Merry Christmas 2025
Beauregard, La Clusaz, Feb 2015 (my photo)
Wishing a Merry Christmas 2025 and a Happy, Healthy, Peaceful and Prosperous 2026 to all my Friends and Followers
2025 has been a year of seizing opportunities when and whilst I can. I’ve done lots but the headwinds are increasing. As the years fly by it’s getting harder to do what I love to do and travel is increasingly tedious. But anyhow, here’re some of the highlights of my year.
Keswick BMX Pump Track - Lake District National Park
I can’t usually get on the Keswick BMX pump track due to traffic more proficient and generally a lot younger than me. But it’s far too much fun for them only. It’s a concentrated workout, bowls as well as humps. Strenuous as well as teaching the skills and commitment that are essential to ride on the surrounding fells.
Marseille riders have the Borély Bowls, which gets more sunshine and is better for tricks than Keswick but it’s fearsome to ride.
Skiddaw training hike - Lake District National Park
Just down from Skiddaw Little Man summit (865 m.)
Skiddaw Little Man summit (865 m.)
I’m planning on more and harder mountain hiking next year but feel I need to build my strength and endurance. So today’s session was a fitness training hike up from my Keswick front door (110 m.) to Skiddaw Little Man (865 m.). “Training hike” to me means structured hiking and rests, so about a three minute rest every 100 metres of altitude, as shown by the barometric altimeter on my watch; rucksac loaded to 5kg gross. The Skiddaw path from Latrigg Saddle is ideal for a training hike as it’s a steady climb, well-defined with relatively few scenic distractions.
More photos: Skiddaw training hike - Lake District National Park
Brighton Royal Pavilion and Gardens
The gardens of Brighton’s Royal Pavilion, the seaside pleasure palace of King George IV (reigned 1820-30), which was finished by architect John Nash; the Pavilion was later enjoyed by his successors William IV, then Queen Victoria.
Go RR in the Var
Last ride of 2025 on my CBR600RR in Provence. Blue sky and temperatures 15°C or so. Out to the Var département, passing the Circuit du Castellet. I found a route around the vineyards of Côtes de Provence and then back over Ste. Baume.
AMA Provence Repas de Fin d’Année 2025
Happy bikers of AMA Provence gathered in the Club Nautique de Martigues for the End-of-year lunch. Good company and food. Menu options included seafood pasta, cod with aoili, steak tartare and bavette. It was chilly but didn’t actually snow, my picture of us who'd arrived on two wheels is enhanced by AI. Creepy how effective even a demo can be. It was chilly though, so the snow is how it felt rather than how it looked.
Des motards de l'AMA Provence se sont retrouvés au Club Nautique de Martigues pour le Repas de fin d'année. Bonne ambiance et bonne bouffe. Il faisait frais, mais il n'a pas neigé. Ma photo de ceux qui étaient arrivés à moto est retouchée par IA.
Merci a Pascal C pour organiser l’événement.
Cap Croisette - Parc national des Calanques
Cap Croisette is the weathered limestone massif at the end of the peninsular from the Marseille leisure port of Pointe Rouge. A ride on urban blacktop until I reached the derelict sardine canning factories at the end of the standard bus line at la Madrague de Montredon.
Onwards with a chilly Mistral to Les Goudes, a pretty fishing village and port. Cap Croisette is the end of this road (by now just a track of weathered limestone) facing l’île Maïre across a treacherous narrow strait.
GBMCC London Christmas lunch 2025
Afternoon among friends at the GBMCC London Christmas lunch on the banks of the Thames at Vauxhall. Several GBMCC members are seen in the gay biker movie “Pillion”. The club London Christmas lunch is a meeting point for GBMCC members from all the UK, not just the London crowd.
Many thanks to Stephen and Noam who organised the event.
The Nutcracker - Royal Ballet, Covent Garden 2025
The Nutcracker magic starts with the first notes of Tchaikovsky’s music taking us in to the world of the supernatural. This production is about the dance, the costumes and the tunes. Of course there’s the story but it’s almost impossible to follow. And within the world of the Nutcracker, it’s magnificent. But in 1913, just twenty-one years after the first performance of The Nutcracker in 1892, The Rite of Spring erupted in to the world of ballet and nothing would be the same again.
Classic Royal Ballet production this, now the definitive British interpretation. It was the most complete London production when it first appeared in 1984, when it displaced Nureyev’s 1968 version. As expected, this revival was light and beautiful, sprinkled lightly with magic dust with little of the dark undercurrents and menace brought out in contemporary dance productions.
Read more: The Nutcracker - Royal Ballet, Covent Garden 2025
Flowers from the clouds - Lake District National Park
My cloud forest garden in Keswick is far from dormant this November. A neighbour says the growth spurt is because the council have now stopped garden rubbish collections for the year. I think it’s the rainfall, it’s had more than 310 mm of rain so far this month and growth continues: many late blooms and plenty of snipping to do. Much to enjoy while working in the cloud forest: the little birds are singing while nibbling the lichens and there have been some great sunsets.
More photos: Flowers from the clouds - Lake District National Park
Keswick Christmas lights switch-on 2025
Market Square, Keswick filled with residents and visitors for the switching on of the Christmas lights. Entertainment on a stage in front of The Moot Hall from the cast of “The Wizard of Oz” production at the Theatre by the Lake, a funfair and local band “The Kasios” got the crowd dancing before dignitaries made speeches and, finally, Keswick’s Christmas lights were illuminated for 2025.
The weather was dry and warm enough. Mikey and I enjoyed a copious fish and chips outdoors from the paper. Job satisfaction time for Mikey: he designed the hotels’ displays on either side of the square.
Wispy angels, bling and gaudy geometrics: West End Christmas lights 2025
New Bond Street
Covent Garden
Massive numbers of LED lights adorning London’s West End’s shops and streets. From Carnaby Street’s gaudy geometrics to Bond Street’s bling and Regent Street’s host of wispy angels. But the theme of Christmas is almost entirely gone, a forest of trees yes but no Santas, not even reindeer and certainly no Christmas stars, though Oxford Street has pagan stars at the end of its icicles.
The trees are stylish and ubiquitous; Liberty’s restrained, Covent Garden’s massive and exuberant with its red lights giving warmth. Overall, LED “gold” is out “cool white” is back. The controversial pedicabs add their own style and blaring Christmas music. The West End’s variety and vivacity winning out over anodyne shopping centre displays.
More photos: Wispy angels, bling and gaudy geometrics: West End Christmas lights 2025
Supermoon - super ride
Bonifacio, Corsica
CBR600RR embarking at Marseille
Heathrow - Marseille - Porto-Vecchio - Bonifacio - Sartène - Zonza - Col de Bavella - Porto-Vecchio - Marseille
Dawn flight from Heathrow then a sunset sailing to Corsica from Marseille with my CBR600RR for an unforgettable ride. An epic journey to the île de beauté and back to enjoy a November day of fine weather.
