Where’s Dan?
Like most weeks on an HF Holiday at Glencoe the ascent of Ben Nevis was on the walks programme: this week I had been allocated the job of leading the walk. By breakfast on the day nine guests had signed … Continue reading →
Rothermere American Institute
In Autumn 2009 I took a ten-week class at OUDCE on “Modern Movements in Architecture: the Case of Oxford”. As part of this I had to write an assessment of a modern building of my choice. What follows in an extract from my full assignment. Some pictures are after the text.
Continue reading →Modern Architecture in an Oxford College by Geoffrey Tyack
One of the things I like about Oxford – and I wonder how many of the tourists on the heritage trail notice this – is that dotted among the old buildings there are now many modern ones. Some are easily … Continue reading →
Bad Land – an American Romance by Jonathan Raban
I was never very keen on history at school. All those kings and emperors, treaties and revolutions, popes and prime ministers had me at best confused and at worst bored. In later life I found out that history isn’t all … Continue reading →
Lake District Weekend – June 2009
19-22 June 2009 Wainwright doesn’t mention midges in his Lake District guides, so I guess the general view that they’re a fairly recent addition to the Lakeland scene is right. But if it’s also true that they don’t fly if … Continue reading →
The Most Amazing Places to Walk in Britain by Unknown
This is one of a series of ‘Most Amazing Places’ books published by Readers’ Digest, others being ‘to Visit’, ‘on Britain’s Coast’ and ‘in Britain’s Countryside’. This ‘to Walk’ book covers 200 routes from The Lizard to Poolewe. Distances vary … Continue reading →
The Not Inaccessible Pinnacle
The Ultimate Munro I can still fix the year exactly without going back to my log-book because it was the year I had my fiftieth birthday. I’d been wanting to do the Skye Munros but I’d decided that some of … Continue reading →
His Dark Materials (trilogy) by Philip Pullman
His Dark Materials is a trilogy consisting of Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. You’ll probably find these three books in the children’s section of your local library, but that doesn’t mean adults won’t enjoy reading them … Continue reading →
Flat Earth News by Nick Davies
I’d like to review this book but the cover blurbs say it all: ‘An award-winning reporter exposes falsehood, distortion and propaganda in the global media’ – Front cover. ‘Powerful and timely . . his analysis is fair, meticulously researched and … Continue reading →
Christmas Walk & Lunch 2008
A personal memoir It was 8:50 as I turned into the Pink & Lily car park and already there were some eight to ten cars with their boots and doors open as people got kitted up for the walk. It … Continue reading →