Having had my milestone birthday last year, I’m taking a full year to enjoy various celebrations. BFF Sarah was in town for a revival of Over The Bridge, a Sam Thompson play which in its original version had starred her late actor father. So we spent the Saturday afternoon at the delightful Six By Nico, a restaurant with a set tasting menu of six courses, which changes each six weeks. We opted for the full range of offerings, including an aperitif and the paired wine flight. I had the vegetarian version.
The theme was “Once Upon a Time”, with each course inspired by a fairytale. The menu came in the form of a booklet, with a description of each course as well as recipes to recreate in the comfort of your own kitchen, and a couple of pages to make notes!
The aperitif was Mary Poppins, a cherry and ginger flavoured bright plum cocktail served with a spoonful of sherbet on an ice cream stick, in elegant old fashioned glass coupes. The accompanying snack was a gingerbread spiced donut, and some generous slabs of sourdough bread with whipped butter.
On to Oliver Twist, a confit Hassel back potato with some gloriously creamy mousseline and crispy bits.
Course 2 Paddington Bear was a sourdough bruschetta. My vegetarian version came with a beautiful fried egg, while S had ox cheek ragu, and both came with a mushroom “marmalade”. The accompanying wine was an earthy Pinot Noir, which brought out the intense woodiness of the fungi.
Course 3, Matilda, was a carrot. No seriously, a delicious tandoori spiced poached carrot with pesto made from carrot tops. I’d never had a wine flight before, and I tend to avoid sauvignon blanc, but the French one that came with this dish was absolutely delicious, fresh and crisp.
My next course was the best ever porridge, a lip smacking combination of pearl barley with sharp pecorino cheese and truffles. S had a dish of sea trout with artichoke crisps, and the wine was an Argentinian Pinot Gris.
We loved the wine that came with course 5, an Italian Syrah served in a duck shaped decanter. The wine was velvety, almost port like, and went with S”s duck and pickled walnut.
I had baked pumpkin with gnocchi, and the only think I didn’t like on the whole menu, a tarragon dragoncello, which just tasted like grass.
The dessert was a rose and hibiscus cream, which was presented under a glass dome, lifted to reveal a smoke effect. The accompanying wine was a sweet muscat, honeyed and almost sherry like in its richness.
And then, as we had let slip we were celebrating, we were given a glass of limoncello each.
At £80 each its not a cheap lunch, but it was undoubtedly one of the most memorable meals, let alone experiences, I’ve ever had. I was particularly struck by the advantages of letting a sommelier and chef choose what I was to eat and drink, and I’ll definitely be back in a few weeks when the menu changes!
Making the most of my free time now I’ve retired with a trip to the beautiful city of Valencia.
Flights were out of Dublin, which did require an early start to catch the 5.30 am bus from Belfast. However, the bus was there at just after 5, so we didn’t have to stand around in the cold for too long. This was a nice relaxed way to reach the airport, being dropped off right at the door in just under 2 hours. Time to find some tea, and something that I usually only eat at airports for some reason, an almond croissant!
Checked in and lined up by the airplane steps, we than had to stand in the Dublin drizzle for an achingly long 10 minutes while a technician climbed in and out of the body of the plane. Before telling us that we’d have to go back inside and wait for an alternative craft. To be honest, I’d rather have an hours delay and get on a plane with no flashing warning lights!
The flight was very smooth, and I always love the view over the snowy Pyrenees. We landed in glorious sunshine just after lunch, and made our way through Covid and passport checks, before heading to the car hire depot. Having lived in Luxembourg during my career, I am (or was) familiar enough with driving on that side of the road, and so I was designated driver. It still took a bit of adjustment to remember where the rear view mirror was, and I did miss my reversing camera!
The satnav took us to the Vincci Palace Hotel on Carrer La Pau without too much swearing, followed by several trips round the block while we tried to locate the side street where the entrance to the car park was located. Via an elevator. A member of staff patiently guided me while I line up the car at exactly the right angle before squeezing it in to the small space. The hotel is very conveniently located, and even has a sun terrace!
Bags unpacked, we set off to do “aimless wandering”. This city lends itself really well to this activity, with beautiful buildings at every corner, and plenty of signs explaining any historical or architectural significances. Even with one of the main squares, Plaza de la Reina, closed for refurbishment, there was no shortage of sights to stop and stare or photograph.
I’ve been studying Spanish with a daily Duolingo lesson for over 2 years now, and so I was interested to see just how well I could communicate. The passport guy had surprised me by answering Bon Dia when I offered Buenas Dias, and I noticed that many signs, menus etc were in 3 languages: Spanish, English, and ……Valencian, a sort of version of Catalan.
