History , Latest Feature , Wildlife & Nature Remembering the magic of mistletoe December 08, 2019 217 Views 6 Comments Mistletoe traditions have been described as some of northern Europe's last surviving remnants of plant magic
Wild flowers , Wildlife & Nature Meadowsweet August 16, 2019 1294 Views 16 Comments Over the centuries, meadowsweet has played an important part in our natural remedies, our traditions and our folklore...
History , Megalithic sites Loch Nell: the Tomb of the Giants and a Serpent Mound July 26, 2019 1378 Views 2 Comments Not another chambered cairn! Yes, but this one comes with a twist...
British trees , Wildlife & Nature The power of the elder June 21, 2019 1769 Views 14 Comments A guardian of half-forgotten places, the elder's magic is both old and dark...
British trees , Wildlife & Nature Sycamore: colonist or custodian? October 06, 2017 3378 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 2674 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 3837 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 1260 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 1810 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 1406 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 4595 Views 30 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 1937 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 895 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 1385 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 3259 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 3511 Views 0 Comment As our woods start to shimmer with a heavenly blue haze, I'm looking at some of the folklore attached to …
