Wednesday 22nd February 2023
Report written by Alexandra Iseghohi
4 Goodgymers braved the cold to help rake the leaves at the beautiful Guys Cliffe gardens.
After a quick run from St Nick's Park, guided in part by James's swanky new head torch, we arrived at Guys Cliffe gardens to a row of rakes and a running tractor. Unfortunately our task did not involve whizzing around the grass, instead it was all hands on deck to rake the fallen leaves from the banks at the edges of the path.
We got to work creating huge leaf piles, careful to avoid the snowdrops and daffodils, while Adrian inched the tractor alongside us to make sure we had plenty of light. Although it was a big task, we were luck to have an extra three pairs of hands and we we were done before we knew it.
Once finished, Katherine switched out her head torch for a tour guide cap to show us around the beautiful Guys Cliffe ruins. Of course Nigel was a bit more interested in the intricate joinery than anything else!
Leaves raked and sights seen, we headed back to St Nicks where we completed another 10 minute loop of the park to finish off a training run that Alexandra had snuck into the Group Run.
We're hoping to head back to Guys Cliffe in the next couple of weeks so if this sounds like fun to you, keep an eye on the website!
When legends fade... Long, long ago when the world moved at a gentler pace the land and greenwoods harboured special places, evocative retreats where certain delights of nature stirred the soul... Guy’s Cliffe is one such place and it blossomed from such humble beginnings to have an Oratory founded here in the 5th Century and thereon it afforded shelter to the legendary 10th Century Guy of Warwick, resident chantry priests also made their home here in the middle ages amongst whom was the noted 15th Century antiquarian John Rous whose history the site is now mostly lost. Latterly the famous Georgian actress Sarah Siddons stayed here often in the welcoming bosom of the Greatheed family, who along with the succeeding Percy family did further embellish the location to see it become a country manor of some worth and intrigue... Ultimately and sadly though it ended up somewhat slighted for it suffered greatly at the hands of negligence and fire, but all was not lost... Its present owners rescued the 15th Century Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene and ancillary rooms in the 1970’s armed with limited resources but bountiful determination. Now the outer grounds need that same commitment and attention and indeed the determination is there but our resources are few... We really need your help!
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