# Walking With Daddy > A blog about instilling a love of nature and the great outdoors into my daughters. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### Osprey Chat URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/osprey/ Last updated: 2025-03-14T10:12:51.000Z Just as our favourite ospreys take wing and migrate in the autumn, the community who chat at the [Woodland Trust's Loch Arkaig osprey cam](https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/support-us/support-an-appeal/arkaig-pinewoods/wildlife/osprey-cam/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) must also migrate. So, here is our winter home. A place to perch, and shoot the raptor breeze, between diving for our own fish, of course… 🥚 We are breeding season mode. Observations about Louis and Loch Arkaig's two streamed nests should go to the [Woodland Trust page](https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/support-us/support-an-appeal/arkaig-pinewoods/wildlife/osprey-cam/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). Discussion about other nests still welcome here. 💬 Struggling with Hyvor here or on the Woodland Trust site? Here's [some help, links and guidance](https://ospreys.net/getting-started-with-hyvor-for-the-loch-arkaig-webcam/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). ### Outdoors Podcasts URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/outdoors-podcasts/ Last updated: 2023-10-21T14:18:33.000Z I *love* listening to outdoors podcasts, especially when I'm trapped indoors working. Here's my current recommendations: ## General Countryside Podcasts General interest podcasts about the countryside [BBC Radio 4 - Open Country - DownloadsCountryside magazine featuring the people and wildlife that shape the landscape of Britain![](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/208x208/p01lcfyg.jpg)BBC![](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1200x675/p01lcfyg.jpg)](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qgft/episodes/downloads?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) [PodcastIn each episode of the BBC Countryfile Magazine podcast, we go on a great escape into beautiful landscapes. Here you can listen to thew whole series.![](https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/22/2018/06/favicon_0-717323b.gif?quality=90&resize=192,192)Countryfile.com![](https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/22/2018/09/cropped-Countryfile-Logo-639840d-075d3f3.png?quality=90&resize=353,67)](https://www.countryfile.com/podcast/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) [Trees A Crowd with David OakesJoin actor David Oakes for an informal, relaxed conversation with artists, scientists and creatives as they celebrate the beauty of the natural world and how it inspires us as human beings.![](https://www.treesacrowd.fm/favicon.ico)Trees A Crowd![](https://www.treesacrowd.fm/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/trees-a-crowd_og.png)](https://www.treesacrowd.fm/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Outdoor Activities Podcasts Feeling a little more active? These are podcasts around outdoors activities, with a focus on walking. [The Outdoors Fix homepage - The Outdoors Fix podcastThe Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire people wanting to make adventures outdoors a bigger part of their life. It is hosted by Liv Bolton.![](https://i2.wp.com/theoutdoorsfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/cropped-Screenshot-2019-11-19-at-15.41.57.png?fit=192%2C192&ssl=1)The Outdoors Fix![](https://theoutdoorsfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/20180129_154232_HDR-1024x768.jpg)](https://theoutdoorsfix.com/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) [BBC Radio 4 - Ramblings - DownloadsClare Balding joins notable and interesting people for a walk through the countryside![](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/208x208/p02sgcv5.jpg)BBC![](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1200x675/p02sgcv5.jpg)](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006xrr2/episodes/downloads?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) [Talking WalkingListen to artists, specialists and walkers talking about how walking inspires their work and shapes our world.![](https://www.talkingwalking.net/favicon.ico)Talking Walkingadmin\_TW![](https://s0.wp.com/i/blank.jpg)](https://www.talkingwalking.net/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) [Woodland Walks - The Woodland Trust PodcastWelcome to the debut season of the Woodland Trust podcast, ‘Woodland Walks’. We’ll be exploring some of the greatest woods, forests and sites in the Woodland Trust estate. Join our host, Adam Shaw, as we discover the stories and characters that make each of our woods so very special. We’ll explore a…The Woodland Trust Podcast![](http://assets.libsyn.com/content/42525281?height=250&width=250)](https://woodlandtrust.libsyn.com/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Nature conservation These are podcasts specifically about nature conservation in various forms. [Podcasts - Roy Dennis Wildlife FoundationClick the links below to listen to our new weekly podcasts. Episode 12: The white-tailed ‘eagle effect’ on the Isle of Wight This podcast hears from the Isle of Wight, ten weeks after the release of six white-tailed eagles in the last place they bred in England, 240 years ago. Two of the project’s…![](http://www.roydennis.org/o/wp-content/themes/hwf/images/favicon.ico)Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation![](http://www.roydennis.org/o/wp-content/plugins/nivo-slider/timthumb.php?src=http://www.roydennis.org/o/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/banner8.jpg&h=250&w=960&zc=1&q=100)](http://www.roydennis.org/podcasts/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- Got any suggestions of podcasts I *should* be listening to? [Let me know](mailto:adam@onemanandhisblog.com)! ### About Walking With Daddy URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/about/ Last updated: 2025-03-14T10:12:11.000Z **Walking With Daddy* is a blog about the great outdoors, the climate crisis and raising the next generation to understand about the role that nature plays in their lives. It’s written by a 40-something father of two girls, living on the south coast, not terribly far from Brighton. Please subscribe to get updates via email - or follow us on social media. Thanks for reading! --- ### Osprey Chat This site is also host to the winter home of the Loch Arkaig nest-watching community. During the months when the Woodland Trust livestream chat isn't available, that community is welcome to discuss things here! [Osprey ChatA home for migratory osprey fanatics.![](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/favicon.png)Walking With DaddyAdam Tinworth![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2019/09/keith-luke--FrVt6GrCvw-unsplash.jpg)](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/osprey/) --- ## Key posts [One Man Walking; or The Accidental FlâneurSelf-knowledge is the hardest wisdom to acquire, but acting on that knoweldge can be even harder.![](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/favicon.png)Walking With DaddyAdam Tinworth![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/08/1989-cairngorms.jpeg)](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/one-man-walking-or-the-accidental-flaneur/) [Welcome to Walking With DaddyAn introduction to my new blog — Walking With Daddy.![](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/favicon.png)Walking With DaddyAdam Tinworth![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2019/09/wwd-nymans.jpg)](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/welcome-to-walking-with-daddy/) ### Home URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/home/ Last updated: 2025-08-26T14:11:47.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/wwd-logo.png) Welcome to *Walking With Daddy*, a site about nature, the great outdoors and sharing those things with your family. It's written by the father of two growing daughters, and explores the whole family's attempts to escape the screen and forge a healthy relationship with the outdoors. ## Posts ### A sparrowhawk on Shoreham Beach URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/a-sparrowhawk-on-shoreham-beach/ Last updated: 2025-09-04T11:35:37.000Z Our first morning back at home after a week camping transformed from quiet and sleepy to excited in an instant. One of my daughters spotted a bird of prey in the back garden. I grabbed my camera, slapped on my longer lens, and tried to grab some decent images of what seemed to be a young female sparrowhawk on the fence. ![A female sparrowhawk perched on the fence, with a magpie just in shot. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/09/_MG_4366.jpeg) A sparrowhawk happily perched on a fence. I have a suspicion she was watching our neighbour’s bird table. Our feeders had been empty for the best part of a week, but Sue is good at keeping hers topped up. I’m not sure many small birds would be tempted to the table with a predator so clearly watching, but a magpie had no such qualms… ![A female sparrowhawk stares at a magpie. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/09/_MG_4370.jpeg) Could the magpie be lunch? I suspect that either the sparrowhawk wasn’t hungry, or that it saw the magpie as too much of a challenge. It eyed it up a few times, but made no aggressive move at all, apparently happy to just perch on the fence. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/09/_MG_4365.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/09/_MG_4367.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/09/_MG_4368.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/09/_MG_4369-1.jpeg) But apparently the magpie*s* weren’t happy about their new neighbour, because a second one flew in from a nearby roof, heading straight for the sparrowhawk. There was a brief moment of aerial combat, and then the sparrowhawk took off up the river. I do hope she comes back. She’s an absolute beauty: ![The sparrowhawk on alert, as another magpie (out of shot) flies at her. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/09/_MG_4371-1.jpeg) The sparrowhawk on alert, as another magpie (out of shot) flies at her. ### Late Summer at Woods Mill URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/late-summer-at-woods-mill/ Last updated: 2025-08-26T11:02:45.000Z We have a little secret. My youngest has found a quiet, rarely-visited corner of our local nature reserve, and she's been progressively building a den there whenever we visit. Maybe she was inspired by all those [Nature Tots](https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/what-we-do/environmental-education/nature-tots?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) sessions we did there, pre-pandemic. Maybe it's a legacy of [the Twitch books](https://twitchersclub.com/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) we read a couple of years ago. Maybe it's just natural. But she's been hard at it: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_5425.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_5426.jpeg) The (well-camouflaged) den While my youngest busied herself with repairing the damage since her last visit and developing the den, my eldest took herself off on a walk around the estate. Left to my own devices, but wanting to keep an eye on my youngest, I slipped into exploring the immediate area around the den. Nearly two decades ago, I did a course on photography as a mindfulness and spirituality practice at [Lee Abbey](https://leeabbeydevon.org.uk/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). And that sprang to mind as I explored a few square metres with my camera. There's some beauty to be found: ![A spider’s web stretched between branches and green leaves in sunlight, its fine strands catching the light and glistening against the bark and foliage.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_5419.jpeg) A web in a tree. I have often slipped into my late Dad's old habit of Going For A Walk in nature. Which is great (although, I recently discovered that my wife was frustrated by the degree to which this was a stroll, rather than a walk…), but often doesn't leave room to really explore a location. I'd forgotten quite how lovely it can be to just exist in a space for a while, to let your senses extend to take in the sounds, sights and smells of a space. It's August and, as I noted when we [went to Pulborough](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/escaping-the-heat-in-the-woods/), the birdsong is quieter than it was. But there's still enough to captivate you, if you take the time to listen. This is the third time I've spend a while in this space, and I'm beginning to note the changes that happen. The rotten branches that have fallen, the decaying logs that have clearly been worked on by animals, the arrival, and departure, of fungi. This is a rhythm I only really get to experience in my garden, so starting to explore it elsewhere is just delightful: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_5420.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_5423.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_5424.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_5427.jpeg) Oh, and then there's touch. I was reminded, just that morning, [by a podcast](https://overcast.fm/+AAvx-nfej%5FI?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) that sometimes getting your hands dirty has a positive biological effect on us. So, like my youngest, I hundred for sticks, and fragments of wood. ![A close-up of a hand holding several short, broken twigs with rough bark, set against a blurred woodland background with dappled sunlight on leaves and soil.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_5418.jpeg) A handful of stick fragments. The time disappeared more quickly than I expected. Before I knew it, it was time to head back to the car park, where we'd arranged to meet my eldest. There was a little sadness as we left. There's only just over a week of the summer holiday left, and popping here with my youngest will get harder for a while. Maybe, just maybe, I'll come and spend some time in our little den space as autumn arrives. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_5429.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_5431.jpeg) A few last images on the way out. ### Escaping the heat in the woods URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/escaping-the-heat-in-the-woods/ Last updated: 2025-08-13T15:13:22.000Z Normally, an arrival at Pulborough Brooks is accompanied by suggestions from the staff or volunteers of where best to go to see interesting birds or other wildlife. Not yesterday. With the UK basking in another heatwave, we were strongly advised to avoid the main reserve loop and head into the neighbouring woods instead. My youngest and I had a quick lunch in the café first. It was hot enough that their display chiller cabinet was struggling and they were keeping the food in the kitchen fridge. And that made our decision for us. Once my youngest was done trying to tempt birds close to our table with some seeds, we headed out onto the woodland walk. It was very much a late summer walk. There was occasional bird song, but far, far below the levels you'd have heard only a couple of months ago. We're very much in the post-breeding, post-fledging period, and you can hear it as you walk around. Butterflies and the odd damselfly danced past, but not as many as I'm used to seeing. And it soon became apparent why. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_4108.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_4109.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_4112.jpeg) The first thing marked on the map as a point of interest was the Black Pool, which sounded suitably intriguing. So, we made our way there and… ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_4110.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_4111.jpeg) The not-so-black, not-so-pool Dried up. Yes, the UK is going through a bad drought at the moment — in fact the government was suggesting that [we delete data to save water](https://www.404media.co/uk-asks-people-to-delete-emails-in-order-to-save-water-during-drought/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) (!) while we were out – but this was a worrying example of how bad things are getting. The pool was known locally long before the RSPB had acquired the site. There was a sign discussing how important it is for local dragonflies and damselflies. Well, not at the moment. Concerning. However, a local spider seemed to be having a better time of it: ![A delicate spiderweb stretches between thin twigs, glistening in the sunlight against a blurred green forest background.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_4113.jpeg) The little scrap was beginning to complain about the walk. I grew up on a hill in Scotland, so slopes are natural to me. She's spent the majority of her life on the flat Sussex coastal strip, and hasn't spent nearly enough time on the Downs. And so, the fairly gentle slope on the back half of the loop was proving annoying to her. I tried to distract her by encouraging her to observe the environment: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_4115.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_4116.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_4117.jpeg) What became clear is that some of the trees and bushes were showing early signs of an autumnal tint: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_4120.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_4118.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_4119.jpeg) Just the time of year? Or another consequence of the drought? Luckily, shortly thereafter, we ran into a dog walker with an incredibly cute dog. He let my youngest pet and give the dog a treat, which absolutely made my daughter's afternoon, and kept her buoyed up enough to see us back to the visitor centre, just before the shop shut. In time, in fact, to grab a couple of ice creams in enjoy them in the shade outside the visitor centre. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_4122.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/08/IMG_4123.jpeg) I still can't believe this was our first proper walk in the woodland in all the years we've been coming here. It's absolutely one we'll be returning to as the autumn rolls in… ### Kingley Vale: a first walk URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/kingley-vale-a-first-walk/ Last updated: 2025-04-11T09:28:26.000Z It's really easy to slip into a rut. The weather takes a turn for the better, the urge to get out for a walk builds, and so you head out. But you make a beeline for one of your familiar haunts. For us, it's Pulborough Brooks, or Woods Mill, or WWT Arundel, or Nymans. But one of the eldest's new school friends has walking parents, and they invited us to join them on a walk somewhere I've had on my “to-do” list for ages: [Kingley Vale](https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/kingley-vale/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). I can see why we avoided this one when the girls were younger. For one, some of the climbs are steep. The walk up towards the Devil's Humps reminded me that certain of my muscles, the ones used for going up and down hills, have been under-exercised of late. But, I grew up in Scotland's Ochils. I'm used to hills. While my girls have grown up in the shadow of the Downs, they've sent most of their time on the flat coastal strip. They need more hill time, badly. The other reason it's less attractive to parents of young children: two carparks but no toilets. You need a certainly level of continence to enjoy a couple of hours in this vale… ## Vale of views Despite arriving nearly half an hour late, much to our embarrassment, we had a stunning loop up and around the vale, climbing up through the ancient woodland, and up onto the ridge, and the [Devil's Humps](https://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=5043&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/04/IMG_2506.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/04/_MG_2509.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/04/IMG_2522.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/04/IMG_2528.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/04/IMG_2529.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/04/IMG_2533.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/04/IMG_2534.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/04/IMG_2536.jpeg) It was perfect weather for it: warm, spring sunshine, with the birds singing and the plants blossoming. Warm enough that some of our party stripped down to t-shirts, but not so warm any of us were sweating. The climb is worth it: you get a view over Chichester, and we could clearly see across the solent to the Isle of Wight. I immediately had a yearning to see this view in the autumn, when the browns and gold would make it stunning, Something to plan for… ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2025/04/IMG_2537.jpeg) ### Christmas tree time at Spithandle Nursery URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/christmas-tree-time-at-spithandle-nursery/ Last updated: 2024-12-09T11:49:17.000Z Ah, December. It’s an excuse for many things, but one family tradition that’s become well-established is an annual trip to Spithandle Lane to collect out Christmas tree. This year, we went earlier than I think we’ve ever been before, and I’m glad we did. Both long-term readers of this site might remember that last year, our eldest was growing uncomfortable with picking a tree to be cut down. Well, this year we solves the problem by going nearly a fortnight earlier than [we did last time](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/a-last-minute-christmas-tree-trip-to-spithandle/). Happily, the barn was still absolutely full of cut trees this time around. All we had to do was pick one… ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3582.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3595.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3597.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1191.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1192.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1196.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1197.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1227-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1212.jpeg) There's something of a family split on trees. Three of us like as big as we can get, and one something nice and small. That’s shifting: one girl is drifting towards my wife’s “small tree” position, but the family outlier keeps us in line by taking a tape measure and the dimensions of the space we have for the tree. Happily for my wallet, those dimensions mean we’re not looking at anything over the £40 trees, and the £30 are just fine too. All we have to do is agree on the right one. This year, the decision to go with a cut tree meant that we could say in the beautifully heated confines of the barn, rather than trudging through the fields in the [teeth of Storm Darragh](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74xmvmwvpxo?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1201.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1202.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1203.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1205.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1207.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1208.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1216.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1213.jpeg) And after all the searching? A disagreement. And yes, it was between the girls. In the end, siblings will be siblings, and they disagreed on the tree they preferred. My wife had no strong opinion, and I just wanted both girls to be happy. So, no useful casting vote… The eldest wanted this smaller one: ![A near-teenage girl, examining a Christmas tree at Spithandle Nursery](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1211.jpeg) And the youngest wanted a larger, more vertically-shaped tree. We retreated to the wood burner and the sofas to drink hot chocolate, eat mince pies and thrash it out. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1206-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1193.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3584-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3590-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1219.jpeg) Inevitably, the more determined younger child got her way, and we ended up with the more expensive, slightly larger one. It gave better “Christmas vibes” apparently… ![Two people carrying a Christmas Tree in the barn at Spithandle Nursery. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3593.jpeg) In her defence, it is a *really* nicely-shaped tree… ## The return of the pony One happy development: a pony again! The girls are now far too large to ride one, but they were more than happy to have the chance to pet the cute one that was in the barn: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1220.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1222.jpeg) Time for home (via dropping the eldest off for an afternoon with her school friends). The nice thing was that, on the way out, we were stopped by two members of the family to say “hello”. We may only see them once a year, but it’s been like that for nearly a decade (looking back at my photos, our first visit was in 2016, so this will be our 9th Spithandle tree), and so they’ve come to recognise us. And that matters to me. 15 years ago, when it was juts my wife and I, and we were looking for somewhere to live, a sense of community mattered to me. And little things like this make me feel that we’ve found it here. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1226.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1227.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_1229.jpeg) ### Late Summer at Pulborough Brooks URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/late-summer-at-pulborough-brooks/ Last updated: 2024-10-12T20:38:38.000Z We spend a lot of time at [Pulborough Brooks](https://www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/pulborough-brooks?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) but not, for some reason, much time late in the summer. It has an unsettlingly different feel. The breeding season is largely over, and so the birds are quieter and less conspicuous than normal. It wasn't that the reserve felt in anyway dead, just quieter. As if a lot of the wildlife had gone on holiday, too. That's not to say that we weren't treated to inspect, butterflies and damselflies. There were plenty of those. But, for a reserve run by a society for the preservation of *birds*, they were decidedly elusive. In one hid, there was an RSPB staff member, having his lunch, and more than willing to share his lack of success seeing much over the past few h0urs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/10/IMG_9524.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/10/IMG_9525.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/10/IMG_9528.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/10/IMG_9529.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/10/IMG_9530.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/10/IMG_9531.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/10/IMG_9532.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/10/IMG_9533.jpeg) None of this stopped, or even slowed, the girls. Long gone are the days when a complete loop would tire them out and necessitate a few breaks along the way. No, they were laughing and joking and playing around with each other — and a friend of the eldest's that was along for the day — that I had to calm them down as we approached hides, or slightly forlorn parties of bird watchers. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/10/IMG_9535.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/10/IMG_9538.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/10/IMG_9540.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/10/IMG_9542.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/10/IMG_9543.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/10/IMG_9544.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/10/IMG_9547.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/10/IMG_9548.jpeg) By the time we were done, they'd worked up enough of an appetite to make an assault on the café — and then retire to the playground outside. I'd become to think that the eldest, juts pre-teen as she is these days, might have been moving beyond them, but no. She, her friend and her sister happily played for far longer than I expected. She may be in the late summer of her childhood, but the teenage years are not quite upon us yet… ### Knepp: Rewilding your child URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/knepp-rewilding-your-child/ Last updated: 2024-06-02T20:19:10.000Z OK, I confess it. I was feeling guilty. Eldest child had Guides camp and a cookery day booked for half-term. My youngest? Nothing. Zip. Zilch. And then I saw [Knepp](https://knepp.co.uk/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), the famous rewilded estate I've always wanted to visit, was doing [“rewild your child” sessions](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/wildings-rewild-your-child-3077249?%5Fgl=1%2A1i10jys%2A%5Fup%2AMQ..%2A%5Fga%2AMjkwNjk1NzU1LjE3MTczNTA2MzE.%2A%5Fga%5FTQVES5V6SH%2AMTcxNzM1MDYzMS4xLjAuMTcxNzM1MDYzMS4wLjAuMA..&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). That was… a surprise. One of the reasons we've never visited Knepp, despite its proximity to us, is that it's never come across as very child-friendly. There campsite doesn't accepts anyone under 12\. We're still three years away from being able to go camping there as a family. The safaris are the same - because children are too noisy (apparently). But here we were with a child-friendly event. The timings worked. Booked. ## Wildings day We rolled into the (busy) car park, to find most of the pre-rewilding children and their parents already waiting. One quick change into our wellies later, we were ready, and the group drifted towards the woods, looking for things that colour matched to some pre-painted egg boxes, as an exploration of natural camouflage. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_1795.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7573.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7574.jpeg) Most of the session was spent in a small camp area in the woods. The wild mood was slightly spoiled at first by the sound of nearby traffic, but that soon faded away as the children started stripping elderflowers to make elderflower cordial. The setting was familiar, in a comforting way: a firepit, surrounded by logs to act as seats. A tarp, suspended from large branches, gave us a modicum of cover doing the occasional showers. Then, usefully on an unusually chilly May day, we had a lesson in fire starting. That fire pit *was* going to see action. This was something of a refresher for my youngest. Pre-pandemic we'd spent plenty of time together at the Sussex Wildlife Trust's [Nature Tots](https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/what-we-do/environmental-education/nature-tots?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) at Woods Mill. As it turned out, our leader for Wildings [Ryan Greaves](https://www.kneppwildlandfoundation.org/our-mission?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) knew Katie who ran our Nature Tots sessions. It seems that the Sussex forest school network is a small, tight one… ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7576.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7587.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7591.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7594.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7596.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7593.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7578.jpeg) Firestarters. Rewilded Firestarters. My daughter was quite familiar with the fire-lighting steels, both from then and from our bushcraft session on Brownsea Island. Soon, a pleasant blaze was going, and it was time for the activities. ![Children being briefing on rewilding activities at Knepp Estate. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7597.jpeg) Ryan briefing the children on the activities they could do… ## Dissecting a Barn Owl pellet Ryan briefed us on the choices, which ranged from den/nest building for soft toys, dam building in the small river (which my daughter had planned to do initially), woodcraft — and owl pellet dissection. To my surprise, delight, and pride, my youngest immediately stuck up her hand for that, the only one of the children to do so. She got stuck in as soon as she could: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_1805.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_1801.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_1802.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7602.jpeg) Barn owl pellet dissection. She was absolutely lost in the moment while both breaking apart the barn owl pellet (sourced from the ground under the estate's nest boxes), and in identifying the vole and mouse bones that came out. Her intense fascination attracted the attention of some other children, who joined in after boring of their first choice of activity. The delight in their voices as they identified each little snippet of bone that emerged was palpable. The day was worth it for just that experience. ## Woodcrafting Once my daughter was done, leaving me to stick the remains to a sheet of cardboard, she headed over to the woodcraft area — another familiar experience from Nature Tots. She'd made wooden badges before, so this time she aimed for a wooden toy spinner, which involved sawing off a much thinner disk, and drilling two holes in it to thread some string through. It was a time consuming task for her still fairly small hands, and snack time was approaching. You can guess what happened next, can't you? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7581.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7604.jpeg) Saw and drill, the forest way. Inevitably, I and several of the other parents were left finishing our little darlings' creations as they decamped to the fire for toasted crumpets, and the elderflower cordial they'd been making. My daughter was tentative at first with the unfamiliar drinking, but ended up pretty much downing it, once she'd tasted it properly. And then she sent two crumpets after it as a chaser. And then, we were done. We helped break down the home base, piling all the logs off to one side, as the staff packed away the rest of the gear. And we set off for the car (via a quick visit [to the shop](https://knepp.co.uk/wilding-kitchen/shop/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)) and home. ## The verdict So, my daughter's verdict? Brilliant! We'll be back for more, if we can, come the summer. ![A nine-year old girl in outdoors clothes, clutching sticks in a forest school setting](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7585.jpeg) A happy rewilded child… 🌳 Knepp runs rewilding events during school holidays. Keep a watch out on [their events page](https://knepp.co.uk/events-at-wilding/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) for details. ### Reptile Safari at RSPB Pulborough Brooks URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/reptile-safari-pulbrough-brooks/ Last updated: 2024-10-12T21:30:17.000Z We're clearly still doing something right. When I suggested taking the whole family to a reptile safari at Pulborough Brooks, I knew my wife would be excited. She's a bioscientist, and she just loves things like this. But the girls? Would they be as excited about this as they would, say, small mammals or birds? Or would the lack of obvious “cute” put them off? Turns out the answer is “yes, they would be excited”, and so, on a rather damp morning, we all trooped off to the RSPB nature reserve, in hunt of reptiles. After a briefing in the school room, we made our way to parts of the reserve normally closed to the public, and started lifting metal sheets. And what did we find? Well, ants, mainly. And then, after a number of disappointing lifts, finally we hit the jackpot: slow worms! