the often dry stream. Here you leave conquest and was given by William Rutland behind for the rest of the walk. the conqueror to his half brother ou will now find yourself in a peaceful shallow valley Odo, the Bishop of Bayeux and with about a mile and a half to go. Just follow the stream Earl of Kent. One can only and the signs for the first three fields and then the path breaks imagine… away from the waterway to head north east diagonally across a field towards the dismantled railway. Go under the railway in the pedestrian tunnel, which feels like the gateway to a di erent land, turn right and you will soon be on the main road into Castle Bytham.

It’s worth a stroll down Water Lane to the duck pond before retreating to the Castle Inn for some refreshments.

The valley to the west of Castle Bytham.

June 2022 / the activemag.com

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Will’s Walk

Essential information Follow the signs and enjoy the walk.

WHERE TO PARK In Castle Bytham.

DISTANCE AND TIME Six and a half miles/two and a quarter hours.

START/ FINISH

HIGHLIGHTS Castle Bytham and Clipsham are two of the prettiest villages in the area and there are some very peaceful stretches of open country between them, along with beautiful woodland and some good pubs.

LOWLIGHTS There is a shortage of streams so be careful if you are going on a hot day with an old dog.

©Crown copyright 2022 Ordnance Survey. Media 023/22

REFRESHMENTS The Castle Inn in Castle Bytham, and the famous Olive Branch in Clipsham.

DIFFICULTY RATING Three paws. There are a few more contours than you may expect, but it’s pretty good underfoot most of the way round and there aren’t many tricky stiles.

THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE You won’t see much livestock because these are mostly arable fields, but even in late spring the streams were dry so if your dog needs water to cool down and drink then it’s best to take some with you.

For your own safety and navigation make sure you have an OS map with you when you go out walking. You won’t regret it.

June 2022 / the activemag.com 49

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Orbea Gain: E.Bike in disguise

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Summer Open Evening

ActiveBody E D I T E D B Y K AT E M A X I M

Train to run, not run to train You’ve started running, now you need to be able to do it without incurring an injury.

Physio Sarah Babbs tells us how

L

AST MONTH I wrote about starting to run. This month, now you’ve started to run, it’s how to run well and keep running injury free. Injury occurs most often when we push our running beyond what our body can manage at the time. Improving our strength and endurance is key to being able to run more.

About 75% of runners will unfortunately have some sort of injury that stops them running for a short while. But the main indicator for injury is actually previous injury. So proper and full rehabilitation from injury is the most valuable thing you can do.

And if we are unlucky enough to trip over a tree root, or down a rabbit hole, having good balance and proprioception, (the body’s ability to sense its movement and position) may help us prevent more serious problems.

Often when injured there doesn’t seem to have been a specific cause. ut on reflection it can be that something seemingly insignificant had been changed, such as the running surface, an upping of speed for a PB when tired or a longer distance covered because it was a beautiful day and another quick turn around the lake seemed too good to miss.

When assessing strength, endurance, balance and proprioception we use a variety of tests. These can include checking: Calf raises how many times you can go onto tiptoes on one leg. ingle leg sit to stand getting up from a chair using one leg only. ingle leg bridge lying on your back, knees bent and feet flat, using one leg to lift the bottom. ingle leg balance with the eyes closed.

Hop test to check how you maintain balance on landing.

ny inefficiencies in these tests can be managed using exercise and training. These type of strength exercises can be done in a gym where heavier weights can be used, at home using body weight or in a class such as boot camps. These exercises may include calf raises, dead lifts and squats, lunges, split squats and step ups.

If running, skiing, riding, or many other sports, how the body creates force and how those forces are carried through the body is key to good practice. Sometimes it can be as simple as imagining we are running with a puppeteer holding us up, picturing ourselves running like a duck with your chest forward.

Or making sure we run quietly so that we can’t hear heavy footsteps. All these simple measures improve force transference.

Making sure we are breathing well, partly so that we are not holding our chest and arms tightly is also important. pecific running training can be done individually or in camp like settings. Using interval training such as repetitive sprint sessions and hill runs, and altering the types of runs undertaken each week will prepare runners for di erent events, lengths of runs

and times taken; everybody likes a PB. When assessing how training and strength work is going, one of the best methods is to use Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE). One counts as minimal e ort, maybe a very light walk five as moderate, able to hold a conversation but noticeably more challenging. Eight is uncomfortable, more short of breath but able to knock out a sentence and 10 is unable to talk as breathless and fatigued.

Working at around three RPE is good for aerobic training, steady walking being a good example. or an R E of five, this would be a good time to assess a long slow trail run done once a week. Hill training would establish an e ort of eight, and nine to ten is useful for improving strength, using heavy weights in short bursts.

