Reports suggest that plans for a cycle track which would wreck the Sanctuary Local Nature Reserve have been abandoned by Derby City Council. Delays to the scheme – due to the brave and, it seems, effective – legal challenge by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust mean that the cost effectiveness of the plans is now in doubt. …
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361 days to go…
And so we say farewell to the Cheltenham Festival for another year. Here are some random thoughts: the whole experience was life-enhancing the company of friends is one of the best things in life Margaret’s pie is simply the best Cheltenham racecourse is rather cruel to have a ‘Ladies’ Day’ in early March when some…
Guest Blog – Fifty shades of Grayling by Carol Day
Carol Day has worked for environmental NGOs, including The Wildlife Trusts and WWF, for over 25 years. She now works as a Solicitor for Leigh Day where she runs the Environmental Planning and Litigation Service (EPLS ) and is also a part-time Legal Consultant for the RSPB. The views expressed here are her own. Mark’s…
Cheltenham preview for Day 4
This is the last day – and the worst day of racing (in my opinion). Yes it has the most prestigious race, the Gold Cup, but the supporting cast of races is a bit uninspiring. This year I’ll be watching the Gold Cup on TV rather than travelling back across the Cotswolds. But, don’t get…
Vermin
We (and I am talking England here) don’t have a vermin list. I’m glad about that. Whenever I hear someone talking about vermin it makes my metaphorical hackles rise. Why should we regard any species that has evolved on this planet as being a problem? Yes, individuals of species can cause us problems but it…
Cheltenham preview for Day 3
Most people regard this as the least interesting day of the Festival – they are wrong. The Ryanair Chase is one of the best races of the four days and the World Hurdle is another. The Ryanair is run over that ‘funny’ distance of 2.5 miles – a bit far for some of the quick…
The week in birding by Jonnie Fisk
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Cheltenham preview for Day 2
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Day 2 is usually my favourite day but I’m not sure that will be the case this year. The ‘big’ race, the Champion Chase, doesn’t quicken the pulse in its usual manner this year. It’s not because Sprinter Sacre, the reigning champion is missing through injury (if that’s the right thing to call a heart…
Past and future defence
The whole purpose of the Monday of Cheltenham week is to free one’s mind from real life and to concentrate on the total irrelevance of horses running around in circles (in the case of Cheltenham, anti-clockwise circles). So with this in mind I went for a walk early on Monday morning to relax and let…
Cheltenham preview for Day 1
I’m off to Cheltenham tomorrow for the first of four days racing at the Cheltenham Festival. Despite the deluges of much of the winter the ground has been drying out, as it always does these days at Cheltenham, and the going will probably be just on the soft side of good. But we’ll see how…