Life has changed so quickly over the past few weeks, but one thing we have still been able to continue are our walks.   All our blog posts this year have been inspired by the work of Robert Macfarlane, specifically his book ‘The Lost Words’, and this month we’re focusing on the humble Bluebell. His line ‘..billows blue so deep, sea-deep’ evokes images of losing yourself to a deep blue ocean, and as you walk through the woods at this time of year, this is exactly how it feels.

We asked a few of our team if they’d like to write a short piece about bluebells so this month’s blog takes the form of four voices, all focusing on these woodland gems. (more…)

We find ourselves in a very strange time, with the world locking down in the mist of a global pandemic. Robert Macfarlanes book ‘The Lost Words’ is a perfect resource for reminding ourselves of the beauty in the world around us.  In our blog, we are focusing on one word a month and this April, we are featuring the beautiful Lark, a bird resident throughout the UK, with the most beautiful song, which uniquely can be heard whilst it flies high in the sky.  You can find out more about this bird, and hear its song on the RSPB website  (more…)

When is the last time you really looked at a dandelion? Ubiquitous in urban and rural settings alike, you can find them nosily popping out of dry-stone walls, scattered amongst farmers fields and clutching onto pavements lining our town centres.  There aren’t many places untouched by their resilient, yellow faces yet; they are often overlooked completely or pulled out before they take over perfectly mowed garden lawns. Take a closer look, find out a bit more about them and you might just be inclined to welcome the next one to pop up into your garden. (more…)

Cycling along the canal towpath on my commute between Saltaire and Keighley, I leave behind the busy roads and grey tarmac. Instead I start my day immersed in nature with so many opportunities to see many of the ‘lost words’ that Robert Macfarlane has penned in his spell book of nature poems, written to conjure up words that are feared to be disappearing from children’s vocabulary. I am always keeping an eye out for the flash of blue that signals my favourite bird, but am usually lucky enough to spot many more of these lost nature words.

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When we were younger it was such a common sight, we never gave it a name. On winter evenings, we’d leave college and walk down to the bus stop on the Headrow, while starlings gathered in darkening skies above us. We’d look up and notice as thousands of birds swooped and swirled in unison, but never considered it a spectacle. (more…)