I sat down on a flat rock beside Rydal Water, enjoyed the view of the hills and the feel of the autumn sunshine. Having taken out my sandwiches and water bottle from my rucksack I was soon joined by a gull; it kept looking the other way but really it was watching, knowingly awaiting a…

The fictional character Professor Dumbledore has his obviously fictitious grave on the real Eilean na Moine, a small island in Loch Eilt in the Scottish Highlands. We passed it on the Jacobite steam train this August. The island is not special and yet for Harry Potter fans it touches the dividing line between the imaginary…

My father used to tell us how he spent Coronation Day in 1953. He climbed Ben Nevis which was, coincidentally, when the first confirmed ascent of Mount Everest was achieved. One person’s achievement is another person’s walk in the park; one person’s victory is beyond another’s reach. Only one person could have been crowned Queen…

It is the time of the year when the pigeons provide entertainment as they perform acrobatics in pursuit of the holly berries on our small tree. Watching them the other day reminded me of this tree’s story. Several years ago I was weeding under our fence and noticed a seedling in all the wrong place.…

I recently half heard a discussion about the hard work and discomfort associated with recovery from a particular operation. The person concerned had acquired a new joint to replace one that was unreliable and painful but had not entirely allowed for the commitment needed to make the most of the process. I have not had…

For people of a certain age and interest, The Royal Yacht Britannia was instantly recognisable, and we may not ever have realised that she did not have her name painted on her hull as is the case with most ships. There is a reason for this buried in the past. The ship’s name was a…

In 2010, for the first time, World Homeless Day was held. Unusually for special days, this one does not have a theme although it could be argued that its very name is its theme. The website gives a simple overview and can be found at www.worldhomelessday.org – it states the purpose of the day. “This…

When Julien Alfred won a gold medal in the 100m at this summer’s Olympic games it was an Olympic first. Many other athletes won gold medals, but she had not. Three other countries achieved their first gold this year, namely, Botswana, Dominica and Guatemala, and three other countries won their first medal of any colour,…

You do not need me to tell you that green plants move in the direction of sunlight because they need the light to photosynthesise; the process that is they key to their life. After a week away in Scotland recently, where the weather was less than ideal, my return to my usual walking routes soon…

It is quite likely that a church near you will be celebrating Harvest Thanksgiving sometime in late September or early October. Despite the all-year-round nature of harvest the traditional celebration is fixed following the end of the cereal harvest. Raspberries, potatoes, fish and fuel are all very well but the place of bread in the…