Active Magazine // Stamford & Rutland // July 2018

ISSUE 73 // JULY 2018

FR

EE

!

You r sport a n d l i f e st y l e m ag a zi n e

How to make your home better than any hotel for relaxing, partying and enjoying the sunshine

07

www.theACTIVEmag.com

ISSUE 73 // JULY 2018

Have a five star staycation INSIDE

50 Years of Tolethorpe / Get fit with ballet / Stamford and Easton on the Hill Lyddington and Stoke Dry / Garden Design / How to travel light

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Editor’s Letter TO BE HONEST, I’M QUITE LUCKY WHERE I live. From my garden all I can see are paddocks with horses in and fields of crops. When the sun’s out, it feels like I’m on holiday, and there’s not a cloud in the sky at the moment, which might be why I’m writing this about two minutes before we go to press. I think Chris, Active’s publisher, always hopes for rain in press week.

Part of the Active lifestyle is feeling good – and that comes for some in playing fiercely competitive, physically draining sport and for others it’s less extreme. Whatever it takes for you individually.

For many, having a fantastic home where you can de-stress, unwind and relax is also essential, which is why in this issue we’re looking at how you can make your home give you the same feeling as being pampered in a nice hotel. I suppose for most people, their home is the foundation of how they live their lives.

Talking of how people live their lives, this issue marks our sixth birthday, and I’m very proud of what Active has become because I think as a magazine we feature more local people doing things, achieving incredible feats, and helping others, than any other.

And this is at the heart of what the magazine is about, and what great magazines should always be about: community. I hope you agree, and please, keep getting in contact and telling us your stories, because we love to hear them.

Enjoy the issue

Publisher Chris Meadows chris@theactivemag.com Editor Steve Moody steve@theactivemag.com Deputy editor Mary Bremner mary@theactivemag.com Production editor Julian Kirk julian@theactivemag.com Art editor Mark Sommer mark@theactivemag.com Contributors Martin Johnson, William Hetherington, Jeremy Beswick, Julia Dungworth Photographers Nico Morgan, Pip Warters Production assistant Gary Curtis Advertising sales Lisa Chauhan lisa@theactivemag.com Amy Roberts amy@theactivemag.com Editorial and Advertising Assistant Kate Maxim kate@theactivemag.com Accounts accounts@theactivemag.com Active magazine, The Grey House, 3 Broad Street, Stamford, PE9 1PG. Tel: 01780 480789

If you have information on a club then get in touch by emailing editor@theactivemag.com. If you would like to stock Active magazine then email distribution@ theactivemag.com. If you would like to discuss advertising possibilities please email advertise@ theactivemag.com. Active magazine is published 12 times per year on a monthly basis. ISSN 2059-8513 A Grassroots Publishing Limited company. Company registration number 7994437. VAT number 152717318

Steve

Disclaimer

Twitter // @theACTIVEmag Facebook // www.facebook.com/theACTIVEmag

Copyright (c) Grassroots Publishing Limited (GPL) 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or be stored in any retrieval system, of any nature, without prior permission from GPL. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of GPL or its affiliates. Disclaimer of Liability. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press, GPL and its affiliates assume no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the extent permitted by law, shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statement contained in this publication.

Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of the advertising material which they submit and for ensuring the material complies with applicable laws.

GPL and its affiliates are are not responsible for any error, omission or inaccuracy in any advertisement and will not be liable for any damages arising from any use of products or services or any action or omissions taken in reliance on information or any statement contained in advertising material. Inclusion of any advertisement is not intended to endorse any view expressed, nor products or services offered nor the organisations sponsoring the advertisement.

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Contents

ISSUE 73 / JULY 2018

ACTIVE LIFE

REGULARS

14 PICTURE PERFECT

36 GREAT WALKS

25 GARDENING

55 MARTIN JOHNSON

27 TRAVEL

58 CHALLENGES

34 HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

62 ON YOUR BIKE!

A photo round-up of great local events Trends from the Chelsea Flower Show Great holidays on our doorstep A deep body massage at Barnsdale

FEATURES

Easton-on-the-Hill and Stoke Dry How to win by losing

Updates on our intrepid fund-raisers Another great local bike route

67 SCHOOL SPORTS

Pupils making the sporting headlines

28 PERFORMING ARTS

70 ROUND-UP

42 THE ART OF THE STAYCATION

74 KITBAG

Investigating our talented local arts scene

Make your home like a ďŹ ve-star hotel

62

How clubs in the area are faring Great sporting and leisure equipment

ACTIVE BODY 48 MAGNETIC ATTRACTION Avicenna Clinic on MRIs

50 CUT THE C.R.A.P

Nutrition advice from Dawn Revens

53 GAIT WAYS

Walk more for a healthier you

27

14

42

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in Stamford-Tinwell

Are you suffering from the following?

Osteoarthrtitis Spinal Discs Osteoporosis Muscle damage

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Centres, both veterinary and medical, use MBST and elite sport teams trust using our technology and knowledge to improve and enhance an individual/ athlete/animal’s career and life.

Zeeco House Annexxe, Casterton Lane, Tinwell PE9 3UQ info@cell-regeneration.co.uk I www.mbst-therapy.co.uk I +44 01780 238 084

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01780 238084

Suffer from pain?

How much would it mean to you to see a loved one free of pain and more mobile?

What would it mean to you to be free of pain and have an alternative option to surgery and pain relief medication?

In Rutland we have one of the seven MBST centres which are in the UK. Situated in Tinwell is a Physiotherapy centre which carries out the award winning treatment for Osteoarthrtitis, Osteoporosis, sports injuries, disc problems and general aches and pains for all ages.

MBST is getting more and more renowned for its benefits across the world as the success of its treatment is non-invasive for a patient, it is quick to work and has huge benefits. In some cases even prevented the need for operations and enable people to stop pain relief medication.

What is so great about it is it has no side effects and the process is simple for the patient and entirely risk and pain free.

A patient returns to do cycling challenge after successful MBST treatment.

Zeeco House Annexxe, Casterton Lane, Tinwell PE9 3UQ info@cell-regeneration.co.uk I www.mbst-therapy.co.uk I +44 01780 238 084

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The Tiguan.

Solutions Personal Contract Plan* representative example subject to 8,000 miles per annum + for a Tiguan SE NAV 1.4 TSI 125 BMT

£2,000 towards your deposit.^ An additional £2,000 when you download a voucher.

Download your voucher from www.robinsonsvwoffers.co.uk to save a total of £4,000 towards your deposit.†

Duration

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47 monthly payments

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Retail cash price

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Optional final payment

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Total amount payable

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Total amount of credit

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Representative APR

5.4%

Rate of interest (fixed)

5.40%

Excess mileage charge

7.2p per mil

Robinsons Volkswagen (Peterborough) Storeys Bar Road, Eastern Industry, Peterborough, PE1 5YS Telephone: 01733 312213 www.robinsonsvolkswagen.co.uk

Representative

5.4% APR

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*At the end of the agreement there are three options: i) own the vehicle: pay the optional final payment; ii) return the vehicle: subject to fair wear and tear, charges may apply; or iii) replace: part exchange the vehicle. †Exclusive to Robinsons Volkswagen. ^Available on Solutions Personal Contract Plan. 18s and over. Subject to availability. Finance subject to status. Terms and conditions apply. Offer available when ordered by 30th June 2018. Offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Accurate at time of publication [06/2018]. Freepost Volkswagen Financial Services. We can introduce you to a

limited number of lenders to assist with your purchase, who may pay us for introducing you to them. Standard EU Test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Official fuel consumption in mpg (litres/100km) for the Tiguan range: urban 31.0 (9.1) – 49.6 (5.7); extra urban 44.1 (6.4) – 67.3 (4.2); combined 38.2 (7.4) – 60.1 (4.7). CO2 emissions 123 – 170g/km.

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Activelife ●

Make your home fabulous ● Tolethorpe celebrates a milestone birthday ● A round up of local events ● Jeremy tries ballet ● Local walks ● Delicious beetroot brownies ● England in all its glory Edited by Mary Bremner

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22/06/2018 15:35

FORME E-BIKE D E M O D AY 2 8 T H / 2 9 T H J U LY 2 0 1 8 9AM - 4PM Join us at Cafe Ventoux for o u r F o r m e E - B i k e s D e m o D a y.

F o r m e ’s f u l l E - b i k e r a n g e w i l l be available to demo throughout the day with the Forme Bikes Team on hand to answer any of your questions.

be inspired...

Valid ID and bank card are required to demo a bike | Wood Lane | Tugby | Leicestershire | LE7 9WE | | r i d e @ c a f e - v e n t o u x . c c | w w w. c a f e - v e n t o u x . c c |

the heart of your home The kitchen has evolved in style, look and technology, but it remains the heart of the home.

Like all our services, a Classic Kitchen will be supplied and installed with a level of care and expertise that matches your expectations.

VISIT OUR SHOWROOM VVI SI SI ITTvisit OOUour SS H H OOW WRROOOOMM URRshowroom 12 St Leonard’s Street, Stamford, Lincs PE9 2HN Open: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-3pm

Tel: 01780 654321 Email: sales@classicstamford.co.uk www.classicstamford.co.uk

Launde Abbey

Open daily for morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea

Cyclists and walkers very welcome Why not start your walk or ride at Launde then reward yourself with a delicious lunch at the end?

Visit our website for maps and routes at www.laundeabbey.org.uk Launde Abbey, East Norton, Leicestershire LE7 9XB T: 01572 717254 I E: info@launde.org.uk Charity No: 1140918

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Activelife

New board members for LRS Leicester-Shire and Rutland Sport (LRS), the county sports partnership for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, has recently announced three new board members. Bev Smith, chief executive officer at North West Leicestershire District Council, takes over as chairman; Dr Mary Hardwick, coach and founding director of Inspire2tri, and Amna Rafiq, community engagement officer for Leicestershire County Cricket Club in the community, joined the board in May. www.lrsport.org

£40,000 FOR 40 YEARS Glaston-based consulting engineers and surveyors Smithers Purslow has recently celebrated 40 years in business and to mark the occasion the firm plans to raise more than £40,000 for local and national charities. The Matt Hampson Foundation, Anna’s Hope and the

Evergreen Care Trust are the three local charities nominated by staff. Some of the fund-raising events will include the Three Peaks Yacht Race Challenge, an art auction and a golf day. To support the campaign go to www.smitherspurslow.com/charity

JOHN JONES CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF RUNNING CHURCHILL SUMMER CAMPS John Jones is celebrating 25 years of running Churchill Summer Camps.

John initially worked for Brian and Sue Churchill, who set up the company, before taking it over with his wife Judith in 2009.

The multi-activity camps for children aged between 4-14 run during school holidays have helped many a busy working parent over the years and, more importantly, provided hours of entertainment and fun for all the children who attend the camps – 23,000 of them since 1990!

Based at Stamford Junior School, Brooke Priory in Oakham and The Peterborough School, camps are now offered for 22 weeks of the year.

Churchill offers day camps and residential, with

the former offering more than 35 activities including orienteering, cooking, archery and swimming. www.churchillsummercamps.co.uk 01572 868304

£50,000 raised by outgoing mayor Outgoing Oadby and Wigston mayor Samia Haq, who became the county’s first female Muslim mayor, has raised £50,000 for her chosen charity, Leicester Children’s Hospital. She has now passed the baton to new mayor, David Carter (pictured above), who has nominated the Alzheimer’s Society as his chosen charity.

New luxury men’s grooming products e-store The Modern Gentleman, a new concept in men’s grooming, has recently been launched. The lifestyle and luxury grooming e-store is the brainchild of Leicester-based entrepreneurs Danny Gohil and Rajvee Purohit who noticed a gap in the market for men’s grooming products. Now you can buy the best male grooming products from all over the world under one roof. www.themoderngentleman.co.uk

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Activelife

A GRAND DAY OUT There’s been lots going on in the last few weeks so to celebrate our area in all its glory, we bring you a photographic round up

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LEICESTERSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB A happy crowd enjoyed the return of county cricket to Oakham School on May 31 as the Leicestershire Foxes lost to Lancashire by nine wickets in the Royal London One-Day Cup. Conditions were not ideal first thing as mist was slow to lift but the crowd enjoyed a sunny afternoon watching some excellent cricket.

RAFA RIDERS RAISE £20,000 On June 10 a group of 100 cyclists representing the Royal Air Forces Association, led by serving officer Gary Waterfall, took on a 100-mile bike ride around Rutland and raised a phenomenal £20,000 for the charity in the RAF’s centenary year. Cycling in the Rutland Border Epique, that started and finished at Café Ventoux, the cyclists were a mixture of civilians and RAF, Army and Navy personnel – serving and retired – who helped celebrate RAF 100 and raise money for the RAF charity’s work to support serving and veteran personnel and their families.

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Activelife

NATIONAL WATERSPORTS FESTIVAL

BROOKS PHOTOGRAPHY

The National Watersports Festival celebrated its 12th successful year, held at Rutland Water, on the weekend of June 8-10. More than 600 visitors enjoyed the thrill of being on the water trying taster sessions for various watersports.

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SPORTS BASH Sports Bash, held at Ketton Sports and Community Club for the first time, saw around 1,000 people enjoy the fun. The players included cricketing stars such as Charlotte Edwards, captain of the World Cup winning ladies team. BGL Kwik Cricket Cup winners, Uppingham under 9s, are pictured with event organiser Dean Headley.

TOUR OF CAMBRIDGESHIRE

ILIFFE MEDIA

More than 5,000 international cyclists battled temperatures of 28 degrees at the beginning of June for the fourth Tour of Cambridgeshire.

The event, which is held on closed roads in the Fens, is the sole UK round of the UCI Gran Series.

GRETTON SPORTIVE The inaugural Gretton Charity Sportive on June 9 attracted 115 cyclists from around the country who tackled either a 30 or 64-mile course and raised more than ÂŁ3,000 for the Travers Foundation.

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be inspired...

SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1975

caring for your home Conservatory too hot in the summer and too cold in winter?

Classic have the answer to this problem and you do not even have to change the existing windows/doors, although you can. Structurally very strong which means your new sun room meets full Building Regulation Approval.

visit our showroom 12 St Leonard’s Street, Stamford, Lincs PE9 2HN Open: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-3pm

Tel: 01780 654321 Email: sales@classicstamford.co.uk www.classicstamford.co.uk

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GEORGE HALLS CYCLE CENTRE 01858 465507 10-12, NORTHAMPTON ROAD, georgehallscycle@aol.com MARKET HARBOROUGH, www.georgehallscycles.co.uk LEICS LE16 9HE

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Activelife

RUTLAND SHOW

HICKS CLIKCS PHOTOGRAPHY

The 186th Rutland Show was held on June 3 for the fifth time at its new venue, The New Rutland Showground in Oakham.

