BrightAire Outside

Dead bat

2011-10-31T15:02:00.003Z

Dead bat, originally uploaded by clivenutton.

Found at my brother's work. It had probaby got trapped indoors, unable to feed. A sorry end but fascinating to see close up and marvel at its superb adaptation to nocturnal, insectivorous flight.

Motor Mayhem

2011-10-24T20:22:00.003+01:00

VIDEO0011.3gp Watch on Posterous

Watching this, at Barden in the Yorkshire Dales, was a highlight of my road bike ride on Sunday. Spotting a Red Kite within 20 minutes of my home and a Stoat crossing my path were two others. If you've got a stiff neck from watching this, give some thought to the passenger!

Garden steps

2011-10-17T03:42:00.003+01:00

Garden steps, originally uploaded by clivenutton.

I spent some of this weekend finishing the steps I started last weekend. The design is typical of the conservation projects I worked on while completing my FdSc in Wildlife and Countryside conservation a couple of years ago.

Barbeque weather

2011-10-01T08:36:00.006+01:00

Today I used the Yuba Mundo to pick up a barbeque for this evening's family festivities.

I'm really impressed by the Mundo. It's such fun to ride, comfortable and so versatile for load carrying. Though unevenly and awkwardly loaded, once underway, the barbeque was hardly noticeable.

Update - SkyRide with Bradford young people

After completing my morning's chores I pedalled the Yuba Mundo to Victoria Park in Oakenshaw to help lead a special SkyRide for young people from Bradford, many of whom don't get the opportunity to ride bikes with any regularity.

We used the Spen Valley Greenway route, developed by Sustrans, pedalling to Dewsbury and back, enjoying scorching hot weather, strange sculptures and lots of banter. The Mundo came into its own, carrying extra water, tools and a track pump, as well as providing a talking point and a model for car-free mobility.

The young people's enjoyment was well in evidence. While the pace was generally leisurely, a select group formed a peloton towards the end of the ride, getting lots of satisfaction by reeling in their youth worker and beating him to the finish. Chapeau!


Me, the Mundo and Bradford youngster negotiate Trudi Entwistle's "Rotate".	Photo by Dan Goodey

A-frame

2011-09-26T09:52:00.002+01:00

A-frame, originally uploaded by clivenutton.

This weekend I was out with Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue team, in the Stump Cross Caverns area, to practice hauling casualties from shafts using tripods and A-frames. Some useful learning points emerged particularly when using the A frame. The degree to which the A-frame can be rotated around its base in order for it to be used to "crane" a casualty away from a cliff edge, while the structure maintained sufficient working stability, was especially handy to try out. Also measures to redirect the load and the application of pulley/rope capture systems were good to try out.

As always. it was fun to spend time with good people in beautiful surroundings. A Red Kite flew over, at one point, and on the drive home a female Sparrowhawk swooped across the road in front of the car. The weather was also very kind to us.

Summer work catch-up

2011-09-06T22:05:00.005+01:00

Here's a few images and words from my work activities over the summer.

Airedale & Wharfedale Autism Resource at Lineham Farm

A particularly rewarding day's work was had at Lineham Farm, climbing and cycling with young people with autism from Airedale & Wharfedale Autism Resource.

I spent time prospecting some bike bivi routes for a work project I have in mind

RSPB

Field-teaching for the RSPB has continued to provide very satisfying work, teaching primary school children about habitats, life-cycles, adaptations and food-chains at Fairburn Ings reserve, Castleford.

SkyRide

I've worked for SkyRide and British Cycling, leading adults on local road rides in the Bradford area, encouraging people to take up and continue cycling.

National Citizen Service, Summer of a Lifetime at Herd Farm

I've enjoyed some work with the Leeds pilot of the National Citizen Service, Summer of a Lifetime event working with great colleagues from Learning Partnerships, a Leeds-based education charity. The scheme was supported by the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust and, in Leeds' case, by Jenna Downing - champion in-line skater and all-round good egg and inspiration. The project was based at Herd Farm, Leeds City Council's excellent outdoor activity centre where the young people took part in challenging activities, community volunteering and learning.


Young people on the NCS Summer of A Lifetime showed persistence firelighting in damp weather.

For some of the staff firelighting is a competitive sport.


Young people completed strenuous, physical work, voluntarily. Clearing paths in Middleton Woods, Leeds.

The youngsters showed enthusiasm, pride and cheerfulness in the work they completed.

One of the most heartening aspects of working on the project was the way the young people overturned many of the prejudicial stereotypes so widely aired in the media in the wake of recent riots.

Duke of Edinburgh's Award with C I Adventures

Working with C I Adventures I coached and supervised pupils from Trinity Academy, Halifax in completing their Duke of Edinburgh's Award, bronze expedition.

Young people completed their bronze Duke of Edinburgh's Award in Calderdale

Stoodley Pike on day one of Trinity Academy's Bronze DofE expedition

Other work for C I Adventures has involved teaching young people about the natural history of bats, building bat boxes and erecting them on the Hebble Trail in Halifax.

Contributing to bat conservation in Halifax.

Navigation Training with Lupine AdventureCo-operative

For Lupine Adventure Co-operative I worked with a fantastic group of adults, teaching them how to navigate effectively in the mountains of the Lake District. On day one of the course it poured with rain and I was impressed that they remained so cheerful and keen to learn. On day two we were rewarded with fantastic sunny weather as we explored Scandale.

My notes from the Scandale walk on Day 2

Update - Feedback from the Lupine Navigation Course

"On behalf of the group, I would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ for teaching and looking after us this weekend – a truly positive ‘bucolic’ experience!

You helped to make the weekend a thoroughly enjoyable learning experience for all of us and we appreciated your patience, clear explanation and extensive knowledge which you pitched at just the right level for the group.

We found you to be very personable and thorough and particularly appreciated your willingness to be flexible to ensure we got the most out of the weekend – even if you did insist that we went off that very inviting, well worn ‘brown’ path and climbed up through the more difficult bracken! Are you absolutely sure we couldn’t just have taken that path?!?

We have all come away inspired and motivated to try out our new found skills which is testament to your excellent tuition!

There was nothing we could think of that would have improved what you did except we would have appreciated you sorting the weather out on Saturday!

Thanks again, we all hope to meet you again sometime.

Best wishes

Cathy"

Mundo put to work

2011-08-03T22:52:00.002+01:00

With a pannier full of decorating gear and a couple of garden chairs picked up from my mum's the Mundo is put straight to work. Rides really well too. I also think it looks classy, whatever the doubters might say.

The Mundo has landed.

2011-08-03T11:47:00.001+01:00

Just took delivery of my Yuba Mundo cargo bike. Here's to more car-free mobility.

Thrushes' Anvil

2011-07-10T13:16:00.003+01:00

In a path above Mytholmroyd, Calderdale. I also got good views of Green Woodpecker here while supervising a Duke of Edinburgh's Award group on their bronze qualifying expedition with Creative International Adventures.

Sunshine on Stoodley Pike

2011-07-09T14:24:00.001+01:00

A great day supervising bronze DofE candidates on their qualifying expedition.

Simple pleasures

2011-07-03T20:30:00.002+01:00

Last of the 10yr old Yamazaki single malt in my garden. Making the most of the sunshine. A rare reflective moment during the summer that saw the birth of our first child and a house move less than 48 hours apart.

Getting old?

2011-07-02T09:29:00.001+01:00

I bought one of these, so now I can be the scourge of Youth Hostels. Telling the young uns how it used to be before SPDs and indexed shifting.

Florence says "Hello world".

2011-05-22T09:21:00.003+01:00

3 and a half hours old.

Interesting things...

2011-05-17T19:47:00.002+01:00

...to me at any rate. Rocks, cones and artefacts packed up and ready for moving.

Scoping

2011-05-14T15:11:00.001+01:00

Checking out routes for bike bivi trips is proving a wonderful reacquaintance with some trails I've not ridden for a while.

Location : Address not available
Posted via Blogaway

Web-footed friend

2011-05-09T13:41:00.001+01:00

Seen while out scoping bike bivi routes round the Washburn Valley.

Prospecting

2011-05-09T11:18:00.001+01:00

Routes for BrightAire Bivi Bike Trips. In East Wood, Otley.

Clam bridge, Wycoller

2011-05-03T18:25:00.001+01:00

From a sedate walk round Wycoller with the Mrs. A lovely relaxing wander visiting Atom, a panopticon on a nearby hillside and a local nature reserve at Colne. A complete contrast to the previous day when I was lashing round the mountainbiking trails at Whinlatter and Grizedale Forests

The melting pot

2011-04-29T15:34:00.001+01:00

Practicing breastfeeding at Shipley NCT class.

CPD catch-up

2011-03-29T21:44:00.002+01:00

As part of my memberships of a number of professional bodies I'm required to record my continuing professional development. There's been rather a lot lately. Here goes...

5 & 6/3/11 - Navigation, orienteering and a moorland day walk round Ogden Water with bronze Duke of Edinburgh's Award candidates.
8/3/11 - Teaching route cards with bronze DofE award candidates.
9/3/11 - My observation of teaching and learning at Leeds City College (grade 1, outstanding).
10/3/11 - Attended the inaugral meeting of Bradford Wheels for All cycling group.
15/3/11 - Teaching tent pitching, stoves and nutrition with bronze DofE award candidates.

Indoor tent pitching practice

18/3/11 - Night micro-navigation exercise with Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association.
19/3/11 - British Cycling level 1Ride Leader award training.

British Cycling Level 1 Ride leader certificate

21/3/11 - DofE bronze award route card teaching.
22/3/11 - DofE bronze award expedition preparation teaching; country code and emergency procedures.
24/3/11 - DofE Expedition Supervisor's training.

DofE Expedition Supervisor certificate

Phew...

Amongst this I also managed a walk in Swaledale with friends, some mountainbike guiding to help in the production of a new South Pennines mountainbike guide and a restful anniversary weekend away with Mrs BrightAire.

Kisdon Force, Swaledale

Whitby harbour pier from our weekend away

Teaching observation and Duke of Edinburgh work

2011-03-10T21:29:00.001Z

When I'm not working or playing outdoors I work as an IT teacher at Leeds City College. It's one of the biggest in the country. This week I was observed as part of the college's regular process of quality assurance. Observation, for me, is always a little unsettling in practice and a lot of work in preparation. It was quite gratifying to find that the hard work had paid off. I got a grade one, "outstanding" assessment.