We found a nice cafe for tapas and delicious Spanish white wine. Calling into a local Minimart for supplies on the way back to the hotel, I found that most of the wine on sale had corks rather than screwtops. This allowed me to try quite a complicated sentence: “Perdonne senor, busco una…en frances es un tire-bouchon” accompanied by suitable hand signals. And sure enough, un sacacorchos was duly obtained, and wine purchased. The prices were very reasonable – a bottle of Chardonnay started at 2 euros!
The hotel was very comfortable, and the staff very friendly and helpful, even providing me with a tray containing a kettle and tea bags for my essential morning cuppa.
The next was warm and sunny, and we had a great stroll round the city centre taking in the fabulous indoor market selling live snails, giant goose eggs,
colourful fruits and veg, and row upon row of fish and seafood. There was even a sign with my name on it!
From there we headed to Placa Ajuntament with the city hall, the bullring, and the gorgeous Estacion which still has detailed ceramic and wooden adornments. I found a cafe that served paella, the speciality of the region, and in the afternoon I took in the big Torres de Serranos before enjoying an ice cream in the Placa de la Viergien in front of the cathedral (under refurbishment). In the evening I dined on dorade with vegetables, and we finished with a few drinks in the lovely hotel bar.
Breakfast in the hotel was a good range of cold meats and cheese, yoghurts, bread and pastries, some hot food, and little slices of tortilla. We extracted the car from the elevator (easier on the way out), and headed out of town to visit friends who were staying nearby.
I decided not to attempt putting the car back in the hotel, opting instead for a public car park only 100m away. A late lunch was had at Saona, doing a 3 courses for 9.95 which was just exceptional – stuffed artichokes, salmon tartar, and a lemon and mango dessert.
We caught the hop-on-hop-off bus for an afternoon orientation tour of around 2 hours, to get a feel for what we wanted to see next day.
On our last full day, we went to La Ciutat de les Arts y les Ciences, and absolutely stunning complex of concert halls, exhibition spaces, science museum and aquarium. It was a little chiller today, and when we got off at the seaside stop, the seabreeze was very strong. But we found a nice seaside cafe for smoked salmon and avocado on toast before continuing our tour.
In the afternoon I tried to find the rooftop bar, as advertised on the guide map. I found where the door should be, and a notice said there was a new entrance round the far side. I walked round the block again, with no sign of an entrance. Back to the original notice to make sure I’d read it correctly, and then return to where the new entrance should be, before having to use my language skills to ask where it was. Sorry, closed for refurbishment! Oh well, off to El Corte Ingles for a bit of retail therapy instead.
For our last meal we went to Bacca, a glittering cavern like restaurant with deliciously camp waiters (think Hank Azaria in Birdcage) for a final seafood paella, and a nightcap in the hotel bar.
Final morning we went to the old established chocolate house Santa Catalina, all ceramic walls, and neatly turned out and very attentive waitresses for chocolate and churros, breakfast of champions!
This set us up nicely for a final dander, taking in the Torres de Quart, and the cathedral where there was a live display of local dancing and singing taking place.
Driving on a Sunday was a little less frenetic, and we only argued with the sat nav a wee bit before making our way back to drop off the car and head to Valencia’s architecturally stunning airport. Sadly much of the inside is currently being refurbished, but I bought some good olive oil to take home with me.
Luck was on our side on the return journey – plane landed on time, no queues to contend with, and the bus we were booked on, that we thought we were 5 minutes too late for, was still waiting at the stand. It was packed, and they were only letting on passengers who had booked tickets, so even though we didn’t get sitting together, we were on our way home through some torrential rain. And sadly I had someone behind me chatting incessantly (and loudly) the whole way.
In Belfast, a free taxi pulled up just as I reached the depot, and whisked us home in good time.
Overall, it is a delightful and attractive city that I would love to revisit , maybe when all those refurbishments have been completed!
Bonus quiz question – Budapest is one of 4 capital cities on the Danube, can you name the others? Answers at the foot.
Travelling during Covid times has added complications, but we managed to download our NI Covid certs, and use Irish passport to convert these to an EU covid pass. Travelling from one EU country to another should be OK, no additional PCR testing or passenger locator forms required. ( At that time, regulations have changed since then!) Proper foreign money also acquired – there are roughly 400 Hungarian Furints (HUF) to the pound, which is an awkward exchange rate, but I memorised that 2,000 was about a fiver, and used that as a gauge.
With an early morning start, we stayed the night before at the Clayton Hotel by Dublin airport, which also serves as a car parking option. Treated ourselves to some southern Tayto crisps from the nearby garage while watching the Ireland rugby match, and then enjoyed dinner in the restaurant.
