Ringing differently in Devon

They do things differently in Devon, so Cathy Booth discovers in this interview with Devon call change ringer Ryan Trout. Not only do they have a distinctive cream tea, Devon also has its very own unique style of bell ringing.With a great sense of regional pride, Ryan fills Cathy in about this fast and furious ringing style which has it’s own terms and traditions. Listen in to discover more about cartwheeling, Sixties on Thirds, which is also known as the Queen’s Peal, and when to employ a strapper.Although Ryan’s been ringing since about the age of nine this podcast is evidence that he still gets a huge buzz from ringing, visiting other towers, going up into the bell chamber and, of course, visiting the pub afterwards. And keen to encourage others, he generously shares some great tips on places to ring both in Devon and further afield.Ryan is passionate about ringing and spreading the word about Devon call changing, and although you can hear it second hand on You Tube, he urges people to come to Devon and experience if for themselves. Sounds like you’ll get an extremely warm welcome and so, with excellent bell striking, delicious cream teas and some wonderful pubs, what’s stopping you?LinksDevon Association of RingersGuild of Devonshire ringersYouTube channel for Devon call change ringing: Bellr1ngers Top five takeaways– Want to see and hear what Devon call changes are about but can’t travel? Check out these interesting You Tube accounts.– You don’t have to be a Devon ringer to focus on your bell striking – try entering your band into a local striking competition to help you improve. – Would you be a good bell ringing judge? Try listening to some bell ringing from outside the tower and see if you can spot any gaps or clashes.– There’s no set age at when you can start to ring – it’s up to individual development and a lot depends on the size of your hands.– Ringing can get you into some special spaces that people would not normally get to see, like inside bell towers, historic colleges and even film locations!Ask the ExpertIn this episode, Pip Penney answered the following questions:Rebecca: “I’ve heard people talking about being able to hear their bell, but I can’t distinguish the sound of my bell.  How much of a problem is this?”Sophie: “I’ve started to learn to ring, but so far it is just me and my teacher.  How long should I expect it to take before I will be able to ring with other ringers?”Harry: “What is the most difficult thing about learning to ring?”Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.orgPodcast team:Anne Tansley ThomasEmily Roderick John GwynneEmily WattsCathy BoothRinging by:The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org