Its early morning down at the wreck
There’s already a dozen there
We’re waiting for the rest to turn up
There’s excitement in the air
We’re checking we’ve got everything
Bottles of water, towels and matches
Bags hanging from handlebars
Stuffed full of sandwiches
About twenty of us here now
Setting off to knipton reservoir
On bikes of all shapes and sizes
How many more we’re not sure
Knipton reservoirs in county Rutland
Some say it’s deep and dangerous
We camp and swim and mess about
It’s a playground treat for us
We don’t care how deep it is
Its an adventure and we’re good swimmers
Some of the gang have brought car inner tubes
They’ll blow them up, for the young uns to swim in
We set off about nine o clock
Singing and shouting without a care
If any of our bikes break down on the way
The rest of us will help them there
Its about twelve miles to where we’re going
We go down the back country lanes
Just taking our time and having a laugh
One of the girls does a running commentary, that’s Jane
We bike down onto Hawton road
Then through Hawton and Cotham
Past the quarry into Staunton village
Stopping here for a drink, and a fag if we’ve gottem
Bottom of the next hill is Bottesford
Where a stream runs across the road
The ones at the front lift their legs up
To late at the back, they’re soaked
Keep pedalling everyone shouts
You’ll be dry before you know it
Its only about five miles to go
Then bang, Joes back wheels had a blow out
We stop at the roadside while it’s mended
Gives everyone a chance to catch up
Caroline hands out boiled sweets
She talks real nice, but she’s not stuck up
One of our best mates is brains
He wears glasses that are really thick
We call them jam jar bottoms
He says I’ll fix this in a tick
Brains dad is a mechanic
So he comes all prepared
He has Joes wheel off in a flash
We all help, in ten minutes it’s repaired
He has a puncture outfit, spanners and things
In a bag fixed to the back of his seat
With a bicycle pump and umbrella tied to the frame
He’s dead clever; we all think he’s great
We’re through the last village now
Then way into the vale of Belvoir
Up past the grand old castle
Then down to the reservoir
They say a duke lives in the castle
And you have to pay to get in
Well that’s no good we aint got much
Only a few coppers in a baccy tin
Tom’s bike chain has snapped
Looks like we’ll have to tow him
That’s no problem take it in turns
Me first, then john, then slim
We walk up most of the steep hills
Freewheeling down the other side
Using our boots as brakes
Being careful we don’t collide
A couple of the steep hills we know about
Have sharp bends some of us have learned
Anyone who can’t stop in time
Ends up in the ditch before they’ve turned
Most of us realise and slow down
But some just forget because they’re gassing
Straight over the road and into the ditch
We all fall about laughing
They pull themselves out, jump on their bikes
Saying I’ve been nettled and stung
Bills laughing he’s covered in mud
To everyone its all good fun
Cor blimey it’s terrible when you get nettled
It stings and smarts real keen
They’re all spitting rubbing dock leaves on it
Trouble is, it makes your skin look green
You can wash it off when you get there
We all keep telling each other
When we get messing about in the water
You’ll forget about it no bother
We’re at the top of the last hill now
All about puffed out
Only ten more minutes to go
Cathy at the back shouts
All freewheeling now like mad
Sailing past all the trees
Then down the track at the bottom of the hill
Fantastic mate’s life’s a breeze
The sun filters through the trees
As we cycle down the track
We come out next to the waterfall
We’re all chuffed we made it, especially little Mack
We sometimes call him little Mack
Wilfred Mack’s his real name
He has a short leg and he’s poorly
He’s our mate we treat him the same
Everyone flakes out on the grass
Hilda says I’ve got two blisters
Cathy tells her off for moaning
She has to have the last word, sisters
We make camp down at the woods edge
Next to the waterfall pool
Make a circle of rocks for the fire
Gathering plenty of deadwood for fuel
Bill says I’ll light the fire
Then we can toast our bread
After that mess about around the waterfall
Or swim out to the raft instead
The girls want to play round the pool
There it’s only three feet deep
The boys want to swim out to the log raft
It’s in the middle and it’s steep
The two youngest are kimbo and nipper
Both about ten years old
They want to play in the pool shallows
The lake for them is to deep and cold
So john pumps up the inner tubes
Says to the girls and the young ones, don’t forget
We don’t want you going anywhere near the lake
You’re not that good swimmers yet
The raft is in the middle of the reservoir
Made up of trees fixed together
About a hundred yards from the shore
We’re going to the raft, shout Cathy and heather
It’s held in place with a big chain
Sticks out of the water about five feet
Difficult to climb onto
There’s no holds for hands or feet
We’re all lined up on the bank
Mervin says come on then let’s go
Everyone jumps or dives in
Don’t dive deep says bill, its really cold below
Brains says it must have been an old gravel pit
That’s probably why it’s so deep
Wilfred says I’ve heard there are monsters in here
They come up and grab at your feet
So we all swim out to the raft
Wilfred shouts lookout for sticklebacks
Shut up stupid says slim
Wilfred says there’s an octopus, it’s on your back
We’re all swimming like mad now
Thinking there’s a monster about
All this scary talks just spooked us
Get to the raft and get out
Wilfred’s first on the raft top
Look out he shouts a whales coming in
Norman climbs up behind him
And pushes Wilfred back in
Everyone’s on the raft top now
The waters dark here and cold
I‘me going to dive to the bottom says Joe
Always the first brave and bold
He comes up after a couple of minutes
It’s dark and freezing down there
I think it’s bottomless
Well that gave us all a scare
We all decide to dive down
After everyone’s taken a dare
Its cold dark and spooky down here
I’me heading back so there
We all dive in, heading back to the shore
Swimming and swimming real fast
There’s a mild panic about it all
No one wants to be last
Sat back round the fire slim says
Wilfred scared us say sorry he should
He makes a grab, Wilfred trips him up
Then runs off into the wood
Come on lets toast our sandwiches
The fires died down just right
Bill chucks more sticks on
Just to keep it alight
It’s getting late afternoon now
We are getting ready for heading back
Tying everything onto our bikes
Don’t seem two minutes since we unpacked
We pour some water on the fire
Make sure it’s properly out
Slim says he’s going to tie Wilfred to a tree
And leave him here all night
Setting off down the lane now
Caroline shouts wait, what’s wrong with little Mack
We all turn round he’s at the back of the group
My bikes broke I’ll have to walk back
He has one leg shorter than the other
One pedal has a wooden block on it
It must have come off in the trees he says
Now me leg won’t fit
We all gather round to help
Brains says find me a small log or something
Slim comes back with a piece of wood
Brains ties it on with a good length of string
Wilfred tries out his new pedal
It’s great he says just right
I’me really sorry I scared us in the water
I was only messing about
Slim says I’ll ride behind him
Make sure he gets back okay
Mervin says I’ll ride with you
It’s been a fantastic day
We sometimes fall out a bit
And call each other strange names
But like Hilda says we stick together
Good times, good friends, good games
We ride back nice and easy
Soaking up the last of the suns rays
All good mates no matter what
Monsters of the deep. Crikey. Happy days. |  |
