Thursday 26 December 2024 - Appleton

Our regular Christmas walk took place on Boxing Day, following a familiar 10 km route, starting at Hillside Road, by Owens Corner, Pewterspear.

Sue and I were joined by Richard, Jenny and Bridget for a slow-paced stroll due to me having to take care not to aggravate my knee problem. I was planning to 'retire' to the London Bridge Inn after reaching the 5km point where we squeezed onto a bench for elevenses. 

But the knee wasn't getting worse, in fact the careful walk seems to have benefited it. I was able to continue after some passers-by had kindly recorded the occasion for us.

It was a misty day, so few pictures were taken as we passed through The Dingle, Lumb Brook Valley, and Fords Rough.

Sue was quite happy with the slow pace, as she could examine fungi and catch up easily if she could see where we'd gone.

Turkey Tail fungus

Turkey Tail fungus

Ceramic fungus

Turkey Tail fungus

Oak Bracket fungus

Sheathed Woodtuft fungus

Leafy Brain fungus

The double-faced sculpture of Janus at Owens Corner marked the end of this 10km stroll, after which we returned home for lunch.

Here's the route, it took us a little over 2 hours plus our half hour elevenses break. We've been here before on numerous occasions.

A walks/rides programme for the start of 2025 will soon be planned, and will be appended here, as well as on our topwalks.com website.

Christmas Day parkrun, 25/12/24, at Alderley Park

It was a good turnout for Alderley Park parkrun, where 324 runners and walkers enjoyed an active start to a day of celebration and goodwill.

My injured knee meant I'd perhaps be too slow to do the run and get back home in time to cook dinner, so I chose to wander up the course as far as a sharp bend where I could ring my handbell and cheer on the runners, being thanked by many, "thank you marshall" despite me not actually being a marshall.

I'll continue via captions...

Near the start

'Martin's Corner' (for one week only!)

The leaders on their first lap

Keith's son Matthew, who we'd last seen as a child, was heading Laura's partner Callum

The first lady came through a couple of minutes later in eighth place

Laura, in 14th position, wasn't far behind

Matthew's dad, Keith, was taking it easy in position 87

Sue was next in our team, in position 106

Jenny, walking, was keeping up a good pace

Second lap, and Callum was still on Matt's heels

Laura was going strong

Bearded Andrew, a Wythenshawe Community Run regular, wasn't far behind Laura, in position 19. The girl walking (limping) was a spectator like me. She had a torn ACL.

Sue was still going well on her second lap. I now moved back to the start/finish

Jeanette had a good run, finishing strongly in position 169

Sue went back to walk in with Jenny in under 40 minutes - an excellent walking pace for 5km.

Laura and Callum went on a wind down, so missed the group photo taken by a passer-by:
L-R: Carol, Matthew, Keith, Sue, Jenny, Richard, Jeanette, Rufus, Paul, Martin

They turned up eventually

What a lovely way to start Christmas Day. There were record parkrun turnouts all over the country for the events that took place (most don't take place on Xmas Day and New Year's Day).

Then back home to cook Christmas Dinner - see previous posting.

Christmas in Timperley

Xmas Eve ritual: baked potatoes with Coronation chicken/cheese/beans/coleslaw/salad/tuna and sweetcorn, etc, followed by Monte Cristo souffle, sticky toffee pudding, and apple crumble.

It got very noisy once the Christmas cracker exhibition had been dismantled.

Then some presents were opened.

Later, Oscar was settled down for his second sleepover in two nights.

He watched TV for a while before going to sleep.

Christmas Day was altogether more civilised, with my daughter and her mum enjoying a Christmas lunch with us before plating up a portion and taking it down the M6 to great grandma Dot.

Two lovely meals in the best of company.

Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year

Have a great time, everyone.
 

Sunday 22 December 2024 - A Christmas Walk

Coffees at the Lime Lounge for early arrivals (Sue, me, Richard and Jenny) went down well.

Then Sue took a photo of the early starters. Don and Liz were late due to a navigation error, and Andrew and I were missing from the walkers due to injury.

I pottered around Bakewell and made my way up to the church, by which time Don and Liz had located the rest of the group, and Sue thought she knew the way.

Meanwhile, here's my view from the bridge in Bakewell, in between showers and chapters of 'My Brilliant Friend'.

I moved the car up to Bakewell Station and took a 5km stroll along the Monsal Trail. Here's a view.

Meanwhile, Sue led her group of 17 and took a shortcut from the planned route, resulting in an early arrival at The Crispin in Great Longstone, despite a leisurely elevenses break in Ashford in the Water.

Here are four of the team - Sue, Roger, Jenny and Edwina.

The Crispin provided its usual excellent food, in a room to ourselves. Happily everyone brought cash so settling the £500 bill was very simple - no messing with cards, and enough cash left over for a good tip. Well done, everyone.

Edwina introduced us to this place some years ago, and it has proved an ideal venue for this gathering.

Sue took this last picture on the Monsal Trail, which brought the group back to Bakewell before darkness descended.

Reports on some Xmas walks described on these pages are here, should anyone be interested. Today's route was similar to that taken in past years.