Alarms were set for early o’clock, and at 4 am we were boarding the shuttle bus. Simple drop off of our one piece of checked in baggage, and the 3 hour flight departed and arrived on time. Hungary is 1 hour ahead.
The hotel reservation had included a transport car from the airport, but this used R’s work phone number, so a bit of back and forth-ing was required on the phone before our taxi arrived, and took us into the centre of the city, where we were staying in the Hotel Impulso, with fresh and modern décor and a warm welcome from the staff.
Day 1 is usually “aimless wandering” to get some bearings. There seemed to be many kebab shops nearby, but also a very handy Metro station (Pope John Paul 2), and even a wee Tesco on the corner for essential supplies (wine and crisps).
Much construction work is ongoing, some of it restoring and repairing old buildings, some of it extending the metro line. But we found a sticky tabled bar that was about to start serving food, and began the usual game of ordering something that resembled Smirnoff and diet coke, ice no lemon please. Diet coke is often rare outside the UK (and no, Coke Zero is not the same!)
There weren’t many restaurants near our hotel, so we ended up in a sort of Asian food shop, where I tried a seafood ramen. Back at the hotel, our bedroom was at the front, and the trams passing by were quite noisy, but they did stop at midnight.
Day 2. Breakfast at the hotel was great, a wide selection of delicious breads, some cheese and salad items, as well as hot food. It was interesting to note different Covid practices – whilst mask wearing was pretty universal, even outdoors, the breakfast was serve yourself buffet style.
We were picking up the hop-on-hop-off bus today, so walked all the way down to St Stephens Basilica to sort out the tickets and take an orientation tour.
There’s a small Christmas Market behind the basilica where I was able to get some mulled wine and a chimney cake. We needed to show Covid certs and ID to enter. R had a flatbread with pork, leeks and sour cream. Other food on offer included gigantic hot dogs, and Henry 8th style legs of meat (pork, presumably). The Hungarian language is quite unusual, and not related to those I am more familiar with, so it wasn’t really possible to have a guess at the meanings. That said, English was widely spoken.
In the afternoon we visited the synagogue, the second largest in the world. It is a stunning building, and we found the guided tour very informative and moving. Hungarian Jews suffered badly during the 2nd world war. Famous Hungarian Jews include Tony Curtis, Estee Lauder, and Goldie Hawn. There is a very poignant sculpture at the rear of the building in the form of a willow tree, with a name written on each leaf.
We dandered back to the hotel, stopping off at the Craft beer and Bistro for a drink, and picking up some essentials (sanitiser, plasters, notebook) in the Spar. And then I got changed into my Scottish dancing clothes, and hopped in a taxi to go to the local class! How marvellous to take part in an activity that is done right across the world. Masks were worn throughout the class, which was delivered mostly in Hungarian, with the odd English recap for my benefit. The most surreal part was the warm-up which was done to a Mongolian folk rock band called the Hu (and amazingly I even recognised the song). There were 12 of us in the class, and tartan sashes were used to denote those dancing as men. We tried (and failed) to get through the twelvesome reel – it’s not one I’m familiar with at all, so I wasn’t much help. Got my first experience of public transport by getting a bus and metro home.
Day 3. After a relaxed breakfast we strolled across JP2 Park to the train station for photo opportunities, and then didn’t have to wait too long for the HoHo bus, where we managed to get seats upstairs at the front. Crossing the Danube, we got off the bus on the Buda side, and took a little shuttle bus to take us up to the top of the hill. There is usually a funicular railway operating too, but it was closed for repairs. Many things are priced in euro as well as HUF, and the shuttle bus was 9 euro, well worth it to avoid climbing up the hills.
The Fisherman’s Bastion by St Matthais Church was where we alighted, and enjoyed the blue skies and sunshine for some great photos. The Buda Tower was closed to visitors (Covid), and the Carillion bells weren’t ringing (lightning), while the Palace was closed for refurbishment.
Back at the foot of the hill we walked across Elizabeth Bridge, and lunched in the Pointer Pub. Suitable refreshed, we walked to the main Christmas market in Vorosmarty Square. Big food stalls serving big portions of goulash, sausage and knuckles. Lots of lovely stalls with leather goods and wooden toys. Porcelain ornaments, fur, and jewellery. I bought a pair of silk earrings.
