A Saturday Ramble at Fingle Bridge For The Morris Dancers

Fingle Bridge c1960
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The Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers organised a ramble to celebrate the New Year and so we met on a beautiful sunny January Saturday at the Fingle Bridge Inn.

My wife Elizabeth and I joined our group of friends some of whom took their walking very seriously judging by the Nordic walking poles and huge woolly caps!  Others were more informal with soft fell boots and dogs chasing sticks!  

We climbed the "blue" route starting a couple of hundred metres before the bridge and walked along the ridge admiring spectacular views. I guess we walked for two hours on a circular tour returning to the Fingle Bridge Inn.

We booked lunch in the carvery and we had an excellent meal. I had a giant plate of succulent roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, stuffing, roast potatoes in goose fat and half a dozen different veggies. The horseradish sauce was hot (not sure if it was home-made but it was good). There was also turkey available and a vegetarian option. I chose a lemon meringue to follow which was a disappointment but others in our party were delighted with their chocolate torte or raspberry roulade. Coffee and mints followed and the entire meal was attended by pleasant waiting staff. A good choice of real ales in the bar which is important for morris dancers of course!   If only I had opted for the raspberry roulade instead of the lemon meringue!  

Ideally we would have had enough energy to round off a lovely outing with a display of morris dancing with music on my piano accordian but the meal was just too filling and everyone wanted to relax and talk!