Gary Beighton

Sad news today. We learnt of the passing on 15 May of my contemporary at UMIST and good friend over the years, Gary Beighton, after a short illness.

More donations to cancer charities will no doubt follow. Other good friends are undergoing treatment for cancers. It's almost as if there's an epidemic.

We remain in Fort William before spending a few days in Montrose and returning home on Saturday, after which I will wrap up this series of postings with a single report on the last five days of the trip.

The picture of Gary was taken in 1970, at a party to celebrate our success in the 55 mile charity walk - Bogle Stroll, in which Gary was a reliable team member.

RIP Gary

10 and 13 December 2025 - Around Altrincham and Wythenshawe

We'd not seen Ernst and Bianca for some time, so we enjoyed a couple of hours with them on 10 December. Sue and I walked towards their house along the towpath, past the Linotype Works buildings that have mostly been converted to housing, until we reached a policeman. "Go back, there's a body in the canal" he said. We were very lucky not to be the ones to discover it. Ten minutes earlier...

So we retraced our steps and reached Seamons Bridge via Broadheath. We were soon joined by Ernst and Bianca, for a short walk along the towpath to Dunham.

The picture above seems to have blurred everything except Ernst, who is happy at having been made captain of Sale Sharks rugby team and has had his contract extended by three years to 2029. This has motivated the couple to buy a house, on which they should complete soon. Well done them.

We left the canal to pass by Little Heath Farm, after which we went through the golf course and Devisdale, where the next two pictures were taken.

Our timing was perfect, as we reached SO Marrakech in Altrincham in time to enjoy coffees and croissants before Bianca headed off to another engagement. It was great to see the two of them happy with life, and now even happier as Sale beat French opposition - Clermont Auvergne - at the weekend, when players and their families were treated to a chartered flight in order to simplify travel arrangements.

Saturday morning was dry. Sue and I drove to Wythenshawe Park for their parkrun #644 on a surprisingly sunny day. The sun rose as we milled about at the start. With just 244 people taking part, numbers were well below the summer figures of around 400.

Run Director Richard set us off after the fastest ever briefing.

Afterwards, the usual socialising, and sorting of bar codes that hadn't arrived when the next picture was taken.

At least the bar code tokens were dry today! Full results are here.

Reg at 87, and Wythenshawe parkrun at #630

It was a quiet last week of summer, with no particular highlights apart from Reg's 87th birthday party at Chorley Golf Club. Reg invited about 30 of his family, friends and neighbours for morning coffee at his house, after which some drove and some walked to the golf club for an excellent buffet lunch.

Reg took the trouble to make an excellent speech, covering the nature of his friendships with all those present, including reminiscences of some hilarious incidents on backpacking and other trips.

The top picture shows Reg delivering his 'speech', and the second picture just shows some of those present. I don't think a group photo was taken, but there may be some table by table pictures. I'll add these if they come my way.

Afterwards we returned to Reg and Saro's house for afternoon tea in the garden on the warm afternoon. Here Reg (whose autobiography, 'My Surgical Life in the NHS and Overseas' you may recall we helped with) is enjoying the fresh air with his daughter Sangeerththa.

A few days after that memorable occasion, I cycled along to Wythenshawe Park for their parkrun (number 630), which I have attended on 287 occasions. Run Director Alan welcomed 473 runners and walkers - a good turnout.

I managed 32:06, in position 337. I can't keep up with Owen these days - today he got under 30 minutes for the first time. Here he is with his mum, sister and some of the gang enjoying their post run coffees in the courtyard. Full results are here.

Meanwhile Sue was visiting her mother in Solihull, where she managed a PB of 24:20 at Brueton parkrun. Well done Sue.

Tuesday 8 April 2025 - Dot's 100th Birthday

After our local walk with Bluebells in De Quincey Park, Sue and I visited Dot to treat her with a sausage sandwich and a game of nomination whist, not to mention a little help with today's crossword, which she had already nearly completed.

