Holy Moor, Derbyshire: Winter has its compensations, and these birds are among the most welcome A sick, or syke, is a common term in the north of England, meaning a small stream. Hipper Sick drains the east of Beeley Moor…
Country diary: Dow Crag, Lake District
Dow Crag, Lake District: Giant’s Crawl slants up B Buttress like a silver sash – thrilling for tyros who must tiptoe up the edge and look down the sheer drop of Nimrod Our raised voices echoed from the crags over…
An owl’s eye view of London | @GrrlScientist
Some of my plans for my last London visit in 2013 I have returned to London for another too-short visit. This time, I was invited by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) to celebrate the publication of their Bird Atlas…
The Magdalen Arms: restaurant review | Jay Rayner
In the beginning was the word, and the word was pie… Jay finds Oxford’s Magdalen Arms is first class 243 Iffley Road, Oxford (01865 243 159). Meal for two: £70 This is meant to be a review of a place in…
Restaurant: The Star Inn the City, York
‘Tweeness aside, this is a lust-inducing cracker of a place, a posh gastropub with wit’ It is a truth rarely challenged that if there’s a worst table in the house, it will have my name on it. And so it is at this…
Boris cycling woes are part of larger failure to change London’s streets
The London mayor’s surface transport and “public realm” strategies have shown a poor judgement of priorities As anger over recent cyclist deaths quite has rightly raged, Londonist, also rightly, has widened the debate by asking a very good question: won’t…
Country diary: Great Langdale, Lake District: Lakeland walkers in a tight spot
Great Langdale, Lake District: Seven people and a labrador had already squeezed through Fat Man’s Agony. But not this poor soul The commotion on the fellside could be heard down to the road at the top of the hairpins en…
Heathrow Hub sets out to convince public of ‘quieter’ four-runway plan
Group behind ad campaign could make millions from options on nearby land should its £12.5bn airport expansion proposal be accepted A group which has launched a national advertising campaign for its proposal for a four-runway Heathrow without the “lobbying of…
Britain’s oldest pub — who deserves the crown?
You want to find the most ancient inn in Britain? It’s tougher than you might think British pubs … it helps to be as elderly as possible.The British love a good argument over a pint, and what could be a…
What do parrots do when their human travels? | video | @GrrlScientist
Yep, it’s true: I am leaving my parrots behind to visit London! I am traveling this week, so I thought you might enjoy seeing a demonstration of what my parrots do when I am gone. [Video link] For those who…