As part of the MA course, I chose to walk the Hebridean Way in April 2023. I followed the route from Stornoway to Vatersay, approximately 160 miles. This is a beautiful part of the British Isles that I’d neglected for just over 30 years. Adding on extras such as the walk to Rhenigidale on Harris and a circuit of the island of Berneray meant that I covered just over 250 miles. Fortunately the wind blew from the north on almost all days - it was bitingly cold at times, but never in my face. Part of the excitement was to see what had changed in my years of absence. Equally, from many conversations with the welcoming people who live in the Outer Hebrides, I learnt about the traditions which are kept alive. A particularly enjoyable aspect of the trip was to watch four Hebrides football games, which led to a piece in Issue 28 of the Scottish football periodical Nutmeg. Being on the wrong side of 60 didn’t stop me from relishing the walk through rough land, with a big rucksack on my back. And after a day of spotting eagles in the Harris sky and hearing greenshank calling on the moor below, I still had the energy to run the line for the local side’s game against Stornoway United. What happy memories I brough home with me!

Since I brought down the curtain on work in 2020, I’ve managed to get to the top of 118 new-to-me Munros. That leaves 23 of the 282 still to be climbed, before I can ‘compleat’ the round. That’s top of the ‘to do’ list for 2024. I had hoped to get the job done in 2023, but only managed one trip to the Scottish hills. The earlier than expected arrival of a first granddaughter meant that priorities were elsewhere.

Following St Augustine’s advice of solvitur ambulando (tr. it gets worked out by going for a walk) continues to serve me well. I can’t imagine a routine that doesn’t include regular walking. The Ceredigion Coast Path was a wonderful 60 miles or so of Welsh walking in June, with sightings of choughs on all days. Autumn into winter plans include trips over to the Cotswold Way. I’m planning to walk to its finishing line in Bath on the morning of our MA graduation ceremony next January. What could be more appropriate to celebrate the marriage of walking and writing that I continue to savour?

The Year 2 requirements of my MA Travel & Nature Writing studies determined a hefty proportion of my writing output. Much of the autumn and winter was devoted to learning about the demands of professional writing, leading into pieces aimed at publication in travel and/or nature magazines/journals. Increasingly, the emphasis switched to creative pieces for inclusion in the final course portfolio, which I submitted in September 2023.

I’ve continued writing my monthly nature piece for Radley News and occasional blog posts for Radley Lakes, a nearby nature reserve. Out of these, opportunities have arisen to talk about the flora and fauna that can be found locally. I particularly enjoyed a well attended talk to the Radley Environmental Group

To satisfy the portfolio requirements and develop my craft ahead of future writing ventures, I’ve sought to combine elements of nature, place and memoir in my writing, always with an appreciation of context. Opportunities such as the prompts offered by Tanya Shadrick in her The Cure for Sleep project have allowed me to spread my writing wings.