-
Book review: ‘Scotland’s Merlin’ by Tim Clarkson
“And in the battle of Arfderydd my torc was of gold…” From ‘Yr Afallennau’ (‘The Apples’), a poem in the Black Book of Carmarthen I don’t know about you, but when somebody mentions the name ‘Merlin’, an image of a bearded sorcerer pops straight into my mind, quickly followed by King Arthur and several valiant Knights of the Round Table. Add a couple of fire-breathing dragons, a gleaming but inaccessible sword, and a darkly beautiful villainess, and by this time I’m probably thinking about re-watching the excellent TV series starring Colin Morgan in the title role. I have always been interested in the theories about the origins of Merlin, the…
-
Book review: ‘The Rainforests of Britain and Ireland’ by Clifton Bain
You might remember that, back in the summer of last year, I wrote about the oak woods of Taynish in Knapdale. These are one of the last remnants of Britain’s temperate rainforests, having flourished in the mild, moisture-laden climate of the west coast for around 7,000 years. It’s an enchanting, invigorating place: in spring, as you walk in dappled shadow beneath the freshly-emerging canopy of leaves, you feel as if you’re breathing the same air as Argyll’s ancient ancestors. I was therefore delighted to come across a new book entitled ‘The Rainforests of Britain and Ireland – A Traveller’s Guide’. Written by Clifton Bain and published by Sandstone Press, it…
-
Red deer painting – now finished
Colin has now finished the red deer painting that he began in January. Here it is in all its misty mountain glory… You can see the painting in progress in this earlier post on The Hazel Tree. Copyright © Colin Woolf More of Colin’s work can be found at www.wildart.co.uk
The Hazel Tree
by Jo Woolf