There were more than 10,000 visitors, 200-plus trade stands and hundreds of cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, ponies and horses. The heavy working horses classes were back at the show as well as the British Scurry Driving Trials.

MARKET HARBOROUGH FESTIVAL OF RUNNING Market Harborough Festival of Running raised £17,500 for the Squires Effect charity, which makes the total raised by Race Harborough since its inception £117,500. Run in conjunction with the carnival, fun was had by everyone.

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The

Countryside 2018

Show

Bank holiday Monday 27 August 2018, 9.30am-5pm

STOCKING ALL THE SUMMER SPORTS KIT INCLUDING RANGES FOR CRICKET, ATHLETICS AND TENNIS

Beacon Hill Country Park, Leicestershire, LE12 8SP

OAKHAM 20-22 CATMOSE ST. LE15 6HW 01572 722675

Enjoy a gre a in the count day out tryside

BOURNE 26-28 NORTH ST. PE10 9AB 01778 426482

Show features:

Weekly Local Classes

New for 2018: Dog Agility Children’s Activities • Tree Climbing • Craf ts Extreme Mountain Bike Show • Show Auct ion Delicious Local Food • Chainsaw Carving Birds of Prey • Heavy Horse Demonstratio n Great Live Music • Fun for all the Family!

Fun and skills that could save your child’s life

y earl Buy ave &s ey mon

We feel incredibly proud that we’ve helped save a number of very young children’s lives after they’ve fallen into water and survived – thanks to the skills they learned with us.

children's activities included in entry price

Our world-class teachers could have trained as private pilots – five times over – in the time it takes to fully qualify with us. You can trust us to take the very best care of you and your little one.

s held... classe

Leicester, Loughborough, Oakham, Uppingham, Grantham and Melton Mowbray

To give your baby a splashing start call

01664 567 302

/leicscountryparks

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S0057

www.leicscountryparks.org.uk

Let’s teach your baby to swim!

www.waterbabies.co.uk

21/06/2018 15:37

Activelife

WHAT’S ON There’s lots going on in your area this month, why not try some of these? ● Stamford

Flower Club is holding a demonstration evening on Monday, July 9, at Barn Hill Methodist Church. The theme is ‘A Night on the Town’ and demonstrator Shirley Henderson will create at least five arrangements while giving tips and telling anecdotes. Tickets are £6 on the door, starting time 7pm for 7.30pm start. stamfordflowerclub@gmail.com

● The

Leicestershire and Rutland Festival of Archaeology takes place between July 15 and 29. Supported by local archaeology, heritage and history organisations there is something for everyone happening throughout the county. The festival launch will take place in Leicester in the grounds of the Jewry Wall Museum and in St Nicholas’ Church on July 8.

There are walks and talks in the city. www.leicsfieldworkers.co.uk/latest-news/ festival-of-archaeology

● The

second annual Colour Splash takes place at Prestwold Hall in Leicestershire on the evening of July 11. Leading the warm-up will be Rosemary Conley. Open to everyone over the age of five, you can do a 5k or 2.5k

run around the grounds of Prestwold Hall. All funds raised will go to the Barrow and Wolds Church Group’s work with children and families. www.barrowandwoldsgroup.com /colour-splash ● Don’t

forget it’s Sweet Pea Week at Easton Walled Garden between July 1 and 8. Open daily from 11am, enjoy the sight of so many different sweet peas, all in one place. www.visiteaston.co.uk

● The

programme of films being shown in Lyddington Village Hall has been released for the next few months. Held on the first Friday of every month starting with Three Billboards on September 7, there will be many of the top films from 2017 shown over the next few months. Tickets are £5.

Katherine Gregg on 01572 822296 for details.

● Tony

Hadley, ex-Spandau Ballet lead singer, will be performing at the De Montfort Hall in Leicester on October 9. Tickets are on sale now. www.demontforthall.co.uk or 0116 233 3111

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Activelife

HOW TO MAKE…

CHOCOLATE BEETROOT BROWNIES Self-confessed veggie nerds Riverford share with us one of their favourite summer cakes which double up as a perfect pudding This surprising combination of ingredients gives an intensely chocolatey taste and a lovely moist texture – and not a hint of beetroot after baking. Since there’s a veg element – beetroot is high in vitamin A and manganese, and the recipe is glutenfree – it can be classed as healthy(ish).

3 eggs A drop of vanilla extract 200g caster sugar 50g cocoa powder 50g rice flour (ground rice) 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder 100g ground almonds

Ingredients 250g dark chocolate, chopped 200g unsalted butter, cut into cubes 1 tbsp Tia Maria or other liqueur (optional) 250g beetroot, cooked

Method Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Use baking parchment to line a rectangular tin, roughly 28x18cm.

Put the chocolate and butter in a large

bowl and place it over a pan of simmering water, making sure the water doesn’t touch the base of the bowl. Leave to melt, then remove from the heat and stir in the Tia Maria (if you’re using it).

Purée the cooked beetroot in a food processor, then add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla and sugar, and mix until smooth.

Sift the cocoa powder, rice flour and baking powder into a bowl and stir in the ground almonds. Stir the beetroot mixture into the melted chocolate and then fold in the dry ingredients.

Pour the mixture into the tin and bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes, until just firm to the touch. It’s important not to overcook brownies; a skewer inserted in the centre should come out slightly sticky. Leave to cool in the tin and then cut into squares. www.riverford.co.uk

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Teresa Kennedy

STAY FIT THIS SUMMER

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Holiday fun for 2018 at Uppingham

Day and residential summer camps for 8-16 year olds in the rural Rutland countryside.

Music Courses for beginners and advanced musicians, classical, jazz and rock music Sport Tennis, hockey, netball, rugby and football camps Lots of Creative Arts Creative writing and art fun for Performing Arts Drama, musical theatre and circus skills e!

Technology and Science Sensational science, computer coding and Rasperry Pi everyon

For more information or to book:www.uppinghamsummerschool.co.uk summerschool@uppingham.co.uk

` Like us on Facebook

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01572 820800

t Follow us on Twitter

21/06/2018 15:37

Activelife NATURE

THE SPOTTED FLYCATCHER

GARDEN

SIMPLE AND NATURAL DESIGN IDEAS Garden designer Teresa Kennedy tells us how to follow some of the trends that appeared at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show It has been six weeks since the 2018 RHS Chelsea Flower Show extravaganza, giving us plenty of time to ruminate, digest and absorb all of the beauty and quirkiness on display.

High summer is here and in between the dead-heading, watering, feeding and mowing there is time to stand back and look at how your outdoor space performs during the warmest months of the year when we tend to want it to work its socks off for our pleasure.

Bringing in some of the trends and styles that featured at Chelsea back in May can enhance what you have and add a new dimension to your outside space.

NATURAL PLANTING Styles were much looser. We saw woodland-

style planting, soft edges and less clipped structures. Bringing in just one multi-stemmed tree gives you the backdrop you need to create a woodland scheme. Birch and amelanchier are both excellent choices for a regular-sized garden as they don’t have a heavy canopy and by gentle pruning you can create a through-view.

Underplant with ferns, spring bulbs, foxgloves and grasses, and leave everything to grow long – the less you fuss, the more natural the end result will look.

A large garden with mature trees may attract a pair of spotted flycatchers, one of the latest migrants to return from Africa.

They are sparrow-sized, grey brown above and paler below with an upright stance as they sit quietly on branches waiting for insects to fly past.

When prey is seen the bird flies out, seizes it and returns to its original perch.

This characteristic behaviour draws attention to this otherwise unobtrusive bird. Insects up to the size of a butterfly may be taken.

The nest is concealed in ivy or creepers growing on trees or walls and openfronted nest boxes are readily used in gardens. Usually one brood is reared from a clutch of four or five pale blue eggs.

Like other summer migrants, spotted flycatchers have suffered a marked decline in recent years. Between 1965 and 2010 the UK population has dropped by a massive 89%. Many reasons have been proposed for this, including increased nest predation by jays and magpies, a lack of large flying insects during cooler summers, and problems in their African wintering areas.

It would be sad if this lively bird was lost from our summer woods and gardens.

Terry Mitcham

VERTICAL GARDENING This is a growing trend that has featured at Chelsea recently, and is brilliantly suited to a modern, new-build garden, a rooftop or courtyard. A simple way to introduce it at home is to build a wall-hung grate – a wooden frame, two verticals and regular-spaced horizontals – and use the horizontals to hang pots and baskets. This works really well in a dark and shady corner with creepers and ferns but equally your hot spot wall will offer you plenty of vegetable gardening space with tumbling tomatoes, chillies, strawberries and herbs.

RECYCLED MATERIALS Yes, there was crazy paving this year - and I am a big fan. It offers a perfect setting for creeping thyme and little alpines and also allows you to keep things a little more rough around the edges. Recycling is big news at the moment. It can be surprising what you find after a root around your garden and behind sheds. Chelsea showcased plenty of large rocks, stones and tree stumps which offer architectural shaping and double up for natural seating. The perfect place to sit and admire your handiwork. www.viridisdesign.co.uk 07726 334501

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Activelife

TRAVEL

A GREEN AND PLEASANT LAND This month we celebrate the beauty of England and explore it in all its glory A recent BBC survey has shown that many of us refuse to admit to being proud to be English, while the Welsh, Scots and Irish are extremely proud of their heritage.

Interestingly, here in the Midlands nearly 90% of us do feel ‘fairly or very strongly English’. And, of course, don’t ask someone from Yorkshire how they feel about God’s Own County! Sadly, many of us don’t spend enough time exploring our own country and are too quick to hop on a plane when it comes to holidays. So take some time to find out what England has to offer, you may be pleasantly surprised.

July is possibly one of the best months to celebrate England, and all its glory, particularly if the weather stays kind and offers us a hot, dry summer. Where is a better place to be on a hot, sunny July day than one of the vast sunny beaches in Norfolk or Suffolk, surfing in Cornwall or enjoying the scenery in the Lake District?

England, despite being relatively small, offers very varied scenery and culinary delights. The

lushness of the south west, cream teas and cider; Somerset, the Cheddar Gorge and its cheese; the glory of the South Downs, the White Cliffs and Brighton; the New Forest and its ponies; The Cotswolds; Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, and then the more stark landscapes of Dartmoor, the Peak District and the Yorkshire Moors, where you must sample some black pudding. Or head even further north to enjoy Northumberland with its hills, beautiful towns and Hadrian’s Wall.

The list is endless and we haven’t mentioned Bath with its Roman baths and Georgian architecture, or cities such as London, Bristol, Liverpool and Manchester.

We are very lucky as we have spectacular countryside and coastlines, historic towns and cities, fabulous architecture and gastronomic delicacies. What’s not to be proud of?

WEBSITES

www.visitengland.com www.nationaltrust.org.uk www.thenewforest.co.uk www.jurassiccoast.org

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Activelife

YOU CAN IMAGINE when I heard on the grapevine that my next assignment would involve spending some time at the bar how pleased I was.

Finally a topic on which I can claim to be an expert, as opposed to yet another of those fish-out-of-water experiences that the editor, with his rather warped sense of humour, delights in sending me to – and this time mightily relieved there would be no embarrassing photographs in the magazine of me attempting something more suited to someone far younger, slimmer and fitter...

I should have known better. The ‘barre’ in question was, of course, the handrail used in ballet and the type of bar work I was destined for had nothing to do with pulling pints. So it was I found myself travelling to Greetham Valley on a Tuesday evening for one more bout of ritual humiliation, this time in the form of a ballet fitness class.

Things did look up as I arrived however, when I met instructor Louise Sheehan. She told me she’d been a globetrotting professional dancer and choreographer in her 20s but now, having acquired several impressive-sounding training qualifications, had decided to settle down and teach, which she’s been doing for over eight years now.

So why are ballet techniques good for general fitness, I wondered?

“It’s low impact on your joints yet you’re working your whole body including your arms and legs,” she told me. “It’s particularly good if you’ve had an injury or just aren’t that athletic to start with. Each exercise we do is adjustable to your own ability – everyone’s working the same muscle group but to the extent that works best for them. As opposed to running or going to the gym, with Barre you don’t realise you’re getting fit because it’s such fun.”

BARRE WORK Ballet isn’t just about performing on stage in a tutu – its combination of stretching and controlled movement is great for tone and fitness, as Jeremy Beswick found out

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THEATRE TALKS MUSIC COMEDY WORKSHOPS EXHIBITIONS

Love theatre?

Enjoy more amazing theatre performances at stamford arts centre

27 St Mary’s Street Stamford PE9 2DL Box Office 01780 763203 www.stamfordartscentre.com

QUENTIN CRISP: NAKED HOPE FRI 22 JUN 8PM TICKETS £12 (£10) £5 STUDENTS

DADMAN: THE BATH-TIME WARRIOR WED 27 JUN 1.30PM & 7.30PM ALL TICKETS £5

LOUISE WHITE PRESENTS: DEBRIS THU 19 JUL 7.30PM TICKETS 12 (£10) £5 STUDENTS

We are proud to be part of the Cultural Services Team, South Kesteven District Council

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For business, for you, for life .

21/06/2018 15:37

Activelife

Left and below Author Jeremy gets to grips with the barre, although it was not the bar he was expecting on this assignment. However, he certainly enjoyed his workout and felt the benefits afterwards

I was all for the “not so athletic to start with” bit but rather cynical about the “fun” part.

However, it wasn’t at all as bad as I’d thought when we started with some gentle warm-up exercises and the music really helped when we moved on to something a little more challenging. The room was bright and airy and the surroundings of the golf club, beautiful as they are, added to the general sense of well-being.

My classmates were trying to be as supportive as possible, as was Louise, although you may be able to discern some rather amused expressions half-hidden on their faces from the photos and there were almost certainly moments when Lou had to look away to keep her voice steady.

She was definitely concentrating in another direction when I was squeezing a red ball between my legs and I heard her remark “You might find your knees start to shake slowly after a while.”

Mine had started to shake after about a millisecond – and so quickly that Pip the photographer had to adjust the shutter speed on

the camera to stop my lower body being just a blur.

Nevertheless, I could feel the work doing me good and the gentle stretching was certainly toning parts of the body I don’t usually use.

Apparently, many of those are muscle groups that help support and keep the body stable and it’s very common for them to be neglected in other exercise regimes.

