Meteorology | Types of Fog

Because there’s more to fog than you might think…

Fog is made up of tiny water droplets, suspended near the earth’s surface. But there are several different types of fog. Here are a few you might spot. 

Valley Fog

When cold, heavy air settles into a valley with warm air above it condenses to form fog which can sometimes hang around for days at a time.

Radiation Fog

Clear skies and calm, cold conditions cools the air close to the ground, creating condensation and fog. As the sun warms the earth, it ‘lifts’.

Advection Fog

This happens when warm, damp air meets with a cold surface, cooling the air. You often see it at sea when tropical air moves across cool waters. 

Coastal Fog

Advection fog can itself cause coastal fog, when warm air moves over the cool sea, usually over the east coast of the country, where it’s known as ‘fret’, or as ‘haar’ in eastern Scotland. 

Upslope Fog (aka hill fog)

Cold air is blown up a slope by the wind, cooling further the higher it rises, and taking in moisture, which then condenses and becomes fog. 

Evaporation fog

When cold moves across warm water such as a swimming pool, steam fog occurs. You can see the same effect when cold fronts move over warm seas at the end of summer.  

A note on Mist

The main difference according to the Met office, is in how far you can see through them. If you can see less than 1,000 metres away, they call it fog and if you can see further than that it’s mist. 

If you’re inspired to see, feel and maybe photograph more fog, you might like to read our feature ‘Mist Opportunity’ in our November issue. It’s taken from Chasing Fog: Finding Enchantment In A Cloud by Laura Pashby (Simon & Schuster).

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Make | A Beetle Bucket

This simple back garden project means you can offer a safe haven for beetles and other bugs

You’ll need: a plastic bucket, a drill, a spade, some logs or branches (shorter than the bucket), stones of varying sizes, bark chippings, leaves.

1. Drill holes of different sizes (for different beetles) in the sides and bottom of your bucket.

2. Dig a hole slightly bigger than your bucket and a couple of inches deeper.

3. Place the bucket in the hole and put some stones in the bottom, then carefully place the branches or logs in, in an upright position.

4. Use more stones, bark chippings and leaves to fill the rest of the space and cover with some of the soil you removed when digging the hole.

5. Wait for your six-legged guests to move in.

This project is taken from our August Almanac pages, by Iona Bower, where you’ll find seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do each month.

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Nature studies | How spiral shells are made

We’ve all picked up a spiralled shell on the beach and marvelled at how nature can produce something so intricate and mathematically beautiful, but how are they actually formed?

The shape of spiral shells, such as nautilus shells, are known by mathematicians as ‘logarithmic spirals’. These are shapes that follow the Fibonacci sequence and there are many examples in nature, from sunflower hearts to entire galaxies: for any rotation angle in these shapes, the distance from the origin of the spiral increases by a fixed amount. 

In nautilus shells like the Necklace Shell, above, there are many chambers, which the mollusc inside inhabits. As the creature grows, it needs bigger and bigger chambers to live in, so it creates these via a process called biomineralisation. 

During biomineralisation, the mollusc’s mantle (a soft organ that secretes a substance high in calcium carbonate) gets to work, making a deposit at the opening of the shell, following the ‘expand, rotate, twist’ rule to create the spiral. Here’s how that works:

1. Expand: it must deposit more material than it did when creating the previous part of the spiral.

2. Rotate: by depositing more material on one side of the opening, it creates a full rotation of the aperture, making a doughnut shape.

3. Twist: It rotates the point of deposition each time. The twist part is what gives a helicospiral shell, rather than a planospiral shell like that of the nautilus. So it’s not always necessary but it’s rather cool and clever, so we’ve included it here. 

