Visiting Ampthill
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Forum Name: The Championship Cup
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Topic: Visiting Ampthill
Posted By: gerg_861
Subject: Visiting Ampthill
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2019 at 08:31
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So I have a pass from the Mrs. to make the trip to Amphill, and I'm going to meet some work colleagues. Not having went to Ampthill before, I was wondering if anyone could fill me in on a few points: 1. Early game, so was thinking of just getting lunch at the ground. Feasible, or will I go away hungry? Note - driving, so liquid lunch not an option. 2. I've heard that the ground is rather spartan - my colleague is a bit older and was hoping to be able to sit. Best off bringing a stool? 3. Any idea if dogs are allowed? thanks in advance.
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Replies:
Posted By: gerg_861
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2019 at 09:22
| Ahh...found that dogs are allowed from the website...If no answers on the other questions, then I'll report back on Sunday for wider info. |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2019 at 09:30
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There is a place selling coffe and snacks pitchside. I cannot remember if it does hot food. I am sure there was hot food in the club house. However I have not eaten there so cannot vouch for quality. There are a few picnic tables, but iif you have a camp stool or shooting stick I would take that. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: OldNick
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2019 at 10:07
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Eat offsite before arriving. There are tolls sometimes in the bar, but we’ve found they tend to run out. Dogs, yes everywhere! Very limited seating - bring a folding chair. |
Posted By: corporalcarrot
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2019 at 10:50
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The town is a 5-10 minute walk from the ground and has a decent collection of Pubs & Foodie spots. I liked the clubhouse which was traditional in style and the gorgeous bowl of a pitch which is a few hundred metres away through the woods had excellent and inexpensive hot food to eat on the hoof. No problem taking dogs and the pitch side toilet facilities offer uninterrupted views of the match. I really enjoyed my visit but the lack of floodlights suggest that even a 1.45pm kick off may still be pushing luck in December. A torch may be useful. ------------- Dont kick it. Pick it up and GO FORWARD. |
Posted By: islander
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2019 at 13:13
| Have a good trip Gerg. Ampthill may not be everyone's cup of tea but I enjoyed it - very welcoming and when I say 'old school' I mean that as a genuine compliment. It would be dull if all the clubs in any league were the same. And I'm sure you'll make it back through the woods without a torch! |
Posted By: B Cap
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2019 at 13:53
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This season they’ve set up a large marquee adjacent to clubhouse where there’s a bar. At pitch side on the bank there has been 2 bars, a tea/coffee place and a hot food stall selling pork rolls, pie and burgers. Pies are good. Full toilet facilities Seating wise. - there are a few benches dotted around on the hill but youll need to get there early to grab one. Enjoy the match. |
Posted By: Fat Albert
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2019 at 14:32
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Clubhouse and/or marquee serves cold food before the game, pitch side there are burgers, sandwiches and confectionery available. The club lunch is very good value but you'll need to book. Good food & beer available in town, 10-15 minute walk from the ground.  The banking, on the South & East of the pitch, is quite steep affording a great view. Biggest crowd was over 2000 with room for at least that again. It's a 5 minute stroll from the clubhouse to the field, there's very little seating available.
------------- a Freudian slip is when you say one thing but mean your mother |
Posted By: corporalcarrot
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2019 at 15:10
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Great photo FatAl. Pitch was in great condition a few weeks ago when I visited and it must be as wide as any I have seen in the Championship. A great field for running rugby. ------------- Dont kick it. Pick it up and GO FORWARD. |
Posted By: gerg_861
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2019 at 16:46
| Thanks all. Looking forward to the trip! |
Posted By: No 7
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2019 at 16:42
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A wonderful setting and a real club atmosphere. I observed the ambulance ready to go and the ` medical centre at pitchside. I chose the pulled pork roll at £ 5:00. Worth every pound . The stroll is very short indeed and fairly flat , I do not see what all the fuss was about. There is very little seating but I witnessed empty benches and it is so easy to bring your own fold away chair that you can site where ever takes your fancy. We chose the half way line on an elevated position on the amenities side, bar, food, and loo`s. One of the best views I have ever had at a rugby ground. The match was too close for comfort from an Ealing point of view and in my opinion the main reason was the tenacity of the Ampthill mob. They look very at home in the Championship and will only get better. It was clearly obvious that when Jordon Burns came on that the tempo/ fizz stepped up and he also scored an individual try. For me he is clearly our best scrum half and if he needs to improve in any area surely that is down to our extensive coaching team. They have access to him 5 days a week !. ------------- Ambition should be made of sterner stuff. |
Posted By: Eel
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2019 at 19:32
 but I would agree 100 per cent with all your comments. The burger was high quality also .. I would also add that had amps lineout been any better than terrible they would have won the game. Reminded of our time in Nat 2 and below proper club------------- If you're not living on the edge you're taking up too much room |
No 7 wrote:Posted By: Yeeealing
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2019 at 20:40
| Eel you are stuch a tease 😂 Ampthill great location , great club house , not a bad team🏉 Great supporters ,give us a run for are money . Ealing for me again , not quite there again . I've watched most of the games this season too hot & cold , we've got the talent there but from week to week we just don't know what Ealing are going to turn up. Sounds a bit harsh seeing we've only lost once this season, anyway onwards & upwards long way to go yet. |
Posted By: gerg_861
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2019 at 22:10
| I mirror the feelings around Amphill - a unique set up and very interesting to visit. Definitely would recommend the burgers over the sausage rolls, and I heard good reviews on the pies. Also, I managed to squeeze into a free parking spot in the park across the road, so that was a plus. A warm welcome from the Ampthill supporters, and I genuinely feel like there were well more than the 250 people there that were reported. Also, managed to meet some of the board members there, so a nice plus. For anyone thinking of going for the first time, I'd recommend it, though I could also see it being brutal on a rainy day with virtually no cover available. |
Posted By: Kimbo
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2019 at 09:39
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There are much worse places to watch rugby. I've been on pleasant days, and horribly wet and windy days (the latter is far from pleasant there). Facilities are much better than in previous seasons, and it was good to see the medical centre and suitably sited ambulance for a change. Sadly it appears impossible to do everything that needs doing (floodlights are essential on aforementioned wet/windy winter day unless they do the sensible thing and ko at a much earlier time) so the move up the road appears to be the only sensible option - if they are to retain ambition. Good club. Deserves bigger crowds. Don't know where they're going to come from though (don't say Bedford!). ------------- Our Club |
Posted By: Guinness John
Date Posted: 14 Dec 2019 at 18:29
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A first visit to Ampthill. I won't add to what has been said above regarding bars,food etc but I have to send out a warning to anyone who might need to sit or is not nimble footed. Take your own fold up chair, but finding a flat place to sit on a steep slope will be difficult. My main concern is the 3 to 4 minute walk over slippery wet muddy tree roots before getting to the bowl the sides of which are pitted with rabbit holes. Please don't think that this is sour grapes to our neighbours, lots of effort has gone in and it sure is a very welcoming club to visitors. We kicked off at 1.45 on a bright sunny afternoon, kick off any later on a dull day and the best of luck getting back to the clubhouse. ------------- Bedford Blues Supporter of the Year 2010 - 2011 |
Posted By: Raider999
Date Posted: 14 Dec 2019 at 18:39
Suggest taking a couple of loaves and leaving a bread crumb trail - seem to remember that is a working option - and take a torch. ------------- RAID ON |