I was just reading John Gilmour’s blog – right this moment while I’m sitting on the couch with my feet up (watching Britain’s latest tennis nearly-but-not-quite), the crew of Swanage’s Inshore Lifeboat have launched. I wish them a safe and successful evening, but I don’t envy them. That reminded me that I haven’t shown you this [...]
Archive for June 2008
Donation Leave a comment
Groundhog Day 4 comments
Another weekend spent at home in Purbeck with the wind ripping along. Indeed, it has barely stopped blowing since last weekend, and looks set to continue. A few of us went for a paddle around Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour today, but it was a bit of a grind and I’m fairly sure that we [...]
Clovelly 5 comments
Clovelly is a unique village in north Devon, its cobbled high street so steep that donkey-harnessed sleds were used to transport goods from the small harbour. Keep careful hold of your icecream.
The Village That Died For England 1 comment
Tyneham village is a short walk inland from Worbarrow Bay in Dorset. In 1943, it was decided to use it for D-Day training exercises. The Army requisitioned the village and surrounding valley from the Bond family who owned the estate. Residents were given one month in which to gather their belongings (which, as they were [...]
Flaming June 5 comments
“This weekend’s weather is very unusual for this time of year”, noted the guy infront of the weather map on telly. He wasn’t kidding, with torrential rain and gale force winds expected across England. We* were rather annoyed, as we’d planned to head to west Cornwall and paddle around the Land’s End peninsula. As the [...]
Beach Work Leave a comment
There are no natural harbours along the north coast of Devon and Cornwall for about 25 miles either side of Hartland Point. Before the advent of the railway in the mid nineteenth century, the only economic way to shift heavy loads around was by sea. There were a number of man-made harbour quays to offer sheltered mooring (e.g. Bude, [...]
Heartland 3 comments
A perfect weekend! Hartland Point is the centrepoint of about 20 miles of truly astonishing coast, straddling the North Devon/Cornwall border. The rock strata along the cliffs are contorted into vertically inclined zigzag patterns, with a jagged reef extending into the sea. Sandy beaches are few and far between, and landing is rarely easy or [...]
Erratum 6 comments
I’m afraid that I didn’t do North Devon’s Hartland Quay nearly enough justice in the book. Sorry.
Outlook 3 comments
When I moved to the south-west in 1993, I thought I knew it all – the only attractive parts of Britain were West Scotland, the Lakes, North Wales, and maybe the Pennines if you were desperate. Swyre Head is 664 feet above sea level, the highest point of Dorset’s Purbeck Hills. It overlooks the finest [...]
Stranding 1 comment
Something terrible has happened in South Cornwall. At least twenty-six apparently healthy dolphins have stranded and died. The dolphins appear to have panicked and swum ashore into shallow tidal creeks between Carrick Roads and the Helford River, stranding along about 16 kilometres of coast. A tragedy of this scale is almost unprecedented in our waters. It’s [...]
Willard 3 comments
I’m hoping to head off on this years’ Big Trip soon. But not soon enough. Starting six weeks from now in the last week of July, I have six weeks in which to attempt to complete the entire West Coast of Scotland in one go, solo. This paddle is part of my rather prolonged paddle around [...]
Pan Pan 1 comment
After having to work through Saturday on a beautiful day, it was good to escape for a paddle in the evening. I headed out of Kimmeridge late in the day, accompanied by Mrs R and Andy L. We camped at Chapman’s Pool and dined on poorly barbequed burgers and sausages. Good job it was too dark to [...]
CKUK 1 comment
I’m having a bit of an ego trip today. This is the cover of the latest edition of Canoe Kayak UK magazine. I took the photo! It was snapped on the upper Yamuna River during our recent trip to India. The article inside is by my good chum Liz and entertainingly conveys the trials and [...]
Prestwick 3 comments
I felt very clever today – I solved a niggling problem. Although I’m planning on devoting the full six weeks of my summer holiday to getting up the West Coast of Scotland, I have one other commitment; I have to be back in work for a single day, midway through the holiday. That means travelling [...]
Pea Soup Leave a comment
Here I am, enjoying the scenic wonders of the South West coast. Thanks to Liz G for the photo, taken at the weekend.
The Wrecker Pirate of Cape Cornwall Leave a comment
Legend* tells of a pirate ship that drifted into view off Cape Cornwall. As terrified locals watched from behind rocks, the pirates rowed a boat containing a chained man into Priest’s Cove. The pirates released the man and pushed him onto the beach, before rowing away at speed. This man – who was too nasty [...]
