Chippenham 20th May.

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Filed under: Detecting Diary, Training Days — Norfolk Wolf

Well, this would be the final talk for awhile as most of the fields are now under crop; it would also be a welcome break after charging around the country these past weeks. The weather forecast was good (makes a change) and Tim had done an excellent job in organising everything to make the day go smoothly. It was just a question of shifting my derriere 250 miles to arrive early; this definitely wouldn’t be a one day there and back jobbie.

Luckily I come from a big family (10 kids) and most of them have taken after the old man by producing loads of their own; so I would be staying with a nephew near Reading overnight. After being treated to a bit of posh nosh at an upmarket eatery, I had to earn my keep by demonstrating the art of detecting with the said nephews new ADX250 at 11.30 p.m on his iron and crap laden lawn. Not an easy task when fully loaded! Fortunately after a couple of hours or so nothing was bent and a few bits and pieces kept my battered reputation intact. Thank Christ it didn’t have a meter; I don’t think I could have deciphered it!

Retiring to bed, well let’s rephrase that, stumbling with lots of ssshhh’s , don’t wake the missus, with the thought of an early start on my mind as soon as I can keep either the bed or the ceiling still for a few minutes so I could get off to kip.

Up with the lark (blasted things get earlier an’ earlier), a quick slosh over and shave, two mugs of tea and I’m on my way.

Jump on to the M4 and within an hour and a half I’m banging in a couple of the signs to let people know the way to the farm. The day was glorious, sun was out and looking like it had no intention of doing anything different but getting warmer throughout the day. Tim suggested holding the talk in the cow-barn, even at that time the pungent aroma would definitely put you off yer sarnies, by 11o’clockish it would really be a’hummin’. Stick ’em outside, if they start complainin’ about heatstroke, they can borrow my hat; they’re supposed to be “mettlers”, not a bunch of bloody ballet dancers!

Well the weather certainly didn’t keep them away. From as far afield as Devon (thanks for the clotted cream fudge and chutney), Wales (hope you like the Iceni and Roman coins) and Bournemouth (with them shades, I thought for a minute, you were the blues brothers). Plus a host of locals made this the best attended one yet, believe it or not, one good old boy turned up with a T2! Finds (good-uns) were a bit sparse, but a silver hammered penny and a few bits of Roman made an appearance and old matey with the T2 collared hold of a whacking great crotal bell in really good nick.

At the end I was asked if I would pose with people for photographs, “fer £25 you kin have one in the nude if you want”? No takers!!

I know that I have mentioned this before, but after everyone had left I turned to Nigel (Regton) and said the best part of the talks has been meeting such a great bunch of people who took their detecting serious enough to put themselves out to learn about their machines and detecting in general.

All that remained was collecting up the signs and getting home. I won’t go into all the traffic hold-ups, but I opened my front door over 5 hours later; absolutely kernackered!

I’ve since received news that Phil Lavender (no, not the Dad’s Army one) has managed to acquire some land out Petersfield way in Hampshire for the 17th June.

No rest for the wicked. See you there. John

Some of the crowd

Elizabeth Hammered

Steve “I’ve got a pocket for everything” Man