When I was a kid it was really hard to find good conkers, all the other kids would nab them first. We used to hoy sticks into the trees to make them fall. Then soak em in vinegar, bake in the oven etc to make them hard for conker fights. For the record, I had a 56-er having left it in the airing cupboard for 2 weeks and covering it with araldite
So I went out this weekend to find some with the boy. I was amazed that there are so many of them under the chestnut trees. Tons of em, it's like nobody has been out there gathering them at all. Do kids play conkers these days??? Or has it been banned by health-and-safety zealots scared of their little ones getting conker splinters in their eyes?