Tag Archives: #Winter

The Wild and Yellow Bloom of Gorse

The Flowers of Gorse, Bright and Bold, Paint the Landscape with Strokes of Gold Also known as ‘furze’ or ‘Whin’, Gorse, Ulex europaeus, is an exceedingly spiny evergreen shrub with an abundance of aromatic yellow flowers and a familiar sight across the Northwest of England, from the windswept mountainsides of the Lake District to theContinue reading “The Wild and Yellow Bloom of Gorse”

The Elusive Bitterns of Brockholes

Nestled in the flood-plain of the River Ribble near Preston, Brockholes Nature Reserve is a testament to nature’s ability to recover from seemingly irreversible destruction, especially when given a helping hand by committed conservationists. Once an expansive sand and gravel quarry, supplying material for construction projects like the nearby M6 motorway, this area has beenContinue reading “The Elusive Bitterns of Brockholes”

Drystone Walling at Harwes Farm

My wife is very good at choosing unique and fun presents, she has a knack for knowing what people like. For Christmas she organised a day out for me drystone walling at Harwes farm, situated high on the hills above the town of Colne, on the Lancashire/Yorkshire border. Harwes farm is a CIC, a CommunityContinue reading “Drystone Walling at Harwes Farm”

The Bullfinch

The Common Bullfinch, Pyrrhula pyrrhula, is perhaps the best-known species within the Pyrrhula genus, aptly named after the Greek word pyrros, meaning ‘flame-colored’. It is the male who is most strikingly coloured, sporting a rich, rosy-pink breast, black cap, and grey back. In contrast the female is more conservatively dressed with a lighter pink breastContinue reading “The Bullfinch”

Seo Wulf-mona

The Wolf-moon Tonight, given that the weather forecast is cloudy and rainy, there is a slim chance that you might be able see the full beauty of the January full moon, also known as the ‘Wolf moon’ or ‘Old moon’. The Northwest of England has several dark sky discovery sites in and around it, theseContinue reading “Seo Wulf-mona”

Skiing for Sheep, Chapter Two

On the western flank of Pendle, in a rather peculiar location that I can only surmise was chosen for its spectacular views, is one of the Ribble valley’s most unique and venerable sports venues, Pendle Ski Club. At the time of this story (1995) we were members and used the facilities quite a lot. (WeContinue reading “Skiing for Sheep, Chapter Two”

Yellow Brain Fungus / Witches’ Butter

Those cold, damp January days, when nobody feels like venturing out so you can have the countryside completely to yourself, often offer the best opportunities for poking about the bare hedges and woods to see what treasures catch your eye. In this case, early on the First of January, the prizes I found, shining likeContinue reading “Yellow Brain Fungus / Witches’ Butter”