Geography and all that Jazz

2 RGS-IBG 'events'... Just catching up with the Monday night lecture that Robert MacFarlane gave at the Royal Geographical Society on the 14th of April relating to his wonderful book that I have blogged about before: " The Wild Places ". I was unable to attend this particular lecture (it being my daughter's birthday), but this is the next best thing... It's available to RGS-IBG members, and I would recommend that you listen to it. It's full of humour and powerful images, and introduces a new way of exploring the landscape: "border crossings" as Dr. MacFarlane calls them.... It was also good to hear mentions of some of my favourite authors: Barry Lopez (probably my favourite writer if pushed...), Colin Thubron, William Least-Heat Moon, Roger Deakin, Thoreau and Bruce Chatwin, and mentions of some of my favourite places, such as Camasunary and Coruisk on Skye, the Burren's limestone, Bleaklow in the Peak District and the wild expanse of Ran...

Knock on the door a couple of minutes ago brought a welcome parcel: a book I saw in the Liverpool Tate shop: "Patterns of the Earth". Like the sticker on the front which says "Essential for creative thinkers and inquiring minds." and the second book was one I've been waiting for for about 3 months, and which has had great reviews by people such as Rory McLean, Andrew Motion and Tim Adams. Search for "wild places MacFarlane" to read the reviews for yourself. He visits places I know well myself: Norfolk, Loch Coruisk and Raasay.. Even the map at the front of the book makes you look at the country from a different angle.. I'm looking forward to getting stuck into this, but first I have to cook tea...