HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL FOR 2023

 

THE 2023 JANUARY RAMBLE ARRANGEMENTS

                                                                     

                                                                  

Dear NERDS. the next ramble will be on Wednesday 11th January - in an attempt to avoid train strike days.

I am hoping to get the Gatwick lot to come with us so please let me know if you are coming so that I can book lunch.

This will be the usual short Lafayette route from Newhaven station to The Hope

with a pitstop at The Ark.

It's not really too far.

Let me know if you're coming.

Lurv.

lafayette.

The 2022 Christmas Ramble (Lunch!)

 

          

It was the day after a rail strike and we weren't sure that the trains would run. Paco was prepared to take us all to Ringmer in his (now only newish) car,

but fortunately there was a train so we were fine.

We were: Paco, The Captain - all done up with NERDS' badges 

                                                                             

of yore and a christmas jumper, Lafayette, Froggy. and Sandyballs who we met in Lewes just as he was sliding into the off licence opposite the station to boost his liquor supply.

We "rambled" all of a hundred yards to The Depot, Lewes's posh caff to sit down out of exhaustion and drink expensive coffees. At least it's warm and comfortable here among all the Lewes women working with their laptops.We took the opportunity to add some of S,B's brandy to our coffee

to get us in the mood for rambling to the bus stop outside Waitrose.

So we got on the bus to Ringmer. Laf insisted on going upstairs - he always travels this way and you see more. and we got to Ringmer where everything was slushy snow. We carefully skated our way to The Anchor

but there was no Bronco there, sadly, as he had had a recent fall and did not want to go out in the snow.
                                                                                   

The Christmas meal was very good. Sandyballs had been there the week before to try it out and was now on his second lot of scallops (as was Laf and The Cap.)

Lots of wine was drunk and the photos this month

are good because they were taken by some old git in the pub who pitied Froggy's feeble attempts to get everyone in the pictures.

                                                                                     

We missed one bus back to Lewes so went back in the pub to drink whisky and console ourselves, We finally managed to get a bus and Laf and S.B. ended up in The Landsdown and got very, very drunk before wandering off into the night.

It was a good ramble and thanks to Sandyballs for organising it all.

Happy Christmas to All.

Lafayette.

Final arrangements for December's 2022 Christmas Ramble

                                                                           

Hi all,

Just a gentle reminder that we eat our Xmas dins on Monday the 12th at The Anchor in Ringmer at 1PM. I have been to the pub to pay the deposits. We will be 5 having the full monty 3 courses and Tony should be joining us later to help finish our unwanted sprouts.

I think in view of the inclement weather about to arrive, it is probably best not to actually do any rambling between Lewes and Ringmer. Probably wandering about a winter landscape lost and covered in mud may well detract from seasonal cheer!

So I suggest the usual 10.25 train from Seaford to Lewes where I will meet you at the station. As usual. Then a coffee ( and possibly clandestine hipflasks) at The Depot.

Followed by the 28 bus to Ringmer for foaming pints and yummy victuals.

I trust all NERDS will join me in a New Year’s resolution to return to gruelling 12 mile Rambles in2023!!

Harry

More Christmas Ramble 2022 arrangements

We live in trying times, don’t we? It seems we will be 5 or possibly 6 at table for the Xmas meal on MONDAY 12th. Malcolm I’m afraid will not be with us. He sustained an ankle injury alighting from the 28 bus at Ringmer. He has chipped a bone in his foot and has to wear a surgical boot! He is also unable to have his eye cataracts operation on 1/12. Sad for him and a loss for us. Tant pis.

Tony originally thought he could not make the Monday but now thinks he may be able to attend for a period but not have the full Xmas meal.

Tony that is fine. Attend whenever you can and we will keep a chair for you. I still have your £10 deposit so just order whatever you want on arrival.

Paco, don’t worry about sending me the 10 quid. Bung me on the day.

Well, hopefully we will make it to the table on the day - unless any more traumatic events occur. Tsunami? End of the World? Plague? another RMT strike?

