Most of the migrating birds have either come or gone, although sportsmen will be waiting in expectation to see the fall of woodcock during the November full moon. Indeed, such is their association with the moon, that it was once thought that they migrated there each year
But, if you look up into the sky, particularly on warm sunny days during the autumn, you will often see thin strands of gossamer, sometimes in their thousands, floating with the wind. These are tiny spiders, or spiderlings, which spin a line of silk and 'parachute' from their place of birth to find pastures new. The strands are called gossamer after geese, as the event traditionally took place around the time of the great goose fairs in November. The spiders can travel huge distances up to 932 miles and, for this reason, are often the first animals to inhabit newly formed volcanic islands.
Last week, I flew from Inverness to Gatwick on my return from salmon fishing. Needless to say, a large number of our party's bags went missing. This common problem was exacerbated by the fact that a number contained frozen fish. The bags have now all turned up. You could smell them before you could see them
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‘‘In the silence, it is the most perfect blue I have ever seen. If my goggles weren’t already overflowing with water I might even weep’: Learning to freedive on the sparkling French Riviera with a five-time World ChampionFive-time freediving World Champion Arthur Guérin-Boëri calls the serene waters of Cap-Ferrat his office. Now, one storied hotel is offering guests a chance to take a deep breath and jump into the deep unknown with him.
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The Hollywood garden designers who turned their hand to a magical corner of SomersetCaisson House's fifteen abandoned locks were part of the draw for Amanda and Phil Honey, who have created this astonishing garden in the grounds of the former headquarters of the Somersetshire Coal Canal Company just outside Bath. Caroline Donald discovers more; photography by Jason Ingram.