We caught the 4 pm boat at Dock 6, which was just the perfect time for our river trip. We found seats on the upper deck, complete with blankets to keep warm. As the sun set there was a beautiful golden light on the water, which then became deeper twilight and all the buildings lit up in fabulous colours. We walked home, calling into Tesco for the makings of a “hotel room picnic”, and I mistakenly bought a bottle of wine with a cork! Cue much hilarity at reception as David bravely wrestled with an ancient corkscrew to unite me with my Chardonnay.
Day 4. The weather was a bit cooler and duller , but we took the HoHo bus to Heroes Square, admired the ice skaters, and had a dander through the old castle museum, dotted with many statues. I was proud of myself for finding 300HUF to use the toilets.
We lunched downtown in the Longford Irish pub (cheesy chips), and then checked out the Timberland shop. I worked out how to get back to the hotel using public transport, and bought a couple of 24 hour tickets. We’d wanted to go to the West End City Centre shopping mall, but the metro was replaced by buses and we were scared of getting lost.
I was able to go to the Thursday night dance class, which was being taken by a Russian girl, mostly in English. There were only 9 of us plus the teacher, so I felt a wee bit left out when I didn’t have a partner for a 4 couple dance, but I do sympathise knowing how hard it is to find a programme that’ll work for however many dancers turn up.
The class runs from 6 till 8, so it does make for a respectable early night, I treated us to ice creams from Tesco, and Barbara on reception did the honours with the corkscrew.
Day 5. After a leisurely breakfast, I bought a bottle of Tokaj, the famous Hungarian wine, from Tesco, and packed it in our check-in bag, which we were able to leave at the hotel as our plane was not till the evening.
We used the public transport tickets to visit the big Market Hall, a riot of colour and displays of fruits, meat, cheese, paprika, lavender, wooden toys, palinka, and embroidered goods. The lower level has some history and information about the most important Hungarian produce, and I was able to buy little tins of paprika, a jar of caviar, smiley pickles, and some cheese.
I wasn’t sure whether to fork out for a tablecloth or peasant blouse, but R pointed out some embroidered face masks, which were not too expensive and will definitely get used!
The number 2 tram line claims to be one of the most scenic in Europe, hugging the side of the river, so we took a ride on it to the parliament buildings. Our tickets were indeed checked on this part of the trip. After an unsatisfying cheese scone in a café, we looked at the bronze shoes, a poignant tribute to those who’d been shot by the Arrow Cross.
Back on the red metro line, we rode to the station and then changed to the green line and back to the hotel, where we used the wifi to complete our passenger locator forms, needed to get back into Ireland.
I was a little concerned when our taxi was late, and then got stuck in some awful traffic going to the airport, and then the queue to drop off bags took an hour to get through!
I was a bit worried about Storm Arwen, but our return flight was uneventful, landed on time, got through passport and Covid checks in under 5 minutes, and our suitcase was waiting for us on the carousel.
Quiz answer: Those other capitals are Vienna and Bratislava (which I’ve visited EuroViennaSlava), and Belgrade (which is now on my bucket list so’s I can complete the set).
Run number 296, event 80, celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary
One of my current challenges is to get on the Irish “most events” table, as well as a longer term goal to do all the runs on the Wild Atlantic Way, so we were spending a weekend in the Glasshouse, Sligo’s finest hotel, on a rather grey and overcast November.
Access
Sligo has a nightmarish one way system, comprising of various City Loops, that cause a visitor to be completely perplexed. The sat-nav didn’t help, bringing us down a “no-through road” and requiring some rather worrying reversing in the dark near the fast flowing river. But after about 3 circuits of the gyratory system, we finally found the hotel carpark. I was concerned about getting trapped the following morning, so I facebook messenged the parkrun asking for directions, and got this very prompt and very helpful response:
“Hiya, if you are parked in The Glasshouse carpark, your best bet is to turn left at the exit, then left again at the traffic lights just past the main door of the hotel. Cross the bridge, then stick to the right hand lane as you go along the river. The road sweeps right, then up a hill, and sweeps right again & downhill. Go into the left lane as you come down the hill. The AIB will be on your right. Continue on Bridge Street, across the river again, then turn left along the river, keep going for about 1km and you’ll find us opposite Cleveragh Retail Park”
So I had no excuses!
Facilities
There is plenty of free parking by the play park, and more over the road in the retail park. Toilets and coffees are also in the Westeroast coffee shop, which has a bit of Game of Thrones theming. Start and finish are in the same area, so you could leave any non-valuable belongings there.
Course
Don’t be deceived by the fact that it’s by a river, it’s much hillier than you might imagine! Tarmac path all the way, just watch out for slippy leaves. An outward route for about 0.5km, then 2 laps around the playing fields before returning on the same path. There wasn’t much of a view due to the low cloud, but I’m sure in brighter weather it is quite picturesque. It is well marshalled at the junctions.
