17 and 18 August 2025 - Cricket and a Bike Ride

Another blue sky day was in evidence as I took a stroll by the canal, heading towards Old Trafford cricket ground where Richard and I enjoyed a couple of matches in the 'Hundred' tournament.

The Manchester side won both the women's and the men's matches against foe from the other side of the Pennines. So most people went away happy but sunburnt.

The women's match was a close, low scoring, affair, played out in a half full stadium, though we were told that the attendance of about 12,000 was a record for a women's match.

Pictured above, the women's set up, with the men's below - the boundary was extended for the men, but that didn't stop the Manchester team from hitting sixes into the crowd with ease. Their total of over 170 runs proved too much for the Yorkshire side, who struggled to get much beyond 100 before they were all out.

After such perfect weather on Sunday, it was a little disappointing to wake to a cloudy sky today. Sue and I took the bikes to Rose Hill in Marple for a ride to Bollington and back. Soon after setting off we came across the first signs of autumn - a lone tree seems to have got its seasons mixed up!

We were here on 29 January this year - my report is here - and today we took the same 20 mile route, starting on the Middlewood Way, turning down the hill into Bollington just beyond the Bollington Labyrinth.

Disused stations were passed, before we crossed the viaduct that carried the railway past Bollington.

Beyond the Labyrinth, we made the short diversion to the excellent Mulberry Leaf cafe. Scrambled egg (lots of egg) for Sue, and a sausage bap for me (lots of sausage). 

Then a short climb back to the Middlewood Way, which we followed to its terminus, where a short link path leads to the Macclesfield Canal at bridge number 30.

It's a lovely bike ride all the way to Marple.

Outside one of the marinas - something of an obstacle!

We counted down from Bridge 30 all the way down to Bridge number 1. Lots of bridges. The 20 mile ride took a little over two hours plus our lengthy cafe break. Here is the route (copied from my January entry). A lovely way to spend a summery Monday morning.

Saturday 9 to Saturday 16 August - two parkruns, a picnic, a camp and a walk

With Wythenshawe parkrun being called off for a couple of weeks due to the invasion of a concert venue onto its course, Sue and I opted to enjoy the parkrun local to Sue's mother's residence in Solihull. Brueton parkrun is a well attended venue in a pleasant park.

490 participants slowly gathered at a congested start line. I started at the back as usual, but managed to overtake a few folk and finish in 30:57, position 319. Sue was much quicker. Full results are here.

At the finish

Warming down

After picking up Sue's mother, we headed to St Nicholas' Park in Warwick, where we got a good view of the flotilla of craft on the River Avon before heading for a picnic site for over twenty of Sue's relatives.

Just near our picnic spot was a lovely Golden Rain Tree.

A selection of posh dogs seemed to get on well.

The afternoon couldn't end without a group photo and a scattering of some of Richard's ashes, so he wasn't entirely absent from this annual event.

By Wednesday it was our turn again to host a granddaughter for the day. We took her to Sweet Knowl campsite near Peak Forest for her first experience of camping. The tent was easily set up, and it was easily moved from the spot below when a large group assembled nearby.

A shady spot under a tree brought relief from the sun on the hot day, and it was a good venue for colouring, and for farmyard fun. From time to time a couple of curious donkeys in a neighbouring field were given large clumps of grass from the campsite.

After a busy afternoon, and a change of clothing resulting from a water fight, grandad cooked sausages for dinner. The child preferred peppers and cucumber and houmous dip, together with lots of plums and other assorted produce gleaned from Hazel's allotment. We had nice neighbours. Janice and Alan were a retired couple in a campervan that would soon be taking them to northern Spain. The tent next door was of the 'Buckingham' variety - a palace compared with our small tent. A ten year old called Safiya made friends with our four year old.

 

After dinner, a request to go to bed, as she wanted to spend as nuch time as possible in the tent, which was a sort of secondary playground as opposed to being a place in which to sleep.

For a girl whose favourite colour is purple, my old sleeping bag was a resounding success!

Eventually we watched the sun go down over the Peak District on a lovely evening free from insects before adjourning for stories, and eventually sleep. The late night resulted in a sleep in until 6:45, which was appreciated by us all, as she normally wakes much earlier than that.

After the successful camping trip, granddaughter was handed over to more grandparents in Glossop and Sue and I had a relaxing day before heading to the Bells of Peover for the last of Andrew's short evening walks of the summer.

Andrew reminded us that the 'Bells' bore no reference to nearby church bells, but to the sirname of former owners. 

On our short walk, we passed a weir that is fed by an overgrown pond. Even here in the depths of rural Cheshire there is an industrial history to uncover.

Further on, we know we are on familiar ground when we pass this old cottage with a lovely front garden.

The evening light was glorious as we passed through a few fields on the way back to the Bells.

The Bells of Peover is proud of past glories.

We were soon rehydrating outside the pub, before Sue handed out produce from Hazel's allotment and we dispersed until next time.

Here's the pleasant 3km route.

To conclude this posting, a few pictures from today's parkrun at Burnage. I met Jan and Owen at the start, and Paul and Rufus joined us for the run. It's a fairly slow course with a few short inclines and some steps, but really very pleasand, following in part the Trans Pennine Trail beside the River Mersey.

I managed a respectable 31:54, with Paul just ahead, and Owen and Jan a few minutes behind. Here they are at the finish.

Full results are here.

Burnage RFC clubhouse provides coffees for £1.50, dispensed via a tank of hot water - add your own milk from a nearby table - and they have bacon butties etc ready to go, so very little waiting and queueing. Wythenshawe could learn from this. Owen's mum Jenny joined us, and I was pleased to be relieved of most of the runner beans etc that Sue had required me to dispose of.