For the latest of our weekends away, Classical Partners were once again blessed with excellent weather. Arriving on Friday afternoon after an horrendous journey on the M25 we collected some members from Moreton in the Marsh train station on route to Harrington House which was to be our base for the weekend.
After settling in it was time for a stroll around Bourton on the Water and of course tea and cakes at one of the waterside cafes. These things just have to be done.
Members continued to arrive throughout the afternoon and we all met up in the bar before an exceptionally good dinner.
After dinner I arranged a name that tune game that kept us all entertained. It is amazing how recognisable most pieces of music are. You only need a couple of seconds, naming it can take a little longer, especially if it is one of Barry’s!
Saturday morning started with a real downpour and things were not looking good for our walk. However, after a hearty breakfast, it brightened up and Sue from the North Cotswolds Ramblers Group arrived to lead us on our walk. Sue was an excellent guide and I can recommend her group to anyone wanting to walk in this beautiful part of the country. We ambled along with everyone chatting away and marvelling at the countryside in the spring sunshine. Along riverbanks, through woodland and over little hills, just fabulous.
A picnic lunch on a sunny hillside was followed by a well timed stop in the Black Horse at Naunton, which was difficult to leave, it was back to Harrington House by 4pm, in all 9.75 miles according to someone’s GPS, in time for tea and cakes on the lawn. There was even time for a game of croquet which I won entirely due to my team mates efforts.
After a suitable break to freshen up, we met up for a glass of bubbly before dinner. Well fed and watered we retired to the lounge to be entertained by Oxus, a quartet from Oxford who had set themselves up in the middle of the room with seating all around. You don’t get music any more intimate than that! They performed beautifully. Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in E flat, op.44 no.3 was a highlight.
On Sunday we went our separate ways. I had a boat to catch, but that’s another story….
In all a great weekend. There is no better way to meet new friends whilst relaxing and sharing the enjoyment of music and the countryside. Next month a couple who met at our last weekend are getting married. Who knows what the outcome of this one will be, but I have heard some whispers…. I had better get on with planning the next one.