Pine cone spring 2018

Pine Cone

Journal of the Order of Woodcraft Chivalry

Spring 2018

This Spring 2018 edition of Pine Cone was edited by Greg & Charlotte Jones.

The cover picture is of Dundon Beacon taken from Lollover Hill—site of Easter egg rolling last year with many Order members.

Chieftain’s Chat

Spring is in the air! Some of the time anyway. After a few weeks of gardening in the snow, with robins hopping around to see what delicacies I will unearth next.

And the camping season is almost here! The programme of events is coming together - see elsewhere. Hope to see a few - no, a lot - of you somewhere this year!

With best wishes to you all for the coming year.

Blue Sky – Merlin (John Pringle Jnr)

Easter There was a lot of confusion surrounding this year’s Easter camp. We were trying a new venue which was not really set up for our kind of event, but we thought we could make it work. In the end, though, it came to nothing. (Thanks for trying, anyway, Sheena!)

So we decided to hold a one-day event at Cleeve Village Hall, just South of Bristol. A small group gathered for lunch, with games, a walk up into Cleeve Woods and plenty of chat. And of course the Easter Bunny didn’t let us down! All rounded off with a Chinese takeaway. Thanks to Lucy for the organisation - and for the soup!

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The Order of Woodcraft Chivalry

To The Highlands!

Whilst in the process of selling my flat in Hendon, North London I was receiving reports from a fellow amateur astronomer who two years earlier had relocated from Ware (an hour's drive north north east of London) to a place called Kirtomy, a stretched out village straddling a remote valley that leads down to a small cliff-enclosed beach on the very north coast of Scotland.

Up until then I had been viewing properties in Brighton and other places largely in the south of England. I delved into Google Earth, Google Streetview and rightmove.co.uk. Some days later after many hours researching the north west of Scotland, I decided as soon as my flat was sold, I'd jump into my car and drive all the way up to the top of Scotland and see if the place was as wonderful as it seemed online.

Late one evening in May 2017 I set off northwards. Away from the smog of a sprawling metropolis full of beings chasing their tails, to the northernmost edge of mainland civilisation. I could have flown to Inverness and hired a car locally but I wanted to feel the distance. To feel the smog and the hustle and bustle recede behind me. A journey through England's shires, through to the Highlands and the glacier-shaped scenery to the coast beyond.

It was the following morning when I passed through Inverness, the last vestige of city life before the beyond. The skies were blue, the air crisp and clear and the scenery immaculate in its scale and honesty. Photo-filled coffeetable books - eat your heart out!

As I passed through Bonar Bridge the road stretched out in front of me. Mostly single track with passing bays left and right. Twisting and turning, rising and falling, evergreen forests, curved hills, boggy moors, and rocky crags. Eminem

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blaring out, grinning from ear to ear, my right foot heavy and my heart just full.

Welcoming lush valleys gave way to inhospitable craggy wastelands and then vice versa as my passage continued.

The single track road eventually meandered down towards the pretty village of Tongue, the North Sea revealed itself in all its glory and I, easing my pace, arrived.

Marty 3/3/18

All good wishes and blue skies Marty for your move—hopefully the first of a series of articles! —Ed

News of members Congratulations to:

Bubba Thomas got married!



Anna Pringle and Madeleine Jones passed their driving test



Margaret Brown has just been awarded an Honorary Burgess of Leighton Buzzard to mark her services to the community. To be presented by the Mayor. The presentation is on 14th March at the White House. I don’t think she is going to the USA for it!



Rhiannon Tutt gave birth to a beautiful baby girl last week, Willow Snow she was born in a blizzard and they were snowed in at the hospital in Torquay, and had to be taken home by the army! All are well and healthy



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Russell Haugh got engaged and the date has been set for June 1st 2019

The Order of Woodcraft Chivalry

From the archives—Arran Camp—1979 Charlotte Jones writes: ‘My mother Stephanie Morland (who died in 2014) joined the Order in 1974 or so. Throughout her life she kept journals and scrapbooks particularly of trips away from home. So there are many items relating to camps amongst her papers— these are notes from the Arran Camp—13th to 21st August 1979. They run on into the remainder of her trip north of the border, which I have left included here, simply to remind us of what can be discovered in a few short hours while waiting for a train. Stephanie often combined camps with a few days of travelling alone. She was very independent, but the companionship and chivalry of being with the Order around the fire was an important part of her many journeys. Learning to spin on a wheel while on Arran must have inspired her— I recall the arrival of a spinning wheel at home, and a home spun, home knitted natural fleece jumper became her ‘camp jumper’. (We all have one). She had always liked wool—and on walks often stopped to pick bits of fleece from barbed wire to use with a drop spindle with children at school.’

