Blog :: Geograph Britain and Ireland

Blog Entries by Geograph Users

A figure of eight walk around Butterleigh

1 days ago

A sort of figure of eight walk between Bickleigh and Butterleigh, using minor roads, green lanes and footpaths. This follows the Burn valley for some of the route You can see this trip plotted on a map on the Geo-trips page Link

geo-trip walk

Beauty of Outdoor Places of London

10 days ago

Many moons ago, My Society created ScenicOrNot, an online project to rate images sourced from Geograph. Asking users to rate them for subjective beauty, collecting over 1.5 Million votes. Link

Fast forward to 2017 and 'Artifical Inteligence' systems have progressed, so much so that researchers at University of Warwick have trained a computer algorithm to do something similar...

scenicornot algorithm map london

Changing coastline a circuit of Whiteness Head

22 days ago

My wife was committed to demonstrate spinning at the Nairn Show for four hours so I set about finding a local walk to fill the available time. Quite a low tide was scheduled for 1115 in the morning so I decided to walk the coastline of Whiteness Point. The plan was to walk outward by the sand and to return by the track that runs down the middle part of the spit. A good walk for the dog, especially with one minor detour to visit a "square" just off the direct route. The interest in the...

geo-trip walk

Jubilee Path up Cnoc Fyrish

2 months ago

Cnoc Fyrish provides a fine viewpoint of the Cromarty Firth and the marine activity in its waters. A folly graces the summit of the hill. The Fyrish Monument is a monument built in 1782 on the orders of Sir Hector Munro, 8th of Novar, a native lord of the area who had served in India as a general. As the local population were being cleared off their land, employment was a problem and so it was built to give the locals some work. It was said that Sir Hector rolled stones from the top of...

geo-trip walk

The walk up Am Faochagach from the west end of Loch Glascarnoch

2 months ago

One route up Am Faochagach requires the fording of a normally fast flowing Highland burn, and so the route is recommended only for times of drought. After a very dry Spring, May 2017 was a good time to attempt the route. The river crossing is rather daunting especially when the first person seen near the crossing point was above his knees in water. However there is a preferred crossing point marked by a small cairn on each bank. The east bank has the more distinguished feature to be...

geo-trip walk

An hour in Drummondreach Oak Wood

3 months ago

This is a walk to dawdle over. Less than two miles and its downhill all the way from the furthest point. The walk lies within a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its trees and woodland flora. Guided walks occur in late May organised by the Highland Council Rangers. The wood has both a Fort and a Hut Circle but both need a bit of finding. A helpful sign saying "Hut Circle" beside the one obvious path through the wood has disappeared. On this hour's walk the fort was not visited,...

geo-trip walk

Visiting the lochans in the Monadh Mor bog-forest

3 months ago

The Monadh Mor Site of Special Scientific Interest is for the most part trackless. The SSSI contains the best example of bog-forest in the UK. The terrain is gently undulating - the ridges contain trees and the lower areas are swampy and in places contain sheets of water. Going back 150 years to the 25 inch to the mile maps shows that even when the inhabitants needed to use the bog for peat extraction there were no real paths that crossed the area. Over the years deer and other animals...

geo-trip walk

A circuit of the Western Fannichs

3 months ago

This 12.5 mile walk takes in two Munros, Sgurr Breac and the higher A Chailleach. Route finding is straightforward and the only difficulty is descending the steep nose back to above Loch a Bhraoin when the ground is greasy. On a number of occasions the weather has been dry in the Fannichs when An Teallach has looked decidedly wet. There are good views to be had from this route. Some books recommend coming off A Chailleach by its northern ridge and descending beside Sron na Caibhre, but...

geo-trip walk

Forest walk close to the Kyle Railway line summit of Raven Rock

3 months ago

This nine mile circular walk on forest tracks delves into the hills behind Strathpeffer. At its heart is a section beside the Inverness to Kyle railway line at Raven Rock, the high point between Dingwall and Garve, which even recently has posed a challenge to steam trains carrying rail enthusiasts on the Kyle line. The walk follows recognized tracks, except for the stretch by the railway line that follows a footpath which few people use, and for a few hundred metres of hillside on the...

