On 21st October, ​14 Questers met on a bright late autumn day at the Tudor house in Southampton. Our guide, a knowledgeable historian, led us a fascinating 1.1/2 hour walk around the Old Town. Originating in Roman times and much expanded by the Normans, Southampton became an important gateway for commerce. Most of the produce in medieval England was the export of wool to the continent and its re-import as clothing and the import of wine. 

​22 Questers assembled outside the Town Hall in Hungerford on July 27th.

​Ann Scott gave a brief history of the town before moving up the High Street and finding some hidden steps which led us around the backs of houses to the common. Ann told us that the towns councillors had fought many plans to build on the common over many years. The 220 acres, now run by trustees as a charity,  have changed little over the centuries, the grass is kept in check by a herd of cattle. 

​Questers dispersed for lunch to several of the town's eateries before boarding The Rose of Hungerford narrowboat for an afternoon 1 1/2 hr restful trip up the Kennet and Avon canal, through the Dunmill lock and return. A commentary from the crew gave us a history of the canal as we glided past canal boat homes, watched the wildlife and partook of the refreshments on board. A very enjoyable day out with the added bonus that we didn't have to pay a parking charge as the barrier machine was not working!

​30 Questers assembled on a balmy July 1st afternoon at the New Forest Fruit Farm near Beaulieu. We were met by the farmer, Sandy Booth, who gave us a very personal and fascinating tour of the vast area of polytunnels on one of his three farms.

Sandy, the son of a farmworker, came to fruit farming with many fresh ideas and is pioneering ever better ways of providing tasty, fresh produce. The first tunnel we visited was a new way of growing asparagus making use of coir mulch and thick plastic matting to conserve heat and produce some of the earliest asparagus in UK.   

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