Travels – Aigues-Mortes and Arles

Back to the UK and it's overcast and about 20 degrees cooler than in Europe. No matter though as I have some pictures to remember our rather fabulous trip. Aigues Mortes France - and certainly in the south - is known for its Citadels. Those towns and villages that are often to be seen perched …

Notes on the Road Day 6

Cologne to Dijon via Luxembourg today. Perhaps Luxembourg is most well known for something to do with the Eurovision Song Contest but as I have never quite caught on to the whole irony of watching this I can’t for the life of me remember what it is. However, along with everyone else who was on …

Travels with…

So, this week, we’re going slightly off piste. Rather than it being about a book per se it’s going to be about book locations I have visited. I’m sure this may have limited appeal to some but it really won’t take too long so do bear with. It all begins with a journey. This past …

Orkney Views and book ideas

A rather self-indulgent post as we enter Lockdown 2.0. Some views around Stromness on Sunday and Monday of this week. I hoped to get some inspiration for a plot line whilst on this most recent trip. Nothing obvious came to mind whilst I was there. It may have been because of the circumstances or perhaps …

Orkney: Attack!

A walk this morning took us out to Ness Point and on to Ness Battery. All around the coastline is a number of pill boxes, batteries and other defensive buildings such as structures that housed search lights. Attack by sea was a reasonable concern in the early 1800s and Martello Towers were constructed in the …

Orkney

One of my favourite books is HMS Ulysses by Alistair Maclean. I know it's one of my dad's favourites, but it's not for the reason alone that I like it. I think I enjoy the adventure aspect of it. I like the seafaring aspect of it - the sea and all that associated with it …