Hold the bells

Tonight I achieved a childhood ambition and rang church bells. A very nice couple at St Andrew's church in Great Ryburgh gave me a one-hour lesson on the rudimentaries of bell ringing and allowed me to have a go at doing some ringing myself.
After climbing up a very long ladder to get to the top of the church's cylindrical tower I was shown the bells which date from the 16th Centuary and the mechanics were explained. After a nervous descent of the ladder I was given a demonstration of the ringing techniques and allowed to have a go myself. It was good fun but I soon realised that it takes a lot of skill to be able to ring properly. When the rest of the Ryburgh Ringers arrived for their Thursday evening practice I was treated to a display of their bell ringing. I was made to feel very welcome and I may go back again to learn more.