Earlier in the week and last weekend I've enjoyed working with students at Trinity Academy in Halifax training them for their Duke of Edinburgh's Award expedition. As well as a great afternoon's orienteering at Ogden Water and a fabulous early spring sunshine walk in the Calderdale there has been some classroom work. Students created a giant map and worked very hard, after school on Tuesday to create route cards.

Trinity Academy students survey their domain

Rhubarb, Moonraking and the Hill of the Winds

2011-03-01T18:06:00.001Z

Odd stuff since last weekend.

A visit to the Wakefield Rhubarb Festival and to the forcing sheds of E Oldroyd and Sons. More photos here.

Slaithwaite (say "Slawit") Moonraking Festival was the next port of call on Saturday evening. More photos here.

Finally, today was probably my most enjoyable "day at the office" so far this year. Working for WildWays Adventure I took a group of youngsters for a walk up Pen-y-Ghent, "Hill of the Winds", one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks. The weather didn't disappoint!

Ladybower and The Beast

2011-02-21T08:33:00.005Z

I was lured outside at the weekend to enjoy some mountain biking around Ladybower Reservoir in the Derbyshire Peak District. We enjoyed just over 20km of pushing through snow and riding on wet, muddy and quite technical trails.

The Beast is a notorious descent on the route (in the northern part of the map). It's steep and quite technically rocky. On Saturday it had a stream running down it and was slicked with snow.

View Ladybower and The Beast in a larger map

Maia Media has some footage of The Beast as part of her excellent DIY Cable Cam video here.

DIY Cable Cam for Mountain Biking from Maia Media on Vimeo.

It'll be fun to go back in the dry.

Maiden Castle and Harkerside

2011-02-15T17:48:00.003Z

The weather's been a bit uninspring of late, or at least at the times I've been able to get out in it. Frustrating. So, today, with the mountain leaders' motto "If it aint raining, it aint training" in mind, I decided to visit Swaledale.

I was keen to visit Maiden Castle and take in Harkerside, a modest hill near Reeth.

Maiden Castle is thought to be an Iron Age hill fort but its position is so defensively weak, with dead and rising ground in the vicinity, that its function remains enigmatic. The misty, damp conditions heightened, for me, the sense of history and mystery. Notes from Julian Cope's Modern Antiquarian website here.

Ditch and banking of Maiden Castle overlooking Swaledale

Harkerside, in common with much of the local moorland, has been historically worked for galena, lead ore. This activity, together with modern grouse shooting, has resulted in a network of cycleable tracks through picturesque heather moor and sometimes strange industrial landscapes.

I must come back with my bike someday and visit Dales Bike Centre. Closed (winter opening hours) when I turned up for coffee and cake. :-(

A couple more photos here.

The Duke of Edinburgh meets Joe

2011-02-07T08:19:00.003Z

On Saturday I travelled to Goole to take part in training as a Duke of Edinburgh's Award Leader. There were youth-workers, teachers, instructors and prison officers from all over the Yorkshire and Humberside region in attendance. I was there with colleagues from Creative International Adventures for whom I start work in March.

One of the training activities involved inventing a young person; drawing a pen portrait of their likes and dislikes, interests and background then considering the barriers they may face and a programme which may suit them. Interesting to note how my younger collegues heaped problem after problem onto poor Joe Bloggs. Merciless!

It was impressive to hear how prison officers from HMP Doncaster aimed to introduce the award to young prisoners in their care; how they balanced the need for punishment with the prospect of rehabilitation.

Any how, here's my certificate. I'm now an accredited DofE Leader and I'm really looking forward to helping young people gain their award.

Holy moley

2011-01-31T11:31:00.007Z

It's been a busy one since last week's aquatic 1st aid course. Aside from the day job, I've:

Spent a day mountainbiking at Gisburn Forest, riding the red and black graded "The Eight" route including the Slab and Hully Gully sections.
Met with people at Creative International Adventures in Halifax and have agreed to work with them delivering the Duke of Edinburgh's Award in the Calderdale area.
Brought colleagues on board at Leeds City College with my AspireCamp project. An outdoor activities residential retreat to encourage career planning and progression.
Watched a couple of good films, 127 Hours and The Reader.
Moved our house moving plans on a little, and
Took a walk in the Yorkshire Dales where I came across this sorry sight.

Culling moles seems such an unecessary activity these days.

Update - 7/2/11

I've since read a bit more about the issue of culling moles and there are some sound reasons why culling occurs.

Mole hills can:

Cause damage to farm equipment (eg. mowers)
Cause contamination of silage with soil which reduces its nutritional value and can communicate diseases
Encourage growth of thistles which reduces the nutritional value of the sward.

Justification is a different matter, I guess. Depends of on the scale of infestation/problem and whether alternatives exist. One of the sources I looked at had this to say:

"...while most farmers perceive Moles as pests, the damage which is attributed to them is slight on the great majority of farms. Control of Moles was none the less common and widespread..."

The question remains, in my mind, that if the damage attributed to moles (by farmers) is only considered slight, why the common and widespread culling? Maybe the damage is slight because of culling? Maybe logic is only part of the answer?

References -
http://tinyurl.com/4wdf5zh
http://tinyurl.com/497u5hx

Not waving...

2011-01-22T22:28:00.010Z

I spent today on an aquatic 1st aid course at Bradford and Bingley Canoe Club delivered by Helen Underwood of Underwood Training.

As is typical, when outdoors people get together, there is a good deal of black humour around the subject of injury and death. Hopefully, however, if we are ever confronted with a situation where our 1st aid skills are called upon we will not be found wanting.

Much of the session focussed on the many ways one can drown. It's not simple. A number of factors come into play which influence the treatment and survivability of drowning casualties:

Dry drowning
Fresh water versus salt water drowning
Secondary drowning
Hypothermia and the role of the mammalian diving reflex

The lightness of spirit with which we discussed this made me think of Stevie Smith's poem "Not Waving but Drowning" which, on one level, is about how a fragile front of jolly bravery sometimes masks the more sombre facets of existence. Perhaps a degree of delusion helps us to swim boldly out into life's current, avoid its undertows and fulfil our potential.

Any road up. Get yourself on a first aid course. You never know when you might need to bring someone to shore. I highly recommend Helen and Underwood Training.

22 week scan

2011-01-20T20:38:00.002Z

22 week scan, originally uploaded by clivenutton.

We went to Bradford Royal Infirmary for another ultrasound scan today. Everything seems to be progressing well. The reminder of our baby growing adds to the excitement and a little urgency to our impending house move.

Todcross revisited

2011-01-16T12:19:00.004Z

Two weeks ago I entered my first cyclocross race which I wrote about here.

Below is a video from the talented and creative Maia Media which beautifully sums up the fun of the event.

Todmorden Cyclocross 2011 from Maia Media on Vimeo.

Did I mention that I didn't come last?

Using my head

2011-01-16T11:43:00.008Z

Woahhh, thwack, crunch, unghhh, oof, ha ha ha!

It was in a fit of giggles that I ended up in a heap in a brambly ditch on Thursday's night ride last week.

Thursday night's mountainbike route. Look out for that tree

In a continuing effort to purge a lingering cold, I'd set off up Altar Lane. Pausing at the top to recover I met a group of local bikers and together we explored the cheeky trails on Harden Moor. Descending through St. Ive's I misjudged:

My speed
The adhesive qualities of my front tyre
The frictional properties of muddy pine needles
The proximity of a tree

Bang. There I was in a ditch having used, first, my left shoulder and then my head to stop myself against a particularly unyeilding larch tree. My helmet (a 6 year old, budget Giro Indicator) had certainly done its job as I was almost completely unscathed while the helmet's cradle had snapped, absorbing energy that otherwise would have been borne by my head.

Helmet showing minor damage to the shell

Snapped cradle means a replacement

Three days later my body is still a little stiff and bruised but thankfully my cerebral qualities, such as they are, are still intact. My new helmet's a Giro Hex.

Bradley Wood, High Ropes Training 2

2011-01-11T16:15:00.003Z

Today I attended a training course at Bradley Wood Scout Campsite. The aim was to teach us how to use the high ropes structure with groups in safety.

This is what greeted us out of the gloom on arrival.

High Ropes Structure at Bradley Wood

The structure has three elements. From left to right:

Jacob's ladder - logs suspended horizontally at increasing distances from bottom to top. A team work activity.
Balance features - inclined log, horizontal log and high wire with "monkey ropes".
Leap of faith - pole mounted platform with trapeze.

We completed elements of the structure (to get a flavour of what our clients experience), belayed one another and carried out rescues (using a Petzl I'D device, which I'd not used before) from high on the structure.


Escapable traversing belay system

Belaying involved using chain or cable ground anchors (tied in with a clove hitch), an escapable belay loop and a Petzl Grigri device.

Later the day warmed up (slightly) and it was fun to play on the structure and catch up with colleagues from Bradford Met Adventure Activities Development Unit and Wild Ways Adventure.

Shooting the breeze under Jacob's ladder

Bradley Wood, High Ropes Training 1

2011-01-11T08:26:00.008Z

Download now or watch on posterous

VIDEO0005.3gp (3950 KB)

A blog video update. Not done this before. An idea shamelessly nicked from Brant and Ed.

A quiet one

2011-01-04T08:38:00.005Z

Christmas is often a time for doing very little, hooking up with friends and family; some reflective and relaxing "down-time" at the end of a busy year and time for planning what to do with the new one.

This Christmas has been more inactive than usual due to a cold. That said, I wasn't entirely idle. Of course, like everyone else, I got out for walks with friends to enjoy the snow. I made a special effort to haul myself out of my sickbed to see the lunar eclipse on December the 21st, the winter solstice.

The moon at the start of its eclipse. From my bedroom window.

More photos here.

I got out to do some birdwatching, the highlight being 2 bittern at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve.

In a final effort to undo some of the damage caused by too much food, drink and slothfulness, and on the shaky advice of a friend that a cold could be "driven out", I entered my first cyclocross race in Round 9 of the Yorkshire points series at "Todcross", Todmorden.