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7616.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7618.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7620.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7623.jpeg) Reptile hunting – and finding – at Pulborough Brooks And here's where I'm proud of the girls. Rather than just looking from a distance, they were really keen to get up close and intimate with them. They happily let the wee beasties curls around their hands, and were somewhat reluctant to pass them on. No squealing, no squeamishness, just interest and enthusiasm. Like I said, we're doing something right: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7640-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7636.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7645.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7655.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7663.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7685.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_1823.jpeg) Slow worms a'plenty ## Snakes near the grass A change of scenery, some more corrugated metal lifted, and what did we find? A grass snake! Not my namesake yet (in some online circles, I'm [known as adders](https://adders.blog/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)…), but a snake. Not one for handling, but for both the girls this was their first live snake outside a zoo… ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7699-1.jpeg) A grass snake making a slither for it… Finally, another shift of location to a field we've walked past and looked over many times, but never been allowed to enter, in the hope of finding an adder. And we found a rat. He looked positively irritated, and made for the bushes after flashing us a look of the purest irritation. Sorry, mate. Hope you found something to eat. And then, just as we were about to end the day… Adders! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7711.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7713.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7714.jpeg) Our final adder of the day ## Non-reptile finds Of course, nature doesn't neatly self-sort for our convenience. We came across a rather distressed rabbit — whom the staff assumed had just escaped a predator. Despite my eldest's concern, bordering on anxiety, for the bunny, it eventually calmed down and hopped off in search of lunch. It was far from the only other interesting creature we encountered. Take, for example, this chap: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7679.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7681.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7683.jpeg) Yes, he's a moth but one doing a remarkably good job of looking like a stick. (It's a [buff tip](https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/moths/buff-tip-moth?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), I believe.) And then there's this swole individual. Look at the thighs on that. Clearly never misses leg day… ![A thick legged flower beetle on a human hand](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7727.jpeg) A [t](https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/news/species-of-the-day-thick-legged-flower-beetle?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)[hick legged flower beetle](https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/news/species-of-the-day-thick-legged-flower-beetle?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), earning its name A highly enjoyable few hours, and well worth the money. We'll be back for future events. Why has it take us so long to do this sort of thing? ## Other shots of Pulborough Brooks Look, you can't give me a camera and a day at somewhere as lovely as Pulborough Brooks and not expect me to go somewhat off-piste on the photography… ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7647.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7668.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7695.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7697.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7702.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7736.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7741.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7748.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/06/IMG_7763.jpeg) ### Pulborough Brooks: April 2024 URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/pulborough-brooks-april-2024/ Last updated: 2024-04-10T22:32:19.000Z As the Easter holiday drags on, and our eldest pines for her new school friends, distraction is the order of the day. And some outdoors exercise, in between the rain. Time for our second RSPB reserve of the week. After Arne on Sunday, on Tuesday we were back on more familiar territory: [Pulborough Brooks](https://www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/pulborough-brooks?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). Both of the girls have been coming here since they were little. And neither of them have quite outgrown the playpark — yet. But the day is coming. However, they're both growing more patient and interested in the birds themselves, my youngest especially. Prompted, in part, by the [*Twitch* series by MG Leonard](https://www.mgleonard.com/twitch?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), the scrap has become a surprisingly keen and knowledgeable bird watcher. And so, after the obligatory play park session, we spent a while just watching the birds at Fattengates courtyard, to see who we could spot. The wee dunnock was a particular treat. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7073.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7080.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7082.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7085.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7090.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7093.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7094.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7075.jpeg) The spring birds of Pulborough Brooks down at Fattengates courtyard In contrast with our decidedly damp last visit, the weather held up for us this time, and spring was much in evidence. Bluebells, buds becoming leaves and other flowers bursting into life… ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7114.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7116.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7118.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7132.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7130.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7131.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7133.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7139.jpeg) Spring bursting into life around Pulborough Brooks. We do tend to forget about the woodland play area, perhaps because it's on the car park side of the reserve. But the scrap has been hankering to do some den building all week, so after a quick snack from the shop (the café is shut on a Tuesday), we headed there. And a den was duly built — and the other activities explored, for the first time in a year or so. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7119.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_1385.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7120.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7122.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7128.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7135.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7138.jpeg) The Woodland play area at Pulborough Brooks. We're really working that RSPB membership this year… ![Looking towards the South Downs from the RSPB Pulborough Brooks car park.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/04/IMG_7142.jpeg) Looking towards the Downs from the Pulborough Brooks car park. ### Surfers Against Sewage protest: Kingston Beach URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/surfers-against-sewage-protest-kingston-beach/ Last updated: 2024-04-10T22:32:00.000Z It has not been a good month in our neck of the woods. Southern Water has exceeded itself with the amount of sewage it has been chucking into our seas. In fact, between Christmas and now, they've spent *300 hours* putting sewage direct into the sea. 200 hours of that were from a single overflow: > [ View this post on Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C14i%5FzzKLw%5F/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) > > [A post shared by Surfers Against Sewage (@surfersagainstsewage)](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C14i%5FzzKLw%5F/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) Not surprisingly, many of us have had enough. I was too ill to go — but my wife and daughters headed down to Kingston Beach to join in the [Surfers Against Sewage](https://www.sas.org.uk/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) protest there, organised by [our local group](https://www.facebook.com/sasinbrighton/). And here are some photos she took: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/02/72684120427__F104B258-3FE9-49A9-853D-CB12FD9160B8.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/02/IMG_4944.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/02/IMG_4943.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/02/IMG_4941.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/02/IMG_4940.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/02/IMG_4947.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/02/B9AE6D7B-F7C8-45DD-9552-1F7A930C53B5.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/02/IMG_4945.jpeg) And here's a video news report on the protest: Shoreham and its neighbours have *always* been sea-focused communities. But the sheer incompetence of Southern Water is forcing us all out of the sea. This can't go on. ### Other coverage: [Shoreham campaigners gather on beach in sewage protestSurfers Against Sewage says it wants “Southern Water to end dumping sewage in our waters”.![](https://static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/windows-phone/news/windows-phone-icon-270x270.23502b4459eb7a6ab2ab.png)BBC NewsRosie BluntBBC News, South East![](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/a348/live/a6456d50-b236-11ee-8ad1-0943f3b84718.jpg)](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0xylvdwxqyo?cmdf=southern+water+sewage+300+hours+kingston+beach&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) [Protesters in gas masks call for end to ‘appalling’ sewage dumping at swimming siteD![](https://www.theargus.co.uk/resources/images/17401553/)The ArgusPatrick Barlow![](https://www.theargus.co.uk/resources/images/17642331/?type=og-image)](https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/24047668.southern-water-slammed-surfers-sewage-southwick-protest/?cmdf=southern+water+sewage+300+hours+kingston+beach&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) [PHOTOS: Answers Demanded From Southern Water As Campaigners Gather In WorthingAdur & Worthing Councils are demanding answers from Southern Water following a leak by the company that has spilled waste into the sea.![](https://mmo.aiircdn.com/386/600ef9a03c543.jpg)More Radio![](https://mmo.aiircdn.com/386/6149975d4b0b8.jpg)](https://www.moreradio.online/news/sussex-news/answers-demanded-following-waste-leak-by-southern-water/?i=kingston-beach-surfers-against-sewage-21&cmdf=southern+water+sewage+300+hours+kingston+beach&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ### A last minute Christmas Tree trip to Spithandle URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/a-last-minute-christmas-tree-trip-to-spithandle/ Last updated: 2024-12-08T14:11:23.000Z Boy, did we leave it late this year. A full week later than usual, and less than a week before Christmas itself, we headed off to our [usual haunt](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/snow-straw-at-spithandle-nursery/) to collect our Christmas tree. By the time we got to [Spithandle Nursery](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/tag/spithandle-nursery/), where we routinely head for our locally-grown Christmas tree, the barn was bare: ![Adam Tinworth in winter clothes in an empty barn](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_0611.jpeg) Selfie without trees It appears the pre-cut trees had been vanishing fast… ![A chalkboard counting down the number of cut trees available. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_5196.jpeg) Never mind, we always pick our own from out in the fields, so off we headed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_5182.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_5183.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_5185.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_5187.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_5188.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_5189.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_5190.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_5191.jpeg) Even there, the trees were a bit thin of the ground. It shouldn't have been a surprise, really. The family who run the place have been doing this for decades now — and they know how many trees they're going to need. Happily, there was one tree left that suited us. ## Giving up on tree life A confession: after years trying to keep the tree alive, we've given up. We just sawed it off this year, rather than put it through the misery of a slow death in our beach back garden. This caused some issues for our eldest, who was uncomfortable with the idea of picking a tree for death. Should we request a few large branches to hand up German-style next year? Perhaps. For now, she was prepared to let us chop down a tree and bring it home. After all, the warmth of the barn, and the complimentary mince pies and drinks awaited… ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_5197.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_5198.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_5199.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_5201.jpeg) Another pony-free year, alas, but at least the girls had goats to be entertained by. After a rather grey day, the sun found its way through the clouds, just as we were bundling the netted tree into the car. We've been doing this for the best part of a decade now, and Christmas wouldn't be quite the same without it. ### Review: Silence in the Age of Noise URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/review-silence-in-the-age-of-noise/ Last updated: 2023-01-16T14:07:59.000Z You’d expect that a book called *Silence* would be about, well, silence, wouldn’t you? While *Silence in the age of noise* certainly explores the idea of silence, it doesn’t focus on the idea in the way you might expect. When we think of silence, we tend to think about an absence of noise; total quiet, if you like. While Erling Kagge takes the time to explore that, he actually dismisses its existence at one point: > I have searched for absolute silence, but never found it. One of my friends made a serious attempt and locked himself into a soundproof room. The room was not only supposed to shut noises in, but it was also impossible to hear any noises from outside. The room was soundless. Or was it? My friend heard sounds inside too. Maybe he imagined them, or maybe it was the blood circulating around his body. I don't know, but I believe that absolute silence exists more as a dream than in reality. So, if we’re not exploring precisely that idea, what actually is the book actually about? The clue is in this passage: > Deep down in the ocean, below the waves and ripples, you can find your internal silence. Standing in the shower, letting the water wash over your head, sitting in front of a crackling fire, swimming across a forest lake or taking a walk over a field: all these can be experiences of perfect stillness too. This is a book about stillness, about quiet, about finding an escape from the endless babble of noise and chaos that is our digital life. And in that moment, find the ability to look inwards again, rather than ever outwards. ## The lost stillness of life I’m old enough to remember being deeply bored during my childhood: in a 70s home, once children’s TV had finished and you’d read all your books, it really was possible to be very, very bored. My children have no real experience of that. Between a great abundance of *stuff*, of toys and books and magazines, and the constant digital delights from their iPads and streaming TV, boredom doesn’t exist in quite the same way. What Kagge actually means by silence in this book is that feeling of stillness, of being alone with your thoughts, rather than coping with the constant input of ideas and work by others into your skull. It’s so easy to avoid just being alone with our own thoughts when we carry little digital distraction devices with us everywhere. Finding a path into a period of time with just ourselves and the natural environment is something we now have to actively seek, as life no longer provides it to us regularly. ## Silence through subtraction And so, this little book is a collection of 33 meditations on the meaning of silence, of quiet and of stillness. And it’s a quest for ways to achieve that. The author has been to great extremes to do it. He’s [a polar adventurer](http://www.explorapoles.org/explorers/profile/kagge%5Ferling?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), but his expeditions were not purely searching for silence, but discovering it was a blessing that emerged unexpectedly from his trip. And he continues to try to find that in his “normal” life. Does he find it? > ”I had to use my legs to go far away in order to discover this, but I now know it is possible to reach silence anywhere. One only need subtract.” And that is the major lesson of the book. I’m about to subtract this book from my life: it was a random borrow from the local library. But there’s enough interesting and intriguing ideas about that quest for calm and stillness in it, that I’m almost certain to return to it at some point. Well worth a read. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2023/01/711n6It3HtL.jpg) #### Silence in the age of noise [Buy on Amazon](https://amzn.to/3ZIEl2j?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ### Snow & Straw at Spithandle Nursery URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/snow-straw-at-spithandle-nursery/ Last updated: 2024-12-08T13:50:38.000Z The trip down Spithandle Lane to Spithandle Nursery was alarming this year. Snow had hit, and ice had formed on the lane itself. I skidded. Briefly the thought “oh no, I can't wreck the new car after less than a year” flashed across your brain, as the car glided, out of control, towards the trees. Luckily, an upbringing in Scotland had prepared me for this. Black ice on the roads up there is something you get used to pretty quickly, and I was able to steer into the skid and regain control quickly. Nerve-wracking for the family, but fine. Rather more cautiously, I got us the rest of the way to a very festive looking Spithandle: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3667.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3668.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3669.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3674.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3675.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3676.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3677.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3678.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3679.jpeg) OK, OK, it's not deep snow, certainly not of the sort I routinely had as a child in Scotland. But it was still distinctly magical for the girls to be hunting for our choice of Christmas tree amongst it. They're Sussex born and bred; snow has not been a big factor in their lives. We picked a tree, and got digging. That helped warm us up, but by the time it was up, we were all feeling the cold. And, of course, the cold made the retreat into the barn for hot chocolate and snacks all the more enjoyable. The woodburner was a luxurious treat, as I warmed my hands on a black coffee, and the girls filled themselves with sugar through big mugs of hot chocolate. If only there was some way they could burn off the energy afterwards… ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3680.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3681.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3685.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3686.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3689.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3690.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3693.jpeg) So, why did I title this post “Snow & Straw”? I'm glad you asked. There might have been a paucity of ponies this year, but there was plenty of straw, and the girls found plenty to do with it… ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3697.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3699.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3700.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3701.jpeg) ![Two girls playing on hay bales at Spithandle Nursery](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3695.jpeg) Cover of the difficult second album… Once the girls had had a bale-full rampage across the straw, we headed off. The sun was fading fast, the temperature dropping, and Spithandle Lane was only going to get more treacherous. Still, it was lovely to finally see Spithandle in the snow… ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3702.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3704.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_3705.jpeg) ### Nature Reads — 21st November 2022 URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/nature-reads-21st-november-2022/ Last updated: 2022-11-21T12:51:55.000Z ## Art & Arkaig At least some people are here because this blog hosts [*Osprey Chat*](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/osprey/)*,* the out-of-season home for chatters from the Loch Arkaig osprey webcam. Well, those of you who fall into that category will love this: it's a family's account of exploring the new art trail in the area… [Jacobites, Brownies, Forest Art and if your lucky - a fig roll — Itsmosblog - an appetite for LochaberYou absolutely do not need children to help you enjoy the delights of the Arkaig Forest Art trail. However, the fun level is somewhat raised if you get to explore with spirited and determined ones so I blagged my way in with the project map illustrator who is in first year at the High School and hi![](https://assets.squarespace.com/universal/default-favicon.ico)Itsmosblog - an appetite for Lochabermorag aitken![](http://static1.squarespace.com/static/59db9c7f18b27de5f1fee502/t/635e5f414fd8302e389340f1/1667129167584/607A5E9C-851A-4AA4-A388-3D1F42E72E9D.jpeg?format=1500w)](https://www.itsmosblog.scot/blog/2022/10/30/guz9hy7ahzjd0q67bli4klu5xm0h57?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) If you're more interested in general nature and wildlife, this is a simply beautiful gallery: [View 16 Breathtaking Images From the Nature Conservancy’s Annual Photo ContestThe winning shots feature everything from glowing mushrooms to sauntering lions![](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/static/smithsonianmag/img/Smithsonianmagazine_apple_touch_icon.png)Smithsonian MagazineSmithsonian Magazine![](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/Q_xxU2opDVQl32Rcrz_bP283rw0=/fit-in/1600x0/filters:focal(2000x1124:2001x1125)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/55/9d/559d6879-c91b-4b51-b7a6-43e7b4dde34e/hm_wildlife_jenny_zhao.jpg)](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/view-16-breathtaking-images-from-the-nature-conservancys-annual-photo-contest-180980897/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Nature People This is an interesting profile of [Mya-Rose Craig](https://www.birdgirluk.com/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), a young woman who was introduced to the joy of nature by her parents, and has turned that into a career as a campaigner and now author. *This* is why I devote so much time to taking my girls out into nature. [How birdwatching, mental health and activism come together.How birdwatching, mental health and activism come together.![](https://fivemedia.com/wp-content/themes/new5media/www/img/favicons/apple-touch-icon.png)5 Media![](https://fivemedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/fivemedia-article-birdgirl-landingpage-credit-kate-peters.jpg)](https://fivemedia.com/interview/birdgirl-finding-solace-in-the-skies/?utm%5Fsource=sendinblue&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=meet-birdgirl-newsletter) --- 🌅 The Wildlife Trusts are running an online event on the political attack on Nature. It's on Tuesday 22nd November at 7pm — that's tomorrow at the time of writing. You can [sign up at their site](https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/events/2022-11-22-wild-live-attackonnature?utm%5Fsource=Wild+LIVE+master+list&utm%5Fcampaign=7383ebf855-EMAIL%5FCAMPAIGN%5FWildLIVE%5FSOLUS%5FNov22&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5Fa48d31e7f5-7383ebf855-151719799). --- ## Nature Writing A lovely and appropriately wintery piece of short nature writing: [GhostsA stream of consciousness regarding warden life in Landmannalaugar, Iceland.![](https://u.jimcdn.com/cms/o/sc857bc7701d7e534/img/favicon.ico?t=1394098658)Feathery Travels![](https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/image/transf/dimension=4000x3000:format=jpg/path/sc857bc7701d7e534/image/i4bebf9053f154864/version/1661382028/ghosts.jpg)](https://www.featherytravels.com/fjallabakghosts/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) The US magazine *The Atlantic* recently opened up huge swathes of its archives on the web. Amongst the gems there are the [early writing](https://www.theatlantic.com/author/john-muir/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) of [John Muir](https://www.johnmuirtrust.org/about-us/about-john-muir?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), the Scots boy who emigrated to the US, and became the leading voice in the early conservation movement. Some real gems in here: [John MuirThe Atlantic covers news, politics, culture, technology, health, and more, through its articles, podcasts, videos, and flagship magazine.![](https://cdn.theatlantic.com/tng/static/theatlantic/img/lacroix/apple-touch-icon-ipad-retina.398a2c61e146.png)The AtlanticJohn Muir![](https://cdn.theatlantic.com/media/None/NPG_65_79_Muir_R_preview/original.jpg)](https://www.theatlantic.com/author/john-muir/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Best of Twitter Well, I don't know how long this will last, given what new owner [Elon Musk is doing to Twitter](https://onemanandhisblog.com/2022/11/what-todays-twitter-layoffs-could-mean-for-journalists/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), but here's some lovely images from the White-Tailed Eagle translocation project. > Some superb photos of White-tailed Eagles G405 and G471 who have paired up in the Arun valley in West Sussex. They are still only two years old, but this is very encouraging for the future. [@SeaEagleEngland](https://twitter.com/SeaEagleEngland?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) [https://t.co/5WGO3EhzuD](https://t.co/5WGO3EhzuD?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > — Roy Dennis Foundation (@RoyDennisWF) [November 1, 2022](https://twitter.com/RoyDennisWF/status/1587381783351500800?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) Should I be thinking about setting up a Mastodon server just for outdoors and osprey types? Thoughts, anyone? ## Video Corner Avian Flu has the been the bane of British wildlife over the past couple of years. Here's an update from the RSPB as to how one reserve is managing it. And talking of banes to wildlife, the very short-lived Truss premiership in the UK communicated a real sense that protections on nature were about to be rolled back by political and financial ideology. The UK's conservation organisations united like never before in opposition to this, and that passion continues now Truss is gone: ## And finally… A bird's eye view of a castle that inspire Disney. This is shot from a 360° camera mounted on an eagle — so you can actually look around as you play through the video. It's quite something: [\[Via PetaPixel](https://petapixel.com/2022/11/03/eagle-camera-captures-360-view-over-iconic-castle-that-inspired-disney/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)\] ### The conservation charity crunch is coming URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/the-conservation-charity-crunch-is-coming/ Last updated: 2024-06-02T20:21:02.000Z We’re sailing into stormy economic waters. And the first big waves are hitting our bow. As people and companies pull back on discretionary spending, companies and charities begin to struggle. And the signs are all there. The [2 Minute Foundation](https://beachclean.net/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), hub of the #2minutebeachclean movement I’ve [written about repeatedly](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/tag/2minutebeachclean/) here, is struggling. Their new CEO, Nicky Green, [sent this out a few weeks ago](https://2minutebeachcleanblog.wordpress.com/2022/05/30/a-request-for-help/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com): > We have never asked for money, and we vowed that we never would, but times have changed and we really need you. I know that this is not an easy ask. The team and I understand the current cost of living rises and the impact that Covid is still having on many of us. But we also know what 2 Minute can do. And we want to carry on working together with you to save our beautiful planet. Their funding troubles were at an existential crisis point, and more money was needed. As [Nicky Green](https://www.instagram.com/nicky2minutehq/?hl=en&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) wrote: > We don’t just want to be a number on a list of charities that couldn’t make it through the pandemic, in the hangover from a turbulent 2021, with delayed programmes and lack of funding. We want to be here for you, for the long run. And then this arrived yesterday: > It’s with a very heavy heart that we have to cancel the weekly drop-in 2 Minute Beach School sessions from 1st July. You will know by now about our critical financial position and unfortunately, we have had to rethink our education model following the funding that we originally received from The National Lottery back in 2020. While this doesn’t affect us directly, as we live too far from Cornwall to participate in [the live sessions](https://beachclean.net/education?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), it did sadden me, as the [online Beach Schools](https://beachclean.net/education?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com#videosection) were part of our family lockdown experience. Income for the 2 Minute Foundation *is* picking up — but hard choices are clearly having to be made. As last weekend’s newsletter said: > Thank you for the donations already received since our first ask in May! We are bowled over by the positive response but we still really need your help. If you haven't yet donated and think you could, or if there is anything else you can do to help then please get in touch. ## The Creature Candy runs out On the same day that the Beach School news arrived, I got this from [Creature Candy](https://www.creaturecandy.co.uk/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), a company whose websites’ articles have occasionally featured on my even more occasional round-up of interesting nature reads: > As you know, Creature Candy has been struggling to keep its head afloat for many months now, mainly due to the impacts of covid. What with people buying less, our stockists closing and the rising costs of, well everything, we’ve been making a huge loss for many months. The worry and stress of this has made me very poorly and I simply cannot continue this way. Unlike the 2 Minute Foundation, Creature Candy is a commercial business, but one which donates 10% of its sales to various charities. And those charities will be getting less money in future: > I therefore wanted to let you know that I am in the process of scaling the business down dramatically and from August will only be selling prints and cards, and our new t-shirts through the website Teemill. That means that their range of mugs, jugs, notebooks and more will be gone, once the current stock is sold. I’m glad they’re continuing with the prints. I have one of them, nicely framed, in my study: ![A puffin print from Creature Candy, on a messy bookcase](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/06/6661FF6E-FEA1-4562-B926-A14D22AEE63B_1_201_a.jpeg) A puffin print from Creature Candy And right now, they’ve got some nature celebrity-signed prints for sale, if you’re a fan of, say, [Chris Packham](https://www.creaturecandy.co.uk/celebrity-signed-prints/chris-packham-signed-tiger-print?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), [Megan McCubbin](https://www.creaturecandy.co.uk/megan-mccubbin?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), [Adam Henson](https://www.creaturecandy.co.uk/adam-henson?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) or even [Lorraine Kelly](https://www.creaturecandy.co.uk/lorraine-kelly?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)… But it’s clear that tomorrow’s Creature Candy will be a smaller operation than today’s. ## Making smart choices with money We’re all facing difficult choices. Energy prices are shooting up, taking inflation with it. Most countries are suffering a cost-of-living crisis, but the UK is facing a particularly tough hit, for various reasons that I won’t go into here. That means we all face a choice with what to do with our money — and what we support. And so, I’m trying to be as intentional as possible. I’m now making [a regular donation](https://2minute.org/donate?