After one of our walks in Shuna, Cath found what looked like a tick on her arm. Ticks can be harmless but also dangerous, causing Lyme Disease. This prompted all of us to inspect ourselves. When Cath looked at the back of my arm, she saw a tick. It was embedded in my skin — … Continue reading / view photos Leaving Shuna
Shuna wildlife
One of the “must-see” sights near Shuna is the Correvreckan Whirlpool. It is, apparently, the third largest whirlpool in the world and is located between the islands of Scarba and Jura. We thought we would not be able to see the whirlpool because the previous tour boat owner had recently retired. We learnt just in … Continue reading / view photos Shuna wildlife
Isle of Shuna, Scotland
For the first time in about twenty years, I went to Scotland. But this was not a normal trip. It was a holiday on the Isle of Shuna — a place even Google Maps struggles to identify. This is the OS map: We had booked to take the overnight sleeper train from London Euston to … Continue reading / view photos Isle of Shuna, Scotland
Ironbridge
An impromptu diversion took us to Ironbridge in Shropshire, possibly the heart of the Industrial Revolution. En route, I found a walk in the area that passed many of the places that were key to the industrial era. The walk itself quickly rose into Lloyd’s Coppice then continued to Coalport. We crossed the River Severn … Continue reading / view photos Ironbridge
The old normal — in Kew and Tate Modern
This was the first weekend that felt normal since the start of the pandemic last year. That’s not to say everything is back to the way it was or will be soon. Like our last weekend of freedom before the pandemic, we had a full weekend of activity. On Saturday, we started with lunch at … Continue reading / view photos The old normal — in Kew and Tate Modern
Squid Game
This Netflix thriller has become a global phenomenon. I watched the first episode to see what the fuss was about. It was compelling viewing and now I’ve finished the whole series. There has been much coverage about the violence in the show. This is a shame because the violence is of a particular sort (people … Continue reading Squid Game
A man gotta have a code
A friend organises film nights and, many years ago, an elderly member recommended the TV series The Wire to me. I was somewhat hesitant to start watching a five-season drama but he persuaded me to watch the first season, whilst simultaneously giving me the five-season DVD boxset. When I watched episode one, something wasn’t quite … Continue reading A man gotta have a code
Angelsey — Ynys Llanddwyn walk
This walk begins and ends in the Newborough Forest. This Site of Special Scientific Interest has sand dunes and mudflats that make you feel like you’re in another country. You also have impressive views of Snowdonia, which is just across the water. The forest has red squirrels, which we didn’t see, but there were a … Continue reading / view photos Angelsey — Ynys Llanddwyn walk
Anglesey — Aberffraw walk
Aberffraw is a popular place for sun seekers. There’s also some good walking to be done amongst the covered sand dunes. The highlight of the walk is “the church in the sea” — St. Cwyfan’s Church. This medieval church was once on a peninsula but erosion left the church stranded at high tide. A causeway … Continue reading / view photos Anglesey — Aberffraw walk
Anglesey
This was my first holiday since I went to the USA two years ago. Last year, for me and for so many, was a write off because of the pandemic. One of the few people I knew who did travel abroad found the whole experience stressful. It put me off even attempting to go abroad. … Continue reading / view photos Anglesey