A walk along the Bisse du Torrent Neuf, Switzerland

The ‘Bisses’ of the Valais region of Switzerland are long irrigation channels, many of them hundreds of years old, built to channel water from high mountain streams down to pasture land in the valleys below. Carved out from rock along the valley sides many of them follow a precipitous route with dizzying drops below and vertical cliffs above. The Bisse du Torrent Neuf in the central Valais dates back to the 15th century. Thankfully it’s been restored since and today it offers a spectacular out and back walk along the cliff edges, past sheer rock faces and over wobbly suspension bridges.

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Remembrance

Five years ago I had the pleasure of walking the Routeburn Track, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks and arguably one of the world’s. Our first night was spent at Routeburn Falls Hut where the peace of the rain forest had competition from a group of fifteen or so exuberant, high spirited and talkative teenage girls from Otago Girls High School on an outward bound course.

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My walk to Sycamore Gap and some thoughts

“This oak tree and me, we’re made of the same stuff.” Carl Sagan

There has been a great outpouring of emotion and some anger this week and not just on social media about the Sycamore Gap tree. For those who have no idea you can read the story here.
I thought I would tell of my own walk to that tree one grey October day some years ago and share some thoughts as to why it’s felling may have touched people’s emotions.

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