I was delighted not to have come last in the vet's category, racing for Bradford And Bingley Canoe Club, and to finish before members of some illustrious cycle teams and Here Come the Belgians. I was less happy to be coughing violently for the next 2 hours. Results here.

This is video of the senior's race. Take it from me that 'd have been off the back in the first 30 seconds.

Footage courtesy of James Lyon and manchestervelodrome.

Feeling better now. Thanks.

Animal signs

2011-01-03T13:14:00.003Z

Found this hole and whole and eaten spruce cones under an ash tree. What left them there?

Location : Eccup Ln, Leeds LS16 8,
Posted via Blogaway

Call me dad

2010-12-20T19:22:00.001Z

Got a book for my birthday called "Call me dad!". All seems a bit "new man". The input of red-blooded real dads would be appreciated.

Frosty walk

2010-12-20T14:31:00.003Z

Stolen winter ramble.

We're shopping

2010-12-20T11:14:00.002Z

Leeds' hippest boutiques have been scoured. Wife's Christmas present remains elusive. I'm not sure she's actually been that good.

Location : 26 Albion St, Leeds LS1 5,
Posted via Blogaway

Sloe gin

2010-12-19T12:36:00.003Z

Just finished bottling this year's sloe gin. Yule is definitely underway in the Nutton house. Next year a new house and new baby will also feature but probably less gin.

Gone to the dogs

2010-12-13T16:05:00.002Z

I enjoyed a visit to Kinsley greyhound racing track for my birthday last friday. It was fun to have a modest flutter, try to win some money and to replicate Blur's Parklife album cover.

No such luck on either count.

Snow substitute

2010-12-05T17:40:00.006Z

Last Wednesday, with record cold temperatures and snowfall being recorded in parts of the UK, Leeds City College closed due to the inclement weather. To minimise disruption to my students I used the college's virtual learning environment to contact my students, set up a chatroom and make resources available for a virtual session. In the event, my home internet connection failed and I wasn't able to run the session as I'd planned. No substitute, I suppose, for time together in the classroom.

With my teaching plans on blocks I decided to get out and enjoy the snow with friends. Doubtless a choice shared by a number of my students!

Scots pines on Ilkley Moor from a "snow day" walk from Saltaire

Snow business

2010-11-30T19:09:00.007Z

Paid work in the outdoors has gone a bit quiet at present.

Field teaching with the RSPB all but ceases in the winter, though we are working on some winter programmes. There is still plenty of fun learning to be had during the colder months. A shift of focus and a change of clothing is all that is required. Schools seem reluctant to schedule visits, however.

I'm still working voluntarily with Bradford Adventure Activities Development Unit on a project to establish an outdoor activities club at a local youth centre. We found two old plywood canoe kits which we intend to construct and use. Last weekend we took a walk in Upper Wharfedale, round Trollers Gill. Home of the mythical Barguest.

For myself, I've been getting out on my bike and into local woodland, birdwatching and enjoying the wintery weather.

Highlights have been:

Watching a peregrine falcon mobbing a plastic owl from the staffroom window at Leeds City College.
Floodlit white-water kayaking at Bradford and Bingley Canoe Club.
Seeing a stoat being scolded by a pair of wrens at Timble Ings in the Washburn Valley and
Getting out on bikes with my brother in the snow today.

Snowy cycling on Baildon Moor...

...and at Eldwick. Feet very cold by now.

Outlook changeable

2010-11-22T09:10:00.011Z

So, a bit of an update since my last post.

We spent the October half term in mid Wales staying at the welcoming and rather eccentric Neuadd Arms at Llanwrtyd Wells and at Fforest near Cardigan. The weather started bright, cold and crisp (the coldest October day for seven years) and we enjoyed the year's first migrant thrushes (redwings) and soaring red kites as we took a walk in the countryside around Llanwrtyd Wells before enjoying beer from the hotel's own micro brewery.

Red kite sculpture at Llantwrtyd Wells

After skittering through icy puddles on mountainbikes at Coed Trallwm we moved to our "glamp site" at Fforest, our drive taking us through spectacular and desolate countryside around the Abergwesyn Pass. Here we paid our money and enjoyed great hospitality, luxurious tented accomodation; egg, toast and muesli for breakfast, Halloween fun and games and deteriorating weather.

Outside our luxurious dome at Fforest

Inside our luxurious dome at Fforest

Free however, was a paddle through the beautiful Teifi gorge to the sea and watching displaying peregrines, sparrowhawks, Canada geese and flocking starlings at the Welsh Wildlife Centre at Teifi Marshes Nature Reserve. We'll come back to this part of the world.

Me at Poppit sands after my paddle to the sea

Since then work for the RSPB and with a local youth project has kept me busy away from my main employment with Leeds City College. A highlight was Global Entrepreneurship Week when my friend, Brant Richards of Shedfire and Ragley Bikes visited to coach students with their Education Challenge projects.

Global Entrepreneurship Week

Some wet and muddy mountainbiking, kayak coaching for my canoe club, practice with Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association and making sloe gin has put a spare time smile on my face as we head into winter.

Muddy trails at dusk on my local mountain bike circuit

Sloe gin in preparation for the new year

The biggest grin must go to the prospect of another addition to the Nutton family, however. Very exciting.

12 week scan of our baby

What makes something special?

2010-10-18T09:34:00.004+01:00

This was the philosophical question we identified in our Philosophy for Children workshop at the Institute for Outdoor Learning National Conference, this weekend. The aim of P4C is to develop communities of enquiry in educational settings in order promote creative and independent thinking with children and young people.

Sadly, it seems to me, that thinking skills have become a niche interest beyond primary education. In a number of the contexts in which I teach, too many students are too strongly outcome-focussed, hoping to arrive at an acceptable result by the quickest means. A "What do I do next?" teacher-dependent approach often prevails. Attempts to develop a process-focussed approach, considering the means by which we arrive at decisions, seem to go against the grain of the educational experience of many students and they find it difficult.

In another workshop Marcus Bailie of the Adventurous Activities Licensing Authority talked about human error accidents in adventurous activities. Marcus identified human error as the biggest single cause of accidents and talked about the different safety cultures of surgeons and pilots as examples. Models of human error, including "lemons" and "the turkey trap" were discussed. Limiting distraction/focussing attention, supervision (of students by the instructor and instructors by managers) and buddy checking (duality) were also discussed. Buddy checking is strongly embedded in flight crew teams but not in operating theatres. Finally Marcus addressed the "to tie in or clip in" issue of rock-climbing with groups. He concluded, against a strong degree of popular wisdom, that it is generally safer to clip in as it:

is easier to teach clipping a karabiner safely than tying a safe knot
is easier for students to check one another - the "squeeze test"
frees the attention of the instructor to supervise safety rather than repeatedly tying knots

The issue of "more links in the safety chain" is not significant, as equipment failure contributes much less to safety than human error through inattention.

And on Sunday I went kayaking on the River Washburn with friends from Bradford and Bingley Canoe Club and walked with Mrs Nutton through local autumn woods. Quite a special weekend!

Green Talent

2010-10-12T15:54:00.005+01:00

I've just returned from a workshop, at RSPB Old Moor, on the Green Talent Project in which the RSPB is a partner.

The aim is to prepare 14-19 year olds for sustainable work in a low carbon economy. In my experience many young people see sustainability as an unfashionable minority interest but in truth it is likely to underpin our lives and especially those of young people as climate change and resource scarcity becomes a more present reality.

Green Talent opens the eyes of young people to the challenges and opportunities in an engaging way using mobile technology and fun activity. It's not all doom and gloom and finding creative solutions for businesses in maximising the "triple bottom line" of people, places and profit will bring economic reward for those able to engage.

In other news, a great weekend was had potholing in Hurnel Moss Pot with friends from Bradford Pothole Club, competing in Bradford & Bingley Canoe Club's slalom event and learning to use the Little Dragon warm air breathing apparatus with Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association.

It's a dog's life

2010-10-05T21:26:00.001+01:00

At last night's UWFRA meeting a representative of SARDA (the Search and Rescue Dog Association) came along to tell us about their work.

The dedication of the trainers in bringing their dogs to the required standard of competence was very impressive to hear.

If you spend time in the UK hills they are certainly an organisation worthy of your support.

Rolling, rolling, rolling

2010-10-04T08:55:00.004+01:00

I've just returned from a very single-minded weekend at a "rolling clinic" at Plas-y-Brenin, the National Mountain Centre. In three years of kayaking I think I've managed an Eskimo roll probably three times in practice and never "in anger".

Under Chris's excellent coaching I have now got a much more reliable roll, though by no means "bombproof". Yet!

By the end of the first day I was quite dispirited. Though I'd got in a handful of decent rolls I began to fail more frequently as tiredness and frustration set in. After watching video of my attempts I returned to the pool on Sunday morning more confident and got in a series of successful rolls before, once again, tiredness (but not frustration this time) took hold. With rests (for the mind and body) between attempts I was able to be more consistently successful by the afternoon.

The Snowdon Horseshoe from the Plas y Brenin bar terrace

By the end of a weekend spent indoors and with body aching and sinuses stinging it was nice to sit outside and take in the view before the drive home.

Reflecting on Bradford's archaeology and distinctiveness

2010-09-28T21:20:00.017+01:00

Part of last weekend's visit to Buck Wood involved an examination of the local archaeology. In 2006 the Friends of Buck Wood commissioned an archaeological survey and produced a leaflet describing their findings which included remains of an iron age settlement.

The cover art is by a local and very talented artist, Joolz Denby. I thought she might be interested in contributing to a local distinctiveness project I'm involved in (here) and in that spirit she sent me an image she'd taken of Bradford's City Hall.

Image of Bradford City Hall by Joolz Denby

Joolz has some very positive views on what makes Bradford such a distinctive place and one worth celebrating. She airs them very eloquently below and, through her work, contributes to local distinctiveness herself.

Thanks Joolz.

Buck Wood geology

2010-09-27T14:05:00.004+01:00

A quiet weekend, this last one. However, on Saturday I enjoyed a walk round local woods with The Friends of Buck Wood and in the expert company of Alison, a former geologist with Bradford Museums Service.

