Halifax Meeting:Sep 06, 2008

Welcome t' us up North.

In the hills and valleys around Calderdale there is a stirring.
Children cry, mothers lock their doors and the dogs walk round in pairs.
Hoards are set to descend on this small sleepy town of Halifax.
Is this a curse? Are there monsters abound? Are our trees safe?
What could be lurking, so menacing or just plain frightening.

Yes, you have guessed right!!!

It is a VT meeting.

Norland Scarecrow Festival.
This weekend will include a visit to the unusual Norland Village Scarecrow Festival.
Here the entire Village produces Scarecrows, which are displayed throughout the Village.
This years theme is: - Books and Authors.

The Rushbearing.
In the good old days, churches did not have any form of floor covering.
What they used were rushes, these however had to be replaced and was done by local volunteers which then became a festival.
The Rushbearing is a simile of this event.
A cart is covered with rushes, a poor young lass has then to sit on the top of this (aprrox 15 feet in the air) and then the entire cart is hand pulled round the local villages by big strapping lads.

Clay Pigeon Shooting.
You will be taken to my local gun club where you will have the opportunity to fire a shotgun.
You will be given tuition on how to safely use the gun and shoot the clays.
PLEASE NOTE, at no time is there EVER live animals shot at our shoots.

Rough plans to date:-
We are work during the week days so we will be unable to spend anytime with our visitors.

Thursday night 4th September, we go to a local Cricket Club for "Quiz Night" You are of course welcome to come and join us, a light supper is usually supplied.

Friday night: - We have arranged for those of you who wish to dine out at our favourite Halifax restaurant, Café Passion. The food is Mediterranean in style and will be a buffet style meal.

Saturday: -
08.45 Leave hotel and visit "The Scarecrows" in Norland.
10.00 Depart for "Mystery Trip" (£6)
12.30 Lunch, "Fish, Chips and Mushy Peas".
14.00 Arrive in Sowerby Bridge for the "Rushbearing Festival"
17.00 Go and see the "Gibbet"
20.00 Evening meal at The Wool Merchants Hotel. (Italian)

Sunday: -
08.45 Clay Pigeon Shooting.
13.00 Traditional Sunday Lunch
15.00 Triangle Inn to see the descent of the Rushbearing Cart down Millbank.
When this has finished, we will go down to our local village cricket club and have a drink or two and watch a little cricket.
Evening meal: - TBA


Now for the bad news.
I am having to limit the amount of people attending this meeting to 49.
Haydock races are on this weekend and all the smaller coaches have been taken.
I can get a 49 seater, which I will have to book now. Anything bigger than this will be very restricted in the narrow lanes around Norland and seeing the Scarecrows would be near impossible.
I have my car which will take another 3 if I have to.


For your information, this meeting is a VT member, see:-

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/f75f5/

Here will be posted as much information as I can give, including hotels, transport and a rough guide to what is going to happen and where.

If you wish to become a Virtual Attendee for this meeting, please Email me.