Hatful of hollow

I've always had a mild obsession with hollow lanes, deep lanes, dark lanes or whatever you want to call them - ever since I had to walk on foot to a rather lovely carp pool in my youth they have never been far away from my mind. The return walk used to terrify me as I invariably packed up just into dark. My father was on strict instructions to be waiting with car headlights on and torch in hand ready to drive me home.

They seem to be rather in vogue at present what with the rather glorious writing of Roger Deakin and Robert Macfarlane, but you can't help but come across them in this part of West Dorset.

A period of intense rain brought us down with a severe case of cabin fever so we decided to go on an adventure to a particular favourite - the excitement of three children between the ages of two and eight was a joy to behold. Between them they have an interest in Bill Badger, hedgehogs, Harry Potter and BB's gnomes so you can imagine the conversation as we dropped into and onto this ancient route.

Their inquisitive and investigative nature had them peering up, down, into cavernous badger setts, forks and holes in trees wondering what creatures may live there and what passed along this track the night before. We heard a raven overhead and then came upon a buzzard devouring a slow worm - i'm not sure who was more surprised.

The most excellent antiquarian Alfred Watkins thought that some were etched in prehistoric times as notches to give sight lines to and from fords and hill passes. The atmosphere certainly reflects the generations of foot, hoof and cart wheel that have carved each of the hollow lanes................................two of my children agreed to return with me at dusk in the holidays, we shall wait and see.................I fear the memory of the carp pool deep lane is still too fresh in my mind.

 

Cool Dude!

Julius Drewe of Castle Drogo, Devon at Faskally 1902

The Glorious Sixteenth

I'm getting twitchy. I always do around this time as the excitement mounts, eventually hitting boiling point at midnight tomorrow. At that hour the coarse fisherman's Christmas Day will have arrived - the glorious sixteenth will see the traditional coarse fisherman's season begin.

I will be fishing for carp, possibly wild carp with the same friends, at the same mist shrouded pool, same time, same rockets, beer and traditions as I always have done - in this ever busy world I'm so pleased it is the one constant in my life - it never changes and may that always be the case. 

The only fly in the ointment are the fish! They may or may not want to say hello and be admired by us.........that's the fun of it, the expectation - will it be an ancient uncaught monster or a dry net! It doesn't matter. Just being there is enough.

I usually think of BB (DJ Watkins-Pitchford) at the start of the coarse fishing season (especially when carp are the quarry) and will raise my pint glass at some stage to him in appreciation. That's him pictured below with his carp rod and reel - BB was the grandfather of carp fishing in this country.......not as hard nosed as those who came after him, he liked to smell the roses along the way. It was reading his 1950 masterpiece "Confessions of a Carp Fisher" in the school library that got me really hooked on Carp - I doubt the book is still there, but I have BB, Bernard Venables and Oliver Kite all to thank for sending me on a journey of discovery that still excites me today.

If you, like me, will be doing something similar for the glorious sixteenth then I hope your dreams come true and the sun shines on you and that your cane rod creaks with happiness.

    

Market Finds No 2

I have a liking for ephemera. If it's railway related even better, so you can imagine my excitement with this little lot of paper all for less than a couple of pounds. Many of the stations are long gone, but certainly not forgotten.

Those which stood on the iconic Somerset & Dorset line have a fascination as I often walk what remains of the line when fishing the Dorset Stour ......... the atmosphere at night is most pleasing. After a misty autumn day on the river I often dream of ending the day with a pint in the Silent Whistle with the sound of steam and the "Pines Express" rattling by.

Sumer Is Icumen In

I loved the 20 CD collection of folk songs that Topic Records put out in the late 1990's - The Voice of the People. Another decade on and I note with interest that there is another tranche of releases.

Compiled by Dr Reg Hall, himself a fine musician, the original collection draws primarily on Topic's own output of some 120 albums, but also on previously unreleased private recordings and other long-unavailable commercial recordings. In the past, Topic put out albums by individual performers, but these 20 CD's are arranged thematically. There are three volumes of dance music, two of nautical songs, two concerning work (mainly rural), two of ballads, four of songs about love, courtship and sexual encounters, three of what might broadly be termed leisure pursuits (including drinking and hunting), and one each about exile, topical issues, and seasonal and ritual events. The one exception to the broadly thematic arrangement is Volume 11, My father's the king of the gypsies, which is devoted to recordings of English and Welsh travellers.

The one obvious omission from the last 20-CD Voice Of The People series in 1998 was the Copper Family, but happily they are here in force this time – Jim Copper is included with an outstanding You Seamen, Bold (on Good People, Take Warning), while the same collection features many of the traditional singers most dear to the revival, including Harry Cox, Jeannie Robertson, Fred Jordan and the fisherman who essentially inspired a 17-year-old Martin Carthy to devote his career to folk music, Sam Larner.

