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  Dean Village and Leith walk

  Dean Village is one of those amazing spots I have seen pictures of for years but never managed to visit as – despite it being so close – I do not spend as much time in Edinburgh as I would like. In March, though, I spent two nights there on my own and decided that…

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  Sabbaday Falls walk

  On the final day of our adventure to the White Mountains in May, we decided that the only way to continue on our way across New Hampshire was to take the (in)famous Kancamagus Highway (also known as route 112) from Conway to North Woodstock. As we had the whole day to make what was essentially…

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  Stirling Castle

  Stirling is the castle I recommend above all others if someone is in Scotland for only a short time and has limited options or time; you can reach it using only public transport from both Edinburgh and Glasgow, and even – with a bit of effort – St Andrews. It is positively steeped in history…

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  Kinnoull Hill walk

  I honestly cannot recall the first time that I noticed the tower on Kinnoull Hill, standing out quite clearly as it does on the main road from Dundee to Perth. But, I do know that I have wanted to visit it and hike up to it for at least a decade and finally, last weekend,…

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  Nevis Range part 2 – Meall Beag viewpoint

  During our recent Sunday walk (definitely another post soon to come), we climbed a hill from which we could see the edge of the Highlands. As we caught our breath and tried to work out which jagged distant hill was which, I felt this visceral need to go there again, to see the mountains up…

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  15 of my favourite views

  There are so many beautiful views in the world, many I have seen and many I have on my list of wishes. This list, then, is of a few that I love more than others – some of these please I have visited and photographed over and over in different seasons and lights. Some of…

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  Nevis Range part 1 – Sgurr Finnisg-aig viewpoint

  On a list of my favourite places in the world, the views from the lodge and surrounding areas on Nevis Range are pretty close to, if not, the top. Whether in the depths of summer or the end of winter, in sun or rainy weather, the gondola trip itself is worth the cost and the…

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  Tantallon Castle

  A few years back, I managed to secure some time off that the other half could not, and so I took myself away on a castle-finding adventure to North Berwick. My efforts were hampered slightly by two factors: I had hoped to make it a two-castle day and see Dirleton, but it was completely closed,…

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  Birks of Aberfeldy walk

  The braes ascend like lofty wa’s,The foaming stream deep-roaring fa’s,O’er hung wi’ fragrant spreading shaws,The birks of Aberfeldy. The hoary cliffs are crown’d wi’ flowers,White o’er the linns the burnie pours,And rising, weets wi’ misty showersThe birks of Aberfeldy. Work completely took over my life last week, but thank goodness for Facebook memories, reminding me…

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  Book review – Pathogenesis; How Germs Made History.

  Pathogenesis, by Jonathan Kennedy (London, 2023). I have often found it curious that in the years since completing my PhD, my historical interests have veered away from the topic I studied for so long and towards completely different areas – though actually this may be more standard than not. One of the interests I developed…

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