Tag Archives: Flora

Symi: and now for something ……… unexpected

Posted on July 1, 2023 by BarryH

One of the things I have learned over the years visiting, travelling and trekking around Greece, and make a point of in my book ‘Greece Unpackaged’, is to deal with the unexpected. If things don’t go as planned, find a … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Health and humour, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Weather, Wildlife | Tagged Abandonned village, Flora, Gria, Oregano, Pedi, Symi, thunderstorms, thyme | 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 caves, fauna, Flora, Greece, poppies, Symi, tortoise | 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 →

Posted in Greece, Grey Britain, Nature, Photography, Spring, Wildlife | Tagged Abney Hall Park, Brexit, Flora, Greece, Heaton Mersey Common, Red Elf Cups, spring flowers, Stockport, Symi, trees, Ukriane, uncertainty | 1 Comment

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 autumn, autumn crocus, biarum marmarisense, Covid-19, fauna, Flora, Greece, Sea squill, Symi | 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 air-bridges, Covid-19, fauna, Flora, Greece, international flights, Summer solstice, Symi | Leave a comment

Spring in the Brecon Beacons: The long and the short view of The Covid Lockdown

Posted on June 6, 2020 by BarryH

September 1961. I started in the Sixth Form and my GCE ‘A’ level course. Perhaps more importantly, I now had access to the Sixth Form Library which hitherto I didn’t even know existed. It was like Aladdin’s Cave. The only … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Pontypool, Reflections, Spring, Wales, Weather | Tagged bluebells, brecon beacons national park, Covid Lockdown, Covid-19, Flora, Holiday Paradox, Mynydd Garn Wen, paragliding, Philosophy, philosophy of time, Pontypool Folly, Sunshine, The Blorenge, The Magic Mountain, Thomas Mann, Thursday Clap, white bluebells | 3 Comments

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 Covid-19, Flora, Greece, Greek Islands, spring flowers, Symi, wild flowers | 4 Comments

Say it with flowers

Posted on May 19, 2019 by BarryH

Sadly, I have been revisited by the misfiring which struck at Easter 2016 (see). It has now been sorted and I’m firing on all cylinders again. But it prevented my return to Greece for Easter this year ….. and then … Continue reading →

Posted in Nature, Photography, Pontypool, Spring, Wales, Weather, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged aquilegia, autumn leaves, collar dove, crocus, Flora, fruit, gooseberries, Pontypool, prickly pear cactus, snow, spring flowers, tulips, Wales, wild garlic | 1 Comment

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 fauna, Flora, flowering plants, Greece, Nisyros | 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 air fares, Dragon Arum, Flora, flowers, Greece, lizards, Painted Dragon, spring, Symi, tortoises | Leave a comment