Bystanders post Christmas Lunch

The second Sunday of January was the Bystanders post Christmas Lunch that had been organised by King Canape. But disaster struck on the day – Charles was too unwell to attend and had to be rushed to Accident and Emergency. The Pie Master had to take on the role of Master of Ceremonies in his absence. Thankfully things had been organised well and it all ran like clockwork! Costessey Park Golf Club did an exceptional job of catering for over 70 of us. Following the meal various entertainment was provided by some of the theatrical Bystanders attending the Meal. Charles was kept in hospital and fitted with a pacemaker, being discharged on Thursday the 13^th. His ordeal was made worse by Kilverstone ward having the norovirus bug, so he could not have visitors. I am pleased to report that Charles is recovering well and has now paid for our meal!

All photographs from Jilly Hudson

Salhouse

No pies this week as the Walk Master had suggested a visit to Cookie's. In the event, the Walk Master did not walk this week, so the Führer led us on a 5½ mile or so walk around Salhouse, rather than Salthouse, as poor weather was predicted. Parking at the Railway Station, we walked down the road to the footpath that leads to Salhouse, emerging by Bell Pond. We then walked through the village admiring the attractive houses, stopping to browse the bric-a-brac for sale in the garden of one. We then headed north opposite Thieves Lane. Quite a few parasol mushrooms were about, as were masses of tasty blackberries that we sampled on route. King Canape found a fine specimen of Agaricus augustus that he collected. We deviated from the original route to have our lunch at All Saints church, previously visited and found to be without a scratch dial. A further deviation from the walk was to head down Bell Lane to the Bell Public house with a good selection of beers; January 8^th from the Ole Slewfoot brewery in Hainford and Wherry from Woodforde’s a mile down the road, were the beers of choice. Here we met Bystanders Frances & Bob, about to leave, after having their post bike ride lunch – we had bumped into them in similar circumstances in Thompson back in 2008. Since we had deviated from the planned route, we had to return to the cars via the footpath we used initially. José found what he believed to be a “Charcoal Burner” Mushroom, an edible fungi – we’ll see if he turns up at next weeks walk! King Canape produced King Prawns with Marie Rose Sauce, Oaties then completed this week’s grazing.

Wm. Morrison (star shaped) hand raised pies

“Star shaped” hand raised pies from the in-store bakery of Wm. Morrison, were the pies of choice for the final munching of flaming June. As it was so hot, we headed to Overstrand for a walk near the coast. Parking by the cricket ground we walked west along the main road to the church of St. Martin, but not visiting it, before we headed up Newman’s Hill. Descending by Suffield Park to join the Paston Way, we passed Cromer lighthouse that featured prominently in the classic 1960’s film “The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter”. We headed towards and walked through Cromer, to the zigzag slope on the west of the town, that goes down to the prom. Now walking east, we made our way to the pier to consume our sandwiches above the sea. The Walk Master then led us up a steep ascent of the cliffs to the Red Lion with it's good selection of beers, of which we sampled “Stripey Jack” from Bees brewery, Woodforde’s “Sundew” & Wolf’s " Straw Dog". We made our way back to Overstrand on the firm sand, thanks to the low tide. Heading back to the town centre via The Londs, we passed the impressive clock tower at The Pleasaunce - designed by Edwin Lutyens and dating from 1897-9. We took our tea and pies to Overstrand cricket ground to utilise the seating. Only Six munchers this week, no King Canape, so straight into the pies: cutting revealed a bright pink interior with no jelly and no aroma. Munching proved the crust to be both crisp and tasty, the filling less so, tasting faintly of unsmoked ham. Mustard didn't really enhance the flavour. The pies were judged to have an acceptable score of 7.25 – marginally higher than when we last sampled these on the 31^st May, last year. The standard deviation was also slightly lower at 0.68920 and with one less muncher! While consuming the post pie Shortbreads, José noticed the cricket club's fixture list and that Overstrand were playing the Bystanders Cricket club on 12^th June and ^14th August. Wm Morrison’s star shaped pies get a normalised score of 7.5 on this outing.

50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Sunday 3^rd, January was the Bystanders Late Christmas Lunch and 50th Anniversary Celebration – the Society was created in February 1959. January 2010 is the last Month of its Half Century Celebrations... The meal was held at the Costessey Park Golf Club where 73 people attended. After a very enjoyable meal – the Pie Master sampling the very tasty Pheasant and Venison Game Pie, the history of the club was celebrated with a shortened Mahmoud service. A campaign to save the Green Mahmoud, a cast iron gentlemen’s pissoir erected in the 1860’s, near to Market Avenue, was one of the Bystanders first campaigns. Unfortunately unsuccessful, the loss of the Mahmoud cast by Walter MacFarlane & Co., Glasgow is mourned on the anniversary of its destruction. After the service and distribution of “the water”, a film recording the day of shame was then shown. The Bystanders 1963 classic film “West Of The Wensum” then followed.

Aberdeen Angus & Stilton pie!

