Author Archives: BarryH

Greece:  Nisyros spring

Posted on May 13, 2018 by BarryH

As intended, after my earlier-than-planned visit to Symi I returned home to resume sorting out my vegetable and fruit garden ready to leave for the summer, a task helped by four days of unusually warm and sunny weather.  Having planted … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Spring, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Greece:  Symi spring

Posted on April 27, 2018 by BarryH

Having made the most of the snow in the unusually prolonged winter (the last blog post) my intended trip to Greece and Spring was brought forward by a few weeks. The sudden and unexpected death of a very good friend … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Grey Britain, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Spring, Weather, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wales, Brecon Beacons National Park: spring into winter

Posted on April 6, 2018 by BarryH

I promised more images of winter before spring eventually arrives and I headed for Greece.  My intention had been to post more photos of snow in the Canadian Rockies but once again plans were changed by events. The real effect … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Grey Britain, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Photography, Pontypool, Wales, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Greece unpackaged: Travels in a foreign language

Posted on March 23, 2018 by BarryH

My plans for the next post on Barry’s Ramblings have been postponed yet again. The reason?  I’ve finally got around to sorting out the technology and published my book in Amazon’s Kindle Store.  ‘Greece unpackaged: Travels in a foreign language’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Health and humour, Reflections | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Pontypool, South Wales:  ‘The Beast from the East’ meets Storm Emma

Posted on March 7, 2018 by BarryH

It doesn’t often happen but when it does it’s dramatic.  And fun. In winter, cold weather comes to the UK from the continental land mass.  It’s a cliché but nonetheless has an element of truth, that the Welsh Mountains are … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Pontypool, Wales, Weather, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Banff, Canada:  walking on water

Posted on February 28, 2018 by BarryH

I’m back home now but still reminiscing about the trip to Banff.  It was comparatively mild compared to previous winters when we have been there, afternoon temperatures getting up to a toasty -50C though much colder overnight and most days … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Banff, Canada: Snow Art

Posted on February 4, 2018 by BarryH

Walking along the pavement (sidewalk) in Bear Street to do a bit of minor shopping, head down to watch out for undulations which would indicate patches of black ice under the trodden snow, I didn’t notice the barriers across the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Canada, Photography, Winter | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Banff, Canada:  The Hoodoos Trail

Posted on January 21, 2018 by BarryH

Though skiing has been the main focus of my visits to the Canadian Rockies since I first came for Christmas 2010 they have always been about more than that.  Especially so since I invested in a pair of ice cleats … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Weather, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Banff, Canada: Sunshine Coast

Posted on January 14, 2018 by BarryH

Back in The Canadian Rockies. It’s great.  Snow piled high along the sides and centre of Banff Avenue, the main street, scraped there early morning by snowploughs, a lot more moved out-of-town on huge trailers.  Still leaves a layer of … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Grey Britain, Landscape, Mountains, Photography, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Happy New Year

Posted on December 31, 2017 by BarryH

2017 was not  as eventful for me as 2016, my Annus Horribilis, which included a dislocated shoulder, diagnosis of a heart condition, Easter in a Greek hospital, skin cancer …..  and culminated in an 02.30 evacuation from a hotel fire … Continue reading →

Posted in Grey Britain, Landscape, Monmouthshire, Nature, Photography, Pontypool, Reflections, Wales, Weather | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments