Coast and Country book club

*Pictured above and below some of Elizabeth Haines's paintings on display during her exhibition at Peppers Gallery in Fishguard.. Artist Elizabeth Haines’s exciting new ‘Thin Places’ exhibition in Fishguard...14th July until 29th August 2026. Special Coast and Country online art feature. coastandcountry.blog donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 The much-admired Pembrokeshire artist Elizabeth Haines will be staging an exhibition of her latest and exciting paintings from Tuesday 14th

*Josh Keogh was the first man back at Conwy parkrun. Repeat performance by one man and his child buggy at Rhos parkrun - plus NW results round-up. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael (Pat) Finnie, and others. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog It was very warm and very breezy for hundreds of runners and walkers at all North Wales parkruns last weekend, and the Llandrillo yn Rhos 5k event attracted another bumper attendance, where James Yarwood once again f

*Master veteran Kevin Slattery on the final lap of his 5k to win his age cat. Triathlon sprint success for veteran Kevin and GOG members Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog *Kevin Slattery Master veteran Kevin Slattery, the chairman of North Wales Road Runners, won his VM70 age category at the prestigious Llandudno Open Sprint Triathlon championships staged recently from the town’s promenade. Despite very warm and blustery conditions, whic

*Member of the North Wales Road Runners at the midweek Felinheli 10k - pictured l-r: Will Evans, Stuart Culverhouse, Hannah Griffith, Adam Lemalle, Steve Roberts and Kevin Slattery. A close finish at the blustery Felinheli 10k race in midweek donhaleblog.blog.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog It was very warm and windy for the challenging Felinheli 10k race in midweek, with three members of Meirionnydd RC finishing within the top four places overall. Tomos Roberts and team-mat

*Aled Hughes (above left) with Steven and Sean McCormack at Yate. Medal and PB success at the Welsh track & field championships at Yate... Report by Don Hale, with input from Brett Davis and Steve Gardner. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog *Sean and Steve McCormack with their Welsh championship medals. There was a good turn-out and plenty of medal success and PBs at the recent Welsh Masters Athletics track and field championships staged at Yate on 28th June

*The three lead runners ran the entire Rhos parkrun side by side. Bright, breezy and plenty of visitors at North Wales parkruns. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael (Pat) Finnie, Gareth Southworth and others. coastandcountry.blog donhaleblog,blogspot.com/2026 There were plenty of visitors at the bright and breezy Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun including - two out of the first three male finishers, and the third placed female athlete - all making their course debuts. Adam Jon

*Members from Eryri Harriers and other runners at the Mish Mash Bethal 5k Male and female course records smashed at the popular Mish Mash Bethal 5k. Report by Don Hale. coastandcountry.blog donhaleblog,blogspot.com/2026 *Arwel Lewis won his M65 age cat. There was a good turn-out of some 102 athletes at the Mish Mash Bethal 5k race last Wednesday night, which attracted a large number of elite and club athletes, where both the male and female course records smashed! Dion Grif

*Some of the NWRRC team at the Nova Cost half-marathon pictured. on Sunday (l-r): Adam Lemalle, Steve Bozier, Mal Preece, Will Evans, Steve Roberts, Stuart Culvehouse and Cheryl Frost. Warm, wild and very windy at the Nova Coast half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. coastandcountry.blog donhaleblog,blogspot.com/2026 *Steve Bozier on top form at Nova. It was warm, wild, and very windy on Sunday for the Nova Coast half-marathon with nearly 500 runners battling against a strong h

*Badger and Fox star in North Wales wildlife video Badger and Fox star in wildlife video Report and video by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Video No 3: Badger and Fox star in NW wildlife video. The unusually warm spring weather and more recent hot summer days and nights, has encouraged a host of rural wildlife to seek a regular supply of food and water, as they try to keep cool and look after partners and new youngsters. A large and popular pr

Special Coast and Country book review: MUCKERS by Eamon Kavanagh: Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog *Now available on Amazon as a paperback print version, an ebook, and also as an audio book. These are the links: This is a very interesting book about a real local character and a former Man City player who has survived some tough times throughout his challenging career. *Paperback : https://amzn.to/44qjVA9 *Ebook: https://amzn.

