Apricale, Liguria (I) by mountain bike from Menton (F)
Apricale, Liguria
Cannondale Scalpel MTB
Cycling unchallenged over the frontier from France to Italy, along with hordes riding road race bikes; firstly an unavoidable 557 m. road tunnel but then charming Alta Ventimiglia on the Rivièra dei Fiori (Riviera of Flowers) of Liguria.
The infamous roundabout at Ventimiglia straddling the delta of the River Roia is no easier to negotiate on a mountain bike than anything else, but the view of the snow on the Alpi Maritimi around Tende was a visual thrill in compensation.
Up the next valley, of the River Nervia, where the main crop is the famous Ligurian olive oil; on to Camporosso and then Dolceacqua, many roadside trees with ripe oranges on the branches.
Crossing the river at Isolabona and riding a moderate climb up to my destination, the hilltop village Apricale. That was a quiet country road with flowers and birds and the torrente Merdanzo flowing in the valley below.
More photos: Apricale, Liguria (I) by mountain bike from Menton (F)
Crowds and solitude - Menton
Crowds and solitude: the calm at the end of the day in Menton on the French Riviera.
Le petit Montmartre - Marseille 6ième
Place Notre-Dame du Mont, Marseille
Cours Julien, Marseille
Six views of Marseille sixth arrondissement today.
Dangerous gardening
Plenty of growth on my balcony cactus garden in Marseille since last year’s up-potting. That means weeds too, the most effective control is weeding by hand, but it’s dangerous...
Eastbourne Pier in the style of Yvon
Photo of Eastbourne Pier as an exercise in style. I’m seeking to emulate the postcards of the French company Yvon, I received many of these sent by my Father while he was working at marine biology research stations in the 1960s. Yvon postcards then were dramatic colour or high gloss black and white, the image quality was far above that which could be achieved by holiday snapping. Yvon’s postcard France featured landscapes and architecture which fuelled my enthusiasm as a junior traveller as well as a schoolboy photographer shooting, developing and printing my own photographs well before I was a teenager.
Black Combe (600 m.) - Lake District National Park
Summit of Black Combe (600 m.)
Hike up to the rounded summit of Black Combe (600 m.), we followed Moorgill Beck up from Kirkbank to Townend Knotts, which is the rounded end of the ridge that you see from the A595 south from Bootle in West Cumbria. Various marks in the turf suggesting this climb had been the route of a fell race recently. We paused in a scrape at about 300 m. and decided to go onwards in to the mist, despite a brisk wind and even though the cloud wasn’t lifting as forecast.
More photos: Black Combe (600 m.) - Lake District National Park
First ride of 2025 on my Ninja Z250SL - Lake District National Park
Happy as I got a ride when I could in the sunshine, just the little Z250SL but it’s a nippy as ever. Had to put the battery back in it after winter, which is fiddly but at least the battery still works, which it didn't last year, even with the bike being in the garage attached to the house. Riding out from Keswick along the lakeside road up to Borrowdale Gates and back round the other side of Derwent Water with a fine view of Blencathra and Skiddaw. After everywhere I’ve been this winter, Cumbria still looks lovely when the sun is out like this. Though a lot of damage around from the winter storms and of course potholes. Glad I did it when I could as the clouds have been back all weekend.
More photos: First ride of 2025 on my Ninja Z250SL - Lake District National Park
Hiking the levadas of Ponta do Sol - Madeira Island
Levada Nova da Lombada (425 m.)
Probably the most satisfying hike I’ve done on Madeira: spectacular views and waterfalls though difficult as a circular hike because of the narrow path, the rocky overhangs, tunnel and the opportunities for a cold shower. Madeira Island is renowned for its extensive levadas (irrigation channels) which are great hiking routes as well as aqueducts and sources of hydoelectric power. In particular, the levadas of Ponta do Sol have a long and complicated history, including fatalities during construction, a violent riot in 1962 over the right to water when the Levada Nova was proposed and grim origins as supplying water to the sugar cane plantations founded by João Esmeraldo (died 1535) using slave labour. Christopher Columbus stayed in his palace in Funchal on his return from his third trip to the Antilles in 1498, married his daughter and himself became a sugar cane magnate at the time when the product became known as “white gold”.
More photos: Hiking the levadas of Ponta do Sol - Madeira Island
Vinha da Urze (2023) - Douro DOC
Vinha da Urze (2023) - Douro DOC
Casa Agricola Aboredo Madeira SA. Almendra Portugal.
I chose this Urze red wine of the 2023 vintage to accompany a beef filet Tournedos at a steak restaurant in Funchal (Madeira) which works with a farm in the Portugese Azores. Douro DOC is one of Portugal’s premier wine classifications, this assemblage combines the strength and finesse of the two most common varietals of Touriga along with the Portuguese version of the ubiquitous Iberian varietal, Tempranillo. The ageing in oak would be expected to soften the wine but marks it down from being in the top league of Douro wines.
Biker workout ride
Col de la Gineste (326 m.)
Route des Crêtes, Cap Canaille, Parc National des Calanques
My new season biker workout ride, practising skills on lots of different curves and straights, running each section a couple of times to enjoy the variety of camber, gradient and tightening. Got outclassed only once but it was big time: he looked to be at 45 degrees lean angle... the GP track at Le Castellet is not far away and there are club riders (at least) in the area.
Vincent Boccamaiello at the organ of Notre-Dame du Mont, Marseille
One of a regular series of recitals at Notre-Dame du Mont, Marseille. The current instrument was built to the French Romantic style and installed by Alexandre Ducroquet in 1847; this was following harsh criticism of the previous Instrument by Frédéric Chopin, who played at the funeral of a friend. Today’s organist, Vincent Boccamaiello (standing on the right of my photo), is of a Marseille family of distinguished organists. His improvisation started the recital in a restrained mode, using reed stops with a full and rounded tone but much brighter than an English instrument. The following Ritournelle contrasted sharply, his registration using the stunning festive stops of this French instrument. The organist’s assistant was busy though the selection of Rameau’s Hippolyte et Aricie working a lot of the instruments capabilities, including a selection of 16’ bass pedal stops.
Read more: Vincent Boccamaiello at the organ of Notre-Dame du Mont, Marseille
Tropical jungle hike: Le Grand Sable, GR R1 - Parc Naturel de la Réunion
Ginger plant in flower
The terminator - shadow of the sun - is creeping down the opposite side of the Salazie crater
Arduous hike out from the village of Hell-Bourg in the Cirque de Salazie (volcano crater). Hard going, both the sun and thirty degree heat but mainly the steep tracks. The “reward” is hiking through tropical farming, flowers and forest, glimpses of highly-coloured song birds and hearing them calling and singing. Though there’s drought everywhere in this crater, so a lot of dust. GR R1 means Grande Randonné 1 de la Réunion, it’s the long distance route equivalent to the UK Pennine Way.
More photos: Tropical jungle hike: Le Grand Sable, GR R1 - Parc Naturel de la Réunion
Volcano to ocean: MTB descent from Le Maïdo (2205 m) - Île de la Réunion
2200 m.
Le Maïdo overlook (2205 m.) to the Mafate crater, Cilaos and Salazie beyond.
An intense mountain bike ride from the volcano crater overlook at Le Maïdo (2205 m.) down to the beach on the Indian Ocean at Saint-Gilles-les-Bains. Massive altitude drop over about 32 km of off-road trails, with some technical cuts through tropical jungle.
More photos: Volcano to ocean: MTB descent from Le Maïdo (2205 m) - Île de la Réunion