Nearly all shells rotate to the right and are known as dextral shells. It’s very rare to see a sinistral shell, where the spirals rotate to the left. But what’s fascinating is that the fossil record shows this was not always the case and the direction of spiral shells changes over the centuries. Why? Nobody really knows. Perhaps, as a species, they got giddy…

The shell images used here are taken from The Shell Spotter’s Guide by Helen Scales with illustrations by Ella Sienna (National Trust Books). We have an extract and a short guide to shell spotting in our August issue, which is on sale now.
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Augur shell by Ella Sienna

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Nature | Waterways Wildlife

Spring is the time for messing about in boats (or definitely for enjoying and amble or a cycle along the water’s edge). Whether you’re on a canal boat or are land-lubbing, there’s so much wildlife to see along Britain’s canals and towpaths.

In the water

Stop and look down into the water at a quiet spot and you’ll see all manner of waterlife. Look out for smooth newts, which are browny-green with spotted throats and are present in virtually all of Britain’s waterways. Frogs become aquatic in spring, too. Outside breeding season, they mostly live on land, but you might spot one doing breaststroke at this time of year. 

If you’re really lucky you can spot the occasional otter in Britain’s canal network. They tend to live near lakes and rivers, or on the coast but you can sometimes spot them while hunting for food in quieter areas of the canals. 

On the water

Look closely at the still surface of the canal and you might see waterboatmen, skating across the top of the water, particularly when the water close to them is disturbed. 

Mallards, geese and swans are also common sights on our waterway network, sailing gracefully by as their feet paddle furiously and invisibly beneath. 

In the air

Don’t forget to look up and around you while you’re on the canal or wandering along the towpath. Damsel flies and dragonflies love the reeds for breeding and can be seen darting across the water and the towpath, looking for food. 

At dusk, keep an eye out for bats, also on the hunt for insects to eat. They often make their homes in old bridges, tunnels and aqueducts near canals and are particularly in evidence in the spring as they wake from hibernation. 

And - you’ll need to be eagle eyed - but look out for flashes of petrol blue, streaking past your ears to dart into the water for fish. They live in areas of dense cover close to fresh water, and you shouldn’t approach their nests if you do see one, but they’re a sight to behold, flashing through the air. 

On the banks

Ever feel like you’re being watched? Herons stand proudly at the edge of the canals, staring at their fellow water dwellers. They don’t like deep water so tend to perch on the banks or paddle in the shallow waters right at the edge.

There’s plenty of animal life on the riverbanks, too. Water voles make their homes in the steep banks of canals, with tunnels and nesting chambers forming a labyrinth in the banks themselves. Look out for ‘grazed’ areas of grass near the entrances to their tunnels. 

In sandy canal banks, badgers find easy areas to dig and will often establish their setts there. Badger setts are actually a bit of a nuisance for canals as they can cause leaks, which are difficult and expensive to mend, so they will sometimes be ‘moved on’ by the canal trusts.

On the towpath

Watch out for grasshoppers, leaping across your path into the long grass (the clue is in the name, after all). Speaking of which, grass snakes also have dwellings in river banks but are more easily spotted out on the towpaths, basking in the sunshine. If they realise they’ve been spotted, grass snakes will sometimes play dead, a performance which can be fairly Oscar-worthy.

If you’d like to read more about why we all love a canal (and a towpath, too!), don’t miss our feature ‘Steady as you Go’ in our April issue.

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Poetry | Carpets of Flowers

In our March issue, we look at outings where you can see flowers en masse. Here are a few poets who were inspired by the sight of hosts of golden daffodils, bluebells, heather and more.

Wordsworth’s Daffodils

We’ll start with the ‘daddy’ of flower carpets. “Continusous as the stars that shine and twinkle on the Mily Way, They stretch’d in never ending line along the margin of a bay. Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.” Wordsworth was wandering (lonely as a cloud) around Glencoyne Bay in Ullswater with his sister Dorothy when he spotted the daffs that were to inspire one of the most famous poems of all time. 

