Our London trip began with the typical dash to the train station, followed by a welcome bit of calm on the journey before the city buzz. After hopping off the train at St Pancras, we wandered just a few minutes to Camley Street Wildlife Reserve, a tiny green hideaway tucked between the railway lines and …
Author archives: Richard Cole
One Year On at Fairburn Ings
Late in October 2025, I found myself once again standing at the entrance to RSPB Fairburn Ings, camera and binoculars in hand. A year earlier, I had written about this place’s astonishing transformation from industrial wasteland to thriving wetland. Returning felt a little like visiting an old friend, familiar yet full of surprises. The morning …
Manchester Sunrise Run: #DataFitClub on Tour at Data Decoded
It all started back in June with a message from my friend Dan: A quick check revealed the event was being held in Manchester, an easy trip from Sheffield, so the answer was clear. Even if I couldn’t make the whole event, I could still get over to lead a run! So yes, I was …
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A Microadventure in the Peak District: From Office Desk to Dawn Light
It started in the most ordinary of ways: the office slowly emptying, colleagues slipping away, the hum of computers powering down. I waited until the space had stilled, then quietly shouldered my rucksack and stepped out into the city night. Within the hour, I was on a train heading out of Sheffield and into the …
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Where to See Bearded Reedlings in the UK: A Day at Alkborough Flats, Humber Estuary
As usual, we roll in early, creeping down the last stretch of lane that falls away towards the Humber. The small car park by the disabled bays has only a handful of spaces and was already quite busy. As we headed off from the car, the reedbeds quickly came into view and beyond them, two …
Sunrise Runs at Big Data LDN: A Tradition of Movement and Community
There’s something special about London at dawn. The city is barely awake, the streets are quiet. While most of the 15,000 people heading to Big Data LDN are still stirring in their hotel rooms, a small group of us from the DataFitClub lace up our shoes and head into Hyde Park for what has become …
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Leading Nether Red Brook & Fair Brook Scramble for AAC(UK) A Classic Peak District Scramble
Some of the finest scrambles in the Peak District are hidden in plain sight. Nether Red Brook is one of them. It’s marked clearly on the 1:25k OS Explorer, yet oddly absent from the BMC’s mountain map. A small oversight, considering this delightful gully is among the best hands-on routes in the Dark Peak. It …
Legends, Castles, and Coastlines: A Road Trip Through North Wales
There’s a rhythm to travel when you blend outdoor ritual with discovery: a morning run at sunrise, a pause for yoga, then the road unfurling towards castles, coastlines, and waterfalls. My few days in North Wales followed that rhythm, part adventure, part heritage trail, part mindful escape. Day One The trip began at Basecamp Wales. …
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Family Adventure in Northern Ireland and Donegal: From Causeway Coast to Errigal’s Hills
Bags were packed the night before. At 5 a.m., I loaded the car, coaxed sleepy children through a quick bowl of cereal, and we rolled towards Birkenhead for the day ferry to Belfast. Audiobooks lined up; the promise of a corner of the UK we’ve neglected for decades. Boarding was easy. Then a wander of …
Mountain Leader for AAC on Helvellyn via Striding Edge & Swirral Edge
It was definitely a game of two halves. We met outside the Fairlight Guest House in Glenridding under a light drizzle, a great mix of Austrian Alpine Club members from different backgrounds and experience levels, meeting for the first time. Ahead lay one of my favourite outings in this corner of the Lake District: the …
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