One of the reasons I escaped relatively unscathed in the end is that this is all suitable for beginners and you don’t need to have danced before. I spoke to new recruit Jill Smith and asked for her first impressions: “The first thing you notice about the venue is its freshness.

The place is newly done and there’s a lovely smell of pine – not bodies! It’s also hassle free with no parking problems and so on. Louise is very welcoming and smiley and she looks so healthy and toned you can’t help but think will this do the same for me? Crikey, she looks good!”

What is she like as a trainer I asked?

“First of all, she’s a very thoughtful person,” said Jill. “She explains the activities to you very

well and I like the way she encourages, as opposed to commands. Her leadership is really clear so that they’re easy to pick up and understand. There’s a really nice vibe about it and it sets you up for the day. You feel good afterwards.”

Barre was invented in London in the late 1950s by a ballerina who’d injured her back and was looking to combine the physio’s suggested recovery exercises with her ballet routines and that’s doubtless one reason it can be relatively gentle in nature. It quickly caught on and – according to that invaluable source for all journalists, Wikipedia – early converts included Joan Collins and Barbra Streisand. It’s also big in the USA, where there are more than 400 dedicated studios which is testament to its positive effects on posture, balance and muscle tone. It’s aesthetically pleasing too – which you certainly couldn’t say about most gym work.

Louise said: “If you’re looking for something different you should definitely give this a go.

There’s as much laughter as there is sweat and you really don’t realise you’re getting fit as you do it. I love motivating people. Seeing them have a good work out whilst having fun is what I enjoy.”

She has a wide variety of ages at her sessions, from teenagers to those in their sixties and, although I was the first male, more “would be welcome if they’re brave enough – come along with a mate for moral support” she suggested.

Personally, being old, fat and with two left feet I think I’ll be sticking to the bar I know best, but I did enjoy my brief experience and for many of the rest of you out there I think this could be just the ticket.

Tel: 0772 574 7898 info@barrered.co.uk www.barrered.co.uk 1 class - £8, 5 classes - £35, 10 classes - £60 Monday: 09:45 – 10:45 Pilates, 19:45 – 20:45 BootyBarre Tuesday: 19:45 – 20:45 Yoga Flow Saturday: 09:00 – 09:45 Pilates HIIT, 10:00 – 11:00 BootyBarre

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Activelife

STAMFORD SHAKESPEARE COMPANY HITS 50 The open air theatre company is half a century old, and celebrates more than one million tickets sold this year too

THE STAMFORD SHAKESPEARE COMPANY, based at Tolethorpe Hall, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

Founded in 1968 by RADA graduate Jean Harley, it initially produced plays in the monastery garden of Stamford’s George Hotel, initially to raise money for the creation of the Stamford Arts Centre and restoration of the Georgian theatre in St Mary’s Street.

When, due to building work, the hotel could no longer accommodate the company, a new venue had to be found.

In 1977, with only £78 in the bank, the Stamford Shakespeare Company acquired the near-derelict Tolethorpe Hall. A private loan of £36,000, later repaid, enabled the company to buy the property and take advantage of the natural amphitheatre in the grounds.

The opening season at Tolethorpe Hall in 1977 saw productions of Macbeth and The Taming of the Shrew.

Members who recall the early days describe it as a chance happening which began with no great ambitions, no business plan, just a wish to carry on performing Shakespeare in the open air for the enjoyment of local audiences.

The company has gone from strength to strength. In the early 1980s one of the members, Derek Harrison, took on the publicity and relaunched the company’s profile. He oversaw increases in attendance from 6,000 in 1985 to 12,000 in 1986 and more than 34,000 by 1994.

Following a major refit to coincide with the 1993 season, its seating capacity was increased from 450 to 600 and a permanent canopy was erected over the auditorium to

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Other local performing arts centres Stamford Arts Centre There’s always high quality theatre shows, poetry performances, live music in the Georgian ballroom, workshops for adults and children, and exhibitions from amazing renowned artists.

The Arts Centre is home to Stamford Shoestring Theatre (as resident amateur theatre company) and is the centre of the Stamford Georgian Festival as well as Verse – Stamford Arts Centre’s Festival of Poetry and Spoken Word. The centre is an important outlet for purchasing tickets to all the great local events.

Stamford Arts Centre’s theatre (Stamford Theatre) brings some of the best and brightest talent from across the UK and internationally to the stage.

This year has seen poet laureates, TV and film stars treading the boards as well as high quality, up-and-coming performers and production companies who produce some of the highest quality, entertaining and thoughtprovoking shows around today. www.stamfordartscentre.com

protect the audience. The new theatre was opened by Sam Wanamaker, responsible for the construction of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre on London’s South Bank.

In September 2001, Tolethorpe Youth Drama (TYD) was founded by Central School of Speech and Drama graduate Carol King, while in 2002 a 30ft-high gantry was erected to enable actors to fly across the stage. Three years later, a trap room was built beneath the stage to provide access to the stage floor from below.

Jean Harley continued as artistic director and board member of the company, directing one of the three plays each season until she retired in 2008 after 41 years. In 2012, a comprehensive restoration of the roof of Tolethorpe Hall took place and in 2017, a revolve was built, making possible the creation of multiple settings on the same stage.

Work planned for 2018 includes an exciting revamp of the bar, orangery and restaurant which will celebrate the past 50 years. There will be costume and photo displays, exhibitions of the company’s history and much more. The three productions being staged are two of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, The Merry Wives of Windsor and The Merchant of Venice, and Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s classic comedy The School for Scandal.

Incredibly, the 2018 season has seen ticket sales hit one million since the company began performing at Tolethorpe Hall. What began as a modest, local, amateur venture has become a leading regional theatre with a growing national reputation, attracting an audience from around the UK and overseas.

Curve, Leicester Celebrating its 10th birthday this year, Curve is a spectacular state-of-the-art theatre based in the heart of Leicester’s vibrant Cultural Quarter.

Almost one million people a year are involved with Curve through performances and

projects at its home in Leicester, across the UK and internationally.

Curve has developed a reputation for producing, programming and touring a bold and diverse programme of musicals, plays, dance and opera. www.curveonline.co.uk

Woodcock Theatre Arts, Market Harborough Established in 1980 and formally known as The Joanne Woodcock School of Dance, the school offers classes including ballet, tap and theatre craft.

Throughout the year pupils are given the opportunity to enter in competitive dance festivals and may take part in just the group dances or even solos, duets and trios. www.woodcocktheatrearts.co.uk

Wildcats, Peterborough and Stamford Wildcats Academy is a fullyinclusive theatre school based in Stamford with classes across the South Lincolnshire, Rutland and Peterborough areas.

The school offers part time classes to those aged 2-16 and a full programme of educational holiday activities.

The school boasts more than 450 students with excellent pass rates at LAMDA (London Academy for Music and Dramatic Arts) examinations. www.wildcatstheatreschool.co.uk

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Activelife

THE FINISHING TOUCHES Edited by Mary Bremner

TRAVEL LIGHT Fed up with paying extra for your suitcase on budget airlines? Bite the bullet and travel light Budget airline travel is beginning to be more trouble than it’s worth. You have to pay extra to be seated with your travelling companion, pay to have your luggage put in the hold and now, to add insult to injury, some airlines are even charging you to keep your small suitcase on board with you. Holidaying within driving distance and shoving as much luggage as you like in the car is definitely becoming more and more appealing.

But for those of us who still want to fly to southern Europe to grab some sun, it is possible to travel without having to pay to put your case in the hold. Be honest, how often do you go on holiday and never wear half of the clothes you take with you? I was

guilty of this, but now I refuse to pay to put my case in the hold and travel light, wearing everything and never feeling I don’t have enough to wear.

You just have plan ahead and be disciplined. A 10kg weight allowance is doable, especially if you are going somewhere warm. First port of call, check the size of case allowed on board, and then buy the lightest one you can find.

TK Maxx is great for cheap, good quality cases. Next be realistic about what you are going to wear. Do you really need three tops, two pairs of trousers and a different pair of shoes for each day? No, of course you don’t. Throw in a bikini, a cover up, a pair of shorts or skirt for the day, a couple

of T-shirts, underwear, flip-flops and a dress or linen trousers for the evening, and that should be all you need. You can wear said trousers and dress more than once, just rotate them, and try not to spill red wine down them, and if there are washing facilities, use them. Wear your heaviest pair of shoes on the plane, and any jacket or jumper that you might need for the evening, so avoiding anything bulky going in the case, and you’re done.

Something I have always found – and I don’t think it’s just me –is that however large the case, I always seem to fill it, so the smaller the case the better.

Now all you have to think about is the minimum amount of lotions and potions to go in your plastic bag. Supermarkets and chemists sell plenty of ‘airline friendly’ size jars and buy suntan lotion or whatever else you need when you get there.

And there you have it. It’s easy really, isn’t it? And the lighter the case the better, because remember, you do have to be able to lift it into the overhead locker.

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NO PAIN, NO GAIN – DEEP MUSCLE FULL BODY MASSAGE

And finally...

Travel essentials

Mary Bremner lets Barnsdale Hall Spa ease some tired muscles Barnsdale Hall Spa is well known, and respected, locally for its beauty treatments, ranging from hair to the full spa works.

I’ve tried the flotation tank before and found it incredibly relaxing. Today was going to be slightly different as I was going to have a deep muscle full body massage, given by Jessica, who trained in the Philippines.

I am a fan of deep muscle massages, but not a masochist as they can be extremely painful. But then again, no pain, no gain.

Standard massages, despite being very pleasant, don’t always hit the spot with my tight muscles. And unfortunately I have a lot of ‘spots’ when it comes to knotty muscles, many I was aware of, and others that Jessica found.

My shoulders, neck and lower back are often stiff and creaky, mainly because of tension and strain, and sadly, onsetting years.

Sitting at a computer all day, driving long distances, walking a strong dog who has the strength of two if he spots a cat, and going to the gym lifting weights all take their toll.

So Jessica had a lot to work on. And work hard she did. At times her deft hands really did reach the spot, almost too well.

I’m used to having my back massaged, firmly, so can cope with the pain that is

almost a pleasure – sounds weird but, despite the massage being painful, working on the stiff muscles, having the lumps and bumps evened out is also, quite soothing, even slightly pleasant.

When it came to my legs, it was definitely not a pleasure. I don’t often have full body massages and had no idea that the muscles in my legs were so tight. It was quite hard not to squeal at times and I had to keep telling myself to breathe and let the massage work. But Jessica checked that I was happy with the depth of the massage, and I was (just). As I said no pain, no gain, and I could feel that it was doing me good.

The massage took an hour and afterwards I knew I’d had it. But I was immediately so much more flexible, easily able to touch my toes, which sometimes I can’t. Feeling slightly light headed, I made sure I drank the water offered which all helps with flushing out the toxins.

The following day I felt slightly tender, around the top of my neck in particular, but my stiff back had eased and the tension in my shoulders had gone.

I’d definitely recommend Jessica and her clever hands to ease away the travails of every day life.

American tourister small suitcase £59.99 www.tkmaxx.com

White tropical leopard bikini £25.98 www.newlook.com

A 55-minute massage costs £55 www.barnsdalehotel.co.uk

Animal maxi beach dress £12 www.boohoo.com

Havaianas slim animal print flip-flops £26 www.johnlewis.com

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Feature /// Great walks

ACTIVE INFO udica’s

STAMFORD AND EASTON-ON-THE-HILL

lking in Bo You will be wa Stamford footsteps on the endary Queen leg e Th s. ow Mead is said to have of the Iceni tribe nants of rem the ed rsu pu army here 9th n ma Ro the seat where the stone marks the spot.

This classic walk incorporates town and country and never fails, and there is a new development at Easton church this year. By Will Hetherington Photography: Will Hetherington

Difficulty rating (out of five)

THE ROUTE

Start on the meadows in Stamford by Bath Row and head west towards the A1. Go through the gateway in the first fence and keep going over the meadows for half a mile until you get to the green steel bridge over the Welland. Cross the bridge and turn right. Keep the river on your right and keep going past the weir. There are lots of opportunities for the dog(s) to get in the river here and it’s a good idea on a hot day.

Keeping the river on your immediate right keep going under the A1 and head on for another half a mile following the meanders until you reach the southern edge of Tinwell. But don’t

cross the bridge here; turn left here and after less than 100 yards bear right on to the tree-lined track. This section can be very muddy in winter but should be fine in summer. After five minutes you will come to the railway crossing. Take care here and then start the long uphill stretch to Easton. This is an access road so will always be good underfoot but it’s a kilometre of uphill so it’s good exercise.

When you reach the top you can turn left along the dirt track with great views of the Welland Valley. This will also take you to the church where you turn right into the village and can enjoy this wonderful example of a stone-built English village at its very best. Also, this summer there is a new development in progress next to the existing church graveyard. The good people of the village recognised the need for more space here and so the plan was hatched to build a peace garden and labyrinth between the church and the allotments. Work has been underway this spring

and early summer, so you should be able to see significant progress in July and August.

When you reach the T-junction in the middle of the village you will find the Blue Bell pub on your right, which is a good spot for a drink. If you aren’t stopping, turn left and walk thrugh the dip in the road before joining the A43 for less than 100 yards and then take care crossing the busy road to take the footpath which cuts off diagonally on the south side of the A43.

Head down here for half a mile through some pretty arable fields and woodland until you come to the Wothorpe ruins. Here you can either turn left and follow the footpath which wends its way back down under the A1 and through wealthy Wothorpe to Stamford, or stay on the track as it heads over the A1. The latter route is flanked by some glorious horse chestnut trees and brings you out by Burghley Park golf course where you turn left and walk the half mile or so down the hill into Stamford.

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ESSENTIAL INFORMATION Where to park Bath Row or the Cattle Market car park near the George in Stamford. Or you can park at the Exeter Arms or Blue Bell in Easton if you want to finish your walk there.

Distance and time Six miles/two hours Highlights The views of Stamford from the meadows and from Easton. The ruins of Wothorpe Towers which were built as a dower house for Burghley House in the early 17th Century.

Lowlights Going under or over the A1 is a necessary evil on this walk.

Refreshments The Blue Bell and the Exeter Arms in Easton and the Bull & Swan on High Street St. Martin’s in Stamford.

The pooch perspective There are no cattle or sheep on the meadows or up to Easton. There are some sheep on the way back through Wothorpe. There is plenty of opportunity to chase other dogs around and get in the river on the meadows. And both pubs in Easton and the Bull & Swan have dog-friendly beer gardens.

For your own safety and navigation make sure you have an OS map with you when you go out walking. You won’t regret it.

