The last of my award categories is for sports travel. 2025 was another super year as far as that is concerned!
Often I was able to combine my own participation in a Parkrun with spectating at an event. These combinations took me to Poland, Germany, Ireland, England and The Netherlands.
The Parkruns I took on were at Malbork (Poland), Maastricht (Netherlands), Dublin (Ireland), Barrow-in-Furness (England) and Dresden, Bonn, Köln and Weil-Am-Rhein in Germany. My favourite course out of all those was the Zamek w Malborku. It starts and finishes just outside the walls of the historic castle.
My trip to England involved watching a rugby league match between Barrow Raiders and Toulouse Olympique XIII. It was fun. TOXIII won promotion to the Super League in the 2025 season, so I hope I can organise a weekend away again to see one of their away matches.
After my overnight stay in Malbork I made the short hop to Gdańsk for a few days, and was able to watch the local Ekstraklasa team Lechia playing at home to Korona Kielce. It was a great match.
Football got me in Dublin as well with an evening at St Patrick’s Athletic for their Dublin derby against Bohemians.
In Köln in October I went to a DEL ice hockey match – locals Kölner Haie hosting Fischtown Pinguins from Bremerhaven in front of 17,000 fans.
It had been a while since I had been to a pro ice hockey game, and it did make me wonder why.
Decision time… on balance, it was my trip to Poland in April.
The football match was excellent. The Parkrun was wonderful (and flat). Plus I love Poland.
ⓒ iain taylor, 2026
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