Gear
I was wearing my green 250 shirt, which attracted some attention (and I was the runniest runner that day). I’d forgotten my gloves and my zippy belt, so my husband had to take on handbag-minding duties. Saw no other cow cowls. No watch or phone, and I wore my second-best red Hokas.
Crowd
There were 95 runners when I visited in November. Sligo is a very sporty town, so there were some super speedy youngsters, as well as some walkers, so all abilities are made welcome.
Time
I spent some time chatting to marshals and other runners, so I wasn’t pushing for a fast time, but I did my trademark skip-change over the finish line in 41 mins, which was faster than last week, and I came first in my age cat!
Strangely Appropriate Song on Shuffle
I wasn’t listening to music while I ran, but I did join in with “Ireland’s Call” and “Fields of Athenry” during the rugby match that afternoon.
And the rest
We loved our visit to Sligo, lots of independent shops and old fashioned department stores to potter in. We treated ourselves to buns from O’Hehirs bakery, which we enjoyed watching Ireland beat the All Blacks in the Rugby. I can thoroughly recommend The Glasshouse, the food was excellent and the staff friendly and attentive.
Run number 295, event 79, attending the AGM in Perth
It was one of those days where “you don’t have to be mad to be a runner, but it helps!”
The weather was a bit dreich, but the parkrun weather fairy managed to keep the worst of it down to a light drizzle (I believe other events did not get off so lightly!)
Access
It’s about a mile outside Pitlochry itself. I caught at 8.11 train from Perth which had me at the station just after 8.45, in plenty of time to warm-up brisk walk out to the entrance.
Facilities
There is (currently) a dedicated car park for runners, but it IS locked after the event close down, so make sure to move your vehicle afterwards. A cute and clean toilet block is located just near the main entrance. Start and finish are at the same point, so if you trust the “plastic bag by a tree” method, you could leave belongings there. At Your Own Risk, of course.
Course
It takes “undulating” to new levels! The start is up a challenging hill, and then there are 3 sort of oblong laps, with a couple of uphill sections in each. Lots of friendly and chatty marshalls at each station. It is an extremely pretty course (if you can lift your eyes from swearing at the hills), but watch out for slippery leaves, mud, loose stones and tree roots.
Gear
Most Valuable Player award definitely went to my parkrun World Tourist rain jacket, in fetching aqua colour, which kept the rain off during my walk there, and also has a handy zipped pocket where I stored my valuables and tied the jacket round my waist. It even featured in the run report!
I was wearing my new With Me Now T shirt, and the phrase “is it fancy dress?” on the back earned the response “well it was last week!” from fellow tourist Angus. I wore my autumnal leggings, which matched the glorious colours of the forest.
Crowd
There were 47 runners when I visited in November. It’s a relatively new event, so it’s still getting a bit of interest from keen tourists. There’s a caravan site nearby so I’m sure it will attract visitors during the more inclement months. As well as Angus from Inverness, I also got chatting to cow-cowl Colin originally from Crawfordsburn, though he now lives over the water. There was a sizable turnout at the parkfaff café (held this week at the Pitclochry Dam visitor centre, but it’s not always there), where the results were processed at table extremely quickly. My breakfast of smoked salmon draped over scrambled egg on a bed of spinach and potato cakes prompted much jealousy amongst those who’d only opted for a scone (they looked nice too, as did the bacon butties)
Time
I was taking it easy. I’d been dancing for 3 hours the night before, with another 3 hours to do this evening, so I wasn’t going to risk a fall or stumble over those loose stones. 49 minutes, I think it was only the tail walking crew behind me. But time is an illusion anyway.
Strangely Appropriate Song on Shuffle
I was running with no tech – neither music nor watch. “Naked” I believe that’s called. Anyhoo, I enjoyed the opportunity to chat with fellow runners and volunteers, and to hear the sounds of nature in the birdsong, the wind soughing in the branches, and the gentle ripple of water.
And the rest
It was such a joy to be back at an “in person” dancing event, even though the programme of dances was certainly challenging! Meeting up with old friends, listening to live music, sharing in the joy of dance, it was all rather wonderful.
With Me Now is a weekly podcast all about parkrun. It is presented by Danny Norman and Nicola Forward, with regular guest appearances from surrogate mum Bev, cat Dolly, various Ste and Steve’s, and many more. In jokes include “ Dolly or Bev”, describing things as “ arbitrary” when they are not official milestones or “things”, no context comments and random vegetable emojis. I’ve been a listener for a number of years, and have often had comments or emails read out on the show. So when the get together ( or Pow-wow) was announced, for the weekend after my birthday, I did not hesitate to book my flights to Birmingham and a cheap hotel.
