Mont Blanc & Mont Ventoux
It’s always a wrench to fly north from Marseille and to leave the delights of Provence and the French Riviera. But recognising landmarks in the aerial view of the Alps is some consolation, particularly when the winter snow has not fully melted. And worth getting out the DSLR to share.
These are views of Mont Blanc (4810 m.) & Mont Ventoux (1910 m.) from an A320, flight BA347 of the 9th April.
Les jardins enchantés de Jean Cocteau - Palais de l’Europe, Menton
A new exhibition of works of Jean Cocteau exploring the theme of gardens.
A presentation by the city of Menton of artworks by Jean Cocteau and friends from around the time of his film La Belle et la Bête (1946).
The exhibition starts with his ideas and fantasies around fauns and their play. It goes on to nymphs and other mythic animals. All shown playing in joyous gardens that are one of the pleasures of the mild Mediterranean climate of Menton.
Read more: Les jardins enchantés de Jean Cocteau - Palais de l’Europe, Menton
Mont Carpano, Pointe de Nicioret (772 m.): GR 51-52
View of the Riviera from Plan de Lion (716 m.)
A satisfying and major linear hike parallel to the France-Italy border between Menton and Vengtimiglia. A long, steep climb up from the beach at Menton-Garavan to the frontier pass at 772 m. altitude on Mont Carpano.
More photos: Mont Carpano, Pointe de Nicioret (772 m.): GR 51-52
Pointe Garavan at Easter
Great little beach on the Ligurian Sea at Pointe Garavan. There’s a row of beach shacks under the coastal railway and the cliffs that are the border between France and Italy. A place to enjoy the lap of the waves and relax with a picnic of pasties filled with courgettes, tomatoes and aubergines plus Easter chocolates with a hint of Limoncello or Rhum.
Fly me to The Moon
The Moon rising tonight over the Mediterranean, a sight that’s been the subject of many romantic songs. Great thought that tonight people are again going to be visiting it. Those astronauts now suited up and going through checklists atop the Artemis space rocket, launching tonight if all continues to go to plan.
Now thinking back, where was I for Apollo 8 and Apollo 11... and Apollo 13. Great memories for all mankind but oh dear, such a long time ago.
Marseille Les Goudes
Photographs from a walk around the charming port of Les Goudes, a quirky old fishing village at the end of one of the peninsulas out from the Parc national des Calanques, to the east of Marseille. Maybe not the usual image of one of France’s largest cities but a vibrant part of its heritage.
Greengage arborist
Thinning out Terry’s Greengage tree in his garden in Preston Park, Brighton. We’ve been looking after this tree for many years now and have found that pruning is best done in the spring when the sap is moving, rather than just after the fruit has been harvested This catches up with storm damage and reshapes the tree to keep it low and flat. It’s a shame to loose the buds and even blossom but the tree has a tendency to over-fruit then dieback the next year. And anyhow the fruit would be out of reach of harvesting.
Siegfried - Royal Opera, Covent Garden
Tonight’s First Night of Siegfried had to be one of the most fantastic staging and singing ever of Siegfried’s forging song. Andreas Schager’s characterisation of the wild boy Siegfried smelting and forging using machines that look Heath-Robinson but appear convincing in their metalworking functions was utterly compelling. He gave us muscular singing, sparks from the anvil, juggling with forging hammers and joyous characterisation with the vitality of the youth who knows no fear. One of the great Siegfrieds and a highlight of the whole cycle.
Rockhopper in the marsh - Lake District National Park
Scarness
Applethwaite - Scarness - Bassenthwaite
Riding my Rockhopper hardtail mountain bike round the northern edge of Bassenthwaite Lake, still with a bit of snow on Skiddaw (931 m.) looming above. Again the dramatic clouds. Staying low to avoid the chilly wind but finding another hazard: marsh and mud where the lake regularly floods the tracks on this farmland. So using the low gears I associate with hill climbs for the torque as the fat Ground Control tyres squelch in the mud. Plenty of birdsong. Riding back the direct route spun off much of the mud. Took a while to clean up the bike, and me. But good fun. And I stayed sunny side up.
More photos: Rockhopper in the marsh - Lake District National Park
Winter's back - Lake District National Park
Sunlight on the snow on Blencathra (868 m.)
Dowthwaitehead and snow on Hart Side (756 m.)
Winter’s back in the Lake District. A couple of stormy nights. Trees down, rivers full and the tops of the fells are white. The afternoon’s bikeable on my Ninja Z250SL superlightweight but an off-road bike would be better. Heated gloves good. Tyres cold and hard. Lots of water run-off but it’s not frozen. Concentration essential. Dramatic clouds. Epic sights through the visor so worth plenty of halts to appreciate the views.
Home, gear off. Toasted hot cross buns from the Keswick baker with a mug of tea. That’s got to be a good afternoon.
Harter Fell summits, Eskdale (653 m.) - Lake District National Park
Summit elation after a hard hike and scramble up from the River Esk, initially following Spothow Gill uphill. Harter Fell trig point is on an outcrop at 649 m., the true summit is a higher outcrop at 653 m. altitude, which is reached after a tricky scramble.
Great views of Eskdale, Hardknott Pass, its Roman Fort and the central peaks in the spring sunshine but a bitter wind chill.
More photos: Harter Fell summits, Eskdale (653 m.) - Lake District National Park
An afternoon with a little black devil of a bike - CBR600RR 2026 test ride
CBR600RR 2026
The man with the tattoos handed me the key to the devil bike. He knew I would play. From the first corner, a roundabout on a slope out of the bike boutique, I was hooked. The little black devil of a bike hooked up with the devil in me. We knew the roads, they were dry and clear and we let it rip.
Read more: An afternoon with a little black devil of a bike - CBR600RR 2026 test ride
Cilaos crater hike, Forêt du Grand Matarum GR R1 - Parc national de La Réunion
Piton des Neiges (3070 m.), view from Cilaos (1150 m.)
View of Cilaos village from GR R1. Indian Ocean horizon beyond the crater.
Hiking up the inside of the volcanic crater from the town of Cilaos on the GR R1 long-distance hiking route. This, the Forêt du Grand Matarum, is primal tropical forest, never harvested. But all the species have arrived from somewhere since the volcano went quiet so there’s a hotchpotch of trees and plants we know from Europe plus many from elsewhere.
More photos: Cilaos crater hike, Forêt du Grand Matarum GR R1 - Parc national de La Réunion
