No alpine jaunts planned for me this summer; instead I’ll be heading north and west to check out a few old Scottish haunts again. Meanwhile, the high mountain ranges of Central Europe will have to wait until later in the year. I do miss the Alps, however and so to make up for that omission, here’s a few photos that I’ve recycled from some previous exploits. Hopefully, you’ll be inclined to forgive such blatant repetition, given the vibrant colours and beauty of these mountain landscapes and the wonderful plants, bugs and beasties that make these lofty places their home.

In Europe, unlike some remoter and wilder parts of the world, many of our most colourful and biodiversity rich areas are actually old cultural landscapes, which have been home to countless generations of villagers, mountain farmers and foresters. These unique habitats have arisen through the complex interaction of man and nature over millennia, achieving a healthy balance between the needs and activities of both. Nothing typifies these ancient cultural landscapes more than the splendour, diversity and colours of alpine meadows.

Living on the Continent for well over a decade now, I’ve been lucky enough to have the chance to wander many of the high mountain ranges of Europe; from the Picos de Europa and the Pyrenees in Northern Spain and France, around the Matterhorn, Mt. Blanc and Bernese Oberland regions, to the inspiring landscapes of the Allgäu, Karwendel, Stubai, Hohe Tauern and the Dolomites.

This random selection of photos aims to give an idea of the huge natural and cultural diversity to be encountered across Europe’s mountains. I love being in these places; they’re literally alive with sights, scents and an ever-changing profusion of colours; they are always a joy to visit and are uplifting for the soul, whatever the season. Let’s hope that there are places like this left for our children to enjoy, where the mountain magic will remain…