It was during the heatwave of 1976 that club founder Peter Welch first took up metal detecting. At the time, he worked as a stable lad & exercise jockey at his parents horse racing yard at Coworth Park, Sunningdale near Ascot.
As soon as the last string of horses had been worked, fed & watered, Pete was out on the farm with his new C-Scope BFO detector. Searching around the ‘Big white house’ on the farm produced endless pre-decimal coins and occasional jewelery items. The house (now the posh De Vere hotel, Sunningdale Park!) was once owned by Lord Derby and proved to be a great hunting ground as it was derelict then.
Several years later, Pete joined the Thames Valley Search Society in Langley but soon realized that many detectorists when trying to find their own farmland to search often experienced difficulty obtaining permission. As Pete already had permission on the turf farms in Romney Marsh, he took his club there which ultimately gave him the idea of starting up the renowned Weekend Wanderers Detecting Club.
ABOUT
US
The Weekend Wanderers Metal Detecting Club arranges days out for everyone interested in metal detecting. We hire farmland mainly in the Home Counties of England including Berks, Bucks & Oxon, Herts & Hants and beyond.
Since the club was formed back in 1990, membership has steadily grown each year & is the largest club in the UK. Our friendly club continues to enjoy a well earned reputation for promoting the code of conduct and is highly regarded for actively encouraging our members to record their finds with the Portable Antiquities Scheme, the PAS. The past 25 years has seen the recovery and conservation of thousands of finds over 300 years old. Many of these finds have been treasure items and a few have been of national importance and are on display in county museums.
We work hard to maintain the goodwill of our existing landowners who are always delighted to have us re-visit their farms. Finding new land to search is always an ongoing and difficult project so we welcome any enquiries from farmers & landowners interested in having the reputable Weekend Wanderers Club search their land.
Sarah helps with the running of the club with husband Pete. You will see her at the gate first thing in the morning meeting & greeting you on your arrival. Sarah is a keen and successful detectorist who always manages to find something special on most digs.