Browning’s Snowdrops

Always here early in the year and then gone so fast, Robert Browning’s snowdrops in ‘The Lost Mistress’ are all about the fleeting magic of those carpets of little white bells, using them as a metaphor by which to compare his neverending love: “For each glance of the eye so bright and black, Though I keep with heart’s endeavour, Your voice when you wish the snowdrops back, Though it stay in my heart forever.”

Stevenson’s Heather

Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Heather Ale’ is all about the dark magic of an ale brewed from heather and the magical sight of the carpets of blooms that made them. “From the bonny bells of heather They brewed a drink long-syne, Was sweeter far than honey, Was stronger far than wine.” The flowers, the ale and the legend are all intertwined in mystical fashion in this celebration of the wildness of the heather flower. 

Anne Bronte’s Bluebells

Bronte views the bluebells not in carpets but each as its own little person: “A fine and subtle spirit dwells In every little flower, Each one its own sweet feeling breathes With more or less of power.” The sight of one amongst a carpet of other flowers brings back to her memories of childhood and deep, and slightly disturbed, feelings. 

If you’ve been inspired to wander among the daffodils, too, turn to page 58 to read our feature, ‘Show Time’ by Cinead McTernan, in our March issue.

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Make | Natural Watercolours

In our March issue, we met artist Caroline Ross who makes pigments and paints from natural materials, largely earth. We were inspired to give other natural materials a go. Here are a few ways of making natural paints and dyes from things growing nearby or sitting around your kitchen.

1. Onion skin - makes beautiful pinks and yellow colours. Boil in water, strain, cool and use as a fabric dye. 

2. Beetroot - for a lovely deep pink, boil beetroot for a couple of hours then blend and strain through a muslin to make paint. 

3. Blueberries - make a blue or purple paint when you mash, strain, mash again and then add a little flour to the juice to thicken.

4. Spinach - create a green paint by steeping the leaves in water.

5. Paprika - mixed with water makes an easy orange paint. 

6. Wood ash - mix with a little water to make grey.

Turn to page 46 of the March issue to meet artist Caroline Ross and find out about the earth pigments she uses in her painting.

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How To | Build a Nesting Box

Nesting season starts this month. If you’d like to encourage small birds to make their home in your garden, roll out the red carpet for them with a homemade nesting box.

This nesting box project by The Woodland Trust is a lovely, simple box to make that you can complete in an afternoon. Visit their page for the full instructions and to find lots more inspiration for encouraging birds to visit your outdoor space.

You will need

• A plank of untreated wood, measuring 1.4-1.5m in length, 15cm in width and at least 15mm thick for insulation

• A saw, drill, screws and nails

• A pencil and tape measure

• A strip of rubber

How to make the nest box

1. Measure, mark up and then saw your wood into the following six sections:
   • 2 Sides: one cut at 25cm x 15cm x 20cm, and another cut at 20cm x 15cm x 25cm (both pieces needs cutting at a diagonal so that the roof piece sits on a slant - this is for rain to run off)
   • Front – 20cm x 15cm x 20cm
   • Roof – 21cm x 15cm x 21cm
   • Back – 35cm x 15cm x 35cm
   • Base – 12cm x 15cm x 12cm

2. Use a drill to make a round entrance hole in the front piece. It should sit near the top and the size of the hole depends on the species you’d like to attract – 32mm is great for house sparrows, 25mm for blue tits.

3. Drill some small holes into the base to help with drainage.

4. Once all the wood is cut, sand it to ensure it’s safe for the birds.

5. Nail everything, excluding the roof, together.

6. Attach the roof using screws. Use a waterproof rubber strip as a hinge so that the roof can be easily lifted up for cleaning.

7. Decorate your box with non-toxic water-based paints to finish it or leave it as is.

If you’ve been inspired to invite more birds into your garden, you’ll want to read our feature ‘Chirp Appeal’ in our February issue, from page 106.

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January | Things to Appreciate

A few things to see this month, and an outing idea to read, too

While the trees are still skeletal, leaving nothing but catkins and the odd seed head, and the skies big, it’s a great chance to spot birds and be able to see them in more detail, while they are unhidden by foliage.

