Latest news with #MalcolmWilkinson
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Venomous snakes spotted in North East as wildlife experts issue warnings
Nature lovers and wildlife watchers in County Durham are being treated to an increasingly rare and exciting spectacle—sightings of the adder, Britain's only native venomous snake. While their presence may raise a few eyebrows, experts stress that these shy and reclusive reptiles are more misunderstood. Adder Activity on the Rise As summer ushers in warmer days, adders emerge from hibernation to bask in the sun—a behaviour that has led to a flurry of sightings across County Durham and the wider North East. These sightings have captivated photographers, dog walkers, and hikers alike, providing a unique opportunity to observe one of Britain's most elusive creatures. Confirmed Sighting Locations Include: Rookhope, Weardale – Captured on camera by Jake Lawson on May 1 Fatfield, Gateshead – Reported by Robert Wells near a fishing pond Derwent Reservoir, near Consett – Photographed basking in heather by Christopher Bennett Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve – Regularly seen by Durham Wildlife Trust volunteer Malcolm Wilkinson Pine Woods, Frosterley – One dog was bitten during a walk with its family Hamsterley Forest – Another dog, Dora the dachshund, was bitten on a trail in late April These sightings, both thrilling and sobering, are evidence that adder populations are surviving in County Durham's heathlands, moorlands, and forest edges—habitats essential to their lifecycle. What You Should Know About Adders Size: 50–80 cm in length Appearance: Greyish or brown with a distinct zig-zag pattern along the back and red eyes Variations: Melanistic (black) adders also occur, particularly in upland areas Venom and Risk Though venomous, adders are non-aggressive and pose very little danger to humans. Bites typically occur only when a snake is stepped on or picked up. Symptoms of a bite: Pain, swelling, and in rare cases nausea or dizziness Risk groups: Small children, the elderly, or people with health issues are more vulnerable Treatment: Seek immediate medical help. Most bites are not life-threatening, but prompt care is essential Adder and Pet Safety Recent reports of dogs being bitten in Frosterley and Hamsterley Forest have prompted fresh calls for vigilance. Advice for Walkers and Dog Owners: Stick to clear paths and avoid walking through long grass or undergrowth Keep dogs on leads in known adder habitats during spring and summer Never try to touch or handle a snake If your dog is bitten: Keep them calm and as still as possible Contact your vet immediately Avoid touching the bite or applying pressure If safe, try to remember or photograph the snake for identification Protected but Vulnerable Adders are legally protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and are listed as a priority species under the UK's Biodiversity Framework. Despite this, they remain vulnerable to habitat loss, persecution, and misinformation. Malcolm Wilkinson, a wildlife photographer and volunteer with the Durham Wildlife Trust, has spent years tracking and photographing adders. Read more: Nearly 200 objections to plan for hundreds of new homes in North East town Person taken to hospital after air ambulance lands at County Durham incident Newton Aycliffe woman admits £30,000 council tax and benefit fraud over six years What happens next with Hayden Hackney after Middlesbrough accept Ipswich offer Darlington hair salon forced to pay another former staff member thousands He describes them as 'incredibly shy', adding: 'If disturbed, they slither away quickly. They want nothing to do with us—just a quiet place to warm up and hunt.' His work in preserving moorland and woodland habitats is part of a broader conservation effort aimed at educating the public and encouraging respect for these often-maligned reptiles.
The Guardian
10-06-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
A brief history of the Earth on a walk around the Isle of Arran, Scotland
Around 240m years ago, a 12-foot-long reptile called a chirotherium walked along a beach in what was then part of the supercontinent of Pangaea, and what is now the shoreline of Kildonan village, on the rugged, southern coast of the Isle of Arran. Natural dykes of black igneous rock – cooled magma – jut out into the ocean here. The houses on shore are backdropped by grassy cliffs. We know that this giant proto-crocodile once roamed here because it left behind footprints – which can still be seen today. 'This is older than the dinosaurs,' says Malcolm Wilkinson of Arran Geopark, as we crouch down next to the trace fossil. I place my hand in the massive print and attempt to imagine the world millions of years ago, when Scotland sat just north of the equator and the climate was tropical. After they were made, Malcolm says, these footprints were covered in layers of silt, deposited by water or wind, which protected them from erosion and created a natural mould. Over the next few million years, layers of sediment gathered and compacted on top, cementing the grains and turning the soft mud around the footprint into solid red sandstone. The footprints turned into fossils, and were thrust back to the surface when the Atlantic opened about 60m years ago, tearing Europe and North America apart. As the younger rocks slowly eroded the trackway became visible. Similar prints were first discovered in the Victorian era, and the creature was named chirotherium – 'hand-beast' – because the fossils look like giant, human handprints. Just off the west coast of Scotland and reachable in a little over two hours from Glasgow, Arran has long been known for its rocks, regularly welcoming groups of hard hat-clad students on field trips. In April, it became Scotland's newest Unesco Global Geopark (there are two others, in Shetland and the North West Highlands), in recognition of the world-class geology here, which records tectonic plate collisions and shifting continents. To walk around Arran is to walk through 600m years of Earth's history, and my plan is to hike the 65-mile Arran