The Nature Instinct
The Nature Instinct has been published in the US! “A captivating guide to finding one’s way in the wild.” —The Wall Street Journal “An imperative…
Tag: moon
The Walker’s Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs
The ultimate guide to what the land, sun, moon, stars, trees, plants, animals, sky and clouds can reveal – when you know what to look…
Wild Signs and Star Paths
52 Keys that Will Open Your Eyes, Ears and Mind to the World Around You 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 Published in North America as The Nature Instinct ‘Beautifully written……
Natural Navigation with the Tuareg in the Libyan Sahara
The following article by Tristan Gooley was published in Navigation News in March 2010. My research to date has failed to uncover another soul who…
Weather Lore
Welcome to the page where I have collected a few weather lore sayings and laid out the meteorological truth, or otherwise, behind them. Breaking News:…
Tidal Streams and Tidal currents
Some Thoughts on the difference between the terms ‘Tidal Streams’ and ‘Tidal Currents’ In the chapter, Currents and Tides, in my book, How to Read Water,…
Samuel Pepys and his Moon Compass
From an entry in Samuel Pepys’ diary on Saturday 19th August 1665: So to Stanes and there by this time it was dark night, and…
Spectator Reviews Wild Signs
The Spectator have just reviewed Wild Signs and Star Paths: “It’s a thoughtful, lyrical book about the hidden connections between flora and fauna, the landscape…
Blue Moon Eclipse
My thanks to Richard Forte for this photo taken in Naples, Florida, of an eclipsing blue moon and ibis heading south to their feeding grounds.
Mabiniogion and the Stars
A couple of nights ago I listened to an interesting talk about the Mabinogion and the night sky, by the astronomer Martin Griffiths (pictured). We…
Saved by the Moon
Below is a short extract from Apsley Cherry-Garrard’s classic of exploration literature, The Worst Journey in the World. This passage contains several valuable and interesting…
Total Eclipse and Totally Lovely Word
The photo above was taken shortly before the recent total solar eclipse, by my uncle, Tuppin, who was and remains in Uganda. Everyone should have…
When’s Easter?
Happy Easter! When is Easter? Today, is the short and not very helpful answer. The longer, more useful answer is: Easter is always the first…
The Procrastination of an Outdoors Writer
Today marks the start of the writing of a new book. And what better way to celebrate it, than by procrastinating! As writers go, I…
Bergmann’s Rule
Have you ever noticed how fat people tend to feel the cold less than skinny people? Have you also noticed how it gets colder as…
Prickly Lettuce, A Compass Plant
Prickly lettuce is known to some of its navigating friends as the ‘compass plant’ and to its Roman friends as ‘lactuca serriola’. In truth it…
The Cloud Compass
Happy Winter Solstice One and All! Here’s an interesting solstice fact for you: the Earth is actually receiving more solar radiation at this time of…
Oman Desert Navigation Training
As promised, here is a more detailed update on my short time in Oman last week. My main reason for being there was to train…
The Desert and Back
Thank you to everyone who came to the course at the Royal Geographical Society on Friday. Also to those who came to the talk and…
All Roads Lead Home Update
A huge thank you to everyone for all the messages that have been coming in about All Roads Lead Home. I thought it was time…
Monkey Puzzles
Natural navigation is at its most fun when it is a puzzle and a test of our senses. Have a look at this photo and…