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) to the 2 Minute Foundation, and have just bought myself a couple of badly needed [t-shirts from their store](https://2minute.teemill.com/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). This is all reminding me of two years ago, when I was making difficult choices about where my diminishing income was going to go, to try to support local businesses that I wanted to still be there post-pandemic. Happily, my income is a little more robust currently (although I’m making some moves to protect that for the next little while), and so I have more flexibility. But I’m hoping to get the whole family on board in making sure that we’re buying as much as we can in a way that supports the life we want: goods from companies and charities that prioritise nature, the environment and sustainability. I may have used up a good chunk of my three score years and 10, but my daughters hopefully have many, many decades of living ahead of them. Being mindful about whom we chose to support with our time and money is an investment in their future, as well as that of the organisations we choose to support. I suspect many of us will be facing these sorts of choices in the coming months. ### Beautiful solar, inspirational Goodall and Cornwall goes down the drain… URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/beautiful-solar-inspirational-goodall-and-cornwall-goes-down-the-drain/ Last updated: 2023-11-29T23:22:29.000Z There are days and weeks where the news about our natural environment seems unrelentingly bleak. Let's not finish the week on a low note. Here's some good reading and viewing for you that's either positive, inspirational or, at the very least, offers solutions to the problems it highlights. Enjoy — and do let me know what you think. ## The beauty of solar glamorous It's clear we need new ways of powering our civilisations — but so many of the renewable solutions are perceived as, well, ugly. We have a big wind farm offshore from where we live, but I find it both generally unobtrusive, and actually quite attractive when I can see it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/05/IMG_9237.jpeg) There's a wind farm in this photo — if you look carefully. One photographer has set out to prove just how beautiful major solar power farms can be: [The Solar Power SeriesIn a single hour, the amount of power from the sun that strikes the Earth is more than the entire world consumes in a year. Having this in mind, renewable energy sources could be the key to combating climate change.![](https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5fb173c4176306108ceab3b2/600850f8acc8b612be450454_Frame%202.png)Tom Hegen logo![](https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5fb173c4176306108ceab3b2/61f9a1c94a670e6c6f5ee61d_N%C2%B0TSOPOS_05.jpg)](https://www.tomhegen.com/collections/the-solar-power-series?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) \[via [Kottke](https://kottke.org/22/04/aerial-photos-of-vast-solar-farms?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)\] ## Is the octopus something we should farm? Short answer: no. Longer answer? That's what this piece is. Here's a sample: > Stress is an inevitable consequence of farming intelligent but sensitive animals like octopus. Their sensitive natures mean they prefer a solitary existence. Force them into large-scale commercial operations with shared accommodation and they are likely to turn to cannibalism. Of course, they're not just *sensitive*, they're *sentient*. [Octopus farm: The future we want? - OceanographicGran Canaria is planning to open the world’s first commercial octopus farm. Is this the future we want or need?![](https://www.oceanographicmagazine.com/wp-content/themes/oceanographic/assets/images/favicon.png)OceanographicHenley Spiers![](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/oceanographic/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/16092351/swanson-chan-mE2910xgR3A-unsplash-scaled.jpg)](https://www.oceanographicmagazine.com/features/octopus-farm/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## The inspirational Jane Goodall Jane Goodall may be the most famous campaigner for nature we have. Her decades-long work with chimpanzees has metamorphosed in recent years to more general campaigning for our ecosystems. This interview draws some lovely ideas from her: > Hope is connected to determination, and action. I’ve decided after writing the book that the human race is at the mouth of a long dark tunnel and right at the end of that tunnel is a little star of light and that’s hope. But we don’t just sit at the mouth of the tunnel and hope that that star will come to illuminate us. We have to gird our loins, as the Bible says. We have to crawl under, climb over, and work our way around all the massive obstacles like climate change, and the loss of biodiversity, until we reach it. Let's keep fighting towards that hope. [Jane Goodall: “Change starts within”The tireless climate activist on how to inspire people to action.![](https://fivemedia.com/wp-content/themes/new5media/www/img/favicons/apple-touch-icon.png)Jane Goodall: “Change starts within”![](https://fivemedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/5media-jane-goodall-interview-image5-credit-EPA_Enric-Fontcuberta.jpg)](https://fivemedia.com/interview/jane-goodall-change-starts-within/??ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Swimmers against sewage This is both depressing and a real health hazard if you're a wild swimmer: > Latest reports show that water companies are barely starting to get to grips with the scale of the sewage pollution problem. The Environment Agency last week shared the statistics showing how much raw sewage was released in England in 2021 - 2.66 million hours overall on 372,533 occasions. It will take years to deal with our neglected sewage infrastructure, so river swimming will remain more hazardous than it should. Luckily, *Outdoor Swimmer* has some suggestions on how to protect yourself: [Stats show we’re treading water on sewage pollution: here’s what you can do to stay safe and take actionRecent reports show the extent of the damage water companies are doing to our rivers. Here’s how you can keep safe and take action.![](https://outdoorswimmer.com/android-chrome-192x192.png)Outdoor Swimmer![](https://outdoorswimmer.com/assets/site/_medium/636e2400-861a-4ca4-87da-3c0f6439a462.JPG)](https://outdoorswimmer.com/news/sewage-stats-show-were-treading-water-on-sewage-pollution-heres-what-you-can-do-to-stay-safe?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ## Bogs Bogs are not what you call glamorous landscape — but they're vital, and here's why: ## Beavers Slipping under my radar, and maybe yours, was the fast that International Beaver Day was last month. Here's a good summary of the UK state of play with beaver re-introduction: [Bring Back the Beaver — Creature CandyBy Alana Scott.![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54568279e4b0fa3f2acee557/1428785451808-7718RBU91OYKB03XOHXR/favicon.ico?format=100w)Creature CandyBig Fundraiser for Wildlife![](http://static1.squarespace.com/static/54568279e4b0fa3f2acee557/54cd767be4b023725200068c/624d6b4d18e3436df81051d1/1649241162351/svetozar-cenisev-xtio6I1hlQM-unsplash.jpg?format=1500w)](https://www.creaturecandy.co.uk/blog-creature-candy/2021/4/27/bring-back-the-beaver-yb9mn?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) At the end of last month, the Beaver Trust released a new film about river buffers, which beavers help create. Here's the screening: ## Cornwall: Down the Drain Talking of premieres, the latest in the *Cornwall's Climate Stories* series has its first showing online a couple of weeks ago. If you watch this straight after the one above, you'll notice plenty of themes in common. We really do need to rethink how we treat our rivers: My youngest watched most of it with me — not bad for a six year old! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/05/tempImagekGQsmn.gif) --- ## Watch: The Longest Line We haven't done much on walking, which is ironic given the name of this site. So, here a walking film. What's it like doing the longest linear walk in the UK? Find out in this short movie: --- ## And, finally, one from me… Looking back to Easter, which seems like a long time ago now. [Good Friday on Shoreham BeachAn unexpected hour by the sea is a rare and precious gift, especially on a glorious Good Friday.![](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/favicon.png)Walking With DaddyAdam![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/04/D094F78E-6307-45C7-9525-18293737E1A1.jpeg)](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/good-friday-on-shoreham-beach/) Have a great week, all. Let's hope the weather holds. ### Good Friday on Shoreham Beach URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/good-friday-on-shoreham-beach/ Last updated: 2022-06-21T15:43:05.000Z Quiet time to myself down by the sea is a rare and precious resource right now. I cling to my daughter’s midweek piano lessons because I get to spend 20 minutes reading and drinking coffee down by the harbour arm. > I love this time on a Wednesday. > > ![](https://micro.blog/photos/1000x/https%3A%2F%2Fmicroblog.onemanandhisblog.com%2Fuploads%2F2022%2Fb32e175e19.jpg) > > Adam Tinworth [https://microblog.onemanandhisblog.com/2022/03/23/i-love-this.html](https://microblog.onemanandhisblog.com/2022/03/23/i-love-this.html?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) The first part of the year is traditionally my quietest, as clients procrastinate about training or consultancy until the new financial year arrives. Not this year. Work starting flowing early, and it’s kept coming, allowing me a glimpse of hope that I might be able to leave behind the financially precarious years of the pandemic. But, when you’re self-employed, you have no-one to delegate to, so you have to handle the work yourself. Time to escape and relax in nature has been rare. ### A quick beach escape However, it’s Easter, and my daughters went to an event at our local church. And that left me a *whole free hour*. Of course, I could have just headed home. Or I could have packed my iPad and worked on the beach. But no, I packed a coffee and a book, and I decided to just relax. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/04/A75F7FBB-58EC-4365-A113-12A7E4779B82.jpeg) I was far from alone. Even though it was relatively early on Good Friday, people were already making themselves at home on the beach. The church is just far enough away from the main entrances to the beach that the day trippers weren’t there yet — but the anglers and some swimmers were already there. I settled myself into a nook in the rocks, poured a coffee, and tried not to think about work. OK, I admit, I couldn’t quite stop myself from taking some photos. But I do enjoy that, and I did get the best part of a chapter down before it was time to head back and collect the girls and their Easter gardens. The scenery helps. Oh, does the scenery help. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/04/2B83C638-9516-41C2-8058-E10AF0EC7187.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/04/2DF92485-D082-4E4F-ADE2-264AE510D52B.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/04/9FCB2295-E767-4FCE-8267-C4DEDBE9AB0B.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/04/1BAA6866-340C-4928-B7B2-4E2B42E8C10F.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/04/E71B67B1-9991-463D-9A86-55E5A4F79A42.jpeg) ### What's SUP, Doc? Special mention must go to Shoreham’s standup paddle board community. There’s something just delightful about watching them just drift by on a still sea that just encourages quiet relaxation. I’ve never felt tempted by SUPing as an activity before, but I think this might have tipped me over the edge. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/04/8C0FCE43-2257-4327-8089-A5B416D370DC.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/04/6EB3BB17-E825-4828-8EC5-6E385E6EE82E.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/04/5FD73F8D-03BB-4786-BC7F-5B833202FC82.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/04/E9B59259-1D88-4618-9D4E-FFB7F2477771.jpeg) A lovely time, and I was away before the beach hordes arrived. Perfect. ### Weekend Nature Reads: the “good news, bad news” edition URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/weekend-nature-reads-the-good-news-bad-news-edition/ Last updated: 2022-04-03T13:55:05.000Z Sadly, this week's selection of reading is a bit of a roller-coaster, with some good news and some very bad news. I'll leave you with good stuff, though. I promise --- ## Where's there's insight, there's hope For anyone interested in ecosystem renewal in the UK, the clash between the shooting industry and the conservation volunteers has been a constant point of disquiet. The two sides seem unable to find any compromise. In that context, this article from someone deeply involved in shooting, is [an unexpected read](https://shoothub.gunsonpegs.com/articles/shoot-owners/what-does-the-future-hold-for-shooting?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com): > The release of sixty million game birds is a greater biomass than that of all the other British birds. It is a vast number. We must cut back to a number that is both equal to the demand for dead game and beneficial rather than damaging to the environment. Found via the Wild Justice newsletter, which is well worth a subscribe: [Newsletter - Wild JusticeGet in touch and find out how you can help Wild Justice do more for the environment![](https://wildjustice.org.uk/favicon.ico)Wild Justice![](https://wildjustice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/environmental-nonprofit-31.jpg)](https://wildjustice.org.uk/newsletter/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ## The fish are suffocating This is a depressing and alarming read. The ocean is being deoxygenated by climate change, and that has horrible consequences for marine life. It's a reminder of why “climate change” is a better phrase than “global warming”, as the impacts are more complex and systemic than the latter phrase implies. [The Ocean Is Having Trouble BreathingA drop in oxygen levels is putting ocean ecosystems on life support.![](https://assets.nautil.us/sites/3/nautilus/favicon.png?auto=compress&fit=fit&fm=jpg&h=192&w=192)Nautilus | Science Connected![](https://assets.nautil.us/sites/3/nautilus/Aguirre_HERO.png?auto=compress&fm=png)](https://nautil.us/the-ocean-is-having-trouble-breathing-15789/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## But the Kelp is coming back It's all too easy to slip into something of a despair spiral when reading about nature news. However, once in a while there is some genuine good news and, excitingly, this good news is happening very close to where I live. Just over a year ago, bottom-towed trawling was banned in a cluster of areas just off the Sussex coast. The region is being closely monitored to see if the kelp beds start to recover (spoilers: they are), and if that leads to an increase of fish and other species. Now, read on: [Sussex Kelp Anniversary | Sussex Wildlife Trust![](https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/assets/icons/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png)Sussex Wildlife Trust![](https://dnu7gk7p9afoo.cloudfront.net/kelpscreenshot1-w800h600.jpg)](https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/news/sussex-kelp-anniversary?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) Yes, this is *absolutely* good news, even if it's somewhat provisional. But here's a video exploring it in much more detail: --- ## The plastic in us How many banned chemicals could be found in the body of a heavily pregnant woman? Too many, as this video makes clear. (Told you that this was going to be a roller-coaster of good and bad news.) --- ## Good news chasers Let's finish with some good news. First up, walking is *really* good for you — especially in middle age. And yes, there's science behind it: [Why walking is the best midlife exerciseCould a daily walk be even better for our health than we thought? Scientists have discovered some remarkable benefits — several new studies show that walking no![](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/d/img/icons/icon_1_5x-a13ee0bf9a.png)The TimesPeta Bee![](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/imageserver/image/%2Fmethode%2Ftimes%2Fprod%2Fweb%2Fbin%2Fdbf787aa-a6ab-11ec-8cae-f1e364cbbd1a.jpg?crop=1600%2C900%2C0%2C0&resize=1200)](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/why-walking-is-the-best-midlife-exercise-lbjzccwh9?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fcampaign=newsletter25%5F03&utm%5Fmedium=email) Looks like I'm helping myself as much as my girls by dragging them out for walks… And could you imagine going for a walk, and coming across this incredible hiking lodge, designed by the architect Gaudí, better known for his work in Barcelona? [A Strange Abandoned Hiking Lodge No One Knew was Designed by Gaudi HimselfThe world’s greatest artists aren’t supposed to have their work overlooked or unattributed, but it happens more than you might think. In museums, private collections, and public spaces, there is a myriad of artworks that remain unidentified. It took years for a total of nine Van Gogh ‘fakes’ painted…![](https://static.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/cropped-cropped-siteicon2-270x270.jpg)Messy Nessy ChicLouisa Mahoney![](https://static.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/tumblr_n1tlgvdAmS1rxgoj1o1_1280.jpg)](https://www.messynessychic.com/2021/07/15/a-strange-abandoned-hiking-lodge-no-one-knew-was-designed-by-gaudi-himself/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) I think visiting that just went on my bucket list… --- ## Cold views for a cold weekend Those of you in the UK will know how unseasonably bitter it's been for the last couple of days. Well, it's a good excuse to look at this stunning photography from an expedition in the Cairngorms. [blue skies and snow blankets - Rachel SarahThe sky is becoming a little less blue, minute by minute, as the vibe from bluebird day begins to change. As we head down the clouds begin to roll in, whipping up the snow around us and pushing us sideways as we head back down to the car park, the view of Loch Morlich still visible through dancing p…![](https://rachelsarahmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cropped-410A0154-2-e1563083570504-270x270.jpg)Rachel Sarahrachelsarahm![](https://rachelsarahmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/DSC07203-Edit.jpg)](https://rachelsarahmedia.com/elementor-6274/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) Let's hope next week brings us an excuse for more spring-like content… ## And finally… Some gentle boat action from the harbour near me: ### Weekend Nature Reads: the spring is here edition URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/weekend-nature-reads-the-spring-is-here-edition/ Last updated: 2022-03-20T19:30:25.000Z Happy Rewilding Day! Yes, this Sunday is the second annual day celebrating rewilding — a vital tool in our armoury to fight climate change and restore our ecosystems, but one which is often ill-understood. Or, perhaps, [wilfully mischaracterised…](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-10379655/JANET-STREET-PORTER-Rewilding-fad-Toffs-turn-land-theme-park-wilderness.html?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) Here's a couple of great articles explaining *why* rewilding is so important, and what it brings to the world. The first is more of a general explainer on the subject: [World Rewilding Day 2022 | This is #WhyWeRewild![](https://rewildingeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/RE-favicon3.png)Rewilding Europe![](https://rewildingeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/cropped-iStock-1303831455-small.jpg)](https://rewildingeurope.com/world-rewilding-day/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) Whereas this piece from Rewilding Britain gives you seven very specific reasons why it matters: [Why rewilding is a story of hopeAs we celebrate the second annual World Rewilding Day on 20 March 2022, we share seven reasons #WhyWeRewild.![](https://www.rewildingbritain.org.uk/dist/img/favicon-96x96.4ff28bf3.png)Rewilding Britain![](https://rewildingbritain.imgix.net/images/Loch-Beinn-aMheadhoin-in-Glen-Affric-Scotland-c-scotlandbigpicture.com.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=rewildingbritain.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=630&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&usm=20&w=1200)](https://www.rewildingbritain.org.uk/blog/why-rewilding-is-a-story-of-hope?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ## Why do we love being in nature? Is a love of being outdoors in our genes? Research suggests that, yes, it is — in part, at least. It's a wee bit more complicated than just being born to it, though: [Why do we love the great outdoors? New research shows part of the answer is in our genesOur feelings about nature depend on lots of factors, but a new study shows our genes are one of the most important.![](https://cdn.theconversation.com/static/tc/@theconversation/ui/dist/esm/logos/web-app-logo-192x192-2d05bdd6de6328146de80245d4685946.png)The ConversationBrenda Lin![](https://images.theconversation.com/files/444183/original/file-20220203-23-1ny65kx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C8%2C2218%2C1109&q=45&auto=format&w=1356&h=668&fit=crop)](https://theconversation.com/why-do-we-love-the-great-outdoors-new-research-shows-part-of-the-answer-is-in-our-genes-175995?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## The curse of the vampire plants… I really enjoyed this article when I read it in the print *Countryfile* magazine and so was delighted to find that they'd put it on the website for you to enjoy for free. You'll never quite look at a meadow in the same way again, I promise you. [Guide to the UK’s parasitic meadow plantsFind out which of our cherished meadow flowers are secret vampires, thriving in a seemingly tranquil British grassland.![](https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/22/2018/06/favicon_0-717323b.gif?quality=90&resize=192,192)Countryfile.comAmanda Tuke![](https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/22/2022/02/0429968-5578600.jpeg?quality=45&resize=620,413)](https://www.countryfile.com/wildlife/parasitical-plants-of-the-british-meadows/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Bothy life Once, a very long time ago, as a teenager in the Cairngorms with my school-friends, I had to sit out a whiteout in a bothy, and I've been quietly obsessed by them since. It's been decades since I've been in one, but this piece makes me want to rectify that. [bothy nights - Rachel SarahMichael falls asleep at about half past seven. I doze and wake and doze and wake. I’m pretty sure I heard a ghost at one point but it was probably the wind. I wonder whether I’d feel comfortable staying in a bothy alone. I’m unsure. I’ll stay in the van alone, I’ll camp alone, I’ll bivvy alone. But…![](https://rachelsarahmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cropped-410A0154-2-e1563083570504-270x270.jpg)Rachel Sarahrachelsarahm![](https://rachelsarahmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC05734-scaled.jpg)](https://rachelsarahmedia.com/bothy-nights/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/03/C30D6DC7-DA73-4C95-8DE6-86587C11D59F.jpeg) My best-ever [hagstone](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/hagstones-the-seas-beautiful-gift/) find on a morning beach walk! --- ## Long reads Two stories to enjoy with a tasty beverage. ### Climate change will claim Waikiki Beach Just being one of the most famous places in the world isn't enough to save you from climate change. People are working desperately to save Hawaii's internationally renowned Waikiki Beach — but they're likely to fail. A glimpse into the future of many coastal communities: [The Battle to Save Waikiki BeachHawaii’s most iconic beach is quickly becoming a poster child for why it’s so hard to adapt to a changing climate.![](https://www.politico.com/android-chrome-192x192.png)POLITICOThe Magic Feather Effect: The Science of Alternative Medicine and the Surprising Power of Belief![](https://static.politico.com/8d/7c/dc0fe5234dba9b7958840ca89e90/warner.Hawaii-Lede.jpg)](https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/01/28/waikiki-hawaii-beach-climate-change-525266?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ### Fighting for nature's future Sometimes, when you're in a little online bubble of nature-friendly people, it's easy to forget how many people have very different views. The latest [loss of a white-tailed eagle](https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2022/03/15/police-investigate-after-sudden-death-of-white-tailed-eagle-on-isle-of-wight/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) is a brutal reminder of that reality. This piece from the *Inkcap Journal* shows that this resistance is not new: > When I started at Haweswater in 2013, I was blissfully unaware of just how controversial the RSPB’s newfound hill farming role was. I soon had my awakening. Within a few months into the job, the local MP, a neighbouring estate, farming representatives and others made it abundantly clear how highly they valued the **status quo*, and how little they wanted us to be a part of it. But there's both hope and success to be found in the piece: [A Future For The LakesWhat if nature had time to recover?![](https://www.inkcapjournal.co.uk/favicon.png)Inkcap JournalInkcap Journal![](https://www.inkcapjournal.co.uk/content/images/2022/02/Woodland-vignette-1.jpg)](https://www.inkcapjournal.co.uk/a-future-for-the-lakes/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/03/B90F2AB1-C311-40BD-ACF4-99B4FA8073AD.jpeg) Anyone recognise these birds? They were happy to wander around Hazel and I down by the harbour arm. --- ## Osprey time! A week ago, people were starting to eagerly await the arrival of migrating ospreys, back in the UK to breed: > Two weeks till last year's arrival date. The osps will have set off by now from west Africa. Spring migration is usually quite rapid. One bird from Rutland once made it home from Senegal in just 16 days. Fingers crossed that they're OK and have fair winds. [pic.twitter.com/8ZsxgRA4Ue](https://t.co/8ZsxgRA4Ue?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > — Foulshaw Ospreys (@Foulshaw2) [March 13, 2022](https://twitter.com/Foulshaw2/status/1502993298574778372?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) Well, they're back. Or, at least three of the know birds are. This is my osprey newsletter from last week, and a new one will be going out tomorrow. [Osprey season 2022 is underwayWith an Osprey spotted at Loch of the Lowes, the breeding season is clearly upon us.![](https://ospreys.net/favicon.png)UK Osprey NewsAdam![](https://ospreys.net/content/images/2022/03/BB0244D9-87A5-4984-8CD6-7F240583B2FC.jpeg)](https://ospreys.net/osprey-season-2022-is-underway/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) You can [sign up here](https://ospreys.net/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com#/portal/signup), if you're interested. --- ## One to watch Let's finish on a high note this week. This is a beautifully-shot and inspiring short documentary: ### White Tailed Eagles in Dorset, and MP Chris Loder’s odd tweets URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/white-tail-eagles-in-dorset-and-mp-chris-loders-odd-tweets/ Last updated: 2024-06-02T20:19:35.000Z As a bit of a raptor fan, living on the south coast is a disadvantage. We don't have many big raptors in our area, and we'd have to be lucky to catch, say, an osprey on migration. And so, it's tremendously exciting for us as a family to know that there are two local projects — the [Isle of Wight White Tailed Eagle reintroduction scheme](https://www.forestryengland.uk/news/first-white-tailed-eagles-released-conservation-project-set-return-lost-species-england?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), and the [Poole Harbour Osprey translocation project](https://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/osprey/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) — bringing these magnificent birds to southern England. Both projects had a good year in 2021, but 2022 has started with bad news for the sea eagles: > [#LatestNews](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LatestNews?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) – APPEAL – Sadly, two of the [@SeaEagleEngland](https://twitter.com/SeaEagleEngland?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) Isle of Wight reintroduced white-tailed eagles have recently been recovered dead on multi-agency operations in the south of England including one in Dorset. See full details below. [pic.twitter.com/MowL4RhBHz](https://t.co/MowL4RhBHz?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > — Dorset Police (@dorsetpolice) [February 10, 2022](https://twitter.com/dorsetpolice/status/1491714226540490758?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) Now, at the time of writing we don't know how they died. But the idea of “multi-agency operations” suggests that they *might* have been intentionally killed. This has been a big problem in Scotland, to the point where the Scottish government has been [increasing penalties for raptor persecution](https://blogs.gov.scot/rural-environment/2020/08/13/action-on-raptor-persecution-and-wildlife-crime/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). Most right-thinking people would be shocked that it's spread to England, too. But not, curiously, one Dorset MP. Rather than expressing his horror at the death of these protected birds, he leapt to… tell the police to stay out of it…? ## Loder's loaded Tweets > Dorset is not the place for eagles to be reintroduced. I’m not challenging government for more money for Dorset so it goes on this. I don’t condone this at all, but I want [@dorsetpolice](https://twitter.com/dorsetpolice?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) to focus on [#countylines](https://twitter.com/hashtag/countylines?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) rather than spend time and resources on this. [https://t.co/F3D3VCZPmN](https://t.co/F3D3VCZPmN?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > — Chris Loder MP (@chrisloder) [February 10, 2022](https://twitter.com/chrisloder/status/1491921150372421637?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) Now, first of all, let's look at the obvious problem with his tweet: these birds are **not** being reintroduced to Dorset — they're being reintroduced into the Isle of Wight. They're going to stray over to his county, sure — but these birds fly a *long* way. They can range the length of the country — and we already have sea eagles in Scotland. They will, eventually, spread on their own. Also, it's slightly odd for a law-maker to be calling for crimes to be ignored… Perhaps Loder is following his party leader, PM Boris Johnson, in [treating laws as rather optional](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/02/19/boris-johnson-set-among-first-learn-fate-partygate-investigation/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). ## The WCO strikes back More to the point, does he not realise that the police have specific people dedicated to wildlife crime? It's not the same people who are working on, say, drug crime. They're not pulling local bobbies off the beat to investigate raptor killings. It's specialist [Wildlife Crime Officers](https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/policy-insight/working-with-the-law/investigating-wild-bird-crime/wildlife-crime-officers/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) (WCOs). Still, he's probably aware now: > A Sgt totted up all my unclaimed hours in last few years =£25K. Didn't claim a penny. I've run courses for staff in house saving thousands. Some past raptor cases in UK had insecure loaded firearms located. Insecure firearms can & have been stolen & used in crime. [#WCOs](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WCOs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) volunteer > > — Dorset Police Rural Crime Team (@RuralCrimeTeam) [February 11, 2022](https://twitter.com/RuralCrimeTeam/status/1492066631085957135?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Fake News from Mr Loder However, Loder chose to double down with a tweet showing white tailed eagles taking lambs, illustrated with three photos: > Fancy a view back to the Middle Ages ? Fancy a jot of lore rather than contemporary science ? Fancy an idiotic dose of vile propaganda ? Fancy an overdose of antiquated ignorance ? Here you go . . . [https://t.co/Ev6brxiJm5](https://t.co/Ev6brxiJm5?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > — Chris Packham (@ChrisGPackham) [February 11, 2022](https://twitter.com/ChrisGPackham/status/1492263933138382858?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) The problem? Two of the photos were *staged*. They're not real: > Classic example of misinformation here, two of the images are set up captive shots used without the photographers permission. Prime example of a premiere cockwomble MP trying to further a pointless message. [https://t.co/bPqaspsExk](https://t.co/bPqaspsExk?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > — The Bearded Tit's Podcast (@TitBearded) [February 12, 2022](https://twitter.com/TitBearded/status/1492435755054120960?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) And that's been confirmed by the original photographer: > As the photographer behind two of these images, I’d recommend you establish the circumstances before using them as evidence. Both are staged for an editorial story using a captive eagle and a dead lamb. Just so you know. > > — Peter Cairns (@PCairnsPhoto) [February 11, 2022](https://twitter.com/PCairnsPhoto/status/1492231786528706565?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Will sea eagles eat lambs? The third photo — the flying eagle one — is genuine. And it's source is this *Sky News* article: [Sea eagle seizes lamb and carries it off in ScotlandThe sea eagle is an impressive specimen, boasting a wingspan of up to eight feet and a beak capable of causing serious damage.![](https://news.sky.com/resources/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png?v=2&bypass-service-worker)SkySky![](https://e3.365dm.com/19/05/1600x900/skynews-sea-eagle-carries-off-lamb_4664465.jpg?20190510125652)](https://news.sky.com/story/sea-eagle-seizes-lamb-and-carries-it-off-in-scotland-11716231?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) But it's interesting to note that even the photographer saw how unusual this was: > "We then realised it was a lamb — and I rattled off a load of shots. **The bird was struggling**. It is the most extraordinary sight have had so far." *(Emphasis mine.)* A lamb is on the top end of the prey range for a sea eagle. They're opportunist hunters, who often eat fish (the *sea* in their name is a clue…), small birds or carrion. There's some evidence to support them [taking lambs in Scotland](https://www.countryfile.com/news/white-tailed-eagles-found-dead/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), though: > While most studies have suggested that they take very few lambs (less than 2% of deaths among lambs were linked to eagles in one study, even where the birds were common), a report from Scottish Natural Heritage in 2019 showed that there can potentially be conflict. Scottish farmers are [actively campaigning against them](https://www.fwi.co.uk/livestock/why-scots-farmers-need-solution-to-lambs-lost-to-sea-eagles?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), but often on deeply anecdotal evidence. One study found evidence of only [a single killing of a lamb by an eagle](https://raptorpersecutionscotland.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/b603609%5Fwtelambstudygairloch%5F2010.pdf?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), but rather more of eagles scavenging lambs that had died in other ways. There's an [on-going scheme](https://www.nature.scot/professional-advice/land-and-sea-management/managing-wildlife/sea-eagle-management-scheme?