Before a journey a map is an impersonal menu; afterwards, it is intimate as a diary. Thurston Clarke, Equator: An Epic Journey (1988) It’s a rare sub-genre of travel writing, the business of following a line of latitude and seeing where it takes you. Over the years I’ve put together a trio of such books, … Continue reading Walk The Line: Three Travel Books About Lines Of Latitude
Signalling Mirrors
I found this object a couple of months ago, prominently poised on a rock in the broken ground above the big bulldozed path on Beinn Bhuidhe. (Yes, I do occasionally climb a hill without telling you about it.) It was marked with rainwater and bird droppings, but cleaned up remarkably well once I got it … Continue reading Signalling Mirrors
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Braes Of The Carse: Fingask Circuit
Swirlhead Hill (NO 210283, 257m) Hill of Franklyden (NO 214300, 303m) Hoole Hill Southwest Top (NO 221305, 277m) Hoole Hill (NO 226310, 297m) Pittmiddle Hill (NO 236298, 279m) Kinnaird Hill (NO 231292, 250m) Craighead (NO 234281, 167m) 19.8 kilometres 665m of ascent So, it’s been a while since I had one of my free-style walks, … Continue reading Braes Of The Carse: Fingask Circuit
Two Years On …
At this start of this week, the Boon Companion and I finished two years of retirement, both of us still completely untroubled by this allegedly Major Life Event. To celebrate, we cracked the final bottle of wine in the mixed case I had received as a retirement gift from my colleagues. (Cheers for that, folks.) … Continue reading Two Years On …
Kit Pedler & Gerry Davis: Three Novels
None of us set out to do anything more than be technically ingenious. We succeeded and London nearly died. Surely that’s more than enough to make us redirect our activities. The next time it may be the whole world. Mutant 59: The Plastic Eaters (1971) Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis were a writing duo active … Continue reading Kit Pedler & Gerry Davis: Three Novels
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Perihelion: Part 3
At last, the final instalment of my series of posts about words relating to perihelion. In my first post on the subject, I discussed the various technical terms in astronomical use (and some that have simply been invented by Wikipedians). In my second post, I discussed words formed from the prefix peri-, and its opposite, … Continue reading Perihelion: Part 3
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Eric Brown: Wings On My Sleeve
A new hydraulic-pneumatic catapult was installed which had to be proofed so that its performance could be checked before it was introduced into service. For the first launch with it we used an Avenger as being an old and well-tried faithful. It was a startling maiden effort. The aircraft was shot off so violently that … Continue reading Eric Brown: Wings On My Sleeve
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Pentlands: Loganlea Circuit
Turnhouse Hill (NT 212626, 506m) Carnethy Hill (NT 203619, 573m) Scald Law (NT 191611, 579m) East Kip (NT 182608, 534m) West Kip (NT 178606, 551m) Black Hill (NT 188631, 501m) 17.3 kilometres 960m of ascent I’ve looked down on the improbably pointy Pentland Hills from aircraft approaching Edinburgh airport, and I’ve looked up at them … Continue reading Pentlands: Loganlea Circuit
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Nosthedony
nɒstˈhiːdəneɪ nosthedony: The pleasure to be gained from examining old objects Many of the [museum’s] objects touched me with nosthedony—the pleasure of returning to the past. For in many of the items I saw reflected a time when human life was different, perhaps less secure, certainly less austere. Brian Aldiss “Appearance of Life” (1976) Like … Continue reading Nosthedony
Brian Aldiss: The “Helliconia” Trilogy
This I tell you all. Some disaster happened in the past, in the long past. So complete was it that no one can explain to you what it was or how it came about. We know only that it brought darkness and cold. You try to live the best you can. Good, good, live well, … Continue reading Brian Aldiss: The “Helliconia” Trilogy