Greengage arborist
Thinning out Terry’s Greengage tree in his garden in Preston Park, Brighton. We’ve been looking after this tree for many years now and have found that pruning is best done in the spring when the sap is moving, rather than just after the fruit has been harvested This catches up with storm damage and reshapes the tree to keep it low and flat. It’s a shame to loose the buds and even blossom but the tree has a tendency to over-fruit then dieback the next year. And anyhow the fruit would be out of reach of harvesting.
Siegfried - Royal Opera, Covent Garden
Tonight’s First Night of Siegfried had to be one of the most fantastic staging and singing ever of Siegfried’s forging song. Andreas Schager’s characterisation of the wild boy Siegfried smelting and forging using machines that look Heath-Robinson but appear convincing in their metalworking functions was utterly compelling. He gave us muscular singing, sparks from the anvil, juggling with forging hammers and joyous characterisation with the vitality of the youth who knows no fear. One of the great Siegfrieds and a highlight of the whole cycle.
Rockhopper in the marsh - Lake District National Park
Scarness
Applethwaite - Scarness - Bassenthwaite
Riding my Rockhopper hardtail mountain bike round the northern edge of Bassenthwaite Lake, still with a bit of snow on Skiddaw (931 m.) looming above. Again the dramatic clouds. Staying low to avoid the chilly wind but finding another hazard: marsh and mud where the lake regularly floods the tracks on this farmland. So using the low gears I associate with hill climbs for the torque as the fat Ground Control tyres squelch in the mud. Plenty of birdsong. Riding back the direct route spun off much of the mud. Took a while to clean up the bike, and me. But good fun. And I stayed sunny side up.
More photos: Rockhopper in the marsh - Lake District National Park
Winter's back - Lake District National Park
Sunlight on the snow on Blencathra (868 m.)
Dowthwaitehead and snow on Hart Side (756 m.)
Winter’s back in the Lake District. A couple of stormy nights. Trees down, rivers full and the tops of the fells are white. The afternoon’s bikeable on my Ninja Z250SL superlightweight but an off-road bike would be better. Heated gloves good. Tyres cold and hard. Lots of water run-off but it’s not frozen. Concentration essential. Dramatic clouds. Epic sights through the visor so worth plenty of halts to appreciate the views.
Home, gear off. Toasted hot cross buns from the Keswick baker with a mug of tea. That’s got to be a good afternoon.
Vacqueyras AOC 2024
Vacqueyras AOC
Réserve Bessons Dupré 2024
Médaille d’or, concours des vins Orange 2025
A really satisfying Côtes du Rhône wine. Vacqueyras village has its own Appelation Controlée and is situated adjacent to the Gigondas uplands but Domaine Bessons Dupré vineyards are located on the stony garrigue plateau, which suits them fine. The wines from both these Côtes du Rhône villages have come in to greater prominence in recent years. This Vacqueyras vintage gained the gold medal at last year’s festival in Orange and is now on sale widely in Provence.
“When I say GO, go... GO” - John Cooper cup winner 1972-3
The only sporting silverware I’ve ever won as an individual: the John Cooper cup was awarded to me in 1972 or 73 in Clifton College, Bristol. I was the first runner home of North Town for the feared Long Penpole cross-country running race. I remember well the infamous starter which wrecked many runners' start off the line: “When I say GO, go... GO”.
The Long Pen was notorious for its length, mud and hills; participation was “voluntary”, meaning massive peer pressure, particularly for those of us in the school cross-country team.
Read more: “When I say GO, go... GO” - John Cooper cup winner 1972-3
Harter Fell summits, Eskdale (653 m.) - Lake District National Park
Summit elation after a hard hike and scramble up from the River Esk, initially following Spothow Gill uphill. Harter Fell trig point is on an outcrop at 649 m., the true summit is a higher outcrop at 653 m. altitude, which is reached after a tricky scramble.
Great views of Eskdale, Hardknott Pass, its Roman Fort and the central peaks in the spring sunshine but a bitter wind chill.
More photos: Harter Fell summits, Eskdale (653 m.) - Lake District National Park
Hadrian’s Wall - Northumberland National Park
Hadrian’s Wall and VALLUM ditch system
Hadrian’s Wall Tourist Trail
It was a fine clear morning, the sort you get in the North. I landed on time in Newcastle and headed for Keswick. I diverted off the A69 direct route to take the Hadrian's Wall Tourist Trail and seek the Roman stones. I stopped a couple of times around Housesteads VERCOVICIVM and enjoyed a short hike on a section of the Wall around Caw Gap, also a view of VALLUM, the ditch system to the South of the Wall. The stones in the ground are impressive as are the commanding views of the topography.
An afternoon with a little black devil of a bike - CBR600RR 2026 test ride
CBR600RR 2026
The man with the tattoos handed me the key to the devil bike. He knew I would play. From the first corner, a roundabout on a slope out of the bike boutique, I was hooked. The little black devil of a bike hooked up with the devil in me. We knew the roads, they were dry and clear and we let it rip.
Read more: An afternoon with a little black devil of a bike - CBR600RR 2026 test ride
Goldilocks and the three carpe diems
“The Rossi pose”
Lucky with the February weather, this has been three straight days of riding my CBR600RR sportsbike on the varied regional roads of Provence as three day-rides out from Marseille. A day in the Var to the east, then the Carmague, Arles and the lovely Alpilles hills to the west; then thirdly a ride inland up to Manosque in the valley of the River Durance.
The weather’s so important to enjoy sporty riding, If Goldilocks was a biker she’d be happy with the weather of these February days: not too hot, not too cold and no wind, just right. And fantastic visibility, right out to the snow at the ski resorts in Haut-Provence. It’s been a great opportunity to finish off the tyres as the roads are dry and clear of traffic. And fun.
GR51-GR98 : Cols de Morgiou, des Baumettes et de Sormiou - Parc national des Calanques
Col de Morgiou (198 m.) - Col des Escourtines (183 m.) - Col des Baumettes (210 m.) - Col de Sormiou (181 m.)
Crisp hike in the stunning limestone of the Calanques, the cliffs and inlets that border the Mediterranean outside Marseille. Hiking from bus 23 terminus up a richly forested valley to reach the GR51-GR98 ridge path. Varied hiking on this sharp rock, partly footpath through the maquis (undergrowth of rosemary and low shrubs), partly gravel track but also sections of three-point scramble on the sharp limestone that’s been bleached and hardened by the sun and rain. Brisk and blustery Mistral wind keeping the air clear for plenty of sun and UV exposure. There was an unusually clear view back over urban Marseille to the snow on Mt. Ventoux (1910 m.), about 105 km to the north-north-west.
More photos: GR51-GR98 : Cols de Morgiou, des Baumettes et de Sormiou - Parc national des Calanques
Cilaos crater hike, Forêt du Grand Matarum GR R1 - Parc national de La Réunion
Piton des Neiges (3070 m.), view from Cilaos (1150 m.)
View of Cilaos village from GR R1. Indian Ocean horizon beyond the crater.
Hiking up the inside of the volcanic crater from the town of Cilaos on the GR R1 long-distance hiking route. This, the Forêt du Grand Matarum, is primal tropical forest, never harvested. But all the species have arrived from somewhere since the volcano went quiet so there’s a hotchpotch of trees and plants we know from Europe plus many from elsewhere.
More photos: Cilaos crater hike, Forêt du Grand Matarum GR R1 - Parc national de La Réunion