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) to investigate and mitigate the impacts of white tailed eagles on farmers. So, it seems odd that an MP is making such a fuss about an issue whose impact is uncertain in a country with over 100 breeding pairs, when his county had no breeding pairs, and a tiny handful of visitors. What else could be going on here? ## The Shooting Issue Now, whatever would make an MP wade into the issue in this way? *The Guardian*'s Helena Horton [has an idea](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/15/mp-eagles-not-welcome-constituency-received-funds-shooting-estate-chris-loder?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com): > Loder’s 2019 election campaign benefited from a £14,000 donation from the Ilchester Estates, which runs shoots in his constituency. Those who run shoots are often opposed to birds of prey being in the area, as when they fly over a shoot, the birds scatter, disappointing those who paid to kill them. They also occasionally predate on game birds. At first glance, perhaps Mr Loder's obsession with this topic becomes a little more explicable… However, he denies that the shooting has anything to do with his stance: > Loder told the Guardian he did not feel he was influenced by the money from the estate, and his distaste for eagles in his constituency was because he had fears for their impact on farming. Whatever his motives — and we can't know for sure — what worries me is that he's expressing the exact same sentiments that led to these magnificent creatures being hunted to extinction within the UK. They're a threat to livestock, or are impacting on our hunting pleasure, so they must go. And they went, entirely [because of us humans](https://www.roydennis.org/white-tailed-eagle-project-frequently-asked-questions/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com): > They are a missing part of England’s native biodiversity and were lost entirely through human activities, particularly intense persecution. We like to tell ourselves that we learn from the mistakes of the past, and even that we can correct them. But human nature is what it is, and perhaps some battles will never be entirely won. Perhaps my daughters will have to fight for the safety of these awesome birds, long after I've passed away. ## The joy of sea eagles Thankfully, though, most people are taking joy in the return of these awesome predators to our skies, as this tweet beautifully illustrates: > Ainsley. You get such great photos. Well done it’s a joy to see them. Roy [https://t.co/7mvc2lXE7z](https://t.co/7mvc2lXE7z?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > — Roy Dennis (@royhdennis) [February 11, 2022](https://twitter.com/royhdennis/status/1492233494793183235?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) The past half a century has seen huge strides in conserving and restoring our wildlife. I grew up seeing egg collectors as the enemy, but now they are increasingly rare, thanks to changes in the law — and the hobby becoming socially unacceptable. In fact, Google searches for egg collecting throws up mainly cute family trips to collect chickens' eggs for breakfast… ## The People Strike Back And, if I was to look for hope in all this, it's that some people took such exception to Loder's remarks, that they donated to the work of the Roy Dennis Foundation: > Sincere thanks to [@markwright12002](https://twitter.com/markwright12002?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) for this, and to everyone who has subsequently made donations totalling £630 in the last 24 hours. We are incredibly grateful for your generous support. [https://t.co/Liq3kslBSH](https://t.co/Liq3kslBSH?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > — Roy Dennis Foundation (@RoyDennisWF) [February 12, 2022](https://twitter.com/RoyDennisWF/status/1492611841230622720?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) Perhaps we can learn from history, after all. ### Weekend Nature Reads: the distraction edition URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/weekend-nature-reads-the-distraction-edition/ Last updated: 2022-03-06T22:26:28.000Z It's been a difficult few weeks, hasn't it? The news coming out of Ukraine is grim, and we find ourselves worrying about nuclear war for the first time in over two decades. I had hoped that my daughters would grow up without the same threat of nuclear apocalypse hanging over them that people of my generation grew up with. But it is what it is. If nothing else, spending time out and about in the wild, and away from screens, is more essential than ever. So, here's this week's selection of good reading/viewing/listening that will keep your mind on nature, even when you're stuck indoors. --- ## Shriek of the Week I was inspired a couple of weeks ago by the [recent *Countryfile* podcast](https://www.countryfile.com/podcast/the-best-classical-music-inspired-by-the-british-countryside-and-its-wildlife/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) where editor Fergus Collins expressed envy of guest Jeremy Pound of *BBC Music Magazine*'s knowledge of classical music, and Pound said the same about Collins's knowledge of bird song. I've set myself a goal for the rest of the year to: - Learn to recognise more trees - Learn to recognise more birdsong This newsletter, from an old Brighton acquaintance, looks like it would be a great help. I'll be ponying up for the paid subscription once I've got through the free material… [Shriek of the Week | Charlie from Birdsong Academy | SubstackA bird sound in your inbox every Friday. Click to read Shriek of the Week, by Charlie from Birdsong Academy, a Substack publication with hundreds of readers.![](https://bucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1cd9f803-ca94-4ad1-8dc8-a830724ae993/apple-touch-icon-1024x1024.png)SubstackCharlie from Birdsong Academy![](https://cdn.substack.com/image/fetch/w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3613dfb9-2943-4e65-aaff-c9a7879e1960_988x988.png)](https://shriekoftheweek.substack.com/about) --- ## Leave that wood alone! We were up in Steyning at the weekend, using the girls' World Book Day tokens at the truly excellent [Steyning Bookshop](https://www.steyningbookshop.co.uk/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). While we were by the river, I noticed an unusually large amount of fallen wood, probably as a result of Storm Eunice. While I doubt that the council will be prepared to leave it alone, this tweet makes me hope that they will: > With many trees down from [#StormEunice](https://twitter.com/hashtag/StormEunice?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), it’s time to spread the word about the importance of leaving some of these trees to nature. > > Deadwood supports an incredible diversity of life, including \~650 species of British beetles! It is vital habitat. 🪲 > > 📷Jeroen Helmer/[@ARKNatuur](https://twitter.com/ARKNatuur?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) [pic.twitter.com/4WstwOAdj3](https://t.co/4WstwOAdj3?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > — Ashleigh Whiffin (@AshWhiffin) [February 20, 2022](https://twitter.com/AshWhiffin/status/1495337758050721795?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ## Half a century of the Woodland Trust While we're talking wood, the Woodland Trust was [founded in 1972](https://newsletters.woodlandtrust.org.uk/2D76-1UBK7-BE0EA8547E6DED43A3I8YL27FA86434F93E4FC/cr.aspx?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), making it slightly younger than me. That make me feel old. What did surprise me was how small (relatively) it is compared to some other charities: - Woodland Trust: 250,000 members - RSPB: 1.1 million members - The National Trust: 5.37 million The Trust really punch far above their weight in terms of impact. They've got a webinar in 10 days about saving trees. Given that we're [fighting to save a tree](https://www.moreradio.online/news/sussex-news/residents-unite-to-save-last-poplar-on-shoreham-seafront/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) in our town, maybe I should attend… [Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: How to save a tree. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.Hear from campaigners who have taken action for trees. They’ll guide you through steps individuals and communities can take as well as answer questions on how to defend local trees. Hosted by the Woodland Trust, we invite a diverse panel of veteran campaigners to share their stories with you. Wheth…![](https://st1.zoom.us/zoom.ico)Zoom Video Communications![](https://woodlandtrust-org-uk.zoom.us/w_p/96734069750/651d78f3-2caa-453d-9306-1f30bf875b43.png)](https://woodlandtrust-org-uk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN%5FqgQrjmf1TRinvrBBRNzJXA?utm%5Fcampaign=3094279%5FE22COM005%5F280222%5FNewsletter%5FLong&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fsource=woodlandtrust&MailingCode=E22COM006&utm%5Fcontent=Register&dm%5Fi=2D76,1UBK7,A3I8YL,6EETO,1) --- ## Can't see the savanna for the trees A fascinating long read on ecosystem restoration in the US: [The tradeoffs of savanna restoration in a tree-crazed world | Aeon EssaysMassive tree-planting programmes have come to substitute for the tradeoffs and complexity of restoring real ecosystems![](https://aeon.co/apple-touch-icon.png)Aeon MagazineFrancis E (‘Jack’) Putz![](https://alpha.aeon.co/images/4f6e5067-6773-4b63-984b-dadefde105a3/header_essay-matt-final-4n1a6836.jpg)](https://aeon.co/essays/the-tradeoffs-of-savanna-restoration-in-a-tree-crazed-world?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Re(sea)wilding Much of the discussion about rewilding focuses on, understandably, land-based projects. There's lots of work going on underwater too, as people try to address the damage done to our marine ecosystems. I was aware of a project [off the coast from us](https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/helpourkelp?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), but this Scottish project was new to me: [Rewilding Scotland: A community approach - OceanographicSeawilding, a native oyster reintroduction and seagrass restoration project based in Scotland, shows how community-led efforts can achieve real change.![](https://www.oceanographicmagazine.com/wp-content/themes/oceanographic/assets/images/favicon.png)OceanographicClaire Walsh![](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/oceanographic/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/04132233/%C2%A9Lewis_Jefferies_Pollock_seagrass-scaled.jpg)](https://www.oceanographicmagazine.com/features/rewilding-scotland/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ## The problem with wood smoke OK, here's a little bit of bad news. Much as I love a wood fire, they're neither good for the environment nor for us. While I'll still indulge in a camp fire while, well, camping, I think my dreams of installing a wood-fired stove in our house are done. Ah, well. [Wood-burning Stoves Raise New Health ConcernsOfficials increasingly treat woodsmoke pollution as a public health and environmental justice issue, despite opposition.![](https://undark.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/cropped-Favicon-270x270.png)Undark MagazineNews & Features![](https://undark.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/GettyImages-1209947607_lede-crop.jpg)](https://undark.org/2022/03/02/wood-burning-stoves-raise-new-health-concerns/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ## Video Corner I don't get much chance to watch TV these days. I'm still working my way through the latest *Winterwatch*, and that's been over for weeks. But I do get the chance to watch short online videos between bouts of work, and here are some of my recent favourites: ### Playtime for grown-ups This is, of course, an advert. It's an advert for [a good company](https://www.passenger-clothing.com/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) (I own a fleece and a pair of sliders of theirs, and love both), and it's full of their wares, but it has worth as a piece of film in its own right. I love the philosophy espoused by the Nathan in the video: > It’s like, the waves don’t care that you’re sitting there, the walls of the cove have been there for thousands of years, dissolving, the rocks are there and you’re in your haven so all's right with the world. It's really lovely that so many outdoors brands are making such great media right now: ## Walking from the castle to the abbey While we're doing videos, Frit from this English Heritage video is another old Brighton acquaintance of mine. He shot Hazel and I [for a software advert](https://vimeo.com/110357231?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) many years ago… ## Before the Lockdown This short is two years old, and explores a woman getting out into nature for some serious mind-nurturing relaxation — utterly unaware that it would all be taken away from her mere weeks later, as we locked down for the first time. A reminder of what was, and what is again. --- Have a lovely week, folks. And remember… the ospreys are on their way back: > Three weeks now till the date that the ospreys returned last year. Nervous times. To keep us occupied, here's a reminder of how the young osps learn how to fish. [pic.twitter.com/9lXT3fRLsc](https://t.co/9lXT3fRLsc?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > — Foulshaw Ospreys (@Foulshaw2) [March 6, 2022](https://twitter.com/Foulshaw2/status/1500426450859667456?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ### Weekend Nature Reads: the self-isolating edition URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/weekend-nature-reads-the-self-isolating-edition/ Last updated: 2022-02-20T17:02:51.000Z It finally happened. We got COVID. Not a surprise, really, as it's been rife at my daughters' school, but after my eldest came home early feeling unwell, it became apparent that we were all likely to be infected. And so it was. So, I've been stuck at home for days now, which you can read about here: [Not Walking with Daddy (again)Once again, we’re deprived of time outdoors. But it’s not lockdown to blame, it’s infection…![](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/favicon.png)Walking With DaddyAdam![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/02/IMG_0337.jpeg)](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/covid-isolation-missing-outdoors/) But less time for being outside means more time for reading, watching and listening to things, so here's the first weekend digest for a while… --- ## Renewing the war on sewage I *really* enjoyed this podcast from outdoors clothing brand Finisterre. The interview with [Surfers Against Sewage CEO Hugo Tagholm](https://soundcloud.com/finisterre-podcast/episode-12-hugo-tagholm-a-voice-for-the-ocean?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) is one of the best they've done so far. The presenter is *finally* learning to keep quiet, and let the guest lead the discussion, and it's so much better for it. If you've been angry about the way water companies have been dumping sewage into our seas and rivers, I guarantee that this will make you even more angry. More usefully, though, it also has some interesting thoughts on how live more mindfully and sustainably while we re-engineer our systems to protect the planet. A mix of anger and hope is *exactly* what we need right now. [EP 12\. Hugo TagholmFor our first episode of 2022 we’re coming out swinging with one our of closest allies and one of the most inspired ’ocean and surf activists’ out there, Hugo Tagholm, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage and Finisterre Ambassador.![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1074/5128/t/362/assets/apple-touch-icon.png?v=9834494074472351486)Finisterre![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1074/5128/articles/hugo-tagholm-thumbnail.jpg?v=1642091775)](https://finisterre.com/blogs/podcasts/ep-12-hugo-tagholm-a-voice-for-the-ocean?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ## After the storm This was shared by [Jeff in the Osprey Chat](http://disq.us/p/2n2ygfu?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), and it's a reminder that storms like Eunice don't just impact humans. > Like the rest of us, the storks are on clean up duty after [#StormEunice](https://twitter.com/hashtag/StormEunice?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > This pair's nest was completely destroyed but today they are back rebuilding it! > > Nothing is keeping this pair down! [pic.twitter.com/WVwItaucDp](https://t.co/WVwItaucDp?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > — White Stork Project (@ProjectStork) [February 19, 2022](https://twitter.com/ProjectStork/status/1494964622960508930?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ## Some actual reading It's a mix of good and bad news. But, like I said above, you need to mix anger with hope. ### Rewilding: yes, please! The rewilding movement has been *really* effective at explaining the concept. I've been toying with writing about the straw men that rewilding critics tend to use in their objections, but for now, let's enjoy the good news: [Poll finds more than four-fifths of people back rewilding in BritainMore than four-fifths of people support rewilding landscapes to support nature in Britain, a poll has suggested.![](https://www.scotsman.com/img/icons/192x192.png)The ScotsmanEmily Beament![](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOmM4ZGMzMjFjLWRhM2MtNDRkOC04NzFiLTkxOTE1NWEyMjA3ZTo1M2E1MGQ3Mi1hNDk5LTQyODYtODRjYy1hMmVlNDI5ZTIwMzA=.jpg?width=2048&enable=upscale)](https://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/poll-finds-more-than-four-fifths-of-people-back-rewilding-in-britain-3532518?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ### Shrinking winter is bad news I recently enoyed the excellent new book from outdoors writer Alex Roddie, *[The Farthest Shore](https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5008/9781839810206?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com),* in which he hikes the Cape Wrath trail in winter, and finds it much less, well, *wintery* than expected. And that was in 2019, before the pandemic. In this post, photographer Craig Jones looks at how the warmer winters are putting some species at risk. [What Happened To Winter? — Creature CandyBy Craig Jones Climate change is having a devastating impact on wildlife here in Britain and all around the world. Those species of wildlife that turn white in winter to blend in now look out of place as the milder temperatures bring less snowfall.![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54568279e4b0fa3f2acee557/1428785451808-7718RBU91OYKB03XOHXR/favicon.ico?format=100w)Creature CandyBig Fundraiser for Wildlife![](http://static1.squarespace.com/static/54568279e4b0fa3f2acee557/54cd767be4b023725200068c/6201025db03f6828338a7b32/1644244256102/3.jpeg?format=1500w)](https://www.creaturecandy.co.uk/blog-creature-candy/whathappenedtowinter?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ### The Joy of Walking Walking as a mindful discipline is a subject [close to my heart](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/one-man-walking-or-the-accidental-flaneur/). This is a good piece on it: [Walk This Way — Feasts and FablesHayley Maguire’s passion for walking is infectious; transformational benefits abound with the consistent habit of getting outside and walking. Just walk this way![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ffc28cb5a6fae169d96795f/1613493155997-O6Z9MOJ8LJCE0W45LVTR/favicon.ico?format=100w)Feasts and FablesFeasts + Fables![](http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ffc28cb5a6fae169d96795f/60198f11dfc6143158ba9fc2/61faabf61dd075760c856d7d/1643887862560/3F772125-A49F-4274-B482-03DAE73210E4.jpeg?format=1500w)](https://www.feastsandfables.co.uk/the-encouragement-manifesto/walk-this-way?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ### When Siberia Thaws Brace yourself for this one, folks. This is a rather stark look into our climate crisis future: [The Great Siberian ThawPermafrost contains microbes, mammoths, and twice as much carbon as Earth’s atmosphere. What happens when it starts to melt?![](https://www.newyorker.com/verso/static/the-new-yorker/assets/favicon.ico)The New YorkerCondé Nast![](https://media.newyorker.com/photos/61d8a1214493deda2994ce69/16:9/w_1280,c_limit/220117_r39704.jpg)](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/01/17/the-great-siberian-thaw?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ### Good News Chaser I don't know about you, but I couyld do some with good news after that rather grim story. Here's some successes with cute animal photos. [Wildlife success stories of 2021 in picturesFrom exciting reintroduction projects to recording-breaking breeding success for threatened species, here’s our wildlife success stories this year.![](https://www.forestryengland.uk/themes/custom/forestry_england/dist/images/favicon/android-icon-192x192.png?fe)Forestry England![](https://www.forestryengland.uk/sites/default/files/media/Tawny%20owl%20survey_Forestry%20England.jpg)](https://www.forestryengland.uk/blog/wildlife-success-stories-2021?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ## The kids are alright The world needs more Lyras… You can read all about her fund-raising efforts [on the Waterhaul site](https://waterhaul.co/blogs/news/lyra?utm%5Fsource=sendinblue&utm%5Fcampaign=B2C%20-%20Lyra&utm%5Fmedium=email). --- ## Winter's Beauty This is beautiful: > Midwinter mornings in the New Forest..[#newforest](https://twitter.com/hashtag/newforest?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) [#winter](https://twitter.com/hashtag/winter?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) [pic.twitter.com/kxO3Kwlswa](https://t.co/kxO3Kwlswa?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > — Paul Haynes (@PaulHaynesPhoto) [January 28, 2022](https://twitter.com/PaulHaynesPhoto/status/1487142266707849220?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ## One to watch This is landscape eye candy at its best. I took a little while to warm to the pseudo-70s cinefilm aesthetic of the piece, but once I was in, I was hooked. I hope maybe one day my girls will be on adventures like these… ### Not Walking with Daddy (again) URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/covid-isolation-missing-outdoors/ Last updated: 2024-04-10T22:31:35.000Z I haven’t been away from the house in five days now. We’re blessed with a small but lovely garden, so I can’t complain about being stir crazy. I’m desperately missing being able to go for a yomp on the beach with the girls, or to hop into the car for a quick run up to [Woods Mill](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/tag/woods-mill/). But I can’t. Because I have COVID. ## The Inevitable Infection It’s a strange feeling knowing that your body is infected with, and therefore manufacturing, the virus that we’ve spent the last two years being told to avoid at all costs. Letting go of the fear, and trusting in your immune systems to deal with it, is a small psychological struggle every day. But I’m double vaccinated AND boosted, so I’m not *really* worried. In fact, my symptoms are now worse than a middling cold. I don’t have any of the classic “big three” symptoms: no temperature, no coughing, no change in my sense of taste or smell. If I hadn’t done the test, I’d think I just had an irritating cold. That niggle of doubt is there, but the evidence doesn’t support it — or so my intellect tries to tell my emotions. The youngest daughter has shrugged it off with virtually no symptoms, and the eldest was rough for a day or so, but is now fine. So, there’s little real danger for us. And, to some degree, it means COVID is largely over as a major risk for us as a family at this point in our lives. The girls’ immune systems will no longer be naive, and three vaccinations and a live infection should make the grown-ups pretty robust. So, it’s just a case of marking time until I can actually get outdoors properly again. I’m *really* hoping for a negative lateral flow in the next day or so, so we can start getting out and about for half-term. ## Plans on pause Ironically, I’d just got into the routine of going for a beach walk every morning after dropping off the girls: > Morning beach walk #1: Valentine’s Day > > Lovely sun, but a cold wind, and plenty of spray in the air. > > ![Shoreham Beach, looking eastwards, on February 14th, 2022. ](https://micro.blog/photos/1000x/https%3A%2F%2Fmicroblog.onemanandhisblog.com%2Fuploads%2F2022%2Ff5babb7cb2.jpg) > > Adam Tinworth [https://microblog.onemanandhisblog.com/2022/02/14/morning-beach-walk.html](https://microblog.onemanandhisblog.com/2022/02/14/morning-beach-walk.html?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > Morning beach walk #2: cold, grey and a wee bit bleak. Still, was home before the rain hit. > > ![Shoreham Beach looking east on 15th February 2022.](https://micro.blog/photos/1000x/https%3A%2F%2Fmicroblog.onemanandhisblog.com%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F08ceedecf6.jpg) > > Adam Tinworth [https://microblog.onemanandhisblog.com/2022/02/15/morning-beach-walk.html](https://microblog.onemanandhisblog.com/2022/02/15/morning-beach-walk.html?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) But, inevitably, the positive tests have put the kibosh on that. It’s mildly torture-iffic to be able to *hear* the sea, but not actually go and *visit* it. If you’re going to have to stay in, though, the last few days were good ones to do so. Storm Eunice gave the town something of a battering: I desperately want to go and see what the sea has washed up during this weather, but no. I can look up the river, but no more than that. With more warnings of bad weather today, staying indoors is less of a burden than it could be. Meanwhile, I can spend some time catching up on the photos I’ve taken over the last few months. For example: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/02/IMG_0335.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/02/IMG_0341.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/02/IMG_0333.jpeg) Or even helping the girls with their Rainbows and Brownies badges: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/02/IMG_0245.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/02/IMG_0353.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/02/IMG_0354.jpeg) Silver linings. ### Why is there no Summerwatch? URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/why-is-there-no-summerwatch/ Last updated: 2022-01-24T13:22:09.000Z Like many people, I love [the Watches](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007qgm3?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). As I write this, we’re right in the heart of *Winterwatch*, which sets the scene for the biggest of them: *Springwatch*. And I’m loving it. Watching the same location change through the seasons is one of the big delights of the show. While I’m a relatively new convert to the Watches, after a decade of watching very little telly at all, their return to show us nature cycling through the seasons is always I highlight for me. *Autumnwatch, Winterwatch, Springwatch*… Hang on. There’s one missing, isn’t there? Why don’t we have a *Summerwatch*? It’s such a glaring absence, that it must be on the table, right? How could you miss out the height of Summer in your journey through the seasons? My first instinct is that they were working their way towards it, adding a new Watch to the rotation Avery few years. But the evidence is against me. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/01/Winterwatch-2022.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2022/01/Megan-mccubbin.png) The number of Watches has grown over the years: - Springwatch: 2005 - Autumnwatch: 2006 - Winterwatch: 2013 So, we’re closing in on a decade’s gap since the lat Watch launch. It doesn’t look hopeful. And people keep asking the question: > Loving winterwatch... But please why is there no fourth season for you [#summerwatch](https://twitter.com/hashtag/summerwatch?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)?? [#Winterwatch](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Winterwatch?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > — nicky aplin (@NickyAplin) [January 30, 2019](https://twitter.com/NickyAplin/status/1090717344756875275?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) What’s up? Do the BBC just hate summer? ## Summerwatch would be hard to make [Chris Packham](https://www.chrispackham.co.uk/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), long-time host of the Watches and one of the most recognisable faces in UK nature conservation today, actually explained why there’s no *Summerwatch* some years ago, in [an interview with the *Express*](https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/834656/Chris-Packham-Summerwatch-Springwatch-Autumnwatch-Winterwatch-Earth-Live-Presenter-BBC?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). The short version of it is that there are two major reasons: - *Springwatch* is a *huge* undertaking — possibly the UK’s largest single outside broadcast event. People need a break after that. - Summer is a challenging time for developing interesting narratives for TV. ### The workload issue The three weeks of Springwatch are a massive bit of TV. Over 100 staff, and 50 camera operators worked on the show before COIVID made it all harder. It’s a massive, extended live broadcast, with some pre-recorded inserts. That’s a considerable chuck of work: Imagine four months’ worth of *Countryfile*, with the live element thrown in. The core team must need some time off afterwards. As Chris put it: > It wouldn't be easy to do that twice and certainly not close together. We'd all get a bit exhausted. Some people need a summer break. ### Springwatch is really early Summerwatch More to the point, though, the biggest of the Watches — *Springwatch* — is actually pretty close to *Summerwatch* itself. As Chris told the *Express*: > Basically, if we do real spring, that's when birds are mating and teaming up, and they're not nesting yet which means it's very difficult for us to get our cameras to get any narrative to get any sort of action, so we go for late spring. Because the *Springwatch* weeks grade the most exciting breeding narratives, that leaves them thin pickings for the height of Summer: > Once a bird has nested and it has got young in its nest, it's very predictable and means we can guarantee that we can put something on screen. I think if we did pure Summerwatch in August or something like that, then we wouldn't be able to do that. The two in combination seem to have put pay to a *Summerwatch*. And I suspect that the generally depressed viewing figures in the height of summer aren’t a huge incentive for the BBC to throw money at it. ## There’s still hope for Summerwatch That said, Chris **did** mention that there are ongoing discussions: > We have spoken about doing a sort of bridging programme between Springwatch and Autumnwatch just so that people can catch up with what happened to our characters in Springwatch like the kestrels and the barn owls we were following this year. They're always interested to know. Certainly, those of us who follow birds, like Ospreys or White Tailed Eagles, know that there’s still plenty of drama to be had around fledging and migration times… So, perhaps one day we’ll *finally* see a *Summerwatch* special. Let’s hope. Currently, my daughters are a little young for *Springwatch*. They’ll happily watch elements of it — they tend to drift in and out of each episode. Maybe, by the time the still notional *Summerwatch* happens, they’ll be ready to sit and watch it with me. Or maybe they’ll be teenagers and just bored with the whole thing. 🤷 ### Merry Christmas URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/merry-christmas/ Last updated: 2021-12-26T15:29:51.000Z I'd like to wish you a very Merry Christmas, and I hope that you're having a fantastic time, despite all the Omicron uncertainty. Another year is nearly done, and what a strange year it has been. While not as bleak as 2020, 2021 has been riven by restrictions on what we could and couldn't do, even after needles went into arms. Schools were out for so many months in the early part of the year, and I've been playing catch-up in [my working life](https://onemanandhisblog.com/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ever since. And so, this site has been too much neglected — my good intentions marked by the unfinished drafts sitting in the Ghost backend. Right now, I'm enjoying a Christmas break with the family, quietly and happily at home. (Or, at least, as quiet as it can be amongst Crib Services and over-excited young girls, and all the demands of the festive season…) But after that? I have a notebook full of ideas and a folder full of drafts. Maybe I can make 2022 the year this site *finally* gets going? Thanks for reading, and I hope you and yours are having the most wonderful of festive seasons. Adam ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/12/Nymans-expedition.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/12/Sea-girls.jpg) ### Back to Spithandle URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/back-to-spithandle-2021/ Last updated: 2024-12-08T12:51:12.000Z A year on from [our COVID-shadowed visit](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/a-sustainable-sussex-christmas-tree/) to [Spithandle Nursery](https://www.facebook.com/SpithandleNursery/?locale=en%5FGB), we were back there yesterday for our annual Christmas visit. Things felt a little more normal again. There was a fun letter trail to distract the children for a while, as we scouted the plantation for a suitable tree. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9337.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9340.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9341.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9342.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9344.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9345.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9347.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9349.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9351.jpeg) It was interesting to see a real tree nursery (below). It takes, apparently, eight years to grow them to a couple of meters high. So it's likely that the tree we pick will be a very similar age to our youngest (as we tend to go for slightly shorter trees). After a bit of a hunt, in surprisingly mild weather, we found what some to be an ideal tree for us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9352.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9354.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9357.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9364.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9365.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9374.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9379.jpeg) It was lovely to have the girls helping out with digging up the tree. I'm not quite sure why we persist with this. Every year, we take home a rooted tree, and try to keep it alive. And every year, we fail. I suspect the salty air of the beach, and the poor quality of the soil atop the shingle doesn't make ideal conditions for these sorts of trees. Still, maybe this year will go better… ## The Spithandle Nursery Barn ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9384.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9386.