Buck Wood (in the bend of the River Aire, in the northern part of the map) lies on the Soft Bed Coal, Flags and associated shales, seat-earths and other rocks of the Lower Coal Measures and the Rough Rocks of the Millstone Grit Series. These were laid down in the tropical forests and river deltas of the Upper Carboniferous period about 300 million years ago.

Alison showed us, among other things, fossils. The one below is of Sigillaria, a tree-sized club-moss. The pimply holes are scars left by rootlets growing from a main root. The fossil is in a rock known as Ganister, a tough, fine-grained seat-earth (found immediately below coal seams) formed from quartz sand.

Lucky dip

2010-09-21T22:57:00.002+01:00

It's unusual that we get a school group visiting the reserve at this time of year. Primary schools seem to hibernate once the nights start drawing in. However, today we had a very able group of 5 year olds pond dipping and "being a bird" at RSPB Fairburn Ings. We were fortunate to have very warm and sunny weather. Perhaps that had a bearing on our being judged "outstanding" by the accompanying staff!

Excited by such an accolade, some of our reserve residents felt the need to cool off.

See more, recent images from the reserve here.

Navigation course

2010-09-19T11:24:00.003+01:00

I met up yesterday with Jen Suilven and clients, Charles and Pauline, to assist on a navigation course for Lupine Adventure Co-Op at Ambleside.

It was useful for me to get experience working with adult, commercial clients rather than the school groups I'm more used to. Jen is a very experienced and well qualified instructor and it was helpful to see how she used the area around Loughrigg to best effect. We also had a good deal of fun!

Starting to stack up

2010-09-14T18:35:00.006+01:00

Among a number of appointments today I met John Hendy of Creative International Adventures at Shaw Lodge Mills, Halifax.

Chimney stack at Shaw Lodge Mills

Over the last year or so he and his team have renovated the previously derelict boiler house of the huge and architecturally impressive mill complex. Inside, climbing, caving, circus skills, archery and other activities can be practiced by local young people. The building also provides a base for expeditions locally and further afield.

John has big plans which will benefit young people in the Calderdale area. I hope I can be part of them.

Wood watching

2010-09-13T09:29:00.011+01:00

Aside from Toy Story 3, mountainbiking in the Yorkshire Dales and a couple of birthday celebrations, I spent some of the weekend in my local woods at Northcliffe, sitting quietly, watching and enjoying the September sun.

I saw a nuthatch placing acorns in fissures in branches, pecking at them to get at the kernel, trying out a few variations to see what worked best. I watched speckled wood butterflies dancing through dappled patches of sunlight and basking in the late summer warmth. A common carder bee foraged on the ground, investigating dark places under leaves; looking for a hole to overwinter? Flies buzzed and the leaves sussurated in the breeze. There was a faint fungal whiff of earthy, woody decay on the air. As the sun went behind ocassional clouds a chill descended. In less than two weeks will be the autumn equinox and the summer will be gone. There's certainly a sense of the season turning.

A Muscid fly rests on an oak leaf.

Means business?

2010-09-08T19:21:00.006+01:00

I actually prefer the term, "contact card". "Business card" is so Gordon Gekko!

These are from Moo and are made of recycled paper and environmentally friendly inks.

The images are from my Flickr photostream. Aside from it being a handy and, I hope, attractive way of passing on my contact details, it's like walking round with my holidays in my pocket!

Not working, networking

2010-09-07T22:12:00.004+01:00

Today I attended a meeting of Bradford Environment Forum.

Representatives of Bradford Friends of the Earth, Bradford Environmental Education Service and Bradford Community Environment Project, along with a senior officer from the council were all in attendance.

The level of discussion around sustainability issues was really encouraging and it's clear that Bradford faces some significant challenges. It was heartening to hear them being met with such creativity, enthusiasm and intelligence.

I may also have snagged some work.

Later we adjourned to the New Beehive Inn for "Green Drinks" where the discussion was rather more exuberant.

Grass Wood search practice

2010-09-07T09:23:00.006+01:00

Last night's Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association practice took place at Grass Wood near Grassington.

Aside from being a great place to practice searches, with its complex network of paths, crags and rocks and dense vegetation, it's a fantastically beautiful place too. Even in the dark.

It starts here

2010-09-06T12:31:00.009+01:00

Over the last few years I've been shifting the balance of my work to include more environmental and outdoor teaching.

I've had a good deal of success with work (some voluntary, some paid) with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Bradford Council Adventure Activities Development Unit and recently with Lupine Adventure Co-op.

This year I've decided to step up a gear by negotiating a further day away from my main employer.

The aim to increase my work in the outdoors even further starts here.

From tiny acorns...

The little one

2010-08-29T17:35:00.005+01:00

The English Defence League had billed it as "the big one". In the event a small group of bigots were contained, by police, in a relative backwater of the city while the majority of Bradfordian's went about their business.

For myself, the evening before, I attended a vigil for peace and on the day itself I went to a "mini mela" to celebrate Bradfordian diversity. Later I cycled into town and mingled with some young Muslim Bradfordian's who were enthusiastic to see the EDL off their streets. While a minority were intemperate in their views, and attempted to confront the EDL, most were just there, as I was, to see them leave under no uncertainty about their welcome.

This morning I met council officials at the site of the EDL's protest. Overnight, workers had restored the gardens, clearing litter, bottles and stones. Later the Dean of Bradford cathedral conducted a multifaith ceremony to reclaim and cleanse the site. Now that the grubbiness has been removed Bradford can continue forwards.

All those involved in the safe conduct of Saturday's events deserve congratulation.

Fell racing and Sky riding

2010-08-24T20:51:00.007+01:00

Last weekend I spent a very satisfying weekend marshalling the Burnsall Classic Fell Race (part of Burnsall Feast Sports) with Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association.

Here I met an old friend, Pete Watson, who was enjoying the view from the summit. Pete is one of my heroes and, for many years, held the record for the most victories in the event and in 1969 (the year I was born) broke the record for Burnsall, which had previously stood for over 40 years. It was a pleasure to see him looking fit, in his seventies, encouraging and enjoying the success of others. The History of Leeds City Athletic Club describes him as "one of the best pure fellman". I couldn't argue with that.

On Sunday I took part in a local Skyride. A mass participation cycle event sponsored by a well known broadcasting monolith.

All very satisfying.

Staff car for the 4th Reich?

2010-08-17T16:35:00.008+01:00

I saw this vehicle parked up in my neighbourhood today. It's ominous just two weeks before the English Defence League's proposed march in Bradford. It could be nothing of course but, it seems to me, the driver couldn't have communicated their politics more clearly had they rocked up in a Tiger tank wearing an SS uniform.

Update - The Home Secretary has banned the EDL from marching but they still aim to hold a "static protest" in Bradford. This is dismaying. As a Bradfordian I know that some tensions exist and that communities are still segregated to some degree. However, intercultural relationships are, for much the greatest part, positive among the moderate and tolerant majority of Bradfordians of all backgrounds. The EDL by highlighting perceived tensions may well excite the hotheads on both sides to take unwise actions. The EDL will then say "told you so" and community relations may well be set back years.

Find out more about the EDL's agenda for Bradford here.

Summer update

2010-08-15T17:01:00.016+01:00

In the last two weeks of my holiday I have been involved with a couple of youth work/charity/outdoor projects. The first, "Champions' Challenge", involved supervising a group of lively youngsters on a journey on foot and by bike for 5 days around the Yorkshire Dales.

The journey took in the Yorkshire Three Peaks as well as climbing, caving and environmental challenges. Below, a ranger instructs the youngsters in building a red squirrel feeding box as part of their John Muir Award.

The idea, apart from providing a fun challenge for the youngsters, was to demonstrate that sustainable journeys can be made from Bradford to the surrounding countryside using only public transport and one's own muscle. The event was a collaborative project between Bradford Metropolitan District Council and Go Dales! A joint project of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Sport England.

The second event, "Personal Award for Excellence" or "PAWE" was based at Ambleside Youth Hostel and was a reward to young people, nominated by their schools, who had "given back" to their schools, communities or families. The Keighley News reported the event here.

Among activities such as wakeboarding, canoeing, climbing and ghyll scrambling; the group also got to take part in dragon boat racing under the coaching of Paul and Rachel, both previously GB team members and medal winners. Both were very motivating to meet; Paul, a former Royal Marine and Rachel an ocean racing oarswoman. Their current projects can be found respectively here and here.

A dragon sends the local wildlife into temporary retreat.

Although the weather was mixed the event culminated in glorious weather and a disco on the Swan, a steamer on Windermere.

View from the bow of the Swan on the last evening of the PAWE residential.

More photos here.

Finally, yesterday, we went to a falconry centre near Thirsk to take advantage of a voucher I'd been given for my 40th birthday. As well as looking at some impressive birds of prey I got to fly some of them and built up a short but meaningful relationship with Brown, a young, male Harris hawk on a "hawk walk" when he flew to my fist for a reward of turkey chicks' wings. It was particularly rewarding when Brown, bored with the fare we'd been offering, rocketed off into a wheat field and flushed a Grey partridge.

Brown relaxing while not chasing worms, caterpillars or Grey partridges.

More photos here.

Back to proper work tomorrow!

Pedal Power for the Soul

2010-08-01T21:02:00.006+01:00

Came across this blog in an idle moment today.

Pedal Power in Amsterdam

The blog quotes the following -

“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.” - Arthur Conan Doyle.

Reminded me to take the medicine now that my pot is off and that, despite the welcome birth of London's "Borisbikes", cycle culture still has a long way to travel in the UK.

Married life - the story so far...

2010-07-31T15:33:00.021+01:00

It's actually suiting me rather well.

I've certainly been too busy being married to post to this blog for a while so I offer the following by way of an update.

Our wedding was fantastic. More fun than I imagined. Full of wonderful friends, the weather was great and the location in Northumberland was magic. Lou looked beautiful.

Photo by Jason Baughan, www.baughanphotography.co.uk

Our photographer also did a brilliant job.

We spent our honeymoon in the Algarve region of Portugal courtesy of a family friend who loaned us their apartment. This isn't it!

Lighthouse at Cabo da Sao Vicente, Portugal

Cliff top walks, lounging on the beach, visits to castles and meals out were the order of the day. We also did some bird watching and visited A Rocha at Ria de Alvor and watched some bird ringing.