Christmas Ramble Train problems

I have just heard that the RMT union has announced 4 days of strikes in December including the 13th which is of course our Xmas meal at The Anchor. Bastards! Obviously this means that those living in Seaford and Newhaven will be unable to get to Lewes easily. Off the top of my head we could consider perhaps a 6-seater taxi or the 123 bus from Newhaven but that doesn’t run too frequently.

Alternatively, we could think about trying to switch the date, perhaps to Monday the 12th. If this is OK with individuals it will of course depend upon the pub having a vacancy on that date.
Another option is to cancel the whole thing and try for a date in January?

Please let me know your thoughts. Luckily I have not yet paid the deposit at the pub.

Harry

November's Bus stop Ramble

The other day we did another "bus ramble"

which took us to The Laughing Fish at Isfield.

We were six - Sandyballs, Froggy, The Bish, Lafayette, Paco and Matt.

The weather had been very rainy

and the original idea had been to walk back from the Laf. Fish across the fields to The Halfway House, have a pint there and then get the bus back. However in view of probable saturation of the fields we just got the bus back to Lewes.

First of all, to waste time we went to The Depot

and lounged around on sofas while young virgins

cocked up our orders and brought us drinks. Paco seemed to get a free brandy and get paid for drinking it - Don't ask.

So then we got on the bus - upstairs ,

of course, and went to Isfield. It was a nice ride in the upstairs sun. The landlady was very friendly and gave us separate tabs

each with our own (real) name. 

The beer was Long Man

which we quickly got used to, and the food was huge and of a very high standard. 

Towards the end

we got talking with some even Older Gits

than we were and the mystery of why they had been passing a saw back and forth between themselves was solved. They were a group called The Old Tool Pushers who did even less rambling than the NERDS but who had all been wood turners

and lurved old tools. And why not?

After settling up we once again boarded the bus and some of us ended up in The Lansdown

where we had a quick pint then headed home.

Next ramble is the Christmas one where we go to The anchor again hoping to

see Bronco.

December's Christmas Ramble 2022

Having received positive confirmation from Bronco, I have finalised our lunch date for Wednesday December 14th. 1PM at The Anchor in Ringmer. When I phoned the pub to make the booking, unaccountably they seem to know about Malcolm. “ Oh, Mr Senior, yes…” It is almost as if he was a regular there or something!

I have not paid the deposit yet but I will pop in the next couple of days and do that. Apparently the Xmas menu is on line so you can take a look at your leisure.

Malcolm tells me that he is due to have his eye cataract on December 1st. After that he cannot wait to get behind the wheel of his shiny new BMW and race around the lanes of Ringmer making Parp! Parp! noises a la Toad of Toad Hall!

Harry

November's Ramble Final Arrangements

Sorry this is a bit late. We ‘walk’ on Thursday 17th.By popular demand we will lunch at The Laughing Fish at Isfield.

Previously we had taken the 29 bus to The Halfway House for a pit stop and then taken the short stroll across the fields to the Laughing Fish .Unfortunately the bus schedules now make this difficult so we will have to take the bus straight to Isfield. There is a possibility that we could visit the Halfway House on the way back and take the return bus from there.

So, the usual 10.25 train from Seaford to Lewes. Probably then a coffee at The Depot Cinema prior to taking the bus.

I will book a table at the pub for 12 noon. Hope that as many of you as possible can make it.

Harry

Another Christmas Ramble 2022 date change

Very sorry but I screwed up

a little date on the date for The Christmas Ramble. Blame the bloody Dark Side! Instead of Wednesday 14th we will now meet on TUESDAY 13th. I have changed the date with The Anchor and they are OK with that. Apparently they have managed to change Malcolm’s usual Strippergrams

to the new date!

Many thanks by the way to El Almirante for spotting the error in my arrangements!

