Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 19/09/2026In an honour of the late, very great, Stephanie Cole I am re-listening to Cabin Pressure from A to Z. Abu Dhabi here we come. The lemon is always in play... 131
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 01/09/2026Last Monday I walked, rather indirectly, from West Dean to Salisbury. I may have carried out some future-gin-based foraging en-route... 100
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 01/09/2026Last weekend I visited a few local Open Studios - and acquired a new tree for me mini forest - saw an open air Pirates of Penzance and cycled in an unburnt portion of the New Forest. Time well spent... 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 21/08/2026Another late night but well worth it to see A Formal Horse, who describe themselves as a spicy avant-rock quartet (and who am I to argue), being wonderful: both silly and serious at the same time and uplifting as always! 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Yesterday I visited the Brixton Academy to see Primus. The queue to get in was something to behold, and seemed to cover most of SW9, and 4000+ people in an old cinema was exceeding sweaty but the music was great fun! 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 16/08/2026After the Prom, I wandered the streets of London before enjoying the Barbara Hepworth exhibition at the Courtauld. 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 16/08/2026Yesterday it was punk, today It's the Swedish Chamber Orchestra at the Proms. Even better I got a free ticket upgrade from the back of the gods to the second row of the stalls! Even found time for breakfast and a little sightseeing on the way despite major train issues... 110
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 16/08/2026Yesterday was a two wristband day: Open Day at fff Brewery, where my personalised t-shirt received due recognition, and then on to the Portsmouth Punk Fest, which took place in the space I usually see chamber music. Both events were great fun! 010
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 12/08/2026The benefits of a railway arch are underrated. As is my habit, with a relatively short wait for my platform to be revealed at Waterloo, I party at the Hole in the Wall. London is painfully hot but underneath the arches I enjoyed my pint in the cool... 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 11/08/2026This morning was my annual tradition of not climbing Arthur's Seat but instead enjoying the solitude of the adjacent Crow Hill. This year the walk was boosted by at least 4 swifts (plus swallows and martins). I also finally made it to Duddingston village after years of meaning to... 010
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 11/08/2026Waterways exhausted, yesterday I headed into the Pentland Hills before my first lunchtime gig. The views from and around Allermuir and Capelaw Hills were glorious and I was (almost) the only soul out... 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 11/08/2026For my first two days in Edinburgh I walked to my first gig via a waterway. The Modern Art Gallery via the Water of Leith and the Pleasance via the Union Canal. Sadly, I then ran out of waterways... 061
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 04/08/2026A stroll along the Arun from Ford and then along the almost deserted beach from Climping to Littlehampton... 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 03/08/2026A half planned, half improvised day in Lymington. Two new nature reserves, a first visit to both the Monkey Brewhouse and the St Barbe Museum and topped with a spitfire performing aerobatics as I ate my lunch! 030
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 02/08/2026I went to Trout'nAbout in Stockbridge today and all I came back with was a bar of soap, 4 trout fish cakes, a tiny vase and this picture of an historic bus (i.e. one even older than me). It was surprisingly good, extensive and popular... 001
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 30/07/2026After a busy morning I'm chilling in my sister's garden with Augusto Pinochet. My feline nephew is very jealous... 010
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 30/07/2026A lovely morning taking in some church crawling (3/7ths of the Cuckmere Pilgrim Path), the glory that is the Charleston Farmhouse and the joy of the Cricketers Arms in Berwick. Could almost pass for being productive... 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 30/07/2026On Tuesday, in a combination of train, biking and hiking I visited the Beaulieu River and parts of the New Forest never previously seen. 021
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 30/07/2026Yesterday, I disembarked the train early and took an unnecessarily hilly route to my destination. Would recommend! The destination, the Lamb Inn in Eastbourne was also well worth the visit.. 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 18/07/2026The first colander of damsons from my tree: it has excelled itself this year! Stewing is underway.. 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 16/07/2026Technically, I'm at a wedding but I'm claiming this as a gig. The James Owston Quartet are seriously good and James has played the SMJC... 110
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 27/06/2026Sometimes a visit to an art gallery produces something more than usually unexpected... 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 24/06/2026A morning stroll from Dancing Ledge to Durlston Head (and back). Going early and being on the coast did ameliorate the heat somewhat but at the cost of an absence of shade... 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 22/06/2026Walk or pub crawl? I'm going to claim the former as in the 12 miles from Alresford to Winchester via the Flowerpots Inn and new paths dodging the non-existent crowds on the Itchen and South Downs Ways I visited only two pubs, plus one more on the walk home from the station... 010