©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2018 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 027/18

Clockwise, from main

Stamford’s skyline looking back from the town meadows; Church Street in Easton-on-the-Hill; the ruins of Wothorpe Towers

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Lutterworth High School

11~16 ACADEMY TRUST|Where Learning Comes First

OPEN EVENING THURSDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER 2018, 5.30-8.00PM Talks at 5.45pm and 6.45pm

We invite you to see and experience our outstanding school. Speak to our talented and committed staff and meet our friendly students.

Find out more about our exceptional enrichment opportunities.

See our excellent facilities, including our state of the art Learning Hub and The Terrace.

W www.lutterworthhigh.co.uk

T 01455 552710

E admin@lutterworthhigh.co.uk

Please contact Pam Morey, PA to Headteacher, to book a tour - pmorey@lutterworthhigh.co.uk

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Feature /// Great walks

ACTIVE INFO use is

de Ho Lyddington Be and includes Grade 1 listed val bishop’s parts of a medie part of the palace. In 1600 nverted into an palace was co it continued in almhouse and 30. this use until 19

LYDDINGTON AND STOKE DRY One of Rutland’s finest villages is the start and end point on this neat triangular walk with a good pub or two to choose from along the way. By Will Hetherington Photography: Will Hetherington

Difficulty rating (out of five)

THE ROUTE

Park on the main street in Lyddington or in one of the two pub car parks if you will be heading in there after your walk.

Both the Marquess of Exeter and the Old White Hart are excellent for food and drink so take your pick. Once you have parked, walk up Stoke Road which heads west out of the village and look out for the footpath sign in a gateway on the right hand side after just a few yards. Take this path and you will soon be starting to earn your lunch

as it goes straight up one of the steep hills which surround Uppingham. Stay on the path as it gently curves uphill for slightly more than one kilometre. When you stop to get your breath back at the top you will find you are next to the main A6003 which connects Uppingham and Corby.

Cross straight over and follow the road as it bends around to the left and drops steeply into Stoke Dry. You will pass the church on your left as you pass quickly through this sleepy little hamlet, with beautiful Eye Brook reservoir dominating the view in the near distance.

When you have gone all the way through the village look out for the footpath sign on the left before the road makes a right angle turn to the right. Take this path and stay on it as you pass a belt of woodland on your right and then the path

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www innerwolf co uk online and in-store

Healthy from the

Inside Out

Please come to the Veterinary Surgery 5th of July, Open event, from 4pm to 8.30pm, receive a guided tour/behind the scenes look at our surgery, and partake of delicious refreshments, whilst enjoying live music.

30 Year Celebration In July 1988, Rob Pontefract opened the Veterinary Surgery at 43 Empingham Road.

So in July the surgery will have been open for 30 years; providing a veterinary service to our clients and their beloved pets.

This is a special event for the whole community.

Come and celebrate with free food and a drink.(BBQ, including Vegetarian option, Drinks Bar.) and enjoy Live Music/Band.

Come for a fun evening (Including prizes.) and bring a 6x4 photograph of your pet for the pin board competition.

Thank you for supporting our business over the last 30 years.

Here’s to the next 30 years at Clear Ridge Veterinary Surgery.

Follow us on Facebook for more specific details.

www.facebook.com/ClearRidgeVets t: 01780

764333 www.clearridgevets.co.uk

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Feature /// Great walks

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ESSENTIAL INFORMATION Where to park On the main road in Lyddington or the car park at the Marquess of Exeter or the Old White Hart if you are definitely going in later.

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Distance and time Four and a half miles/an hour and a half.

Highlights Beautful Lyddington. Eyebrook Reservoir.

Two cracking pubs.

Lowlights Walking along the A6003 for a brief stretch.

Refreshments The Marquess of Exeter and the Old White Hart.

The pooch perspective This is a reasonably dog friendly walk but there may be some livestock around and there is limited fresh water around.

For your own safety and navigation make sure you have an OS map with you when you go out walking. You won’t regret it.

©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2018 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 027/18

bears left and uphill again through a couple more fields.

Keep scanning the horizon for the next waymarker as I discovered it’s easy to miss the turn up here. But assuming you spot the post you will soon rejoin the A6003 where you turn right and walk along the side of the road for approximately 250 yards. It is a busy road but it’s not for long so it shouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience. You will soon see the footpath sign on the left hand side of the road. Take the path down the side of a utility site and pick up the footpath heading back north east across some ridge nd furrow fields to Lyddington.

Just before you get to the village you will pass through a farmyard where the farm dog did come out to warn me off but was soon brought back under control by its owner. From here it’s a short walk back into the village to the pub of your choice.

Right

The Eyebrook Reservoir

/// J U L Y 2 0 1 8 41

36-41 Walk Feature OK.indd 40

22/06/2018 15:55

Feature /// Staycation

T H E U LT I M AT E S TAYC AT I O N You don’t have to go abroad to enjoy the luxury of a top hotel. Here are our tips to give your home and garden the comfort and style of a 5-star hotel

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FEATURE Staycation.indd 42

23/06/2018 16:59

Decorative pillows and trims are also placed expertly within the space to accent sofas and chairs. Try to use neutral colours for the main objects, such as rugs, curtains, chairs, and sofas.

Hotels do this because the space needs to appeal to different people. Accessorise the space with fun and chic pops of colour with artwork, books, and vases to make it a bit more you.

MAKE IT SMELL NICE

A STATEMENT WELCOME

Hit your visitors between the eyes with a statement welcome. Start with a small entry way table made of marble, wood or shiny lacquer.

Accessorise your table with a lamp, a bowl for knick-knacks, some books and a fresh flower arrangement. If your table is against a wall, then place a painting or statement mirror above it.

A HOME SPA BATHROOM

Make your bathroom feel like a spa by using the freshest colour palette: white on white. White, neatly folded matching towels, scented candles, lavender hand soap, white or light coloured shower curtain, and don’t forget the matching bathroom mats.

DECLUTTER YOUR ROOMS

Luxury hotels might be busy and have lots of accessories, but they aren’t cluttered: everything is where it is for a purpose. Use baskets and decorative bowls to hide clutter. Shelves should

be used to display collections. Side tables are for pretty vases, fresh flowers, and lamps. Adding a rug or carpet to a space also brings the entire room together. Do make sure your rugs and carpets are always clean and presentable though, to prevent odours, allergies and embarrassments.

USE DRAMATIC TEXTILES

Exotic textiles which make a visual impact can be highly effective in creating glamour. Med Deli Wistow has extended its showroom, so on top of the wide selection of olives, baklava and other delicious Turkish food, it now has a textile room dedicated to Turkish carpets, kilims, pottery and mosaic lighting, Italian and Turkish fabrics, and wallpaper from Linwoods.

BE LAYERED AND NEUTRAL

Luxury hotel rooms are typically designed in a layered manner. The main flooring is usually marble or hardwood, layered with rugs.

Nothing makes a space come to life like fresh flowers or greenery. Luxury hotels always have beautiful flower arrangements and/or plants in all rooms. It may be daunting and expensive to maintain a home full of fresh-cut flowers, but there are ways to attain this aesthetic without the high costs and effort. Just add some house plants such as orchids or large palm plants. If live plants aren’t really your thing, you can also add other natural elements to your home. A vase filled with spindly twigs or a glass bowl filled with acorns could do the job. Scented candles also add a touch of serenity to your home. Having them in every room of your house will not only create a look of luxury and romance (while showing your attention to detail and design), but will also give your home a balanced and harmonious scent.

HARNESS FIRE

Outdoor living spaces are well on their way to becoming a requisite rather than simply a value-add, and fully realised alfresco living rooms are distinguished by one signature feature: fire. Whether a dramatic stone hearth and fireplace, a firepit or a chiminea, a fire element turns an outdoor space into an outdoor room that can be used year-round. Stamford Stoves in Barnack has launched an outdoor range of heaters, fireplaces and ovens. The Jotul patio fireplaces are a vision of beauty, starting at £349 and with four designs to choose from, so you are bound to be able to keep warm next to one of these. Then there are fabulous Delivita pizza ovens, which can also be used to cook joints of meat and fish and start at £1,200, or Chesneys of London Heat BBQ heaters, which transforms into an incredible outdoor wood burning stove.

/// J U LY 2018 4 3

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23/06/2018 17:02

Feature /// Staycation

BRING THE INDOOR OUT

Hotels often do a great job of making living outdoors a joy and home designers are bringing the inside out by creating permanent, covered living spaces with all the same amenities as an indoor family room, living room, or kitchen – only without walls.

For outdoor living furniture, Gates Garden Centre has a superb selection that’s equally at home in the conservatory or on the patio. Its furniture is selected to suit all tastes and budgets and there’s a wide range to choose from. Its range includes the now hugely popular all-weather woven furniture in contemporary and traditional styles, cast aluminium dining sets, finest teak seating and benches, rustic wooden furniture for a more informal look and a huge range of parasols to complement every setting. Comfortable, elegant pillows done in luxurious fabrics further blur the lines between indoor and outdoor living.

Then there’s cooking and this year Gates launched a brand new Weber World store which now has the full range of Weber barbeques and accessories. Weber is the most awarded Which?

Best Buy barbeque brand with charcoal, gas, electric, smokers and portable barbeques for all budgets.

Smoking food on the barbeque has become hugely popular in recent years. Enjoy the sweet smell of pulled pork smoking over charcoal and apple wood chunks. Or trout that’s caught in the lake and smoked on shore.

The Smokey Mountain Cooker smokers are available in three sizes to accommodate any garden, while the new electric barbeque range is perfect for city living –- plug in your electric barbecue and cook outdoors no matter where you live.

BRING THE OUTDOOR IN

Unfortunately, from time to time the weather might mean you’ve got to stay indoors, but you can still make it a stunning space that is relaxing and luxurious.

An orangery is a bespoke solution to adding light and space to your home, says Orchard. It is a new take on a traditional atrium-style conservatory and these stunning buildings flood the adjoining rooms with light. The light, bright and airy interior will add a new dimension to your home and provide a seamless link between your home and garden.

Garden rooms are designed to blend seamlessly with your home, providing substantial extra living space that can be harnessed for a wide range of uses. They combine the light and airy feel of a traditional conservatory, yet with a solid tiled roof and the energy efficiency of an extension.

Whether you are looking for a contemporary or traditional extension to your home, a garden room can provide a highly functional, flexible and luxurious new living space.

Orchard conservatories can be tailored to suit your needs, with a range of traditional lean-to,

Victorian, Edwardian, bespoke timber, orangeries and combination conservatories to choose from, with fully glazed, dwarf wall or insulated feature panel design options.

A warm roof is the biggest revelation to hit the home improvement market for years. You can now change your tired old conservatory roof to a brand new Warm Roof from Stamfordbased Classic Kitchens and effectively turn your conservatory into a new extension that can be used all year round. The complete changeover can take as little as six to eight days.

Classic roofs are fully ventilated, enabling air to flow over the eaves and through the entire roof system ridge or wall plate, giving you a versatile year-round living space. Even better, you save on heating bills.

If you want to flood your rooms with light, Klosen do some fabulous contemporary aluminium windows and doors which allow the

sun to pour in, and roof lights too, which are a natural, and energy-efficient, way of drawing more light into a living space. They come in all shapes and bespoke designs to marry up with your property.

Alternatively, should you want to create a cosy feel or keep the heat of the sun out of your conservatory, designer Inshade conservatory blinds from Oakham-based 5 Day Blinds are the simple, modern solution for controlling heat and glare. Their ability to eliminate glare and reflect over 70% of the sun’s heat allows you to enjoy a comfortable conservatory all year round.

Sitting gracefully below the roof frame, the elegance and usability of InShade sail blinds has made them an increasingly popular addition to homes. This is partly due to the flexibility of design options, the attentive design process, and the straightforward aftercare and maintenance.

4 4 J U LY 2018 ///

FEATURE Staycation.indd 44

23/06/2018 17:02

WE CAN HELP YOU! Ideas, Inspiration and Individuality.

Oh, and more plants than you ever dreamed of...

The future of flooring is closer than you think.

Conveniently located in central Oadby, we’re your NEW local specialists for the latest luxury floors, carpets, wood floors and rugs.

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We Supply Roller, Vertical, Roman, Curtains, Perfect Fit, Pleated, Conservatory sails FOR A QUOTATION OR ADVICE Call Richard on 01572 759176 or 07967 383827

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46.indd 1

21/06/2018 15:37

Feature /// Staycation

CREATE 5-STAR FOOD

Classic Kitchens has some fabulous kitchens that will provide the perfect environment for preparing 5-star food. Its H Line is ultra minimal, clean lined and a modern mix of gloss, textured and super smooth finishes, all blended together with a programme of furniture, allowing almost any taste in finish to be accommodated.

But it also has classic oak and painted furniture for the ultimate traditional look, country house hotel feel or classic design while contemporary kitchens are personified by the timeless shaker style of doors that seem more popular than ever. Contemporary kitchens are characterised by uncluttered and streamlined designs that epitomise quality style and sophistication.

CREATE A PERFECT PATIO

Most patios provide lots of room for living and dining areas. The trick is creating a flexible, multi-purpose layout with places to eat and relax that’s also an extension of the garden.

Maintain an open area in the centre to encourage flow to and from the lawn beyond.

Keep furniture on the lighter side so that you can quickly and easily move it around to accommodate different-size crowds on the fly. A large sofa and club chairs can become a more intimate conversation area on one side, while the middle open space provides lots of room for mingling. An umbrella over the table makes it a perfect entertaining spot.

Orchard undertakes all aspects of landscaping to compliment your conservatory,

orangery, garden room or outside space, while you can soften the paved and walled spaces with planting.

Kibworth Garden Centre has a large range of herbaceous perennials, alpines, heathers, fruit trees and most garden shrubs and trees.

Perhaps set up a natural green wall by arranging the potted plants well to bring out clear pathways within the outdoor living space.

Also, be creative enough to create small rooms within the outdoor living space by arranging the plants strategically for a sensational outlook.

LIGHT FANTASTIC

During the summer time, nobody wants to miss cool evenings in the outdoor living space.

Lighting plays a key role in setting a perfect ambience for your outdoor living area.

Light sets a particular mood, provides safety and creates focal points in your outdoor living space. Choose between solar, electrical or pretty lanterns from Med Deli to illuminate your outdoor living space.