Writing this in Edinburgh— Wet crossing back from Brodick to Ardrossan, even a bit rough mollified by coffee and pikelet, buttered. The mackerel sandwich in the Glasgow Central station ladies, comfortable chairs, glass top tables—remains of the mackerel; what I fried so many of yesterday, in the sun, as people came back from riding, 4 at a time in the large frying pan—the mackerel not the people.

Tony Brown said, at about 8pm, why not sleep in one of his spare tents, why not pack my tent dry, not wet. Which I did, and it rained in the night, and for breakfast, while I was in Glasgow eating a peach. The Bus never came so he also drove me to the boat, and hiked my bags onto it—too much as usual, and increased by 2lbs of fleece to spin my jersey with.

Learnt spinning, more or less, at the Gallery, Whiting Bay, a familiar set up in an old chapel.

Stephen Gill doing printing, quite nice cards—lots of printing machines, plus a bike or 2, a white cat and 3 white kittens. Lynn’s fleeces and looms up in the gallery, shop in lobby, spinning classes in one corner, part of the attractions—people crowded in when it rained.

Lynn organising the a spinners’ cooperative, to sell hand spun wool and some patterns (She is sending us a book). Small kitchen off chapel, dark, jars of brown rice and pottery mugs, and incidental house keeping. It was a good 3 days. I came away with 2 small hanks of spun and plyed Grey Cheviot, 2 balls of doubtfully spun Border Leicester, a little spun Silk (from cocoons the moths are allowed to hatch out of) and a bit of flax, which you spin from a distaff.

We went there and back everyday on the bus, which came OK ! The other people doing the spinning were OK; a young couple from Glasgow, an architect’s wife (husband AA), a maths lecturer from the training College at Glasgow and us. Margery’s niece (I think) Elinor tried it one day, then gave up. Most of the time at camp she looked damp and cold !

Friday—walk along the beach, I went back after lunch at the café at Kilmory—tide out, sand, birds—gulls, curlews etc, boulders in the sand, rock formations like stone breakwaters—when the tide was out the slabs and rocks left looked like a palace site—all colours and sea rock gardens in the pools, such quantities of shells, difficult to miss stepping

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on them, winkles with light tops—crunch !

Saturday—Goat Fell, and midges sailing out of the heather in clouds, once we got above the bog myrtle line. Those who got to the top said they were there too. Boulders, heather, ling, reedy grass, bog asphodel, bog myrtle, ragwort, meadowsweet, cotton grass, which depending how high up you were. Water coming down quite loudly, all a lot like a rock garden. Views of shaggy mountains, lower ones threatened with conifers.

Sunday sunny, blue, most stayed around the camp site, some covering the Pringle canoe, me on clan, frying mackerel for lunch, as mentioned.

Now back in Glasgow Central ladies waiting room (5p); 10pm, finished Private Eye and the book Margot lent me, must go and collect luggage from lockers presently—plodded all round (all ?) Glasgow—art gallery—French paintings—Secirat, boy in a field—Cezanne, little one, fruit falling out of basket, Whistler—Carlyle, study in grey, Giorgione—Christ and the woman taken in adultery and extra man that got cut off one side, colours—In Edinburgh saw Degas exhibition—dancers and people—exhilarating. Etchings by Mary Cassatt at exhibition with friend—silhouette. Trying on hats. Ironing. Nude in a bath, around one on floor. How do you remember pictures? Or anything ?

Finnish Art Nouveau at the museum, which had a super central hall, 3 floors high, thin pillars, like a Mississippi steam boat inside out. (Building here elevation like that too.) Glass in a High St gallery, old house—room up one floor, good with the glass to the other side.

Bonnard drawings—funny early car trip.

Glasgow and Edinburgh good to walk about in, though more of Glasgow laid waste. Just about got up a steep hill to the School of Art—perched up, it is. Shabby and suitable, but governors’ room and library impressive—light fittings, furniture, fire place, pretty complete.

Stephanie Morland—August 1979

Whiting Bay— Arran

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The Order of Woodcraft Chivalry

THAT’S PROPER CAMPING, AIN’T IT? The sun comes up and the sun goes down, the children in camp keep runnin’ around, Screamin’ ‘n shouting, a joyful sound?

