First splice completed. I realised it follows the 80/20 rule. 80% of the complete splice happens in the first 20% of the time. Then you get the fiddly bits to do. I always use a long splice, as the rope ends up the same diameter, which is useful in a bellrope where it passes through narrow holes and needs to be supple enough to bend like an ordinary rope.
This rope was almost worn through where it passes through the hole in the wheel, effectively the point where all the pressure of pulling ends up on the rope. The rope has also worn thin below that point, where it passes through the ceiling and rope shoot, in essence it's been shaved down. So I'm going to flip the top end (ie above the fluffy sally) so the most worn bit swaps places with the unworn section. Which means another splice. Think I'll wait until after lunch and give my hands a break!
#bellringing
Doing some rope splicing for one of the towers we ring at.
#bellringing
On a #bellringing outing today. Had enough time after the pub lunch to go for a stroll down to the canal. Met back up with the others at the church to discover the organiser had mistakenly booked Braunston Rutland instead of Braunston Northants! They both have six bells and are dedicated to All Saints, so an understandable mistake to make.
Enjoying a Hot Cross Bun with a proper cup of coffee out of a Leicester Guild of Bell Ringers commemorative mug.
#bellringing #easter #Coffee #HotCrossBuns #handbells #nutbells
The bellringers.
A close up of part of the bellringers' window at St Margaret's church Leicester. Traditionally during Holy Week, church bells are not rung, and although many vicars these days wouldn't mind if we did, it does give us a week off. Some towers hold their annual meeting in lieu of their normal practice night. This year at our tower, we're going to the pub instead of ringing!
#MonochromeMarch #bellringing
Zine permission granted

Ringing practice was good this morning, I rang plain hunt on an inside bell for the first time and we rang some call changes on 10 that were new to me too. I also just finished reading the book for book group this afternoon, with 2 hours to spare 😂

#BellRinging #LastMinuteReading

This morning I'm at the 12bell eliminator at St Margarets Leicester. I'm not taking part in the actual competition, but was in the band for the test ring - essentially the sound check for the judges to make sure they can hear the bells well. The first team is currently ringing their practice piece. Not much business at the bar yet!
#bellringing
Excellent quarter peal tonight at Whitwick. A replay of the method we attempted last week but didn't get - Mark and I have finally rung January's method of the month! Some really steady ringing.
#bellringing
https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1952543
Ringing World BellBoard

1280 Deva Surprise Major rung at Whitwick (St John the Baptist), Leicestershire

Beautifully level sponge cake. Making gluten free cake for the #bellringing 12bell eliminator contest at St Margarets tomorrow.
#baking
One thing I really like about #bellringing is the chance to visit parts of churches the general public doesn't usually get to see. Access to the ringing room at Southwell is up a spiral staircase, across a walkway in the south transept, and then up another spiral staircase. Nice bells, the only ring of 12 bells where the ropes hang in anticlockwise order. It takes a while to get used to looking in the other direction.