British trees , Wildlife & Nature Sycamore: colonist or custodian? October 06, 2017 2848 Views 27 Comments Often seen as an intruder in old woodlands, the sycamore still deserves a second glance for its beauty - and …
History , Scottish castles Old Castle Lachlan: loyalty and loss October 23, 2016 2084 Views 0 Comment Ghosts of horses tend to come in different guises, some of them benevolent and some of them more inclined towards …
British trees , Wildlife & Nature The fire of the ash August 09, 2016 3305 Views 0 Comment The ash is a beguiling tree, elegant in all seasons, and mother to a host of legends
Reviews Book review: ‘Scotland’s Merlin’ by Tim Clarkson July 14, 2016 947 Views 14 Comments “And in the battle of Arfderydd my torc was of gold…” From ‘Yr Afallennau’ (‘The Apples’), a poem in the …
Wildlife & Nature Lesser celandine: greeting the sun March 15, 2016 1502 Views 8 Comments Star-like flowers of pure yellow welcome the first spring sunshine
Carved crosses , History St Adamnan’s Cross in Glen Lyon February 20, 2016 1031 Views 12 Comments Who lived in this extraordinary glen, 1300 years ago? One man who did was St Adamnan, and this simple …
British trees , Wildlife & Nature The spirit of the alder August 23, 2015 3258 Views 28 Comments Lover of riverbanks and boggy places, the alder forms a close bond between earth and water. No wonder …
History , Megalithic sites The Devil’s Arrows: shafts of darkness August 12, 2015 1453 Views 22 Comments The people who put up these standing stones in North Yorkshire were obviously thinking big - but what on earth …
Reviews A new treasure: ‘Trees and How They Grow’ by G Clarke Nuttall May 25, 2015 632 Views 14 Comments At a show last weekend I picked up this gorgeous old book from a second-hand book stall. Written by Gertrude Clarke Nuttall, …
History Glen More and the headless horseman May 16, 2015 903 Views 0 Comment After nearly 500 years, is this phantom rider still trapped in the tragedy of a bitter family feud?
British trees , Wildlife & Nature Hawthorn – bride of the hedgerow April 25, 2015 2484 Views 0 Comment With angelic buds and evil thorns, the hawthorn stands at the threshold of the Underworld
Wildlife & Nature Bluebell enchantment April 16, 2015 2807 Views 0 Comment As our woods start to shimmer with a heavenly blue haze, I'm looking at some of the folklore attached to …
History Clan MacThomas and the Clach na Coileach March 30, 2015 697 Views 0 Comment Four dead men and a sackful of live chickens… I'm just waiting for someone to suggest foul play!
British trees , Wildlife & Nature A wand of hazel February 20, 2015 3028 Views 20 Comments For their valuable source of food and their versatile building material, hazel trees have been prized since the dawn of …
Wildlife & Nature For the love of mistletoe November 30, 2014 980 Views 0 Comment Fascinating in so many ways, the white berries of mistletoe have a long connection with Christmas. But the truth …
British trees , Wildlife & Nature The darkness of the yew October 26, 2014 2682 Views 0 Comment Evergreen, toxic, and able to live for thousands of years… it's no wonder the yew tree was revered in ancient …
