Tag Archives: Wales

Wales and Greece: life on the wild side

Posted on April 7, 2016 by BarryH

I first became fascinated by birds of prey when I was a research student and lived with friends in a tiny former lead-mining village in the mountains inland of Aberystwyth. The closest house was about half a mile away. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged Aegina, bird calls, Bonelli's eagles, brecon beacons national park, Buzzard, Eleonora's Falcon, Golden Eagle, Greece, Imperial Eagle, kestrel, Little Owl, Mid Wales, Nisyros, ornithology, paragliding, photography, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Symi, The Mani, Tilos, trekking, Wales | 1 Comment

Symi and the Glamorgan coast: compare and contrast

Posted on August 23, 2015 by BarryH

We were taught in school to prepare for exam questions of the type ‘Compare and contrast’ …. ‘The Hundred Years War and the Blitzkrieg’, ‘The East Coast of England and a South Sea Atoll’, ‘the character of Jane Austen’s Emma … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Photography, Wales | Tagged cliffs, Glamorgan Heritage Coast, Greece, hiking, limestone, Macross, Monksnash, Nisyros, photography, Plough and Harrow, rock pools, Severn Estuary, Symi, tidal range, Wales, wave-cut platforms | 2 Comments

From Wales to Greece: Greek Island Walks

Posted on March 30, 2015 by BarryH

Preparing to return to Greece has been taking precedence over escaping into the mountains recently. A spell of dry weather meant most of my time has been in the garden clearing, cutting back, pruning, planting, sowing, but that was brought … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Greece, Greek Island Walks, Nisyros, photography, Pontypool, Pontypool Folly Tower, Rain clouds, Symi, Wales, walking guides | 2 Comments

From Wales to Greece: preparations eclipsed

Posted on March 20, 2015 by BarryH

Wednesday and I was feeling pleased with myself. I finally got round to booking a flight to Greece. A bit of lateral thinking and I fly to Kos rather than Rhodes. The flight arrives on Rhodes after the Dodecanese Express … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Nature, Photography, Wales | Tagged Eclipse, ferries, Greece, photography, Wales | Leave a comment

From Grey Britain to Greek sunshine: looking forward

Posted on March 15, 2015 by BarryH

Into March now, in theory the beginning of spring. Despite the occasional day of sunshine it’s still mostly grey, wet and cold. Not much sign of the weather warming up significantly but my focus has shifted. I’ve reluctantly turned my … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Grey Britain, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Spring, Wales, Winter | Tagged Crocuses, daffodils, flowers, Greece, Large Tortoiseshell, photography, spring, Wales, winter | 2 Comments

Brecon Beacons: an hour’s trek to a frozen world

Posted on February 25, 2015 by BarryH

Monday and it was sleeting at home when I got up. The Met Office forecast heavy showers of rain, sleet and maybe snow all day with temperatures rising to a maximum of 3oC. I knew it might be snowing on … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Photography, Wales, Weather, Winter | Tagged brecon beacons, brecon beacons national park, Cadair Idris, Corn Du, footpaths, hiking, mountains, paragliding, Pen y Fan, photography, Snow and ice, Wales, winter | 2 Comments

Brecon Beacons: a frozen ridge-top walk

Posted on February 15, 2015 by BarryH

It has been grey and damp most days since I arrived home. But not all. A modest snowfall followed by a week of continuing low temperatures meant that when the sun was forecast to come out for a day I … Continue reading →

Posted in Grey Britain, Hiking, Landscape, Monmouthshire, Mountains, Photography, Pontypool, Wales, Weather | Tagged Abergavenny, Abergavenny and Brecon Canal, blue sky, brecon beacons, brecon beacons national park, climate change, snow, Wales | 4 Comments

I was attacked by an airport: an unexpectedly wild walk

Posted on December 15, 2014 by BarryH

I did nothing to antagonise it. Malevolence on its part is the only explanation. That or ‘smart’ technology out of control. Which is even more frightening. I was on my home from Greece in the latter part of October. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Greece, Grumpy Old Men, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Pontypool, Wales | Tagged Abergavenny, Athens airport, brecon beacons national park, clouds, escalators, injuries, Pontypool, Pontypool Folly Tower, Pontypool Park, Shell Grotto, sunset, Wales | 1 Comment

Autumn gold in Old South Wales

Posted on December 1, 2014 by BarryH

You can’t live life looking to the past. After a few weeks under grey skies reminding myself of Symi summer sun it’s time to focus on the present and look to the future. The turning point was when yet another … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Landscape, Monmouthshire, Mountains, Nature, Wales | Tagged Abergavenny-Brecon Canal, Autumn gold, brecon beacons national park, Folly Tower, Holly, Pontypool, Pontypool Folly Tower, Scarlet Hood fungi, sunset, Wales | 2 Comments

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 aquifers, biarum marmarisense, brecon beacons national park, dragonflies, goat paths, Greece, Green Toads, Gria, Horio, hornets, Pedi, Pedi Valley, ponds, Pontypool, Pontypool Folly Tower, rainfall, Red-veined Darter, Symi, Wales, water hole, water levels, windmills | 2 Comments