An exploration of ptaquiloside in bracken, how it moves through upland water and soil, and what this quiet chemistry means for walkers and landscapes.

Standing on my land in the Lake District on a clear night, and I do that as much as I can, it is still possible to see the Milky Way. The skylines of the surrounding fells are dark, the only lights being a possible farmhouse in the valley, the brilliant glow from Ambleside, or a scatter of vehicle headlights moving along the region’s roads. Yet even here, the night is no longer what it once was.

Explore the complex role of bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) in the Lake District - its ecological benefits, biodiversity threats, and the challenge of managing its spread.

Whenever I climb the Lake District’s Great Gable (899 metres) [i] , I usually have whisky on my mind. This time it was climate change...

Trees relax me What is it about trees? For some reason they relax me, especially in this month of May. It is a month when the weather is...

Week 12 Once again this is a long one, so please find somewhere quiet to read and ponder. Climate change and the future of mankind is no...

Week 10 Once again this is a long one, so please grab a cuppa if you can. You will need somewhere quiet and thoughtful to read it and do...

Week 8 Once again this is a long one, albeit shorter than others I have written, so I have not divided it into two portions. However, you...

Week 6 Once again this is a long one, so please be prepared, as the topic is serious. I have broken the text halfway, so that you can...

Week 4 This is a long one, so please be prepared, as the topic is serious. I have broken the text halfway, so that you can recharge your...

Week 2 Introduction There are few better ways of seeing the effects of climate change than standing atop a Lake District mountain. I had...