Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

With Very Best Wishes from Martin and Sue in Timperley, and - on occasion - in Porthmadog, where we have relished this constantly changing view from our deck at South Snowdon Wharf many times during the past year.

Kev Reynolds

It's a sad day. I've learnt that guidebook writer and doyen of the outdoors world, Kev Reynolds, has died at the age of 78. Together with Showell Styles, it is Kev whose writing and guidebooks inspired me to visit the Alps and Pyrenees year in, year out, between 1980 and 2018. And I do hope to get there again, quite likely armed with one of Kev's guidebooks.

Here's his obituary from Cicerone, the publisher for whom Kev wrote many books, numerous of which grace my own bookshelves. (I've borrowed the above picture, I hope they don't mind.)

RIP Kev, who I did have the pleasure of meeting, and who was pleasingly complimentary towards my own modest contribution to his Pyrenean library.

Saturday 18 December 2021 - Wythenshawe parkrun #453

We arrived at the park just as the sun was rising behind Oliver.

Christmas dress was in evidence, with some Lambs pretending to be reindeer, though the usual fairy was dressed in sober red and black this year, and my tree was left at home for logistical reasons involving Sue volunteering at the run then dashing off to ring church bells.

Before the start, Jeanette took some nice pictures of the low mist in the park. Thanks for the use of these, Jeanette.

Father Christmas got involved in a race to the start!

223 folk assembled for Run Director Dan's briefing, then we were off, with no more pictures until the end.

Here's Jeanette at the finish, in a very satisfactory time. Full results are here.

A few of us adjourned to the courtyard cafe, but we are no longer welcomed there, with dogs not allowed, requests for tap water refused, and their attitude capped by a refusal to allow the laptop used to process the results to be plugged in. It's a shame, as they are missing out on lots of business by being so unfriendly.