Another spider horror story to terrify us arachnophobes (Country diary, 1 September). I did not need to be told that “the male giant house spider” can sprint at half a metre a second. I’ve seen the buggers do it – towards me. I’m an old bloke and it barely gives me time to scream and leap on the sofa, hoping my wife can head it off before it escapes.
Prof Bev Littlewood
London
• I am grateful for all the helpful suggestions to avoid hypothermia this coming winter (Letters, 1 September). It still seems, though, that the best way to stay warm is to have lots of money.
Tracey Gilbert
Exeter
• Wyn Jeffery remembers waiting until October for blackberries in the north-east, but I’ve have been picking them on my walks for the last three weeks (Letters, 2 September). If I only started in October I would miss this treat. Is this another sign of climate change?
Laura Askew
Morpeth, Northumberland
• I can assure Michael Cunningham that What’s Going On? is by far and away the most appropriate Marvin Gaye classic for some of us to “get it on” to (Letters, 2 September).
Ian Grieve
Gordon Bennett, Shropshire Union canal
• At the age of nearly 71, I still write letters to old friends (Letters, 31 August) and receive their replies. One arrived today from a friend in the north-west of England, enclosed with my birthday card. I would be very happy to correspond with any budding letter writers.
Hilarie Chantler
London
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