April Ramble 2021
The day broke fair and cloudless. Lafayette amble down to the station at Newhaven and waited patiently for the train to arrive. He had purchased his “old age pensioner” specially reduced fare from the booking clerk who knew him so well she had no need to seek proof of his antiquity! The train from Seaford subsequently arrived and Lafayette clambered aboard to meet Paco, Matt and Froggy who we’re saving him a seat. The train ambled on to Lewes where where everyone disembarked and they all met up with Sandyballs.
The trouble began when Paco decided he perhaps ought ton buy a ticket (like you usually do on a train journey) and went to the office instead of down to platform 3. Of course he missed the train to Berwick and was left to kick his heels in the waiting room while Laf’ phoned him to give him new instructions and to tell him how everyone was basking in the sun in the Berwick Inn garden and drinking Harveys’.
The NERDS had met Ed Coombe on the train to Berwick and he was going on to meet Wayne Wrath and a couple of other IOs for a drink somewhere near Polgate.
The NERDS continued to bask in the sunshine garden of the Berwick Inn and one pint morphed into two. Soon it was realised that the following train from Lewes had stopped and no Taco had appeared so it was surmised that he had bypassed the Berwick Inn, foregoing the pints of Harveys’ and gone straight on to The Cricketers.
So began the actual ramble. The road between the two pubs was largely devoid of traffic due to inevitable roadworks. The party even got to the A27 and were able to stroll across. On arrival at The Cricketers ,Pace had thoughtfully got a round in (as per Lafayette’s telephone instructions) and everyone was assigned a table outside in the garden as per National Instructions.
Just then the weather decided to turn cloudy.
The food was good - everyone had chicken pies. Then the company had disgustingly yummy puddings and coffees augmented by Lafayette’s hip flask, contains some exotic
spirit. The weather turned cold, everyone sat around freezing and rubbing their hands for warmth. The sun was a distant memory and the clouds above looked threatening. Laf’ sat shivering and wearing his gloves.
When all could stand it no longer everyone hiked back to The Berwick Arms, drank some more beer and saw how many trains could be missed before returning to Lewes.
Apart from the later cold weather all had a good time, even Paco. What was more amazing was that we had actually walked about at least a mile. Froggy also took some pictures.