Finally the most important factors always in injury prevention are sleep and good nutrition. Managing seven to eight hours sleep a night and a good balanced diet with protein after exercise will keep that body healthy for most things.

To contact Sarah ring 07780 900201.

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Active Kids

SES to be co-ed Stamford Endowed Schools have announced that Stamford will become fully co-educational from September 2023 ORIGINALLY FOUNDED IN 1532, Stamford is currently a ‘diamond model’ school, in which boys and girls are educated separately between the ages of 11 and 16.

Will Phelan, Principal of the Stamford Endowed Schools, said: “The diamond model was a sensible step in our evolution when we merged our two single sex senior schools more than two decades ago, but it is clear that the needs of our students have changed. A co-educational environment will transform the experiences and opportunities that our students benefit from.

‘Stamford will retain all of the features that make it such a happy, welcoming and successful school. Our students leave Stamford as rounded and grounded young people, and that’s exactly as it should be. Our strategy – to focus on academic ambition, pastoral excellence, and delivering world-class preparation for the future – is designed to support that vital purpose, and will continue to do so.

‘We want to forge a new culture, that combines the best of both of our senior schools, and draws not just on our heritage, but on the expertise and the vision of our staff, and the ambitions and passions

of our students, to create a school which is set up for every child’s future. A school which really enables our students to become the best version of themselves. This is a journey, and all of us – staff, parents, students and Old Stamfordians – will travel it together, as our school and our students become even better, stronger, and more agile. We are really excited about what this will mean for our students, and the feedback we have from our parents, staff and students shows us that there is real support for making this change.’

The transition will take place over two years. In September 2023, Years 7-10 will become co-educational, and Year 11 will remain in their single sex classes, on their current sites, for the second year of their GCSEs. From September 2024, Year 11 will also be fully co-educational.

Stamford Junior School and Stamford Sixth Form have been co-educational since the schools came together in 2000.

Further information about the transition can be found at stamfordcoed.org.

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Active Kids

Oundle School welcomes Jordan Jarret-Bryan

20 years of the IB at Oakham Table tennis triumph Congratulations to Leicester Grammar Junior School pupil Catherine who has won the English Schools Nationals in table tennis U11 girls’ age group. he beat o some tough opposition to become champion. Well done!

akham is celebrating 20 years of o ering the International Baccalaureate and is exploring what the IB Diploma means to current and former pupils. It was one of the first schools to o er the Diploma to run alongside A levels.

During Mental Health Awareness Week pupils from Oundle School and Laxton Junior School had an inspiring visit from Jordan Jarrett-Bryan. The Channel 4 News sports reporter, and former wheelchair basketball professional, visited the Northamptonshire schools in his role as an Ambassador for The Mintridge Foundation, a registered charity dedicated to enhancing life skills in young people through sport.

Pupils at LJS started the day with an inspirational assembly, during which Jordan explained his sporting story as well as his experiences of loneliness. Pupils then had a chance to see a few of his wheelchair basketball moves before getting to try them out themselves. Split into year groups from Year 4 to 6, all pupils received a crash course of coaching before match play.

In the afternoon. Jordan moved on to Oundle School where he spent time with a group of the School’s Sport Scholars. These L6 pupils enjoyed both an informative and thought provoking Q&A session with Jordan, before embarking on the challenge of playing wheelchair basketball. It was both hugely enjoyable and competitive in equal measure.

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ActiveSport Fun for all the family Ex-rugby international and Rutland resident Austin Healey has a busy summer ahead

Image: Festival of Sport

A

FTER A STELLAR ten-season career as a professional rugby player with Leicester Tigers, as well as 51 England caps, these days Austin’s focus is less on playing, more on encouraging others, especially youngsters, to find and develop their own passion for sport. He’s co-founder of the UK’s only sports-focused family festival, which takes place in Norfolk on August 12-15.

Austin and co-founder Will Greenwood, also a Tigers alumnus and capped England player set up Festival of Sport which launched last year to great success. Hundreds of families can spend the weekend at Holkham Park, north Norfolk, enjoying a packed two days of sports, sunshine, quality family time and above all, fun.

‘The great thing about Festival of Sport is that it’s genuinely inclusive – everyone gets to do a bit of everything,’ says Austin. ‘There are no VIP areas, it’s not about talent-spotting or competition, it’s purely about proper family fun, trying new things and enjoying time together outdoors.’

In the same way that Austin played various positions including scrum half, fly half and wing during his professional rugby career, his role at Festival of Sport is equally varied. From handing out ice lollies to happy campers on arrival, to sharing top ball-handling tips in the rugby zone and tackling England international Alex Danson on the hockey pitch, there’s always something to get stuck into.

