Go Slow in Tuscany

Steve's had a life-long interest in wildlife, particularly plants, birds and butterflies. After graduating in biology and completing a PhD, he taught for many years, running field trips in the Yorkshire dales and elsewhere. As headteacher, he led trips to three continents before retiring to concentrate on conservation work. He established Durham Wildlife Trust botany group, chaired DWT and edited the 5th edition of The Natural History of Upper Teesdale. He especially enjoys giving talks and training, leading walks and surveying in his home county. When not on Naturetrek trips he is botanising and birding in Upper Teesdale and environs, or practicing his French and Spanish! Other credits to his name include being the secretary of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland and is the editor of newly published first edition ‘The natural history of Upper Weardale (companion volume to the 'Upper Teesdale' book). Steve is also the current President of Darlington & Teesdale Naturalists' Field Club.

Glyn has been a bird watcher since he found a Waxwing on his way to school, aged eight. Ever since then, he says, his “lifelong underachieving in study and work has been mainly attributed to this distraction! Many a previous work colleague had a conversation abruptly aborted due to something much more interesting catching my eye out of the window…”

Eventually the penny dropped, and now he finds wildlife for a living! He lives in a lovely part of Essex where a good variety of local habitats deliver a wide range of birds and other wildlife. He regularly enjoys showcasing this on social media which, in turn, has helped several environmental causes he is now working on as an influential local councillor.

Nature watching isn’t always action-packed, so it is important, he says, to enjoy people’s company in the quiet and challenging times as much as when the wildlife is performing! People’s holidays should be fun, regardless of whatever luck they have.

Glyn has been a bird watcher since he found a Waxwing on his way to school, aged eight. Ever since then, he says, his “lifelong underachieving in study and work has been mainly attributed to this distraction! Many a previous work colleague had a conversation abruptly aborted due to something much more interesting catching my eye out of the window…”

Eventually the penny dropped, and now he finds wildlife for a living! He lives in a lovely part of Essex where a good variety of local habitats deliver a wide range of birds and other wildlife. He regularly enjoys showcasing this on social media which, in turn, has helped several environmental causes he is now working on as an influential local councillor.

Nature watching isn’t always action-packed, so it is important, he says, to enjoy people’s company in the quiet and challenging times as much as when the wildlife is performing! People’s holidays should be fun, regardless of whatever luck they have.