everysinglestreet half marathon

#everysinglestreet [13/09/20] #VirtualGNR Croxteth Haul: Part 1 – all the roads off Fir Tree Drive North

Graham Holland     

Stats

  • Sunday 13th September 2020
  • 54 streets – Abbotsbury Way, Albury Close, Aldridge Close, Ashtree Grove, Boxtree Grove, Bracken Wood, Branfield Close, Burghill Road, Carrville Way, Charmouth Close, Chiltern Close, Xraven Lea, Crucian Way, Denham Close, Fir Tree Drive North, Fir Tree Drive South, Glenway Close, Goldcrest Close, Greenfinch Close, Hatfield Close, Hebburn Way, Inglewood, Iona Close,Ledbury Close, Lindisfarne Drive, Mallard Close, Measham Way, Mereview Crescent, Midhurst Road, Minton Close, Mullwood Close, Newbold Grove, Nightingale Road, Partridge Close, Pembury Close, Pinewood Avenue, Seaton Close, Shobdon Close, Staplehurst Close, Stretton Close, Swallow Close, Swift Grove, Tewkesbury Close, The Cedars, The Oaks, The Pines, Tiptree Close, Topcliffe Grove, Trent Close, Tupelo Close, Valiant Close, Veronica Close, Verwood Drive, Walton Close, Zander Grove.
  • Total: 1,096 (19.43%)
  • Remaining: 4,545

Notes

I had this weekend all planned out. I was going to drive up to Gateshead on the Friday afternoon, run Windy Nook parkrun on the Saturday morning, then take part in my first Great North Run on the Sunday morning to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK. But it was not to be… <insert sad face emoji>

So instead I decided to run a Virtual GNR instead with 21km around the district of Croxteth, north of Croxteth Hall. I’d hoped to do the whole estate but ran out of time as I had to get back home as I had plans to go out with Richard.

As I approached the roundabout I had a choice – left along Fir Tree Drive North, or right along Fir Tree Drive South. It was like my very own adventure game! I went left.

Just by the roundabout I passed the entrance to Dam Wood. It was tempting to forget about running streets and to hit the woodland trails instead.

I’ve never been to this part of the city before and had (incorrectly) thought it would be a bit rough, but I was pleasantly surprised. Nice houses, lots of little closes, and lots and lots of trees. There were ash trees in Ashtree Grove, box trees in Boxtree Grove, pines in Pinewood Avenue, but no cedars in The Cedars, oaks in The Oaks, or pines in The Pines.

I flew along Nightingale Road, Partridge Close, Mallard Close, Goldcrest Close, Mistle Thrush Way, Swallow Close, and Swift Grove.

There were plenty of houses with flagpoles flying the union flag. I wonder if they were watching the Last Night of the Proms last night and singing along.

Quite a few of the closes had passageways at the end connecting through to adjacent closes and other pathways.

One house had two carved, wooden owls outside. One had a well guarded by merecats, and one had an inaccurate sun dial. Two adjacent houses had front laws with grass that was greener than green. And sure enough, it was artificial grass. Such a shame. Other houses had got rid of their front lawns completely and paved over the whole of the front of their house.

The area is so nice that it was a real shock to come across an abandoned house.

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