RSGS Honorary Fellowship
After a whirlwind tour of Kirkcaldy, Edinburgh and Glasgow for RSGS talks early last week, I’m back in Sussex. At the end of my talk…
Category: Sun
Giant Viper’s-Bugloss and Natural Navigation
Giant Viper’s-Bugloss, Echium pininana, is a tall flowering plant in the borage family, native to La Palma in the Canary Islands. It shows a strong…
Ants Build Landmarks
Humans are so accustomed to using landmarks that we usually don’t even realise when we are doing it. “Turn left at the post office.” “Meet…
Morning or Afternoon in Lyme Regis?
I recently took this photo in Lyme Regis, Dorset, on the south coast of England. But what time of day was the picture taken, morning…
Quite Frankly Navigating with Nature Interview
Really enjoyed this chat about navigating with nature with Frank Val of Quite Frankly podcast. It was a wide-ranging chat and we covered a lot…
Reading Trees for Navigation – A Tip
I recently returned from a natural navigation exercise in the New Forest, Hampshire. On leaving a patch of woodland I was reminded of a common…
Red Fruits on the South Side of Plants and Trees
In late summer many plants and trees come into fruit. The fruits have come from flowers and these flowers are more common on the south…
Back from Iceland
I’m back from an intense and rewarding research trip to Iceland. I’ve just added some of my favourite clues, signs and other observations to The…
Choose Lichens Over Mosses for Effective Navigation
Mosses get all the press, but lichens are the stars when it comes to effective natural navigation. In the video above I look at the…
Clouds That Warn of Storms
There are certain clouds that warn that storms are likely. The shape of clouds is very important. The timing is too. The general rule is…
New Podcast Interview: How to Read a Tree
There is a new podcast interview available. In this episode of the excellent Art of Manliness podcast, host Brett McKay, asks Tristan Gooley how can…
June Solstice Question
Happy Solstice! Time to celebrate with a micro puzzle… If you walked towards sunrise for ten minutes this morning, then waited and walked towards sunset…
What are Fallstreak Holes in Clouds?
Fallstreak holes form when a part of a cloud falls out, leaving a hole. This happens when part of a cloud made of very cold…
Index of How to Read a Tree
Below is the full Index of the book, How to Read a Tree. Return to the Book. adaptability of roots 127-9, 134-6 ageing of bark…
How to Forecast Weather with Contrails
Below is a short excerpt from the book, The Secret World of Weather, on how contrails can be used to predict changes in weather Contrails…
Sun, Light and Mont Sainte-Victoire
Yesterday I visited the National Gallery with my sister to view the paintings in their latest exhibition, After Impressionism: Inventing Modern Art. I can recommend…
How Sketching Taught Me to Capture the Spirit of a Tree
A guest blog by Kerry Cooper Resolution day – 1st January 2019. I set myself the goal of sketching every single day for a whole…
Reading Trees on ITV’s This Morning
It was great fun teaching Daisy Payne how to read trees for ITV’s This Morning programme. You might also enjoy: How to Read a Tree…
Leaves are a Lighter Colour in Early Spring
The first leaves in spring are much lighter in colour than those of summer. As the seasons progress, the leaves have a higher concentration of…
Temperature Changes in Woodland
The trees we walk under have a dramatic effect on the temperature we feel. I passed from broadleaf trees to conifers and felt the temperature…
Clues and Signs in Nature: Northern and Southern Hemisphere
I receive quite a few emails asking whether my books are relevant for readers in the Southern Hemisphere. The answer is ‘yes’, but only if…