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TOUR 2023 - TORQUAY
Day One - Newton Abbot.
Friday 9th June, and the tourists gathered at Pentyrch Rugby Club ready for a weekend of bowls and fun on the English Riviera in Torquay. The base would be the Toorak Hotel part of the TLH complex which includes the Derwent Hotel and Victoria Hotel which have already hosted previous Pentyrch tours. We must be welcome guests!
With the safe driving of Paul from Creigiau Travel, we arrived for our first match at Newton Abbot Bowling Club for a welcome drink before taking to the green. An uncustomary stop at halfway for tea saw a change of fortune for some rinks. Well done to skip Eileen Boddington, John Cahill Dickenson, Anne Lowndes and Liz Cugley for being the only winning rink. It came down to the final end of both Ann Angle's and Mark Krawiecki's games to decide the worst losing rink and being awarded the black sheep badges of 'honour'. Commiserations go to Ann Angle, Alan Lowndes, Mike Coughlin and Gavin Davidson. Thank you to everyone at Newton Abbot Bowling Club for organising our visit with kindness and warmth.
Rink Scorecards in the gallery.
Final score: Newton Abbot 99 - 64 Pentyrch
After post match speeches it was on to the Toorak for food and self-made evening entertainment that for some took the form of a craft beer experience on Torquay sea front.
With the safe driving of Paul from Creigiau Travel, we arrived for our first match at Newton Abbot Bowling Club for a welcome drink before taking to the green. An uncustomary stop at halfway for tea saw a change of fortune for some rinks. Well done to skip Eileen Boddington, John Cahill Dickenson, Anne Lowndes and Liz Cugley for being the only winning rink. It came down to the final end of both Ann Angle's and Mark Krawiecki's games to decide the worst losing rink and being awarded the black sheep badges of 'honour'. Commiserations go to Ann Angle, Alan Lowndes, Mike Coughlin and Gavin Davidson. Thank you to everyone at Newton Abbot Bowling Club for organising our visit with kindness and warmth.
Rink Scorecards in the gallery.
Final score: Newton Abbot 99 - 64 Pentyrch
After post match speeches it was on to the Toorak for food and self-made evening entertainment that for some took the form of a craft beer experience on Torquay sea front.
Day Two - Paignton
Saturday 10th June, a grey and damp morning greeted the tourists and after breakfast a few ventured down to the harbour to look at the boats or into town to browse the shops and art galleries. With a steady drizzle the players set off for nearby Paignton for Paignton Bowling Club which should have been easy to get to but took several circuits of Paignton's bizarre one-way system before finally arriving. Even then, the driving skills and patience of Paul the driver were tested with one last test of negotiating a tight reversal manoeuvre into the postage stamp carpark. The tourists were suitably impressed by the pristine presentation of the hosts' bowls club and richly verdant bowling green. A noisy cricket match going on at the adjacent Queen's Park Cricket Club provided some added entertainment. The hospitality of the home team was warm and generous with a traditional Devon tea of scones, cream and jam at half-time. Once again, the halfway break was unsettling for some players' concentration and loss of form for the second half.
The overall score of the match was very close with the home team coming out on top by a slender 6 shot margin. Paignton 79 - 73 Pentyrch
Best winning Pentyrch rink was Ian Broxton, Nicola Olson, (Guest player 'Barry') and Mel Newton. Winners of the Rams were Eileen Boddington, John Cahill Dickenson, Anne Lowndes and Dave Ashmore. How the mighty have fallen in one day (Dave Ashmore excepted). Ann Angle presented a commemorative pennant to the Paignton captain and the black sheep badges. Sincere thanks to everyone at Paignton for their hospitality and Devon catering.
The non-players had a day out on a steam train. Post-dinner entertainment included watching a football team from Manchester on television, paddling in the sea, looking at the boats again or drinking sour beer.
The overall score of the match was very close with the home team coming out on top by a slender 6 shot margin. Paignton 79 - 73 Pentyrch
Best winning Pentyrch rink was Ian Broxton, Nicola Olson, (Guest player 'Barry') and Mel Newton. Winners of the Rams were Eileen Boddington, John Cahill Dickenson, Anne Lowndes and Dave Ashmore. How the mighty have fallen in one day (Dave Ashmore excepted). Ann Angle presented a commemorative pennant to the Paignton captain and the black sheep badges. Sincere thanks to everyone at Paignton for their hospitality and Devon catering.