Undignified weighing of a Great tit at A Rocha, Ria de Alvor, Portugal

We got quite a decent list together in Portugal which included some lifers and other "Mediterranean specials":

Azure-winged magpie
Hoopoe
Woodchat shrike
White stork
Pallid swift
Kentish plover
Alpine swift
Bee-eater
Crested lark
Red-rumped swallow
Black redstart
Black-eared wheatear
Sardinian warbler
Short-toed eagle
Montagu's harrier
Zitting cisticola
Little bustard
Cattle egret
Great bustard
Spanish imperial eagle

Work and Training

Work has continued to present "opportunities and threats". Most positively, the field teaching work I'm involved in at RSPB Fairburn Ings was judged to offer:

"a very high quality of provision with some features that are outstanding"

by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom in their recent inspection. A result we're all very pleased with. We'd all put in a great deal of work into enhancing the degree to which we apply assessment for learning.

Community sculpture at RSPB Fairburn Ings

I continued to work with Bradford Metropolitan District Council, Adventure Activities Development Unit. I produced a report on how our outdoor teaching can, and does, support learning in school, relating our adventurous activities work to the primary national curriculum. This was very well received by the Unit and leaders in the schools we work with.

I completed some work with Lupine Adventure Co-Op, leading a fantastic group of 6th form students from Furze Platt Senior School round the Yorkshire Three Peaks on their annual 3 Peaks Challenge. I hope that I can continue this sort of work in the future.

I renewed my outdoor first aid and minibus driving qualifications.

Through my work with Leeds City College I have participated in training with:

Jason Bangbala on behaviour management. Jason delivered a dynamic day-long session which was fun, inspirational, practical and challenging. He exemplified a high energy, humourous and robust approch to classroom management and stressed the need to take personal responsibilty; individually doing whatever it takes to "get the job done". I'll certainly be applying some of his philosophy and strategies. However, he raised questions about how sustainable this approach is. He hinted at having experienced burn-out in his own teaching career. In my experience there is often work that can be done at an institutional level to support positive student behaviour which assists both teachers and students.
Linda Jenkinson on reconnecting with nature and life-coaching. Linda (a qualified life-coach and birdwatching trainer) taught us about the origins, symptoms and consequences of our current "societal disconnect" from nature and coached us in noticing our natural environment. She then helped us to action plan, using gap analysis, to reconnect and increase the quality of our lives. I found this "time out" useful to re-establish my priorities and plan a way forward. I didn't need any convincing of the value of reconnecting with nature!

Fun and Games

I have found the time among everything else to:

Take part in the Ravenglass Seaquest Event. A canoe orienteering event in the Mite, Irt and Esk estuaries.
Go ringing with Andy Jowett of the Yorkshire Dales Upland Bird Study Group.

Andy with a common buzzard chick. That's my rope in the background.

Attend a few practices with Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association. On one of these I managed to dislocate my right index finger.
Take a couple of walks in the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District.

Brotherswater and Ullswater from Caudale Head

Take a couple of tourist trips down Gaping Ghyll with my brother, nephew and Andy Carson. Andy took some great shots, one of which is here.
Go on Andy Carson's stag do to Sofia. Photo again here. Andy second from the left.
Go for some rides on my bike. I was especially enjoying evening rides with my brother until 4 weeks ago when I broke my wrist.
Attend a couple of weddings. I DJ'd a short but nerve wracking set at Andy Carson and Julie's while everyone went off to get bacon sandwiches. Hence the empty dancefloor. Honest!

I sort out some tunes while people stand about. Note the cast on my DJing arm and that my right index finger is also suffering a dislocation!

Finally. We went to Scotland for a week's holiday visiting:

Glen Coe
Arisaig and Eigg
Loch Garten

A walk near Arisaig. Probably the best 2 hours of weather the whole trip. More photos here.

Among great scenery we saw an Otter (fleetingly), Golden eagle, Red deer, Manx shearwaters, Grey and Common seals, Red squirrels, Siskins and Ospreys (at RSPB Loch Garten).

What's next?

A week's outdoor instructing for Bradford Met on their Champion's Challenge event.
A week's outdoor instructing for People's Award for Excellence (PAWE).
A half day learning about falconry and handling hawks in North Yorkshire.
Back to teaching at Leeds City College in the middle of August.

Skipsea Village Portal

2010-02-07T20:32:00.002Z

Skipsea Village Portal, originally uploaded by clivenutton.

Really pleased to have an image of mine used on the Skipsea Village Portal website. I'm always keen to support celebrations of local distinctiveness and community. Thanks Tim.

Had a pleasant evening there back in 2007. You should visit too!

Twin trees

2010-01-11T20:49:00.001Z

Twin trees, originally uploaded by clivenutton.

Took a walk round the Bolton Abbey Estate in the Yorkshire Dales at the weekend in lovely winter weather.

A bit galling that the Trustees of the Chatsworth Settlement have a virtual monopoly on parking in this stretch of Wharfedale and charge 6 quid for the privilege.

Graduation

2009-11-10T08:13:00.001Z

Graduation, originally uploaded by clivenutton.

This is me very happy at graduating in my FdSc Wildlife and Countryside Conservation course at Beverley Minster at the weekend. Now ready to clean up Gotham City.

What is it good for?

2009-11-01T22:13:00.001Z

Airshard BW, originally uploaded by clivenutton.

Visited the Imperial War Museum North, in Manchester, today.

The brutal structure of the building matches that of its contents.

The Wedding Planners

2009-10-06T10:36:00.006+01:00

Since coming back from our holidays, we've been busy, with much of our time spent planning our wedding in March next year.

Here are some photographic highlights:

I assisted as an instructor on a young people's outdoor activities residential near Windermere.

Late summer spiders in our back yard were so big we gave this one a name. Meet Gerald.

We attended Leeds Carnival with friends. "Curry goat all de way"!

We visited Newcastle upon Tyne to plan some wedding arrangements.

I completed some teaching work for the RSPB at their Fairburn Ings reserve near Castleford. Great bridge they've got there.

I completed the Outdoor Adventure Group's "Seaquest" charity race again. Photo by Jenny Horne.

We visited Alnwick in Northumberland to make more wedding plans and made a trip to see the Chillingham wild cattle.

Back from holidays

2009-08-09T15:01:00.010+01:00

Just returned from 2 week's holidaying in the South West of England. We explored some classic English landscapes, wildlife and historic sites.

Here's the itinerary:

Wiltshire

Avebury, Silbury Hill and Stonehenge, Salisbury cathedral and chalk downs. Got close views of buzzards and found a slow worm.

Silbury Hill

Dorset

Cerne Abbas, Maiden Castle
Corfe Castle
The Jurassic Coast - Arne RSPB reserve, Durdle Door and Chesil Beach. Nine Kestrels in one spot near Abbotsbury.
Lyme Regis

Durdle Door

Devon

Dawlish and the Teign and Exe estuaries - buzzards mobbing a peregrine falcon
Dartmoor and Hay Tor - ponies, newts and ravens

Cornwall

The coast around Padstow, mackeral fishing, body boarding in the surf with my brother's family and Rick Stein's bistro.

Constantine Beach

Oxfordshire

Staying with friends on the way home - the Fosse way and Rollright stones.

Part of the King's Men group, Rollright stones

Is that it?

2009-07-21T11:48:00.002+01:00

Finished my Wildlife and Countryside FdSc course last week after 3 years of ups and downs.

Here's a picture of us all. Relieved at having completed.

Bamburgh Castle

2009-04-18T19:01:00.001+01:00

Bamburgh Castle, originally uploaded by clivenutton.

We had a return trip to Northumberland over Easter to look at some possible wedding venues. However, this one wasn't available!

That London

2009-03-03T12:28:00.001Z

British Museum roof, originally uploaded by clivenutton.

Went to the capital at the weekend for a friend's birthday and also a visit to the British Museum.

A decent proposal

2009-02-24T21:39:00.004Z

Alnwick Castle LA, originally uploaded by clivenutton.

Old news to many now but some of you might be pleased to know that I got engaged over Christmas. This is a view of Alnwick Castle taken from the very spot I proposed. Since then, much of my time has been occupied with decorating and helping my beautiful fiancee to move in.

Resolved

2008-12-31T16:39:00.007Z

After a particularly turbulent year in 2007, I made (for the first time) some "proper" new years resolutions. These were, in summary:

Play -

gain a level 1 canoe coaching qualification - YEP
gain consistency with my eskimo roll - NOPE
complete at least one multiday canoe tour - NOPE
do more caving, climbing and cycling - NOPE
take more photographs -YEP.

Work -

get some more employment as an outdoor instructor - YEP
continue with the RSPB - YEP
work with a more realistic perspective, assertiveness, calmness and control - YEP.

Home -

Throw out items of junk - YEP.
Keep rooms tidy - YEP (SEE ABOVE).
Repair broken things - YEP.

Study -

continue to average 2:1 in my Wildlife and Countryside degree - YEP (BUT BY THE SKIN OF MY TEETH AT TIMES).

Relationships -

be happy in future relationships - BIGGEST YEP
stay friends with one I'm leaving behind - 2nd BIGGEST YEP
reconnect with those I've neglected over the years - YEP (TO SOME DEGREE).

So, other than in the area of play, most of my resolutions have been well and truly resolved and in that respect it's been a good year but, in others, one of very low, "lows" and high "highs" (which I'll keep to myself). Success in some areas has been at the expense of others though I wouldn't have missed the relationship "successes" for anything. On occasion, the ups and downs have taken my focus away from my goals. Life is full of surprises and I never expected my social life to take such a fun turn or to secure such an interesting line of work in the outdoor sector.

Given the success of last year's resolutions, I'll set some new ones

Play -

gain consistency with my eskimo roll
improve my river paddling skills
attend a kayak skills course
complete at least one multiday canoe tour
do more outdoor activities
continue to take photographs
submit my birdwatching records to BOG each month
lose 1/2 a stone and get fitter

Work -

continue employment as an outdoor instructor and with the RSPB
continue to work with calm control, perspective and independence
investigate options for more work in environmental and outdoor education

Home -

continue to filter out items of junk and keep the house tidy
recycle more consistently and reduce waste of food and fuel
make good decorations following re-wiring
refurbish the kitchen
tidy outdoor spaces following pointing work and fix the shed doors
eat breakfast, prepare packed lunches and cook an evening meal more often

Study -

finish my Wildlife and Countryside degree course with at least a 2:1 average

Relationships -

continue to nurture my friendships
get to know my niece and nephew better
keep in more regular touch with my family

Will see how it goes this time next year.

