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Category Archives: History & Culture
Island Strongholds of Loch Awe
Another year and it occurs to me that it has been months since I last wrote a post for this blog; life has just got far too busy recently. It’s a dreich February evening and as usual at this time of year … Continue reading
Posted in Canoe Trips, History & Culture, In Scotland, Wild Places
Tagged Argyll, Ben Cruachan, canoe camping, castles, Clan Campbell, Innis Chonnel, island burial sites, kayaking, Loch Awe, West Highlands
1 Comment
Summer Alm Adventure
We spent the last couple of weeks of August exploring the alpine valleys, forests, lakes and villages around the Karwendel Alps on the border between Bavaria and the Austrian province of Tyrol. The alpine meadows in this part of the … Continue reading
Posted in Family, History & Culture, In Europe, Mountain Treks, Wild Places
Tagged Alms, bavaria, Bavarian Alps, bike trips, germany, Isar, Kawendel Alps, Krün, Leutasch, Mittenwald, mountains, nature, outdoors, Tyrol, walking, Wallgau, Wetterstein, woodlands
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Ghost Trains in the Urban Jungle
It could be a vision straight from a post apocalyptic sci-fi movie; a real-life “Planet of the Apes”. Trees and dense shrub vegetation encroach over former railway tracks, sidings and marshalling yards. Abandoned steam locomotives, rusting water towers and mysterious structures loom out of the … Continue reading
Posted in Current Affairs, History & Culture, In Europe, Trees & Greenspaces, Urbanism
Tagged Berlin, Environmental Art, environmental education, graffitti, Green Networks, history, Industriewald, pink floyd, planet of the apes, Südgeländ, Society for Urban Ecology, spirit of place, SURE, Urban Forestry, Urban Greenspace, woodlands, zombies
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“Scotland: Landscapes and Legends”
For anyone in Aachen and surrounding area; I’ll be making a presentation at the Volkshochschule in Stolberg on the 16th May entitled “Scotland: Landscapes and Legends”. I’ll be talking about exploring Scotland’s wild landscapes on foot and by canoe (including many of the locations mentioned on … Continue reading
Posted in History & Culture, In Europe, In Scotland, Mountain Treks, Wild Places
Tagged Canoe Trips, Highlands, mountains, nature, outdoors, Scottish History, sea kayaking, spirit of place, walking
2 Comments
Carnival in Aachen: Vanquishing the spirits of winter… ?
Joie de vivre, frivolity and “letting your hair down” are not characteristics most often associated with the Germans (with the possible exception of the well-known Munich Octoberfest) who are better known for their more sober traits including “attention to detail”, a sense of … Continue reading
Posted in Aachen & Euregio, History & Culture, In Europe
Tagged Aachen, Carnival, Euregio, Fasching, Germany travel, Rhineland, winter festivals
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Tummel and Tay: Exploring Scotland by Canadian Canoe
In an age dominated by road transport, most journeys these days involve jumping into the car. This was not however always the case; for our ancestors rivers and lochs formed the main communication routes through the landscape. On the River Tay in Perthshire, for example, log … Continue reading
Posted in Canoe Trips, History & Culture, In Scotland, Wild Places
Tagged Aberfeldy, autumn colours, Big Tree Country, Canadian Canoeing, Canoe Trips, Dunkeld, Highland Perthshire, Highlands, history, In Scotland, Kenmore, Killin, Loch Faskally, Loch Tay, Loch Tummel, mountains, nature, outdoors, wellbeing
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Setting up an Adventure Tourism Business: a case of bad timing
Has it ever seemed like the day job is not quite enough ? For years I’d had a nagging feeling that there ought to be more to life than the 9-5 office job staring at computer screen. In some ways I was one of the lucky … Continue reading
Posted in History & Culture, In Scotland, Mountain Treks, Wild Places
Tagged Adventure Tourism, Business, family, Green Tourism, Highlands, history, In Scotland, landscape, legends, mountains, nature, outdoors, Perthshire, spirit of place, walking
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Castles, Vineyards and Ancient Villages
In the shadow of Burg Thurant: The austere twin towered fortress of Burg Thurant stands impressively on a hill top overlooking the winding streets, ancient houses, inns and vineyards of Alken, a medieval wine village situated on the lower Mosel. This dramatic scene symbolises everything … Continue reading
Posted in Canoe Trips, History & Culture, In Europe
Tagged Bernkastel Kues, Burg Eltz, Burg Thurant, Cochem, cultural heritage, Enkirch, folklore, Germany travel, history, Hochmosel Bridge, kayaking, Koblenz, mosel, Mosel Radweg, Mosel wine villages, Punderich, Riesling, St Aldegund, Traban Trabach, Trier, Vineyards
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Winter market
Warming scenes from the “Weihnachtsmarkt” in the medieval old town of Stolberg near Aachen. Gluhwein and crepes with African music ! All of a sudden Christmas seems nearer…
Off the Beaten Track 