Spring is knocking on our door and with it (hopefully) the promise that we can actually eventually meet together in real life. In time we’ll be able to meet at the Merstham Mix for breakfast, Monday night meetings in the hall will resume and craft clubs, walks, theatre nights, museum visits and cinema trips can begin again. My head is fizzing with ideas for interesting local walks and visits. I know April will have some wonderful plans in the pipeline for interesting and informative trips to London and beyond. Our trip to the postal museum last year was really fun and educational - just fabulous. I’m really looking forward tomorrow trips like that one! She also has some links to some really interesting on line talks and events so you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own sofa! Jenni and others will have some amazing ideas for crafting etc both indoors and outside with Hedges and Hurdles.
But please do remember - this is your club and your ideas, plans and suggestions make Merstham Women’s group the club that it is. Please don’t be shy - come forward and suggest (and even lead) events that interest you. If you’ve got a specialist subject or interest, we’d love you to share it with us. Doesn’t have to be rocket science (although if you’ve got Brian Cox on speed dial, please do invite him along one Monday) If it interests you it will probably interest us!
So - depending on the road map from the government and when we are eventually able to meet, here are some local events I’ll be happy to lead. Or if we are unable to meet up, I’ll provide maps and instructions on how to get there for you family/bubble/walk with one other person!
April brings bluebells. We have a fantastic bluebell wood in Gatton Woods - Walkable from Quality Street (parking on Reigate Hill or Carlton Road if the hike up over the Golf course too much!) The round trip from Merstham Cricket club is around 4 miles. Steep in parts so decent shoes and walking poles advisable for those who are less confident or have joint problems up or down steep hills. Toilets and refreshments available at Junction 8 kiosk on Reigate hill or Merstham Station (if pub not open) and Pizza project - we’ll definitely stop for coffee and cake at the end at Pizza Project. There are options to park on Carlton Road or Reigate Hill car park if the walk from Merstham is too far - however recent experience shows that Reigate Hill car park gets very busy at peak times.
Mercers lake, Glebe Lake and Nutfield church and the Moors also will be planned as a walk - around 4 miles. 2 stiles although these can be avoided with a bit of road walking. Bring a tea/water and a snack and we can admire the view towards Gatton Park - hopefully by then the pubs will be open so a trip to the Inn on the Pond or the Queens head definitely on the agenda. Ice cream will be available at the Inn on the pond and Aqua sports - a shorter flat short cut available for those that don’t want a hill/stiles (and you get longer at the PUB!) Could be an early evening walk or an afternoon stroll - a longer extension available from Bletchingley Road and Spynes Mere if you're keen.
Doom Painting - not sure if I’ve mentioned this before (probably - am getting repetitive in my old age!) - I am really keen to visit the medieval doom painting at Chaldon - the plan will be to walk from Merstham and take a picnic - it’s along one so we’ll be most of the day. However it’s a 10 minute drive from Merstham, so please feel free to drive there and we will meet you at the church - date to be confirmed - weather and covid restriction dependant - no point in walking all that way if the church is closed. I won’t post a picture here - it will spoil the surprise !
Ghost Walk - and finally I hope we can actually do the Reigate Ghost walk in the autumn - will advise the date but it’s a good one - some up and down walking in the beginning but the second half relatively flat. It’s great fun and very interactive. Audience participation encouraged - stand at the back if you don’t want to get picked on!
If walking isn’t your thing, please do suggest activities of a less strenuous nature - one that springs to mind when Merstham library opens is our monthly library book club - meets on Tuesday afternoon at 3.45 for 4pm on the last Tuesday of the month. 50p covers the cost of borrowing the book and we all sit around and chat about it. All welcome (if you can’t make the meetings you can still read the books and report back) Merstham community facility also runs weekly quiz afternoon evening on line if anyone interested in joining.
Merstham mix takeaway and mothers day tea - if you’re not on social media you may have missed a couple of interesting events being run from the Merstham mix cafe - Pascalle and her team are hoping to start monthly take away meals on Friday nights once a month. The first is this week on Friday 5th March and will be a two course Thai takeaway at £9.50 per person. Secondly there will be a popular takeaway mothers day tea on 14th Mach from the mix at £20 per couple - the menu looks awesome -https://mersthammix.org.uk/ or give them a call for the menu
And don’t forget - spring is coming and that means a chance to start foraging again - more on that next time! Liz
PS Don't forget to join us on line on Monday 8th March from 7.30pm for stories of wise women and foolish men.
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