Somerton and Beyond: Small Journeys to Steady the Mind.
Walking for wellbeing doesn’t require grand plans or distant horizons. Sometimes it begins by asking how well we really know the place we call home.
Blagdon Lake: Embracing a Timeless View in the Summer Heat
This summer has been the hottest and driest on record, and all the talk about how it compares to 1976 has sparked plenty of reflection. I was only one at the time, so I don’t remember that first great heatwave, but now that I’ve nudged past fifty, the symmetry feels hard to ignore. Two long, …
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Boscastle and the Valency Valley: From Notoriety to Tranquility.
On 16 August 2004, the village of Boscastle was forever etched into the history books. The devastation caused by unprecedented rainfall concentrated directly over the Valency catchment means that, even 22 years later, it remains a place that features not only in Geography textbooks, but also in the national imagination, a reminder of how suddenly …
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Chepstow to Tintern. A Wonderful Wye Valley Wander.
One rule I set for myself when starting this blog was that I would not become a slave to targets or timescales. I wanted to write only when it felt right, when something genuinely sparked the need to sit, reflect, and make sense of things again. After a brief hiatus, it was a relief to …
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Discovering Dumpdon Hill. A Spring Walk in The Blackdown Hills
Curiosity has been the downfall of many a cat, yet I’d still place it near the top of the traits worth embracing. Even roads, seemingly dry subjects, reveal unexpected stories when looked at with interest. Take the A303: a giant among arterial highways, the subject of books and even pop songs. It carries not just traffic but possibility, its vistas stretching from Hampshire to the West Country. Like any route we travel often, its landmarks flicker past, half noticed. For me, one such landmark is Dumpdon Hill.
When the Light Returns: From Flooded Moors to Brighter Days.
As winter slowly loosens its grip, I find myself reflecting on incongruent sadness, the weight of low moods, and the small daily beauties that help us move forward.
Monksilver and the Edge of Exmoor: A Subtle Detour into Childhood
We woke to a suggestion of frost beneath an icy sky. Recent rain reflected the sun’s rays, and the stream running through the village burbled audibly out of sight. All was still. For those who have delved into my earlier posts, you will be au fait with Hunky Punks. The grotesque relatives of gargoyles that adorn churches, taunting unsuspecting parishioners and pilgrims from above. Coupled with the fact that, despite slightly woolly details, Sir Francis Drake was wed here for a second time in 1585, you have a recipe for a fantastic place to start a walk. History and folklore again combine to elicit curiosity.
Wandering Barrington’s Hidden Ways. Autumn Among the Holloways.
Thankfully, one of the many delights of living in Somerset is the opportunity to enjoy exploring places that remain off the wider radar. It doesn’t take long to lose yourself in a walk that transports you to another world altogether, even though, in reality, home and the daily bustle lie close by. This is particularly true when you throw ‘Holloways’ into the mix.
Sydling St Nicholas. A Big Sky Walk in Hardy’s Dorset.
Having battened down the hatches the previous day, ‘Storm Amy’ was still baring her teeth on an altogether brighter Saturday. On days like these, when the wind can be heard at the moment of waking, I am always drawn by the need to get outside and experience the elements in all their glory. To feel a greater sensory connection to the landscape. Indeed, with Autumn firmly announcing its arrival, it felt right to embrace this change of seasons by taking a wander that would offer an opportunity to become immersed in the countryside and let the weather be part of the experience.
Pentire Point and The Rumps. Where Legacy Meets Landscape.
The author reflects on annual family holidays in Polzeath, celebrating children’s enduring joy and the beautiful landscape. The coastal path offers an escape, inviting exploration and contemplation, particularly at ‘The Rumps,’ a poignant historical site. These moments evoke gratitude for simple pleasures, emphasising kindness and grounding perspectives in life’s complexities.
A Curious Cyclist’s Somerset. Hunky Punks and Hidden Histories
The chance viewing of a programme about folklore inspired today’s two-wheeled wander. This particular one was hosted by Charlie Cooper ( He of ‘This Country’ fame), who took a warmly amusing and enthusiastic look into folklore tales from around the country. From the ‘Black Dog’ to crop circles and the legend of King Arthur, the …
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