From the Archives - Part One

Join us as we venture into the past of Extreme Boule…

The Most Extreme Game of All time?

Gillard, Burrows and Charles on an Extreme Boule mission

 

History doesn’t recall the winner of this encounter which took place almost a decade ago – but memories of the game still linger like frisky ghosts. Four Extreme Boule pioneers headed to one of Extreme Boule’s spiritual homes, the Brecon Beacons to test their skills.

Llyn y Fan Fach

 

 

Messrs’ Burrows, Gillard, Charles and Wort ventured to Llyn y Fan Fach to seek guidance from the Lady of the Lake (http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/wfb/wfb03.htm). There they spent the night by the lake, haunted by ghostly sounds,  and fortified with whisky and port.

Pre match rituals and an appreciation of Slovakia

 

On the day of the big match the players headed up onto Bannau Sir Gaer, at a height of over 600m. Atop the view down to the glacial lake is magnificent.

 

From here the players took aim. Boules were launched off the cliff edge, down a shear drop towards the lake – a drop of over 150m. To fall off here would mean death, yet over the boule went.

Burrows has a practice round with a boulder. The boule were launched from here

Where the boule were launched and landed - a drop of over 150m

 

Two shots each – that was it. To retrieve the boule, the players descended down a safer route and then spent hours, but what seemed like days, searching amongst the scree for the boule. Not all were found. Furthermore the Jacque was never located so there was no winner... except maybe the Lady of the Lake.

What Happened Next?

Charles, Wort and Burrows still play on the Extreme Boule scene, some say still trying, and failing, to recapture that moment. The World Championship is still a dream for them.

As for “Grandad” John Gillard? Well he went onto to be a World Champion, a hero of the game. Fame took it’s toil and he disappeared, to become a legend, like the Lady of the Lake. Some say one day he will rise again, like King Arthur or E.T. , to rule the Extreme Boule scene once more. Until that day all we have are memories.

 

The spiritual home of Extreme Boule