The Last Hill Walker by John D. Burns is the author’s personal story of falling in and out of love with the hills. It’s the debut book by this best-selling author, but I read the highly entertaining follow-up (Bothy Tales) first. In my humble opinion, you don’t need to read them in order. In The […]
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The fantastic Cleveland Way passes through pretty Sandsend village and marching northwards it clings close to the coast as it follows a disused railway line. You pass by a moon-like landscape of alum deposits and then up an almost vertical flight of stairs. While catching your breath enjoy sweeping views across the North Sea. I’ve walked
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For more years than we’d care to admit a 31-mile section of the 109-mile Cleveland Way taunted us. It was high time to get our walking boots on and complete the Cleveland Way National Trail. Why had it taken so long to do it? Simple. Logistics. However, at the start of July it all came
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Goosebumps Like Kopjes by Stamford Spencer is a non-fiction account of a time now lost. The intrepid Spencer family start again in Zimbabwe after bidding farewell to North East England in the 1950s. Stamford Spencer is the eldest son and most of the story is told through his eyes. A foreword from Stamford’s widow The
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For those of you who’ve enjoyed Apokeri Bay, you may recall the spiky Aphrodite Café chef who gives Anna a hard time. Agnes also makes a few cameo appearances in Saving Elora and one scene perfectly captures her no-nonsense personality and was incredible fun to write. Take the plunge with Agnes Karapetsa is All at Sea
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Last week I switched off my mobile and unplugged my laptop. Going off grid is great or is it? For five days I shunned the digital world to commune with nature. In other words, I went camping in The Lake District. Back to basics in a little corner of Cumbria The Lake District. Three words
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A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to be at the New Writing North Newcastle Writing Conference and attend a fascinating panel event, featuring authors Karen Powell and Tawseef Khan. For both, the settings of their novels are intrinsically bound to the landscape. In Fifteen Wild Decembers, the bond between the wild Yorkshire
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Bothy Tales by John D. Burns is a short collection of stories based on his adventures in the Scottish hills and made the TGO magazine shortlist for Outdoor Book of the Year. If you’re looking for inspiration to get out and about then this book is definitely worth a read with its engaging, down-to-earth and
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Is it possible to escape the crowds and find wide open spaces to enjoy during the summer school holidays? You might be surprised. Or maybe you already know about these places, hiding in plain sight. In the past I went camping as a kid. It was the only way to afford a two-week family holiday
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