They keep on coming

2008-12-31T16:28:00.002Z

I'm now a Level One Paddlesport Coach

From a course I did in the summer.

More c'tificates

2008-12-01T21:47:00.003Z

On a recent weekend away with colleagues from work, me and a friend completed the Go Ape high ropes course at Grizedale Forest. For this I received...you guessed it...a c'tificate.

Signed by the Chief Gorilla himself, though I suppose he gets one of his minions to do it.

On a more serious note, I also attended a White Water Safety and Rescue course, delivered by Leo Hoare of getafix.com. This involved swimming in the cold and murky River Calder, practising defensive and aggressive swimming and rescues of bodies and boats but also safe river running and communication. Useful stuff and another certificate for the collection.

Seaquest

2008-09-24T22:56:00.007+01:00

I completed this canoe event last weekend.

It takes place on the tidal stretch of the River Wyre, out of Fleetwood, which drains into Morecambe Bay.

The event raises money for charity and is organised by the Outdoor Adventure Group, itself a charity working with young people living in the Blackpool and Wyre areas. While many associate these areas with seaside holidays, like many UK resorts, their heyday has passed and deprivation exists in large part.

Even better. I got this certificate,

and a stick of rock!

Loup Scar, bete noire

2008-09-08T22:11:00.006+01:00

Out kayaking on the Wharfe in the big water we had at the weekend. I exited my boat again at Loup Scar. Having missed my line into the eddy on river-right, I ran into a large standing wave which pushed me backwards and sideways and defeated my second support stroke.

Woodhouse rapids were all but washed out and this time I portaged the upper part of Appletreewick Falls and enjoyed a chunky descent of the lower falls.

Fantastic, invigorating fun though and something to work on for the future.

Move over Mrs Beeton

2008-08-31T22:32:00.002+01:00

I made the skull decorations for these gruesome confections today.

They're for a colleague's birthday, who's into all things grisly and ghoulish.

What's a hospice?

2008-08-26T13:16:00.006+01:00

Over the bank holiday I spent a week camping and canoeing in the Lake District.

We took an open canoe and explored Windermere and Coniston, visiting Peel Island. Apparently this island was an inspiration for the Swallow's camp in the Swallows and Amazons books. Donald Campbell died close to the island in 1967 while trying to set a waterspeed record over 300mph.

One evening we walked to this place on Hampsfell near Grange-over-Sands.

The "rangefinder" on the roof indicates various landmarks and there are great views over Morcambe Bay and the Lake District Fells. Inside there are some interesting inscriptions. Read more here.

Those canoe trips in full

2008-08-10T20:45:00.008+01:00

Three weeks ago I went kayaking on the River Wharfe with friends and one was kind enough to take a photo (thanks Richard). I had two swims on that trip. Once at Loup Scar because I wasn't warmed up or paying enough attention and another,at Woodhouse rapids, due to experimenting with how little "edge" I needed to apply to cross the current. More, it turned out!

This photo's taken on the lower section of Appletreewick Falls, the most notable rapid on the river (a class 3) which I actually negotiated without incident.

Today I had an even better trip on the River Greta near Ingleton. I made a conscious effort to be alert from the outset and felt more actively relaxed. Although I was apprehensive on arrival at the main class 3 rapids, my friends pointed out the line and I ran them with no problems. Exhilarating!

The icing on the cake, however (together with the company, scenery and sightings of heron, kingfisher and dipper) was an otter. My first, and certainly something that will make the trip stick in my mind for a long time.

Canoeing, outdoor instructing, rangering & practically conserving

2008-07-30T23:21:00.015+01:00

Aside from the tiresome necessity of my day job I've been up to some more interesting things over the last month or so.

Some more field teaching with the RSPB at Fairburn Ings.

Four-spotted chaser on one of the ponds at RSPB Fairburn Ings.

I went on a residential with work to Lumley Fee in the southern Lake District.

Silage bales in a field in Grizedale.

I passed my BCU Level 1 Certificate in Coaching Paddlesport.

I did some more work instructing rock climbing with Bradford Metropolitan District Council.

I volunteered as a Ranger in Cropton Forest. Working for Forest Holidays, a business of the Forestry Commission.

Moonlight over spruce trees while waiting for Nightjar in Cropton Forest.

and

Completed the practical conservation element of my wildlife and countryside conservation course.

Finished vehicular boardwalk at Hatfield Moor.

Meanwhile I visited Wharram Percy, a deserted medieval village on the Yorkshire Wolds.

19th Century cottages at Wharram Percy.

Along with relaxing with friends and a course fieldtrip (I even think I had a canoe trip on the Wharfe), I don't think I've done too badly.

More photos on my Flickr pages.

Poems from the Dark Side...

2008-06-26T19:27:00.006+01:00

...of the Pennines.

Half my family's from Lancashire, Bolton to be precise. Though Yorkshire and Lancashire are historic rivals I'm actually quite fond of my "dual heritage" and I pricked up my ears when Mark Radcliffe (himself a Boltonian) broadcast a tribute to poet Hovis Presley aka Richard McFarlane on BBC Radio 4 - Hovis Has Left The Building.

I felt moved to buy a copy of Hovis's book, Poetic Off Licence, all proceeds from which go to charity.

Enclosed with my copy was this handwritten note.

Which aside from being a bit of an "isn't it a small world" thing, just proves that the historic rivalry is not all that historic!

Someone's got to do it

2008-05-30T23:12:00.006+01:00

One of the most rewarding aspects of my job involves preparing and working on residential programmes with my students,

Today, a colleague and I went to recce a mountainbike trip round Grizedale Forest Park, sorting out a route, sussing out health and safety issues and other logistics.

As you can see, this is desperate work. More pictures from the day on My Flickr Page.

Spider monkey mum

2008-05-29T23:30:00.008+01:00

This is one of the shots I posted to my Flickr page after visiting Chester Zoo. Caradoue thinks that the monkey's expression is so sad. Perhaps this sums up your feelings about zoos.

We've been to the zoo

2008-05-29T12:20:00.006+01:00

Chester Zoo to be exact.

I have mixed feelings about these places.

On the one hand, caging wild animals for amusement is terrible and I have, in some zoos, seen signs of distress in the animals kept there.

Pacing tiger at Chester Zoo. See more images at my Flickr page.

On the other, many of the animals are bred in captivity and, to some extent, habituated to their circumstances. Good zoos are increasingly involved in conservation, education and captive breeding and release programmes, without which some species would be extinct. Good zoos go to great lengths to ensure the welfare of the animals they keep.

On balance, I'd much rather see efforts invested in conserving wild habitats, without which there will be nothing to release captive bred wild animals into. Zoos may be diverting attention from the "real issue". However, "we are where we are" and zoos seem to have their place in this imperfect world.

How about you?

A climbing trip

2008-05-27T14:16:00.003+01:00

It's raining today so, aside from doing my coursework, I'm occupying myself with updating my blog.

For the first time in a while, I went climbing at the weekend with a novice friend at Ilkley, Rocky Valley. Though he was nervous on Cooper's Slab he managed well on "classic of the crag" Long Chimney.
The route takes the broken cleft in the middle of the face and is a lot of fun.

More feeding signs

2008-05-27T13:16:00.004+01:00

These are hazelnuts eaten by Wood mouse. The fine, tooth marks round the edge of the hole are characteristic.

These are pine cones gnawed by squirrel.

It's not easy being green

2008-05-27T12:14:00.007+01:00

Last night I went for a dusk walk with a friend to find Barn owl which I knew were in the area.

We lucked out on the Barn owl but saw Short-eared owl instead, which are also fantastic birds to watch. I also found this pellet under a well used fence post. It's about 4 centimetres long and you can see the bones sticking out of it.

When I got it home I took it apart to see if I could find out what bird it came from and what it had been eating.

The bones seemed to come mainly from frogs (there was evidence of at least 3), but there were also lots of beetle wing cases among the grisly remains. Above you can see humerus (upper arm), radio-ulna (lower arm), tibio-fibula (shin bone) and vertebrae (back bone). Though no skull. Anyone know why?

Above is a frog's tibio-fibula (shin bone).

All things considered it seems likely that the pellet came from Little owl which I know to live in the area. I also now know that they give Kermit and his mates rather a hard time.

Day of the long ears

2008-05-21T23:06:00.005+01:00

I went out to a number of locations around the Washburn and Nidd valleys on Sunday helping Wharfedale and Calderdale Wild Bird Ringing Group.

I get to climb trees and handle fantastic owl chicks while my friends ring them in order to monitor their movements for the British Trust for Ornithology. All in the name of science.

Our best "haul" of the day was a nest containing four Long-eared owl chicks.

Long-eared owl chicks. Photo by Sean Gray.

Hoping for Barn owls, we also found a Kestrel, a Tawny owl, a Mandarin duck and a squatting Grey squirrel (which we evicted) in nest boxes erected by the group.

A Tawny owl photographed by Sean Gray. Please visit his fantastic site at Grayimages.

Punch drunk

2008-05-07T22:09:00.009+01:00

Mr Punch performs at Rothwell May Day Fete

It's been a while since my last post.

My dad dying, the end of a relationship, work and my wildlife course have all taken their toll over the last few months and I've not felt like I've had the time or inclination to post here.

There have been some highlights though:

Learning to kayak at Bradford and Bingley Canoe Club with trips on the Brathay, Swale, Crake and Tees.
Shooglenifty at The Victoria Hall, Saltaire and the New Rope String Band at The Priestley.
Fieldtrips with my wildlife course, seeing a Marsh harrier catch a Red-legged partridge.
Trips to the Lleyn peninsula (seeing Chough) to London (The Eye) and Sicily (San Vito lo Capo).

Llandbedrog Beach on the Lleyn Peninsula

The London Eye

Monte Cofano, North-west Sicily

Teaching primary school children outdoors at RSPB Fairburn Ings.
A snowy walk round Ogden Water with kids from Bradford children's services outdoor activities club
Time spent with old and new friends and on my own at Northcliffe Woods and at Bradford Ornithological Group's reserve.
Paid outdoor instruction work with Bradford Met Adventure Activities Unit
A new special relationship

All these normal and extraordinary things have helped and things now seem to be returning to an even keel. For that I'd like to thank everyone who's been so supportive of late.