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9387.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9388.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9390.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9391.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9395.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9396.jpeg) The barn, where they net your tree, was particular interesting this year. Lots of tempting add-on purchases, some made by the children of the extended family that own and run the place. And some information about [West Sussex County Council's adults' services](https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/social-care-and-health/housing-options-and-care-homes/shared-lives-scheme/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), which was interesting. A big thing to do, but I suspect we're too busy with the girls to be able to help out. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9398.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9399.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9400.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9401.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9402.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9406.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9407.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9408.jpeg) No pony rides this year — another victim of COVID, I suppose. And soon the girls will have grown past them. But never mind! They still loved interacting with the ponies. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9410.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9411.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9412.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2024/12/IMG_9413.jpeg) And just time for some snacks and hot drinks from the kitchen window, before heading for home and the tree decorating. ### Cotton buds down, masks up, and more nature reads for your weekend URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/cotton-buds-down-masks-up-and-more-nature-reads-for-your-weekend/ Last updated: 2021-12-12T11:50:36.000Z ## Good news about British beaches Here at *Walking With Daddy* we're [big fans of beach cleans](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/tag/2minutebeachclean/). The Marine Conservation Society holds an annual beach clean, and then analyses the tally of what's found. The results for 2021 are out. The good news includes: - Cotton bud sticks dropping out of the top 10\. (More and more of them are paper now, happily. We can compost ours.) - The amount of rubbish on beaches is *declining*. But there's still a huge way to go, and recent events are creating their own problems: > Levels of **PPE** found this year were similar to 2020, when masks were made mandatory across the UK. 32% of UK beaches cleaned found PPE litter though masks ranked 59 out of 121 for most common litter items. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/11/image.jpeg) So, it's good to know that changes we're making *do* have a marked impact. But it's also worth remembering that there are many battles yet to be fought: [Great British Beach Clean 2021 resultsIt was fantastic to see so many people from across the UK get involved in this year’s Great British Beach Clean. Volunteers young and old took part in a quest to clear their local beaches, streets and parks of litter and record their findings.![](https://www.mcsuk.org/apple-touch-icon.png)Marine Conservation Society![](https://media.mcsuk.org/images/Group_RS32335_BillyBarraclough.width-1000.jpg)](https://www.mcsuk.org/what-you-can-do/join-a-beach-clean/great-british-beach-clean/great-british-beach-clean-2021-results/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ## Mad, but glorious This is almost quintessentially British. How should you raise money? Simple. Do a 15 mile walk. In the winter. *In your swimming costume.* More power them! (But rather them than me…) [Speedo Mick joined by ice swimmers for 15-mile charity walk from Kendal to Carnforth![](https://outdoorswimmer.com/android-chrome-192x192.png)Outdoor Swimmer![](https://outdoorswimmer.com/cpresources/transforms/7240?x=RHFBZG7WR)](https://outdoorswimmer.com/news/speedo-mick-joined-by-ice-swimmers-for-15-mile-charity-walk-from-kendal-to-carnforth?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ## Quick Links - How a lost camera was found, photos intact, [12 years after it was lost](https://www.ramblers.org.uk/news/blogs/2021/november/12-years-on.aspx?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). - The [spread of avian flu](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/09/avian-influenza-what-is-bird-flu-and-why-is-it-back-in-the-news?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) is hitting some birds hard. - UK Government report into the [mental health benefits of woodland](https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/research/valuing-the-mental-health-benefits-of-woodlands/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). --- ## Tweet Corner ### Climate & the coast path This looks *really* good: > Our latest film, Living on the Edge, is nearly here! > This eye-opening 30-min documentary, presented as a journey around the Cornish coast path, looks at how our seaside communities are facing up to a future of sea level rise. > Please share the trailer... (watch with sound on) [pic.twitter.com/MMJRbizD5q](https://t.co/MMJRbizD5q?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > — Cornwall\_Climate\_Care (@ClimateCornwall) [December 10, 2021](https://twitter.com/ClimateCornwall/status/1469218022216847361?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ### Hope in the darkness > Just 11 days until we begin to gain light again-the solstice, the tipping point, the promise and hope of spring. [pic.twitter.com/ZSSkxTCf5L](https://t.co/ZSSkxTCf5L?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > — Emma Mitchell 💙 (@silverpebble) [December 10, 2021](https://twitter.com/silverpebble/status/1469321984337195009?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ## An *Ernest* appeal My absolute favourite outdoors and nature magazine is the delightful [*Ernest Journal*](https://www.ernestjournal.co.uk/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). It's a high-quality “indie” magazine — which means it only publishes a few times a year, and is more like a soft back book than a traditional magazine. It's always a highlight when an issue drops onto my doormat. However, like many publications, COVID has hit it hard. They're running a crowdfunding campaign to both reprint the long sold out issue 1, and to ensure it has enough money to carry it forwards into next year: At the time of writing (early Sunday morning), there's only a few hours remaining. The crowd-funding finishes at 6pm. Do consider checking it out, and backing it for one of the wonderful rewards donated by supporting suppliers: [Ernest Journal: Collector’s Edition campaignWe are raising money to print a Collector’s Edition of the sold out and much sought after first issue of Ernest.![](https://d2gixvd9ar0oo8.cloudfront.net/platform/img/favicon.png)Crowdfunder UK![](https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ernest-journal-collectors-edition-campaign/og-image?f=true&v=1635420947)](https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ernest-journal-collectors-edition-campaign?utm%5Fsource=Ernest+Journal+newsletter&utm%5Fcampaign=f6d0bd5208-EMAIL%5FCAMPAIGN%5F2017%5F09%5F14%5FCOPY%5F01&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5Fd6ded340a1-f6d0bd5208-340570601) --- ## Video: the Great Skua This is lovely *and* informative: --- ### When a sparrowhawk comes for lunch URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/when-a-sparrowhawk-comes-for-lunch/ Last updated: 2024-04-10T22:31:17.000Z A couple of weekends ago, a sparrowhawk had lunch in our back garden. A local pigeon had an unlucky moment, and found itself prey, in a loud and understandably alarmed way that attracted the attention of my family. The battle was deeply one-sided, and swiftly the victor settled down in the grass, just by the back hedge, to enjoy the meal. The raptor took its time, eating its fill, and then happily resting in our garden afterwards. That gave me plenty of time to scramble upstairs, slam my longest lens on my camera, and grab both some stills and a video: ## Regenerating a garden ecosystem I’m deeply, profoundly happy to see a predator calmly using our garden as a hunting ground. (The sparrowhawk has been perching on the roofline of a nearby garage for some weeks, on and off.) It’s a sign, that after nearly a decade of work, the ecosystem around our garden is finally reaching a healthy, sustainable level. When we moved into the house, the garden was not in a good way. A ragged patch of lawn, some unhealthy looking bushes, and some trees. That was it. It had clearly been neglected for years, and often used as a crafting space for film props. The most disturbing thing, though, was that I never turned up an earthworm while digging in the garden. I’d always had earthworms in our London flat's garden, despite the rubble in the soil from bombings in World War II. But here, in a late 80s development? Nothing. Not a one. Years of assiduous work, replanting, composting, improving the soil eventually led to us starting to see a few, and then plentiful, earthworms four years ago. Replacing the scrubby bushes with a nice thick hedge has attracted many species of bird, lured here by the feeders I hang in the tree. ## Return of the predators And now, finally, we’re getting higher predators hanging around. We have a fox that regularly prowls the garden at night during the spring and summer, although he seems to take himself off elsewhere during the winter. (I should really stick the trail cam out again for the next few nights, just to check that’s the case.) And a sparrowhawk popping by for a long lunch. These are all, to me, signs that our garden is becoming part of a healthier ecosystem. The development we live in was once a boatyard, and I suspect that the remains of that industrial facility lurk deep under the garden — and the house. But some focused, thoughtful work has slowly brought a richer diversity of life to a space where there was once merely the appearance of nature, without the depth really needed to support life. It’s a small victory, and one that took a long time. But I’ll take it. Right now, every little counts. ### Waterhaul's Retask the Mask litterpickers: putting COVID plastic to good use URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/waterhauls-retask-the-mask-litterpickers-putting-covid-plastic-to-good-use/ Last updated: 2024-04-10T22:31:00.000Z One of the more unfortunate long-term side-effects of the pandemic is the huge increase in single-use plastic that it has caused. I wince every time I do a lateral flow test, looking at the pile of single-use plastic that will be headed to the bin. The period of time when coffee shops refused to use reusable cups was painful. For the last 18 months we've been slipping *backwards* on single-use plastic. But the worst offender is the disposable masks. Oh, so many masks. We've all seen masks in gutters, on lawns and — horribly — floating in rivers. Like a mocking plague of plastic pollution, they spread across the land, reminding us of the progress lost. I want to believe that they've just fallen our of people's pockets, rather than being casually discarded, but I have my doubts… ![A face mask floating in a canal.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/10/IMG_6944.jpeg) ## Retasking the Mask And so, when I heard about the [Kickstarter from Waterhaul](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/waterhaul/retask-the-mask-recycling-covids-plastic-pandemic?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) to make litter-pickers from old NHS masks, I couldn't resist backing it. We already have one good litter-picker from the [2minute shop](https://www.beachclean.shop/product/official-folding-2minutebeachclean-litterpicker/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), but my daughters are constantly fighting over it — so one each for them made sense. And it was doing something with all those damn masks. Retask the Mask! Sure, it's not the driftmasks I've been picking up and throwing away, but bulk masks from the NHS. But it's a start. Everything reused is less pollution to hit the seas, right? ### The wait Kickstarter projects rarely, if even, deliver on their original timescales. I've backed projects that have been literally *years* late in delivering. It wasn't a surprise to me when Waterhaul's schedule started to slip — but neither did I mind. I've backed enough projects there to expect some delays, even if some, less experienced backers, were giving the company a hard time over it. And, sure enough, a few weeks ago, they finally started shipping. And this is the result: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/10/IMG_8595.jpeg) Time to test them out. ## Litter-picking with the Waterhaul Retask the Mask litterpickers ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/10/IMG_8612.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/10/IMG_8616.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/10/IMG_8623.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/10/IMG_8625.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/10/IMG_8629.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/10/IMG_8632.jpeg) My youngest and I had some time to ourselves while her elder sister was packing for Brownies camp, so we grabbed the litterpicker and hit the beach. The folding models are a bit smaller than our existing litterpicker, which made them ideal for Iris — who is only 6 — to pick things by herself. She clearly enjoyed using it, picking away quite contentedly for around 20 minutes. She found a whole range of sea-left plastic, including an old pair of swimming goggles and — most memorably — a broken chunk of ruler that had been in the sea so long that the shattered edge had been smoothed off. Quite a good haul, all in. Iris hit her limit after around 20 minutes, and passed the picker on to me while she tore around the beach, burning off energy while I cleaned everything I could. We stopped for well-earned drinks and croissants at the [Pollinator Café](https://www.instagram.com/thepollinatorcafe/?hl=en&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) before heading home, very happy with our backer rewards. ## Pick #2: Beach Cool ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/10/IMG_8704.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/10/IMG_8707.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/10/IMG_8711.jpeg) Of course, on her return from camp, Hazel wasn't going to let her sister get away with hogging the litterpicking limelight. And so, this afternoon, we too took a long stroll up the beach, equipped with a litterpicker each. Hazel's best find was a pair of old, smashed sunglasses, just chilling on the shingle making the whole beach look very cool. I had a rather sadder discovery. While slowly tugging a lump of tangled sea plastic out of some seaweed, I realise it *stank*. When we had it clear, it became obvious why: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/10/IMG_8713.jpeg) A dead crab in ghost gear on Shoreham Beach Yes, there was a whole dead crab in the netting, slowly rotting away. We can't let the pandemic stop us waging a war on plastics, folks. The price is just too high. Well done to Waterhaul for taking one of the consequences of COVID and turning it into something *useful*. Those litterpickers will help us keep our little corner of the planet that bit cleaner of seaborne plastic. --- - Buy Waterhaul's [Retask the Mask litterpickers](https://waterhaul.co/products/retask-the-mask-recycled-facemask-litterpicker?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). They also sell [litterpickers made from ocean plastic](https://waterhaul.co/products/recycled-ocean-plastic-litterpicker?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) and have just launched [a picking bag hoop](https://waterhaul.co/collections/litter-pickers/products/recycled-litter-picking-bag-hoop?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), made from ocean plastic, too. ### The Plastic Pollution Cycle and other links URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/ocean-plastic-polution-culprits-links-reading/ Last updated: 2021-10-03T12:18:47.000Z ## The Polluting Dirty Dozen *Outdoor Swimmer* magazine reports on [work done by Surfers Against Sewage](https://www.sas.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/SAS-BrandAudit2021-Digital.pdf?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) to determine which companies' products are causing the most plastic pollution in the sea: > The charity’s annual [*Citizen Science Brand Audit*](https://www.sas.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/SAS-BrandAudit2021-Digital.pdf?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) released this week exposes what they dub the ‘Dirty Dozen’ — the 12 most polluting companies: Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, AB InBev, McDonald’s, Mondelēz International, Heineken, Tesco, Carlsberg Group, Suntory, Haribo, Mars and Aldi. [Surfers Against Sewage report reveals most littered branded products found on UK beaches![](https://outdoorswimmer.com/android-chrome-192x192.png)Outdoor Swimmer![](https://outdoorswimmer.com/assets/site/_medium/litter.png)](https://outdoorswimmer.com/news/surfers-against-sewage-report-reveals-most-littered-branded-products-found-on-uk-beaches?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ### Raptor Rapture This is a podcast, but you can read the transcript if you prefer. But it explores how osprey chicks are a very good indicator of the health of a river. Because they *only* eat fish caught by their parents in the local area, any pollutants in the ecosystem eventually accumulate in the fish — and hence the chicks. Not great news for the birds — but it is allowing sources of pollution to be tracked down and dealt with. [What Osprey Chicks Reveal About Pollution | BirdNoteBaby ospreys help solve a toxic mystery.![](https://www.birdnote.org/themes/custom/birdnote_theme/images/favicon.ico)BirdNoteBirdNote Gallery![](https://www.birdnote.org/sites/default/files/Osprey-parent-and-chicks-in-nest-800-Andy-Morffew-CC.jpg)](https://www.birdnote.org/listen/shows/what-osprey-chicks-reveal-about-pollution?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) However, intentional raptor persecution is a very real and very significant problem, particularly in Scotland. Getting the police to take it seriously appears to be a major challenge, still. [Five eagles found dead in Western IslesThree were discovered in Harris and two in Lewis but police do not believe the deaths are connected.![](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/BBC%20News)BBC NewsBBC News![](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/183D2/production/_120028299_eagle-gettyimages-981892564.jpg)](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-58270076?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) The [raptor persecution blog](https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) does a great job of tracking what's happening. And, just in case you need reminding of how glorious these birds can be, here's some stunning photography to cheer you a little: [Raptors In Flight: Striking Portraits by Mark Harvey Frame Birds of Prey on the HuntFollowing his portraits of acrobatic birds performing a series of stunts, photographer Mark Harvey turns his focus to the larger, more powerful creatures of the avian species. The new collection, titled Raptors In Flight, centers on birds of prey and their graceful movements while on the hunt. Wheth![](https://www.thisiscolossal.com/apple-touch-icon.png)ColossalGrace Ebert![](https://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/harvey-og.jpg)](https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2021/09/raptors-in-flight-mark-harvey/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Animal Magic This is *such* good news: the reintroduction of this species is both recreating some important habitats AND helping ease flooding problems. [Beavers to gain legal protection as native speciesBeavers will return to rivers across England under government plans to be announced this week to grant licences allowing them to be released into the wild.They![](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/d/img/icons/icon_1_5x-a13ee0bf9a.png)The TimesBen Webster, Environment Editor![](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/imageserver/image/%2Fmethode%2Ftimes%2Fprod%2Fweb%2Fbin%2Ff7251af4-0351-11ec-a644-d92df3a28bb3.jpg?crop=4069%2C2289%2C0%2C212&resize=685)](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/beavers-to-gain-legal-protection-as-native-species-qnk7kn7rr?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) And this is illuminating. How much more do we still have to learn from the creatures all around us? [Foxes use magnetic field to find prey | Earth | EarthSkyFoxes are the first animals thought to use Earth’s magnetic field to judge distance, not just direction to find their prey.![](https://earthsky.org/wp-content/themes/earthsky-testing-6c8e0a978c578089f4b8b6-2/images/webclip.png?v=1620812547627)EarthSky | Updates on your cosmos and worldDeborah Byrd![](https://earthsky.org/upl/2011/01/red_fox_300.jpg)](https://earthsky.org/earth/foxes-use-earths-magnetic-field-to-jump-on-prey/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) (I had a shoe stolen by a fox while I was camping over the summer. A story for another time…) ### One to listen to… I found this podcast from the BBC's Open Country strand fascinating. The enthusiasm the interviewees showed for [their sport of magnet fishing](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000xmlj?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) was infectious — but the stories of what they're catching was a sobering insight into how we throw things away. [Magnet Fishing — Open Country — Overcast![](https://overcast.fm/apple-touch-icon.png)Overcast![](https://overcast.fm/img/logo.svg)](https://overcast.fm/+IPNpCnTHY?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Ones to watch This is a fascinating watch. It breaks down how some of our apparently “wild” landscapes are actually anything but, and the potential consequences of that. I don't think I've ever seen the fundamental idea behind rewilding expressed as well as this. And, just to bring us full circle, this is a lovely short documentary about how one man is fighting back against pollution in the ocean he loves. ### A drizzly beach plastic-free picnic for 2 Minute Day URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/a-drizzly-beach-picnic-for-2-minute-day/ Last updated: 2022-06-21T15:42:47.000Z If you can’t enjoy a picnic on the beach in the rain, are you really an outdoors person at all? I found myself asking that question early on Sunday afternoon. Now, to be fair, it had been a busy morning. I’d been up early [to be on a podcast](https://www.instagram.com/p/CQqEunVL7o9/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fweb%5Fcopy%5Flink), I’d run the girls to their swimming class, and then live-streamed a church service — all before 11am. But I’d had this in my calendar for the last couple of weeks, and didn’t want to give it up: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/06/Image-30-06-2021--14-24.png) So, despite the cloud looming sullenly overhead, and the uneasonal chill, I heaved myself out of the comfy armchair, made some sandwiches and rallied the troops. “Raincoats on! We’re going to the beach!” “Daaaaaaad, do we have to…?” “I'm bringing snacks.” “Yay! Let's go!” ## 2 Minute Day Why was I so focused on getting us out? It was the 2 Minute Foundation’s 2 Minute Day; a day for supporters to go and enjoy blue or green spaces together, and leave them cleaner than they found them. This was [their suggestion](https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=44ad85c3a7716bcab179de7e4&id=185cf89653&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com): > Wherever you are in the world, gather your family and friends and join us (social distancing rules allowing). Head to your favourite blue or green space, park or garden, or throw your windows open and enjoy a carpet picnic on your living room floor. I suppose, technically, our *nearest* blue space is the river just by our house. But our *favourite* is the beach, just five minutes' stroll away. So, off we set. 2 Minute Day has become a bit of a special day in this household. Last year, just as the first lockdown was starting to ease, I took the girls out for a long walk and a beach clean. And they did a wee dance. A wee dance I recorded and posted on Instagram: > [ View this post on Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/p/CBskil%5FnZH5/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) > > [A post shared by Walking With Daddy (@walkingwithdaddy)](https://www.instagram.com/p/CBskil%5FnZH5/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) A wee dance that won the girls two Fjallraven backpacks. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/06/9E047EE0-1D4E-4661-8607-E5A7E74F46CA-1.jpeg) > [ View this post on Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/p/CDo9LhbguDt/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) > > [A post shared by #2minutebeachclean (@2minutebeachclean)](https://www.instagram.com/p/CDo9LhbguDt/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) Having “won” last year’s day, it would have been churlish not to participate in this one, and so, finding a sheltered spot on the beach, we sat down and enjoyed my artisanal sandwiches, free of any single use plastics… ## A post-prandial clean ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/06/3C8CE112-42B1-49DA-BF59-7006B9BFC931.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/06/307C1F22-3AF4-46BD-87E1-1F5B51E15FAA.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/06/05F1435D-727F-4E0B-A8B8-5BE87E649988.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/06/9E207EAC-AD09-4F3B-9395-28DE59515986.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/06/5DA89022-BCEA-4B40-A6B1-32797FCEE88A.jpeg) (The water bottles and lunchbox are from [Mintie](https://mintielunchboxes.co.uk/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), a local company.) My youngest, as is her wont, decided that I was more comfortable to sit on than the shingle beach, and plunked herself down on me to enjoy her food. After we’d both finished eating, we lay together, her on top of me, and stared at the sky, listening to the waves gently breaking onto the shore. “This is perfect, Dad,” she sighed, enjoying nearly 20 seconds of contented peacefulness, before she decided trying to tickle me was more fun. Well, 20 seconds is a long time to sit still when you’re six. Eventually, the girls dragged their parents from their middle-aged, post-prandial stupor, and we got on with the serious business of cleaning the beach. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/06/9FCF23E3-E650-4663-9411-44881D6472EF.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/06/9E5CB58F-79C4-477D-99DD-48D3FE786C84.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/06/BEC92801-2B63-4CCF-A190-0A3FFAB41C05.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/06/C798E83C-A8EF-4D02-B0C6-01859AE35E5D.jpeg) We didn’t find much this time, but that isn’t the point. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/06/89A0BAFD-831C-457D-A773-8A2F399DC665.jpeg) We spent time in nature, away from the instant urging of our screens. Not only that, but we enjoyed some quiet family time together. We joined in as [part of the #2minutebeachclean community](https://www.instagram.com/p/CQqEunVL7o9/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fweb%5Fcopy%5Flink). And we left the place cleaner than we found it. ### Nature's curious storytelling choices URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/natures-curious-storytelling-choices/ Last updated: 2021-12-12T12:36:19.000Z I sometimes think nature doesn't understand the rules of storytelling. For example, if you have an *incredibly* successful season one year, why on earth would you fail to follow up on it the next year? Of your five reality show stars, three of them are at least a year away from appearing on screen again, one appears to be gone for good, and the last has gone and found himself a new relationship off camera. This is bad talent management. In fact, all in all, this is a *rubbish* 2021 series of *[The Loch Arkaig Ospreys](https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/faqs/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)*. Who wrote *this* script? ## An unexpected sequel to 2020's season After 2020's incredible success, with [hundreds of thousands of people watching](https://www.obantimes.co.uk/2020/06/07/loch-arkaig-ospreys-global-audience-quadruples-in-lockdown/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) Louis and Aila raising their three chicks on the [Woodland Trust's webcam](https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), this year has been something of a lacklustre sequel. Poor Aila has, in the language of the osprey watchers, failed to return. That almost certainly means that sometime between her last appearance on the nest last year and now, she has met her end. Louis, like the good-instinct driven male that he is, has found a new partner and followed her to a new nest, where hopefully the pair of them are busy helping repopulate the UK with wee osplets. And that leaves an awful lot of people staring forlornly at an empty nest. ## The Mid-Season Twist ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/05/152-on-the-nest-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/05/nestorising.jpg) Blue 152 and her suitor on the Lock Arkaig nest Or, at least, it did until earlier this week. For the last three days, [a pair of ospreys have been spending time on the nest](https://www.the-gazette.co.uk/news/national-news/19296820.hopes-rise-osprey-nest-may-host-family-new-pair-try/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). Blue 152 is a healthy-looking female osprey, and she's been accompanied by a young male, nicknamed the Prince, Pretender or the Stranger (he's unringed), who is showing every sign of being a young returnee who doesn't really know what he's doing yet. Will they breed? Will he actually figure out how osprey mating works? Will he even just bring her a fish? All of a sudden, we've gone from an established show to a brand new cast, on pre-existing sets. The rhythm of the storytelling has been broken. It's very disconcerting. We're back to 2017's “will they/won't they” plot-line. Ah, heck, this is a reboot, isn't it? ## Nature has her own stories to tell But that's Nature for you. She tells stories in her own way — and sometimes those stories don't go the way that we find satisfying. Take the [Loch Garten nest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch%5FGarten?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). It's the most significant nest in the UK, because it's the nest where Ospreys started breeding again in the UK. And yet, because Nature doesn't care about such things, it's lain empty for over two years, and has failed to produce any fledges for even longer. A couple showed some interest in it this year, but have [not been seen on the nest](https://community.rspb.org.uk/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/b/lochgartenospreys/posts/osprey-go-away-come-again-another-day?fbclid=IwAR3LIqcoYzVWtcM3zbo0bF%5FW17xHG0yvd2EmVkTfTgHhgLonlSAirFsut50&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) for some days now. This is a sad fate for such a historic site. But then, ospreys have no National Trust. Young osplets are not taken on tours of the species's historic sites. Nature carries the past in its landscapes and genes, but otherwise lives in the eternal now. ### Embracing the narrative gap We humans, creatures of narrative that we are, find this hard. But it's good for us. Part of the joy of being a nest-watcher is a reminder that nature isn't kind or predictable. Life can be short, and unfair. And dramas are played out in very different ways. Louis hasn't taken time for mourning Aila. His drive to share his genes, to breed, is too strong. He's doing the right thing for his species. We can mourn Aila, if we choose, and we can thank her for the pleasure she gave us over the last few years. But Nature won't wait for us. It moves on. Maybe with our current newbies, maybe with others who might claim the nest next year. Who knows? Nature likes to surprise us in a way human storytellers never will. And that's the thrill of watching her in all her glory. ### Nature Reading Digest #4: Walking through lockdown URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/nature-reading-digest-4-walking-through-lockdown/ Last updated: 2021-03-21T18:44:53.000Z ## Walking Through Lockdown A few weeks ago, *The Guardian* ran a [surprisingly grumpy piece about walking](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/feb/27/joyless-trudge-no-thanks-why-sick-of-going-for-a-walk?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). The author, it appears, really dislikes just going for a walk without a destination in mind — and has been able to turn that dislike into a lucrative commission. Now, I miss the pub as much as the next Brit, especially after a long walk. I can't believe that it's been over a year now since Iris and I enjoyed a nice pub lunch after a morning at [Nature Tots](https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/what-we-do/environmental-education/nature-tots?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). But, on the other hand, circular walks for their own sake have been a life (and mental health) saver through the lockdowns. And this piece celebrates people here in Sussex doing just that: [‘Fresh air is medicine’: British ramblers on the joy of their daily walkFamilies, friends and dog walkers on the South Downs share the joy of getting out and about![](https://assets.guim.co.uk/images/favicons/fee5e2d638d1c35f6d501fa397e53329/152x152.png)the GuardianJoe Stone![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/868bd4dad7dff56338d24856375c88544b7e5de9/0_238_5760_3456/master/5760.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=5d2967dce15a5cd009e68f42c355293c)](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/feb/27/british-ramblers-on-the-joy-of-their-daily-walk?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) And if you enjoyed that, you'll enjoy a much wider selection of the photographs taken in the series: [Once a day in the South Downs National Park - London-based corporate and documentary photographer with experience in China.Portraits of households doing their permitted once a day excercise in the South Downs National Park during the corona virus crisis. Photographed by London and occasional Shanghai-based documentary photographer, Jon Browning![](https://format-com-cld-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/s--bea1iZyo--/c_limit,g_center,h_192,w_192/fl_keep_iptc.progressive.apng/754354-39158664-android-chrome-512x512.png)London-based corporate and documentary photographer with experience in China.![](https://format-com-cld-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--ixtLWwxL--/c_crop,h_3696,w_3696,x_288,y_0/c_fill,g_center,h_1200,w_1600/fl_keep_iptc.progressive,q_95/v1/292138e91a189c371b366076d19d3e53/BA_0759.jpg)](https://www.jonbrowning.co.uk/once-a-day-in-the-south-downs-national-park?