Access
The flight from Belfast to Birmingham is less than an hour, even though my car decided not to start as I was leaving the house, and I had to take a taxi instead. Birmingham airport is well connected to the main New Street station in the Bullring, and from there my Ibis budget hotel was a short 10 minute walk away.
I’d sussed out which bus stop I would need for the 60, X1or 2 the night before, but I was very happy when someone spotted my cow cowl at the stop and asked if I was heading for Oaklands. We gathered another pair of WMN hoody wearers, and our local guide made sure we got on the best bus and got off at the correct stop. It’s very near the Swan shopping centre, where there is ample parking.
Facilities
The shopping centre has loos and coffee shops a plenty. For the post run parkfaff we took over the Costa, and I joined a breakaway group in the Subway right beside it, with Greggs also getting some of our business.
Course
Three and a bit laps on wide tarmac paths, with a very slight undulation. I like 3 lappers, you can usually see where everyone is, and for slow runners like me you usually have the last lap in peace and quiet without being overtaken.
Crowd
Well, what a crowd there was today! Normal attendance would be around 100, but the WMNers swelled that to 250. It was great to meet some of the names I’ve become so familiar with, as well as bump into old friends I’d met at previous tourism gatherings like Bushy Dublin. The volunteers did a fantastic job of keeping us all in order, with friendly cheery marshals and fast efficient results processing. Remember the days when you used to have to wait for an email about 5 pm to get your results? The virtual volunteer app is just brilliant, modern tech at its best.
Gear
I was wearing my apricot #parkrundancer top, but I was getting serious T shirt and hoody envy from all the delightfully personalised tops- Not Dolly, arbitrary, it’s a thing, cool down, warm down, fall down, lie down…. I need me one of those. But what should my handle be? Good ole parkrun dancer? Wardrobe mistress? Potatoe? Hoedown?
I came bearing gifts- a moth cloak for “ forgetful moth” Nicola, which she absolutely loved and wore for most of the rest of the day. Danny had been specifically clear that he did not want any gifts, so I send him a picture of some Comber spuds to thank him for virtually volunteering at Comber ( his barcode number had been used in error a few times resulting in him being thanked for volunteering even though he’s never been over to Norn Irn). Oh, and a big thank you to the Master Baker, whose lemon hearts were just delicious!
Strangely appropriate song on shuffle
I didn’t have earphones in, it was much more fun to cheer and chat with fellow runners
Time
Having recently celebrated my 60th birthday this was my first time running in a new age cat. 37-34, faster even than Dulwich, and my best age grade in quite some time.
And the rest
I really enjoyed my short stay in the city, even though open top buses are not operating right now. But I was able to wander through Chinatown, along the trendy Gas street basin, visit the upmarket Mailbox, home to Harvey Nicks and the BBC, take a trip on a canal boat, and admire the beautiful library of Birmingham. And the super KittyCafe above the station concourse, which rescues cats and lets them roam around while you enjoy your coffee.
I’m still fundraising for the Smile Train, do please donate if you can, and let’s spread some smiles around the world
I was staying with my daughter in Crystal Palace. I didn’t want to redo that parkrun as I’d already done it ( twice!) and anyway it was cancelled that week. My alternative plan was to run Victoria Dock before dropping my bag off at the Excel. But IT was cancelled too! They knew that a lot of marathoners would have the same plan and didn’t have enough space for a safe event. So Jemima used her expert knowledge of local transport options, and worked out which bus I should get to arrive at Dulwich in time.
Course
This is well known as a fast course, and many parkrun records have been set here. The start and finish are in the same area, with the “ hang it on a tree” option for storing belongings. It’s 3 laps, wide tarmac surface all the way.
Facilities
There are loos behind the cafe by the bowling green. I didn’t get a chance to try out the café but I believe it does good brownies.
Crowd
Usually about 300 or so, there were 414 the day I attended. I did get chatting to a few other cow cowls, also in town for the marathon, but checking their what’s app to make sure their home events were running smoothly. A rather sweet grandfather-grandson pair were completing milestone (arbitrary) runs together.
Time
37:53, my fastest this year. But I’ve been focusing on long slow runs in prep for the big one.
Strangely appropriate song on shuffle
“I can’t keep up” by Silhouette
And the rest
Can definitely recommend City Mapper asa useful app for getting about by public transport.
I’ve always said I didn’t have a marathon in me – I’m a keen parkrunner, for sure, but there’s a massive difference between running 5km and running 42 of them, all in one go. But as part of my *cough cough* milestone birthday celebrations, I was somehow persuaded that this would be A Good Idea!
