6th Northwood Scouts go Hostelling

I remember staying at the youth hostel in Greens Norton with the patrol leaders of the 6th Northwood Scout Group. I was an ASL (Assistant Scout Leader) with the troop for several years and as I had always loved going to the YHA hostels I suggested a couple of days' cycling for the older boys. Maybe the other leaders knew more than me as none of them volunteered to come with me! So I finished up leading a party of half a dozen 15-year olds with their bikes. Money was tight - I think there was an economic recession at the time - so we availed ourselves of Kellogg's cornflake packet coupons which could be redeemed for free railway tickets. And so we obtained a handful of train tickets for the boys and their bikes for the 30th and 31st March. We took a train northwards, I can't remember just where now, and then practised our navigation with the local Ordnance Survey maps to get ourselves to the little YHA hostel at Greens Norton where we rested our weary legs. The boys were quite fit and used to cycling but for this ASL it was tough as the only time I got in the saddle was a one mile commute from my Northwood home to the local tube station. Oh I was tired and stiff when I woke in my bunk the next morning! The patrol leaders took turns to navigate and lead our party around the Northamptonshire countryside on the second day including exploring Greens Norton. On the final day I took charge again and navigated us for a 20 mile ride towards Kings Sutton where I planned to board one of the Banbury to Marylebone trains for the homeward journey. Big mistake! I took a shortcut where I saw an opportunity to cut off a mile or so by following a signpost labelled 'Green Lane'. It wasn't green and in fact it was decidedly brown. In next to no time we were trying unsuccessfully to pedal through six inch deep mud and cow manure. It slowed us up so much that we were late for the planned train at Kings Sutton. This was one of those unstaffed country halts so we just waited and waited for another. Unfortunately the next train an hour or so later was going on the Paddington line. However we were so very tired, hungry and cold that we boarded anyway. The guard helped us load our half dozen bikes into his van and we sank onto our seats in the warm carriage at last. The next problem was that the travelling inspector came along to examine our tickets. These were valid for the Marylebone line and not Paddington. Also it was a group saver ticket. And just to confuse things even more it was a Kellogg's cornflake promotion ticket. The inspector sat down beside us and tried to work out an excess fare for us all. But finally he gave up and just told us to enjoy our trip! We got back to Northwood that evening having had a fantastic few days in Greens Norton and adventures on our bikes and trains as well. It was tough for me as a 35 year old office worker not used to cycling but I did enjoy it very much and still recall the humour of our situation in the mud and on the train. I wonder if any of the scout leaders or patrol leaders from the 6th Northwood will read these words and remember the trip as fondly as I do?