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 19/06/2026Also last weekend, a visit to Harold Hillier gardens. Many floral stars - the cornus were stunning - but the unexpected spotted orchids were my highlight. I did also buy plants, i am becoming my parents... 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 19/06/2026Last weekend, my longer, if flatter, stroll took me from Wallington to the Isis Farmhouse in Oxford along the Thames Path. Many dragons and countless damsels accompanied the walker... 010
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 19/06/2026A glorious stroll from Haslemere to Hindhead Common and the Devil's Punchbowl: the latter looking less than fully devilish in the June sun. Birdsong galore, the heather coming into bloom and sightings of rural fox and redstart... 010
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 19/06/2026Proot, if it were needed, that a train running on time represents a fault with the system... 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 17/06/2026Sadly I was forced to finish the packet of ChocoLeibniz Dark as I was unable to get the planned survivors back in the packet. I am, obviously, distraught about this turn of events... 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 30/05/2026Last week I visited Mottisfont to check on the progress towards summer, and look at some prints. Summer seemed to be progressing well... 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 27/05/2026For my last full day at Plentzia there was a walk along the cliffs to Sopela and its surf, followed by a brief excursion to a txakoli (wine) festival... 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 26/05/2026Saturday involved much less walking but travel further afield to a sidería: which offered as much cider as you could drink! (Plus classic sidería food and plenty of it). The trip also included a visit to the historic town of Hernani and views of more of the region's mountains! 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 25/05/2026There was much to be enjoyed - especially the work of Ruth Osawa - and much to be derided: which is as it should be in a modern art gallery! 100
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 25/05/2026My Friday adventures were in Bilbao, taking in the Guggenheim, the Casco Viejo and even (watching) a game of jai alai. 010
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 24/05/2026On the Wednesday, I climbed an actual mountain (definitions vary): Pagasarri. As was becoming traditional, the footpath on the planned route (and multiple alternatives) was closed but thanks to the OS map app a way was found and the peak achieved! 010
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 23/05/2026On the Tuesday I took a rather damp walk from the flat to Arminza. A significant chunk of the path was closed by erosion, so some vibe routing was required: this really made one pine for the OS Map app... 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 21/05/2026Last week I was in Plentzia, on the Bay of Biscay, and a tube ride from downtown Bilbao. It was a very pleasant place to stay and I enjoyed many adventures, of which more will follow... 010
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 10/05/2026Yesterday I walked a chunk of the Itchen Way from near the source of the river to Shawford. Less direct views of the river before Winchester than hoped but almost compensated for by the river 'on fire' when departing the pub rather closer to home... 010
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 10/05/2026On Friday I went for my annual visit to the Rothschilds: or at least their garden at Exbury. It's not cheap to enter but it never disappoints when it comes to plant-based spectacle! 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 10/05/2026Last weekend, I visited the Isle of Purbeck in rather better weather than forecast and enjoyed some fine geomorphology, a pint at the Square and Compass and saw my first swifts of the year: an excellent day out! 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 03/05/2026One cuckoo is never enough, so on Friday - as part of a Tetrapak recycling and greengrocer visiting mission - I strolled around Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve. Lots of cuckoo action and another warbler to add to my rally (garden)... 010
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 03/05/2026A double Rail to Ramble on Wednesday through the very well-heeled Surrey countryside from Godalming to Haslemere. Heard my first cuckoo of the year near Buss's Common: sumer is icumen in... 010
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 01/05/2026Last Friday I walked along the Itchen Navigation from Winchester to Southampton. The weather was glorious, I was serenaded by at least four species of warbler and saw multiple goslings... 010
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 01/05/2026Inspired by last month's SAS lecture I went to Highdown Hill near Worthing to look for signs of archaeology and archaeologists. I found both along with fine views and a very fine garden... 010
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 21/04/2026Saturday by electric bus to Perth for an afternoon of Scottish Colourists, neon unicorns, more splendid views from Kinnoull Hill and a red squirrel just below the summit! 010
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 19/04/2026The weather in Glasgow on Friday was very on-brand but didn't stop me from fitting in two gigs and a visit to the Burrell Collection... 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 19/04/2026On Thursday I took a stroll from Peebles along the River Tweed and up to enjoy the amazing views from the hillfort(s) of Cademuir Hill: the weather was unexpectedly kind! 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 18/04/2026On Monday I strolled from Milford to Lymington to check out any new arrivals from the south. I saw my first ever whitethroats and first linnets, avocets and terns of 2026: the year turns! 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 15/04/2026I'm on a train heading at speed to Edinburgh and can't help feeling LNER over-ordered their Christmas stationery. My menu is still Winter branded and my placemat speaks for itself... 000
Stuart Ffoulkes @stuartff.bsky.social · 13/04/2026I don't remember these tulips from last year, or buying them over the winter, but they are splendid and I am willing to forgive their lack of backstory and potentially demonic origins... 000
