My nature writing is entwined, like the DNA double-helix, with my other writing. This was not a conscious act, but rather one that spontaneously emerged. My own experience of nature writing is that much of it is lyrical but toothless, and too often narcissistic and entitled. In these pages I have strived to look at nature both as it is, and with a psychological eye. We humans have moulded the planet according to our beliefs and needs. The turmoil that is emerging from Covid-19 will either be the last nail in the body of nature, or it will mark a renaissance in thinking.

Quite a few years ago I started to write a series of pieces inspired by the paintings of Charles Tunnicliffe. It proved to be onerous, not so much because of research, but because it became truly painful to discover how much of the beautiful wildlife of our island has been lost. However, I decided that the subject is too important to leave and I will be returning to the project this Winter.

I hope you find this nature writing enlightening and valuable. I have also written many pieces about psychology, politics, places and music. There’s poetry too. Nature runs through them all.