Banish all thoughts of twitchers and musty mackintoshes; birdwatching is ‘having a moment’, so an outing that blows away the cobwebs is just the ticket.

Before you head out you’ll need a birdwatching kit. Think binoculars, a notebook and pencil, and a field guide – Collins Bird Guide is a good buy, or Birda is a free app for your phone. A phone camera is useful to snap any birds you want to identify later. Pack snacks and drinks, too – you don’t want to have to go off in search of a sarnie just as a wood warbler appears.

Finding your local RSPB reserve is a good place to start as they may have their own hides and knowledgeable staff, but you can plough your own furrow location-wise if you prefer. Don’t forget, 26–28 January is the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch (rspb.org.uk) so you’ll have an opportunity to bring birdwatching home and use your new skills from your kitchen window, too.

This outing idea was featured on our Almanac Pages of our January issue, where each month we collate a few seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do. The nature table image above was taken by Alice Tatham of The Wildwood Moth who takes a photograph for our back cover each month, featuring things to appreciate in nature. She also runs workshops on seasonal photography and publishes seasonal journal stories from her home in Dorset.

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Learn | To Tell Moth Jokes

Longer evenings and lights on indoors mean we see a bit more of moths at this time of year. In case you meet a moth, here are a few of our favourite moth jokes to share with her

Why was the moth unpopular?

He kept picking holes in everything.

A man walks into a dentist’s surgery and says “Help! I think I’m a moth!”

The dentist replies "You shouldn't be here. You should be seeing a psychiatrist..."

The man replies, "I am seeing a psychiatrist."

The dentist asks, "Well, then what are you doing here?"

The man says, "Well, your light was on."

Why do moths like the light?

Because if they liked the dark, they’d be goths. 

Where do moths buy their suits?

Moth Bros.

What’s a moth’s favourite type of glasses?

Lamp shades.

What is the biggest moth called?

A mammoth.

Why did one moth kill the other moth?

He was a member of the mothia.

What did Mick Jagger do when he found moths in his wardrobe?

Nothing. A Rolling Stone gathers no moths. 

What do insects learn at school?

Mothematics.

A man in the cinema notices a moth sitting next to him. “Are you a moth?” he asks. “Yes,” replies the moth. “What are you doing at the cinema?” the man asks. “Well, I enjoyed the book,” says the moth. 

If you’d like to learn more about moths, you might like to read our Magical Creatures feature in our October issue. Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

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October | Things to Appreciate

The leaves are turning and falling, so why not find a weekend afternoon to visit an arboretum and see how many of the things on our back cover nature table you can spot in the wild?

The leaves are turning but there are still plenty of good weather days to be had. One way to make the most of the last warmish weekends, and embrace autumn, too, is to pack up your camera and a picnic and head to an arboretum. With the trees turning orange, red and gold, you should be able to capture lots of amazing pictures of the autumn colour on display. Many of the big arboreta have trails you can follow to make sure you don’t miss any of the more unusual or special specimens growing there. An outing to an arboretum is also a chance to connect with nature and improve your wellbeing. You don’t have to go in for a full tree hug (though we would encourage it!) but some light forest bathing, just sitting at the foot of a tree, looking up at the canopy, can help to reduce stress and boost your mood. And if not, a flask of soup on a blanket alongside a spot of leaf identification is sure to leave you in mood for the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.

This idea for a day out was featured on our Almanac Pages, where each month we collate a few seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do. The nature table image above was taken by Alice Tatham of The Wildwood Moth who takes a photograph for our back cover each month, featuring things to appreciate in nature. She also runs workshops on seasonal photography and publishes seasonal journal stories from her home in Dorset.