King of fishers

2008-01-23T21:33:00.000Z

Last weekend presented an opportunity for some birdwatching as I walked home from Caro's in Bingley.

There's a spot I know where Kingfisher can often be seen, especially when the rivers are high.

They're probably the most strikingly coloured of all UK birds but surprisingly difficult to see.

Underground again

2008-01-12T18:05:00.000Z

I've not been caving for a while, but over the Christmas break I took a trip with Bradford Pothole Club friends down Great Expectations near Stump Cross Caverns in Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Here's what I wrote for the BPC Newsletter:

"The last trip of 2007 was also one of the first for me as I’ve had a bit of a lay off over the last year. It’s fair to say I was somewhat out of practice. The weather had been particularly inauspicious over the previous week. A double fatality, due to flooding, had occurred at Long Churns in the previous 48 hours. I had the snotty remains of a tedious cold and was feeling slightly jaded, just a little more so than the usual turn-of the-year reflective melancholy/hangover. Nevertheless there was beautiful light on the drive up Wharfedale, painting the fields vibrant green. Jackdaws and rooks were being blown around the treetops in joyful festive flocks and I looked forward to catching up with friends.

On arrival at a bleak Stump Cross the van rocked, buffeted by Baltic blasts. Bullet hard raindrops rat-tat-tatted on the windows and I wondered what I was doing here. I was reminded of this as Jeff, Brian, Steve and Malcolm joined me and the banter started - the buzz of good company and the prospect of fun ahead. Later, Terry and Neil arrived and our party was complete with Rick Helliwell, our guide, who’d driven from Hull. We checked in at the caver-friendly Stump Cross café and made the short, wind-blasted walk to the Fort Knox (a locked lid with heavy-duty manhole cover underneath) entrance of Great Expectations.

A slightly awkward shaft, which we laddered, led to a slightly tight hole in the floor that dropped us into a walking, stooping, crawling passage and chamber system, well adorned with stalactites, columns and other pretties. A sickly yellow flowstone reminded me of my cold at its mucosal zenith a week previously. These we explored as Rick guided us from his position at the bottom of the shaft. “Check out the slot in the floor”, “Have you looked up to the left”? “Try climbing over the boulders and up to the right” drifted through the hole in the bottom of the entrance shaft. A good guide knows when to allow their charges a sense of discovery and Rick kept out of the way as he suggested mini itineraries from his niche.

A fairly full exploration took us a couple of hours or so and we were soon back on the chilly surface, life lining each other up the shaft in rotation to allow a rapid retreat to the café for tea. Sliding the hefty manhole cover back into place proved to be one of the more strenuous aspects of the whole trip. More banter and discussion of club affairs followed with season’s greetings and best wishes for 2008 exchanged before departures for home. An easy though thoroughly satisfying trip was had.".

That list in full

2008-01-02T12:24:00.001Z

This time last year I resolved to keep a casual UK birding list. Here it is:

Mallard, 1st Jan, Leeds-Liverpool Canal - Dowley Gap, West Yorks.
Kestrel, 1st Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Pheasant, 1st Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Water rail, 1st Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Moorhen, 1st Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Woodpigeon, 1st Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Collared dove, 1st Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Great spotted woodpecker, 1st Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Robin, 1st Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Blackbird, 1st Jan, Leeds-Liverpool Canal - Dowley Gap, West Yorks.
Song Thrush, 1st Jan, Leeds-Liverpool Canal - Dowley Gap, West Yorks.
Chiffchaff, 1st Jan, Leeds-Liverpool Canal - Dowley Gap, West Yorks.
Firecrest, 1st Jan, Leeds-Liverpool Canal - Dowley Gap, West Yorks.
Long-tailed tit, 1st Jan, Leeds-Liverpool Canal - Dowley Gap, West Yorks.
Blue tit, 1st Jan, Leeds-Liverpool Canal - Dowley Gap, West Yorks.
Great tit, 1st Jan, Leeds-Liverpool Canal - Dowley Gap, West Yorks.
Jay, 1st Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Magpie, 1st Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Jackdaw, 1st Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Carrion crow, 1st Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Chaffinch, 1st Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Greenfinch, 1st Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Reed bunting, 1st Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Mandarin duck, 2nd Jan, Leeds-Liverpool Canal - Hirst Wood, West Yorks.
Redwing, 2nd Jan, Leeds-Liverpool Canal - Hirst Wood, West Yorks.
Goosander, 2nd Jan, River Aire - Hirst Wood, West Yorks.
Coot, 2nd Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Dunnock, 2nd Jan, Stockbridge Reserve, West Yorks.
Skylark, 2nd Jan, Swales Moor - Halifax/Queensbury, West Yorks.
Shorelark, 2nd Jan, Swales Moor - Halifax/Queensbury, West Yorks.
House sparrow, 2nd Jan, Pule Hill - Halifax/Queensbury, West Yorks.
Goldfinch, 6th Jan, Cromford Canal, Derbyshire.
Little grebe, 6th Jan, Cromford Canal, Derbyshire.
Wren, 6th Jan, Cromford Canal, Derbyshire.
Mute swan, 7th Jan, Leeds-Liverpool Canal - Dowley Gap, West Yorks.
Grey heron, 7th Jan, Leeds-Liverpool Canal - Dowley Gap, West Yorks.
Kingfisher, 7th Jan, Leeds-Liverpool Canal - Dowley Gap, West Yorks.
Grey wagtail, 7th Jan, Leeds-Liverpool Canal - Dowley Gap, West Yorks.
Sparrowhawk, 20th Jan, St. Ives, Bingley, West Yorks.
Rook, 20th Jan, St. Ives, Bingley, West Yorks.
Treecreeper, 20th Jan, St. Ives, Bingley, West Yorks.
Pied wagtail, 21st Jan, Dowley Gap, Bingley, West Yorks.
Goldcrest, 21st Jan, Dowley Gap, Bingley, West Yorks.
Nuthatch, 21st Jan, Hirst Woods, Bingley, West Yorks.
Mistle thrush, 21st Jan, Hirst Woods, Bingley, West Yorks.
Starling, 21st Jan, Hirst Woods, Bingley, West Yorks.
American robin, 27th Jan, Gilstead, Bingley, West Yorks.
Great crested grebe, 4th Feb, Staveley NR, North Yorks.
Cormorant, 4th Feb, Staveley NR, North Yorks.
Shelduck, 4th Feb, Staveley NR, North Yorks.
Gadwall, 4th Feb, Staveley NR, North Yorks.
Pochard, 4th Feb, Staveley NR, North Yorks.
Tufted duck, 4th Feb, Staveley NR, North Yorks.
Barn owl, 4th Feb, Staveley NR, North Yorks.
Fieldfare, 4th Feb, Staveley NR, North Yorks.
Bullfinch, 4th Feb, Staveley NR, North Yorks.
Yellowhammer, 4th Feb, Staveley NR, North Yorks.
Whooper swan, 16/2/07, Ouse Washes.
Bewick's swan, 16/2/07, Ouse Washes.
Wigeon, 16/2/07, Ouse Washes.
Teal, 16/2/07, Ouse Washes.
Merlin, 16/2/07, Ouse Washes.
Lapwing, 16/2/07, Ouse Washes.
Green woodpecker, 16/2/07, Ouse Washes.
Meadow pipit, 16/2/07, Ouse Washes.
Stonechat, 16/2/07, Ouse Washes.
Tree sparrow, 16/2/07, Ouse Washes.
Little egret, 17/2/07, Wells-next-the-Sea.
Brent goose, 17/2/07, Wells-next-the-Sea.
Shoveler, 17/2/07, Wells-next-the-Sea.
Marsh harrier, 17/2/07, Wells-next-the-Sea.
Peregrine, 17/2/07, Wells-next-the-Sea.
Oystercatcher, 17/2/07, Wells-next-the-Sea.
Ringed plover, 17/2/07, Wells-next-the-Sea.
Grey plover, 17/2/07, Wells-next-the-Sea.
Bar-tailed godwit, 17/2/07, Wells-next-the-Sea.
Curlew, 17/2/07, Wells-next-the-Sea.
Redshank, 17/2/07, Wells-next-the-Sea.
Turnstone, 17/2/07, Wells-next-the-Sea.
Canada goose, 18/2/07, Titchwell RSPB.
Pintail, 18/2/07, Titchwell RSPB.
Goldeneye, 18/2/07, Titchwell RSPB.
Red-breasted merganser, 18/2/07, Titchwell RSPB.
Avocet, 18/2/07, Titchwell RSPB.
Golden plover, 18/2/07, Titchwell RSPB.
Snipe, 18/2/07, Titchwell RSPB.
Black-tailed godwit, 18/2/07, Titchwell RSPB.
Woodcock, 11/3/07, Washburn Valley.
Dipper, 11/3/07, Washburn Valley.
Buzzard, 13/3/07, Gallymoor landfill site, from the car, on the way to Bishop Burton.
Raven, 31/3/07, Thrusscross, Washburn Valley.
Grey partridge, 1/4/07, Dunsop Valley.
Red grouse, 2/4/07, Heyshaw Moor.
Red-legged partridge, 2/4/07, Graincliffe Reservoir.
Hooded crow, 6/4/07, Fort William.
Greylag goose, 9/4/07.
Osprey, 10/4/07, Loch Garten RSPB.
Capercailie, 10/4/07, Loch Garten RSPB.
Coal Tit, 10/4/07, Loch Garten RSPB.
Siskin, 10/4/07, Loch Garten RSPB.
Crested Tit, 10/4/07, Loch Garten RSPB.
Slavonian Grebe, 11/4/07, Aviemore.
Ptarmigan, 11/4/07, Coire an t-Sneachda, Cairngorms.
Wheatear, 11/4/07, Northern Corries, Cairngorms.
Black grouse, 12/4/07, Northern Corries, Cairngorms.
Ring ouzel, 12/4/07, Northern Corries, Cairngorms.
Hen harrier, 15/4/07, Yorkshire Dales Upland Bird Study Group Area.
Willow tit, 16/4/07, Fairburn Ings RSPB.
Blackcap, 22/4/07, Strid Woods, Wharfedale.
Pied flycatcher, 22/4/07, Strid Woods, Wharfedale.
Swift, Shipley, 6/5/07, Shipley, West Yorks.
Short-eared owl, 25/5/07, Timble Ings.
Cuckoo, 25/5/07, Timble Ings.
Tawny owl. 25/5/07, Timble Ings.
Nightjar, 25/5/07, Timble Ings.
Red kite, 26/5/07, Otley area.
Eagle Owl, 26/5/07, Otley area.
Sand martin, 27/5/07, Staveley NR.
Swallow, 27/5/07, Staveley NR
House martin, 27/5/07, Staveley NR
Reed warbler, 27/5/07, Staveley NR
Little owl, 28/5/07, Malham.
Spotted flycatcher, 28/5/07, Malham.
Redstart, 28/5/07, Malham.
Long-eared owl, 29/5/07, Timble Ings
Tree pipit, 29/5/07, Timble Ings.
Chough, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Linnet, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Corn bunting, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Kittiwake, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Fulmar, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Purple sandpiper, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Gannet, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Dunlin, 9/07, Lindisfarne.
Eider, 9/07, Lindisfarne.
Sandwich tern, 9/07, Lindisfarne.
Redpoll, 9/07, Fairburn Ings.
Great egret, 9/07, Leighton Moss RSPB.
Bittern, 9/07, Leighton Moss RSPB.
Common crossbill, 14/10/07, Timble Ings.
Red-flanked bluetail, 20/10/07, Flamborough Head.
Brambling, 27/10/07, Dalby Forest.