Sometimes I get a headache.

But that’s proper camping ain’t it?

We’ve got no water, but that’s OK, washin’s over-rated anyway, An’ brown water’s good for the skin they say, so the kids’ll all be beauties.

And that’s proper camping ain’t it?

The dogs ain’t howlin’ or forlorn, luckiest dogs as ever was born, Out in the open from early dawn, gett’n scraps from neighbours.

That’s proper camping ain’t it?

My clothes ain’t smart and none too clean, the smoke smell tells folks where I’ve been, But I’m the happiest feller they’ve ever seen, sittin’ by my camp fire.

One day we heard a mighty scream, it made the very tree tops ring.

Libby got herself a TRIPLE bee sting. Now that’s just being greedy.

But it’s proper camping ain’t it?

To save a toy Matt climbed a tree, Hetty threw it there you see, But branches broke and down came he, saved only by the rooftop.

That’s proper camping ain’t it.

A rainless week, then it’s old folks……… home. Will our pop-up tent, pop down?

Time to get young Spike around, what would we do without him?

That’s proper co-op camping ain’t it?

There’s joy and freedom everywhere, no need to wash or comb our hair.

Out here I feel like a millionaire, It’s proper camping ain’t it?

It’s proper camping ain’t it?

There’s lots of rabbits all around, we know it by the holes in the ground, ‘n’ the presents they leave, all neat and round, in the most unusual places.

That’s proper camping ain’t it?

Now Kent is beautiful, lots to see, from power stations to Canterbury, But Ashford’s definitely not for me, I can’t find my way through it! ‘taint proper camping is it?

By Jon Vear—Summer Camp 2016

My tent’s secure, don’t seem to leak, but my poor old bones have started to creak,

Inspired by “Life gets teejus, don’t it” by Carlson Jay Robison

I’ll be stiff as a board by the end of the week, but, I’ll still be smilin’, ‘cos it’s proper camping ain’t it?

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Future Programme May Day 5th-7th May 2018 Braziers, Ipsden, Oxfordshire OX10 6AN Maybe a chance of canoes on the Thames - we’ll watch the weather!

And help the Chieftain continue celebrating his 60th birthday!

Braziers is not cheap in these commercially-driven times but they have offered us the price of £11 per adult per night to camp. Children half price.

Spring Bank Holiday 26th-28th May 2018 Bishops Wood Centre, Crossway Green, Worcestershire DY13 9SE Summer Camp 28th July - 11th August 2018 March Wood, Hothfield, near Ashford, Kent TN26 1ER Folkmoot will be held during Summer Camp on Friday 3rd August Hallowe’en Saturday 27th October Cleeve Village Hall, Cleeve, North Somerset BS49 4PG Easter Camp 2019 19th-22nd April Briarlands, Bitton, near Bristol BS30 6NW A Girl Guides centre with indoor accommodation and camping space Summer Camp 2019 We are considering a return to Plwmp or a new site near Cowbridge

Please contact the Chieftain or the Marshal (see p.10) if you would like to attend any event or be kept informed of specific events.

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The Order of Woodcraft Chivalry

Membership of the Order and the Annual Financial Contribution The Annual Financial Contribution is a donation to the Order, to maintain and continue the service it offers the membership. The suggested contributions are as follows: Kindreds:

£30.00

Pathfinders (15-18):

£6.00

Wayfarers (over 25)

£18.00

Provisional members:

£6.00

Waywardens (18-25):

£14.00

Pine Cone only

£6.00

These amounts are aimed at balancing the books; there is no set minimum or maximum, so members may pay the suggested contribution, what you can afford, orwhat you feel membership is worth to you.

The A.F.C. is not requested as proof of membership, but to encourage involvement with the running of the Order.

A.F.C.s are due for the current year and all members are reminded to make a return to the Keeper of the Purse. If you would like to pay online or set up a Standing Order please contact me for the bank details.

Mary Kehoe, Stonehurst Batch, Lower Claverham, North Somerset, BS49 4PX T: 01934 832786

M: 07882 694189

E: maryekehoe47@yahoo.com

Your contact details It is becoming more and more useful to be able to contact the membership by email; we already have email addresses for a number of you. (If you have already received details of events by email then you know you are already on that list!) If you haven’t received an email then it would be helpful if you would email me (johnpringle99@gmail.com) so I have your address. N.B. You will still receive a paper copy of Pine Cone and other documents unless you have opted for email only.