This new date WILL NOT CHANGE

Harry

November's Ramble date (Revised)

Hi,

During our recent Jamaican inspired lunch we sorted out dates for the next 2 Rambles. The November date was agreed on for Thursday 17th. For the Xmas date we settled on Monday 12th. Would it inconvenience anyone to switch this to Wednesday 14th?

Please let me know asap so I can make the booking with the pub.

Thanks

Harry

Christmas Ramble Advance Arrangements

Having received positive confirmation from Bronco, I have finalised our lunch date for Wednesday December 14th. 1PM at The Anchor in Ringmer. When I phoned the pub to make the booking, unaccountably they seem to know about Malcolm. “ Oh, Mr Senior, yes…” It is almost as if he was a regular there or something!

I have not paid the deposit yet but I will pop in the next couple of days and do that. Apparently the Xmas menu is on line so you can take a look at your leisure.

Malcolm tells me that he is due to have his eye cataract on December 1st. After that he cannot wait to get behind the wheel of his shiny new BMW and race around the lanes of Ringmer making Parp! Parp! noises a la Toad of Toad Hall!

Harry

October's Ramble 2022

This is what we did on the ramble.




A stellar collection this month of Froggy, The Bish, Matt, Sandyballs et moi

met up in Lewes where the weather was dull and grey. Paco was off having some medical appointment.


First of all we wasted time by going to The Trading Post in Lewes for a posh coffee. This place was so popular with yummy mummies, and it being half term as well. that we were relegated to sitting in the back garden with all everybody's kids.


Next we hiked up the Ouse and around Pell's pool

and pond until we came to your beloved Landport estate.

It's still the same as when you left it - full of working class clods

who voted for Brexit, Good job you're not working class.



Eventually we ended up at The Blacksmiths Arms at Ofham

which is a little oasis of the West Indies in darkest Sussex. When we got there the Jamaican chappy was polishing his beer taps (as you do) but found time to give us a good lunch.

(Lafayette had goat curry

with rice and peas - very nice). The food was fine although S.B. said his steak was stringy, but there was very little electric light in the place and it was quite cold. Cuts, I suppose.


Since no bus back seemed forthcoming we walked back into Lewes which was a lot further than anyone remembered.and found solace in The Elephant and Castle

where Sandyballs had a mega dump

and the rest of us drank beer.

Then we all went home. Or tried too since the trains to Seaford were all late "due to a signalling incident" but we were only actually delayed about ten minutes.

So, a ramble where we actually rambled for a change. Lafayette hopes this new departure will not become a habit.

November Ramble is the 17th and we see that Sandyballs is already trying to alter the date of the Christmas ramble. Plus ca change....

Lafayette.

Final Arrangements for October's Ramble

Hi all

Just a gentle reminder that we walk tomorrow, Friday. The good old 10.25 from Seaford and I meet you at Lewes station. We will lunch at The Blacksmiths Arms in Offham. Jamaican grub. I have booked a table for 12.30 hrs. As the pub doesn’t open until 12 noon we will probably have coffee in Lewes first.

Please bring your diaries so we can book dates for November and the all important Christmas Ramble. Lafayette and I are thinking about going to The Anchor in Ringmer for the Christmas bash and linking up with Bronco.

Malcolm - any dates we should avoid in December?

Cheers

Harry

Another New Date for October's Ramble 2022

Sorry about this but I am going to have to change the date of the October Ramble. Domestic confusion over appointments!

Instead of the Thursday, let us meet on FRIDAY 21st. This is OK for Lafayette. I thought that we would revisit the Blacksmiths Arms in Offham for some Jamaican cuisine. This entails a pleasant Autumnal stroll through the leafy Lewes suburb of the Landport Estate (BT’s old stamping ground).

So the usual 10.25 from Seaford and I will meet you outside Lewes station. This new date will not change!

Harry

October's New Date for the Ramble

Hi all,


It has been decided by the NERDS Executive Ad Hoc Steering Committee

(me and Charlie)

that this month’s Ramble will take place on THURSDAY 20TH. (The day before Trafalgar Day).  Details to follow!

Hope some if not all can attend.

Harry