The non-players had a day out on a steam train. Post-dinner entertainment included watching a football team from Manchester on television, paddling in the sea, looking at the boats again or drinking sour beer.
Day Three GB Britton (Bristol) and home
Sunday 11th June and the final day of the tour. After a peaceful second night at the Toorak Hotel, it was time to start packing for the journey home via Bristol where a fixture against GB Britton Bowls Club and a meal at The Globe, Frampton Cotterell awaited. Dan Price, who had travelled solo on Friday evening blazed at trail to Bristol ahead of the main party in the coach driven by the excellent Paul of Creigiau Travel.
Heavy traffic from Weston-Super-Mare delayed the arrival of the tourists to GB Britton Bowling Club. As they filed into the splendid bowls arena they were greeted by the enthusiastic and irrepressible Scottish voice of Ally who happily hugged the players from Pentyrch he had met at the same fixture last year. The visitors settled down to drinks and a pre-match buffet before taking to the green.
A steady drizzle fell for the first eight or nine ends. The Tyrchs held their own for on three rinks but Mark Krawiecki's and Ann Angle's rinks struggled. Thankfully, the rain gradually relented and as the players left the green, the sun began to shine.
For the record the final score was:
GB Britton 84 - 47 Pentyrch
The winners of the Rams were Ann Angle, Anne Lowndes, Dan Price and Liz Cugley - commiserations to them. Sadly, no winning Pentyrch rinks but a couple of honourable draws. Post match speeches referred to the renewed friendship between the two clubs and the first joke of the tour from Pentyrch Captain, Ian Broxton. Huge thank yous to everyone at GB Britton Bowls Club for hosting us with such generosity (a second buffet!) and playing the game with humour, grace and not a little competition. Thanks too for stepping in to host the match after the original fixture didn't work out. Who knows, perhaps we could arrange a visit to Pentyrch?
The, by now tired tourists boarded the coach to travel the short distance to Frampton Cottrell and The Globe pub (hostelry of Ian Broxton's daughter and partner). There the tourists sat down to generous meals of chicken, pork and beef with all the traditional trimmings followed by a selection of equally generous puddings.
As the the weary travellers approached Pentyrch, Ian thanked Paul for his hard work driving us safely, skilfully and charmingly for three days.
Huge thanks, finally to Ian Broxton and Mel Newton for having organised and run the tour. It takes a lot of time and effort to organise such a tour and not many bowls clubs organise such an event, that goes a long way to create friendship in a club and with other clybs in the bowling community around the country.
Heavy traffic from Weston-Super-Mare delayed the arrival of the tourists to GB Britton Bowling Club. As they filed into the splendid bowls arena they were greeted by the enthusiastic and irrepressible Scottish voice of Ally who happily hugged the players from Pentyrch he had met at the same fixture last year. The visitors settled down to drinks and a pre-match buffet before taking to the green.
A steady drizzle fell for the first eight or nine ends. The Tyrchs held their own for on three rinks but Mark Krawiecki's and Ann Angle's rinks struggled. Thankfully, the rain gradually relented and as the players left the green, the sun began to shine.
For the record the final score was:
GB Britton 84 - 47 Pentyrch
The winners of the Rams were Ann Angle, Anne Lowndes, Dan Price and Liz Cugley - commiserations to them. Sadly, no winning Pentyrch rinks but a couple of honourable draws. Post match speeches referred to the renewed friendship between the two clubs and the first joke of the tour from Pentyrch Captain, Ian Broxton. Huge thank yous to everyone at GB Britton Bowls Club for hosting us with such generosity (a second buffet!) and playing the game with humour, grace and not a little competition. Thanks too for stepping in to host the match after the original fixture didn't work out. Who knows, perhaps we could arrange a visit to Pentyrch?
The, by now tired tourists boarded the coach to travel the short distance to Frampton Cottrell and The Globe pub (hostelry of Ian Broxton's daughter and partner). There the tourists sat down to generous meals of chicken, pork and beef with all the traditional trimmings followed by a selection of equally generous puddings.
As the the weary travellers approached Pentyrch, Ian thanked Paul for his hard work driving us safely, skilfully and charmingly for three days.
Huge thanks, finally to Ian Broxton and Mel Newton for having organised and run the tour. It takes a lot of time and effort to organise such a tour and not many bowls clubs organise such an event, that goes a long way to create friendship in a club and with other clybs in the bowling community around the country.
