Country diary: Fell running and circus skills at the Rusland Show | Andrea meanwell

Rusland, Cumbria: We've sadly lost some committee members in recent times, but after nearly 140 years, the show must go onNext year, my husband will be the president of the 140th annual Rusland Valley Horticultural Show, so this year he must attend as vice-president and shadow the incumbent president to see what his duties will be. We attended the show last Saturday and, thankfully, it was a warm, dry day - not the torrential rain that we have had on recent Rusland Show days.After reporting to the secretary's tent, we watched the long fell race runners coming in. One had taken a wrong turning and was disappointed not to win. There were then shorter running races on the grass track, before the short fell race up the hill behind Whitestock Hall. All the while, there was a hum of activity on the field as children practised circus skills, and in the craft tent people demonstrated local crafts such as swill basket-making. Continue reading...