With the anticipated absence of the Walk Master, King Canape had dug out a Boldero walk and the Pie Master had plotted it on a map. No pie had been purchased due to lack of munchers. At the eleventh hour, the Walk Master declared his availability, so four pie munchers set off for Sisland – the forth being King Can. On arriving at the small car park and finding it full, it was decided to head into Loddon and park in the larger car park in front of the church. The Walk Master deemed that starting from here, it would be preferable to do the walk the reverse direction. Following his lead, we followed and not having gone 100 yards, we came to “Select Meats” - a butcher’s shop that was open. Don popped in to see if they had any pork pies – they had sold out, so one to try in the future. An Aberdeen Angus and Stilton pie was purchased and a jar of horseradish sauce. After returning the pie to the cool bag in the car, we continued our journey through Loddon and crossed the A146 to Stubbs Green, noting three abandoned footballs in as many locations.Heading south west we crossed Stubbs Green, continued down a short length of road and then by footpath towards Loddon Ingloss water tower in the distance. We spotted the first of many hares that we would see during this walk, as we approached Manor farm. We then met a group of walkers doing the same walk, anti-clockwise, having their sandwiches – they had taken the last space in the car park! Crossing Ingloss Lane, we went through an enclosure containing two friendly horses and then made our way north to Mundham, meeting another two groups doing the same walk. Then heading east, to the walk’s start point, the church of St. Mary the virgin, Sisland. Here we had our sandwiches. The church was too new to have a scratch dial, being rebuilt in 1761 after the original church was struck by lighting during a service! From here we headed back to Loddon following the route we had previously driven, with the exception of a footpath across the corner of a field. Returning to Loddon High Street, we ventured up Bridge Street to see what refreshment the Kings Head could offer. Beers from Timothy Taylor were on offer: Landlord and Golden Best - a golden mild. Refreshed we walked the short distance to the car. The Pie Master served the tea while King Canape dished up prawns with mayonnaise. The Aberdeen Angus and Stilton pie was next on the menu with an accompaniment of either horseradish sauce or English mustard. Not being proficient at scoring beef pies, we estimated that this very good pie, with tender beef chunks, would come in at about 8 out of 10. Sausage, bacon and cheese wraps, purchased as a substitute for pork pie, were next consumed before the Shortbread finale.

 
  Don Warman then made a presentation of Bystanders Foundation Material to Charles – sand excavated from beneath the beer cellar at 5, Thorpe Road!

 

Click image to view video        

Christmas Pies

What do pie munchers do at Christmas? Munch pies of course! Josie had provided festive pies from the pie emporium at Bakers & Larners. Just as on other weeks of the year, we could not sample the pies until we had gone for our stroll around the countryside. Starting from the Victorian St. Peter's church at Haveringland, with it's round Norman tower, we headed westwards across the old wartime, Swannington aerodrome to St. Nicholas church at Brandiston. On past Guton Hall and Little Witchingham Hall to Ketts Lane – Robert Kett was captured in Swannington after the rebellion. We passed the lumpy bumpy yew hedging of the 1675 Swannington Manor as we approached our lunch stop, the church porch of St.Magaret. After recoding the church's fine scratch dial and eating our sandwiches we headed east, past Swannington Hall (scene of many Bystander parties, hosted by Bob Wyles, in the 60's). We continued passing fields of pie filling, before returning to the cars. No pub on the route this week, but our Walk Master soon got us into the festive spirit, producing a “bar in a car”,

to provide a tipple to go with mushroom quiches. Two types of “novelty” pork pies this week: Pork pies with Leeks and Stilton and Pork Pies with Smoked Lancashire cheese and piccalilli both from Lune Valley Real Foods – Yummy! No scores as these were just festive foray into non-mainstream porkie delights. Shortcakes completed proceedings.

Pork pies with Leeks and Stilton and Pies with Smoked Lanc. cheese & piccalilli

Bystanders Christmas meal

Sunday 7th was the Bystanders Christmas meal at the Marlingford Bell, so no Pork Pie tasting this week. The Walk Master provided some of the entertainment... staring as "the hole in the Elephant's bottom"!

Bystanders Christmas meal

Sunday 16th was the Bystanders Christmas meal at the Barford Cock, so again no Pork Pie tasting again this week.

Alburgh

On Sunday 16th, we walked around Alburgh (Norfolk) coming across an old David Brown tractor and gathering lots of sloes & blackberries. We crossed the oldest concrete bridge in Britain, to enjoy a very pleasant pint of IPA, but this was not followed by a pork pie! We didn’t have enough pie enthusiasts to form a quorum, so I present the following Pie Interlude: In the town of Pisov in the Urals, there is a tradition that the suitor for a maiden's hand, bakes a great pork pie in the shape of a true lover's knot. This he cuts in half. He keeps one half. Riding by night with his companions he tosses the other half into the chamber of the beloved, as she lies sleeping. If the maiden is up for it, her half is paraded at the Pisov, Great Pork Dripping Fair and she becomes betrothed to her suitor on production of the matching half. Now it’s no good reading the Encyclopedia Britannica or searching Encarta or Wikipedia for such Pork Pie traditions - you need to consult the Bystanders web site at http://www.byssoc.co.uk/fondler.php

Bystanders Christmas meal

Sunday 10th was the Bystanders Christmas meal at the Barford Cock, so no Pork Pie tasting again this week.

Emery's

Josie provided the pies on the first Sunday of December, these were from Emery's the butcher in Market Street, North Walsham. The pies were consumed after a walk spanning both sides of the A146, Lowestoft Road. The footpath by the side of the Gull Inn had going through a farm had been purposely blocked and the signage moved - this was later reported to the footpath officer. I don't recall much about the small hand raised pies, other than they scored a very respectable normalised 8. Following the walk, we took a drive past the small, 20,000 gallon, disused 1952 water tower that former Bystander, Bernard O'Brian, had hoped to purchase from Anglian Water. We met a group of walkers coming in the opposite direction and I had a mardle with one of them about this and other local towers to the disbelief of his fellow walkers!