Will Greenwood and Austin, plus a host of international and Team G professionals from di erent disciplines, are there across the weekend to coach, motivate and entertain families. Other stars of the sporting world attending for the first time this year include lympic hockey gold medallists Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh, former England cricket captain Andrew Strauss, rower Alan Campbell and freestyle footballer Charlotte Lade-Rogers. These legends will all actively participate throughout the weekend, coaching and playing alongside youngsters – and even their accompanying adults, with special Grownups vs Legends games.

The festival gives youngsters the chance to hone their skills in their favourite sports and try out completely new disciplines. New sports for this year include lacrosse and Wheels Extreme with skateboarding and inline skating.

‘Despite the focus on sport, it’s not about competition,’ explains Austin. ‘We just want to give families a unique opportunity to try new things and enjoy time together in a relaxed and safe environment in a lovely part of the UK.’ After growing up on Merseyside and spending several years in Stoneygate, Leicester, Austin and his wife decided to move to Rutland with their four girls. The decision was primarily driven by his eldest daughter’s desire to go to Oakham School, but as Austin says, it was a very easy decision to make because, in his words ‘Rutland is a really cool place to live.’

The family live in Langham, near Oakham and frequently head out and about on their bikes. Favourite routes include around Rutland Water, or a quick six-mile round trip to Whissendine Windmill – often incorporating an ice-cream stop at Ferneley’s Dairy Barn Café for added motivation. Even on longer routes, as Austin says ‘the beauty of Rutland is that you can do 0 miles on country lanes and only see five cars. It’s incredibly safe, as well as being beautiful countryside and cycling is a great way to see the changing seasons at close quarters.’

Long walks have also become a Healey family tradition, with a Christmas Eve walk around Rutland Water now a firm annual diary date. All of that activity requires fuelling, and Austin has a couple of go-to eateries. The Olive Branch at Clipsham is a family favourite, especially for their Sunday roasts while Sarpech Indian restaurant in Oakham is ‘the best Indian in the county by far, if not the country,’ according to Austin.

Closer to home, the Wheatsheaf at Langham also rates highly with the Healeys: ‘We count ourselves really lucky to live in a village with such a great pub – although we’re spoilt for choice in terms of similar setups. After a day exploring the countryside on bikes or out walking with the dogs, it’s the best way to recover.’

Tickets for the full weekend, August 12-15, are priced at £370 (1 adult + 1 child aged 5-17 years). Additional adult tickets £160, additional child tickets £210. Under-5s go free.

Accommodation on-site starts at £70 for three nights for a tent or campervan pitch,

ready-erected bell tents from £250 (3 nights, up to 6 sharing).

Day tickets are also now available, priced at £185 for one adult and one child, with additional children £105 each and additional adults £80. www.festivalofsportuk.com

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Jeremy Smithson-Beswick starts as he means to go on with his sporting predictions - badly!

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EGULAR READERS OF this column will already be aware that I pride myself on an almost uncanny ability when it comes to forecasting results, especially of cricket, based on personal, intimate knowledge of the sport and detailed inside information. I can always be relied upon to bring you the most inaccurate assessments of future results and I’m pleased to say that I’ve excelled myself this time as, after heavily tipping Oakham CC’s first eleven for great things this season last month, they have of course duly lost their first six fixtures in a row.

It was an outstanding performance of professional prediction I’m sure you’ll agree.

What a shame the bookies weren’t o ering odds. You could have made a small fortune just by betting on the opposite. OK, so it’s true that two of those defeats were preseason friendlies – and one of those against the might of Leicestershire CCC – but in the league proper they started with losses to Sileby, Newtown Linford, Lutterworth and Kegworth. I’m only somewhat relieved that I didn’t also go big on Uppingham, who’ve also lost their first four in what was, alas, a shocking start for the two leading Rutland sides who now unsurprisingly prop up the other ten teams in the Leicestershire & Rutland Premier Division. Thank heavens that Market verton recently won their first fixture. We do need to give a shout out to Uppingham’s Rutland League side however who, newly promoted to their own top division, won their first two.

Better news also from Ketton who salvaged some local pride by winning their first three games before a one wicket loss to Bittleswell, and in Lincolnshire where Bourne continue to sweep all before them. ur congratulations to ffington too who, in what the club called an historic moment in promoting women’s cricket, have just inaugurated their new female dressing room with the help of England legends Katherine Brunt and Nat Sciver. It’s not so shabby in the local bits of Northants either where Oundle have also had a good start.

further angst and personal embarrassment, things are generally much brighter in the football world, particularly in Market Harborough. Some readers will remember Manchester United’s treble in 1999 (Premier league, FA Cup and European Cup) and, at time of writing, Liverpool’s still dogged pursuit of a similar coup this year, yet Harborough’s season has been just as unprecedented with a threesome of their own – winning the league and the two cups.