Exciting new wildlife videos in North... Report and video by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com coastandcountry.blog Video No 2. Badger makes a dramatic appearance. The unusually warm spring weather and more recent hot summer days and nights, has encouraged a host of rural wildlife to seek a regular supply of food and water, as they try to keep cool and look after partners and new youngsters. A large and popular private garden close to the Vardy and open fields in North Wa

*Some of the colourful characters at the Cowfest event at Erddig Hall. North Wales ‘Cowfest’ event at Erddig proved a major success... Report by Don Hale. Photos by David Airey and other. donhaleblog.blogspot.com coastandcountry.blog The popular North Wales version of Cowfest staged at Erddig Hall, near Wrexham, proved a huge success last Saturday and attracted over four-hundred parkrun entrants from across the UK. This particular run with similar Cowfest functions at Crath

*Bright sunshine greeted entrants at the start of the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun. Hundreds of runners set a hot pace along the prom at Rhos - plus a results round-up from some other NW parkruns. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael (Pat) Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog *Welsh Masters athlete Will Williams at the Rhos parkrun. Numerous elite and club athletes set a hot pace on a very warm and breezy morning at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last S

WANTED! Cat stories for new animal charity book Can you write a story about your favourite cat? coastandcountry.blog donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 The Cat Detective and Welsh author Aled Mawgan in association with Coast and Country online magazine and Ads2life Digital Services Ltd, are searching for any fact or fiction cat stories, to form part of a special Cat compilation short story book to be published this year on Amazon. *Further details available via this link:...

Conwy parkrun returns to its original World Ranking course on 20/6/26. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Urgent message from Conwy Run Director Bethan Wyn Roberts Hi Conwy parkrunners, I am delighted to confirm that as of the 20th June 2026, the start of Conwy parkrun will revert to the RSPB. There will be some minor alterations to the way we start our event until all current building work at the site has been cleared away. The RSPB car park will be open and

Do you want to run for the Welsh Masters track team at Yate? Urgent message from Rod Davies at WMAL. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog. On Sunday 28th June is our annual track and field championships at Yate. The next big fixture is the interarea, also at Yate on Sunday August 2nd. Brett Davis will start the men’s team selection on the 28th and would be grateful if anybody who would like to be considered for selection would email him at Brett-davis1@sky.com.

One thing leads to another: From the couch to World Championship Silver medals donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog *David Gibson and his daughter Stephanie at the 2024 London Marathon. A special and personal journey by Welsh Master veteran David Gibson In 2014 at the age of 62, I thought that I was reasonably fit through sailing, swimming, cycling and walking. However, a desk job and driving over 30,000 miles a year meant my legs struggled with any running ove

*Wrexham AAC athlete James Yarwood with his twin baby buggy. Top runner with twins was first finisher at Rhos event. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael (Pat) Finnie. donhaleblog.blog.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog James Yarwood (Wrexham AAC) was the first finisher at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday morning complete with his twin baby buggy in just 17 minutes and 26 seconds, but he was made to fight all the way by keen rival Iain Burgess in 17.42, with teenager

*Porth Eirias Running Club volunteers at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun Porth Eirias Runners completed a very successful take-over at the Llandrillo Yn Rhos parkrun... Introduction by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blog.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog It proved to be a spectacular take-over at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun on Saturday by Porth Eirias Runners (PER), with this rapidly expanding local club providing a host of supportive members to help volunteer and marshal at this popu

MALLARD - How the Blue Streak Broke the World Speed Record By Don Hale donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 December 04, 2020 MALLARD - How the Blue Streak Broke the World Speed Record by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 More than eighty years ago on the East Coast main line, the streamlined A4 Pacific locomotive Mallard reached a top speed of 126mph a world record for steam locomotives that still stands. Since then, millions have seen this famous locomotive, resplendent in h