Calendar

Sep
3
Sat
Revisiting the original Picts – at Pictish settlements in Easter Ross @ Edinburgh STATION
Sep 3 – Sep 4 all-day

A trail over Pictish Scotland.  Bring your car or get to Inverness area by train

Itinery Sat 3rd September

06.35 depart Edinburgh Waverley

10.28 arrive Inverness or Tain

(then car to Inver, near Portmahomack)

12.00 lunch at Inver Restaurant

(then car to Tarbat Discovery Centre)

13.30 Tarbat Discovery Centre

16.15 leave by car for Nigg – Cromarty ferry

17.00 (or thereabouts!) ferry to Cromarty

19.30 dinner at Royal Hotel Cromarty

(then stay overnight in various B&Bs in Cromarty area; (the Royal Hotel is fully booked!)

Sun 4th September

09.00 Groam House Museum, Rosemarkie

12.00 lunch at restaurant to be determined

14.30 depart on Jacobite Rebel for 2 hour Loch Ness cruise

16.30 return to Inverness centre, maybe for a snack

18.57 depart Inverness

22.41 arrive Edinburgh

Chris says:

I have not indicated trains, as these seem to have been so erratic in recent times that I thought it best that folk should plan their own travel arrangements.  However, most rail travellers will I think come from Edinburgh to Inverness.   The ferry from Nigg to Cromarty goes half hourly until 18.15, so there should be no problem with this.  I am making the assumption that we shall have enough cars to transport everyone during the two days; we shall have my car and presumably that of Sandy and Anne Allan , which should suffice.
People interested in joining the party should contact me by email, indicating if they will come by car (offering how many seats to other members), or if they are hoping to be picked up at a railway station, or wherever.  Most train travellers will come to Inverness, but the nearest relevant station is in fact Tain.
Oct
15
Sat
Scottish Literary Day at Moat Brae @ Moat Brae
Oct 15 @ 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Our Literary Day this year will take place on Saturday 15 October, at Moat Brae, 101 George Street, Dumfries DG1 1EA, a return to the home of TARS Library, as well as being the National Centre for Children’s Literature and Storytelling.
The day will start at 11.00 and finish at 15.00, and there will be another chance to look round the house, with a new exhibition, the garden (look out for Swallows and Amazons!) and of course the Library – bring a big bag and borrow lots of books!
A buffet lunch will be served in the Garden Room, followed by a talk – In the footsteps of literary genius: recap and what next? given by long-time member and author Kirsty Nichol Findlay. As the title may imply, Kirsty will be telling us about her lifelong encounter with the life and works of Arthur Ransome, her struggles to edit his unpublished writing, meet his mind and de-code his brilliance.
The cost will be £15 per person, payable on the day.
Please reply to this email by Saturday 1 October at the latest if you wish to book a place, so that we can confirm our booking of the room and food. Please note that my email address as given on page 23 of Signals is incorrect. It should be 15
May
20
Sat
SW fossil hunting @ Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre
May 20 all-day

Enjoy a day by the sea at the Jurassic coast looking for fossils. Meet by the Heritage Coast Centre at 11.00 am. We are hoping to have a guide to tell/show us what to look for.

The beach is pretty rocky so wear stout footwear.

Jun
23
Fri
Boat trip and visit to Kelmscott Manor @ The Trout Inn
Jun 23 all-day

Join us for a lovely day out floating along the Thames for an hour. We will meet at 10.30 am at the Trout Inn, where cars may be left while we go on the 11 am sailing.  (NB there are 2 other Trout Inns nearby so make sure you go to the right one).   We will return to the Trout Inn for lunch and then go and have a look round Kelmscott Manor, an Arts & Crafts gem, and maybe finish off with a cream tea.

Jul
15
Sat
SW Zoom reading of the Sparkinson Interviews
Jul 15 @ 4:00 pm – 5:15 pm

Brian Hopton has kindly given us permission to read some of the Sparkinson interviews, written by him, Jill Goulder and Paul Crisp, from “Ransome Centre Stage”. We are going to have three different ‘Sparkinsons’ and three interviewees this time.

If you would like to join us and have not already received the Zoom link here it is –

http://SW TARS are inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Ransome Centre Stage Time: Jul 15, 2023 03:45 PM London Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82456377421?pwd=Zjc0Q0NMZUwrNzZ6ejNhZmhieUliQT09 Meeting ID: 824 5637 7421 Passcode: 314989

Sep
30
Sat
SW Bring & Scoff @ Creech St Michael Village Hall
Sep 30 all-day

We will meet up at 10.45 am at the hall, which is a mile or two off the M5, the opposite side to Taunton.

Bring food to share – it always turns out to be a feast.

Remember in Peter Duck where he comes aboard with his kitbag with a coat of arms on it? We thought it would be fun to have a go at making our own. Have a look in the book and think about what you would put on yours.

The cost of £6= per adult will be to cover hire of the hall and paper, card , felt tips etc., which will be provided, as will some examples of heraldic designs.

Also bring a favourite passage from one of AR’s books or books about him and read it out to everyone if we have time.

 

Oct
22
Sun
SW Zoom talk on the Tavistock Canal
Oct 22 @ 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Nov
25
Sat
SW Zoom quiz
Nov 25 @ 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm

Diana is busy compiling a quiz based on ‘Picts & Martyrs’, which we hope will give those of us without elephant-like memories more of a chance of getting some questions right, by reading the book again first.

Here is the link if you like to join in, all welcome, but please let me know if you are going to join so that the host has an idea of numbers – thanks.

SW TARS are inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Diana’s Quiz Zoom Meeting
Time: Nov 25, 2023 03:45 PM London
Meeting ID: 826 6640 5830
Passcode: 297872
Jan
20
Sat
SW Zoom AGM
Jan 20 @ 4:00 pm – 5:15 pm

Calling all SW TARS, come and join us for the AGM and chat. If you have any ideas for events – meeting up or via Zoom, please tell us about them. It could be a good place for a walk or somewhere to visit with an AR slant.

 

Jan
28
Sun
SW AR birthday lunch @ Nr Okehampton, Devon
Jan 28 all-day

Liz and Paul Crisp have kindly invited a limited number of SW members to join them for lunch at their home near Okehampton to celebrate AR’s birthday, from noon. Liz will provide a main course of Cottage Pie or Vegetable Pasta Bake and drinks and attendees are invited to bring starters or puddings. There are only 2 places left so please contact Barbara if you would like to come. Directions will be sent nearer the time.

The weather can be iffy in January so this event may be subject to cancellation at short notice!