SUPPLIERS FOR THAT 5-STAR HOTEL LOOK Stamford Stoves 01780 769274 info@stamfordstoves.co.uk Kibworth Garden Centre 0116 2792754 www.kibworthgardencentre.co.uk Med Deli Wistow 0116 2593441 www.olivetreecompany.co.uk med_deli_wistow Classic Kitchens 01780 654321 www.classicstamford.co.uk 5 Day Blinds 01572 759176 www.5dayblinds.co.uk Klosen 01778 346611 www.klosen.co.uk Gates Garden Centre 01664 454309 www.gatesgardencentre.co.uk Orchard Windows, Conservatories and Doors 01780 753 343 wwworchardwindows.co.uk

/// J U L Y 2 0 1 8 4 7

FEATURE Staycation.indd 47

23/06/2018 17:03

ACTIVE BODY

MRI scans explained, nutrition advice on what not to eat and complementary therapy to help you get the most out of walking for health Edited by Steve Moody

MAGNETIC ATTRACTION Dr Hany Elmadbouh, clinical director of Avicenna Clinic explains MRI Very few patients are thrilled to get an MRI scan and, honestly, we can understand why.

An hour of claustrophobia in a 60cm-wide tube is not a pleasant thought.

But magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the safest and most non-invasive ways to see inside the human body, using a powerful magnetic field, radio waves and a computer to produce three dimensional detailed pictures of organs, soft tissues, bone and virtually all other internal body structures.

It is based on sophisticated technology that excites and detects the change in the direction of the rotational axis of protons found in the water that makes up living tissues. MRI does not use the damaging ionizing radiation (X-rays), unlike CT scans.

The brain, spinal cord and nerves, as well as joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons are seen much more clearly with MRI than with regular x-rays and CT. For this reason, MRI is often used for sport-related injuries with suspected soft tissue sprain, bone bruise, fracture or cartilage damage.

Detailed images allow doctors to evaluate

4 8 J U LY 2018 ///

various parts of the body and determine the presence of certain diseases and to monitor treatment for a variety of conditions.

One kind of specialised MRI is functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). This is used to observe brain structures and determine which areas of the brain “activate” (consume more oxygen) during various cognitive tasks.

There are two main types of MRI machines. Conventional closed MRIs consist of a hollow, cylindrical structure that patients are sent slowly through. It completely envelopes individuals during a scan. From the narrow bore (often measuring 60 cm) to the tube-like, “buried-alive” enclosure, patient comfort is seriously lacking with many closed MRI systems.

Open MRI is a machine that is open on the sides rather than a tube closed at one end, so it does not fully surround the patient. This open design allows patients to look around the room or remain near family or friends. It was developed to

accommodate the needs of patients who are uncomfortable with the narrow tunnel and noises of the traditional MRI and for patients whose wide shoulders or weight make the traditional MRI impractical.

There are two configurations for open MRI. One where the patient is positioned between two vertical poles (standing) and the other lying between horizontal poles (lying).

Only the lying open MRI allows patients to be accompanied by a holding-hand friend and family member and also the one that is used for targeted image-guided intervention such as for pain management injections into the spine, joints and soft tissues.

Avicenna Clinic houses the only open MRI in the East of England, in addition to ultrasound and X-ray scanning equipment.

The clinic offers a one-stop, same day appointment to a range of consultants for fast diagnosis and tailored treatment.

For more information, contact Avicenna Clinic on 0330 202 0597.

Open MRI Providers of professional live-in care for those who wish to stay in their own homes and need assistance due to the limitations of age or illness.

We offer professional and caring help with long term continuing care, companionship, dementia care, palliative care, respite care and ‘end of life’ care.

Tel: 01572 869138 Email: bridget@alwaystakecare.com www.alwaystakecare.co.uk

49.indd 1

21/06/2018 15:37

ACTIVE BODY

CUT THE C.R.A.P Nutritionist Dawn Revens reckons there’s an easy way to remember what foods not to eat…

Endurance athletes need to eat to support their body through training and racing.

Day-to-day eating habits will either support or sabotage your results.

The majority of us think that we eat a far healthier diet than we actually do, but do you really know how much C.R.A.P you are eating?

So what exactly do I mean? I love this acronym because it sums up the nutritional quality of each of the foods in the word.

It’s a tool I use to help me assess the quality of the foods which are being eaten by my clients. I call healthy foods ‘foods which make you go’ whereas C.R.A.P foods are ‘foods which make you slow’.

C – carbonated drinks are high in fructose which the body sees as a toxin and so stores it as fat to protect the body.

R – refined carbohydrates which includes white flour, white bread, white pasta, cakes, biscuits, the majority of cereals, etc.

A – alcohol and artificial flavourings, colours and preservatives. Alcohol is processed by the body as a toxin. Food additives are artificial chemicals used to prolong the life of food, avoid these by eating fresh.

P - processed foods are likely to contain all of the above as well as trans fats which are considered a danger to good health.

The frightening fact is that in western society on average 60% of the calories we consume come from highly processed sugars, fats and proteins. This is the root cause of the alarming increase in type 2 diabetes.

Added to that, refined foods have low nutritional value.

If you eat a highly refined diet then you are then relying on 30% of your food intake to supply you with 100% of the 50 essential nutrients you need. These resulting nutritional deficiencies will result in disease.

Unfortunately C.R.A.P food is available absolutely everywhere we go 24/7. There’s plenty of the highly processed, calorie dense C.R.A.P available which stimulates our reward centres making us crave even more so that we actively seek our next ‘fix’ somewhere along the street.

Many of us turn to endurance sports in the hope that it will keep our weight under control.

The sad fact is that if we eat too much C.R.A.P, over time we will become more insulin resistant. This in turn alters our metabolism meaning we will store more fat and it will be harder to get rid of it. Type 2 diabetes along with heart disease will become real health risks which is a shame when you chose to do sport in order to ‘stay healthy’.

I’m not suggesting that you should never eat another chocolate bar or slice of cake – that would be so dull! That said do you know just how much C.R.A.P you are eating on a daily basis?

If not, keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. Make sure you write down everything. When the two weeks is over, analyse it. Highlight the C.R.A.P foods, what percentage of your day to day eating is C.R.A.P? If it is more than 10% then to protect you long term health, you need to reduce it.

Each week you can ‘cut the C.R.A.P” by substituting an unhealthy food with healthier foods, eg instead of a cake with your coffee could you have a small handful of nuts? Over time you will crowd out the bad stuff and too much C.R.A.P in your day will be a distant memory.

Dawn Revens is The Compeater, and works with endurance athletes to optimise their nutrition so they can get amazing training in racing results. Her blogs will inspire you and give you some easy to implement things that you can take action on so that you have a fantastic race season this year.

5 0 J U LY 2018 ///

50 Nutrition OK.indd 50

22/06/2018 15:58

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05/03/2018 16:10

SIXES • BAR • BBQ • MUSIC 2 - 6 JULY Day Games: 10.30am Sixes Competition: 6.00pm Live Band on Friday Night Real Ales, Adnams Champagne Bar Oakham Ales Fancy Dress Friday

52.indd 1

23/06/2018 11:29

ACTIVE BODY

GAIT WAYS In her latest article, award-winning therapist Helen Mary Perkins highlights the benefits of complementary therapy to help you get the most out of walking for health.

Walking is a low-impact exercise accessible to all that can bring immense benefit to mind, body and spirit. It can improve mood and muscle tone, increase mobility and productivity and enhance quality of sleep.

Whether you favour 10,000 steps or 10 minutes a day, there is general agreement among the medical profession that walking is good for us.

Depending on the walker’s age and physical condition, complementary therapies can help maximise enjoyment and help build stamina, strength and speed (not that we all want to take up power walking).

Body work therapists regard the body as a whole system and will often observe the way a client walks, moves and stands to help identify physical problems.

Poor posture, slouching on the couch and bending over a keyboard can all affect the way we walk. Even if we have no wish to walk for exercise, complementary therapy can help break these bad habits to reduce

aches and pains and keep feet and legs in good shape.

The art of walking starts by tipping the head and torso forward, then moving a leg with the opposite arm for balance. During the stride, weight is transferred from heel through the ball of foot and then to the toes as you push off and step forward. The pelvis tilts and muscles contract and relax in split-second frequency, ideally with no effort at all.

However, while walking is a natural state, many back, hip, knee, ankle and foot problems can be traced back to a poor gait, the ‘levers, angles and forces’ involved sometimes causing a misalignment of muscles and skeleton.

Practitioners of Bowen Therapy, Alexander Technique, Pilates and yoga take a holistic approach to isolate a problem and devise a solution to ensure walking becomes comfortable and does not exacerbate any existing conditions.

Tom Bowen, founder of the original Bowen Technique, advocated the 3Ws: walk more, drink more water and come back in a week.

Teachers of Alexander Technique advocate ‘standing tall’ – imagine the space above your head and stretch upward as if being pulled by an invisible thread. Walking the ‘Pilates way’ means looking straight ahead rather than looking downwards, to keep neck and spine neutral. Whenever practical, I like to walk barefoot which is our natural state. Try it at home or on the beach and you will feel the difference in your spine, legs and feet.

As adults we often fall into bad habits which cause problems. Complementary therapy provides an opportunity to change behaviour and re-learn how to sit, stand up and walk correctly. Sadly, many people are unable to walk through disability, injury or illness, and having successfully treated a variety of postural-related conditions, I believe if we treat our body with respect a ‘walk in the park’ will become a pleasure rather than a chore! www.helenperkins.com

/// J U LY 2018 5 3

53 Bowen Walking OK.indd 53

22/06/2018 15:58

The George & Dragon Inn, Seaton

The beautifully refurbished George & Dragon pub at Seaton is the ambitious new venture from Ralph Offer, formerly of the Stamford Wine Bar.

Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 17:00-23:00 I Friday-Saturday 12:00-23:00 I Sunday 12:00-21:00 Lunch and dinner Wednesday to Saturday for 12-2:30pm and 6-9pm - Sunday lunch 12-2:30pm

The downstairs area has been extended to include a welcoming sitting room completed with cosy armchairs and a piano – the perfect place to while away an evening with a good bottle of wine.

This quintessentially English village pub has undergone a complete transformation.

With three months of hard work creating an interior that is best described as snug country pub with an industrial twist.

Bare brick and luxurious tweed, enhanced with thoroughly modern metal accents such as the spider web light fitting that illuminates the main bar.

2 Main Street, Seaton, Rutland LE15 9HU Telephone 01572 747418 www.thegeorgeanddragonseaton.com

Ralph has put his wine knowledge to good use, creating a comprehensive drinks list including over thirty wines, as well as a selection of local ales, lager and spirits that ensures there is something for every taste.

Ralph Offer - Owner Omar Palazzolo - Head Chef

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21/06/2018 15:50

Guest column

A failsafe solution Sportsmen and women looking to win the British public’s affection must bear one thing in mind, says Martin Johnson – they must never actually win anything ot long to go now before the man regarded by many as Britain’s greatest ever cyclist defends his Tour de France title, and millions of fans around the country will be tuning in to the TV to cheer him on. And never will the cheering be louder should Chris Froome’s race end with him embedded in a haystack, while a truck carts away the buckled remnants of his bike.

It’s no mean achievement for someone to pull off one of sport’s greatest achievements no less than four times, including the last three in a row, and at the same time be permanently wearing the yellow jersey as the nation’s least popular sportsperson.

Ordinarily, Froome’s exploits around France should make him a shoo-in for the BBC’s Sports Personality Award, but in last year’s contest he trailed in a distant seventh behind Mo Farah.

Which was at least an improvement on 2016 when, following his third Tour victory in four years, he didn’t even make the final 16.

Why? Is it because he returned an ‘adverse analytical finding’ for asthma medication at last year’s Vuelta race in Spain? Hardly.

Anyone who rides a bike is regarded as potentially dodgy, and in a five-year period before Froome won his first Tour de France in 2013, three British cyclists – Bradley Wiggins, Chris Hoy and Mark Cavendish – all won the BBC award.

No, it’s all down to the way the British public can’t connect to people they don’t warm to, and in Froome’s case he exudes all the warmth of someone with a charisma bypass. It’s how the public perceive you, rather than your peers, which is why the American golfer Bubba Watson remains a favourite among the galleries, while finishing top of a ‘least popular player’ poll amongst his fellow tour pros for two years running.

However, Froome’s not without competition. Lewis Hamilton is one of the best racing drivers – if not the best – this country has ever produced, and yet most of us would prefer to see his car being extricated from a tyre wall than taking the chequered flag.

Like Froome, Hamilton lives in Monaco, and preferring to keep most of your money away from the taxman has always been a bit of a handicap when it comes to connecting with your fan base.

Hamilton’s earrings, tattoos and playboy lifestyle also count against him, as does his propensity for coming across as vain. If he was more inclined to the well loved British trait of modesty, Hamilton would endear himself to a lot more people, but as it is he will never be as popular a figure with the F1 public as the man who never actually won a world title. “Ello, ello” the policeman used to say when he pulled over a speeding motorist. “Who do we think we are then? Stirling Moss?”

Hamilton wouldn’t even win a popularity contest with Nigel Mansell, whose verbal delivery was about as animated

N

as the Speaking Clock, and made all the more dreary for being accompanied by a Brummy accent.

It’s the same in boxing with Tyson Fury, who chose to employ his world championship victory over Vladimir Klitscho in 2015 as a vehicle for promoting his views on homosexuals and women, neither of which could be said to be sympathetic or complimentary. Compare Fury’s standing in the public affection stakes to Henry Cooper, who never won a world title, and with eyebrow tissue which had a distressing tendency to explode when coming into contact with an opponent’s glove, a good many of his fights ended up resembling a Quentin Tarantino movie.

And yet ‘our ‘Enery’ ended up making adverts for Brut and appearing as one of the team captains on A Question Of Sport. Such was his appeal that the major reason for Joe Bugner becoming so unpopular that he pped sticks and settled in Australia was because he beat Cooper on a points decision.

Humility is the key to being popular in Britain, and while I found Bugner convivial when I spent a day interviewing him, Joe found it nigh-on impossible to come across as humble. As indeed did one of England’s greatest ever batsmen, Geoffrey Boycott.

Boycott’s place in the pantheon of unloved British sportsmen is down to a combination of pomposity, selfishness and the fact that he has never knowingly been visited by self doubt. And while his views as a commentator are invariably pithy and insightful, this only makes it all the more strange that he never appeared to grasp the concept of cricket being a team game. So much so that when Boycott was batting for himself as usual in a Test match in New Zealand, Ian Botham was sent in for the express purpose of deliberately running him out.

Ego is an absolute no-no for anyone aspiring to public affection, which is why another of our top cricketers, Kevin Pietersen, was largely unloved. KP can best be summed up by an imaginary conversation ahead of a night out with his wife. “Darling, do hurry up, the taxi’s been waiting for 20 minutes now”. “Sorry darling. I’m not sure about this top. And I can’t seem to get my hair right.” “Alright, but do try and get a move on Kevin...”

