Category Archives: Grey Britain

Symi: back to a waterhole in the desert

Posted on November 10, 2014 by BarryH

During the summer on Symi and the other islands I visited, I went walking in the mountains every day.  Since I have been home I have been out very little even though I live at the edge of the Brecon … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Grey Britain, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Pontypool, Reflections, Spring, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Escape to the sun

Posted on April 5, 2014 by BarryH

Apart from putting forward the ridiculous hypothesis that Jesus once visited Britain, William Blake’s poetic reference to “England’s green and pleasant land”, with specific reference to “mountains green” and “pleasant pastures” , ignores the fact that it is only so … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Grey Britain, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Reflections, Spring | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A grey start to the year

Posted on January 6, 2014 by BarryH

I don’t believe in omens.  The fact that the new year continues grey, wet and windy may be a sign, but if it is, it’s a sign of global climate change and of shifting ocean currents and the jet stream … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Grey Britain, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Pontypool, Wales, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

New Year’s Day: Just a walking in the rain ………….

Posted on January 2, 2014 by BarryH

Wednesday was the wettest day of the year.  Admittedly it was the first day of the year so not a lot to compare it with but if many of the remaining 364 days match up to the amount of rainfall … Continue reading →

Posted in Grey Britain, Hiking, Landscape, Monmouthshire, Mountains, Pontypool, Wales, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Brief gaps in the clouds: Seasons Greetings

Posted on December 24, 2013 by BarryH

With the weather largely grey and wet, expected to be an increasingly typical manifestation of climate change in northern Europe, combined with preparations for Christmas and meeting up with friends before I head off on my travels again, there has … Continue reading →

Posted in Grey Britain, Landscape, Mountains, Pontypool, Wales, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Trek tech: technology and mountain walking

Posted on December 18, 2013 by BarryH

I’m no techno-geek but nor am I a Luddite. Decades ago in the office where I worked, I was one of the first to embrace word processing, the first below director level to have a corporate e-mail address and correspond … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Grey Britain, Grumpy Old Men, Health and humour, Hiking, Mountains, new technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A walk to the pub

Posted on November 17, 2013 by BarryH

“What time do you call this?”  Predictable response, given that I had arranged with friends to meet up for a pub lunch at 12.00 and arrived at 13.45. The thing is, I had decided to walk.  My ‘local’ is thirty … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Grey Britain, Hiking, Landscape, Monmouthshire, Mountains, Nature, Pontypool, Wales | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Writers in Wales in the sunshine

Posted on November 11, 2013 by BarryH

I spent the weekend in North Wales at Ty Newydd, the National Writers’ Centre for Wales near Cricieth on the Llyn Peninsula.  I was there for a re-union of those on a course last year on travel writing.  We gelled … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Grey Britain, Hiking, Landscape, Reflections, Wales, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

A Really Wild Walk.

Posted on November 3, 2013 by BarryH

Saturday and the weather forecast for the end of the afternoon was for winds in this corner of South Wales comparable with those of St Jude Storm last weekend, wind speeds of 25 mph with gusts double that and heavy … Continue reading →

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

Going to extremes

Posted on October 31, 2013 by BarryH

It has been good to look back on my time in Greece during the summer, trekking in the mountains, swimming in the Aegean, warm sunshine ……..  but life can’t be lived in the past. It’s time to refocus. I like … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Grey Britain, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Wales | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments