Picture + Paragraph

England 2021 - The National Forest I discovered this place last year, when looking for somewhere nearer home to walk and camp. I'd been exploring the area for a while before spotting my first deer . For me the experience was spectacular, partly because it was so unexpected. It was back in spring, whilst walking down a grassy, bluebell carpeted trail with fern bordered woodland to my left and right. The dull thump of something heavy making contact with the ground caught my attention, as it was notably different to the more common rustling of squirrels in the bushes, and the scratching of their claws against the bark as they scurry up trees. I looked to my right, and glimpsed a single male (I know that because I've since looked it up) moving slowly through the birches . We both froze and made momentary eye contact, before he turned and walked away deeper into the woods. There was no fear, he didn't bolt as many other animals have on subsequent encounters. Ever since learnin

View of Lakes Glaslyn and Llyn Llydaw, Mount Snowdon With travel restrictions in place for most countries and quarantine rules subject to change at short notice, international travel is on hold for a while. So I'm taking this opportunity to further explore the U.K. From the Midlands I'm well situated to branch out on road trips to some of the region's most dramatic landscapes. For my latest trip I drove to Llanberis in north Wales, and pitched up at a peaceful, no-frills campsite perfectly located for access to the nearby Mount Snowdon . After a night toasting marshmallows, and poking at my campfire I awoke early and took the bus to Pen-y-Pass Car Park . Several routes up the mountain begin here. I'd planned to follow the Miner's Track , which winds its way around pristine lakes, and through jagged peaks, before a steep, craggy climb up to a ridge and the summit. From there I followed the Llanberis Path down the other side and back into the village. It was a stun

View from Cerro Guanaco Summit, Tierra del Fuego National Park      Getting to Ushuaia was hard work. I took a train from Valencia to Madrid and stopped over for the night. Then flew from Madrid to Buenos Aires, where I had to traverse the city to get from Ezeiza to Aeroparque for the flight down to El Fin del Mundo. Two sentences in a blog post, but 48 gruelling hours in real life! It was a relief to arrive, get showered, change clothes, and go out to eat. Close to my accommodation was Pizza Hot  which did excellent empanadas, and had a wide selection of the locally produced Beagle and Cape Horn beers . Fed and watered I went to get some much needed rest. I'd wanted to visit Patagonia for many years, but the sad truth is by the time I actually got there I was less than enthusiastic about the whole trip. I get to see my closest friend once a year at most, and back in spring we'd made plans for him to visit Spain during the summer. For that reason I'd decided to spend the

Diez Vistas, British Columbia Canada      Around the same time I moved to Málaga, my friend (Will) moved to Vancouver. He'd invited me over on numerous occasions, and with September off work for the summer holidays I finally accepted. The first hike we did was Diez Vistas  (named after its ten views). The walk was nice, but Bear Aware  noticeboards and caution signs are ubiquitous in Canada, and they made it difficult for me to relax in the forest sections. I felt sure I was being stalked and much preferred the open areas with less oppurtunity for a wily bear to conceal itself. The following weeks were full of activities, but there were a few things I particularly enjoyed. Watching too many  Ray Mears videos on YouTube had left me wanting to catch something, kill it and grill it. A successful fishing trip on the Chilliwack River (mostly) satisfied the urge. I did catch a salmon and even helped with the cooking, but it was Will who killed and cleaned it. Next I wanted to see Banf

View of the Pyrenees from Pic de Noucreus My interest in Barcelona and the Pyrenees came about through reading three books: both Orwell and Lee wrote about their personal experiences of the Spanish Civil War, whilst Zafon delivers a fictional mystery set in the city's postwar streetscapes. I had planned to spend a couple of days visiting the Gaudi Buildings  followed by a few days hiking in the mountains. The Segrada Família was my first stop and, although impressive, the sheer number of people jostling to get the best positions for photos was off-putting . Unfortunately it was a similar scene at most of the popular attractions and I was soon ready for the tranquility of Vall de Núria . I took a train from Barcelona to Ribes de Fresser then the Rack Railway into the valley (the only way it can be accessed). The line is an amazing feat of engineering and the ride has great views of chasms, forests, and rivers. The following afternoon I set off to hike the Noucreus trail , which

The Royal Danish Playhouse, Copenhagen Denmark An aerial photograph of Øresund Bridge put Denmark on my radar, and as was the tradition at the time my girlfriend and I booked a Christmas vacation. Based in Copenhagen Island  we were a few kilometres from the centre, but the room was great. In the mornings and evenings the underfloor heating in the bathroom was especially appreciated (temperatures outside were often close to zero degrees). The city itself was perpetually overcast, and I don't recall seeing sunshine during the entire stay. Yet despite the bitterly cold conditions groups of locals could regularly be seen donning Speedos and caps for a swim in the harbour! We spent several days exploring, including a visit to the (in)famous Freetown Christiana . Whilst I can imagine it being a blast back in its hippy commune days, the open drug dealing and sleazy atmosphere gave me the impression it's not somewhere you'd like to be at night. Eventually we did cross the Øresund