The first hurdle was getting a place. There is a ballot which takes place every year, but most runners who apply are unsuccessful. So I decided to go for a charity place instead. Big events like marathons raise a huge amount for charities, and the absence of races and the like during the pandemic has been a massive blow for many, especially smaller and less well-known charities. I was able to secure a place for the Smile Train, which provides medical treatment to children born with a cleft. This can make it difficult for them to eat, drink, or talk, and has a detrimental impact on self-confidence. I was very moved by the stories and pictures shared, and of just how life changing and enhancing this simple operation can be. So even a small amount of money makes a very big difference.
Then came the training. I was following a beginners 16 week training plan, which entailed a couple of running sessions during the week, with a progressively longer one on a Sunday. Those long runs were vital in identifying what gear was comfortable to wear, most importantly socks and shoes, as well as how I was going to fuel en route. Trying out jelly-babies versus mint imperials was one of the more enjoyable parts of training! I also discovered that I got cold very quickly post-run, and that I liked listening to podcasts which distracted me from thinking “how much longer do I have to run?”
The final few weeks flew by, and I really appreciated “tapering” where instead of running for 3 ½ hours my long run was now a “mere” 90 minutes. I received my kit bag in the post, and carefully packed it with all the things I would need at the finish line – warm clothes, Compeed plasters, and comfy footwear (crocs!) to change into. Arriving in London, I headed to the Excel centre to drop off the kitbag, which I wouldn’t then see again till the finish line, and pick up my race number. I double checked that I knew how to get to the starting point in time next day. There are so many runners taking part that there are actually three different start areas, and within each of those, groups of runners set off in waves at allocated times. This means quite a lot of hanging around (i.e queueing for the portaloos), and I was glad of the jacket I was wearing to keep me warm. There are designated bins at the start where discarded clothing is collected and then redistributed to charities and the homeless.
Just after 10.30 my wave was called to enter the holding bay, and the excitement was really building as I chatted with other runners around me, many of them also doing their first marathon. And then we were off!
Everyone who has run this event will tell you that the atmosphere provided by the crowd and supporters in London is something special. They are not wrong. Each side of the road was full of people cheering and calling out our names, with helpful encouragement like “nearly there!” (at mile 1…..). A pub was playing YMCA as we ran past, and to a woman we all joined in with the actions. As I passed a bagpiper I did a little bit of Highland dancing. And the drummers, samba bands, Morris dancers, jazz groups etc all propelled us along on a wave of great spirits. Many other runners were in fancy dress – I was overtaken by a pair of minions, a few rhinos, the queen, and Freddy Mercury, a telephone and some sort of internal organ.
The route continued past the Cutty Sark, and shortly after that crossed the iconic Tower Bridge, where I took the mandatory selfie. From there the route weaves out to Canary Wharf, where it started to rain and quite a fierce wind blew up. I was really struggling by now, and my walk breaks were getting progressively longer and longer.
Once I hit mile 20 I was determined to make it to the finish, and just kept on plonking one big ole foot in front of the other. I did manage to break into a final jog to cross the line, though I was so emotional at that point that the official photos make me look very sad. But I wasn’t, I was elated. It had taken me just over 7 hours, but I did it.
Afterwards I had a few blisters to deal with, and going up and down stairs was agony! But I recovered more quickly than I expected, and as is compulsory I now manage to shoehorn a mention of the marathon into every conversation.
It’s still not too late to contribute to my fundraising efforts, at
Event #76 (trombones in the Big Parade), parkrun #280, reason for visiting – celebrating the return of parkrun Ireland, and ticking off all those Donegal ones that I haven’t even begun to do!
Access:
Instructions on the website are very clear – cross the river and take a left. There’s plenty of parking around, and loos. The Tip O’Neill memorial, and a fine large sundial, are nearby.
Course:
It’s an out and back route along the shore path. Don’t let that fact fool you into thinking it’s flat – it most certainly is undulating! Cheerful marshals at each point will make sure you don’t get lost.
It crosses the stunning Castle Bridge before a sharp right through some trees, currently festooned with motivational sayings. The views across Lough Swilly are just breathtaking, with mountains, sea, a distant ferry crossing, and the waves breaking on little sandy beaches.
Crowd:
There were 70 participants when I attended, including a few far flung tourists such as myself. I met up with fellow 250 T shirt wearing Ronan, and as we have both recently acquired new wheels, we spent of time doing “Well my new car’s got” Top Trumps. It’s popular with those who want to walk rather than run, so if you’re ever holidaying in this part of the world (It’s on the Wild Atlantic Way), and fancy an enjoyable stroll of a Saturday morning, you know where to come.
