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Chess Valley, England

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Over the past weekend my wife and myself attended a family function at Latimer in S.E. England.This is a village close to Chesham and about 30 miles NW of London . During our stay the opportunity arose to undertake a walk centred around the Chess Valley. The valley and river have been extensively restored of late to mitigate extensive environmental damage.The valley now provides a habitat for an abundance of wildlife. This includes the restoration of the river and reintroduction of grayling (fish) which had been wiped out by pollution. The river is, technically, a rare chalk stream which is now considered a precious resource. Here is a map of the locality   This valley has a considerable historic legacy-from the Roman period to medieval and on to World War 2. After the walk, whilst relaxing in the evening, we were treated to a somewhat bizarre flypast of powered paragliders. Images of this event can be seen at foot of this post. By 325AD there was an impressive Roman villa ...
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Unstan Chambered Cairn, Orkney

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 Introduction  This evening, I am focusing on the prehistoric cairn of Unstan located at Clouston, about 3 miles from Stromness . Location is Orkney , one of Scotland's Northen Isles.  Visitors entering the Cairn.   Information on the Cairn and prehistoric Orkney. Firstly, Orkney is well populated with prehistoric monuments and sites some of which are still undergoing evaluation. Refer this blog post for record of a typical tour.  Unstan is a long, chambered cairn dating from the 3rd Millennium BC .This structure is of a type common to western and northern Scotland and northern and western Wales.These are usually designated as passage graves.Typically, they comprise a small rectangular or polygonal chamber approached by  a small passage.The whole is set within a circular mound or cairn. In Unstan's case the interior burial compartments are divided by upright stone slabs. A volume of pottery was found at this site with distinctive design. This ha...
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LOCH LEVEN

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 Introduction This evening, I am focusing on Loch Leven in Perthshire, Central Scotland. This is about 30 miles north of Edinburgh . Loch Leven, Perth & Kinross, Scotland Information on Loch Leven Six kilometers (3.5miles) in length and 13.3 sq km in area. Most of the Loch is only six feet deep. Freshwater. Contains three principal islands one of which is home to Lochleven Castle. Home to a nature reserve which is focused on bird life. Star attractions include: Lapwing, Pink-footed Goose, Swallow, White Tailed Eagle and Whooper Swan. There is an eight mile cycle path linking Kinross with the Nature Reserve. Other activities include fishing and canoeing.   Loch Leven from Lochleven Castle, Scotland  Loch Leven transport ( to castle). View of West Lomond and Loch Leven, Scotland  An interesting and easily accessible site offering visitors numerous options. More information  For more information on  Scotland in general please refer to Visitors’ Gui...
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Crail Pottery, Fife

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 Introduction This evening, I am posting information on Crail Pottery.Location is Scotland’s Fife Coast, about 10 miles S .E.of St. Andrews. Information on Crail Pottery The Fife Coast is home to many artists, galleries and craftpeople covering a wide range of skills. Crail Pottery has a history dating back to 1965. It is housed in a classic old cottage typical of the area. Inside, all the products are made in the traditional manner using a potter’s wheel. The range includes: Stoneware. Terracotta. Raku Hand-painted earthenware. A small but friendly business where visitors are free to browse and view the entire production process.  The village of Crail is worthy of a visit in its own right, particularly the quaint and popular harbour.     Traditional pottery making in process.   More information  For more information on Fife and Scotland in general please refer to Visitors’ Guide to Scotland, ISBN 978-1-9161332-0-4. This book is als...
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Classic Car Display

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On Saturday, September 5th 2026 my wife and myself visited the  The International Ayr Show Festival of Flight. This was held at Ayr , a popular coastal town south of Glasgow S.W. Scotland . Included in the festival was a display of classic cars under the auspices of the Ayrshire Classic Cars Club. Photographs of representative vehicles are provided below.  Classic Mini   Triumph   Alfa Romeo    Nissan Figaro    Citroen 2CV    MG    MG Classic Vintage   Here is a link to another classic car event, held in Glasgow.  Motor vehicles can be seen in the Kelvingrove Museum ( Glasgow ) and National Museum ( Edinburgh ). Information on both museums can be found in the Visitors’ Guide to Scotland, ISBN 978-1-9161332-0-4.This publication is also available via Kindle.    
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Clan MacLeod

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Introduction This afternoon I am reporting on the long line of hereditary chiefs of Clan Macleod and their seat at Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye.   Main entrance to Dunvegan Castle today       Information on MacLeod Chiefs MacLeod of MacLeod the chiefs of which have occupied Dunvegan Castle (above and below) on Isle of Skye for twenty generations. Over this long period of occupation the MacLeods have hemorrhaged some of their extensive lands due to inadequate (or non-existent) legal titles. The MacLeods adhered to the Roman Catholic faith during turbulent times in the 17th and 18th centuries. They fought for the Royalist cause in the Civil War of the 17th century and suffered huge losses at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. However, the MacLeods are perhaps best known for their cultural achievements, viz: 8th Chief, Alasdair Crotach, rebuilt the church of Rodel on Harris , built the Fairy Tower at Dunvegan and encouraged piping. 15th Chief, Sir Roderick...
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Sea Buckthorn Harvest

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Introduction Today was harvest time in our garden with focus on Sea Buckthorn.    More information  About 10 years ago I purchased a small number of young Sea Buckthorn shrubs. Despite a horticultural expert pronouncing the shrub as unsuitable for this environment we now have a small forest of the species. Some of the shrubs are about 10 feet high. Berry production has proved erratic. Last year there was a negligible crop whereas this year we have one shrub laden with berries whilst the others are bereft.  Actually picking the berries is a challenge.This is because the shrub's branches are populated with thorns but I have found a workaround. According to research on the web sea buckthorn berries are nutrient-dense fruits that support skin health, immunity, heart function, digestion and provide powerful antioxidant protection. Wow! We usually use the berries to supplement our breakfast.  Finally, whilst picking the berries I came across the insect below which I a...
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