This year’s Easter celebration was guaranteed to be special as I would be spending it with my surrogate mum and doing one of my favourite parkruns in the UK.
The adventure started on Thursday 14th April from Paddington station designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1854 travelling the 118miles to Bristol Temple Meads station designed by the same man in 1840, hence the similarities between the two. I was listening to The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak set partly in Cyprus a country I’d previously visited over 20 years ago. The book and train journey transported me away.
My surrogate mum, Patricia, met me at the station and proceeded to whisk me away, spoiling me with fantastic food delights and mini adventures. From the homemade stuffed roasted peppers and
homemade baked cheesecake to strolling around Bristol Harbour and seeing where the statue of Robert Colston had been toppled in June 2020. To a trip to Bristol Durdham Downs and ice-creams whilst looking at the stunning Avon Gorge. The Thursday and Good Friday were exceptionally good.
I woke up on Saturday morning, totally refreshed. With the sun radiant I changed, grabbed a banana and ran over to the majestic Ashton Court Estate home to Ashton Court parkrun.
Previously home to the Smyth family the 850-acre Ashton Court Estate was designed by Humphry Repton. It includes woods, grasslands and a magnificent Mansion which has a cafe for post-parkrun brunch, chat and to unwind. The estate has also been a deer estate for over 600 years and as I approached the start I spied a herd of them nestled under a tree.
The course, starts at the Mansion snaking around a grove of trees. 360 participants gathered and we were told how it’s an out-and-back again course with marshalls throughout. We were told the first half was uphill, and according to my Strava a 104m climb! The return leg is much easier and you’re rewarded with stunning views over Bristol City. I’ve done a fair few different parkruns and this easily ranks as one of the best; it is stunning.
I arrived back at Patricia’s to freshly baked croissants from Mark's Bakery. We then travelled to the 45-acre Victorian Garden cemetery of Amos Vale. It’s a sprawling victory for nature, overgrown and alive with wildlife. There are nature trails, crumbling architecture and history all around. There’s also an exceptional cafe with the cemetery’s last working crematorium oven in its basement fortunately not being used for the menu’s ‘hot options’. In the cemetery is the memorial to Raja Rammohum who died of meningitis in Bristol in 1833. Raja had been in Bristol to visit his friend Lant Carpenter a Unitarian Minister. Raja was a reformer and is considered by some to be the ‘founder of modern India’. His tomb has become a place of pilgrimage. Each year there is a commemorative ceremony to mark the anniversary of his death.
That evening we eat at the Tokyo-inspired 7 Lucky Gods restaurant sealing a fabulous day of 1. Running a quicker 5k than when I previously visited, 2. Exploring some of the hidden gems of Bristol and 3. Learning that I love bang bang cauliflower 😀
Thank you Bristol for being such a wonderful destination and Patricia for simply being the best mum a son could ask for.
What are your favourite parkruns, please let me know in the comments section below.
Happy running
What a wonderful write up. I must go to Bristol and visit the rambling cemetery.