ACTIVITIES   You can get up to all sorts of fun and games, or absolutely nothing, during our stay in Chassepierre.  It's up to you!   During the day on Saturday there are various optional activities, which in the past have included canoeing, walking, and horse-riding (see below for more details).  None of these are compulsory, and some of them will involve an extra fee to cover costs.   On Saturday evening, we organise some fun and games.  In the past there have been a superheroes evening, karaoke, 80’s fancy dress and quizzes...  Anyone with inspirational party ideas for this year will be more than welcome to come and put them into practice!   On Sunday morning we hold an informal service before lunch.  Although most of the people who come to Chassepierre also attend Holy Trinity fairly regularly, some are friends and acquaintances who do not.  And sometimes even Christians need a break from church services.  So this is also completely optional -  the only thing we ask is that whatever else you are doing doesn’t disturb it (i.e. please don’t choose Sunday morning to play your Marilyn Manson CD at full volume).   You are therefore free, if you wish, to sit in the garden and read, or to sit out the front and chat, or just to sleep off the stresses of everyday life, throughout the entire weekend.   And if this all sounds too idyllic, you’ll be reassured to hear that there is one activity in which participation is obligatory: cooking and washing up.  Everyone is asked to spend a short amount of time helping to prepare food and/or do dishes after meals.  It doesn’t take long and it makes life much nicer for everybody.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES   When you register to come to Chassepierre, there is a section on the form which asks you to indicate which of the optional activities you are interested in.  Please tell us!  If not enough people want to do a particular activity, it won’t happen!   If you are particularly keen to do one of these activities, or something else that we haven’t thought of yet, then maybe you might consider helping organise it.  We are a small team and the possibilities are limited to what we can organise, so the more helpers the merrier!   Here are some of the things we usually get up to:   Canoeing The most popular activity by far is an all-day kayak trip along the river Lesse.  It’s not always an easy paddle (depends on how much grass is in the river), with beautiful scenery, and a number of opportunities for unforeseen larking about in the water – if the weather’s been dry you might have to get out and push yourselves off the sandbanks; if it’s been wet, there are rapids!  None of these are too scary though, and even in case of disasters you can be consoled by the nice homemade packed lunch. This year, we will try see if we can arrange an easier journey than that of last year 2008, which for most of us was too long and too difficult!   Cycling Gentle rolling slopes and quiet roads - hardly a better place to bike!   Horse riding More of a niche activity, but there is a riding school near-ish to Chassepierre, and groups have in previous years gone on a gentle trek.   Football There is a nice big lawn in front of the church. Some of us have always wanted to play on that. If enough people are up for this, and the lawn is ok, football might be a nice option which could even be combined with other activities as we are unlikely to play all afternoon.   Brewery visit This isn’t so much of an established activity as a nice idea, given that there are a number of monastic breweries in the regional vicinity.  If enough people want it, it might happen.   (Walking) Previous years have seen seriously ambitious hikes for proper ramblers as well as some seriously laid back wanders for lazy amblers. This year the organized walking is not confirmed, but if enough people are interested and the people to lead it are there, why not!