Category Archives: Islands

Skellig Michael – The Edge of the World

Posted on March 17, 2017 by

Today is St Patrick’s Day and March 17 is the supposed date of the 5th-century missionary’s death. Patrick was the forerunner of many early missionaries who came to Irish shores to preach Christianity, the island more receptive to new ideas … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Islands, Travel, wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Thingvellir

Posted on December 23, 2014 by

The winter solstice marks the dark frontier of the annual cycle: that time of year when days are at their shortest; the period of feasting before the corner of the year is turned and daylight and warmth return to awaken barren … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Islands, Travel | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Lofoten – from Å to Bø

Posted on September 17, 2012 by

North Norway’s Lofoten Islands are famous for their beauty. Not for nothing have these islands been sometimes described as the most beautiful in the world. Even on the dullest of days, the landscape here is breathtaking. Vertiginous ridges of ancient granite and gneiss … Continue reading →

Posted in Islands, Travel | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

North of Narvik

Posted on September 9, 2012 by

Havøysund, Finnmark This post celebrates Europe’s most northerly reaches. I have just returned from a Scandinavian trip where I travelled between Stockholm, Sweden and Kirkenes close to the Russian and Finnish borders in Norway’s far north. Most of the travel, which was … Continue reading →

Posted in Islands, Ocean, Travel | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments