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Sun, Sea, and Scallops: Dawn in Amble
Out & About early to watch the sunrise at Amble’s breakwater. By some miracle of timekeeping, we reached our destination with scarcely a moment to spare, only to find that the most “pleasing” photographs were taken on the way, long before the appointed sunrise. Alas, we missed the so-called ‘blue hour’, that fleeting interval when…
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A Geologist’s Nightmare: Wild Guesses at Dunbar
A fleeting stopover at Dunbar and a wander along the coastline offered up a geological wonder. The rock formation on the shore was arranged, rather whimsically, in red and grey layers, calling to mind a Scooby snack tipped on its side. Of course, not being a geologist, I can only speculate wildly about the rock…
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The Bridge at Aberfeldy: A Symbol of Wade’s Grand Scheme
A stroll along the banks of the “Beautiful silvery Tay,” immortalised by William McGonagall, Scotland’s least celebrated poet—a man whose crimes against verse are beyond reproach. To dwell any longer on his literary failings would be an unnecessary indulgence, so let us leave him by the river and proceed to Aberfeldy, where we stumbled upon…
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Loch Druich: the Lull Before the Storm
Last night, we found ourselves upon the shores of Loch Druich, that serene lull before the delightful chaos of Storm Ashley. One could not help but note the poetic irony of fleeing eastward from nature’s wrath, only to reflect on a past replete with violence. Loch Druich, naturally, is more than just a postcard. It…
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Dun Telve: An Ancient Scottish Broch
The Glenelg Brochs, so-called, are of course not actually in Glenelg at all. They are, if one insists on accuracy, in the smaller Gleann Beag, but such a trifling detail is likely of no interest to the modern tourist, who seeks spectacle over precision. Here, there are two of these ancient towers to be found,…
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Pikeawassa
The sun, in one of its rare moments, shines through a gap in the clouds, casting a spotlight upon the charmingly named Pikeawassa, a ridge of modest distinction dividing Martindale and Fusedale—perhaps two of the quietest dales in the Lake District. What history led to this delightful collision of syllables? The etymology of “Pikeawassa” is…
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The Bungalow
Another day, another fell. Today’s offering: Beda Fell overlooking Martindale, a place so tranquil one might almost forget the raucous spectacle of last night, when the local Red Deer stags continued to engage in their all-night rutting contests. Nature, it seems, never takes a night off. Now, let us move on to the red roofed…
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Angle Tarn
I shall be delightfully cut off from the modern world for several days, ensconced in some least known dale of the Lake District, where civilisation has yet to impose its trifles like electricity, mobile reception or wireless internet. A blissful retreat, I assure you. Now, having ascended to Angle Tarn—a really charming spot—I thought I…
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Bracken, Oaks, and their Folklore
Bracken—our most invasive ground cover, steadily browning itself to perfection. How marvellously it complements this oak woodland on Cockle Scar, on the west-facing slope of Roseberry. Who needs daffodils or bluebells when you can have a decaying fern carpeting your view? And did you know that bracken is charmingly referred to as the ‘oak fern’? Apparently,…
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Following the Green Dots: An Unclassified Road to Nowhere
Now that the summer’s undergrowth is finally abating, I thought it an opportune moment to exercise a rarely-trod right of way past Ayton Bank Farm. One likes to ensure that these landowners are periodically reminded of the existence of such rights, lest they grow complacent. According to the 1:25,000 O.S. Map, the route is marked…
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