Thursday 17 June 2021 - A Sale Sizzler

It's a while since our last running race in September 2020 (at Tatton Park), so it was a pleasure to be able to cycle along to Wythenshawe Park last night to say hello to old friends and take part in the first of this year's 'Sale Sizzler' races, organised by Sale Harriers and by Fechin McCormick in particular.

It was good to see Mark Hunter, masked above, looking fit and well. I'll add a photo of me and Sue at the finish, if Kate will let me have it...

We arrived in plenty of time. There were lots of marshalls. Here, they are being briefed.

It was a lovely evening, with conditions pretty much perfect for the 500 participants, and the organisation went very well. "Don't warm up on the track!" (That doesn't affect me as I warm up by way of a slow first kilometre.)

We lined up in rows of five and groups of 30. The start went well and nobody seemed to be baulked as the faster runners started first and the slower ones like us were near the back. Here we are, approaching the start.

We both ran faster than expected. Here's Sue striding out to the finish.

And here's Fechin, about to announce the winners in each category. The winner flew around the 5 km route in 14:09, a course record I think.

Sue and I came home in our usual positions. I seem to make a habit of coming second in my category, but that's not bad for a 'jogger'. Sue judged things perfectly to finish 6th out of 13 in her category, in the position indicated by her number! Click on the image to see it properly.

That was a lovely event, and great to see so many people enjoying themselves.

Some Birds from Cornwall

Neither my Lumix camera nor my Samsung phone are suitable for proper bird photography, but I did take a few pictures during our Cornish holiday, some of which I reproduce here.

The Wood Pigeons behaved much as they do in our garden.

Luckily we don't have Herring Gulls in Timperley. I fear they would be more of a nuisance than our resident - comparatively shy - Black-headed Gulls.

Not a bird, but a good spot - this little chap looked from a distance like a lump of sheep's poo.

As I sat on a bench at Lanhydrock, this couple nearly got tangled in my boot laces.

On the coast path, this Tiger Moth was very reluctant to move.

Leaving Boscastle, we couldn't help but notice a Herring Gull trying simultaneously to snooze and to balance on the top of a telegraph pole.

On the coast path, this Whitethroat seemed quite curious.

The Chiff-chaffs were more visually elusive, though we hardly ever seemed to be outside the zone of their constant chatter as we progressed along the cliff tops.

As we approached Tintagel, this Herring Gull had a more sensible resting place than the one photographed in Boscastle!

In addition to these, we saw the usual common garden birds, and an assortment of gulls that we find hard to identify. In addition to numerous Kestrels and Buzzards, we spotted a pair of Peregrines near Trebarwith Strand - sadly too high above us for a worthwhile snapshot.

No Choughs were seen. I think they live further along the coast towards Lands End.

The Cantilever Rock

I'm short of time today, so a quick rummage through my pictures folder drew me to this, one of my favourite places. I posted the picture nearly a year ago at the height of Lockdown, here, but I'm more than pleased to return to the happy memory today.

Coleton Fishacre - some flowers

It doesn't seem like nearly two weeks ago, but here we are on 4 June, enjoying lunch with Helen and Paul on the lawn at Coleton Fishacre.

The flowers, some of which are pictured - mainly by Sue - below, were in fine fettle.

TGO Challenge - Wild Camps (No 66: 13 May 2016)

This was the second time I'd camped at Bealach Bhernais, the first time being on Day 1 of my TGO Challenge experience - the starting point for this series of postings. See here.

Sue and I took the same route as I'd done on 11 May 2007, but we pitched camp facing west, whereas on the earlier visit I'd used the other side of the bealach due to a brisk westerly wind.

A lone figure slowly made its way up the valley to the col to which we had descended. It was Humphrey. Sadly, our brew wasn't yet on, and he proceeded over the bealach towards a better party.

A little later, Richard Fuell appeared, looming over the tent with menaces. We gave him tea and pointed to a distant spot where he could set up camp outside the 'snore zone'. (He has a reputation!)

After a restful night, we woke in the old Nallo tent to another fine day at 580 metres (NH 058 448).

Sunday 13 June 2021 - Back to Timperley

My first 'run' for ten days ((not)parkruns have been walks) was in Birmingham whilst Sue went swimming with her mum.

32.51 was a poor time, but the flowers in the park were pleasingly pretty.

A visit to Eccleshall facilitated Dot with a second wheelchair excursion in two days, thanks to Toby and Krystle's visit yesterday. Sue and I took her around the village, with a dogleg up to the church.

During our walk, some pictures of two of Dot's great grandchildren arrived over the airwaves. I'm sure she will appreciate seeing a couple of them again here.

Jess is pretending to be a teenager. I don't think she's got the gesture quite right, thankfully!

Saturday 12 June 2021 - Tyntesfield

We broke today's journey to Birmingham with a visit to Tyntesfield, near Bristol, until 2002 the country residence of the Gibb family, who made their fortune by importing guana from South America in the 19th century and selling it as fertiliser. 

Inside the house there's much of interest, including this roll top desk that's a bit fancier than the one I have passed on to Mike.

The dining room was all laid out  but the two footmen who serve the food must have been on a day off.

The chapel, a feature window from which is also shown, was a key element of the place. Inside there is seating for about seventy. All family and staff were expected to attend. Today it's used mainly for memorial services.

We took a stroll through the woodland, some of which is ancient compared to the 19th century house. 

More pictures will follow in due course.