Gear:
250 top, leggings with a big zippy pocket for holding car keys, and my running belt is just too small to hold my new bigger phone. So much so that in order to take photos I ran the last 1km doing what I hate doing, running with the phone in my hand. Cow cowl, though I didn’t spot any others. Apple watch is still doing brilliantly at recording runs, sweat wristband, and of course my barcode wristband!
Time:
The course record is 16.20.
I’m still training for the marathon, so I haven’t been running this distance much. Plus I did stop to take lots of photos! So I was happy enough with a sub-40 minute result. I’ve no doubt I’ll be back some time, and can try to improve on that.
Strangely Appropriate Song On Shuffle
I do love Bryan Adams and “Run To You”, which is a good pace for running to.
This will be my first (and probably only!) marathon – if you’d like to help me spread some smiles around the world, your donation would be very much appreciated!
On the outskirts of Kilmarnock, the rather beautiful country park is well signposted with brown signs. I was there to pick up my new car, which in turn had made its way from Edinburgh, and this was the closest location to the ferry at Cairnryan. (Note for future reference – there are parkuns at Ayr, Girvan, Troon, and Stranraer)
Facilities;
The start and finish are at the same spot, just right by the car park. The car park itself gets pretty busy, especially if there’s football on over the road, so please park considerately. There are clean loos in the visitors centre, which opens at 9. I wasn’t able to hang around afterwards for coffee (did I mention my new car?), but the visitors centre looks worth popping your head round.
Course:
It’s undulating! Feels a bit like a roller coaster at times, and the ups are quite steep – you never gain on the downs what you’ve lost on the ups, but these sharp gradients mean you really have to take care on the descents. The course is a Y-shaped 3 spokes form a central point at a rather picturesque stone bridge, done twice. It is really pretty, passing an animal paddock as well as lovely water features, and I do love running through trees, which are so inspiring. Can get quite muddy underfoot.
Gear:
My blue hokkas were perfect for the terrain, and my apple watch told me how my pace was. I’d asked the UK parkrun Tourists Facebook group’s advice on what top to wear – my apricot ‘parkrundancer’ that was a parkrun forever prize? Or my apricot with my home run, Wallace? My world tourist, or a With Me Now hoping for a “Dolly or Bev” shout-out? My 50 milestone customised with my first 50 events? or my running club T? In the end I went for the first option which was quite fortuitous……
Crowd:
I’d said Hi to the RD on arrival, and during our wee natter he established that I’m involved with the new event at Hillsborough Forest, and said that one of their regulars had run there recently. And he did indeed introduce me later! I approached a couple with someone wearing an apricot T, and they looked t mine to see where i was from. I explained it wasn’t my home location, but that my other main interest is Scottish Country Dancing, and consequently I do be in Scotlandshire fairly frequently. they looked at each other and said “I don’t suppose you know MK?” and I laughed and said, yes i did, she and I did our teacher training final together!
But the real joy was when someone came up to me as I crossed the finish line (doing a Highland dance style skip change step may I say), and I recognised an old face from Jog Lisburn, who I knew had moved to Scotland a few years ago! He’d shouted out “Go Jog Lisburn” as I was rounding the turn cone, but I had headphones on (bone conductors!) and hadn’t heard him. So sorry I didn’t get a photo with him, but it was so good to see running club stablemates in exotic (ish) locations. Here’s George posing with Cracker from a previous occasion. …
Time:
I told the RD I’d expect to run in about 40 mins, so there was no danger of me getting lost! With photo stops I came in at 40-10, which was grand.
Strangely Appropriate Tune On Shuffle:
Not while I was running, but while we were waiting to board the ferry (delayed because of ramp problems in Belfast) R was trying to pair my phone with the new car, and found the latest playlist i’d created, which was for a Scottish Dance class I gave over Zoom. The warm-up dance I’d used was “Prince of Orange”, and of course that made us laugh out loud and agree that the car’s name is Prince!
And the rest:
I always love little trips to Scotland, and this was no exception. We stayed in the Park Hotel right by the football ground, but unfortunately the ramp delays meant we arrived too late for dinner. But the very helpful staff had lots of menus from local takeaways, and i carb-loaded with some very tasty dirty fries. Hotel, parkrun and car place were all in about a 3 mile radius, so the driving was pretty straightforward. I’ll definitely take an opportunity to revisit, and try those famous pies!
This will be my first marathon and I’m absolutely terrified! Any donation you can make will be so much appreciated, plus you’ll be helping to put a smile on many little faces. Thank you!
Dancing At Lunacy 