Well, I took the low road and came back by the high road!

It may seem a bit extreme to travel to the Highlands to learn to ring a bell but, if you’ve got the time, it’s a good way to do it, and it’s also a great holiday as well. A lesson once a week up the spiral staircase of your local tower doesn’t compare with daily individual tuition in three ringing chambers with handbells as an extra.

Handbell in the ‘up’ position

I may have left it rather late to begin, and wish I’d been 14 and combining the visit with an adventure holiday with other teen ringing enthusiasts, but Tulloch is certainly the place to go. Don’t be put off by the distance; the weather and scenery make it all worthwhile, with
extremely comfortable local accommodation. Teaching was first class.

Location of Tulloch Ringing Centre

Helen worked hard at making a silk tartan purse out of an aged sow’s ear, and has much more to offer more competent ringers.

There are two 5‐day courses available at Tulloch in September: Learn to Ring on 18‐22 September, and Improve your Ringing on 25‐29 September. Designed to give a full introduction to bell handling in week one, you could book to do the following week too, which will focus on rounds and call changes as well as the theory and practice of plain hunt. Full information is at www.tullochbells.com.

The Tulloch Ringing Centre

This article originally appeared in the April Edition of ‘Tower Talk’ – a free, quarterly magazine by ringers, for ringers.

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