Welcome to my website. It’s mostly book reviews and accounts of my walking, hillwalking and mountaineering trips over the years, plus a mixed bag of other articles. If you want to get in touch please email me – I’m always pleased to hear from anyone who’s read anything here!
Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood
A classic I should have read long ago. It bounces up and down along the surface – entertaining, amusing. Then with the introduction of Bernhard Landauer you find you’re slithering and bumping down the crumbling cliff until you end up … Continue reading →
South West Coast Path – Day 40
Portwrinkle – Plymouth 1 October 2025 Distance on Coast Path: 21.0km; ascent: 297m Total distance: 22.0km; ascent: 351m Walking time: 5h 15′ Total time: 6h 59′ Overnight: Copthorne Hotel, Plymouth I woke in the night around 3.00 and took more … Continue reading →
South West Coast Path – Day 39
Polperro – Downderry 30 September 2025 Distance on Coast Path: 17.0km; ascent: 417m Total distance: 18.3km; ascent: 417m Walking time: 4h 37′ Total time: 6h 22′ Overnight: Sheviock Barton B&B I woke up soon after 2am with a seriously sore … Continue reading →
South West Coast Path – Day 38
Par – Polperro 29 September 2025 Distance on Coast Path: 21.4km; ascent: 640m Total distance: 23.3km; ascent: 640m Walking time: 6h 15” Total time: 8h 20′ Overnight: The Crumplehorn Inn, Polperro Self-catering meant I could get off to an early … Continue reading →
The Essence by Dave Hutchinson
It’s just over ten years ago that I first read a full-length novel by Dave Hutchinson. It was the first in his ‘Fractured Europe’ series, and I’ve been a fan ever since: ‘The Essence’ is now the ninth I have … Continue reading →
Eat Sleep Cycle by Anna Hughes
I came rather late to this party. Anna Hughes cycled 4000 miles around the coast of Great Britain in 2011 and this book – her account of that epic journey – was published in 2015. I only discovered it late … Continue reading →
South West Coast Path – Day 37
Mevagissey – Par 27 September 2025 Distance on Coast Path: 16.5km; ascent: 489m Total distance: 17.6km; ascent: 489m Walking time: 5h 12′ Total time: 4h 46′ Overnight: AirBnB, Par When I pulled back the bedroom curtains at about 7.15 I … Continue reading →
South West Coast Path – Day 36
Portloe – Mevagissey 26 September 2025 Distance on Coast Path: 18.1km; ascent: 529m Total distance: 19.0km; ascent: 535m Walking time: 5h 12′ Total time: 7h 23′ Overnight: Tremarne Hotel How is it, I wondered, that I’ve known a verse and … Continue reading →
South West Coast Path – Day 35
St Mawes (Falmouth) – Portloe 25 September 2025 Distance on Coast Path: 22.7km; ascent: 331m Total distance: 23.4km; ascent: 375m Walking time: 5h 52′ Total time: 7h 52′ Overnight: Jen’s B&B, Portloe Logistics: By train to Truro, route 50 bus … Continue reading →
Barrelhouse Words by Stephen Calt
Calt is an academic and an expert on the history, culture and language of The Blues – the black American music of the first half of the 20th century. After an introduction setting out his purpose and intentions for the … Continue reading →