Coastal Way, which circumnavigates the island, over six days. Thankfully for laymen like myself, the history is spelled out through informative Geopark signage along the way. As the ferry approaches Brodick, the serrated silhouette of the northern mountains comes into focus, the sandstone castle nestled in the greenery below and the mysterious lump of the 'Holy Isle' drawing the eye south. The island is divided by the Highland Boundary Fault, a geological line where tectonic plates once collided, separating Scotland's rolling lowlands from the mountainous highlands. On day one of the Coastal Way I head up Goat Fell, Arran's highest peak (874 meters), and witness this: the granite mountains of the north have jagged ridgelines and tower over deep glens, sculpted by glaciation, while to the south the scenery is soft and green. That evening I stay at the Corrie Hotel and follow a Geopark leaflet to the spot where a sand dune was struck by lightning 270m years ago, locking it in time a stone's throw from the centre of the village. Staring at this 'fossilised fulgurite' and imagining that desert lightning bolt is like staring into a different universe. Along the coast is another trackway, in a remote spot where Arran's only coal seam was exposed to the surface. This one was left by a six-foot millipede that lived 300m years ago, and would be easily missed without the small, oak Geopark signpost. A pod of dolphins swims by as I reach it, stealing the scene, jumping joyfully just offshore. Four miles north sits the most famous geological site on Arran – Hutton's Unconformity. James Hutton, the father of modern geology, visited the island in 1787. At Newton Point, a rocky outcrop in the north of Arran, he observed rock contact between gently sloping sandstone and older, steeply dipping schists. This led Hutton to reason that if natural processes had occurred in the past at the same rate observable in his day, this formation, and so the Earth, must be millions and not thousands of years old – as was widely believed by scholars at the time. Happily, a holidaying geologist is on hand to explain this to me, though he is, by his own admission, 'more excited about the bloody otter' he'd just spotted. I eat fish and chips at the community-owned Lochranza Country Inn and collapse into Lochranza Youth Hostel. A simple (but private) bunk bed provides all the comfort I need. The next day I walk a mighty 19 miles along the boulder-filled coastline and quiet roads around the west of Arran, camping near King's Cave, where iron age crosses are carved into the stone, and watch gannets dive bomb into the sea as the sun sets over the Kintyre Peninsula. Occasionally, I abandon the geological hunt altogether; stopping to watch otters fishing, indulging in a whisky and chocolate tasting at the newly opened Lagg Distillery, or relaxing at The Lagg Inn, whose leafy beer garden is tucked away next to a river. As my walk happens to coincide with perhaps the sunniest week in Arran since Scotland sat at the equator, it isn't hard to convince Malcolm to meet me down at Kildonan shore. 'This really is a world-class geological site,' he tells me, pointing to the shoreline. While we wait for the tide to reveal our 'pre-dinosaur' footprint, Malcolm explains the science of the nearby dyke swarms – the black 'walls' jutting into the sea. 'They're magma which was forced up vertically through cracks in the Earth, and have since eroded away,' he says. 'This is a record of a time Europe and North America were pulled apart; and the Atlantic was born.' Seals lounge around on these globally significant rocks, digesting their breakfast in the sun. 'The special thing about Arran is that it has rock types from basically every geological period of the last half billion years,' Malcolm says. 'We've got the main part of the history of the Earth here – and it's so accessible.' Off shore sits the microgranite mound of Ailsa Craig, home to an enormous colony of gannets, and Pladda, an island with a scenic lighthouse, sitting on what was once molten magma. That evening, via the plummeting waterfalls of Glenashdale, I reach Whiting Bay, and watch an otter scurrying in the sunset before setting up camp. With careful consideration for tide times, my final day skirts along boardwalks and seabed to Lamlash, Arran's most populous village. I stop for a swim at a secluded bay and oystercatchers (my constant companions on the walk) squeak their farewells. Brodick soon welcomes me back with its sublime mountain vistas. As my ferry sails back to the mainland I gaze back at Goat Fell, and the words of the writer Nan Shepherd come to mind: 'the shortsighted cannot love mountains as the longsighted do'. The Corrie Hotel has doubles from £115 B&B, Lochranza Youth Hostel has private rooms from £42 or dorm beds from £20, Lagg Inn has doubles from £170. For more information, see Visit Arran
Rhyl Journal
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
Prestatyn Walking Festival to return – here's what to expect
This walking festival has been led throughout by passionate walker, Malcolm Wilkinson, now in his 80s. He and his small team of volunteers have put together another programme of walks for all abilities this year, including the 21-mile Offas's Dyke Challenge and a Cerdded a Siarad (Walk and Talk), which welcomes all for a gentle stroll, including those with dementia, and a range of walks during the three days from easy to more challenging. The Friday night (May 16) talk this year highlights Julie Brominicks, a travel writer, environmentalist and avid walker herself. She'll be telling stories about her travels around Wales and beyond. Also on that evening will be an illustrative talk, We Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside, from Heather Williams. This evening will take place on May 16, starting at 6.45pm at the Scala Cinema in Prestatyn. The £5 cost includes refreshments. Details of all walks and the Friday evening talk can be found in the Festival leaflets in Prestatyn and the surrounding area, plus on the website For more information about this press release, contact Malcolm Wilkinson at malcolmray@