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September | Things to Appreciate

A few things to see outdoors this month and a thing to do, too…

As well as being a bountiful time for your nature table. September seems like a good month to appreciate the coast now it’s quieter and to make some memories to see you through winter, too. Here’s an idea for a simple make that does both those things - Scented Seashell Candles.

You’ll need: a bain-marie; a selection of seashells*; beeswax and tealight wicks (both available from craft suppliers); essential oil of your choice – we like sweet orange and ylang ylang.

1 Clean and dry your shells, then place them in a plastic container of sand to help them stay still.

2 Set up your bain-marie with a small metal bowl inside a larger pan of boiling water.

3 Add the beeswax to the smaller bowl and wait for it to melt. Once it’s liquid, add in a few drops of your essential oil and stir.

4 Pour some of the beeswax into the empty shells and then add a tealight wick to each one. Wait for them to set before lighting, and enjoying the relaxing scent and a reminder of happy days by the sea.

*Only take empty shells from the beach and only a few at a time. Have a look round your house and garden, too – you may well find a few seashells from beach days gone by.

This kitchen table project was featured on our Almanac Pages, where each month we collate a few seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do. The nature table image above was taken by Alice Tatham of The Wildwood Moth who takes a photograph for our back cover each month, featuring things to appreciate in nature. She also runs workshops on seasonal photography and publishes seasonal journal stories from her home in Dorset.

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August | Things to appreciate

Fieldwork: exploring sand dunes

Dunes are formed when grains of sand and shells blow across the beach and become trapped in plant life growing above the strandline. The more sand that’s trapped, the easier it is for more grains to pile up, and eventually dunes are created. The grey-green spiky tufts that you’ll see blowing in the wind is marram grass, the daddy of the dunes. Its matted roots literally hold the dunes together, keeping them stable and allowing other plants to colonise. Dunes are in a constant state of development, so you’ll find them in various stages, from ‘embryo’ and ‘mobile’ dunes to the more stable ‘fixed dunes’ and ‘dune heaths’ once the marram’s done its work.  Sheltered hollows in more developed dunes are home to everything from sand lizards and Grayling butterflies, to stonechats and sand wasps. Wander further inland and you’re in the ‘fixed dunes’ where plants such as Kidney vetch and Biting stonecrop thrive.  Pay attention to signs and never go ‘dune surfing’ on designated reserves or beaches where wildlife thrives. However, they’re fascinating habitats to explore and one of the most impressive examples you’ll see of nature working in harmony.

This fieldwork idea was featured on our Almanac Pages, where each month we collate a few seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do. The nature table image above was taken by Alice Tatham of The Wildwood Moth who takes a photograph for our back cover each month, featuring things to appreciate in nature. She also runs workshops on seasonal photography and publishes seasonal journal stories from her home in Dorset.

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July | Things to Appreciate

A few things to see outdoors this month and a thing to do, too…

With more than 11,000 miles of coastline, some of the UK’s most beautiful walks are along its coastal paths, exploring pine forests and clifftops and wandering past sand banks and sweet-smelling hedgerows. From them, you can spot some pretty amazing wildlife, too, both on the path itself, and out at sea.

On the South West Coast Path alone you might encounter wild goats, ponies and hares and spot dolphins and basking sharks. While up on the Fife Coastal Path, you could spot anything from seals to puffins to sea eagles, depending on the time of year. Sightings of are never guaranteed but you can always take a boat trip out to sea if you want to get up close and personal with dolphins, guillemots and other coastal creatures.

Choose a stretch of coast near you, pack a sarnie, a map and binoculars, then take in the view, and maybe steal a picture of a seal, too.

This outing idea was featured on our Almanac Pages, where each month we collate a few seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do. The nature table image above was taken by Alice Tatham of The Wildwood Moth who takes a photograph for our back cover each month, featuring things to appreciate in nature. She also runs workshops on seasonal photography and publishes seasonal journal stories from her home in Dorset.