In trying to work out what makes one sportsman or woman more popular than another, it’s instructive to look at the likes of Maurice Flitcroft, the useless golfer who kept trying to gatecrash the Open championship, and Eddie the Eagle, the short sighted ski jumper. Which brings you to a blindingly obvious conclusion.

If you want to win over the British sporting public you need to be eccentric, plucky and persistent, and born here. But above all, you must never, ever win anything.  Martin Johnson has been a sports journalist and author since 1973, writing for the Leicester Mercury, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Times. He currently writes columns for The Rugby Paper and The Cricket Paper, and has a book out called ‘Can I Carry Your Bags?’.

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Feature /// Challenges

PRIOR ENGAGEMENT Steve Moody visits Priors Hall Golf Club and finds a council-run course with plenty of challenges and incredible value for money

IT’S RATHER HARD initially to exactly work out what you are getting at Priors Hall Golf Club. On the one hand, it is a very cheap, council-run pay and play course. This might well conjure up images of a glorified pitch and putt field with some holes cut into it. But it is more than that. Much more.

As you play round Priors Hall, what you can see is the shadow of what was a fabulous golf course – possibly the best in the area – back in the 1970s when it had recently been opened by Tony Jacklin, having been designed by famed golf architect Fred Hawtree.

Clearly, not being a members’ club with all the associated budget to spend on greenkeepers and their equipment, it isn’t as slick as those for which you pay four figure sums a year. Yet as you stand on the elevated first tee, the fairway

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sweeping away below and right before you between trees on either side, you can’t help thinking that for £16 a round during the week and £21 at the weekend, there can be few places to match it for value.

It’s a fairly straightforward start to get you warmed up with three nice holes offering wide fairways, although the greens are challenging having either plenty of slope or, in the case of the par five third, a hugely long green that plays with you a bit. You might be pleased to get there in three. But if you’re at the wrong end, two putts would be a good result.

The fourth is a typically Priors Hall challenge, where you ideally need to shape a shot left to right, and then pick a long enough club to get you up the steep front, while avoiding the nearby ditches

Five is the first of the par threes, and you hit from a lovely glade to a high green with sand on either side. In fact the par threes around here denote the ambitions that the builders clearly had; to create a course which would one day challenge the very best golfers. Hardly any of them are straight-forward bunts down the middle, guarded by slumbering giants of bunkers on all sides. If you don’t hit it and stop it, you won’t get close.

Six and seven are par fours which need accurate drives to avoid bunkers, and if you manage this there are very gettable shots in, while eight is the second of the fiendish par threes. Uphill and long, you need a long club and the ability to stop it if you get it there.

Nine is one of the tightest holes on the course with a pond for the slicers and a green with high banking and nasty chip if you get away with your first slice but pull another one out of the bag.

Then there’s ten, which requires a slog uphill to the tee, but once you make it, there is a reward – a fabulous fairway which bobs, weaves and funnels downhill. Eleven is straight, although water encroaches to the right of the green should you push one, and twelve is a 200-yard long par three over a ditch from the white tees. Best just to whack it and sort it from there as there’s plenty of space as the trees fall away near the green.

Thirteen requires a good solid draw off the tee and a very accurate hit over two lines of bunkers, while fourteen is another straight one complicated by a hidden green with sand like dunes crowding over it.

In fact, the bunkers right the way around the course are all goliath: barely any are smaller in area than a decent sized swimming pool and they are all positioned on drives and surrounding greens in pods. Fortunately, the

sand in them is relatively shallow, so they are not too hard to get out of and because of their size the ball will always tend to roll to a flat part.

Then there’s 15. If you play it off the whites, it’s a par three the best part of 220 yards and one of the few holes you can go run straight at the flag – thankfully. Downhill and banking left for sixteen, uphill and banking left for seventeen and you reach the last hole, which soars back up to the clubhouse. The tee shot is fairly open but even a good whack off the whites leaves a 230-yard hit up about four or five storeys to a vast green. So should you pull it off, there’s plenty of space to come to rest. Probably best to lay up at base camp and wedge it in.

There are all sorts of challenges at Priors Hall, and if you’re a pampered club member golfer like me, the lack of finesse to the fairways and greens is actually offset by that challenge.

In its layout, Priors Hall reminded me of Woburn, another course born about the same time, twisting between hundreds of sentry trees, with plenty of undulation and the need to hit the ball well and high into greens because of the steep false fronts and rings of bunkers. It is however, much, much wider, which is handy for the pay and play golfer, and of course nowhere near in the same fabulous five-star condition.

But if you are somebody that plays a bit and wants to get a feeling of what some of those championship courses might be like, then you will get an inkling at Priors Hall. It is without doubt a great way to spend twenty quid or less, a pay and play that is fascinating right the way round, and if you are a club golfer looking for a day out somewhere else, Priors Hall’s slightly ragged glory is a very interesting experience.

Priors Hall Golf Club, Stamford Road Weldon, Corby, NN17 3JH www.phgc.org

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Photos: Will Roberts

Feature /// Challenges

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE! Simon Davies tells us about his 150-mile race through the Amazon rainforest; the second leg of his Ice Desert Jungle challenge Last week I managed to finish the second leg of my Ice Desert Jungle challenge by successfully completing the Jungle Ultra – a 150-mile self-sufficient race through the Amazon rainforest.

The race takes place in Peru’s Manu National Park and competitors are self-sufficient from the very beginning, so as soon as we arrived at Cloud Forest base camp there was a whirlwind of activity to pitch hammocks and organise kit for the next five days of racing.

We arrived to a 48-hour torrential downpour which made the job of trying to prepare kit and keep everything dry virtually impossible. I’d been prepared for the heat and humidity of the jungle but instead, at 4,000 metres, everything was soaked.

Everyone was freezing cold waiting for the race to start. After an easy stretch of road we entered the jungle and ran, slipped and stumbled down a steep mountainside to the first checkpoint, and our first of many river crossings. After all the planning, organisation and training it felt great to finally get going.

After the first day each stage gets longer and the terrain more difficult. The jungle is the most challenging environment I’ve ever tried to run through. The ground is often incredibly steep and it seems you’re always scrambling down to a river or climbing up a bank on the other side - there are very few flat sections. The ground is

wet, muddy and covered with a blanket of damp leaves which hide slippery roots, rocks and tree stumps.

I seemed to lose my footing all the time and was constantly tripping and falling whenever I tried to go faster. To make matters worse whenever you fall in the jungle you always seem to land on something that wants to bite, sting or scratch you! After just a couple of hours of running everyone was covered in bites, cuts and bruises.

At times the heat and humidity was overwhelming. You’re completely soaked through and only the river crossings offer a chance to momentarily cool down. I was really glad of the time I’d spent with the sports scientists in Loughborough University’s climate chamber before the race. I never panicked during the hottest parts of the day; instead I focused on slowing my pace, drinking ‘little and often’ and taking my electrolyte supplements regularly.

The final two days of the Jungle Ultra are notoriously hard. Both days have cut-off points and slower runners are forced to take a shorter course to the finish.

I was determined to complete the full race so on day 4 – ‘the lull’ – I was determined to be ahead of the cut-off time. It’s always tough to find the balance between pushing hard and not overdoing things – especially in such hot and

humid conditions. I started slowly but was quickly overtaking other runners who were in a pretty bad way.

I made the cut-off point with time to spare but was feeling pretty rough. I couldn’t eat so forced a recovery shake down and then headed to the final part of the stage, a seemingly endless 10km climb up a steep mountain. The trail was almost vertical at times, and so slippery that I needed to grab at tree roots to haul myself up some of the sections.

After ‘the lull’, competitors only have a small amount of time to eat, rest and recover before the final day – an incredibly long stage of between 70-90km with more than 50 river crossings. It took me 15 hours to complete the last day – the longest time I’ve ever run for – and the sense of utter relief running across the bridge to the finish line in Pilcopata was overwhelming.

The Jungle Ultra was the race I was most worried about so I’m delighted to have finished the event.

I am now taking a rest from running before thinking about the Desert Ultra towards the end of the year.

Thanks to the generosity of everyone who has sponsored me, I’ve now raised more than £20,000 for Rainbows Children’s Hospice. If you’d like to find out more about my challenge, or wish to donate to Rainbows, go to icedesertjungle.com. Any amount you can spare – no matter how small – will be hugely appreciated. I have covered all the expenses for Ice Desert Jungle so every single penny you can spare will go directly to where it’s needed the most.

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THE HIGHWAY TO HELL

I think we all felt the same as we arrived at our camp in the desert – excited. We were well prepared and raring to go.

We had been in camp for two days before racing began, and the lack of sleep was starting to take its toll. Each race day starts the same; you set off to AC/DC’s Highway To Hell blasting at you, which inevitably then gets stuck in your head. We were eased in gently on day one, a 31km saunter across small dunes and rocky plains. Not too hard on the legs, and luckily not too hot either, so we all logged fairly respectable times.

DAY TWO quickly showed us why the Marathon des Sables is known as the toughest footrace on earth. A gruelling 40km day where we met our first jebel – a high rocky mountain.

At the top I could see our bivouac 5km away, a welcome sight after such a climb. I eventually made it back to the tent to be greeted by a hobbling Andy who had some fairly serious blisters, and no Mark. He had suffered badly with dehydration and was in the hospital tent on a drip. It was a tense time for tent 139 ,waiting to see if he was OK, but his northern grit kicked in and he returned to the tent to join us for the evening, determined to come back fighting.

After such a stressful day we were not helped by a huge sandstorm battering the camp.

DAY THREE for me was by far the best – 36km running along a jebel with the most breathtaking views. It was a technical run with sheer drops either side, but for me the most enjoyable.

DAY FOUR was the long stage. Andy powered through and ran the full 86km with very little rest. My body gave in at 40km and I had to eat and rest. I set off after a few hours sleep only to have to stop again at the next check point.

Unbeknown to me Mark was also asleep there and left shortly after I arrived. I battled on just as the sun was rising above the dunes and finished mid morning the following day.

DAY FIVE, I’d love to call it the final day, was just another 42.2 km of sand and rock to cover before feeling like a champion when you cross the line. The first two check points went by in what felt like a flash, even though I was moving at a snail’s pace. We tackled some of the highest dunes that day. Stunning mountains of golden sand is another sight I will never forget.

My watch battery sadly gave up on me, so I had no idea how far I had left but when I came across the old village I knew it wasn’t far.

Rising over the hill I could see the finish line in the distance. The sun was beating down, I was tired, I was hungry, but I could see it beckoning.

Unfortunately between me and it was 5km of rocky, stony, flat land, some of the most boring terrain to run across. I felt like the line was getting further away, but I got there in the end.

Medal collected, finish photo, all standard race procedure, but all I could think about was how had everyone got on from tent 139. Yes! All seven of us had made it, which sadly was not the case for many competitors.

Now all we had to do before a shower (and a cold beer) was a mere 7km charity run the following day. Duly completed, that shower was the best I’ve ever had. Eight days with no washing facilities is not a good thing!

I thought I was well prepared, we all did. But it’s strange the mistakes we made. I wish I had taken a down jacket for the evenings. Despite daytime temperatures of 40C at night it was barely above freezing at night. And taking an inflatable mat to sleep on was a bad idea – it punctured so I slept on hard ground.

Mark’s mistake was a last minute change of bag which he found dreadfully uncomfortable. I would take my hat off to him that he continued with it despite the pain, but unfortunately my hat blew away in the sand storm on day two!

And Andy? A previous lover of porridge, he will never touch it again. We all said when we embarked on this crazy challenge that it was a once in a lifetime thing. I was asked yesterday, would I go back and tackle the sands again?

Absolutely, but I’m taking a coat next time...

JAKOB EBREY

Intrepid trio Emma Sowden, Andy Dennis and Mark Alderson, recently tackled the gruelling Marathon des Sables. Here, Emma tells us how they got on

A PRANG AND A PODIUM PLACE Charlie Martin tells us about the trials and triumphs of her season With summer in full swing I arrived at Thruxton for the first of two weekends supporting the British Touring Car Championship. As the UK’s most popular race series, it draws huge crowds and live coverage on ITV4, so now was an opportunity to push hard and get exposure for my sponsors.

Saturday started with Schroth Racing making an IndiSeat insert for me. I’d been moving around in the seat which doesn’t help you feel connected.

Sadly qualification didn’t go as planned. With no Friday practice and a five-week gap since I last tested here, going straight into a 20-minute session was intense. I ran wide at Church and tore a brake line. I was forced to finish the session early, meaning I would start race one at the back of the grid.

Thankfully my coach for the weekend was Abbie Eaton – you’ll have seen her on the Grand Tour – who gave me a good pep talk. It clearly worked, the race was pretty hectic with two safety cars and a restart, but I climbed 13 places to finish second in class. That’s the best result yet so I was stoked, especially as it meant I’d start on row nine for Sunday’s race.

I got a cracking start but approaching the first turn I saw a car spin up ahead. I had nowhere to go but straight ahead so hit him side on at about 70mph. Race over. The chassis was bent, so the car needs completely rebuilding – a big job with only three weeks until Silverstone.

ARE YOU TAKING ON A CHALLENGE? It doesn’t matter how large or small it is, we want to hear from you. It could be training for your first 5k, starting from scratch, cycling around the world, or anything in

between. Please get in touch so we can feature you on the challenge pages.

Email mary@theactivemag.com

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IMAGES: MICK HALL PHOTOS

Feature /// Staff challenges

COMPLETE A TRIATHLON CHRIS MEADOWS, PUBLISHER I hadn’t realised what meeting Alistair Brownlee at his training centre in Leeds at the end of last year would lead to.

Not long after, when tasked with finding an Active challenge for 2018, I found myself signed up to the Dambuster – an Olympic distance triathlon at Rutland Water. I’d been to watch the event the year before, and decided that watching was as close as I wanted to get. Yet a year later I’d be stood on the start line.

Deciding to take on a triathlon was very much out of my comfort zone. I’d taken part in a few running events before, but I’d never sat on a road bike and would struggle to do more than two lengths in a pool without stopping for a rest.

It has taken a considerable amount of dedication over the past six months, training four to six times a week in order to prepare my body for what was in store.

I’ve been helped along the way though by some great local people and companies, and I’d like to thank all involved.

Mary Hardwick from Inspire2Tri had me training hard and provided some great technique tips for all disciplines, which made a huge difference. The swim element has become my favourite, which is not something I was expecting when I set out, especially in open water. The sessions she runs at Rutland Water on a Sunday morning are great fun, although the first session was a little cold.

