penfold

It's much against my nature, but if it would make you feel better I could join in....

Bit of a Bay Window, what??

ChristineCB

Oh great! Absolutely! I have great faith that Crook could dodge one item tossed singly, but a salvo?!

penfold

To keep in the spirit of the film, it will have to be apples, either down the hilly street or at the watermill....where is next year going to take us Steve?? Plenty of time to dig out the tin helmet....or the wooden sword...

Bit of a Bay Window, what??

Steve Crook

The boys that were in that river battle tell us that crab apples were quite painful. You can see John Sweet flinch a few times as they hit him.

We haven't decided where next year's walk will be yet but we were at Chilham (where the river battle happened) last year so Fordwich (Town hall, church, Colpeper Institute etc.) is more likely next year

Steve

ChristineCB

I will NOT waste an apple - too much good cheese in the area to waste a whole apple in some target-practice! Hmmm... well, maybe apple cores?

Steve, over the time you've been doing this, can you tell us how the locals have reacted to this pilgrimage? If they considered it a nuisance at first, has that changed? Or vice versa. Is this scheduled event done in cooperation with the town's preferences, or do they care?

Steve Crook

Well one time we visited one of the villages, Fordwich near Canterbury, where many of the early scenes were shot. It was a particularly well attended gathering with about 100 people there, including 2 in wheelchairs and a few people with baby buggies. As we walked up the main street of the village, pausing at various places, we couldn't help but to block it quite a bit. One of the villagers came out to ask if it was a protest. They thought we might be protesting against a new road, although they hadn't heard of one being planned

We've never felt the need to get any particular permissions to do what we do. We've had very few complaints of comments. Most people just ignore us and let us get on with what we're doing.

Steve

wagner1966

Hi Steve,

Glad all went well at this years walk - I was hoping to attend myself (but the wife chose Wales instead for a holiday). When will next years walk be confirmed? - I have convinced her we should go back to kent next year (missed the walk 4 years ago by one week - we stayed just down the road from Chilham so managed to see a few of the locations but I'm sure it would be more enjoyable with a more enthusiastic crowd!). We are looking at booking our holiday early next year - If there is any chance of the walk not taking place we may well go to Scotland instead.

Ben

Steve Crook

Well we have held them for the last 10 years, and as Paul Tritton says, we'll keep on doing it until we get it right

It's always on the August bank holiday Sunday, the last Sunday in August. That's the weekend when the film was set so it seems appropriate.

I'll announce where it's to be on the PaPAS site and here when we decide exactly where we'll be going

Steve

penfold

They wouldn't have wasted apples in wartime either, even in abundant Kent. As Steve pointed out, they're crabapples, you wouldn't want to eat one....OK for cooking and great for Jellymaking, in which case bruising from a direct hit on Our Glorious Leader's tin hat won't do any serious damage at all - to the apple at least.

Bit of a Bay Window, what??

ChristineCB

Oh yes, that's even better news! Say, do you know if roasted Glorious Leaders always taste better with a crabapple in their mouth? Or is that used to merely silence them as they're turned, roasting over the campfire?

So much for the ducking booth-!!

I think we'll have to plan on an August 2007 trip. London's usually an April-May time-frame for us, but we skipped it this year with the arrival of our second. Next year, though, Crook can be caught between babysitting and apple-dodging, maybe.

penfold

Give me plenty of notice so we can all meet up....

Bit of a Bay Window, what??

Steve Crook

Is "it'll be on August bank holiday Sunday next year" enough notice?

Visit the PaPAS site to see what you are letting yourselves in for. That page has links for all the location walks and various other events in Canterbury

Steve

penfold

I was asking for notice of whether or not Christine was attending.....I might make the walk as well, mind.

Bit of a Bay Window, what??

ChristineCB

As of now, we're hoping to move our Spring 2007 UK trip into late Summer, swapping it for our usual LA stay. These are rather business-related but with enough notice, we'll see what we can do. I'll warn - er, keep you posted!