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…
Tag: trees
Reindeer Lichen and Wild Feelings
I live in the chalk hills of the South Downs. On my daily walks over these hills I am always greeted by familiar alkaline-loving flora.…
The Truth About Moss
Moss is probably the best known natural navigation indicator in the world. It is also excellent at demonstrating how easy it is to go wrong…
How to Cross a Park Like an Explorer
Sherlock Holmes may have felt the mist of the moor under his deerstalker on occasion, but he had a distinct preference for indoor clues over…
How to Navigate with Spiders’ Webs
Animals help us navigate in lots of ways. They form both compasses and maps for us. The map is formed in a similar way to…
The Grass is Greener in Shade
It is tempting to believe that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. After long spells of hot, dry weather in…
Why are some leaves red?
Why are some leaves red and what does it mean? We assume leaves to be green, but also notice how there are exceptions – we…
Eric Ravilious and the Duck’s Bottom Effect
The English artist, Eric Ravilious (1903 -1942), is loved by many of us who tramp the same chalky hills of the South Downs that he…
The Shapes of Trees and a Sense of Place
Tree shapes are dictated by the needs of the tree and reflect the places we find them. There are dozens of methods for using trees…
Newsletter Mini Challenges
I just sent out my latest newsletter (you can subscribe at the bottom), which included the four mini challenges below: Answers at the bottom. 1.…
Trentepohlia, Moisture and Signs Pointing North
Here is a nice example of trentepohlia on the north side of a tree. This algae thrives in moist, shady places and can be one…
The Wedge Effect
My thanks to Malcolm Pinches for sending in these great examples of the ‘wedge effect’ from the Isle of Eigg in the Scottish Inner Hebrides.…
Beware the Beech’s Branches
This is a common sight in my local beechwoods. Beech trees have a habit of dropping large branches without much warning. They are not good…
White Out and Prevailing Winds
My thanks to Ginny Howells for coming on a course and for this wonderful email: “I just thought I’d share how I used natural navigation…
Dawn Chorus Going Global
There will be an international collaborative radio dawn chorus programme going out on BBC Radio 4 from about 1am UK time tonight. It runs until…
Phototropism and Gravitropism
There is a nice example of gravitropism and phototropism in action in this picture. Gravitropism – The orientation of a plant or other organism in…
Snow and Gorse
It is that time of year when we get to enjoy snow and ice natural navigation clues. In the south of England there hasn’t been…
Lees and Leaves
My thanks to Dave Curtis for sending in the above photo and allowing me to share our discussion of it. Dear Tristan Whilst out walking…
Brecon Beacons
Just back from a seriously enjoyable weekend of natural navigation and wild camping in the Brecon Beacons. More to follow, but in the meantime there…
Port Eliot Festival
A huge thanks to everyone who came to my talk at Port Eliot Festival last week and to the Idler Academy for inviting me. Port…
Outdoor Clues Photos
A huge thanks to Neil Mapes for sending in these lovely winter photos of outdoor clues, inspired by The Walker’s Guide to Outdoor Clues &…