Penrith
Penrith, crossroads between the Pennines and the Lakes
Penrith, northern gateway to the Lakes, sits at a transport crossroads, east-west between the Pennines and Lakeland, north-south on the West Coast road and rail lines to Scotland.
Red stone town hall fronted by beds of primroses fresh from the glasshouses. Clear winter air and telephoto lens, almost telescopic, photography reveals views to Blencathra (865 m.), the summits above Shap Fell and Cross Fell (893 m.) of the Pennines, all glistening with a hard frost overnight.
White cliffs at Seaford
Chalk cliffs and surging surf where the South Downs meet the sea at the foot of Seaford Head, Sussex.
Blencathra slopes
Day trip out from London to hike along the lower slopes of Blencathra, Lonscale Fell and Skiddaw in The Lake District. A rare close encounter with a red squirrel, as startled by me as I was by this enchanting sight.
Vin Santo 2012 - Santa Christina - Valdichiana Toscana
Vin Santos are all different; this one, from the Santa Christina brand whose estates are around Arezzo, dates from 2012 so has benefited from more than the five year minimum cellar time. Golden yellow in appearance, keeping its colour even to the glass. Terry tasted caramel, I was thinking more of Mead and honey. This Tuscan Vin Santo is not particularly sweet, and although distinctive in its own right, it is more Madeira than Sherry. Nothing like any French dessert wine. This bottle was a personal import from our trip to Tuscany earlier in 2018.
An excellent accompaniment to a celebration Cassata, pomegranate seeds, chocolate pepites, marrons glacés and pistachio pieces on layers of panettone soaked in Triple Sec and a cream made with Marsala, Mascarpone etc.
Winter Solstice Walk - Richmond Park
A walk in Richmond Park, London, on the shortest day of the year.
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake - New Adventures at Sadler’s Wells Theatre
So Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake is not just mainstream, but striped across the schedule for up to two performances per day at Sadler’s Wells theatre as the main Christmas programme. Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised, in its original version Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake was uncannily true to Tchaikovsky’s music and spookily accurate with its reading of the Prince as emotionally stunted, almost sociopathic and the swans as the voices in his head of good and evil.
Read more: Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake - New Adventures at Sadler’s Wells Theatre
GPN ‘Looking the Other Way’
GPN ‘Looking the Other Way’
The annual exhibition of the Gay Photographers Network
Art to Wildlife; large-format high-gloss photography to intense abstraction, GPN’s exhibition showcases the huge diversity of talent in this group. 30 photographers are exhibiting this year. GPN’s show is part of Photomonth, the East London Photography Festival.
Square Top Mountain summit, 3564 m. (11,695 ft.) - July 1991
Backpacking to the summit of Square Top Mountain, Wyoming, 3564 m. (11,695 ft.) - wading the Green River. July 1991.
More photos: Square Top Mountain summit, 3564 m. (11,695 ft.) - July 1991
