Stockport Morris and Slubbing Billy clog side West Somerset tour with West Somerset Morris Men

When my folkie friend Martin Hughes mentioned he was heading for a session at Theale near Wedmore that included those famous sides Stockport Morris and Slubbing Billys North West Morris clog side who were camping and touring Somerset that weekend, I decided it was an opportunity not to be missed so Saturday lunchtime last weekend, I headed for the Somerset levels and what turned out to be a great session at the Panborough Inn, Panborough.

Tunes played included all the usual standard traditional folk music and Morris tunes and there was poetry and song with a strong Northern accent but I was particularly delighted to spot another saxophone player who introduced to me the idea of using a melamine reed in his tenor sax which was more resilient in the often wet open air environment 'up North'.

At these sorts of gatherings, there are always lots of interesting people for example I discovered the mandolin musician was taking early retirement to start a small business to spend more time making and selling his instruments.

Best of all, I discovered that they were all visiting West Somerset the next day, joining up with the West Somerset Morris Men at Watchet and proceeding by steam train to Minehead along the West Somerset Railway Line to Morris dance on the sea front at Minehead which seemed to me to be a wonderful photo opportunity and meant that I could see them all again on the Sunday too... brilliant!

First stop was the Star Inn, Watchet, West Somerset where I took the advantage of chatting to a few of the West Somerset Morris men. My brother used to dance with them when he was a teenager over 40 years ago and they still remember him. Stockport Morris, Slubbing Billy and West Somerset Morris all danced and put on a great show enjoyed by packed crowds.

Later, back in Minehead, the old steam train was played in by a small band of West Somerset Morris players which included Brian Heaton and Derek Byron, long associated with local centre of traditional dancing Halsway Manor, Crowcombe.

The steam train looked splendid as it arrived and the combined Morris sides were soon disembarking and heading to the local pubs along the sea front to dance and play their tunes ending up in front of the Olde Ship Aground above Minehead Harbour.

In the course of checking the web sites of Stockport Morris and Slubbing Billy, I noticed that Stockport Morris were looking for musicians and dancers. One of the most endearing aspects of the Morris movement is that it is so open and welcoming to newcomers.

So if you are healthy and reasonably fit, or would like to be, then I'm sure they or many of the other Morris sides in England and Wales would like to hear from you and, if you are a musician interested in playing traditional English folk tunes, you would probably be welcomed with open arms too.

If you have recently joined a Morris side or would like to invite new members or have any comments or additions to add, please click on 'comments' below. I look forward to hearing from you :-)