On a dark and overcast night 24 intrepid Good Gym runners headed off to Lynwood Gardens.

We had two new members joining us – a big warm welcome to Jane and Sarah.

Our run out to the Gardens always includes the interesting (i.e., steep) climb just before the Gardens but run leader Sam also threw in a Strava Segment sprint around Sheffield’s magnificent City Hall. Once we’d generously been given a full 20 seconds to recover we passed Dame Jess Ennis’ gold post box (I’m sure she’d have been proud of us) before running the gauntlet of West Street, avoiding the temptation for a swift pint or kebab along the way.

At the Gardens Gareth from Regather and his colleagues had plenty for us to do. Three teams, led by Helen, Kat and Kim, managed to compost 3 large bins of apple pith, trim hedges, sweep and tidy large areas of the garden and move a substantial pile of wood. Great work team!

Brief historical interlude (discovered while cleaning a sign at the garden entrance). Lynwood was the garden of wealthy cutlery manufacturer, Francis Newton. His house is just above. The garden was the real showcase of the house, much larger than others in the neighbourhood and professionally landscaped, with a large pond, kitchen garden and an orchard. Following Newton’s death in 1864 the house and gardens passed through various owners, including the Education Department of Sheffield City Council. It became overgrown in the years following the Second World War but with community help has been brought back to its current state – a green gem in the middle of an urban area. Not sure though what Francis Newton would make of the fact that his house is now a Wetherspoons pub.

Having finished at the Gardens and arranged a Community Mission to pick apples for Regather (which was in no way influenced by the fact that the apples are going to be used to make cider) we headed rapidly downhill to The Showroom, via a quick sprint around a carpark, with GG runners helpfully pointing the way as human chevrons in the fast fading light …