The bike was made much more pleasant by Chris Reid at Rutland Cycling. The bike fit process is something I’d recommend to all, as is the Specialized Roubaix they kindly lent me for the event.

I’ve lost 10kg since the beginning of the year, which has been thanks to considerable focus on my diet with nutritionist Dawn Revens from The Compeater. The diet is something I’m keen to continue with too. Cutting out processed foods such as bread, pasta and rice when possible is essential.

Standing on the start line, it is pretty

daunting. There’s a lot to think about and suddenly you’re stood with lots of other swimmers, all of whom you’re worried about bashing into like a rank, clueless amateur.

Once you’re in the water, there’s a lot of activity around you too – way more than in training – so you have to negotiate bottlenecks at corners, and even just concentrate on swimming in a straight line.

Then there are the transitions between swimming and bike, and bike and running.

There’s so much stuff and equipment to deal with and you need to be really organised and quick about it as well.

The transition to bike, once I’d sorted the logistics, was fairly straightforward, but from bike to run is a bit more of a shock for your body: you’ve been suspended in water and pedalling smoothly in mid-air and to suddenly be hitting hard ground turned my legs to jelly for the first few hundred metres.

I took my time on the run because I didn’t want to blow up halfway round. So when I reached 5k and could feel plenty of energy left, I accelerated for the finish.

So I can now proudly call myself a triathlete, having finished in a time of 2:48.57. My wife said she cried with pride when I crossed the line – I think it was more likely shock that I had finished. The event was incredibly well run and the marshals on the course were very supportive of all taking part. The Red Arrows flypast at the end was a nice touch too.

I’ve raised nearly £1,000 for Mind, too, which I hope can help make a difference. Thank you to all that have sponsored me.

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REDUCE MY WAISTLINE WILL HETHERINGTON, CONTRIBUTOR

While I’ve had some help to get me over the finish line and was able to spend the time training there’s nothing to stop anyone taking part in triathlons. You don’t have to begin with an Olympic distance like I did. Go Tri (gotri.org) offers introductory sessions at a very reasonable price or there’s distances in between too. Or if you’re not keen on all three disciplines, start with one and look to build up over time.

Triathlons are no different to some other sports that require equipment, and the further you progress the more you’re likely to spend, especially on a bike. Equipment does make a big difference though.

Would I do another one? A question I’ve been asked a few times since finishing. I wasn’t sure at first but after a few days have passed the idea is becoming more appealing.

Following a debrief with Mary we both agreed there were elements I could work on and a 2h30m triathlon was within reach. It’s tempting to see if it’s achievable. Dawn suggested the Vitruvian at Rutland Water on September 8, also run by Pace Setter Events. It might be a bit optimistic for me as it’s a half Ironman distance, but if you’d like more information visit pacesetterevents.com.

What’s next? I’m keen to work on my swimming, and I’ve signed up to SwimRutland at Rutland Water on August 12 to give me something to aim for and to make the most of my Yonda wetsuit. The event crosses the reservoir and would be another great achievement.

It makes sense to keep up my fitness having worked so hard to get to this point.

At time of writing I have walked 750km (or about 470 miles) in 36 days from St Jean Pied de Port in the French Pyrenees nearly to the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela in the far north-west corner of Spain.

This is the world famous Camino de Compostela pilgrimage and it has been an extraordinary experience.

Physically it’s extremely testing.

Walking 15 miles in one day is no problem for me but doing it day in, day out for more than five weeks tests the feet, legs and willpower. There are lots of others out here facing the same challenge so that certainly helps mentally.

I don’t have access to scales but I do know that I have had to put two new holes in my belt in the right direction! Perhaps if I hadn’t been enjoying the beer, rioja, ribera and all the Spanish food quite so much I would have lost more weight. But I’m not saying no at the end of another long walk.

I will be finishing in a couple of days which brings mixed emotions but I feel like it will be a life changing event, physically and mentally.

Climbing to the top of the eventing ladder JULIA DUNGWORTH, CONTRIBUTOR We’ve had an exciting month and finally tasted a little bit of stardom after a very successful last minute entry into the Horse and Hound Festival of Eventing at Keysoe at the end of May. We did the 100 class, which although is a level lower than we have been competing at, I felt like we were really lacking runs and Gala isn’t ready to be competitive at CCI1* quite yet, so a trip there for his first sleepover at a proper event was a shrewd move and one I can highly recommend to anyone thinking of doing it next year.

We started off with a fairly average dressage of 33.25, which left me in fourteenth place overnight, which I was disappointed about, but it was fair seeing as he wasn’t happy about the onlooking spectators on the bank.

The cross country, as per usual was very easy for Gala. In fact, too easy. I was having such a lovely time ambling round the crosscountry for their loose time that I nearly missed the clock and had to gallop over the last couple of fences to make the six and half

minute optimum time. This bought us up into eighth place overnight, and I was determined to make the top three, but I was very aware that seven places is a lot to climb.

Luckily we pulled off a clear round over a fair but technical track. I then tentatively watched knowing that there was only a fence separating the top 10; to my delight (such a bad sportsman I know) all of them had at least a fence making us the overall winners.

We did a lap of honour in front of everyone, got showered in prizes and glory, then also had a huge photo in the following week’s H&H, so we are definitely feeling back in the limelight.

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Feature /// Cycling

ON YOUR BIKE!

Distance 44 miles

Rutland Cycling’s Sally Middlemiss suggests a great ride through rolling countryside DESCRIPTION

This month’s 44-mile route starts and finishes in Uppingham. The ride passes through many picturesque villages and skirts the historic town of Market Harborough.

If you have time, the BoilerHouse interactive space at Foxton Locks is worth a visit – and be sure to save some energy for the final climb back into Uppingham!

Get route notes and download a GPX file for your GPS computer at https://ridewithgps. com/routes/27787892. Enjoy the ride!

THE ROUTE

Turn left to stay on N St W/B66 40.2 mi Turn left on to Stockerston Rd/B664 0.2 mi ● Turn right on to Uppingham Rd 2.4 mi ● Turn left on to Knob Hill Rd 2.5 mi ● Continue on to Hallaton Rd 4.5 mi ● Continue on to Horninghold Rd 5.0 mi ● ●

Sharp left on to Medbourne Rd 5.7 mi Turn right on to Hallaton Rd 6.8 mi ● Continue on to Main St 7.8 mi ● Turn left on to Welham Rd 7.9 mi ● Continue on to Slawston Rd 8.7 mi ● Continue on to Bowden Ln 9.5 mi ● Slight right on to Thorpe Langton Rd 9.6 mi ● Continue on to Welham Rd 10.4 mi ● Turn left on to Bowden Rd 11.1 mi ● Continue on to Langton Rd 12.1 mi ● Turn right on to Main St 13.4 mi ● Continue on to Leicester Ln 13.9 mi ● Continue on to Gallow Field Rd 15.0 mi ● Turn left on to Gumley Rd 16.6 mi ● Turn right on to Foxton Rd 17.3 mi ● Continue on to Main St 17.8 mi ● Main St turns slightly right and becomes Debdale Ln 18.1 mi ● Slight left on to Gumley Rd 18.7 mi ● Continue on to Pit Hill 20.0 mi ● Turn right on to Saddington Rd 20.0 mi ● ●

● Saddington Rd turns slightly left and becomes Main St 20.2 mi ● Turn right 20.2 mi ● Turn right on to Main St 20.3 mi ● Continue on to Smeeton Rd 20.6 mi ● Turn right on to High St 20.9 mi ● At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit on to Station St 21.0 mi ● Continue on to Church Rd 21.1 mi ● Turn right on to Leicester Rd/A6 21.4 mi ● Turn left on to Marsh Dr 21.4 mi ● Turn left on to Langton Rd 21.5 mi ● Turn right on to Carlton Rd 21.6 mi ● Continue on to Kibworth Rd 22.3 mi ● Turn right on to Melton Rd/B6047 24.9 mi ● Turn left on to Three Gates Rd 24.9 mi ● Turn right on to Illston Rd 25.7 mi ● Continue on to The Avenue 25.9 mi ● Continue on to Palmers Ln 26.8 mi ● Continue on to Crackbottle Rd 27.8 mi ● Turn right on to Moor Hill 29.4 mi

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Continue on to E Norton Rd 30.2 mi Continue on to N End 30.9 mi ● Continue on to Medbourne Rd 31.1 mi ● Continue on to Hallaton Rd 32.2 mi ● Turn right on to Main St/B664 33.6 mi ● Turn left on to Drayton Rd 33.7 mi ● Continue on to Medbourne Rd 34.6 mi ● Continue on to Main St 35.8 mi ● Continue on to Great Easton Rd 36.1 mi ● Continue on to Drayton Rd 36.3 mi ● Slight left on to Great Easton Rd 36.7 mi ● Continue on to Barnsdale 36.9 mi ● Continue on to Cross Bank 37.1 mi ● Turn right on to Caldecott Rd 37.2 mi ● Continue on to Great Easton Rd 37.5 mi ● Turn left on to Rockingham Rd/A6003 38.3 mi ● Slight right on to Lyddington Rd/B672 38.7 mi ● Turn left on to Gretton Rd 40.1 mi ● Continue on to Main St 41.0 mi ● Turn left on to Seaton Rd 42.7 mi ● At the roundabout, take the 1st exit on to N St E 43.5 mi ● ●

28 ILLSTON ON THE HILL

KEYTHORPE

26

START/FINISH

2

30

LYDDINGTON HORNINGHOLD

6

22 8

32

40

KIBWORTH MEDBOURNE

20 10 18 FOXTON LOCKS

42

4

24

UPPINGHAM

CALDECOTT

34

38

WELHAM

36

14 16

GREAT BOWDEN

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ACTIVE RUTLAND COMMUNITY SPORTS AWARDS 2018

NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN! www.activerutland.org.uk/communitysportsawards activerutland@rutland.gov.uk 01572 720936 Photography: Active Magazine / Nico Morgan Media

PRIORS HALL GOLF COURSE”

Northamptonshire’s Hidden Gem

18 Hole Course in scenic rural countryside Bar & Restaurant Competitive Green Fees Annual & Direct debit season tickets available Society days available Golf Shop Open 7 days per week

For more information:

Tel: 01536 260756

Email: Priors.HallGolf@corby.gov.uk /PriorsHallGC

Trolley & buggy hire available Home of ‘Priors Hall Golf Club’

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Feature /// Cycling

KEEP ON ROLLING TIPS FROM RUTLAND CYCLING ON KEEPING YOUR BIKE ON THE ROAD THIS SUMMER Tyre pressures Use a pump to check your tyre pressures before every ride. This will reduce your chances of punctures and ensure you’re not wasting energy pushing flat tyres.

Gears Have a short ride around your start point, slowly going through your entire gear range to check for signs of damage or wear. If you can’t seem to get into the correct gear or there’s a metallic ‘clicking’ sound then your gear gables may have become stretched or your derailleur mis-aligned. Gears can be fixed by adjusting the limiting screws in the derailleur.

E-BIKE REVIEW Active reader Jo is testing an e-bike from Rutland Cycling – here’s how she got on this month “The e-bike took a bit of getting used to... it’s a very upright ride so if you are used to an aerodynamic road bike the ride position feels unnatural at first. However, like anything you adapt, and it has a super-comfortable seat with great suspension, so when you sit down you can feel the springs moving to adjust to your weight – it’s 10 times more comfortable than my normal seat!

“It’s a very heavy bike so you do need to use the electric power when riding, but you can stay in the eco setting when on the flat which counteracts the weight of the bike.

Switching it off completely would be a slow and heavy ride.

“It feels like a different way to travel, but as advertised, great for communing. It’s more of a useful and practical way of getting from A to B than a challenging and exciting ride for fun.

That said, it still raises the pulse rate, pedalling with a bit of effort is still required to keep moving, so it’s definitely the healthier option over a car.

“There are five settings: off, eco, tour, sport and turbo. Going uphill requires pretty much the same effort as riding on the flat when turbo mode is engaged, and if it feels hard you need to change down gears, just as you would on a normal bike. It is possible to get to relatively high speeds –I coasted down the hill

in Empingham keeping under the speed limit at 29mph!

“I’ve used it regularly to commute to work.

What is usually a six-minute journey in the car takes me under 10 on the bike. The benefits of going on the bike are having a blast of fresh air and having had enough exercise to slightly raise my pulse rate to wake me up and start the day in a very positive way, but not breathless and red faced! The same with commuting home again: it’s a great way to unwind before hitting the housework. I suppose many people would be like me though, and probably not as keen in the bleak midwinter to take in the fresh air so readily.

“I’ve also used it to nip to the shops or into town – I’ve just used a rucksack but there is a large pannier rack on the back of the bike which could be useful. It’s easy to keep secure with a good lock, and the bike has a what the guys at Rutland Water called a ‘cafe lock’, which releases and locks with the same key as the battery, which I also take off when I park the bike in town. Its quite heavy to carry around but as the bike isn’t mine I’m not taking any risks!

“I’ve done about 80 miles so far and haven’t needed to charge it yet, but when I do it’s as straightforward as charging a laptop or a phone – just plug it in to a socket overnight.”

Brakes Pull on the levers and check that the brakes are stopping the wheel – without any rubbing or resistance. If there is resistance, re-align your brakes or bring it into your local workshop.

Bolts/fastenings Using an allen/torque key, tighten all of the bolts and fastenings.

Focus especially on the bolts around the headset and the quick release/thru-axle through your wheel as these areas experience the most force.

Cleaning/lubrication Use a bike-specific cleaner, or warm water and a sponge, to clean off dirt. This will make your bike ride smoothly, last longer and be less likely to suffer mechanical failure. Furthermore, it’s important to lubricate your chain after every ride.

Maintenance classes Fancy being able to do some repairs yourself at home? Rutland Cycling offers regular maintenance classes. If you’re not confident enough to carry out your own repairs, every Rutland Cycling store has a dedicated, Cytech trained workshop team. www.rutlandcycling.com

/// J U LY 2 0 1 8 6 5

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22/06/2018 06:32

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02/05/2018 09:32

Feature /// School sports

ROYAL STAMPEDE AT COPTHILL Now in its sixth year, The Copthill Stampede – a 5km team obstacle race – took place over the hot and sunny royal wedding weekend.

“We started The Stampede in 2012, the same year that Burghley introduced its Rat Race Dirty Weekend. In fact, the Copthill Fort was built by the same people who built the Rat Race course, using timber from the Burghley Estate, so it’s fitting that we use our fort as one of the exciting obstacles for our runners to scale”, said Nick Teesdale, director of sport.