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June | Things to Appreciate

A few things to see outdoors this month and a thing to do, too…

To accompany this ‘nature table’ image from our back cover by Alice Tatham, you might like to listen to our Podcast of the month from our Almanac Pages, where each month we collate a few seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do.

As The Season Turns
Lose yourself in the sights and sounds of nature each month in this charming podcast by organic perfume makers, Ffern, narrated by The Simple Things’ writer and annual author of The Almanac, Lia Leendertz.
Listen to As The Season Turns here.

The nature table image above was taken by Alice Tatham of The Wildwood Moth. She also runs workshops on seasonal photography and publishes seasonal journal stories from her home in Dorset.

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Learn | Leaf identifier

Our May back cover seemed so fitting for our ‘Leaf’ theme this month, we put it on the front cover, too. Here are a few more things to learn about leaves this month

Now the trees are in leaf, wouldn’t it be lovely to actually know what you’re looking at on a woodland wander? The Woodland Trust has some good advice on learning to identify trees by their leaves. It suggests first looking at whether the leaves are broadleaf (simple leaves in one part like oak leaves) or compound (made up of several different leaflets such as rowan or horse chestnut). Other things to look at are the shape and size of leaves as well as the colour. Check to see if the edges are toothed or smooth, too. Count the veins on the bottom of the leaf and note whether they are straight or curved. The Trust has a free Tree ID app to download on their website (woodlandtrust.org.uk) which is very useful for when you’re out and about, and you can buy a leaf swatch book from their shop, too. If you want more detailed information, Collins’ Complete Guide to British Trees means you will never again bark up the wrong tree.

The leaf identifier is taken from our Almanac pages, which provide inspiration each month on things to note and notice, plan and do. The nature table image above was taken by Alice Tatham of The Wildwood Moth. She also runs workshops on seasonal photography and publishes seasonal journal stories from her home in Dorset.

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April | Nature Table

Here’s our April nature table from our back cover. If you’re foraging for wild garlic or picking a small posy from your garden, do take a picture of the spoils of your own nature table and share it with us. The nature table photograph above is by Alice Tatham, of The Wildwood Moth, who runs workshops on seasonal photography and publishes seasonal journal stories from Dorset.

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Nature | Surprising Things About Hedgehogs

Think you know everything about hedgehogs? You might be surprised by how many hedgehog ‘facts’ are in fact fiction. To avoid the little fellers getting too prickly about things, we’ve unearthed the truth about some common hedgehog myths.

1. Hedgehogs use their spines to collect apples and fungi 

Afraid not. They may look very sweet, drawn with little pieces of fruit on their back, waddling off to store them safely in their cupboards (Brambly Hedge style) for winter, but they don’t really do this. Firstly, they don’t eat apples. Secondly, they don’t store food; they simply eat what they need when they need it. Thirdly, if they did do this, how on earth would they retrieve the apples from their spines anyway? 

You can be forgiven for being taken in though, as this myth dates back centuries. In mediaeval times, hedgehogs were frequently shown in illuminated manuscripts rolling on fruit and carrying it away. Even the Roman Pliny the Elder mentioned it in his Naturalis Historia. But both examples are more Miss Tiggy Winkle than David Attenborough. 

So, if you see a hedgehog with an apple stuck to its back, you can remove it and know you have done the hedgehog a favour. 

2. Hedgehogs love milk and will even steal it from cows.

No. Dairy farmers, relax. Firstly, they are lactose intolerant, but quite how anyone ever believed a hedgehog (even standing on tippy toes) could reach a cow’s udders or that a cow would put up with it for a moment, we are not sure. But it is an interesting myth that has persisted over the years. 

3. They are riddled with fleas.

Like all creatures, some hedgehogs will have fleas but they are not particularly known for it. Also, hedgehog fleas are specific to hedgehogs so they won’t give you or your pets fleas, even if they do have them. 

And here are a few hedgehog facts that might sound like nonsense but are in fact, true.