It has been a truly remarkable campaign in which they won a full 33 of their 38 matches in the league and manager Mitch Austin says it hasn’t quite sunk in yet. ‘It’s been an unbelievable season, we have worked really, really hard. Did we think we would be sitting at the end of it as league champions, Cup winners and champions of champions? You couldn’t have asked for a better season and I doubt it will ever be repeated again.’

If Jurgen Klopp or Erik ten Hag fall under the proverbial bus tomorrow then Liverpool and United fans can at least be assured that the ideal replacement is to be found in Leicestershire.

Stamford Daniels will look back on their own season with some pride, but it did finally end in disappointment with elimination in the promotion play o s by Belper, a side they’d already beaten twice this

year. They fell behind just before half time and then went down to ten men shortly thereafter as defender Marshall Willock saw a somewhat controversial second yellow.

Nevertheless they should have equalised early in the second period with Harry Vince’s spot kick but were denied by a double save from the Belper keeper. Some good chances came and went for the Daniels in the next twenty minutes but, having missed them, they perhaps committed too much to attack and accordingly paid the price in stoppage time as they went two down before a late consolation from Cosmos Matwasa.

Given the great form Stamford had shown up to that point, it was good to see sober heads prevail as almost immediately afterwards manager Graham Drury signed a two-year extension to his contract.

Chairman David Whitby said ‘the Club is more determined than ever to be playing at a higher level in the Football Pyramid and with Graham at the helm, sharing our vision on and o the pitch, we are certain that we will see the continued growth and development of Stamford AFC. Graham’s energy and passion has a massive impact throughout the Club and I know all involved will be pleased with his further commitment and the exciting goals ahead of us. The hard work begins today.’

Moving on quickly from cricket to prevent

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ActiveSport

‘Our congratulations to Uffington too who, have just inaugurated their new female dressing room with the help of England legends Katherine Brunt and Nat Sciver.’

Show your support for local sport Email mary@theactivemag.com

Rugby now and Stamford RFC reached the final of the Lincs Cup after what was in their own estimation a huge win’ against ourne in the semis but were then unable to overcome a strong cunthorpe side in the final. Their younger club mates went one better though with the under 1 s winning the otts, Lincs and Derbyshire ( LD) cup final against ewark and the under 1 s landing the plate competition. t does appear that a bright future awaits at Hambleton Road.

They also had three players selected to represent them by playing for LD sides, Michael Cade for the men in the County Championship and Hannah Dennis and ess earce for the enior Women’s side in the County Cup.

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s the summer approaches that tamford Women’s s uad are entering their summer programme which consists of multi sports and fitness sessions and a possible trip to the bar afterwards.’ They also say we would love to have you come along. bsolutely no experience of rugby is re uired!’ f you’re tempted, social media will reveal their contact details. There’s something uite special going on down there think.

Much else has been going on this month, from polo in Langham, the swimming superstars in Deeping and charity runs all over the area. Hopefully we’ll have space to do them justice next month.

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June 2022/ theactivemag.com

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ActiveSport

STOCKERSTON

HORNINGHOLD HALLATON

LYDDINGTON

STOKE DRY TUR LANGTON START / FINISH

Distance: 47.3km Elevation: 534m Moving time: 1:57

CHURCH LANGTON

GRETTON

WELHAM THORPE LANGTON

ROCKINGHAM

WESTON BY WELLAND ASHLEY

On your bike!

This month Gary Waterfall tackles a challenging 30 mile route starting from Mint and Ginger café at Tur Langton.

The climb is 1,700 feet and enjoy and some beautiful views.

S

TARTING AT TUR Langton head east on undulating roads for the first seven miles before tackling the sharp climb out of Horninghold. Then enjoy a great downhill stretch leading alongside Eyebroook Reservoir (one of the rehearsal landmarks for the famous Dambusters Raid).

Then there’s another sharp uphill (be careful of oncoming traffic and loose gravel) before taking care crossing the road and the downhill into Lyddington. Here turn right and keep on the road crossing the river valley before turning right at Gretton. Then follow the mostly flat road until the hill into Cottingham.

Then it’s downhill again before a right turn at Middleton at the 20

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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Will walks in South Africa

Local walks with Will ISSUE 93 | MARCH 2020

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mile mark. The last 10 miles is uphill most of the way, but not too steep, until you cross the river valley again at Welham and then it’s a climb all the way back through The Langtons until you get back to the excellent café where there is really good cake!

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