A Postcard - 19 to 26 September 2026

Dear All

Here's a summary of our week's activities.

Saturday 19 September 2026
Wythenshawe Park's 683rd parkrun provided a full morning's entertainment by the time we had finished and enjoyed our regular post run natter over coffees and cake before making our way home.

Barking dogs are kept at a distance before the start, or the Run Director's briefing can't be heard.

I wonder what Oliver would have made of this in real life...

Here are just a few of the 332 finishers, guzzling anything between a decaffe coffee and George's egg bacon and sausage bun.

L-R: Andy, Jan, Jeanette, Paul, Jenny, George and Owen. Sue left early to go bell ringing.

Full results are here.

Sunday 20 September 2026

Sue and I spent the morning in Wilmslow. A 5km circuit including The Carrs and Black Lake kept me occupied, passing en route this lovely sculpture.

It was the day of the Wilmslow Sprint Triathlon. Sue had entered this and I caught up with her near the start of a 24 kilometre bike ride. This followed a 400 metre swim  - 16 lengths of the local pool.

There's a strict requirement to dismount at the end of the bike leg before The Line' or you are in dead trouble from the over-officious marshall.

Then it's a walk to the transition area where the bike is stashed and running kit donned for two 3 kilometre laps of a moderately easy course.

We finish with Sue jogging in, having taken 1 hour 45 minutes and coming third out of 4 in her age category and in position 115 out of 214 finishers. Well done!

Monday 21 September 2026

Sue and I enjoyed a 6 km stroll along the Bridgewater Canal towpath, to meet Andrew, Richard and Jenny for lunch at Dunham Massey Hall.

A family of swans appeared to think we had brought their lunch.

At one point the foliage had been cleared to offer a good view towards the C18th Whiteoaks Wood obelisk in one direction, and the hall in the opposite direction. 

Legend has it that the obelisk marks the resting place of a reknowned racehorse.

After lunch, a stroll in the park was in order, with me diverting through the nearby golf course to visit the fleshpots of Altrincham for essential supplies.

Later:

A visit to Eagley Jazz Club for an excellent performance of Smooth Jazz from John Hallam and the Tom Kincaid Trio, featuring. John Hallam - Reeds, Tom Kincaid - Keyboard, Dave Tompkins - Bass, and Eryl Roberts - Drums.

Last week's table plan was considered inappropriate, so this week, with an audience of 50 compared with last week's 71, attempt number two was experimented with. I think they'll have a third go at this...

Tuesday 22 September 2026

A regular 5km stroll took me through leafy De Quincey Park in the morning mist. Picture sent to BBC Weatherwatchers but not expecting them to use it. I was right about that.

Thursday 24 September 2026

Sue and I were joined by Jenny and Fechin for 'Spunch Northenden', on which there will be a separate diary entry.



Friday 25 September 2026

Our neighbour, 'D', invited us for coffee and a chat before, very sadly, she and her family move to Egypt. They have been great next door but one neighbours and have watered Sue's plants very efficiently when we have been away during the very dry summer. They leave next week, and will be missed.

Saturday 26 September 2026

These parkruns do come round quickly. Today Wythenshawe Park hosted its 684th such outing.

With ongoing injury issues, I walked then jogged a little (more a sort of shuffle), coming home in 41:35, in position 396 out of 423 finishers. Sue managed 25:21 in position 111.

Here are most of them at the start through the sunlit trees in the park on a lovely morning when feet got wet thanks to the dewy grass.

Afterwards everyone in our little group enjoyed our coffees in the sunshine.

 

L-R: Owen, Sue, Andy, Paul, Jan and George, who's just guzzled another egg, bacon and sausage bun.

The full results are here.

Saturday 12 September 2026 - Ganavan Sands parkrun

Fort William parkrun was cancelled due to a mountain bike race - the second time this year that we've missed it for that reason. Anyway, we left Linnhe Holidays after a pleasurable week in the mobile home, at 7:45, and enjoyed the scenic drive to Oban, where Ganavan Sands parkrun has the disadvantage of being rather hilly (60 metres ascent) but the advantage for some of being next to a good beach.

We lingered near the start, expecting a few midges, but the breeze was sufficient to deter them.

The story of the Appin murder was provided on an information board. Click on the image to see the detail.

It's a lovely beach.

9:30, and the time to run or walk up a steep hill had arrived. Sue ran, I walked.

Long before I reached the turnaround point, the lead runners were returning along the good tarmaced path.

Sue would normally come back along the route to walk in with me, but today was a no-brainer for her - a dip in the ocean would always take precedence over a run back up the hill.

We'd come armed with coffee and cake as we didn't want to hang around in a coffee shop when we really needed to be getting on with the 330 mile drive home.

The last of Ali's excellent carrot cake went down very well. Thanks Ali.

We left just as a rescue boat hit the waves to look for any parkrunners who had overshot the finish.

Full results are here.

Sue finished in 28:00, much slower than usual - position 31 out of 79 finishers - many first timers at this event - people like us who were on holiday.

Meanwhile I took a leisurely 39:52 in position 72. Not much slower than on Penrith's flat course last week.

Back to Index

Saturday 5 September 2026 - Penrith parkrun and a trip to Corpach

On the road again. We joined Lindsay at Penrith parkrun to celebrate her 400th parkrun. Well done Lindsay and we are pleased to hear that your new job is going well.

Sue did 25:22 in position 123 out of 341 participants.

I did 38:07 in position 305.

Full results are here.

After the 2 hour drive to Penrith, we spent another 4 hours in the car. Intermittent rain and dazzling sunshine greeted us over the border.

Cloud lifted briefly off the crowded Glencoe summits.

Our home for the week - a mobile home in Corpach, next to Loch Eil. 

It's very comfy, with a good view along the loch.

On the site, Woody's pop-up provided excellent burgers and chips, allowing a portion of our Timperley Beef Stew another 24 hours to thaw out.

Back to Index

Saturday and Sunday 8 and 9 August 2026 - Brueton parkrun and Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb

Shelsley Hill Climb was one of Sue's father's favourite outings and has featured on these pages in the past (here). So Sue and har mother chose this occasion to scatter a few of Richard's ashes. If weather and opportunities permit, we may come in the future, but Richard's membership, over a period of 30 years, has not been renewed.

The day before, 8 August, Sue and I had traveled to Solihull to visit her mother and take part in the 5km Brueton parkrun.

Our respective aspirations can be gleaned from the next two pictures.

With over 500 participants, getting to the start within 30 seconds of the starting gun was quite an achievement.

Results are here. I took a leisurely 42:30 in position 481 out of 516 finishers, and Sue took 25:06 in position 131. Well done!

And so to Sunday 9 August, and a perfect day at the hill climb, albeit our luxurious picnic lunch was taken crouched in the shade of the car. My camera battery expired early on so most of the photos below are Sue's. No commentary is really necessary, though we thought we spotted Sir Hugh in a blue and orange Fiesta. Or was he in the single seater that crashed?**

Try clicking on any image to access a slideshow

A view from the top of the hill

Sue took a fancy to this old three wheeled Morgan

Views towards the parched landscape

On the way up to the finish, huge speeds are reached.

After waiting in a holding paddock the vehicles free wheel back down the hill

It was hot.

The nearby church has some lovely stained glass windows.

** Neither. It turns out that Sir Hugh had chosen to visit the heights of the Yorkshire Dales rather than the depths of Worcestershire. However, he has provided evidence for his hill climbing skills in a Ford Anglia 1200 105E at Harewood Hill in ~ 1964: Brilliant!