Personal web site of Jonathan Russell
Once again set off to walk across Wales, this time east-to-west, greeting the sunrise on the longest day of the year, 21st June. Had no idea whether I could manage the full 53½ miles, just wanted to see what the body could do, especially my left knee which has been troubling me recently, perhaps a… Continue reading ► ACROSS WALES AGAIN – NEWTOWN TO LLANIDLOES.
The first well-recorded battle of the English Civil War on open ground was in the countryside around Southam, 23 August 1642, when Lord Brook ordered his parliamentary guns to open fire on a royalist brigade which had the misfortune to cross his path on the outskirts of the town. When the cannons stopped firing nine years… Continue reading ► FRANCIS HOLYOKE – A GENIUS FORGOTTEN.
Something I posted elsewhere ten years ago - thought I'd copy it here: Growing up in Southam, a piece of local lore I'm familiar with is that the English Civil War began not at Edge Hill on 23 October 1642, but at Southam on 23 August, where there was a 'skirmish' in which some soldiers… Continue reading ► THE BATTLE OF SOUTHAM.
A proper 'run' over the Wrekin today. 35 minutes up, 14 down, the 2.57 miles/4.14 km in 46:11. Some interesting obstacles - fallen trees to jump or clamber over - on the way up. Beyond me to keep a continuous running pace with a 1:3 slope in places. I managed about a quarter of it,… Continue reading ► THE WREKIN AGAIN.
Half-a-day out by train, walking from Telford Central to Wellington railway stations, 12½ miles, taking in The Wrekin on the way. ▲ The precise point, SJ 68274 08783, turns out to be the end of a narrow Telford suburbia back road called Princes End. (No apostrophe, not even on Victorian maps). Not a lot to… Continue reading ► 1000 RANDOM POINTS – Lawley.
The first of my new 'Random Points' visited, Trumpet Corner, three miles WNW of Ledbury, Herefordshire. Started off with an Earl Grey tea at the Sorrel and Sage Tearooms, which I'd definately recommend, then visited the RP, a spot in the centre of the rather busy A438, opposite the centre of a farm gate, grid… Continue reading ► 1000 RANDOM POINTS – Trumpet Corner.
Some time ago, 2017 in fact, I created a list of one thousand 'random points' (RPs) scattered across Britain and the Isle of Man, a sort of antidote to all the lists of hills, mountains, trig points, etc. out there. The locations were chosen using computer-enerategd random numbers converted to geographic coordinates, applying certain modifying… Continue reading ► 1000 RANDOM POINTS.
The only 'I' vegetable I could identify, apart from some obscure and exotic things. Came across this use somewhere on the web as a meat dish - I'm sure it would be very tasty with a bit of chicken, pheasant or other meat. My version has the lettuce well chopped up and mixed with slices… Continue reading ► VEGGIE ALPHABET – I – ICEBERG LETTUCE WRAP
A simple recipe: one can of chickpeas juice of one lemon two big heaped tablespoons of tahini teaspoon of all-purpose seasoning half-a-mug of water ... all whizzed up in a blender - might need a bit more water if it stays too thick. Served with a couple of toasted pitta breads.
SOME TIME AGO, three years to be precise, I was working my way through something I called 'my veggie alphabet' (posting it on Facebook, a medium I've all but abandoned). Got to the letter 'G', but no further. The idea was partly inspired by a comment made by Alex Honnold, a climber and vegetarian, in… Continue reading ► BACK TO THE VEGGIE ALPHABET – H.
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