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com#14) --- ## Walking Through Lockdown (2) While writing the above, I accidentally ended up Googling the phrase "Walking through lockdown" (don't ask), and ended up discovering this lovely little video (which has more than a hint of melancholy in it): ## Walking the South Downs To cheer myself up after the downbeat ending to the last video, I found this little capture of the sort of walk I plan on doing once lockdown eases: --- ## Packham on nature's genius I know that [Packham](https://www.chrispackham.co.uk/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) can be a polarising figure: some people absolutely adore him, and others cannot stand him. However, I think both groups would acknowledge both his passion for his subject — and his knowledge of it. And that's what makes this interview so interesting: it's clear his passion is such he finds it very hards to stay on topic… [Chris Packham: ‘We’re in deep s\*\*\*. We need science more than ever’ — The IndependentExclusive: Naturalist and TV presenter’s latest programme Animal Einsteins explores species’ intelligence and holds a critical mirror up to our own kind at a crucial moment in time, writes Harry Cockburn![](https://apple.news/images/apple-touch-icon.png)![](https://c.apple.news/AgEXQVd6bjRjbkhRVFhDd3RjZWI1ZGl0bUEAMA)](https://apple.news/AWzn4cnHQTXCwtceb5ditmA?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ## What happens when we rewild? Here's an interesting piece from [Tim Mackrill](https://twitter.com/timmackrill?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) of the Roy Dennis Foundation. It's a long way off, but if we succeed in rewilding, does that mean we need to sacrifice our bird feeders? He suggests we might… [Wilding rewilding - Roy Dennis Wildlife FoundationOn the 7th March I set off this morning to walk my usual circuit of the local forest for I find that a long lone walk is the very best for me to wrestle with thoughts and assemble my ideas about nature; to tussle at them and think of where we should be going with the \[…\]![](https://www.roydennis.org/o/wp-content/themes/hwf/images/favicon.ico)Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation![](https://www.roydennis.org/o/wp-content/plugins/nivo-slider/timthumb.php?src=https://www.roydennis.org/o/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/banner8.jpg&h=250&w=960&zc=1&q=100)](https://www.roydennis.org/2021/03/09/wilding-rewilding/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## I'm just a wanderin' sea eagle While we're looking at Roy Dennis's work, here's a really detailed look at how the sea eagles translocated to the Isle of Wight have been exploring over a huge range: [Spring Explorations - Roy Dennis Wildlife FoundationAfter a prolonged spell of cold and wintry weather, spring is finally in the air. The first Sand Martins have appeared in southern England, and, like at this time last year, the White-tailed Eagles that we released on the Isle of Wight in July 2020 in partnership with Forestry England, are beginning…![](https://www.roydennis.org/o/wp-content/themes/hwf/images/favicon.ico)Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation![](https://www.roydennis.org/o/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/G393-and-G318-Pitsford-copy-580x326.jpg)](https://www.roydennis.org/2021/03/05/spring-explorations/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) --- ## Communities against climate change And, just to finish on a very positive note, here are two hopeful ideas of how the UK can navigate its way towards net zero carbon emissions in the fight against climate change. If lockdowns have taught us anything, it's how important communities are. A community working together, and invested both financially and socially in the outcome, could be a powerful force for change. [Make a third of new onshore green energy community owned to share benefits of net zero transition - IPPRThin k tank calls for greater local stewardship of the net zero climate transition with community energy, heating, housing and natural assets Case studies from across the country reveal …![](https://www.ippr.org/theme/ippr/favicon.png)IPPR![](https://www.ippr.org/files/PR%20thumbnails/ippr-press-release-thumbnail-00000.png)](https://www.ippr.org/news-and-media/press-releases/make-a-third-of-new-onshore-green-energy-community-owned-to-share-benefits-of-net-zero-transition-ippr?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) [How grassroots schemes across UK are tackling climate crisisThinktank calls for more support for local initiatives ranging from heating to flood schemes![](https://static.guim.co.uk/images/favicon-32x32.ico)The GuardianMatthew Taylor![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/b5f7d4c1317d4f7a76b7d2301c8fe2cd42b0661e/0_23_3815_2290/master/3815.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=75a93ceb3ee9864ac605d8c9049bf4c9)](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/10/study-highlights-under-the-radar-uk-community-projects-green-benefits?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ### Weekend Nature Digest #3 URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/weekend-nature-digest-3/ Last updated: 2021-03-06T12:20:18.000Z ## Scotland's survivor tree is getting new friends This is a simply beautiful wee film. Lovely use of drone footage to give you a powerful sense of place: You can read more about Scotland's [tree of the year](https://bordersforesttrust.org/tree-of-the-year/?utm%5Fsource=Walking+with+Daddy), which is no longer as lonely as it once was. (And people who follow this site because of the osprey connection might recognise one of the faces in the video…) ## Rewilding Scotland I watched the premiere of this online, and the girls unprompted joined me and grew quite excited about the idea. My eldest has been talking a lot about it since. As for me, I miss Scotland. I've only been back once in the last decade. Seeing an [old school friend reading for Gray Day](https://vimeo.com/517098545?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) made me determined to visit again as soon as the pandemic allows. ## The Cost of Reintroductions Before we leave Scotland, here's a piece challenging some of the enthusiasm for reintroductions, in aid of balance, if nothing else: [THE WINGS OF CHANGE | Storytelling | SCOTLAND: The Big Picture![](https://www.scotlandbigpicture.com/apple-touch-icon.png)THE WINGS OF CHANGE | Storytelling | SCOTLAND: The Big PictureSCOTLAND: The Big Picture![](https://www.scotlandbigpicture.com/Images/2020/03/df21565a-3972-4bba-898a-dcdcb4e17ef3_STBP-logo-colour.png?width=480)](https://www.scotlandbigpicture.com/rewilding-stories/the-wings-of-change?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Cornwall & the Climate Crisis Heading to the other end of the country, this short film about Cornwall and the climate crisis is well worth your time: The launch event had some interesting talks. You can [catch up on it online](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me70bitcErM&t=95s&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), too. ## A few worthwhile reads [Observing nature in your backyard is not dull but radically significant | Psyche IdeasInstead of ‘helicopter science’, we need Gilbert White’s intimate study of nature to understand global environmental change![](https://psyche.co/apple-touch-icon.png)Psyche![](https://alpha.psyche.co/images/8ef9929c-a93e-4449-b552-778e8694d094/2700x1530.jpg)](https://psyche.co/ideas/observing-nature-in-your-backyard-is-not-dull-but-radically-significant?utm%5Fsource=Aeon+Newsletter&utm%5Fcampaign=42b38e8263-EMAIL%5FCAMPAIGN%5F2021%5F03%5F03%5F04%5F02&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5F411a82e59d-42b38e8263-70584401) [Forests Absorb Twice As Much Carbon As They Emit Each YearNew data maps global carbon flux in forests, allowing us to quantify CO2 emissions and sequestration in areas ranging from local forests to countries to continents.![](https://files.wri.org/s3fs-public/favicon.ico)World Resources InstituteNancy Harris![](https://files.wri.org/s3fs-public/35539660523_fcfa7d7a1d_o.jpg?K1LLsTrguLiiWpk47X0VSiEs1yByWstj)](https://www.wri.org/blog/2021/01/forests-carbon-emissions-sink-flux?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) [The power of forest bathing - RamblersThe Ramblers - Britain’s walking charity working to protect and expand the places people love to walk and promote walking for health and pleasure. Walking information, advice and campaigns, walking news and events, group led walks and an online library of walking routes.![](https://www.ramblers.org.uk/resources/favicon.ico)![](https://www.ramblers.org.uk/resources/images/scotland.png)](https://www.ramblers.org.uk/news/blogs/2021/february/the-power-of-forest-bathing/?utm%5Fsource=Walk+mag+spring+2021&utm%5Fcampaign=16dbe9d2ab-walk-mag-spring-2021&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5F982b1010a8-16dbe9d2ab-60376887&mc%5Fcid=16dbe9d2ab&mc%5Feid=3c4c8b058a) ### Weekend Nature Reads #2 URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/weekend-nature-reading/ Last updated: 2021-02-21T13:26:11.000Z ### Stressed and in need of nature? Listen to a forest This is a lovely idea — the recorded sound of forest to listen to. Lovely for lockdown, and great to write to, amazingly! [tree.fm – Tune Into Forests From Around The World 🌳🔈People around the world recorded the sounds of their forests, so you can escape into nature, while in lockdown or unable to travel. Use this site to chill, meditate or do some digital shinrin-yoku.![](https://assets.website-files.com/5f59e3c5d2dc12a2f6762402/5f79a4790169419a62307413_Webclip.png)![](https://assets.website-files.com/5f59e3c5d2dc12a2f6762402/5f7cd2582566b6464f15f77c_OGImage.jpg)](https://www.tree.fm/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Why soil matters Phoebe is a *Guardian* journalist, and a former student of mine. I'm really enjoying the series of videos she's doing on Twitter, and this one is about soil: > Soil - the 'poor man's tropical rainforest' [pic.twitter.com/lQLFJ9BcE1](https://t.co/lQLFJ9BcE1?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) > > — Phoebe Weston (@phoeb0) [January 26, 2021](https://twitter.com/phoeb0/status/1353991262970511361?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## An Ocean Plastic Warrior As someone who is (was?) a journalist, and who trains them, it's somewhat humbling that some of the best reporting on people who are campaigning for change is coming from the marketing sector. I really enjoyed watching this short documentary about one such person: Here's some [more information about Emily](https://finisterre.com/pages/emily-penn?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). ## Taking on big business over plastic Talking of anti-plastic campaigners, here's a profile of another one. [Introducing Ella Daish: Friend of 2 MinuteWelcome to the first article in the Friends of 2 Minute interview series! My name is Lottie and I am the Communications Coordinator here at The 2 Minute Foundation. We will be catching up with an i…![](https://s1.wp.com/i/favicon.ico)The 2 Minute Foundation bloglottie2minute![](https://2minutebeachcleanblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/screen-shot-2021-02-18-at-15.26.53.png)](https://2minutebeachcleanblog.wordpress.com/2021/02/19/introducing-ella-daish-friend-of-2-minute/?mc%5Fcid=0847a231cf&mc%5Feid=3ddfe3ff70&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Jo is Brave Enough Jo Mosely hit her late 40s and a mid-life crisis. She just wasn't happy — and found a renewed joy in life through a connection to nature. The interview with her on [the ](https://theoutdoorsfix.com/jo-moseley-midlife-adventuring-and-paddleboarding-coast-to-coast/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)*[Outdoors Fix ](https://theoutdoorsfix.com/jo-moseley-midlife-adventuring-and-paddleboarding-coast-to-coast/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)*[podcast](https://theoutdoorsfix.com/jo-moseley-midlife-adventuring-and-paddleboarding-coast-to-coast/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) is well worth a listen. Her coast-to-coast paddle-boarding adventure is the subject of a new movie, which is premiering online over the next few weeks. [Am I Excited? Yes! Terrified? Yes! Grateful? Very!I’m thrilled and proud to share that Brave Enough - A Journey Home to Joy has a trailer and a date for the premiere screening in February! Together, Frit Sarita Tam of Passion Fruit Pictures and I are inching close to sharing this creative labour of love with the world. Picture credit: Frit Sarita T…![](https://static.parastorage.com/client/pfavico.ico)MysiteJo Moseley![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/db383d_037d87f9e8bd457fa8cf681d1587aa39~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000%2Ch_1000%2Cal_c%2Cq_80/file.png)](https://www.jomoseley.com/post/am-i-excited-yes-terrified-yes-grateful-very?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) The filmmaker — [Frit Sara Tam](https://www.instagram.com/fritstartingat30/?hl=en&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) — is an old acquaintance of mine. She filmed Hazel and I [for an advert](https://vimeo.com/110357231?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) many years ago. She's rebooted her life, too, as an outdoors-centric filmmaker. Here's the trailer: All three premieres are currently sold out — so hopefully there will be another opportunity soon. ## A Small Dose of Hope Cutting down on plastic is one thing. Finding something to do with the plastic that's already in circulation is quite another. This gives me some hope: [Turning Plastic Waste Into Bricks Stronger Than ConcreteMaterials engineer Nzambi Matee has started a company in her native Kenya manufacturing paving bricks made from plastic waste an![](https://kottke.org/images/2016/ios/192x192.png)kottke.orgJason Kottke![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/QbZKP4UAtL8/0.jpg)](https://kottke.org/21/02/turning-plastic-waste-into-bricks-stronger-than-concrete?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Sheltered A moment of beach beauty from me to conclude ### Lockdown Life: An Ocean Film Festival from my sofa URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/lockdown-life-an-ocean-film-festival-from-my-sofa/ Last updated: 2021-01-14T11:50:02.000Z We all want the pandemic over. I’m only a week into the UK’s third lockdown, and am already hyper-conscious of the restrictions it brings. Should we drive to Woods Mill for exercise? Or is that not local enough? (Heaven forbid that we drink a coffee while we’re there…) I won’t miss those troubled decision processes. However, there are some things I hope *do* continue once the pandemic ends. I spent Friday and Saturday night at an ocean film festival — all from the comfort of my sofa. Where once I would have had to either book a babysitter, or arrange an evening pass from my wife, to trundle along to the Brighton Dome, I could put my feet up, pour myself a wee dram, and enjoy travelling the world from my living room. ## Sailing the seas from home This wasn’t really planned. I saw the [Ocean Film Festival](https://www.oceanfilmfestival.co.uk/virtual?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) advertised in a newsletter from coastal clothing brand [Finisterre](https://finisterre.com/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), and impulse bought a virtual ticket for myself. That got me access to a 48-hour streaming window where I could watch the range of short films they had on offer, divided into two “halves”. Here’s the trailer, to give you a taste of what they were offering: The first night I was on my own: my wife was tired and took the opportunity for an early night. It took me a little while to figure out that the best way to watch it on the TV was to stream from my laptop (you access the videos via an exclusive website) to my AppleTV using Airplay, rather than my usual couch companion, my iPad Pro. I imagine you could do the same using any similar technology like Google’s Chromecast. Once it was working, it was a fabulous experience. There were nice little intro clips by a host, giving a real film festival feel: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/01/IMG_6057--1-.jpeg) I actually felt myself relaxing, for probably the first time since the Prime Minister announced that the schools were closing, as I lost myself in the sights and sounds of experiences very different from my own. We may be locked down, but great filming can take us anywhere. The second night, my wife joined me for some of it. This was a mixed blessing. She’s innately more critical than me. She did enjoy elements of one of the longer films — [A Corner of the Earth](https://vimeo.com/ondemand/acorneroftheearth?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) — although some of the more childish antics of the protagonists annoyed her. The cinematography is stunning, and it’s well worth your time. She was hooked by *[Ocean Valour](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMROkulwKU8&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)*. The delight of a film festival is that you’re not gambling on a single film. Even if one doesn’t really appeal, there will be an alternative along in no time at all. ## The Art — and Value — of curation ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/01/IMG_6056--1-.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/01/IMG_6058--1-.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/01/IMG_6059.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2021/01/IMG_6060.jpeg) It’s worth noting that you don’t *have* to pay to see many of these films. Most of them (but not all) are already available for free online. They’re short films, usually made by individuals or small teams, not big budget productions. Some of them are available for paid streaming on services like Vimeo. Many others are there for free. For example, the hugely entertaining opening film in the festival is called *Camel Finds Water*, and you can watch it for free on Vimeo: (It’s worth the watch because it’s just such a fun story.) Equally, my favourite of the videos, *Bare Existence*, is [also available on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kshAX4h5Hmw&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). (*A word of warning: there’s some distressing images of a polar bear cub being eaten in the video, so be cautious if that’s not something you want to see.)* In fact, with enough hunting, I could have probably assembled the viewing experience for myself, and for slightly less money. But that’s not the point, is it? If I can’t physically attend the screenings, what my £10 is actually buying me is the curation — the skill of other people finding and choosing these videos for me, so I can kick back and stop thinking about work and home-schooling and tax returns, and just enjoy the majesty of nature. I loved it, and I’ll be back for the [“Best of” film night](https://www.oceanfilmfestival.co.uk/films?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) at the end of January. And, while I’ll do my best to start attending the physical film festivals once they kick off again, I sincerely home they’ll keep the digital versions available as well. --- *If hills and mountains are more your thing, there's a virtual version of the [Banff Film Festival too](https://www.banff-uk.com/vp?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), in exactly the same format.* ### A New Year, a new lockdown and back to home schooling URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/a-new-year-a-new-lockdown-and-back-to-home-schooling/ Last updated: 2021-01-04T16:08:38.000Z Happy New Year! Here, in the UK at least, things are looking rather dark. COVID19 is on the rise, Scotland has already announced [a full lockdown for the whole of January](https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scotland-lockdown-rules-explained-nicola-sturgeon-announces-national-restrictions-amid-rise-covid-cases-3084823?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), and it looks like England will [follow suit](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55534999?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) this evening. And, yes, my daughters will not be going back to school tomorrow. Their school will only be open for the children of key workers and the vulnerable, so it's back to homeschooling… Happily, it looks like our school will be doing more to support us this time out, so I might actually be able to get a little more work done without burning the midnight oil too much. But I do want to take advantage of this latest — and hopefully last — lockdown to spend some more time with my girls. And yes, I want to insert a little wild learning into their home schooling. ## Wild Home School And so, I present the very first *Walking With Daddy* spin-off: [Wild Home School](https://www.wildhomeschool.com/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). This will be a daily email with videos and links to resources that will help primary children learn more about the natural world. I'm gathering these resources already for my own use, and it makes sense to offer the fruits of it to others. Here's [a handy sign-up form](https://www.wildhomeschool.com/subscribe?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), if you're interested. Completely free, and an unsubscribe is only a single click away. Please do feel free to pass this on to any parents you know who might be interested. ### Best wishes All the best to you all in the month to come. Stay safe, and stay healthy. Look for more regular *Walking With Daddy* posts in the coming days! ### Learning to live with Tier 4 URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/tier-4-beach-life/ Last updated: 2020-12-28T18:02:59.000Z On Boxing Day, Sussex went into Tier 4 — which is pretty much a third lockdown for us. Non-essential retail closes, as does most hospitality. We're back into a “stay at home” order — with exemptions for a few purposes, including exercise. The police have even been at the local tip, checking that people's visits there were “essential”. Stay home. Save lives. So, for much of the UK, the post-Christmas walk becomes one of the few recreations out of the house we can still safely (and legally) enjoy. And where's the best place to exercise, if you live by the sea? That's right — the beach. And late yesterday afternoon, Shoreham Beach was busy with people doing just that. Amongst them were, of course, the more focused sports people, with the kit and the skill to make the most of the sea: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/IMG_8753.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/IMG_8823.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/IMG_8846.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/IMG_8886.jpeg) Water sports enthusiasts enjoying Shoreham Beach on a December afternoon. For the rest of us, the more shore-bound folk, it was just a chance to stroll, run, laugh — and soak up some much-needed Vitamin D. Although the link between low levels of the vitamin and the most severe cases of COVID19 is [still unclear](https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/clinical-areas/respiratory/nice-not-enough-evidence-to-recommend-vitamin-d-solely-to-prevent-covid-19/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), there's plenty of evidence to suggest that higher average levels are [good for all of us](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190417111440.htm?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). So, let's grab even those weak winter rays where we can. ## The Beach Calm after Storm Bella In the aftermath of [Storm Bella](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55454045?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) yesterday, that Vitamin D-generating light was rich and surprising warm for late December. The seas were still stormy enough to attract some surfers, but the wind had dropped and walking was pleasant. For reasons best known to them, it was all surfers, not kite-surfers, which is unsual. This small stretch of coastline is a pretty major hotspot for the sport, but clearly the weather conditions weren't conducive to getting the kites aloft. Just 24 hours before, the sea had been full of them. But not yesterday. It was just warm enough that some people sat and chilled on the shingle a while, watching the waves tirelessly crashing onto the beach. And a few brave, and dry-robe equipped, souls were actually enjoying a cold water sea swim. I salute them. I *envy* them. Maybe next year… ### A new face of an old friend Storms like Bella reshape shingle beaches. Oh, their broad contours stay the same, but the details are all rearranged, like an old friend with an unexpected facelift. Just a few weeks ago, we had trucks on the beach, shifting the shingle around to [counter longshore drift](https://www.shoreham-port.co.uk/News/littoral-thinking-the-science-behind-longshore-drift?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) — and leaving deep tracks behind. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/GOPR3075.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/IMG_5699.jpeg) Shingle movement on Shoreham Beach All evidence of their passage was finally gone, smoothed away by wind and sea in a matter of days. Instead, the beach was back to its normal sparse winter glory. The colourful plants that dot the beach in summer have long retreated to their winter somnolence beneath the shingle. The summer sun-worshippers were home in the warm of the fire and the radiator and the TV. The beach is left to us, the hardy winter walkers and sportspeople, and the birds. And it is *glorious*. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/IMG_8761.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/IMG_8786.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/IMG_8857.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/IMG_8899.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/IMG_8815.jpeg) People enjoying a Tier 4-approved exercise walk on Shoreham Beach. ## Tier 4 Fears We're going to need its glory. Tier 4 — an effective, if not national, lockdown — stretches before us into the future. There's no clear sense of when we might leave it. With a new variant of the virus spreading rapidly thought the south east, it's possible that we might be in for months of staying home. It looks, in fact, like the UK's cycle of restriction will last over a year. A year since I last went to London. A year since I saw my brother and his family in person. A year since I've done work from anywhere but home. Yes, I know that I'm lucky. Nobody in my family has got sick. Not everyone is lucky enough to be able to work from home. Not everybody is lucky enough to have a beach on their doorstep. But, wherever we live, we've been forced into a deepened relationship with place. We live not unlike our ancestors of only a few generations back: rarely straying from our county. Some people have found this an unbearable restriction. Some people have decided that they hate where they live and it's [time for a change](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/nov/25/uk-housing-market-expects-100000-extra-home-sales-in-early-2021?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). ### Lockdown liberation I've slowly come around to feeling liberated by it. I feel like I've been given permission to truly dwell *here*, on Shoreham Beach. To get to know it, to feel it changing with the seasons around me. And I hope, when mass vaccination finally ends this pandemic, that I don't lose that permission. I hope I can resist the pressure, the FOMO, that drives me to try to go elsewhere; to travel, to rush. Some of the nature writers I most admire have a deep connection with their landscapes. They walk them with an intensity I'm slowly learning. A year is long enough to break habits — and make new ones. This is the new one I'm working on. And so, I'm trying to look at Tier 4 as a gift; a few months to truly complete my bond with the place where I dwell. To forge a connection with it, one that will survive the freedom that 2021 will eventually bring. ![Evening sun over the sea from Shoreham Beach. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/6CD42D5B-79D0-46A0-861D-1F72D38AE069_1_201_a.jpeg) Evening sun over the sea from Shoreham Beach. ### Spithandle Nursery: sustainable Sussex Christmas trees URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/a-sustainable-sussex-christmas-tree/ Last updated: 2024-12-08T12:52:27.000Z Look, I don't want to channel the spirit of pre-hauntings Scrooge, but have you ever thought about the [environmental cost of Christmas trees](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/christmas/christmas-tree-real-living-artificial-plastic-environment-carbon-footprint-a9235551.html?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)? I have. And it worried me. Sure, if you're not careful, trying to be green can rob some of the most fun times of the year of their joy. But we only have the one planet, so it's worth the disquiet of examining your own decisions carefully. And “humbug” to those who disagree. 😉 Could it *really* be better, as some suggest, to have a plastic tree, than the beautiful, biodegradable natural variety? ### Christmas Carbon Calculations Thankfully, the [figures are clear](https://www.carbontrust.com/es/node/532?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com): you'd need to hang on to an artificial tree for over a decade for it to generate less carbon than buying a locally-grown tree every year. And you're still leaving behind that plastic waste. If you compost your tree after use, and don't travel too far for it, it doesn't generate plastic waste, and releases only the carbon it captured as it grow. If it's being replaced by the growers, all is good. And so, we can enjoy the fresh spruce smell of the festive season without guilt, because we *do* buy local. In fact, our tree grew less than eight miles from where we live. ## Spruce source: Spithandle Every year for the last four years, we've headed up to Spithandle Nursery, which grows its own trees. It's a favourite festive haunt of many of our local friends, and a former neighbour [even blogged about it four year ago](https://myfamilyhomeblog.wordpress.com/2016/12/12/spithandle-nursery-a-family-tradition-at-christmas-time/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). Since 2016, it's become the opening ritual of our Christmas. The nursery is just packed full of trees, most still growing, and meandering amongst them, picking and choosing our ideal tree is an absolute joy for our girls. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/4B0E2603-549E-4306-A87D-E07F6826C1FD_1_201_a.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/54165256-D37B-4CA5-9450-38E156FCEB0A_1_201_a.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/ED15196A-F123-4656-A2C8-58B5258D54C6_1_201_a.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/6D2D4C46-3DF0-4142-8128-98D8C300AE16_1_201_a.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/77788E66-FFCD-4423-BC01-8401168F0503_1_201_a.jpeg) Tree selection is always something of a battle of wits. My wife is fond of smaller trees, the girls and I like something a bit more impressive. We look, discuss, debate — and even measure. Yes, we take a tape measure with us. And eventually we make the decision. A couple of years ago we ended up with one we ended up nicknaming the “wee tree”, not because it was pleasingly small, but because one of the girls had had to do an emergency wee nearby, and that led to us discovering it. ## Size matters This year, for the first time, victory went to the girls and I. It's not the sort of roof-scraper my late father always used to choose from [the forest near Kelty](https://forestryandland.gov.scot/christmas/blairadam?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), but it's larger than my wife would like, and that is an utter delight to the girls. Here it is, after my wife and my youngest had dug it up: ![A freshly-grown Christmas tree at Spithandle Nursery in Sussex. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/932594CA-00A3-40DD-8268-D81271E687D2_1_201_a.jpeg) Our Christmas 2020 tree Normally, I'd carry it down to the glasshouse, where I'd pay for it, while the rest of the family browsed the Christmas decoration on sale, had snacks and a drink, and chatted with the family that have run the place for decades. But this is where 2020 rears its ugly head. After our tree is netted for us, we normally have mulled wine, hot chocolate and a pony ride for the girls. ## The COVID19 Christmas Not this year. COVID has put the kibosh on most of that. The ponies are still there, but the girls could only say, “hello”. ![A pony at Spithandle Farm being watched by a young girl. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/B4C49A46-CEE3-48C3-8251-35AE097C40CB_1_201_a.jpeg) A girl and a pony. The drinks? They'd migrated from the big glasshouse that used to be the centre of proceedings, to the window of the house: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/60C73D40-726A-4D59-A2B7-6CD9E60CBFD6_1_201_a.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/58B9AA66-6002-443E-AC2A-2181A2CFF2CD_1_201_a.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/6C531D84-9B90-4EC5-9AE7-FE1E1739E917_1_201_a.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/783C2C97-D222-45BD-BE49-83284F05B248_1_201_a.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/12/DA762202-5065-42C1-8286-83C44016F6DF_1_201_a.jpeg) Lots of other little changes, too. The lucky dip had become little lucky parcels. My youngest was delighted with her ballon, as you can see. So, it wasn't the same as it usually is. The girls felt it more strongly than we did, I think. But they've got used to things being, well, different this year. The joy, though, is that despite all the changes this year has brought, our little family tradition continued. This weekend we'll decorate our 5th Spithandle tree. And we'll do it in hope. We all might have a few difficult months still ahead, as winter bites and the virus spreads, but needles (of the medical rather than the tree variety) *are* going into arms. Vaccination *is* underway. Hopefully, by next Christmas, the restrictions will be eased or gone, and we'll be back at Spithandle, and enjoying all the same warmth, hospitality and fun we had in previous years. --- - Visit [Spithandle Nursery on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/SpithandleNursery/). - We were [back there in 2021](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/back-to-spithandle-2021/) ### Weekend Nature Reads #1 URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/weekend-nature-reads-1/ Last updated: 2020-12-11T21:59:56.000Z ## The Big Read: is our desire for nature innate? Grab yourself a brew, and settle down in the comfy chair for this one. It's a long piece by a neuroscientist (but don't worry — it's far more accessible than that makes it sound) who starts to explore how much scientific basis there is for [biophilia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biophilia%5Fhypothesis?