Eight ringers and three non-ringers travelled from (mainly) Church Gresley, Derbyshire to Liverpool Cathedral to join their Saturday evening practice on 23rd July.  Four of the ringers were experienced, but of the others three have been ringing for only a little over a year.  All the ringers bar one are either ART teachers or mentors, or are progressing through LtR levels at Church Gresley or elsewhere.

Church Gresley ringers in Liverpool Cathedral Ringing Chamber

It might seem a little strange to arrange an outing from an easy 8cwt six, to the heaviest full-circle ring in the world, but everyone rang well with no disasters such as missed sallys or bells being unintentionally rung down.

Highlight of the visit was probably Evie Newton, a young ringer from Duffield, ringing the Tenor (82 cwt), firstly as strapper, then on her own. But the tail end was just too short to allow her to stand the bell at backstroke, as was required at the end of the practice.  Next time, maybe!

The Bells and Frame, from above

We were made extremely welcome by Jeff Simcox and the Liverpool ringers, and after the practice ended we had a tour of the bell-chamber, and up onto the roof.  Yes, if you could somehow get a bus in there, you really could drive it round the outside of the bell frame!