Talking of Jim Copper, I hope you enjoy this lovely version of 'Hard Times of Old England' - absolutely wonderful.

The Beer Engine

The annual Swanage Railway Diesel Gala and Dorset Beer Festival is a permanent entry in my diary every year ........... I won't bore you with all the locomotive terminology and speak, I'll save that for another day, but needless to say this years bash was highly enjoyable.

The organisers were completely shot to pieces by the non arrival of the main stars of the show due to a loco failure up country. Being a West Country diesel hydraulic anorak I was most disappointed that Warship Class 42 Greyhound would not be attending.

The picture below (at Minehead on the West Somerset Railway) will give you an idea of what I am talking about.

The Swanage Railway did a fantastic job in re-organising the whole timetable and are to be applauded for putting on another splendid gala .......... the beer was magnificent too! It's not often I put all my eggs in one basket, but this year I only sampled beer from one brewery. One, I am ashamed to say, I did not even know existed.

After sampling a pint of Sixpenny Brewery 6D Best Bitter that was it - I was hooked. All magnificent brews (I especially enjoyed the 6D Gold) and when I pass by the village, which I often do, I'll be calling in for some draught cask ale to enjoy at home. The Sixpenny Brewery certainly made up for the lack of a Warship. Cheers!  

Yachi da Ollie!

I often think of Ollie Kite at this time of year. I also make no apology for this longer than usual post in appreciation of the great man - there will be more postings in the future I'm sure. The joy that is the trout season brings with it many associations that I have with Ollie. There is certainly more to a fishing day than actually catching the fish -  A trout cooked on the bank for supper, picnic lunches, the abundance of flora and fauna and not too far away now my annual brewing of Kites Champagne. Enough, hopefully, to see me through the summer months.  I have no doubt I have followed his path with the thought of trout at the beginning of a fishing day - more often than not I toast the great man with a generous libation in the hope that he may bring me some good fortune on my travels with rod and line and also with thanks for the joy he has given me in print and film.

This lovely film has some rare footage of 'Kite's Country' (April 1964) - Fossiling with the Jennings Family. How splendid to see Ollie on one of my local beaches at Charmouth. We have never found any fossils as good as the Jennings family though! Superb soundtrack, just the ticket.

   

I have waxed lyrical all things Ollie through the most splendid Caught by the River site and you can read those ramblings and appreciations by others and myself here. Take a look at the recipe for Kites Champagne - this is in fact a variation, but one I know Ollie would appreciate.

I have often wondered what rod and reel Ollie favoured and as far as I can make out from footage and photo's his rod of choice was a fibreglass Milbro Trufly and the reel an Intrepid Rimfly - all fairly routine, but being the good infantryman that he was they were perfect for the job in hand.   

 

Back in the late 1980's I was fortunate to be able to write to Ted Channel who was not only a good friend of Ollie's, but filmed him on his adventures which were subsequently broadcast on Southern TV as weekly fifteen minute programmes. Ted kindly sent me what was remaining on video and I am really pleased to see that the majority of these are now available to watch on Youtube. Ted mentioned that another of Ollie's films was available, but not through him. It was the magnificent 28 minute film on Fawley Oil Refinery (1968). Ollie manages to even catch some trout in the private lake which is within the refinery grounds! This film was duly obtained rather amazingly from the film company who were still in operation at the time and I see that this is now available on DVD (in colour, my VHS copy is black & white) through the New Forest Centre. You can watch a 3 minute clip of Oliver Kite's Fawley here.   

I was most fortunate recently to find locally a copy of his splendid 1963 book Nymph Fishing in Practice (Herbert Jenkins). Now, I already possess his books and didn't really need another edition but on inspecting this copy my heart missed a beat. When I saw it was signed by Ollie and below his signature the previous owners of the book (all good Wiltshire men within casting distance of the Upper Avon) I had to pinch myself. I still can't quite believe it now..............yachi dah Ollie!

Turn on, tune in, drop out

I had to look back through my journals to find exactly when it was that the paths of Nigel Fennel Hudson and myself first crossed. I was somewhat surprised to find it was in the 1990's at Jade lake in a forgotten corner of Wiltshire - the diary entry made me smile as I had forgotten most of it (one of the reasons why I keep a fishing journal). Both of us had no idea the other was fishing the pool on that dark, wet and windy night. I was protected from the elements by a gentleman's brolly and a cape. My lonely vigil was cheered somewhat by a candle in a jar and hourly brew ups with my Kelly Kettle..............I didn't catch that night.

The lake is haunted. I only had one occasion where I really was scared and knew I had to leave, which I did, but this was not such a night. More often than not the atmosphere was interesting and would take a turn in some strange direction to make the catching of carp easier or impossible - I always felt something unseen was watching me there.