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). The answer, as you might expect, is complicated. But this article is as much about the journey as about the destination. [Are We Wired to Be Outside? - Issue 92: Frontiers - NautilusHiking the Franconia Ridge Loop is an intimidating proposition. The trail, in the heart of New Hampshire’s White Mountain National…![](http://nautil.us/favicon.ico)NautilusGrigori Guitchounts![](http://static.nautil.us/17920_d4180fd599207086faf95544d33a17e0.png)](http://nautil.us/issue/92/frontiers/are-we-wired-to-be-outside?mc%5Fcid=8ae4b2da76&mc%5Feid=6777f3b10c&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## UK acts to protect rare albatross It's pretty unusual that we get good news out of the current UK government, but this seems to me to be unqualifiedly positive: [British Overseas Territory to become world’s biggest marine conservation zone in bid to protect rare albatrossBoris Johnson said ‘we are killing our oceans’ as he unveiled the landmark policy![](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/etc/designs/telegraph/core/clientlibs/core/icons/favicon-152x152.png)The TelegraphHelena Horton![](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2020/11/12/TELEMMGLPICT000244330068_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqM37qcIWR9CtrqmiMdQVx7Co14yRc9LT310GoJETzTos.jpeg?impolicy=logo-overlay)](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/11/12/british-overseas-territory-become-worlds-biggest-marine-conservation/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## White Tailed Eagles over the Sussex coast Over in the Isle of Wight, there's a translocation project underway. Young white tail eagles have been brought from Scotland and released, in the hope that enough of them will survive and bond with the area that we start seeing the species breed in England for the first time in centuries. That's still a few years away, though. In the meantime, the young released both this year and last are satellite tagged, and this is a fascinating account of how they've been exploring, based on both sightings and the signals from their tags. Excitingly, one of them flew just north of where I live… [Autumn Explorations - Roy Dennis Wildlife FoundationOver the spring and summer the four White-tailed Eagles that we released on the Isle of Wight in August 2019 in partnership with Forestry England have wandered widely, with the satellite tracking data providing a valuable insight into their movements and how they have learnt to live successfully in …![](https://www.roydennis.org/o/wp-content/themes/hwf/images/favicon.ico)Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation![](https://www.roydennis.org/o/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/G324-and-G274-AB-580x405.jpg)](https://www.roydennis.org/2020/11/10/autumn-explorations/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Bringing Nature to Book Outdoors and nature writing were of deep consolation to me during the deepest days of lockdown. I thoroughly enjoyed this meditation on the value and role of them by the editor of *Outdoor Swimmer*, Jonathan Cowie. (I am slighly shocked that it's 21 years since [*Waterlog*](https://amzn.to/376O4q6?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) was published, though…) [Inspire the adventure: my life in outdoor books![](https://outdoorswimmer.com/android-chrome-192x192.png)Outdoor SwimmerJonathan Cowie • Editor • 10th November 2020 @outdoor\_swimmer![](https://outdoorswimmer.com/assets/site/_medium/Adv_Ink_Swim-15_LR.jpg)](https://outdoorswimmer.com/blogs/inspire-the-adventure-my-life-in-outdoor-books?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) (And I just discovered that there's [a new hardback edition of *Waterlog*](https://amzn.to/2Kkwwh1?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) coming next year. Yay!) ## Interest in moving to coastal towns booming Honestly, I'm not sure if I'm delighted or terrified by the fact that my town is mentioned deep in this piece. Apparently there's been an 96% increae in interest in properties where I live — which is less than some, but still high. We've had the best part of nine months proving that many of us can work remotely (it's *exactly* nine months today since I last went to London, in fact). Lockdown and social distancing has reset many of our expectations, and that's going to shift where people want to live. Given that we've been trapped in or near our homes for months at a time, people have had to face, square on, the nature of where they've chosen to live, without the escape of work or visits to family. Some have come to appreciate where they live more — we certainly did. But others will have realised that they need to make a change. They're the ones heading for the countryside and the coast right now. There will be many good aspects to that — but some bad ones, too, I suspect. [Mumbles in Wales named Britain’s top seaside hotspot for house price growthSky News is an unrivalled, world class breaking news service with a spirit of innovation and a fresh approach to news broadcasting. As the UK’s first dedicated 24-hour news channel, Sky News has built a deserved reputation for being the first to break major news as well as offering insight and analy…![](https://news.sky.com/resources/favicon-192x192.png?v=1&bypass-service-worker)SkySabah Choudhry, news reporter![](https://e3.365dm.com/20/11/1600x900/skynews-beach-mumbles_5176042.jpg?20201118120232)](https://news.sky.com/story/mumbles-in-wales-named-britains-top-seaside-hotspot-for-house-price-growth-12135516?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Reclaiming Nets This is a fun, but quite shocking video, showing just how much of the sea plastic around our beaches hails from fishing. The people collecting the “ghost gear” here are Waterhaul, who [make lovely sunglasses](https://waterhaul.co/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) from the plastic they collect. ## The White Van Plan Some of the best outdoors content at the moment is coming from the specialist retailers like Waterhaul above. I have a severe case of lust for Millican's backpacks (I should put them on my list for Father Christmas…), and this little promotional vignette of an adventurous way of living from them is rather lovely. Once you look past the obvious photos of the bags, there are some lovely images. [Everyday Adventure | Michael & Verity - White Van Plan | MillicanWe have been living and travelling in our van for 4 months now. We built and designed our camper-van ourselves so that we have everything we need to live off grid and explore new places straight. On our most recent adventure we gathered everything we needed into our Millican Roll Packs and set off t…![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1244/9888/t/13/assets/favicon.png?v=2856727343780365052)Millican![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1244/9888/articles/wvpfeature_1200x1200.jpg?v=1606237605)](https://www.homeofmillican.com/blogs/journal/everyday-adventure-michael-verity-br-white-van-plan?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Food Foraging Fancy a wee bit of foraging? Sian has you covered with some easy and safe things to find. [What to forage for in winter in Britain | UK winter foragingWhat to forage for in winter in Britain | UK winter foraging easy beginner-friendly winter wild food The Girl Outdoors![](http://thegirloutdoors.co.uk/favicon.ico)the girl outdoorssian![](http://thegirloutdoors.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/wild-garlic-1-1440x958.jpg)](http://thegirloutdoors.co.uk/2020/11/30/what-to-forage-for-in-winter/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Campaigners are calling for more right to roam I imagine this will see massive pushback — but the campaign is really only asking for what has been the case in Scotalnd for some years now, and without disasterous consequences. I doubt this will be high on the government's priority list, but I hope pressure for this sort of shift will only grow. [Artists, writers and musicians call on the Government to extend countryside access in England101 artists have written a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling for more access to the English countryside on the 20th anniversary of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act![](https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/22/2018/06/favicon_0-717323b.gif?quality=90&resize=192,192)Countryfile.comFergus Collins![](https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/22/2020/11/GettyImages-83518824-9d826b9.jpg?quality=45&resize=620,413)](https://www.countryfile.com/people/opinion/artists-writers-and-musicians-call-on-the-government-to-extend-countryside-access-in-england/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) That's all for this week, folks. Feedback or suggestions [gratefully received](mailto:adam@walkingwithdaddy.com)… ### Why I do beach cleans, in three photos URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/why-i-do-beach-cleans-in-three-photos/ Last updated: 2020-11-10T13:50:26.000Z I am conscious that I talk about the [2 minute beach clean](https://beachclean.net/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) movement a lot here. I don't post often, but when I do, there is a pretty good chance that I'll mention it. There's plenty of reasons for that. I still need to "justify" time away from my desk to myself, sometimes. The pandemic has not been kind to [my training business](https://onemanandhisblog.com/digital-journalism-training/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), and I'm conscious of the need to keep hustling for work. (Although, ironically, I'm having one of my best ever months this November…) A beach clean takes an indulgence and makes it *useful —* purposeful, even. But there's another reason, one that I can illustrate simply and easily with three photos taken a few seconds apart on Saturday. Over the weekend, I took my daughters for a loooooong walk around the peninsula we live on. England is now in Lockdown 2: Electric Boogaloo, but this time we're allowed as much outdoor exercise as we want, as long as we stay socially distanced and don't travel too far. A couple of hours letting the girls burn off energy as we walk along the beach and the riverside is perfect for that. ## Beauty and the Beast in one metre We periodically did beach cleans as we went. At one point my youngest declared herself a “rubbish spotting robot” and would make bleeping noises when she found something for me to pick up. While the girls were playing, though, I found something on the tideline that summed up why I do this. All three photos were take in a single metre stretch. In the centre was this lovely thing: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/11/IMG_8093.jpeg) Beautiful, isn't it? Just the sort of beach treasure find we all love. A shell, slightly eroded by the sea, but still whole. Exquisite. Calming. But what was to the left of it? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/11/IMG_8092.jpeg) OK. Less lovely. How many of those coffee lids end up in the sea every day, I wonder? And the uniquitous plastic bag. This is rather taking the shine off the beautiful shell. But humanity was just getting started on ruining things. Let's look to the other side of the shell: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/11/IMG_8094.jpeg) Euuurgh. Just as well I had [the folding litter picker](https://www.beachclean.shop/product/official-folding-2minutebeachclean-litterpicker/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) with me, to tidy that up. The ratio of natural treasure to nature was not good in that metre, was it? But when I left, it was so very much better. It's a tiny thing, but it helped nature a wee bit, and made me feel so much better in myself. And that's why I make a #2minutebeachclean part of my day, as often as I can. ### More reasons why The 2 Minute Foundation have listed their own reasons for picking during lockdown on their blog: > - You focus on a small, regular task and not on your health or self or the world around you > - You get a sense of satisfaction from improving the world > - You feel connected to the place where you litter pick > - You feel ownership for the place you litter pick > - You can see the results instantly > - You can inspire others to do the same > - It’s great exercise [LOCKDOWN 2: Time to take 2 minutes. Again.Hello. We’re back here again. Back in a national lockdown situation in England and under restrictions in Wales and Scotland. Ireland is under lockdown too. When I wrote about the first lockdown bac…![](https://s1.wp.com/i/favicon.ico)The 2 Minute Foundation blogMartin Dorey![](https://2minutebeachcleanblog.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/20160412_140831.jpg)](https://2minutebeachcleanblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/04/lockdown-2-time-to-take-2-minutes-again/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) During this lockdown, I'm trying to focus on points three and four — the connection and sense of ownership about where I live. There are plenty of battles to be fought on the international stage. But they are big, hard and will take time to win. A simple two minute clean is something you can achieve every day, and which rejuventates you for the larger battles. Never underestimate the mental health benefits of regular doses of achievement — nor with sense of connection with nature where you live. ### Telling the stories of our wild places URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/telling-the-stories-of-our-wild-places/ Last updated: 2020-10-21T21:22:07.000Z I've mentioned below that I grew up in central Scotland. That's one of the reasons I found this video so compelling: Those muddy shores in the video are intesely familiar to me. They were part of the landscape of my childhood, but only ever in passing. There's a quite distinctive bridge near the beginning: that's the Kincardine Bridge, the less famous sibling of the other Forth bridges nearer Edinburgh, and I crossed it all the time in my childhood. Not as much as my Dad, admittedly, who travelled over it most days on his way to work. He worked at the refinery you can see in some of the shots, but in an office, doing sales. ## The River from the bridge But when we did go with Dad, I remember looking out at the Forth from the car, looking at the river below and just… wondering. It's mainly mudflats with some saltmarsh, and it's not what you'd call conventionally beautiful, but it was quietly fascinating. And then my childhood was gone, and I was no longer living in Scotland, and it joined the long list of places I've wanted to explore, and never managed to do so. Well now, even though I live 480 miles away, it's still fascinating to have the change to *finally* learn something about this bleak, muddy yet fascinating stretch of river, and that's what this accompanying RSPB blog post allows me to do: > I plopped down from the bank for a closer look, most of my wellies momentarily disappearing below the surface. Two juvenile ruff. Perhaps born and raised on a Scandinavian bog just weeks earlier. Now here, on the Forth. Truly this is an international site for wildlife. Just like them, grateful for the pitstop, this has been a place of great comfort for me these past weeks. Read on: [The magical Forth - Scottish Nature Notes - Our work - The RSPB CommunityShare your passion for birds, wildlife & all things nature with the RSPB Community. Show off your images, experiences and read the RSPB’s blogs! Join the community here![](https://community.rspb.org.uk/cfs-file/__key/themefiles/tc-s-3fc3f82483d14ec485ef92e206116d49-00000000000000000000000000000000-favicon/favicon.ico)Click-through to the BirdLife WebsiteYvonne M![](https://community.rspb.org.uk/cfs-filesystemfile/__key/communityserver-components-imagefileviewer/communityserver-components-groupavatars-00-00-00-00-10/Our-work.png.png_2D00_68x68x2.png?_=636777056469074172)](https://community.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/b/scotland/posts/the-magical-forth?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) As the video above concludes, it's important that conservation organisations do more than just conserve: they need to tell the stories of these places. And they're starting to do that ever more effectively. With my [professional hat on](https://onemanandhisblog.com/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), I find myself thinking: how do we *amplify* those stories? With the natural world under so much threat, the more we can do that, the better. --- *Photo by [nz\_willowherb](https://www.flickr.com/photos/willowherb/32780400297/in/photolist-RWG7Xt-2ejczht-4Dy8oG-4DtR6a-4Dy8fJ-4DtRcP-4ax9n-4DtSbK-yd2N5-6fhoXa-5jznbg-rU2L3e-83Gxkt-dbmmvy-dbmkQn-27zCi8-2fHc1qB-ogRFSK-2fCvzB1-2fHbTPF-256zH1P-256zHm8-9wusHg-7UtP3y-4ise79-4jmz7G-2fHbVmP-a1dWJ3-4uTbDK-4k9wRT-4uGBYz-2iVuLzL-pAKXQy-4uLWZu-JTNEPo-KMAoZG-5qcNWx-4uLXif-qeoCM2-deQrKB-6HyXhS-2bRqPT4-2ejczEx-4uLXvh-4uLXtw-4uLFBJ-fkXyg-2iVxzU9-NYH5CQ-NYH4K7?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), and used under [a Creative Commons licence](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)* ### Review: Return of the Osprey by David Gassner URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/review-return-of-the-osprey-by-david-gassner/ Last updated: 2021-12-10T09:55:28.000Z Last year, after the ospreys set off on their migration, I assuaged my empty nest syndrome by diving into a book. *Return of the Osprey: a Season of Flight and Wonder* sat by my bed, and over the next couple of months I worked my way through it on the (few) nights where I wasn’t so tired that I headed straight off to sleep. I’d come across it because the author, [David Gessner](https://www.davidgessner.net/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) had been popped up in an osprey group on Facebook, looking for a publisher to put out a new edition of the book. I don’t know if he found one, but I hope so. This is book that is *absolutely* perfect for this moment in our lives. It’s not just a book about ospreys, you see. It’s a book about a man trying to become rooted in a particular place. Throughout the pandemic, I’m found my mind wandering back to this book, simply because many of us have been forced into the same situation he chose: locked into a particular spot. We can rail against the lockdowns and the travel restrictions, or we can embrace them, and choose to live a different way. I’m lucky enough to live in a beautiful part of coastal Sussex, and I’ve teen a deep and fundamental delight in really watching the seasons shift, now I’m not constantly travelling for work. ## Living a rooted life David Gessner does exactly that with the family home in Cape Cod. He and his wife settle into a life by the sea, and while his extended family drift in and out of the book, the axis around which his life turns during the year depicted, two decades back now, are the ospreys. He identifies three osprey nests in the area, and spends a chunk of his time visiting each nest in turn, watching as the osprey pairs raise (or fail to raise) their young. It's a challenging psychological journey for him. He has to learn stillness, and patience. In the early stages of the book he finds it hard to keep focus and concentrate for long periods on the nest. But as the year moves on, he develops the skill of just watching. He starts to find his place in his neighbourhood, and not just the human element of it, either. This is very much a book about man’s relationship with nature. He springboards his storytelling off the back of the seminal work *Silent Spring*, retelling how humanity’s enthusiasm for pesticides led to the collapse in osprey numbers. Why? The high concentrations of DDT in the food chain led to weakened eggs — which cracked when brooded. ## A human assault on nature Those mistakes are gently contrasted with the steady assault on the wild Gessner witnesses as he walks the area around his home. One neighbour strips back the wilderness to create a new, bland mansion and a tamed, monocultural garden around it, and Gessner mourns the loss. That’s not to say that this is a bleak book: it’s not. He finds deep joy in watching the ospreys, and learning about them as he goes. This is an era before live-streamed nests, remember. While there were books out there, they weren’t plentiful, and Gessner ends up making a couple of pilgrimages to consult an osprey expert. What he discovers won’t be a surprise to anyone who has watched even a single season on a live-streamed nest (although US ospreys seem to have a much greater tolerance for human neighbours, and a greater tendency to fill their nests with plastic junk). Watching his understanding grow and blossom through the spring and summer is an engrossing experience. It took months to read this book simply because I wanted it to play out slowly, perhaps not quite in real time, but certainly not in the few days I can devour a book in when I put my mind to it. ## The path between hope and despair ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/10/Image-16-10-2020--14-00.jpeg) The book walks a careful line, keeping an eye on both the past and the future, but rooted very much in the moment. It’s a book about a single spring and summer in a single place, but with an awareness of all that is needed to protect that experience — and how fragile it can be. It doesn’t come to any pat conclusions, either. While the message is cautiously hopeful, Gessner himself admits he has a complicated relationship with hope: > Hope can’t be falsified. The things we look to for hope had better be as solid, or more solid, than the things that bring us despair. Scott Russell Sanders recently wrote a book called *Hunting for Hope*. His litany of reasons to be hopeful included wildness, craft, family, art, and beauty. To that list I would add “ospreys”. As I write this, many people are experiencing the mix of hope and despair that watching these birds bring: the joy when a migrant is spotted safely in its wintering grounds, or the despair when evidence emerges that one didn’t make it. Nature can be cruel, but it can also be beautiful, and is our home. And this book is a glorious reminder of that. --- *Return of the Osprey* isn’t available as an eBook currently, but you can pick up secondhand copies via [Amazon](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Return-Osprey-Season-Flight-Wonder/dp/0345450167/ref=sr%5F1%5F1?dchild=1&keywords=Return+of+the+Osprey+Gessner&qid=1602855387&sr=8-1&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), [AbeBooks](https://affiliates.abebooks.com/ospflight?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) or other secondhand book retailers. ### Autumn comes when the ospreys leave URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/autumn-comes-when-the-ospreys-leave/ Last updated: 2020-09-08T11:50:28.000Z Autumn is here. I’ve found lots of ways of defining the beginning of Autumn down the years. When I was a child, it was very much about returning to school, even though Scottish schools go back in August. My daughters headed back to school yesterday, so… When I was a young adult, it was that universal signal of the leaves in the trees starting their slow fade into brown that signalled the start of Autumn. The gentle retreat is in progress right now. For the last couple of years, though, the start of Autumn has come to be defined by empty nest syndrome. Slowly, one by one, the live-streamed osprey nests are emptying, their occupants feeling the irresistible call of migration, and heading south. ## Biophillic viewing I spend a lot of my life — too much, perhaps — in front of screens of various sorts. It’s nice to bring a bit of nature onto those screens while I work. Back in 2018, I watched the kestrels breeding in a local nest box, as streamed by the Sussex Wildlife Trust. In 2019, the stream was no longer working, so I switched my focus to the Loch Arkaig osprey nest in Scotland, [streamed by the Woodland Trust](https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). The saga of Louis and Aila and their two daughters proved a gateway drug into a wider world of osprey addiction, but this is a story told, literally, in seasons. The story begins in spring, as you wait for the ospreys to return. You follow the height of the drama through the summer, as the eggs hatch, the “bobs” (as osprey hatchlings are called) thrive or die. Then comes ringing and fledging, and finally the slow wait for migration. The osprey season ends not with a bang, but a whimper. An osprey launches from the nest one last time — and never returns. In fact, that osprey may never be seen again. The survival rate of juveniles is not high, and that final flight may be the last time any of the nest watchers see that little one again. It’s a hard truth, but one worth remembering. We don’t “own” these creatures, and we can’t save any particular individual. All we can do is make sure we create the right environments for them to thrive. Sometimes we get lucky, and somebody spots the ringed osprey wintering in Africa. This year, the Loch Arkaigers have been granted an incredible boon. One of the juveniles, JJ6 or “Doddie”, has [been seen fishing in Somerset](https://www.obantimes.co.uk/2020/09/03/africa-bound-lochaber-osprey-causes-a-stir-in-somerset/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). He’s the first of the eight Loch Arkaig birds (the parents and 6 offspring over 3 breeding years) to be seen away from the nest area. ## Empty Nest Syndrome His siblings? Now migrated, or about to do so. This is the scene on the livestream as I write this: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/09/Image-07-09-2020--10-05.jpeg) An empty nest, and the signs of autumn making their way through the Scottish countryside. I can’t help but note the resonance between the osprey chicks leaving, and my daughters returning to school. The house feels hushed, with just my wife and I working. But my daughters will be back home this evening, and we’ll be luck to see any of the young ospreys again. But, although there’s a melancholy to the changing of the seasons, there is a delight to it, too. I love the autumn. It’s been my favourite time of the year for as long as I can remember. We can head to the wild places, to the beach, to the hills, and find them so much less busy than in the summer. ## Raptors remain I took the girls up to [Woods Mill](https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/visit/woods-mill?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), the local Sussex Wildlife Trust nature reserve, at the end of last week. As we got out of the car, this is what I saw drifting lazily overhead: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/09/Image-07-09-2020--10-00.jpeg) Some raptors have taken their leave of us for this year but others, like this buzzard, are here, flying, feeding, roosting and enjoying the relative leisure of raptor life outside the breeding season. Like so many others, I’ve become more attuned to the seasons again, through lockdown. I’ve watched my garden and my neighbourhood change week by week, and I’m doing my best not to lose track of that now. Nature may be on its retreat towards winter, but it’s part of the natural cycle, and we should embrace that as much as the fecund promise of spring. ## Autumnphillia Oh, and I *love* autumn. It is, and always has been, my favourite season. I have a wee bit more time on my hands again, after my daughters returned to school. After six months of homeschooling, I can get on with my day job of training journalists again. But I work to live, not live to work. And I’m looking forward to loading up my camera (metaphorically — it’s all digital these days) and getting out there into the autumn woods and shoreline, and see what they bring me. Safe travel, ospreys. See you in the spring. ### Beach cleaning after Ellen URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/beach-cleaning-after-ellen/ Last updated: 2020-08-25T08:53:50.000Z It's all feeling a bit autumnal of late, isn't it? Happily, we might still have some summer left, because the current weather isn't the harbinger of the autumn winds. Instead it's the result of [Storm Ellen hitting the west coast](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/aug/22/man-dies-in-cornwall-and-girl-passes-away-in-cardiff-as-storm-ellen-batters-uk?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). We're far enough east that we only got the edge of it, but it still led to some dramatic waves on the shoreline. And those of us who live by the sea know what storms bring: a reshaped beach. It often looks dramatically different when the storm abates, not least because there's usually a huge volume of stranded seaweed: ![Shoreham Beach after Storm Ellen](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/08/IMG_7196.jpeg) And in that seaweed is, inevitably, some junk. A whole bunch of human detritus gets washed up, and left on our beaches. It's not usually as bad as the aftermath of a sunny summer's weekend, but often we get some eye-opening rubbish washed up. Some of it is obviously *very* old, and other bit have clearly come from a long way away. Whatever the source, it arrives on our shore with very explosive wave break on the foreshore. And so, the good folks at the [2 Minute Foundation](https://www.beachclean.net/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) put out a call for their beach cleaners to go to work: > [ View this post on Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/p/CEJkNRqgJZL/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) > > [WE ARE READY. ARE YOU? With huge storms raging RIGHT NOW, our beaches will need our help when the surf and wind calms down. Are you ready for your #2minutebeachclean? Pickers? Check. Bags? Check. Gloves? Check. #2minutebeachclean 🛒 beachclean.shop](https://www.instagram.com/p/CEJkNRqgJZL/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) > > A post shared by [ #2minutebeachclean](https://www.instagram.com/2minutebeachclean/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) (@2minutebeachclean) on Aug 21, 2020 at 4:20am PDT Dutifully, picker at the ready, we hit the beach: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/08/IMG_4856.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/08/IMG_7193.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/08/IMG_7201-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/08/IMG_7202-2.jpeg) It was a fun excuse to hit the beach. It was pretty quiet apart from the kite-surfers who were taking advantage of the winds from the tail end of the storm: ![Kite surfers enjoying Shoreham Beach. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/08/IMG_7189.jpeg) We spent about 40 minutes on the beach, but a bunch of that time was spent with the girls squabbling over who got to use the picker (I might need to buy a couple more), and much of the rest just enjoying drinking in the blustery, post-storm atmosphere. We probably did more than the two nominative minutes, but certainly not 20 times more… It wasn't a huge haul — but honestly, we didn't cover a huge area, but it was the excuse for a beach trip not the sole reason for it. This is what we got: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/08/IMG_4858.jpeg) I had the chance to swing by the [beach quickly yesterday](https://microblog.onemanandhisblog.com/2020/08/24/managed-a-little.html?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), and there's still plenty to be cleaned up. So I imagine we'll be heading back there this afternoon. Being on the beach is an end in its own right, but the beach clean gives us the delicious feeling that we're leaving the beach *better* than we found it. And that's an addictive sensation. --- *You can grab the 2minute app from the [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/beachclean/id1170028695?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) or [the Google Play store](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.beachclean.beachcleanapp&hl=en%5FGB&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), and get cleaning…* ### Wildlife reintroduction newsround URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/reintroduction-newsround/ Last updated: 2020-08-22T10:35:59.000Z One thing that has changed dramatically between my childhood in the 70s and my daughters' 40 years later is that the nature news I was exposed to was largely around threat. In particular, the [series ](http://www.broadcastforschools.co.uk/site/Look%5Fand%5FRead/Sky%5FHunter?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)*[Nature Hunters](http://www.broadcastforschools.co.uk/site/Look%5Fand%5FRead/Sky%5FHunter?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)* stuck in my head, after we were shown it in school. It was about egg hunters threatening the (then) rare peregrine falcons. I was almost exactly Hazel's age when I saw it. In the midst of often over-whelming gloom about the state of nature, there is a genuine thread of good news to pursue. I want to give the girls a feeling hope, that we have the power to improve things, if we act. And so, I tell my daughters about how people are working to being some species *back* to places they were eliminated from by human activity in the past. Here's a few of the things we've talked about in recent weeks: ## Good news and bad news on bird reintroductions First, the good news. The second year of the Isle of White white-tailed eagle translocation project has gone ahead. Six new birds have been released, to add to the surviving four from last year's initial release: [Successful second release of white-tailed eagles takes place in landmark English reintroduction project - Roy Dennis Wildlife FoundationThe return of white-tailed eagles to England has reached its next key milestone with the successful release of a further 7 birds on the Isle of Wight. The five-year reintroduction programme now in its second year is led by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, and aims to restore …![](https://www.roydennis.org/o/wp-content/themes/hwf/images/favicon.ico)Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation![](https://www.roydennis.org/o/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2birdspostreleaseperchedfallentree.jpg)](https://www.roydennis.org/2020/08/18/successful-second-release-of-white-tailed-eagles/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) These eagles take about five years to reach breeding maturity, so we're still four years away from seeing chicks down here. But, so far, things are going well. However, a similar project to reintroduce ospreys to southern England has had to pause for a year: [Poole Harbour Osprey Project 2020 Postponed - Birds of Poole HarbourDue to the pandemic and the resulting lockdown, our partners at the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation have been...![](https://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/wp-content/themes/birds/apple-touch-icon.png)Birds of Poole Harbour![](https://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Screen-Shot-2020-05-21-at-09.31.32-1024x1024.png)](https://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/poole-harbour-osprey-project-2020-postponed/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) It's worth quoting the key passage: > It quickly became clear, however, that this has been one of the worst seasons for ospreys in Roy’s part of Scotland for nearly 50 years. A large proportion of nests, including some of which have been established since the 1960’s, appear to have either lost breeding individuals or failed to successfully raise any chicks. Those that have have done so with very small brood sizes and with chicks that are deemed far too young and weak to be viable for translocation. And, at nests that have miraculously beaten the odds and managed to raise healthy chicks, they are now on the verge of fledging, and therefore too old to translocate. Although it's not been obvious from the live-streamed nests (the resident pair at Loch Arkaig [raised three chicks to fledging](https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/press-centre/2020/07/arkaig-ospreys-gender-reveal/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) for the first time, for example), this appears to have been a shocking year for ospreys in Scotland. Weather conditions in the spring led to a larger number of mature birds perishing on migration than normal. While there are three well-known nests between Scotland and Wales where the missing partner was replaced in time to breed, that's not been the case everywhere. And then bad summer weather killed some chicks in the nest. Poole is having a challenging time: from three years of translocations, we've only seen one male chick return, and he appears to have perished on migration this year. Fingers crossed for 2021, when we should see some males from the 2019 translocation return. If they don't appear, we'll be looking at 2023 before there's any hope of breeding… ## Beaver boom in Devon Beaver reintroductions is one of the most interesting projects to me — and one I've been paying attention to. This is not just about returning a species that was lost, but also [bringing the ecosystems that they create](https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/our-positions-and-casework/our-positions/species/beaver-reintroduction-in-the-uk/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) back to life — and possibly [easing flood risk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-26122318?