Athletics
ELEVEN members of Teesdale Athletic Club (TAC) travelled to take part in the Parkrun at Fountains Abbey, Ripon.
The 5k run comprised a short and long lap around the Studley Royal grounds with its woods, paths, lakes, waterfalls and River Skell. It was a typical autumn morning: cool, dull and dank, but thankfully dry. The leaves resembled a multi-coloured quilt of green, brown, gold and orange as the famous abbey ruins emerged from the mist.
It was a good field of 408 entrants. TAC team results: Nigel Mawer 39th (21.07), Ellie Cox 81st (23.22), Michael Dolderson 113th (24.38), Erica Dixon 143rd (25.51), Jack Wheeler 176th (26.56), Andrew Stainthorpe 204th (28.13), Olivia Hall 206th (28.17), Carrie Wheeler 230th (29.11), David Raymond 269th (30.39), Gail Foster 329th (33.52) and Karen Dolderson 332nd (34.10).
We all enjoyed the run, but something even better was awaiting us. A short bus ride took us back to Ripon and a well-earned breakfast in The Unicorn.
Once refuelled, the final part of the trip was free time to explore the city of Ripon with its central market square, alleyways and commanding cathedral.
Tired out, we all returned to Barney recalling what a wonderful morning it had been and vowing to make it a regular event. Now where’s the next Parkrun with a ‘Spoons nearby?
Nigel Mawer
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