Anyway, on this particular night through the rain I saw the occasional flicker and glow of a naked flame through the herbage on the far bank. I wasn't alone. I had always fished by myself here, never actually met another angler and hoped I never would. I had in fact turned back for home on more than one occasion if I saw another car parked on the dam. After the initial phantom thoughts I soon realised there was in fact someone else fishing this night. I had not seen this person arrive. 

In the morning, a glorious sunny morning where everything steams after a wet night, I did spy my fellow piscator re-casting. After catching two feral carp I decided by lunchtime that perhaps I might go and investigate. I crept across the dam and found someone like me, a tramp under a brolly........it was Fennel or Nigel as I knew him then. I heard it was his first season on the lake too, how he cycled on opening night from his home near Hungerford with all his tackle, bait and provisions (took him a whole day), he was a gardener and he liked the things I liked. Whoever said that these are the times that likings are made is quite right. We are friends to this very day.

I heard a few years later that I too had freaked him out that night. Not only with my glimmering candle but the sudden volcanic eruptions from my tea brewing activities and then whilst he was dozing I crept up on him all monkish through the mud in my sandals and frightened the living daylights out of him...........probably why the name Angelus has stuck. I digress - this was meant to be about Fennel and his Priory which is a fascinating place (lots of nooks and crannies for the lover of all things vintage). Have a poke around at Fennel's Priory and if you like what you see I can heartily recommend Issue 1 of Fennel's Journal. 

Fennel posted a few lines from a letter I wrote to him on his guest book:   In this mad, chaotic world, the ethos and beliefs of the Priory make us stop and think and hopefully appreciate and evaluate what is important and what can wait. Slow is good - should be good. Take time to stop and drink everything in..... enjoy the small things in life which get neglected because some say fast is good. Appreciate this and life will be good. The Priory appreciates this - we appreciate it too! We all have to work and get caught up in the grind, but remember that if you remember to stop, unplug, escape, enjoy, your life will be all the more better.

Cello Song

Iv'e drifted in and out of Nick Drakes music for years now - never being a huge fan, but certainly appreciating his gift and enjoying his music at times when my hand just hovers near one of his CD's - the mood has to be just right.

Billy Bragg got it so right when he described him as follows: “The great thing about Nick Drake is that you have to meet him halfway. You have to lean in to hear what he is saying.”

I'm glad I don't live in London, but at times wish I could be transported to some of the 'events' that take my fancy - the Strange Face Project exhibition at Idea Generation Gallery is one such event. A series of photographs by Michael Burdett.

Michael was working as a postboy at Island Records in the 1970's when he came across a boxed tape in the skip and was allowed to keep it. On the box was written "Nick Drake Cello Song - With Love X" - what he had found was a version that had not been released or heard before.

Many years passed and recently Michael set off with a CD player and headphones in hand, for nearly two years he travelled the length and breadth of Britain with the aim of offering random individuals an exclusive opportunity to hear the recording. City workers, farmers, scientists, hairdressers, musicians, tattooists – he asked them all. Randomly stopping them in the street, at their places of work and in their homes, whether they knew of Drake’s material or not. He then photographed them listening to the song.

He even photographed a man listening to the song fishing for Grayling on the Itchen in Hampshire - how perfect is that! There is an interview with Michael on the BBC 6Music site.  

Three Cheers For Shindig!

My reading pile is getting huge, I can't stop adding to it! One read that always goes straight to the top of the pile is the wonderful Shindig! magazine. It appeals to me on so many levels from the glorious thud as it hits the floor when postie shoves it through my letterbox to articles on bands I adore such as Kippington Lodge, Soft Machine and The Pretty Things to name just a few. Coupled with genuine knowledgeable writing by a friendly team of enthusiasts you almost feel part of the gang when reading it. Imagine my delight to hear the news that from the next issue it's coming out six times a year - Yahoo!

The latest gigantic issue is a Mott The Hoople special with some super writing by Kris Needs. It also has features on The Alan Bown Set, The Critters and The Twilights - the splendid thing about Shindig! is you keep going back to it and find nuggets you missed on your first read! It's the only mag I keep - I never recycle it!

There is a small feature that me old mucker Overend Watts (Mott bassist) did for a fanzine I put together back in the 1990's called Wig Out - it's about his love for the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band and how they had such an influence on his pre-Mott bands and still do for that matter - I won't spoil it for you, check out the article here.

One amusing story that relates to the above article when it first appeared (1997) - some months after Overends Wig Out piece his phone rang....."Hi, this is Michael Lloyd here from the WCPAEB, just leaving a message for Overend".....phone gets picked up by Overend "Is that really you? Is it really you? It can't really be you" it turns out it really was Michael Lloyd who called to say how much he and the other band members loved the article. A long chat ensued and some myths are put to bed about the group and some new gems unearthed! Great story. Imagine the excitement!

The good news is that in addition to being a subscriber magazine Shindig! is back in the shops - the next issue (on sale 16th February) will be on special promotion in WH Smiths so it should be pretty easy to find. Enjoy!