The challenging course is set around the school and across the extended school grounds

of Copthill Farm, including the infamous crossing of the River Welland. With more than 200 competitors and 50 teams, this year’s Stampede was one of the best.

Fancy dress is a must and the pupils and parents did not disappoint; with teams dressed as Spitfires, unicorns, bulls, Minions and flamingos, and in keeping with the spirit of the weekend a few royal and Union flag themed teams.

Teesdale added: “We like to keep the competitors guessing so aim to introduce new obstacles each year amongst the old Stampede

favourites; the imposing Bale Wall, Spooky Labyrinth, Brain Zone and Slippery Pole. This year we had them travel back to 1916 and run through our WW1 trench, and then take on a daunting Otter slide into the river, both of which tested the courage of young and old.”

The Copthill Stampede is an annual event, held in May, and it is open to current and former pupils, parents and staff.

Next year, Copthill will be celebrating its 50th anniversary and will be hosting a special Stampede to welcome back as many alumni, parents and staff to join in the fun.

OAKHAM WIN 43 COUNTY MEDALS Oakham athletes excelled in the County Championships at Leicester, winning 43 medals – 25 of which were gold.

Forty-six Oakham students showcased their talents in event classifications from U13 to Open and won a total of 25 golds, nine silver and nine bonze.

Two school records were also broken with Form 1 pupil Charlotte running an outstanding 800m race in 2min 26 secs and Form 5 student Oli who jumped 184 cm.

A scpokesman said: “It was a terrific display from the Oakham athletes who have been having a record breaking

summer. The students showed determination and resilience and it was excellent to see their efforts being rewarded.

“It was also an exceptional experience for the younger athletes who were inspired and motivated by the performances of the senior team members and it was fantastic.”

/// J U L Y 2 0 1 8 6 7

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21/06/2018 15:36

Feature /// School sports

SOPHIE IS A CHAMPION

STAMFORD PUPILS WIN 25 GOLD DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARDS Thirteen boys and 12 girls from the Stamford Endowed Schools attended a presentation at St James’s Palace in London where they received their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards from the trustee for scheme, HRH the Earl of Wessex.

During the presentation, Prince Edward took the opportunity to congratulate the group from the Stamford Endowed Schools on their successes and heard about their DofE journeys, which took each young person 12-18 months

of hard work and dedication.

Those who achieve a gold award will volunteer, learn a skill, get fit, take part in a week-long residential and plan and undertake an expedition in wild country.

Edd Smith, director of outdoor education at the school, said: “I couldn’t be prouder of the students. It is always fantastic to see students receive their award at the palace.

“This truly gives them the recognition they deserve for the hard work and commitment

necessary to gain their gold award.

The pupils have developed as people and gained many new skills throughout their DofE journey which will serve them in very good stead for the future.”

Will Phelan, principal of the Stamford Endowed Schools, who attended the presentation, added: “It was with a huge sense of pride and admiration that I witnessed our students being presented with their gold awards. To gain such an award is a tremendous achievement in life.”

KETTON TRIATHLETE SET FOR NATIONAL FINALS Ketton Panthers’ Tom Hattee won first place at the ITU World Triathlon Leeds 2018 recently to secure a place at the UK Triathlon National Finals in September.

Tom (13) beat off more than 55 of the UK’s elite juniors to snatch first place in the TS3 (age 13-14) category.

Following a strong pontoon start into Leeds Roundhay Park lake, Tom stayed in the top 10 for the 300m swim, top two for the 5k cycle and he pulled 100m out of the field on the 2.7km run to finally lose his rivals in the last transition.

Tom, who goes to Stamford School, said: “It was a tough race with fierce competition from around the UK. I am delighted to be representing the Ketton Panthers in the nationals!”

Fellow Panthers, Charlotte Cullen, Charlotte Lund and Sam Gordon-Kerr, also put in excellent performances. It is hoped Charlotte Cullen has made the finals too depending on the organiser’s final results.

Sophie Mundy, a year 8 pupil at Spratton Hall, has had exceptional success in her gymnastics this term. Sophie took part in the county championships level 7 competition and won four silver medals and one gold to become county champion.

WITHAM UNBEATEN Witham’s U9A rounders team have continued their winning streak, stemming from September, to remain unbeaten at the Laxton Rounders Festival.

For some of the girls this term was their first experience of playing rounders, getting to grips with all of the rules and really enjoying the sport.

The U11 boys’ tennis team competed in the Stamford Junior School Festival against six other schools. Oscar Hanson and Hugo Dunn, achieved a 100% record, winning all six matches.

At the end of the a ernoon the total number of games won across the whole team determined the winning school.

Oscar, Hugo, Henry Farmer, Alfie Rymer, Harry Price and Louis Hale totalled 75 games won, making Witham the winners.

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21/06/2018 11:43

Roundup The scores, star performers and stats from a month in local sport

CRICKET

Tough times at Harborough as Oakham begin to rebuild

BY JEREMY BESWICK

THERE’S NO DENYING it’s been a tough start to the season for Market Harborough, with just a solitary win against newly-promoted Uppingham for the first XI so far. New skipper Tom Leonard explained that they’d lost a number of key wicket-takers and run getters in the close season, either to other clubs or to work commitments in far-flung parts of the country.

He’s still upbeat however, telling me: “There’s a lot to be positive about the club away from the current results of the firsts. The seconds are fourth in the table and we’ve recently recruited 40 kids aged five to eight for our All Stars programme.”

That doesn’t surprise me as Harborough have always been a good outfit and doubtless form will improve.

“We’ve got two key players returning from university,” said Leonard. “Patrick Sadd and Sam Williams who can make a big difference to us in a tough month to come that includes fixtures against Kibworth and Loughborough.”

He’ll be looking for his own form with the bat to improve as well. “I started well enough with a half century but it hasn’t quite come off for me since. I’ll be looking to lead from the front more. Despite the start, we’re still enjoying our cricket.”

He’s also keen to share that enjoyment with more of the local community.

“We’re very happy to have anyone come along however they want to be involved, be it as a spectator, parent, potential player or volunteer,” he said. “The (newly refurbished) bar is open on first team Saturdays and often at other times as well and we want to be an open club, continually reaffirming our connection with the town.”

It’s a very pretty ground with good facilities so give it a try – your presence on the boundary might make a difference to their performances too.

Uppingham, who’d lost that match to Harborough in early June, have had an even tougher time of it as they try to find their feet at the higher level of the Premier League. Yet to register a win, they are rooted to the bottom of the table. Let’s hope for better news of them next month.

Oakham have strengthened their first team squad considerably from last year, when for a while they looked in danger of relegation until they hit some fine form towards the end of the season. Captain Richard Martin told me: “It’s been going pretty well. Although we’ve won three, lost three – and the weather’s won a few games – there have been some tight results where we might have done better. The lads are growing in confidence after our difficulties last time.”

Their “best player by far”, according to Martin, is ex-county player Wes Durston whose availability so far has been limited but, with him now expected to play more frequently hereon in, there’s a big plus to come for them as well.

“We’re trying to set a solid platform with our batting and then really open up in the last 15 overs,” he added.

“When we succeed – like against Hinckley where we got 140 in that period and 90 off the last seven – we’re a match for anyone.”

One reason they’re more dangerous opposition now is the improved bowling attack, with Martin highlighting the contributions of Shaun Morris and Ed Tattersal: “With our attack being a lot stronger and strength in depth in the batting line up, we’re aiming for a top four finish and I think that’s realistic.”

That represents real progress and with (like Harborough) a swish new bar and the social side of the club buzzing, they’re in a happy place. Particularly Ben Southern – no longer a virgin centurion having got his first ever ton this month.

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GRACE NOTES Jeremy Beswick speaks with Leicestershire’s star signing, Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas Should anyone have doubted how committed and ambitious Leicestershire are to build, improve and further the ‘project’, surely the signing of Mohammad Abbas in the summer will have reassured them.

Even those unaware of his talents at the time will, by now, have been won over by seeing him named player of the series in the recent Pakistan tour to England.

On his return to Grace Road from those Tests he will have encountered team-mates in a positive frame of mind, having just defeated Glamorgan in the County Championship, and he was to go on to help them to an away victory over Northamptonshire in the next fixture. Close followers of the side’s fortunes will know that this was notable for the fact they were the Foxes’ first back-to-back victories in the competition for no less than eight years.

His and Ben Raine’s bowling performance on the morning of the

third day of that match with two wickets apiece was crucial. Abbas said: “The pitch was very slow, the sun was shining and the ball wasn’t really swinging, but we tried to reverse it and we had some success.

It was hard work, but when you work hard, it usually pays off.”

Hard work is something Abbas is no stranger to. It wasn’t until his mid20s that he won his first professional contract and he’d earned a living until then as a welder and by working in a leather factory. “I had a tough life in Pakistan before I started to play full-time, so perhaps that does make a difference,” he said. “Certainly I know it is very important to always work hard. Also being more mature, it helps too” Hopefully that means we can expect him to play a full part over the rest of the season? “With just two Tests, and the practice games, I am not too tired, and as a cricketer I am ready to play every time I am asked.

County cricket is tough, with four-

Kibworth Sports, playing their first-ever season, seem to be a cut above the rest of their opponents in Division 4 (East) of the Leicestershire League. They’ve won all their matches so far, nearly all of them by over a hundred runs when batting first and usually by five wickets when batting second. The match against Kibworth 3rds saw Zeeshan Manzoor score 97 and Joash Mathys with a five-for and it was, in truth, another easy victory next up at Medbourne; Peter Rowe with 116 not out. The Sunday side are no slouches either. Although they struggled with the bat against champions Wisbech, needing Martin Underwood to get 43 in the lower order to total 148, they then dismissed a side boasting several Cambridgeshire caps for just 66; Manzoor the hero with the ball this time returning figures of 7 for 14.

After a surprisingly poor start with losses to Loughborough and Syston, Kibworth Town looked to have steadied the ship with wins over Lutterworth and Barkby – until they met Barrow Town who scored a massive 307 including, for Kibworth, a worrying 38 extras. They managed only 159 in response, the

day matches and T20s and then fourday matches, but I am not worried. I worked hard with the Pakistan trainer and now the Leicestershire trainer and I intend to be available for all of the season.”

He seems to have taken to his new home too, saying he was enjoying Leicester, building a life here and looking forward to a few rest days.

“The longest single period I’ve had with my wife in the last three years has been three and a half weeks” It’s good to hear that he feels settled both away from the game and within it. He emphasised the latter by saying: “I feel Leicestershire is my team, and I play better when I feel part of the group. This is my first time in England, so I have not seen every other team, but I am very positive for the future because the team management is good, and it is a good mixture of experienced and young players. I am looking forward to the rest of the season very much.”

As are we, Mohammad.

magnificently named Wewalwala Hewage Chanditha with four wickets. They’ll have been relieved to overcome Kegworth rather easily the following weekend but seventh in the table must be the lowest they’ve been for many a year. To compound matters they were also dumped out of the National Cup by Cavaliers and Carrington despite dismissing them for just 118 in the first innings. On a brighter note, the New Zealand women’s side is returning to Fleckney Road and will play a one day game against an England Academy side on July 4. Admission is free.

Elsewhere, Burghley Park had a terrific month and their Saturday side have now won five on the bounce after starting with three losses. The Sunday team also impressed, particularly in their performance against league leaders (and until then unbeaten) Loddington & Mawsley.

Also noteworthy was Leicestershire’s Zak Chappell’s return to make a rare appearance for his old side Stamford in the Charity Cup where he hit 103 not out in rapid time to steer his old mates to victory over Barnack.

/// J U LY 2018 7 1

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22/06/2018 06:30

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Roundup EQUESTRIANISM

Horseplay at the Rutland Show

BY JULIA DUNGWORTH

THE 186TH RUTLAND COUNTY SHOW was the place to be seen on the first weekend in June, and luckily it was blessed again with a glorious sunny day.

As always, there was an abundance of local trade stands, quality food retailers, a BMX show, tractor pulling and fun things to do for the children.

There was lots of horseplay going on too, with a huge amount of entries in almost all classes except from the ridden hunters, which were lacking in local Leicestershire land owner or hunt subscriber entries.

One of the most popular classes is the Polly Phillips Memorial Trophy, which was won by local showjumper Joe Clayton on the eight-year-old C Justin Z owned by Norwegian Stall Gullik. They also had a parade of the Cottesmore hounds, which was more popular than ever.

Willa Newton had a brilliant run with a last minute entry to Little Downham in Ely after a fall the week before at Houghton in the CIC3*; they took the sole advanced section on Peter Thomas’ and Fenna Machin’s Chance Remark.

Willa did a super dressage of 29.1 and added just six time penalties on the cross-country to take the win. She then headed out to the Luhmuhlen CCI4* in Germany, where yet again she had a phenomenal event, posting an exceptional dressage score of 28.7 then adding 1.2 time penalties on the cross-country to lay in fourth going into the showjumping. They had an unlucky rail but fortunately it only dropped them one place to finish in fifth overall. Willa is absolutely thrilled and we are all hoping to see her on team GBR very soon.

Richard Jones was also big news this month; finally he has put his spell of bad luck behind him when he trekked up to the Bramham International CCI3* after retiring at Badminton in May. Richard was riding the brilliant Alfie’s Clover, a 16.2hh 11-year-old gelding, and they did a very respectable dressage of 31.9, which left them in 29th place before the cross-country.

They went on to have literally a faultless performance

Above Richard Jones in action at the Bramham International

and finish on their dressage, which left them in seventh place. Richard is now planning to run Alfie at Burghley and is going for the win.

A few other locals went up to Bramham for the short format including Casewick Stud owner Nicole Mills for her first CIC3* riding Charming Boy JR. Coincidentally, she did exactly the same dressage score as Richard of 31.9, but suffered with the new 50 penalty rule on the cross, which is where the judges can give you 50 rather than eliminate you if they judge that the majority of the horse wasn’t on the correct side of the flag on a skinny fence, which unfortunately dropped them to 56th place.

Kate Walls just pipped her in the rankings with a stop in the water to add to her dressage score of 35.1.

Lisa Freckingham from Melton has also been doing well on Georgie Belton’s home-bred stallion Classic Composer’ and the combination came fourth at Little Downham in the Intermediate Novice, then went to Catton Park the following weekend to contest in their first Intermediate together, where they finished a second. They are now looking into doing a CCI2*.

FASTER STRONGER FURTHER LONGER /// J U LY 2018 7 3

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21/06/2018 11:44

Feature /// Gear

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