Category Archives: Wildlife

Symi and Nisyros: Back to old-fashioned island hopping

Posted on September 15, 2022 by BarryH

People often ask which is my favourite Greek island.  Given that I spend more time on Symi than any other, the natural assumption is that the answer is self-evident.  But it’s more complicated than that. True, I love the walking … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, History, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Symi: back on the Hot Rock

Posted on May 30, 2022 by BarryH

Back on Symi.  Been here two weeks now. A bit trepidatious about the travel chaos expected at Manchester Airport so turned up 4 hours ahead of flight departure. No queue at all at check-in, shortest queue at security ever.  Waiting … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Spring, Uncategorized, Weather, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Symi, Stockport: Then, now and soon-to-be

Posted on March 13, 2022 by BarryH

The Brexit Bonus has nowhere-near met cynically manipulated expectations.  Quite the opposite.  It has fallen far short and a realistic assessment is that it will continue to do so, despite the Ress-Mogg Magic Wand. One of the negative impacts, which … Continue reading →

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Symi: Autumn life

Posted on November 24, 2021 by BarryH

Back home in Grey Britain now.  Warmer than average for this time of year, cloud acting as insulating blanket kept temperatures up through much of November – but spirits down. Mostly between what mountaineers call ‘claggy’ and ‘very claggy’ – … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Greece, Grey Britain, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Rambling through the grey and rising above it …… occasionally

Posted on February 8, 2021 by BarryH

I’ve written before on the psychology of time, about which I read initially in Thomas Mann’s book ‘The Magic Mountain’ when I was in the 6th form and more recently in Claudia Hammond’s ‘Time Warped’, published 2012, exactly 100 years … Continue reading →

Posted in Grey Britain, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Pontypool, Reflections, Wales, Weather, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Greece, Symi: here’s hoping

Posted on August 17, 2020 by BarryH

I usually come back from Greece to the UK for August, partly because of the heat but mostly in order to sort out my garden, harvest fruit and veg and store it away for the winter months.   In the throes … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Greece, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Reflections, Uncategorized, Weather, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Virtual Symi: Summer solstice and Covid optimism

Posted on June 22, 2020 by BarryH

Summer solstice, 21 June, and for the last 10 years I have been in Greece to celebrate it.  With the sun at its highest, at the zenith (13.00 with adjustment for summer time) I’ve made a point of taking a … Continue reading →

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

Symi: virtually

Posted on April 15, 2020 by BarryH

Symi in April is very different from the island which most people see in the heat of Summer.  Sadly, thanks to Covid-19 there is no possibility of going there this month, or next, or for the foreseeable. Not only are … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Spring, Weather, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Greece, Nisyros: up close and personal.

Posted on September 13, 2019 by BarryH

There are great walks on many of the Greek islands I know. Symi, Tilos, Kalymnos, Amorgos, Hydra ………   However, I have often said, become a bit boring about it maybe, that the most spectacular walking/trekking I know is on Nisyros.  … Continue reading →

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Greece, Symi: Up, along a bit, and down

Posted on July 27, 2019 by BarryH

The temperature was pushing up to 40 degrees in the shade. The previous afternoon, a friend with a thermometer on his balcony had recorded 58.7 in the sun at 13.00 – hottest part of the day is a couple of … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Weather, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments