Most, apart from the best-informed naturalists among us, are puzzled from time to time by the sounds of nature; particularly the ones which surprise us in the middle of the night. Charlie Bennett investigates some of the creatures which go screech in the night
The Erratic
Patrick Norris, of Footsteps guided walks based in Northumberland, sent us this magnificent photograph of The Erratic alongside a poem he has written. As an introduction, he writes:
The Erratic in question sits high on Bewick Moor deep in rural Northumberland. It is listed on the British Geological Survey website and their literature preceding the internet. In a curious twist, the moor is mis-named in the listing as Berwick Moor, rather than Bewick Moor. The photograph that accompanies the listing on the BGS website was taken in 1925 and nothing much has changed. The poem reflects on the landscape and that we are just passing through, the erratic though has sat in the same place for about 10,000 years and watched us pass by.
How Now, Hedley Kow?
Tom Barker, resident of Stocksfield, keen walker and occasional writer, explores the local legend of the Hedley Kow. Photos by Rob Barker
Tucked up in bed on a recent, freezing winter night, I was looking forward to the following day, when I planned to walk from home in Stocksfield up to nearby Hedley on the Hill—a tiny village at the southern edge of Northumberland.