nature in stereo

notes on life, music and beautiful things. thisissamsmith.com for longer musings. click here for the archive

[natureinstereo]

[natureinstereo]

Sunday. Learning rope and trad climbing skills at dancing ledge, Dorset.

[natureinstereo]

Due to the rain, we had an indoor BBQ on Friday. Enjoying some delicious sausages we saved from our trip to Knepp Estate last April. I reckon these are the most sustainable sausages you can find in the country.

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A big stash of National Geographics found in a book shop in Lyme Regis, going way back. I bought the one from June 1985. The month I was born.

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Finishing the day with a swim in the sea.

"If you don't make time for health, you have to make time for illness".

Mark Boyle said that, in his illuminating book about living without technology.

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Goat Yoga in Dartington, Devon. Quite hilarious. I can recommend it. 

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Flowers outside Schumacher College in Dartington, Totnes. 

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Evening meal at Riverford’s field kitchen, in the polytunnel. Great tasting vegetables from the market garden, prepared outdoors. 

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Inside Crystal Palace maze with good friends

[natureinstereo]

Stopping for a walk and explore around Leucate, France. While travelling to Montpellier from Ginestar.

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Via Ferrata, the 'iron way' near Tarragona, Spain.

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High-efficiency solar energy cells, in all their splendour, drawing down carbon.

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Visiting the oldest European agroforestry experimental site at Restinclières, featuring 25 years of research in collaboration with farmers. In the lowlands, cereals (durum wheat in rotation with protein pea) are cultivated in silvoarable agroforestry with walnut and other trees (sorb, ash, hackberry, wild cherry…). In the more stony soils, grapevine is associated with sorb, pine and cypress. 

[natureinstereo]

Botanical gardens, Montpellier

[natureinstereo]

4-5th May 2019

A successful South to North traverse of the spectacular Cuillin Ridge, Isle of Skye. One of Britain's greatest mountaineering challenges. 12km of continuous Alpine terrain, over two days, with 4,000 meters of assent and descent.

[natureinstereo]

28 May 2019

A wonderfully peaceful weekend at Knepp Estate, including a dawn safari on Sunday. I recently finished reading Isabella Tree's book Wilding which covers the story of Knepp Estate, an inspiring experiment that demonstrates the huge potential we have to increase wildlife, sequester carbon and even rewild ourselves. Highly recommended.

I wrote an account of the trip here. 

[natureinstereo]

19 April 2019

Walking around Kinder Scout, Peak District