1. They weren’t originally called ‘hedgehogs’.

They were actually once known as ‘urchins’ and sea urchins are named after them as they also look kind of round and spiky. 

2. They shed their spines, even though you never see them.

We don’t know why you never see hedgehog spines just littering the pavement either, but the fact is that each spine on a hedgehog’s back only lasts about a year before it is shed and a new one grown in its place. 

3. Their collective noun is most confusing. 

Hedgehogs are very rarely seen in a group; they are solitary creatures. However, they do have a collective noun, just in case. A group is called an ‘array’ of hedgehogs, which is also confusing because there isn’t much of an array available. Although there are 15 species of hedgehog across the globe, there is only one species in the UK -  the European Hedgehog. So if you do see a gang of hedgehogs, it will likely be more of a uniform collection than an array. 

If you’d like to know more about hedgehogs, you might like to read our feature ‘Prickly Customers’ in our April issue, which is taken from Ghosts in the Hedgerow by Tom Moorhouse (Doubleday).

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Seasons | Signs of Spring

From nature’s finest displays to the day-to-day changes that let us know warmer weather is on its way, join us in celebrating the things that remind us that - yes - Spring is really here. 

1. Snowdrops have been replaced by nodding daffodils. 

2. Birds are suddenly busy nest-building, seed-munching and twittering in the garden. 

3. You’ve noticed your ‘warm’ pyjamas have made their way to the back of the drawer again. 

4. You hear a cuckoo (or at least think you do… could’ve been a wood pigeon…)

5. Blackthorn hedges are in bloom and cherry blossom is in bud. 

6. You don’t close the back door the ABSOLUTE SECOND you come in from the garden.

7. You’ve almost run out of logs, but you don’t mind.

8. You’re woken by the dawn chorus.

9. You’ve spotted some frogspawn in the local pond. 

10. All your friends are posting pictures of their homemade wild garlic pesto on social media.

11. You went to a pub and sat outside. It was nippy but you sat outside, nonetheless. 

12. Queen bees are buzzing around the first of the flowers. 

13. The shops are full of Easter eggs and you’re not annoyed that this is Far Too Early any more. 

14. The tops of trees and hedges are looking greeny yellow, rather than just twiggy. 

15. You’re contemplating a salad for dinner next week. 

16. Bluebells are starting to carpet forest floors. 

17.You’ve missed a deadline because you got distracted by the Springwatch Live Web Cams (again). 

18. You’ve put your Big Coat away.

19. You can’t really put off mowing the lawn for any longer this year. 

20. You’re mentally edging towards going for an early morning run, rather than sighing and pulling the duvet over your head when your alarm sounds. 

The picture of the cheering spring woodland above is from our Gathering feature, ‘Down With The Daffodils’, from our March issue. It’s a menu and ideas for the first picnic of Spring and includes picnic recipes for everything from hot drinks for flasks, to trail mix and warming portable lunches as well as ideas for spring-spotting fun and games along the way.

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Nature Table | March

We hope you enjoy looking at our March nature table. If you go out hunting for daffodils taken down by the rain, wind-snapped blossomy twigs or other natural treasures, do take a picture of
your own nature table and share it with us. The nature table photograph below is by Alice Tatham, of The Wildwood Moth, who runs workshops on seasonal photography and publishes seasonal journal stories from Dorset.

Photography by Alice Tatham

More wonders of nature…

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Beachcombing | Things you can take home from the seaside

Photography by Greta Rybus from Remodelista in Maine by Annie Quigley (Artisan Books)

Pebbles and stones may be out but there are lots of inventive ways to find a souvenir to take home from the seaside

If you’ve spent a holiday or even just an afternoon at the beach, it’s lovely to be able to take a small memento home with you. Pebbles are out of the question now but there are plenty of ways you can remember a favourite bit of coast while leaving the wild habitat as it should be.