The Order has a website (www.orderofwoodcraftchivalry.org.uk) and a Facebook page, as well as a Photobox account with a large number of photos; please get in touch if you would like more details.

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COUNCIL OF LEADERS AND OFFICIALS We do our best but can only do it with your input, suggestions and comments. Please get in touch with ideas, articles or info. for Pine Cone, a possible venue for a camp or your AFC. CHIEFTAIN Merlin (John Pringle Junior) 9 Earl Road, Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan CF64 3UN M: 07949 808711 E: johnpringle99@gmail.com KEEPER OF THE FIRE Petra Houston 33 Clarendon Drive, Royal Wootton Bassett, Swindon SN4 8BT M: 07830 005625 E: phouston72@hotmail.co.uk MARSHAL Daniela Krawczyk 16 Esson Road, Bristol BS15 1NP M: 07970 060620 E: dmk1977@hotmail.com RECORDER Katherine Pringle 21 Hartoft Street, York YO10 4BN M: 07928 033807 E: kathpringle58@gmail.com KEEPER OF THE PURSE Mary Kehoe, Stonehurst Batch, Lower Claverham, North Somerset BS49 4PX T: 01934 832786

M: 07882 694189

E: maryekehoe47@yahoo.com

HERALD Sarah Ward 92 Churchill Avenue, Clevedon, North Somerset BS21 6NX T: 01275 791304 M: 07795 551261 E: sarahward0671@gmail.com KEEPER OF THE HONOURS TALLY Billy Morgan 39 Bwllfa Road, Cwmdare, Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taff, CF44 8UG M: 07853 262514 E: owain777@hotmail.co.uk Page 10

The Order of Woodcraft Chivalry

COUNCIL OF LEADERS AND OFFICIALS - Continued GLEEMAN Glo Pringle 140 Northwick Road, Worcester WR3 7EG T: 01905 923568 E: glopringle@talktalk.net PINE CONE EDITOR Greg & Charlotte Jones Morland Cottage, Peak Lane, Compton Dundon, Somerton, Somerset TA11 6PE T: 01458 272531 M: 07976 539907 E: greg@mor-cott.co.uk MEMBERSHIP LIST Greg Jones - see Pine Cone Editor

E: greg@mor-cott.co.uk

KEEPER OF THE WARDROBE Claire Harker-Gill Vear 6 Station Avenue, Gedling, Notts NG4 3GZ M: 07960 150132 E: claireharker-gill@hotmail.co.uk INTERNATIONAL LIAISON PHOENIX LODGEMASTER Spike Leggatt 43 St. Georges Drive, Chichester PO19 8SS M: 07780 614121 E: spike@beerpiglets.co.uk BRAZIERS LIAISON, Aggie Forster

E: aggiegoatmother@hotmail.com

GRITH PIONEERS LIAISON Ian Graham,

E: i.j.graham@lboro.ac.uk

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THE ORDER OF WOODCRAFT CHIVALRY The Order of Woodcraft Chivalry is a small but well established movement founded in 1916 by Ernest Westlake, naturalist and research scientist, in collaboration with Ernest Thompson Seton, American naturalist-author.

It is an educational and social fellowship, of both sexes and all ages, non-political and nondenominational. Members believe in the ‘Woodcraft Way’ of first hand experience and the ‘chivalrous spirit’ of helping others and being ready to respect and understand all peoples. The aim of the Order can be found in the Affirmation to which all members subscribe: “To respond to the call of the world of nature, seeking from it simplicity, good sense and fortitude. To pursue bravely and gaily the adventure of life, cherishing whatever it holds of beauty, wonder and romance, endeavouring to carry the chivalrous spirit into daily life.”

Membership of the Order is open to all who feel themselves in sympathy with its Affirmation. It includes families, kindreds and individuals, or lone members. Activities during the year include weekend camps, social gatherings and outings, and members come together for a summer camp. For many the highlight of the year is Folkmoot, our annual general meeting.

We hope this journal will have given you some idea of our activities. If you would like to know more about the Order please ask for further information from the Herald (address inside back cover) details of forthcoming events are also included in Pine Cone. Perhaps the best way to get to know the Order is to come along.

Please feel welcome to attend any of our functions; we just ask that you contact the Herald beforehand if possible or on arrival. www.orderofwoodcraftchivalry.org.uk