geo-trip walk

Walking the Black Water - Silver Bridge to Old Garve

3 months ago

This is a short and popular walk beside the Black Water, traversing a section between two old bridges allowing a circular walk using both banks of the river. The Black Water has some fine waterfalls in this stretch of the river while it crosses some interesting geology. A walk for any season, but probably at its best with ice beside the river or in the autumn. There is much to see and explore, especially the architecture of the bridges. Allow a minimum of 1 hour 30 to enjoy the 2.5 mile...

geo-trip walk

Walk beside the Beauly River

3 months ago

The river defences of the River Beauly provide an elevated yet narrow walk along the side of the river. Best done in the winter when vegetation is low - in summer there will be a few inconveniences from lush growth. It is also wise to consult tide tables as the firth is tidal in this stretch of the river, and the higher the water level the less debris - natural and man-made is seen at the water's edge - and the more exciting the prospect is where water floods the saltmarsh. Good after...

geo-trip walk

A short walk in the woods at Flowerburn

3 months ago

Callachy Hill is part of the Learnie Red Rocks Mountain Bike area. It forms the furthest point of this circular walk starting from a footpath that leaves the Rosemarkie to Eathie road around a mile beyond the turning by the Fairy Glen. One car can be squeezed beside the road at the footpath sign - although the sign takes some finding. See the map for the exact location. The footpath goes through cleared woodland and then follows the edge of the Fairburn fields before uniting with some...

geo-trip walk

Ascent of Triuirebheinn from Lochboisdale

3 months ago

The highest hills of South Uist attract many hard hill walkers each year. From these peaks a vaster wilderness can be seen that attracts few, because the hills do not carry the desired names of "Munros" or "Corbetts". An outlier north of Lochboisedale is Triuirebheinn and a track exists to cross the mosaic of water behind Lochboisedale to provide access to a water supply facility for the town. Beyond the loch steep moorland has to be crossed to reach the summit. An out-and-back route...

geo-trip walk

Hill track from Achnashellach to the Ling Hut Torridon

3 months ago

There are a number of ways to walk from Achnashellach to Glen Torridon. This route joins two marked hill tracks to make a through route from Achnashellach to the Ling Hut in the middle of Glen Torridon. The highest point is a bealach at around 650 m at the head of Glen Lair. The trackless middle kilometre of the walk has no hazards; the stream crossing is easy. On this occasion a detour was made to follow a short way the track to Annat from the col. Future walkers can omit this, and...

geo-trip walk

A walk in a quieter bog forest area of the Monadh Mor SSSI

4 months ago

This 3.3 mile walk starts from the Forestry Commission car park on the A 835 that serves those wishing to walk on the way-marked routes and forest roads of the Forestry Commission land. Some of the Forestry Commission land lies within the Monadh Mor Site of Special Scientific Interest; however most of the SSSI lies outside this area, is less well visited, and provides walks on small footpaths rather than forestry roads. Much to commend in doing the unorthodox! On the walk provided here,...

geo-trip walk

Black Isle east coast Walk from Eathie to Hillockhead and on to Rosemarkie

4 months ago

The coast of the Black Isle north of Rosemarkie is trackless but may be walked along by the seashore, tides permitting. There are two places where a high tide prevents a way ahead. One between Rosemarkie and Hillockhead, at Scart Craig, and another between Hillockhead and Eathie. This Geotrip covers the whole route between Eathie and Rosemarkie, but the imagery is reserved for the section north of Hillockhead. Another Geotrip will provide the imagery for the Rosemarkie to Hillockhead...

geo-trip walk

Circular walk in the Ledmore and Migdale Woodland Trust Reserve

4 months ago

With a day to spare when visiting Dornoch I took the opportunity to visit the Woodland Trust Reserve of Ledmore and Migdale. I had no set plan, but constructed this 8 mile walk based on the way-marked routes indicated on the display panels at the entrances to this reserve. A bit of mix-and-match. The trees are quite fine and there is a very extensive view from the highest point on the walk, the flat moorland summit of A'Chraisg. The part of the walk that was the highlight was walking on a...