At 142 species I'm pretty impressed with my casual efforts and the list has given me a push, on some occasions, to get out and see some species I'd have overlooked otherwise. Some have been very rare, lifers (in red) or otherwise notable, others have prompted an enjoyment of the beauty to be found in commonplace things.

Some of the sightings have brought me closer to my local area around Shipley and Bingley and into contact with members of Bradford Ornithological Group who have indulged me as a relative novice and been great company. Thanks especially to Andy, Sean and Pete.

Some of my sightings have coincided with some special trips away, notably to North Norfolk, the Cairngorms and Pembrokeshire, with a special person whose sharp eyes have pointed out birds and many other things (not just car keys!) I'd otherwise have missed. Thanks Caro, I hope we can do this stuff again.

So, what for the New Year? Some changes, that's for sure.

Play - I'd like to gain a level 1 canoe coaching qualification, gain consistency with my eskimo roll and complete at least one multiday canoe tour. Do more caving, climbing and cycling and maintain some quiet time at home and outdoors, with nature, alone and with friends. Also take more photographs.
Work - I'd like to get some more employment as an outdoor instructor and continue with the RSPB to broaden my future career prospects. I'd also like to work with a more realistic perspective, assertiveness, calmness and control in my "proper job".
Home - Throw out items of junk. Keep rooms tidy. Repair broken things.
Study - I'd like to continue to average 2:1 in my Wildlife and Countryside degree.
Relationships - I'd like to be happy in future relationships, stay friends with one I'm leaving behind and reconnect with those I've neglected over the years.

Looking forward to 2008 with hope and optimism.

Merry Christmas and welcome to Shipley

2007-12-15T15:27:00.000Z

Last year's effort dropped its needles and had most of the lights stolen within a week. I'm not sure this is an improvement.

Birthday Bath

2007-12-15T15:19:00.000Z

I have one of these each year on my birthday whether I need one or not. This year I took the plunge at White Wells, the famous Ilkley Moor landmark.

Curiously my friends had all "forgotten" their swimming costumes. Odd that!

The water temperature was "invigorating" and I may find I have other things to do on New Years day.

Thanks to Andy Hamilton for making me appear photogenic.

Harry and the Hen Harriers

2007-11-06T22:50:00.000Z

Interesting story here from the BBC.

To summarise, a Natural England warden (and two other witnesses) reported two Hen Harriers as having been shot "on the edge of the Sandringham Estate" in October. Norfolk Police deemed it appropriate to interview "three suspects - Prince Harry, William van Cutsem and David Clarke, a gamekeeper" and referred the case to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Today the CPS deemed that there is insufficient evidence (no bodies have been recovered and therefore there is no ballistic/forensic material) to bring the case to court. The three suspects have denied any involvement.

The Sandringham Estate have deemed this matter so important that it is addressed on their homepage and the RSPB have this to say.

So there we have it.

Case closed?

I don't think so.

Someone unknown, with a shotgun, has been allowed close enough to Prince Harry to have shot two individuals of the UK's rarest and most protected species on the edge of one of the most secure estates in the UK. All this without the knowledge of the Prince or, it seems, anyone else connected with the royal household, his protection people or the Sandringham Estate.

This must be biggest breach of royal security since Michael Fagan sat on the edge of the Queen's bed in 1982.

We must take better care of all our endangered species. The people who threaten them really are beneath contempt.

Catching up

2007-10-30T13:19:00.000Z

Since the summer there have been some additions to the list which now stands at 142 species, all seen in the UK. These are the latest additions (entries in red are lifers).

Chough, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Linnet, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Corn bunting, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Kittiwake, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Fulmar, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Purple sandpiper, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Gannet, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Dunlin, 9/07, Lindisfarne.
Eider, 9/07, Lindisfarne.

Eider duck taken in Lindisfarne harbour by Caradoue.

Sandwich tern, 9/07, Lindisfarne.
Redpoll, 9/07, Fairburn Ings.
Great egret, 9/07, Leighton Moss RSPB.
Bittern, 9/07, Leighton Moss RSPB.
Common crossbill, 14/10/07, Timble Ings.
Red-flanked bluetail, 20/10/07, Flamborough Head.

Striking chalk cliffs at Flamborough Head. While returning to my car after a morning spent here with my wildlife course a woman, seeing my binoculars, shot out of her house and said "You'd better get yourself up to ... they're releasing it on private land". So, following the throng, I arrived in a small copse to see an extremely rare 1st winter Bluetail being released. The nearest this bird normally gets to the UK is Eastern Finland, seriously lost on its migration to South-east Asia!

Brambling, 27/10/07, Dalby Forest.

The Bramblings flew up from under my front wheel as I negotiated the mountainbike trails of Dalby Forest with my brother.

Amongst all this I've started learning to kayak with Bradford and Bingley Canoe Club and splashed out on my own touring boat. A Dagger Charleston.

My new toy on the shore of Ullswater. Photo by Caradoue.

I put it through its paces a couple of weekends ago on Ullswater, in the Lake District, following the canoe trails established on the lake by Eden Rivers Trust and Canoe England. We also walked on the fells nearby and saw a Red squirrel.

Looking back towards Ullswater in morning mist from Kirkstone Pass.

I'm a Single Pitch Supervisor!

2007-10-09T11:20:00.000+01:00

At last.

After first training for this award in 1994, then again in 2005, I completed my assessment last weekend. One of the most challenging and rewarding for a long time.

While not entirely hitch-free, my snake-eyed assessor (Thanks, Stuart, for your expertise, professionalism and guidance) was sufficiently satisfied over two and a half days of rock-climbing problem solving in the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District.

Now I'm looking forward to addressing Stuart's feedback and developing my work with people in the outdoors.

Pembrokeshire Coast Path

2007-09-04T13:22:00.002+01:00

Our main summer holiday was spent camping, following the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Around 300 kilometers from Amroth to Cardigan by foot...

...by bus, and by...

...kayak. Here're some of the photos I took, an account of wildlife encountered and other interesting things (interesting to me at any rate).

Common Eyebright (thanks for the ident. Marie) at Lydstep Headland.

Mute swan at Bosherston Lily Ponds. We also saw Perch and Moorhen chicks here (but no Otters).

Bell heather (purple), Ling (pink) and Gorse (yellow) at St Govan's Head.

Sea Sandwort hanging in there at Freshwater West.

Old (WW1/2) gun emplacements on the Angle Peninsula. Relics of unhappier times.

7th to 9th Century ring-cross at Martin's Haven. To receive the prayers of those about to travel by sea?

Saw lots of these beetles (and slugs). What is it?

A huge Garden spider at Pwll Deri Youth Hostel.

Local youngsters helped to make this signboard at Marloes. A really good way of involving people in local heritage projects.

We saw lots of badger signs on the path. This is the typical five-toed print with long claw-marks and wide plantar pad. More later.

Ponies graze the cliff-top meadows to maintain the habitat for wildflowers.

Stone circles (this is a modern one near Trefin) and...

...burial chambers (this one near Abercastle) are special places and common in Pembrokeshire.

More badger "signs". The top one is the typical "muddy" deposit resulting from a diet of earthworms and beetles (the wing-case is a giveaway). The bottom one has been eating grain among other things. Badgers are omnivorous and dig latrines to act as territory markers. Caroline was not as interested in this aspect of the journey as I was. Odd that!

We saw Common lizards. Some only as long as a little finger, others full grown. This one's been in the wars having lost its tail and with a gouge in its side. We also saw Common toads and Adders.

Goodwick is the site of the last invasion of the UK by the French in 1797. In the event, the French mercenaries (along with their American commander) got drunk and surrendered a matter of days later. A more recent French invader is hiding behind the memorial.

A Magpie moth. Common but striking.

Cemaes Head. One of the most striking places along the coast path and near its end. We saw Chough, Peregrine and large groups of Grey Seals on the rocks below. Our best view of seal were from a boat trip to Ramsey Island from St. Justinians.

More photos at my Flickr page and Caroline's Flickr page.

So, that was July

2007-08-01T19:34:00.000+01:00

The wettest on record. Here's what I've been up to.

Out again with Wharfedale Nats around the Washburn Valley

Mating damselflies

I was based at Skipsea and at Beverley Youth Hostel for a practical conservation week with Bishop Burton College.

Skipsea Castle

Some steps what we built

Bog Asphodel at Fen Bog, Fylingdales on an upland plant ID trip.

Beverley Friary Youth Hostel, my home for the week.

Gareth tackles a tree. The blurry right arm, testament to his energy.

I went on a mammal ID course with the Mammal Society and Field Studies Council at Malham Tarn.

A woodmouse with its delighted trapper.

Weather's improved now. I'm off out on my bike!