Alison Foster

The whole thing is completely bonkers - I'm amazed anyone ever finishes.

Early start for the Barkley Marathons this year. Loop one completed. #running #trailrunning #bm100
barkley.ferrett.io

Love a good pun.

It would be interesting to know what the 3500 books he finished were.

It's lovely! Well done, Whitley Bay, the restoration looks sympathetic and it's great to see heritage seaside architecture loved and looked after.

I thought the Spanish City was just the funfair - never knew it was actually a building first. Really interesting, thanks!

My Valentine's Day offer: if you don't have anyone to give heartfelt, romantic gifts to, don't worry, I'm here for you. Buy some delicious cat food and send it to me. But if you think it won't arrive in time, please take it to a cat shelter or feed a stray cat you meet today.❤️🐈‍⬛
#cats #catsofbluesky

Some great stuff there! I loved Lord Valentine's Castle.

Ah, that's the universe doing a bit of admin then!

A row of happy-looking runners in a sunny park. Trees, blue sky. They are holding up a banner which says "Malvern Buzzards Running Club"

A lovely parkrun this morning at Worcester Woods - the 5k graduation run for the Malvern Buzzards 'Take Flight' fledglings. Cold and muddy, but sunny, at last! #runningpunks #parkrun #couchto5k

200th - well done! Hope you remembered in time to get a shout-out 🎉

Yes! Eggshell is amazingly resilient, in the right environment. I've found pieces of chicken eggshell in Roman pit fills.

Lively discussion around the correct disposal of eggshells and the preservation of fishermen's lives. #folklore

😂

Thank you! Yes, there is a proper list now.

That's near me too! I really need to plan a local church trail to see them all.

That's just a few minutes from my house! Will definitely visit.

I've heard this too - slightly different version. If you don't crush the eggshell, a witch will set sail in it and sink the fishing boats. Only tiny witches, obviously.

www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-save-...

Another great thread from Tom Cox. I love moths - their names are wonderful too, like little incantations.

🚨 We have heard that the County Archaeologist for Hampshire is being made redundant, with no plans to replace him. 🚨
If you live in Hampshire please write to your MP and Councillors.
If you live elsewhere treasure and support your County Archaeologists, and stand by to protect them. 🏺

When I read about the small iron age horses now, I will imagine them plaited up, with outsize knobbles of hair because their manes were so thick!

A rusted iron head of a fire dog in a museum

#FindsFriday The stunning head of the Capel Garmon firedog, dug up from a peat bog in north Wales in 1852

A masterpiece of Late Iron Age forging & smithing, with bull's horns & plaited equine mane representing a composite animal

More here: coflein.gov.uk/en/site/800314

📷 My own, NMW St Fagans

If the plaited mane is the row of knobbly bits, that's very interesting - horse manes are still plaited like that. We used to use a blunt bodkin needle and cotton but most people use rubber bands today. Wonder how it was done in the Iron Age?

I was all set up to post this myself! Fantastic cover.

Motorcycle racer, used to race in the Isle of Man TT. Crashed a lot, so never really successful as far as trophies went, but quite a character. Last I heard he was planning a two wheel land speed record attempt.

Who's the most famous former pupil of my school?

Guy Martin, and if you knew the school you would not be remotely surprised.

Very interesting new study on changes to sheep lower leg bones after relocation to a different environment. #zooarchaeology #GMM

Photo: Steven G Johnson

Two horse bones shaped to make skates, one with leather straps, in a museum case

Watching the men's figure skating and pondering the evolution of the art form from the day someone first strapped a couple of horse bones to their boots to the #winterolympics