geo-trip walk

A winter walk into the Strathconon Forest

4 months ago

The day's plan to visit Geograph "Green Squares" was thwarted by a Gamekeeper who insisted he had corralled deer in the coire we needed to pass through and photograph, and by the depth of the snow that created problems with our accompanying collie dog. So the alternative was to investigate the stalkers path that headed south towards Glen Orrin and which could have provided the access to Carn na Coinnich a respectable 600 m plus hill that the gamekeeper thought was the only point of...

geo-trip walk

A walk into the wildness of the Strathconon Forest

4 months ago

A walk with a purpose: to collect six green Geograph squares that had been passed by in the trackless terrain of the Strathconon Forest. Added to that the excitement of crossing two footbridges over the River Meig, one of which had been closed in recent times for being unsafe. A great day out, but the most accessible green square was missed by contouring too early to reach the intended final square. Little life on the hill except a pair of golden plover with all the deer at feeding...

geo-trip walk

Circular walk around Loch Lundie

4 months ago

Loch Lundie is the largest sheet of water on the Black Isle. It lies beside the fields located below the beautifully sited house of Pitlundie and is sheltered to the west by a ridge that contains a vitrified fort. The other side of the lake contains fine specimen Scots Pine on a further ridge that provides views over the Moray Firth. The views over the Black Isle are extensive and even extend down to Glen Affric to the south with a range of Highland mountains blocking the western horizon. The...

geo-trip walk

Walk around Faraid Head

4 months ago

This was my first visit to Faraid Head in company with friends who regularly rent a cottage near Durness. The variety enjoyed in the walk was great. A sandy bay, a distant coastline to Cape Wrath, the sand dunes through which the military road goes to a tracking station employed when NATO attacks the rocks of Cape Wrath, good cliff scenery and a walk that was neither too short nor too long for March after a drive from the Inverness area. The area has been well visited for the Geograph...

geo-trip walk

The Day I went to Prison

4 months ago

Well I did pay to get into the prison like many others to see the Inside Reading Prison Art Exhibition which was on as part of the Reading Arts Festival Photo but face it I did not go to see art I went along to see what the prison I used to see from the school yard and classroom next door Photo was like. I'd always wondered what a prison looked like inside and as Reading Prison closed in 2013 I thought it would be rude to pass up the opportunity to look around Photo...

reading prison

Gallops, bales and ducks but no x-rays and no beer - the Ridgeway

5 months ago

This walk was a pleasant surprise arising from a disappointment: We were at Diamond Light Source Photo to do some x-ray experiments on polymer films but a vacuum leak on the beamline meant that we had the afternoon off while Diamond's technicians were busy fixing the problem and pumping the system down again. Luckily I had some trainers and my camera with me, so we got to enjoy the sunshine and the scenery of the West Ilsley Downs instead. As the Ridgeway, an ancient track, runs...

geo-trip walk berkshire england ridgeway

A sightseeing walk in Paisley on a dreich January morning

5 months ago

While in Paisley for work, I had a quick walk around the town centre before heading back down the M8. The light wasn't great on this grey January day but it was dry and I managed to get some shots of the University Photo, Town Hall Photo, Paisley Abbey Photo and the Coats Observatory Photo. I'll be back in the summer! You can see this trip plotted on a map on the Geo-trips page Link

geo-trip walk paisley renfrewshire scotland sightseeing

Breaking records

11 months ago

Summer 2016 is almost over, and I got into a routine of regular Sunday trips covering as far as I could manage under the circumstances, the main one being the coast which has now been covered from the tip of Kent Photo to just short of Selsey Bill Photo . The bonus being some were guided by the known pre-Worboys signs Photo and then got as far as I could afterwards. My primary aim is extending the distance between the two furthest points on the map. Living in London...

wiltshire road signs kent a4 london

2017		1	2	14	4		1	2
2016			1	1	1				1
2015		1	1	1	3	2	7	1		2	1	5
2014		1	1	1	4	1		5	3	1	1	2
2013	3	4	7	8	1	2	1	1		2
2012	5	12	9	10	7	8	9	4	3	3	3	2
2011	7	7	7	7	12	9	4	4	2	2	2	2
2010											4	9