Monthly Report, March 2026

A Shetland month - lots of time at Sumburgh Head, on Scat Ness and on Quendale Beach and finished the month by driving onto the MV Hjaltland for the crossing to Aberdeen.

Razorbills at Sumburgh Head getting re-acquainted

Reporting Days: 31

Location: Shetland

Distance Walked: 206 km

Distance Driven: 632 km

Auks Spotted: Guillemots (Common & Black), Razorbills

Sumburgh Head

A fine place for sea watching - and for auk watching. During March the two highlights at Sumburgh Head were the return of the Razorbills (the guillemots were already back, and the puffins had opted to wait until April) and the traditional start of season sounding of the foghorn.

Sumburgh Foghorn

Early morning light on the foghorn and lighthouse tower

Waves hitting Guillemot Rock, one of the Sumburgh sea stacks

Firing up the Kelvins - Sounding the Sumburgh Foghorns

Scat Ness

Scat Ness is a splendid place for wave watching, on some days at least.

Blue skies & calm seas.  Looking across West Voe to Sumburgh Head.

Incoming waves on the west side of Scat Ness

Lerwick

This month I've only been as far as Lerwick (it's about 22 or 23 miles from the house) to get on the boat or more often to go to the bigger supermarkets. And I do usually wander round the harbour to see what boat are in.

Lerwick lifeboat, waiting for a shout.

Lerwick Harbour

Arctic P - once a polar-ready salvage tug now one of the cooler superyachts

Quendale Beach

I try and walk Quendale Beach every day I'm on Shetland - on the grimmer days this might just be a walk to the beach and back again. On better days, I'll walk the full length of the beach, sometimes more than once! 

Quendale Sunset

High tide on Quendale Beach

Shifting sands & exposed rocks on Quendale Beach

And next month

Easter in Oxford, then back on the trains for the Spring visit to Lombardy.

Monthly Report, February 2026

Finally. Back on the beach.  Usually Quendale Beach at the south end of the Shetland Mainland.

Reporting Days: 28

Location: Oxford & Shetland

Distance Walked: 205 km

Distance Driven: 1270 km

Auks Spotted: Guillemots

Beaches Walked: Quendale, West Voe, St Ninians

February on Shetland - Snow on Quendale Beach

In Oxford

I'm a creature of habit, I really like to start the day with a first-walk. 

It shakes the stiffness out of my legs (and my head) - and gives me the opportunity to take a 'first' picture of the day, a standby just in case something gets in the way of taking another picture later in the day.  And just in case you're counting, 28th of February was Picture of the Day #7737.  

In Oxford my first-walk standby is Bury Knowle Park (three laps of the park is just about 3.5 km) - most days to be followed by another longer walk.

February in Oxford definitely brings the first hints of Spring - snowdrops and crocus being the most obvious signs.

Early crocus in Bury Knowle Park

By the Oxford Canal

Snowdrops in Stoke Place

Narnia - C S Lewis Nature Reserve

In Shetland

I don't let location get in the way of my first-walk habit.  

There isn't a convenient park near the Shetland house, but there is a very nice beach.   

Quendale Beach is less than ten minutes walk from the front door (the precise timing depends on the wind strength and direction).  And if I choose to turn back where Eel Burn crosses the beach (or there is too much water coming down the burn to make it cross-able), the walk is just about 3.5 km.

There are several 'local' walks for the second (or third) walk of the day, regular options are Sumburgh Head, Scat Ness, West Voe, Pool of Virkie, Grutness Voe, St Ninians Isle.

Calm water at Scat Ness

High tide in Quendale Bay

St Ninian's Beach

Guillemots at Sumburgh Head

Guillemots at Sumburgh Head

White water at Scat Ness

At St Ninian's Beach

The signs of Spring are thin on the ground on Shetland in February - its a bit early for snowdrops, crocus and daffodils, but the guillemots do spent more time on the cliffs and on some days at least there might just be a hint of warmth (as long as the wind chill isn't too dramatic).

And next month

More Shetland

Monthly Report, January 2026

At the end of the last report I speculated about whether the January report would be a London/Oxford one or Shetland one.   

A variety of factors (including the weather and NHS appointments) dictated that it turned out to be another Oxford-centric month.  Or perhaps more charitably, just an extended Christmas holiday - with the last day of January being the 37th Day of Christmas.

Reporting Days: 31

Location: Oxford (and London)

Distance Walked: 246 km

Distance Driven: 28 km (yes, really)

In Oxford

Mesopotamia Walk - blue skies and high water - sometimes at least

Attentive robin in the Oxford Botanic Garden (no big lens needed)

Early morning in Bury Knowle Park

Parson's Pleasure, water around the rollers 

Bury Knowle Park in the mist

A little spot of fresh snow in Bury Knowle Park

Aslan in the morning sunshine, Bury Knowle Park

In London

When I was working I hardly ever ventured into London (unless work required it).  Now when I'm in Oxford, I seem to find a reason to head 'into London' about once a week.  Sometimes it's for an exhibition or gallery, other times it's just to spend time in book shops and coffee shops.

The entrance to the travel section at Waterstones, Piccadilly

Mendini Exhibition at the Estorick Gallery

Destinations Travel Show at Olympia

And Next Month...

Well, it'll either be Oxford (with a bit of London thrown in) or the wild beaches of Shetland... which in just what I said last time round.

Monthly Report, December 2025

Back in Oxford for Christmas, with occasional forays into London

Reporting Days: 31

Location: Oxford (and London)

Distance Walked: 290 km

Distance Driven: 825 km

Around Oxford

In the absence of beaches and headlands, trees, parks, churches and markets. 

Bury Knowle Park, Oxford

St Andrew's Church, Old Headington

Covered Market, Oxford

Early sunshine on a frosty morning, Bury Knowle Park, Oxford

Visiting Stations

I've been reading a history of London's terminus stations, so I thought it might be fun to visit them all - essentially walking the Circle Line.  I started (and finished) at Victoria Station, and clocked up 13 stations, 27 km and 36500 steps.

London Victoria Station

Marylebone Station

St Pancras International

In search of Dragons

Having visited all the stations around the Circle Line, I looked for another day walk around London.  There are (if you look carefully) dragons guarding the boundaries of the City of London.  

My walk started and finished on Victoria Embankment and took in 14 dragons, 18 km and 23500 steps. 

Victoria Embankment, London

High Holborn, London

Moorgate, London

In search of Fish & Chips

How far am I prepared to walk for a plate of fish and chips? From the Med to the Atlantic - without leaving Oxford.   The third picture was in Posh Fish, my local fish and chip shop, just round the corner.

Mediterranean Fish Bar, Marston

Atlantic Fish Bar, Abingdon Road

Posh Fish, Headington

In search of maps

My third December day out in London was at the British Library - always an interesting place to visit, this time for an exhibition of maps that were at one time or another considered secret.

Newton - looking at a map?

Secret Maps

British Library Gateway

And Next Month...

Well, it'll either be Oxford (with a bit of London thrown in) or the wild beaches of Shetland...