9 to 25 July 2026 - Around Timperley

Thursday 9 July

A walk to Timperley centre took me through Pickering Lodge Park to a building on which Nick Taylor, artist, has been commissioned to provide a bit of colour.

Saturday 11 July

Wythenshawe parkrun #674. Thanks to Ischia Bursitis I walked around the 5km course in 47:58, coming home in position 380 out of 404 finishers.

The leaders lapped me as I paused at Far Bridge.

Meawhile, Sue ran around the Brueton parkrun in 25:15, finishing in position 112 out of 421 finishers.

Sunday 12 July

On a 5km walk from home, a fallen tree on the path that runs beside De Quincey Park. The blockage was properly dealt with within 48 hours, leaving a few pathside logs and a pile of sawdust.

Readers may have noticed - the usual boggy section is now a pleasantly dry path, and the sun has continued to shine throughout the period covered by this posting and both before and after those dates.

Tuesday 14 July

Another tree lined passage on our 5 km walk from home. I love this section that emerges onto the canal towpath.

Wednesday 15 July

Another sunny day, beside the Bridgewater Canal near Sale - sent to BBC weatherwatchers, but not used by them.

Our house needs a new roof. Scaffolding goes up whilst I find a bit of shade under one of our shrubs.

Friday 17 July

A Sale Sizzler - the well attended annual event organised by Sale Harriers. Sue ran around the 5 km course in 24:03, in position 274 out of 356 finishers, in this 3rd out of 4 events this year..

I decided not to take part. Walking pace thanks to Ischia Bursitis would have been just too slow for this event.

Monday 20 July

The Steel Cotton Rail Trail see separate report on the walk from Sheffield to Grindleford.

Tuesday 21 July

The Alderley Park Trail Race is a little over 8 km. Looking at previous results I decided that even at walking pace I shouldn't  quite be last to finish. So we both went to Alderley Park, collected our numbers, passed the time with some friends, and readied for the off.. 

Off we went. Here's a view from last place.

It's a lovely woodland route over two laps. We did it a couple of years ago (see here). I passed three people and spent the rest of the walk trying to keep up with a lady who remained about 20 metres ahead of me.

After about 4 km, the leaders started to lap me. Here's Daniel Cliffe, who finished in 27:20, flying past over a minute ahead of anyone else.

Others followed.

Meanwhile, I tripped a couple of times but managed to get to the finish in 1:11:09, coming home in position 492 out of the 496 finishers.

I kept the first aiders busy for a while before adjourning to Wythenshawe Hospital A&E department. Injuries to my left hand needed a good wash, before a dozen or so stitches sealed the wounds. I arrived at A&E at 9:30 and left at 1:30 in the morning, feeling very relieved at the mild nature of my injury. Just a flesh wound, amidst breakages and pain.

Later: I was surprised to receive a voucher for £35 for coming first in my 75 to 80 age group!

Wednesday 22 July

Tony, Baz and the lads have made good progree with the roof.

While you are here, how about a new roof for our car port, new gutters, sundry painting, etc.

Saturday 25 July

Wythenshawe parkrun number 675 - I volunteered as Tail Walker and strolled around the 5 km route in 56:34 with a First Timer, Theresa. Meanwhile Sue took 25:24 in position 81 out of the 383 finishers.

Here's Sue, with Owen, before the start. Despite warnings about falling over, Owen appeared at the finish dripping with blood fropm such an injury. Luckily very much a bit of a flesh wound!

Romania - 12 to 29 June 2026 - Flora, and Stuff

Here are just a few of the flowers and other stuff seen on our walks in the mountains near Sinaia, Bran and Brasov, illustrated where pictures were taken, and left in normal text where there is no picture.

                                                         Alpenrose

Alpine Azalea

Alpine Avens

Alpine Clematis

Alpine Lady's Mantle

Alpine Pansy

Alpine Moon Daisy

Alpine Pasque Flower

Alpine Snowbell

Alpine Stonecrop

                                      Basket of Gold (Aurinia saxatillis)

                                                Bear's-ear Sanicle

Birdseye or Sticky Primrose
Least or Wulfen's Primrose


                                                Birdseye Speedwell

Birdsfoot Trefoil

                                            Birdsnest Orchid

Bistort
Biting Stonecrop

                                                        Carpet Bugle

                                                   Carthusian Pink

Catsfoot


                                                         Cinquefoil

Clustered Bellflower

Common Columbine

Common Spotted Orchid

Common Twayblade

Creeping Buttercup

Cypress Spurge

Dandelion

Dame's Violet

Dusky Cranesbill

Dyer's Greenweed

Fragrant Orchid

Great Masterwort

Hawkweed

Herb Robert

Hoary Plantain

Hop Trefoil

Hungarian Clover

Knapweed

                                          Large-flowered Cinquefoil

Large Yellow Foxglove

Least or Dwarf Snowbell

Least Primrose

Lesser Butterfly Orchid

                                          Lesser Londonpride

                                                   Livelong Saxifrage

Mallow

Marsh Marigold
Martagon Lily

                                                     Milk Vetch

Moss Campion

Moss Phlox

Mountain Avens

Mountain Clover

Mountain Pine

Mountain Willowherb

Narcissus-flowered Anemone

Nottingham Catchfly

One-flowered Wintergreen

Orange Hawkweed (Fox and Cubs)

Ox-eye Daisy

Pansy

Peach-leaved Bellflower

                                                      Pearlwort

                                Pearlwort and Alpine Stonecrop

                                            Long-flowered Primrose

Purple Crownvetch

Purple Saxifrage
Pyramidal Bugle
Rhaetian Poppy

Rock Jasmine

Rockrose

Rock Speedwell

Rock Thyme or Alpine Calamint

Round-headed Rampion

Saxifrage

Spreading Bellflower

                                                                      Spring Gentian

Thrift
Thyme-leaved Speedwell

Verticillate Lousewort

Vipergrass (Scorzonera rosea)

Viper's Bugloss

Water Avens

                                                               Mullein

Whorled Clary

Wig Knapweed

Wild Strawberry
Wild Thyme

Wolfsbane

Wood Anemone

Wood Ragwort

Wood Scabious
Woolly Buttercup

Yellow-green Saxifrage (Saxifraga luteo-viridis)

Yellow Melancholy Thistle

Yellow Rattle

Yellow Stonecrop

                                                                 Martagon Lily

Yellow Wood Violet

                              Zigzag Alpine Clover

Some fungi:

                                       Blusher (Amanita rubescens)

                                                                  Dotted Stem Bolete

Jewelled Amanita

Peeling Paint Ringless Amanita

                                                      Red-banded polypore

                                                     Red-cracking Bolete

                                                        Royal Fly Agaric

Grey Reindeer Lichen

                                                           Ganoderma resinaceum

                                                  White dapperling

                                               Springtime Dung Beetle

Woodland Dor Beetle

Nutcracker

Brown Bears

Mountain Hut Fox