By train to Taormina
My trains to Taormina taught me plenty, at a time of life when I thought there was little left to learn….
The Fortingall Yew – if only trees could talk
I had travelled a long way to see the tree, an ancient yew in a remote Scottish churchyard. Some say it is the oldest living item on the planet. Yet when I saw it, my mind was only thinking breakfast….
Nothing is normal at high altitude
“Help me, Doc! He’s stopped breathing!” The climber had struggled from the two-man tent immediately beside my own and was smacking his hand on my flysheet to ensure I was awake….
Never forget clean water
“Fifty-three!” I could not believe it. I knew it was hot. After all it was Oman’s Wahiba Sands, and I was on a camel. I had never seen my outdoor watch read 53° Celsius before, but even I could read the number….
Robert Burns – the remarkable Ploughman Poet
Burns was a man of letters. If I sat at his desk, I thought, perhaps something would rub off. It was not to be, as the guard prevented it….
Avoiding Avalanches
I looked upwards towards the mountain’s North Col and saw the massive fissure in the snow created by the avalanche that had hit us moments earlier. Around me, Advance Base Camp was chaos, with a good friend dead and others severely injured. As a medic my troubles had only just begun. It was to take […]…
Shingle Street – a place to think
The village’s shingle is formed by smooth, kidney-shaped stones – brown, off-yellow, sometimes red. Walking through them is difficult and it is impossible to stay silent. The stones lead down to the sea, and are arranged in waves, just like the ocean….
Arnside Bore and two lost chips
Yet with the Arnside Bore I had seen something different and had once again learned the power of Nature. The Bore is a true, twice-daily, tidal wave, where incoming tide meets outgoing water….
Kendal Mint Cake at the bottom of my pack
We were soon to depart for Lakeland’s Great Gable, and I was repacking my rucksack before we left. By chance I had found a long-forgotten emergency ration at the bottom of the pack and was now holding it proudly between finger and thumb for my friend to see….
Leave no trace
Take pride in leaving zero evidence of your presence. See it as a challenge and, for children, make it a game….
Learn how to navigate
A map is essential, as is a compass. I keep both handy, although study the compass rarely, but I look at the map frequently. I ensure I know which way is north, perhaps by looking at the sun….
The contents of your rucksack
When loading a rucksack, the end result should be a pack that looks neat, without dent or dimple, and that does not topple over when stood by itself on the ground….
