Where the River Tyne meets the North Sea lies the aptly named appealing town of Tynemouth. In the summer this is a popular low-key seaside resort, despite the chill of that well-named sea. And in winter it is an equally popular place for a bracing walk, either on the sands or on the paths and promenades above.
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There are luxury resorts all over the world where you can, if you want, relax on a beach knowing that you and your fellow guests will have it to yourselves. No one will intrude to disturb the illusion of perfection or remind you that you are (quite probably) in a third world country. Eden Lodge, on Baobab Beach, where we spent our last few days in Madagascar, is definitely not such a spot.
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In parts of Madagascar a unique landscape has formed, alternating sharp shards of rock and deep canyons. This is the tsingy, from a Malagasy word meaning 'where one cannot walk barefoot'. It is formed from limestone plateaus, the remains of ancient coral reefs when this area lay under the sea.
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In the early nineteenth century the Reverend John Beresford, Baron Decies, decided to turn a swampy area of ground on his estate into an attractive landscape with a lake and woodlands. Many landowners were carrying out similar improvements but perhaps more unusually the Reverend was acting out of philanthropy.
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It’s August, so where better place to be than the English seaside? Although truth be told I like our coastal areas much more in the winter months and maybe even more so in spring and autumn.
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Unfortunately summer seems to have deserted the UK this August, as it did in July! We’re told it’s the jet stream to blame. In July it shifted southwards, flowing directly across the UK and Ireland. This is close to its usual winter position and carries low pressure systems directly towards us. It also meant that warm air was contained across central and southern Europe, creating a severe heatwave, while dragging in cooler air over us.
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Hurst Castle sits at the end of a long shingle spit, jutting out into the Solent opposite the Isle of Wight. At its heart is a Tudor castle, built by Henry VIII to guard the Needles Passage, the gateway to the trading port of Southampton and his new naval base at Portsmouth.
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I had heard a lot about the stunning landscapes of the Lofoten Islands. They promised dramatic mountains, pretty fishing villages and a beautiful coastline. So when an evening excursion to see a little of the islands was offered on the Hurtigruten ship, I was quick to sign up.
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Fences draw lines across our landscapes, towns and cities. They say, do not pass. This is my land, that is yours. Or they say, stay out or stay in, keeping domesticated animals from wandering and wild ones from attacking.
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Why do people choose to settle in some places and leave others almost deserted? The reasons are many, but natural resources play a big part, and so does climate of course.