She had cards from family, and a few friends, but most of those are no longer with us - she has outlived the majority of her contemporaries and relies on an elderly neighbour, Roger, for day to day interaction. Many thanks, Roger.

Charles and Camilla had been in touch.

One of my nephews had provided Dot with a few questions. Just to retain the record of her answers, here are both the questions and the answers as dictated to Sue. Probably only of interest to family members, you can view the text properly if you click on the images.

So, no big celebration, and Dot is finding it hard work even having dribs and drabs of visitors. Her short term memory is a little debilitating. Thanks also go to the live-in carers who take turns in looking after Dot in the comfort of her own home.

Here's a picture taken a few days later by granddaughter Kate, with her children Jacob and Jessica.

Owen turns 40

Here's Owen, completing his 247th parkrun on 15 March, a great achievement and a tribute to the support he has had from numerous supporters who have guided him round the 5km course. He does know the way, but he needs to be accompanied.

Owen's 40th birthday party, organised by his mum, was held on 16 March at the LMRCA Railway Club at Navigation Road. It was loud. Some of those with worn out eardrums, of whom I was one, had difficulty hearing very much, but thoughts of leaving early evaporated as the partygoers enjoyed themselves and serious attempts to converse were made.

Owen is one of a wide community of adults with learning difficulties of one type or another. Many of his friends and carers from that community, as well as a good number of his parkrun friends and his family, including his sister from Australia, were present. It was a very jolly occasion.

There came a point when a speech was required.

With a little help from Jenny, his mum, and his words started to flow. An excellent speech.

A long time teacher/carer then spoke a few words in tribute to the lad he has been supporting for the last 20 years.

YMCA is clearly a favourite.

It was a pleasure to be invited to this joyous occasion. We left feeling a little better in this fractured world.

Medley

Decisions: move on to the next posting, or do several separate postings, or just put a few pictures up for the record. 

I've chosen the latter, starting with Monday's Christmas party at Eagley Jazz Club, where The Dixie Beats put on a great show to a full house. Good food, good music, great value.

It's not every day that a message is received from someone you haven't seen or communicated with for 62 years. Mike Shakeshaft, sixth from the left on the photo below, is that person. This week he kindly provided the picture of the students and staff of Ward House, Adams Grammar School, in July 1961. I am sitting on his left. He discovered me as a result of my posting in June 2022, recalling my early days at a boarding school.
Hopefully we will meet up in the new Year.

Sue's retirement nearly 12 months ago gives her the opportunity of indulging in flights of fancy such as that shown below. I'm hoping she will progress to something useful. Xmas cards, perhaps!?

We recently popped in to the Little Heath Farm shop with Ernst and Bianca. They were admiring the trees, and now Ernst has managed to find one that is nearly as tall as he is. Well done. It'll be strange for them to be celebrating Chritmas in Altrincham, rather than in Cape Town's summer sunshine.

Next, I've been doing Wordle every day since I bought my latest (S23) phone. A few days ago the software did what it has done to many others - it ended my run without reason or explanation. Perhaps that's a blessing - I'll never manage such a long run and I no longer have to worry about doing it every day, or even getting it right.

Finally, when Sue isn't doing jigsaws, she can be found labouring over a cold stove. Here's a result, and the recipe is here and below.

Ingredients:

For the biscuit base:
125g softened butter
50g caster sugar
5tbsp cocoa powder
1 egg, beaten
200g digestive biscuits, blitzed to crumbs
100g dessicated coconut
50g chopped almonds

For the custard icing:
100g softened butter
4tbsp double cream
3tbsp custard powder
250g icing sugar

For the chocolate topping:
150g dark chocolate
50g butter

Method:

1. For the biscuit base, melt the butter, sugar and cocoa powder in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Whisk in the egg for 2-3 mins until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add the biscuit, coconut and almonds. Mix, then press into the base of a lined 20cm square tin. Chill for 10 mins.