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) at the same time. [Beaver families win legal ‘right to remain’Fifteen beaver families have been given a permanent home on the River Otter in East Devon.![](https://static.bbc.co.uk/news/1.319.03657/apple-touch-icon.png)BBC NewsClaire Marshall![](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/2EE2/production/_113820021_beaver.png)](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-53658375?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) ## Bringing the Bison back Did you know that the UK used to have wild bison? I did not. But now I do. And soon, it will have them again. [Wild bison set to return to UK woodlandsA ground-breaking rewilding project in Kent will see wild bison reintroduced in spring 2022.![](https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/23/2018/09/cropped-Discover-Wildlife-Site-Icon-f327bcb-a366cf0.png?quality=90&resize=192,192)Discover WildlifeCatherine Smalley![](https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/23/2020/07/Bison-at-Wildwood-Trust.-Credit-Wildwood-Trust-copy-b450612-scaled.jpg?quality=90&resize=620,413)](https://www.discoverwildlife.com/news/wild-bison-set-to-return-to-uk-woodlands/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) The idea of seeing them wandering free is both mind-boggling and quite exciting… ### One Man Walking; or The Accidental Flâneur URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/one-man-walking-or-the-accidental-flaneur/ Last updated: 2020-08-17T20:45:45.000Z Walking is, and probably always will be, my preferred form of exercise. Swimming, admittedly, runs a close second, but walking is the one I’ll always choose. However, it really took me an awfully long time to figure this out. (This is a consistent pattern in my life; self-knowledge is the wisdom that comes hardest to me.) The signs were all there. As a child, I used to spend a lot of time looking longingly at the hills that surrounded the town where I grew up, wanting *desperately* to walk and explore them. There was one hill in particular, just outside of town, that lingered in my imagination. It was just a little mound, really, with a small copse of trees on the top. But I’d read enough adventure stories to imagine the possibilities of that little copse. And I desperately wanted to climb that hill, and just spend time among those trees. But I could never persuade my family to head there with me. It took *years* before I actually visited it in person. Why? My family, for all their wonderful attributes, were not walkers. Oh, they *walked*. A stroll before Sunday lunch? Sure. But anything more adventurous was a big undertaking. Heck, we used to *drive* down to the town centre, a 16-minute walk away. That’s roughly the same distance from my current home to our local town centre, something I’d never dream of driving now. Once in a while, we’d use two (two!) cars to set up a walk. Mum & Dad would drive to a pub, leave one car there, and return together in the other one. And then we’d spend the rest of the morning walking to the pub, before having lunch there and heading home. The days that stuck in my mind were ones spent at places like the RSPB’s Vane Farm — now known as [RSPB Loch Leven](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/vlogging-with-daddy-rspb-loch-leven/) — where we could spend the day walking, exploring, and the learning about nature in the visitor centre. My affection for the place was so strong it was where I chose to spend my spare time on a trip back to Scotland last year. ## A Cairngorms adventure My *real* first sniff of the joy of walking came in my final year of school. I headed to Aviemore with a bunch of school friends, taking up residence in the [youth hostel](https://www.hostellingscotland.org.uk/hostels/aviemore/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) and spent a few days walking in the Cairngorms. I *loved* it. ![A very young me in the Cairngorms](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/08/Scan-100925-0012.jpeg) A very young me in the Cairngorms Walking all day, and only seeing a handful of other humans. Getting caught in a whiteout, and sheltering in a bothy. It was exhilarating. By the summer before I headed off to university, I spent what time I could making my way in the local hills. And then came university. I left Scotland behind for the street of London, and what a shock that was. From a village of a few thousand people to one of the world’s great metropolises; it was an adjustment. And I loved it. I was the classic small-town boy discovering the joy of the big city. ## Life as a flâneur Once I’d settled in, which took a while, I started actively exploring the city on foot. I was [a *flâneur*](https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2013/10/17/in-praise-of-the-flaneur/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), literally decades before I’d actually encounter the term. That became a constant in my life in the coming years. Whenever I could walk, I would. Sometimes I’d walk for several hours, when I could catch the night bus, just to explore the sleeping city. On weekends, I’d wonder on the open spaces in and around London. There’s a joy to exploring any space on foot, on encountering the details you won’t see any other way. And, often, that joy is doubled when you have no idea where you are going. You’re just enjoying the path, and letting your feet take you where they may. Back before the pandemic reshaped all our lives, I used to do that still. If I was visiting a new place, I’d take the time to walk it. When I was working for [*Estates Gazette*](https://www.egi.co.uk/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com), I’d schedule my trains and interviews in a way that let me explore the city on foot. I *told* myself — and my colleagues — that I was doing it to learn about the city for reporting purposes. “Nothing beats walking the streets, and seeing the shops that are open or shut, and how busy the offices are, to stop the local property guys pulling the wool over your eyes,” I’d tell my co-workers. And I *nearly* believed it, too. But the truth was I just enjoyed the walks, the glimpses into open spaces and hidden streets I would probably never visit again. But that one visit was enough. Two decades later, I’ll still do that, if visiting a new town to deliver some training, or otherwise away from home, I’d engineer some time to have a wee walk somewhere. Some of my happiest memories of my eldest daughter’s first few years is going on long walks around the beach, which was one of the few sure ways of getting her off to sleep. ## Learning to walk with daughters ![Two young girls on Shoreham Beach](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/08/IMG_7141.jpeg) Lockdown brought this aspect of myself into sharp focus. Those months when [our out-of-home exercise were restricted](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/not-walking-with-daddy/) ate away at me. Over a year ago, I’d drawn the line between time in nature and the state of my own mental health, and taken steps to change things. I’d force myself out of beach walks even if I felt stressed and over-whelmed with work, recognizing that my natural response of “work harder” wasn’t a healthy one. This was yanked away from me for a while, and I felt its absence keenly. Those walks, consciously crossing the street to avoid anyone else, glancing at our watches to ensure we weren’t spending too long — too long! How ridiculous! — outside were a pale mockery of what I truly enjoyed. Now that [restriction is long gone](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/back-to-the-beach/), and unlikely to return in quite that way ever again now that we understand more about the risks of viral transmission, I need to rebuild my habits in a more healthy way. I need to find ways of integrating my need for nature and walking with a busy family life. And so, I’m right where I was back when I first registered this web address, more than five years ago. I’m finding ways of taking the girls walking with daddy. And another thing I’ve learnt over the past 20 years, is that I’m more likely to do something, if I can write about it afterwards. So, let’s see if I can kick this blog into gear as we head into the autumn. ### Back to the beach URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/back-to-the-beach/ Last updated: 2024-01-01T19:24:19.000Z If I'm honest, my daughters surprised me. For the first multi-hour walk we'd done in months, they were in very good spirits. The wind was blowing a hoolie, to the point my yougest was occasionally worried about being blown away, but we were still determindly walking along the beach. We tried sheltering in a dip in the shingle, and it worked, after a fashion, as long as we lay down and hid amongst the plants. When we were flat on our backs, the wind screeched above our heads, furious that it could no longer toy with us. And the sun shone through the wind's impotent rage, warming us, and filling us with joy and optimism. And, as I lay back, snuggled into the shingle drifts, with my youngest's head on my chest, I felt alive in a way I hadn't felt for months. The darkness was beginning to lift. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/05/GPTempDownload-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/05/IMG_5881-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/05/IMG_5882-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/05/IMG_5891-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/05/IMG_5903.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/05/IMG_5920-1.jpg) Scenes from a blustery walk around Shoreham Beach After months of edgy, self-conscious, fast-paced walks around the neighbourhood, it was lovely to dawdle, to enjoy the view, to relax. To just be in nature, to enjoy the feel of the wind in my face, the salt in the air, and the crash of waves against the arm of the harbour was a deeper, richer pleasure for having been deprived of it for so long. To be *outside* without fear of judgement, or a need to watch the clock, felt like freedom in a profound way. Lockdown was easing. Social distancing was easy right where we were. And the girls were walking with daddy again. ### Back in nature Nature has been there the whole time, of course, while we've been locked away in our homes. The sea has been relentlessly crashing on the shore, even when there's been no-one there to watch it. And, indeed, on our occasional, brief and harried trips to the beach during our daily allowed exercise, we were often alone - or close to it. People kept their distance, everyone alert both to keeping safe and to the sense of judgement that came with the perception that you *might* be breaking the lockdown rules. But the rules have changed (for all of us now, not just Dominic Cummings), and we free to take our time, to enjoy, to linger. To be in nature again. ![A mother and her children walking on the Shoreham Beach boardwalk near sunset](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/05/IMG_5581.jpeg) An easlier, quieter, colder walk, during the more strict lockdown. Even at the beginning of the bank holiday weekend, it still wasn't what you'd call busy. The wind was strong enough to keep the kitesurfers off the sea, and the walkers off the beach. A few people were admiring the power of the sea as it pounded explosively against the harbour arm, and a family were playing near the water, exulting in the mix of fear and excitement that the waves brought. But other than that, it was just us and a few other hardy souls, making the most of our increased freedom. My daughters, liberated from the need to be *seen* to be exercising, ended up *doing* far more exercise. They ran and played and created games with their toys, and told each others stories as the hours slipped by. They left me enough time to explore the beach with my camera, and to just lie on the beach, watching the clouds scudding overhead. ## The end of the new beginning It didn't last for ever, of course. Hunger began to gnaw at the girls, as it will do in very young people who've just spend a couple of hours joyfulling testing themselves against the wind, and reaching an amicable draw. My youngest began to complain that her legs were hurting, and the stops became more frequent, and more emphatic. It was clearly home time. Like a hungry man given access to a banquet, part of me wanted to gorge myself on this time outside until I couldn't take it any more. But I know my girls well enough to know that it's not worth pushing them too far. Better to end it while the experience is still good. That way, the desire to get back out burns that much stronger in all of us and for longer. I have to keep reminding myself that this is our new normal, for a while at least, Unlimited time outdoors, as long as we can keep ourselves to ourselves. Nature is back in our lives - and in the week to come, we were ready to take advantage of it again. God, how I've missed it. ![A girl swimming in the Sussex sea](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/05/F5C566B5-C449-497B-95BB-1D75130821EB.jpeg) A taste of things to come… ### Not walking with daddy URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/not-walking-with-daddy/ Last updated: 2020-04-10T11:07:06.000Z Timing, huh? Just a couple of months ago, I was trying to get this blog off the ground. I was planning days out with my daughters, and spending more time on the beach myself. The youngest and I had been to our first session of [Nature Tots](https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/what-we-do/environmental-education/nature-tots?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) for the year, and all three of us headed to [RSPB Pulborough Brooks](https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/pulborough-brooks/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) back at half term. *(The RSPB is now, forevermore, the "Rude Society of Poos and Bums" in our household. Ah, children.)* And now, we're not. We're approaching the end of three weeks in lockdown, and the furthest my girls have been from home is the beach, just a few minutes' walk away. Getting out in nature seems hard, and taking the time to enjoy it stressful, as the general message is to *keep moving* when you are out and exercising - don't hang around. The beach invites play, and that seems to be out of bounds for now, for very good reasons. ![The Tinworth Family on Shoreham Beach](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/04/IMG_2386.JPG) And so, if we go outside, we head to the garden — most of the time, at least. Our garden isn't huge - we chose proximity to the sea and the river over a bigger garden - but right now I feel so blessed to have it. There's room for the girls to explore and play. And I've been able to spend more time learning the rhythms of the garden, and the creatures we share it with. I've taken to bringing my camera out with me, not just to capture the girls at play, but also to allow me to study nature as it exists in my garden much more closely. And I'm coming to value it: I'm experiencing a garden as I did as a child. Intensely, in detail. Exploring little nooks and crannies, the the wee beasties that live there, in a way I've never take the time to do in my adult life. Silver linings. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/04/espalier-blossom.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/04/IMG_5372.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/04/wood.jpeg) ### Podcasting the great outdoors URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/podcasting-the-great-outdoors/ Last updated: 2020-02-15T12:27:32.000Z Podcasts have been a major part of my life for 15 years now. In the mid-2000s, I got familiar with the painful process of downloading them to my Mac, and then transferring them to my iPod to listen to on the go. In these pre-Bluetooth days, I was reliant on a *cassette adaptor* to play them in my car. And it was still wonderful. I could use my walks, my commutes and my gardening time to keep learning and hearing about the things I cared about. Once I started with podcasts, I’ve never found a reason to stop, even during the “slump years” of the last 2000s and early 2010s. I’ve been writing about podcasts — on and off — [since 2006](https://onemanandhisblog.com/tag/podcasting/?%5F%5Fcf%5Fchl%5Fcaptcha%5Ftk%5F%5F=1072d89875570ecb22e113aeee336ff25688aa3e-1581769220-0-ASsCjlWc%5FM1Irw2PzKTwIx8lfcnILQ6VS1h3SwcOWRc6W8cZy3NZRhTZC2kq03m8Sd2-aJl3YpdRt24%5F8WsT3hQORe2tJ4NOuuBcrkK6cwGtxvxjoY-EolV9pvxx7AxXrOF-3EmLt5blOalWkvCf9vFYYRVGgA-o1z6qJiM7FmknBqUMh4qEv9nTDBMBvfZdsslihNC8QlRtARikJ2gr9WlKcUNvwHcYR1ab4uQyEcyTPuiv7EUCaZaJN4lcjrOB9V3l8DrHgVmddue4F-VUabdJ78%5FC0xFHnpONG3ChP25fJUpLs%5FEcYrW4djL1bbvOORTg08VH7drybPW-pV0uypz2201mtKorUmVpL0FMFITv9fR3sVkns9HnUlZYb%5F-xag&ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). These days, it’s all about the iPhone and the AirPods, but podcasting is still a through line in my life. It’s very rare that I go through a whole day without listening to at least one of them. I make a very conscious choice to change up my listening at the weekends, though. Rather than just continuing to listen to the same digital media/journalism/tech shows that define my working life, I try to switch to a mix of outdoors and comedy podcasts. ## Weekend soundscape for relaxation The bane of digital life is that it’s hard to escape work, especially when you are self-employed and thus have no real sense of “end of the work day”. For my own mental health, I’ve tried to disconnect from the mainstream of my work at weekends, and changing my soundscape helps that. Over the last couple of years, I’ve been building a weekend podcast playlist for myself. After I accidentally started crowd-sourcing a big list of [journalism (and journalism-related) podcasts](https://onemanandhisblog.com/journalism-podcasts/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) over on my work blog, I thought I’d take the time to build my own list of recommendations for nature and outdoor podcasts here. And here it is: [Outdoors Podcasts Recommendations](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/outdoors-podcasts/) I hope you find it useful - and let me know if you have any recommendations. ### Facing the power of nature in Storm Ciara URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/facing-the-power-of-nature-in-storm-ciara/ Last updated: 2020-02-10T15:17:53.000Z This weekend, Storm Ciara hit the UK — [our worst storm for some years](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/02/09/storm-ciara-hits-britain-mph-wind-rain-travel/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). I wanted the girls to experience it, and get a chance to learn respect the power nature has within it, but without putting them at risk. And this was too good an opportunity to miss — if I could get the timing right. I checked the forecast, looked for when the storm was due to peak, and then hit the beach for a brief walk a couple of hours before that. If we'd gone too early, the weather would have been unimpressive. If we'd gone too late, there would be an actual risk to their life. I was pretty sure I'd judged it correctly though. This is a short video of how it went: As you can see, they didn't last very long on the beach. They retreated to the pavement, and asked me to go and get some footage of the sea, so they could see it later. And I was caught on the hop by just how fierce the wind was as soon as I hit the top of the shingle. I'm not saying that we could have flown my youngest like a kite, but it certainly crossed my mind… ## Sisters versus the sea I'm proud of them, though. A year ago Iris would barely go near the sea if it was rough in any way at all. Now? Well, she's a lot braver… Of course, we went nowhere near that close this time out. The winds were approaching the point where the *shingle itself* could be dangerous, so a four year old wasn't going anywhere near the sea. (The lead photo is from last month, on an altogether safer day…) It's a difficult line to walk: I want them to respect the power of nature, to be cautious, but not to be scared. They got it right this time. They enjoyed — were exhilarated by, in fact — the wind and storm, but knew it was too much for them. Another step in the right direction. ### Hagstones: the sea's beautiful gift URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/hagstones-the-seas-beautiful-gift/ Last updated: 2020-12-11T22:26:17.000Z I have a small obsession with hagstones. I take very little from our local beach, bar the rubbish we [try to clean](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/making-the-most-of-it/) every time we visit, but these little stones with clear, round holes in them are one. They appeal to me on a very deep level, and I never even began to understand why until I read an article in *[Elementum Journal](https://www.elementumjournal.com/in-print/edition-two?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)* a few years ago. We'd driven up to [Bramber Castle](https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/bramber-castle/history/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) to take the girls for a walk. But Iris was still young enough that even a 15 minute drive could be enough to whisk her away into the deep slumber of the very new. I volunteered to stay with her in the car while she slept, and occupied myself by reading one of the magazines that were still lurking in a bag on a seat in the car. I'm so glad I did. ## The lure of the adder stone The article *In The Eye of the Hagstone* by [Alex Woodcock](https://www.alexwoodcock.co.uk/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) caught my eye, and I ended up absolutely absorbed by it as my youngest slumbered, drawn in by the writing and the exquisite art. And I learned I was not alone, both in knowing little about them, but also in my obsession: > All of this lore was unknown to me when I started to pick up holed stones. I can’t remember now how it began or when, but wherever I’ve lived they’ve started to appear. Slowly at first, a single one here and there, before long piles of them on shelves, on windowsills, beneath the record player, sometimes en masse in cardboard boxes. I'm glad for the sake of my marriage that my obsession hasn't grown to that level… Woodcock, though, has moved on from filling his space with holey stones and has gone on to explore the lore behind them — and it's a more ancient idea than I expected: > Depending on which chalk region of the country you are in, a pebble with a natural hole in it is known as a hag stone, an adder stone, a ring stone or a witch stone. They tend to occur in flint, and as the names suggest there is a more than a passing association with the supernatural. Historically they were believed to repel witchcraft and any disease caused by spells or the evil eye. This may have developed from their use to protect against nightmares, an early record of which occurs in a fifteenth-century charm, although well into the twentieth century folklorists recorded them draped with a red cloth or tied with red ribbon and hung above beds for just this purpose. I particularly like the name "adder stone", given the similarity to my long-time internet user name: adders. But hagstone just resonates more somehow. The intimation of mystery, of secret knowledge and of power seems to better encapsulate these beautiful gifts from the sea. ## A gift for the mindful ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/01/hagstone.jpeg) I don't believe that these little chunks of rock have any real magical power in the sense of the old stories. Their magic lies somewhere else; in the reward of paying attention to the beach, and of finding one amongst the endless pebbles of the Sussex shores. Hagstones are granted to those who pay attention to the details of the shore, not just the broad vistas of the beach. They emerge as an occasional reward for treating and retreading the shores of the place you live. You can't always guarantee that you'll find one — and the beach is littered with *near* hagstones — but when you do, you feel rewarded for your time in nature. You have noticed the beach, and *the beach has noticed you*. And I need help with that focus. I've lived a *very online* life — and like many people in those sorts of jobs, I often find it stressful, and it leaves me with a deep desire to disconnect. But even when I've stepped away from the screen physically, it can be hard to get your brain to follow along, and sometimes I need a focus to help it. I'm in that classic middle-aged man zone, where I'm [struggling with my mood](https://apple.news/ANWezlSdLSzSjUkDj1lfl0Q?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). One of the few reliable cures is to take a walk on the beach, and a *mindful* walk is even better. One route to that is photography, another a beach clean — but even a simple hunt for hagstones will do. Maybe — just maybe — the hagstones find a new magic for each generation. --- ### Hagstone reading The article that started my journey is now available in full for you to enjoy online: [In the Eye of the Hagstone - Elementum JournalIn the Eye of the Hagstone, writer Alex Woodcock explains the origins of these stones, the folklore and his connection to the Sussex coast.![](https://www.elementumjournal.com/img/elementumiconhires.png)Elementum: A Journal of Nature and Story![](https://www.elementumjournal.com/userdata/resources/images/Cover-Image-1200x600-Hagstones-%E2%80%93-Ed26.jpg)](https://www.elementumjournal.com/elementum-online/writing/in-the-eye-of-the-hagstone?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) And I recommend *[Elementum Journal](https://www.elementumjournal.com/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com)* throughly. It's a lovely publication, full of slow considered writing and art, and which ends up being a beautiful object in its own right. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/01/elementum-journal.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/01/elementum-numbers.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2020/01/elemntum-journal-spines.jpeg) ### The beach clean-up crusader URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/the-beach-clean-up-crusader/ Last updated: 2019-12-11T21:22:31.000Z I came across this video while listlessly browsing Vimeo after a long day. His efforts certainly [put mine to shame](https://walkingwithdaddy.com/making-the-most-of-it/)… Still, nice to think of myself of one of a world-wide community of beach-cleaners. RTE did a feature on him: [Swimmer seeks home for toys left on Wexford beachesA sea swimmer is looking for a home for hundreds of plastic toys which he has found on Co Wexford beaches over the summer.![](https://www.rte.ie/favicon.ico)RTÉRTÉ News![](https://img.rasset.ie/00129fc2-1600.jpg)](https://www.rte.ie/news/leinster/2019/0903/1073447-wexford-beach-cleaner/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) And he's active on the 'gram: > [ View this post on Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/p/B5misFYHB6e/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) > > [Very excited about todays Clean Coasts ocean hero awards day in Dublin. Always great to meet fellow beach cleaners from all corners of our little island. #beachcleanup #beachcombing #beachcleaners @cleancoasts @2minutebeachclean](https://www.instagram.com/p/B5misFYHB6e/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) > > A post shared by [ Sean Ferguson](https://www.instagram.com/seanferguson1972/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) (@seanferguson1972) on Dec 2, 2019 at 11:39pm PST ### Blustery Beach Cleaning URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/making-the-most-of-it/ Last updated: 2019-12-06T15:03:28.000Z Well, it was a nice idea, wasn't it? But nature isn't all pretty sunsets and fresh breezes. I decided to follow-up yesterday's beach walk with a quick stroll after dropping the girls in school. And… well, the weather was somewhat less conducive: Still, it wasn't *bad* weather because I was wearing appropriate clothing, so I decided to do a [2 minute beach clean](https://beachclean.net/why?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). I've been a fan of the concept since I encountered it, and the girls and I try to do one at least once a week. For example: > [ View this post on Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/p/BznQJEcDqzy/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) > > [Despite the blustery weather Hazel and Iris pulled in a shocking volume of recent waste from our #2minutebeachclean. This wasn’t sea left waste. This was left behind by people on #Shorehambeach in the recent good weather. 😡](https://www.instagram.com/p/BznQJEcDqzy/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) > > A post shared by [ Walking With Daddy](https://www.instagram.com/walkingwithdaddy/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) (@walkingwithdaddy) on Jul 7, 2019 at 4:08am PDT And there was plenty to find today. I suspect the stormy weather was bringing more up the beach than normal: ![Picking plastic rope off the beach](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2019/12/F4A3A395-5BAB-4309-8A21-938FDC23D066_1_201_a.jpeg) After a little over the standard two minutes (I think I did about 10), this was my haul: ![My haul of plastic from the beach](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2019/12/C595356C-EC21-4089-98DC-990A2D687894_1_201_a.jpeg) Time to toughen up, Adam. Get used to the blustery beach walk — and do some good while you're out there. *(Also: I redesigned the site. What do you think?)* ### Making nature routine URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/making-nature-routine/ Last updated: 2019-12-05T21:31:15.000Z We went walking on the beach last night. Not for long. Not very far. But we went - and that's the main thing. Astonishingly, it's ridiculously easy to become complacent about living three minutes' walk from the beach. It's easy to slip back into a trip into nature being a *thing*. Something you have to arrange. Something you have to make time for. Not yesterday. Instead, I picked the girls up from school, walked to the postbox to post our letters to Father Christmas, and then on to the beach. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2019/12/IMG_2019.jpeg) We weren't there long. Homework and dinner and bed all beckoned. But it was nice just to relax, hear the sea, and feel the sea breeze on our faces. Nice enough, in fact, that I managed a quick beach walk again today, before picking the girls up from school. And I'm going to try again tomorrow. ### Vlogging with Daddy: RSPB Loch Leven URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/vlogging-with-daddy-rspb-loch-leven/ Last updated: 2021-08-23T18:56:56.000Z A couple of months ago, I was up in Scotland for my school reunion, which was a trip down memory lane, very literally, to a life I'd left behind 30 years before. I talked with school friends I hadn't seen in decades, and walked the streets of the town where I grew up for the first time in over 17 years. But that wasn't all. I took the opportunity to drive to [RSPB Loch Leven](https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/loch-leven/?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com) before I headed home. This nature reserve played a crucial role in my own love of nature. As a child, I used to visit it often, when it was known as [Vane Farm](https://community.rspb.org.uk/placestovisit/lochleven/b/vanefarm-blog/posts/loch-leven-celebrates-50-years?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com). It was an RSPB reserve even then, but that was a very different era - and a very different place. I was a member of the Young Ornithologists Club, the RSPB's youth division of the day, as were many of my classmates back in primary school. It seems impossibly long ago now - and the very name of the YOC really makes it feel like last century. Who would name something for children like that this decade? ![A Young Ornithologists' Club logo badge](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c1/0e/c10e5513-b9b3-4535-8428-3e3aa38a2a01/content/images/2019/09/rspb-yoc-young-ornithologists-club_360_cbed6979c206322dd0f1ef36809091b9.jpg) A Young Ornithologists' Club badge, like the one I had in the 1970s That mass membership was driven by a TV program about an educational peregrine falcons we watched in school. (I'm fairly sure it was [Sky Hunter](http://www.broadcastforschools.co.uk/site/Look%5Fand%5FRead/Sky%5FHunter?ref=walkingwithdaddy.com).) I wore the YOC logo with pride on a rucksack, and found my visits to Vane Farm magical. We used to go on long walks as a family, from the visitor centre, up to the vantage point in the hills, and back down. If my brother and I were *really* lucky, our parents might let us get something from the shop. Oh, so long ago. My parents are long dead, and now I'm the Dad taking my children walking. Inevitably, things have recognised in over 30 years. When I visited in June, I recognised nothing but the Loch itself and the shape of the hills. I only had a couple of hours to explore, before I had to head to the airport, but made the most of it. After a quick lunch, I took a decent walk through the woods, and grabbed some of it on video. Enjoy! ### Welcome to Walking With Daddy URL: https://walkingwithdaddy.com/welcome-to-walking-with-daddy/ Last updated: 2021-08-23T18:56:40.000Z I just realised — to my surprise and mild horror — that I registered this domain over five years ago. My eldest daughter was starting to walk, and I knew that I wanted to do my very best to instill a love of nature and the great outdoors in her, if I could. I bagged this domain name, with great plans for getting the site going… …and then the reality of parenthood hit. My time vanished, and I barely kept my "professional public face" blog alive. ### And then… A few years on, I now have a second daughter, and my commitment to getting them out of doors is as strong as ever. And, as my youngest starts school, I finally have the time to *actually* get this blog going at long last. So, welcome to *Walking With Daddy*. Two girls. One Dad. A long-suffering wife. And a whole world to explore. Please join us.