by Norman Spink
OODS Member 1959-1961
Having join a number of Outdoor Society walks in my first year 1959, I went on the first walk of the 1960 autumn term, on Dartmoor. At a break for cups of tea on the cold damp day, probably at Steps Bridge, a fresher, Diana Lenton, noticed this man in a duffle coat and asked an acquaintance who it was. She commented that Spink was a strange name, not knowing that in 1965 she would take on that surname when we married.
OODS Anniversary 
Came up to Exeter in 1971 and joined just about everything at the Fresher’s squash but only stuck with OODS. I loved the walking (my favourite was Dartmoor) and the atmosphere and made many good friends and in in 1973 met my future (since 1976) wife, Victoria. The tradition of throwing the ex-president in the river at Dartmeet was invented especially for me (i escaped but two years later fate caught up with me). We ex OODERs have been meeting up for nearly 20 years now and our next meet will be this April in the Lake District.
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Hi Stephen,
Sounds like you have some great memories of OODS! If you’d like to collate them into a post of your own, we’d be happy to add it to the collection of memories!
–Tom
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Iâve left a comment. Here are some pictures of OODS in the 1970s
1) Bodmin Moor Jamaica Inn to St Breward November 1974
2) Cow Castle in the Barle valley Simonsbath to Withypool summer 1974
3) Martin Booth President 1975-1976 addressing OODS at Grimspound on the Fresherâs Coach trip 1975
4) & 5) Mud in Dorset Minterne Magna to Godmanstone1 February 1975
I also attach a copy of my notes for OODS 1971-1975
Stephen
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