Instagram story viewer> @ronnieb35> Posts

Ronnie Barnsley

@ronnieb35

590

followers

2448

following

Finding trails, losing things, telling stories
🏃‍♀️🏔️ 📖
Lecturer global literature &
creative health researcher
@theuniversityofsheffield

POSTS STORIES REELS

I had a blast writing ✍️ this!

Huge thanks to the runners 🏃 who shared their smiles, struggles, ridiculous moments & wayout hallucinations with me. I felt like the BFG collecting a few of the dreams floating along the Pennine Way this winter (being a giant would have been perfect for the conditions actually)

@zenlightenedvoyager @rebecca_runs_wild @rudenbhutia @jamesnobles91 @kirsty_pheasant @robyncassidy123 @robbowill27 @___harry1 @ultrafemily hope you like it ...

@lucygossage I took 'hunkydory' from one of your positive vibe videos so first time Spiners won't be put off!

https://run-ultra.com/news/first-time-on-the-spine/

@runultra_official
@spinerace
@blacktrailrunners
#britainsmostbrutal #ultrarunning #trailrunning by @ronnieb35

Birthing Stories - a creative health project focusing on pregnancy and birth across cultures

Our project booklet captures key themes, artwork made in workshops that celebrates motherhood & a group poem created from shared stories.

Participants had suggestions and ideas for making sure mothers are cared for safely and supported by both health professionals and their communities. The next step is to share these in a report.

We are also creating a poster of the poem as it communicates the message most powerfully. by @ronnieb35

Family adventures in Mykonos 💙

On a boat
Old town maze
Anniversary drinks with @davebarnsley
One wave closer to kitesurfing @kitemykonos.village
Out laaate with the party people by @ronnieb35

Kilimanjaro Trail Run - A Global Race with a Local Ethos

Ronnie @ronnieb35 ran this stunning race in Tanzania and describes both the event and the company behind it.

"The ethos and history of the race, established by Red Knot Tanzania, are rooted in development, supporting education-based initiatives in agriculture, livelihoods, and sport. Brett and his wife arrived in Tanzania from the US in 2009 as development workers, raising their family in the rural area of Geita. Brett became frustrated by the need for constant fundraising and being at the mercy of Western donors. When a friend asked what his dream job would be he realised he was already doing it – ‘I love community development in Africa, but I would fund it through business’ Brett told him."

Read it in full: run-ultra.com/news/kilimanjaro-trail-ultra/

#ultrarunning #runultra by @ronnieb35

Last weekend in North Norfolk -

of course we ate at the incredible Fino in Cromer, described by the Observer as 'a massive deal' and 'the opposite of seaside twee'. That's opposite in the sense of refreshing twists on the classics without losing a sense of holiday lightheartedness.

The Fino Martini heads up a cleverly curated cocktail menu, dishes like crab salad with fennel make the most of fresh & local and the refurbishment of the tiled interior of this former butchers' shop says neighborhood comfort. @ruthmbutler paintings are bright splashes against the deep blue walls - it's a culinary gallery & if I was a food critic I'd say we need more of these!
& of course the staff are wonderful & know many things about wine & walks & where to find the best ice cream.

We also ate cherries on the pier, camped in a field next to a zoo (took a while trying to identify the unusual noises at night) & cycled through lanes of hollyhocks by @ronnieb35

The Birthing Stories project has been wonderful & this is just the beginning -

@furahawomenshub are a fantastic organization to work with, our artist @sheee_t2019 worked with participants to create collages & an incredible poem & Natasha our talented research assistant designed a booklet we can share with women, families, communities & midwives.

The most striking part of the project so far is the way women already care for & with each other, celebrating the food, community & activities that make them feel good in pregnancy & birth. We will be sharing more of their stories.

Given the recent findings in Baroness Amos's report the experiences of women from all backgrounds must be listened to, and there are plenty of positive messages to be heard.

#maternitycare #midwives #birth by @ronnieb35

Magnificent Mull 🌊
Can't get over the way puffins plonk down on landing, beaks full of fish & dive into their burrows like they've got a bargain at Iceland.

Also climbed Ben More, enjoyed a beach to ourselves & hiked round Calgary bay. Still hoping to see otters 🦦... by @ronnieb35

Went back to real life & forgot to post day 4 of St Cuthbert's Way (18 miles). The cave where 8th century monks hid his body from vicious Vikings, some dreamy flower meadows & seals on the long mud-trek to Holy Island. We met a man who hadn't left the island for a year & pilgrims/escapees of all sorts #traillife #pilgrimage by @ronnieb35

St Cuthbert's Way Days 2 & 3

Farmland & forest then crossing the Cheviots that Leonard Woolf called 'the loveliest country in England' in 1914.

From Kirk Yetholm we followed a bit of the Pennine Way (saw the wall that Spine racers kiss) & appreciated the mild weather & peace in the hills on the way to Wooler (where the Tipsy Angel greeted us).

I set a record for eating an entire block of vintage cheddar & Luce became a legend with fellow hikers for doing a multiday hike with a laptop bag & a tote (we failed to intervene before setting off)

#pilgrimagejourney #hiking by @ronnieb35

St Cuthbert's Way Day 1
Melrose to Jedburgh 20 miles

From Melrose Abbey (home of the bagpipe playing pig 🐷 & the 7th century saint's first ministry)

Along the River Tweed (which took my favourite hat but allowed me to keep my soul)

Through woods of wild garlic 🧄 & via the sanctuary of St Boswell's bookshop cafe 📖

Three hares led us to Jedburgh where we were blessed to find fish & chips on a sleepy Sunday & a room on the third floor for those who could still walk on weary 👣 by @ronnieb35

Spring 🌼 so far - some lovely ups & a long dull down.

successfully curled my hair for the 1st time ever & had a fun day with the old man at Cheltenham on @jessiemay1823 birthday 🎂

had some kind of post-viral 'thing' for 6 weeks. Waking up every day feeling like I've run a marathon, without the good bits.

Alternating between trying to rest while work is busy, doing pranayama, yoga & walking & being grumpy/panicking about CFS.

Started to feel better last week in time for Ruth & Gavin's amazing Anglesey yoga retreat - gorgeous weather & food & first dip in the sea this year.

still up & down but not training means the garden 🪏 gets more attention - it's all about the purples right now by @ronnieb35

The Spine Sprint (a sprightly 46m with not quite 4 hrs daylight) 🏃‍♀️ ❄️

I dropped off SM for awhile (not mental wellbeing just boring busyness) but of course the spine brought me back (last pics of pretty autumn recce & less pretty rainy night run)

💙 icy peaks, snowy bogs of surprise, slow joy. It was fab to start with Dan, who loved every minute, though I couldn't find him at the finish as he was asleep in a church pew.

My race went super well (I don't think this has happened in a run since 2015, almost on trend), nearly an hour under target time, 12th woman & I collected some sweet stories along the way, chatted to a guy whose trail dinner was sushi & pork pies, didn't get lost, fall over or pretend to have first aid skills.

Knowing WHAT CAN GO WRONG is a perfect motivator to whizz through the tea stops. Next year I'll be drinking much more tea as a volunteer シ

Entries open TODAY for the Challanger South, North & Full 2027 & a group of incredible women are gunninb for a 50/50 start line, so if you're tempted press that button! @spinerace by @ronnieb35