2. For the custard icing, whisk together the butter, cream and custard powder until light and fluffy. Gradually add the icing sugar until it's fully incorporated. Spread over the bottom layer and chill until the custard layer is no longer soft.

3. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a microwave, then spread over the chilled bars and return to the fridge. Leave until the chocolate has fully set - at least 2 hours. Take out of the tin and cut into squares to serve.

29 August to 1 September 2024 - Richard's Birthday Weekend

Richard's Birthday Weekend actually started on Thursday, when he and about ten of his mates made their way to Old Trafford cricket ground to watch a rather boring day's play in the County Championship. 

Hampshire set themselves up to thrash Lancashire in a rather one sided contest. I suspect that most of Lancashire's better players were either injured or on duty for their country.

Anyway, it was a nice day out in warm weather.

On Friday, celebrations resumed at Roger and Heather's house in Wirksworth. After an excellent meal provided by various participants, there was time for 18 of us to relax in front of a roaring fire.

Saturday's walk started from Cromford and headed past some wooden sculptures that drew my attention but nobody else's.

By the time we reached St Mary's church, the subject of many alterations and enhancements over the years, I had to rush past to catch up.

The Derwent valley offers lush green views at this time of year.

The Matlock Bath cablecar was clearly visible across the valley from our path, which had risen steeply up towards Riber Castle.

L-R: Richard, Roger, Tove, Roland, Heather, David, Jenny, Tom, Jessica,
Graham, Julie, Sue B, Carol, Phil, Keith, Martin (photo: Sue W)

A grassy patch was found for elevenses.

On we continued, eventually reaching the Jug & Glass.

A brief encounter with a magnificent sunken lane drew us to a pleasant location for lunch in a well cropped field.

Duke's Quarries offered a technical escape route, but everyone wimped out on the excuse that "it looks a bit steep", and made their way down to a disused canal.

We were soon passing some of Cromford's industrial relics as we strolled along the Derwent Valley Heritage Way.

Then we walked over half way up the incline taken by the High Peak Trail, before dropping back down to end the day's outing in Cromford.

Here's our route (click on this or any other image for a better version): 16km with 450 metres ascent, taking us about 6.5 hours including lots of stops.

Later, the Le Mistral restaurant in Wirksworth proved an excellent venue for all 17 who had been on the walk to enjoy a delicious meal, culminating in a tasty sponge cake with lots of candles, and a memorable speech from Sue B recalling some of Richard's many 'achievements'.

 

Sunday's walk started from Bonsall, and just to maintain form, it headed uphill for quite some time.

Sue found a Tea Junction ('Give Way to Biscuits'), but it was too early to stop.

Relentlessly uphill took us under the cablecars we had viewed the previous day from the other side of the valley, and today we could look across to where we had been yesterday.

Richard's second birthday 'cake' was laid out on a tea towel at our elevenses break.

It was soon demolished...

The next section of the walk afforded long views along the Derwent Valley on a hazy, but thankfully dry, day.

Uphill as usual, eventually pausing for lunch on some grassy lumps of rock. Just 16 of us today - one gained (GS) and two lost (Roland and Heather).

Soon afterwards, several folk trespassed down a private lane to have a look at Blakelow Hill, whilst the rest of us strolled down Moor Lane and Bonsall Dale to reach the fleshpots of Clatterway, where Sue and Phil plied everyone with tea and cake, and apples from their tree, before waving us all off into the sunset after a most enjoyable birthday weekend.

Today's route from Bonsall: 11km with 350 metres ascent, taking us 4.5 hours including many stops.

Meanwhile, it would have been good to be in two places at once and take part in the Altrincham 10km race, in which last year I met Bianca, supported by her Sale Shark husband, Ernst. It was a shame not to be there again this year, but Bianca sent me a few pictures, including this one with her finisher's medal. Well done Bianca, I don't think I'd have been able to keep up with you.

Monday morning involved a bike ride to Didsbury to spend a bit of time with Millie, whilst Mike and Sarah and Isabella are in Scarborough making sandcastles.

Millie isn't very good at selfies!