Seaside souvenir no-nos

Sadly, but with good reason, it’s not ok to raid your local bit of coastline or holiday destination for pebbles and sand. The Coast Protection Act of 1949 made it illegal to remove natural materials such as these from any UK beach. The law is there to protect Britain’s beaches from erosion and encroachment by the sea, so it’s in all our interests to help. 

Coastal takeaways that can be ok

While pebbles and sand are totally off limits, other items are ‘grey area’ and not illegal to remove. Shells should never be taken if inhabited of course, but what about empty shells? Well, they’re ok. Empty shells can still provide important habitats for seaside creatures so think carefully before you take a shell home and definitely don’t be greedy - you’re applying the same rules as foraging here - but the odd empty shell isn’t too much of an issue. 

And what about driftwood? It’s ‘a natural material’; it doesn't ‘grow’ on the beach but is washed up, so you are allowed to take it away. As with shells, driftwood can be a good habitat for small sea creatures, however, so be thoughtful about what you remove. A nice, big piece of driftwood with lots of nooks and crannies might make a rather lovely community for some tiny sealife, but little stubby bits of smooth wood might not be missed so much. And again, be abstemious about what you take. One lovely piece of wood to close your hand around in your coat pocket is fine - bags of driftwood to use for craft - not so much (try Hobbycraft, please!)

But there are plenty more environmentally safe ways to bring a little of the seaside back home with you still. Here are a few ideas. 

Sea-safe seaside souvenirs

Sea glass

Unlike pebbles and shells, sea glass is essentially litter. Very beautiful litter, but litter all the same, so good news - you’re fine to pick it up. It’s simply broken glass bottles, polished smooth by the sea. Sea glass is a lovely thing to collect and the green, blue, white and brown sea glass pebbles you find on most of Britain’s beaches look a bit magical stored in a glass jar on a shelf, or made into a mosaic. 

Sea water

The days of filling a glass bottle with pretty sand on your seaside trip are definitely in the past, but if you’ve enjoyed a wild swim in the sea on holiday, no one will begrudge you taking a small bottle of sea water home to occasionally sniff the ozoney scent and be transported back to the days of late summer. Label your bottle and pop it in your bathroom to remind you while you take your morning shower. 

Buoys

Occasionally those brightly coloured reddy-orange balls wash up, slightly broken or dented on the sea shore. They make great garden ornaments if you’re lucky enough to happen across one. 

Lost metal

Taking a metal detector to the beach is a fun way to spend an afternoon. Why not make a collection in a little box of all the coins, ring pulls and other tiny scraps of metal you found and display it as a piece of art? Who knows, you may even happen across some pirate gold!

Fossils

Lots of beaches in the UK are home to amazing fossils. If you’re lucky enough to find one, do take a photo and note the location so you can tell the relevant agencies or local museum. Some areas have restrictions on fossil hunting so pay attention to signage and check local rules. In many cases, fossils belong to the landowner. But mostly, in the UK, it’s fine for amateur fossil hunters to take home the odd find. It’s not like you’ll be falling over perfectly preserved ammonites wherever you go anyway. 

Actual litter

Be a beach Womble and take a bag with you so you can do your bit and collect any rubbish you find (do take gloves and be careful about what you pick up). You find all sorts of mad things left on beaches so you could make a piece of modern art from your finds. Or you could just, you know… bin it. But there’s less fun in that!

Seaweed

Beautiful in water - a little bedraggled looking when washed up on sand - seaweed can be brought back to its beautiful self by pressing it as you would press a flower. Find the instructions for making a seaweed print like the one pictured above on page 104 of our September issue. 

No-trace souvenirs

If you want to leave no trace of your visit at all, modern technology allows us lots of ways to take a little of the seaside home with you while leaving no footprint. You could make a sound recording of the waves to listen to in bed at night, or take a photo of a rockpool filled with seaside treasures and blow it up into a canvas to hang on your wall. The seaside may need protecting but we can all carry a little piece of it in our hearts, after all.  

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