New Year’s Day Walk – A personal note from Hugh B
“If anyone knows the skinflint who gave me an Air Guitar for Christmas, let me know. On an altogether more jolly note, the New Year was ushered in with an eclectic mix of tennis players, bridge players, and golfers with ages ranging from 11 to 83 assembling at the club for the annual RPLTC Festive walk. The first surprise was a shortcut from the cricket field onto the high street via someone’s back garden. This was followed by a brief interruption while Ann Dale nipped home to get a large spoon. Presumably to start stirring things later in the walk. Finally a crocodile of some 26 hardly souls was able to progress across the heath, round behind Shagbrook and emerge by the Pheasant Pub.
Resisting the temptation to stop we continued over the A25 towards Buckland Green before doubling back to Buckland Pond then down towards the Red Lion, at Betchworth, where disaster struck. The pub was closed for New Years Day. Note to organiser do your research. There was nothing for it but push on to the Dolphin. Having got a sniff of the barmaids apron, Marcus Dale surged to the front determined to get to the pub before the rest of the party. Thankfully the Dolphin was open, otherwise it could all have turned nasty.
As you may know Betchworth is where Princess Margaret’s son David Armstrong Jones had his first furniture workshop and the Church was the first church in the film Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Suitably refreshed the party set off back to the club is a somewhat more straggly fashion than the close formation of the outward leg. Ann and Clive raced ahead to prepare a superb supper of meat pasta, macaroni cheese followed by mince pies, panatone and custard with two glasses of wine included in the price. Everyone agreed the day epitomised the great strength of the club which is the friendship and camaraderie that stretches well beyond simply playing tennis together.
The wide variety of social events that used to take place were a casualty of lockdown so it would be great to see an eclectic mix of activities arranged for 2024. As most of the people on the walk would be eligible to play in the Vets Tournament it would be marvellous to see some of the younger members of the club supporting the social calendar.
The afternoon finally drew to a close with a huge vote of appreciation for Ann and Clive who: initiated the walk, cooked all the food, set up the clubhouse and supervised the clearing up. I had the easy bit arranging the walk and leading from behind. A though for the new year.
“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear, for newer and richer experiences.”
Hugh
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