Winter Sun

February 4, 2023.Reading time 5 minutes.

Good weather may not be as forthcoming during winter, but I’d argue that winter light is the best of the year, if you can find a break in the clouds.

Nature Spots in Aberdeen

January 20, 2023.Reading time 6 minutes.

Aberdeen is often unfairly shrugged off as ‘The Granite City’, but as with many urban places, there’s lots for nature enthusiasts to explore here.

On The Wing Magazine III

December 21, 2022.Reading time 1 minute.

Winter is the time to reflect. I love looking back on what I’ve done over the year, and once again I’ve put a summary of my work projects into my own mini magazine. I did this for the first time during lockdown when I was painfully idle and needed a project to distract me. It turned […]

Calm Before The Storm

November 3, 2022.Reading time 4 minutes.

After 1145 hours of travelling, researching, writing and proofreading (yes I counted), I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve submitted my book! I could have tinkered and tweaked until the end of time so I’m relieved it’s finally out of my hands. It’ll now be edited by the fab team at Bradt and after I’ve answered […]

Summer Blends to Autumn

September 17, 2022.Reading time 6 minutes.

Today was the first day I’ve sorely missed my woolly hat while out walking. I should have anticipated this from the sound of the moaning wind down the chimney, but I saw diluted sunshine and overestimated its efforts. This is what I’ve been waiting for though. We’ve finally hit that blend in time between summer […]

Spring draws to a close

May 25, 2022.Reading time 7 minutes.

I’m currently writing a Slow Travel Guide to North East Scotland, which will be out next spring. The thing about writing this book is I’m spending every working moment on it but won’t have anything to show for my efforts until it’s published. Until then it looks like I’ve fallen off the face of the […]

Stig, Rex and Misty

February 10, 2022.Reading time 8 minutes.

It was time to go back to Assynt on the west coast this week. Friends of mine own a wood cabin on the edge of a loch – with no phone service and barely anyone else around, it’s one of my favourite places to stay. The weather has been unpredictable for weeks where I am. […]

Traditional Flora of Yule

December 21, 2021.Reading time 5 minutes.

I’ve always loved winter the most. It might be because I’m a December baby, or because I love snow, ice and winter wildlife – there’s just something special about the dark half of the year. After a summer slump, my motivation begins to grind again in autumn and by winter I’m raring to go. Today […]

Dreaming of a Green Christmas

December 14, 2021.Reading time 7 minutes.

Christmas always ends up being a hectic whirlwind, but this year I think we’re all looking forward to a bit of festive cheer. However, the festive season can get wasteful and very expensive, so I’ve put together a list of tips for making this Christmas a green one. Cards While I try to limit my […]

Book Review: ‘If Women Rose Rooted’ by Sharon Blackie

November 18, 2021.Reading time 16 minutes.

I couldn’t help a slight eye roll when I read the shower of adjectives on the cover reviews of this book: “powerful… inspiring… mind-blowing…” But it actually ended up being all of those things for me, even the last one. If Women Rose Rooted is a combination of three topics I care strongly about: nature, […]