ON Monday, September 4, a group of 19 bell ringers and friends set off from Crediton on the 25th annual autumn tour of the Devon Call Change ringers. This year’s destination was North Wales.

The first stop was at Newport, Shropshire, time for lunch and a ring at St Nicholas Church, our next ring being at St Oswald, Melpas, Cheshire, an area well-known for its dairy farming.

We reached the St Kilda Hotel, Llandudno at 5.30pm, time for a brush-up before dinner.

On a rather damp Tuesday morning, we set off for Bodelwyddan. The magnificent marble church with a fine ring of eight bells.

On to Rhuddlan for a difficult ring of six.

The views from the church, the castle, and river compensated for the disappointing bells. We returned to Llandudno and travelled to the Great Orme summit by tram for lunch.

The weather improved to let all enjoy the wonderful views of the sea front and bay. Holy Trinity, Llandudno was the final ring, a very nice eight bell peal.

After the evening meal, several of our party walked a short distance to St John’s Methodist church for a concert by the Denbigh Male Voice Choir and soloist and harpist John Wyn Jones.

Wednesday morning we left the hotel for a day of ringing in Flintshire. First stop was Halkyn. Our lunch stop was in Mold. Much to do for everyone as this was market day.

The church of St Mary stood proud at the top of the town with a fine ring of eight bells.

On our return home we rang at Buckley and Hawarden. Hawarden church has a memorial chapel to William Gladstone.

Thursday our tour took us to County Wrexham, in the morning we rang at Northop and Holt.

A splendid lunch was had at the Royal Oak Hotel, Bangor is-y-Coed. Our first afternoon ring was just a cross the road at St Dinnot’s church on the banks of the river Dee.

Our final ring of the day was at St Mary’s, Ruabon the best bells of the day. On Thursday evening a quiz was organised by Jim and Rita King. The winners donated their prize money to our charity box. Friday was a relaxing day for the ringers.

We made our way to Blaenau Ffestiniog for a 13-and-a-half mile train ride from the old slate quarries to Porthmadog where, in the 19th century, slate was loaded onto ships and exported around the world.

Blaenau Ffestiniog was known as the town that roofed the world. Lunch was taken at Porthmadog and we rang the bells at St John the Divine which was a delightful peal of eight, the only tower that day.

Our visit coincided with the arrival of the Commonwealth Games baton being paraded through the town. Alas, Saturday arrived all too quickly.

Leaving the hotel in bright sunshine we took the scenic route to Llangollen to be greeted by a downpour, however that did not dampen the ringers enjoyment of the very fine peal of eight bells. Llangollen is well-known for its Eisteddfod.

We travelled a short distance to Chirk, a light seven cwt six. It was here that the six lady ringers rang together for the first time on this tour. Oswestry was our final stop for lunch and ringing at St Oswalds. We could almost say we left the best for last.

It was a superb ring of eight, a splendid way to complete our ringing for the week. It has become a custom to support a charity on our ringing tours, this year it was Cancer Research UK.

Bell ringers were fined for misdemeanour’s e.g. not setting their bell, missing a change, being late for the coach. The major fundraising was a fancy dress sponsored cycle ride, borrowing the coach drivers bicycle.

John Cooper, who had not ridden a bicycle for 50 years, did not hesitate when asked to cycle along the promenade. John from South Tawton has been ringing for more than 60 years.

The staggering sum of £353 was raised by sponsorship of his fellow bell ringers and friends on the tour and a total of £490 was raised during the week.

Next year’s tour will be from September 3 to 8 and our destination is Peterborough when we will have a choice of counties to ring in.

Margaret Down