Rachael Unsworth
@leedstours.bsky.social
Urban geographer & walking tour guide in Leeds 🌍 - local, in a global setting
https://www.leedscitywalkingtours.co.uk/
Researcher, writer ('Leeds: Cradle of Innovation'), presenter, Leeds Phil & Lit, musician 🎻 European
Professional chat posts only
https://www.leedscitywalkingtours.co.uk/
Researcher, writer ('Leeds: Cradle of Innovation'), presenter, Leeds Phil & Lit, musician 🎻 European
Professional chat posts only
January 3, 2026 at 8:57 PM
Great graphic, though at first glance I mistook the nuclear symbol for 🎃, but rapidly realised that it was implausible that fully 12% of electricity should come from this unpromising seasonal bio-source.
Where did Britain get its electricity from in 2025?
🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️
🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️
🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️
🌬️🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌳🌳🌳
🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌊☢️☢️☢️☢️
☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️🔥🔥
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🇳🇱🇧🇪🇩🇰🇩🇰🇳🇴
🇳🇴🇳🇴🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷
Explore the data for yourself on the Electric Insights dashboard:
www.electricinsights.co.uk#/dashboard?p...
🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️
🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️
🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️🌬️
🌬️🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌳🌳🌳
🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌊☢️☢️☢️☢️
☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️🔥🔥
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🇳🇱🇧🇪🇩🇰🇩🇰🇳🇴
🇳🇴🇳🇴🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷
Explore the data for yourself on the Electric Insights dashboard:
www.electricinsights.co.uk#/dashboard?p...
January 3, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Great graphic, though at first glance I mistook the nuclear symbol for 🎃, but rapidly realised that it was implausible that fully 12% of electricity should come from this unpromising seasonal bio-source.
While on duty to hand over more copies of 'The Illustrated History of Chapel Allerton', I totted up activities as tour guide & presenter over 7 years.
525 events, including presentations (in person & by Zoom).
57% of events have been private commissions.
525 events, including presentations (in person & by Zoom).
57% of events have been private commissions.
January 3, 2026 at 1:24 PM
While on duty to hand over more copies of 'The Illustrated History of Chapel Allerton', I totted up activities as tour guide & presenter over 7 years.
525 events, including presentations (in person & by Zoom).
57% of events have been private commissions.
525 events, including presentations (in person & by Zoom).
57% of events have been private commissions.
"... attachment, memory & the senses compose our sense of place & direct our action within it.
My practice recognises that the image is never just light on a sensor; it is a crystallisation of movement, pause, & attention in the landscape; the concretion of a lived moment in Ardnamurchan."
My practice recognises that the image is never just light on a sensor; it is a crystallisation of movement, pause, & attention in the landscape; the concretion of a lived moment in Ardnamurchan."
“Gaelic place-names are conveyors of response: tactile, descriptive, often visceral, encoding landforms, histories, and use.”
Discover more: www.rkphotographic.com/blog/2025/12...
Spiorad aird nam Murchan Pt.22
#GaelicCulture #Toponymy #Ardnamurchan
Discover more: www.rkphotographic.com/blog/2025/12...
Spiorad aird nam Murchan Pt.22
#GaelicCulture #Toponymy #Ardnamurchan
January 1, 2026 at 10:01 AM
"... attachment, memory & the senses compose our sense of place & direct our action within it.
My practice recognises that the image is never just light on a sensor; it is a crystallisation of movement, pause, & attention in the landscape; the concretion of a lived moment in Ardnamurchan."
My practice recognises that the image is never just light on a sensor; it is a crystallisation of movement, pause, & attention in the landscape; the concretion of a lived moment in Ardnamurchan."
Reposted by Rachael Unsworth
At a time when billionaires and oligarchs own the majority of our press, when local journalism is in decline, and social media is rife with misinformation and abuse, there has never been a greater need for citizen journalism
Who funds us? No one...except you. Become a friends of Bylines supporter:
Who funds us? No one...except you. Become a friends of Bylines supporter:
Friends of Bylines Network - Bylines Network
Stand with us – sign up. now to become a Friend of Bylines Network
bylinesnetwork.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 12:23 PM
At a time when billionaires and oligarchs own the majority of our press, when local journalism is in decline, and social media is rife with misinformation and abuse, there has never been a greater need for citizen journalism
Who funds us? No one...except you. Become a friends of Bylines supporter:
Who funds us? No one...except you. Become a friends of Bylines supporter:
'The Illustrated History of Chapel Allerton' on the ground
Walking tour 14:00-16:00 Sunday 18 January relating to a new book by local historian Steve Burt.
I'm editor + author of Ch.8 & supplied loads of photos.
Book here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-illust...
(I'll be offering other dates later.)
Walking tour 14:00-16:00 Sunday 18 January relating to a new book by local historian Steve Burt.
I'm editor + author of Ch.8 & supplied loads of photos.
Book here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-illust...
(I'll be offering other dates later.)
www.eventbrite.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 6:55 PM
'The Illustrated History of Chapel Allerton' on the ground
Walking tour 14:00-16:00 Sunday 18 January relating to a new book by local historian Steve Burt.
I'm editor + author of Ch.8 & supplied loads of photos.
Book here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-illust...
(I'll be offering other dates later.)
Walking tour 14:00-16:00 Sunday 18 January relating to a new book by local historian Steve Burt.
I'm editor + author of Ch.8 & supplied loads of photos.
Book here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-illust...
(I'll be offering other dates later.)
Good explainer.
Doesn’t broaden the frame to include the hugely damaging, illogical stance on the environment (drill for fossil fuels; to hell with environmental protection laws & action) that tends to go with pro-natalist, ‘women should all be homemakers’ rhetoric.
Doesn’t broaden the frame to include the hugely damaging, illogical stance on the environment (drill for fossil fuels; to hell with environmental protection laws & action) that tends to go with pro-natalist, ‘women should all be homemakers’ rhetoric.
The Trump administration is using declining fertility rates to embrace unabashedly pronatalist rhetoric.
I spoke with sociologist & demographer Karen Guzzo about if we should *actually* be worried about declining birth rates.
I spoke with sociologist & demographer Karen Guzzo about if we should *actually* be worried about declining birth rates.
Trump Wants Women To Have More Babies. Just 1 Problem.
The Trump administration is using declining fertility rates to embrace unabashedly pronatalist rhetoric.
www.huffpost.com
December 31, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Good explainer.
Doesn’t broaden the frame to include the hugely damaging, illogical stance on the environment (drill for fossil fuels; to hell with environmental protection laws & action) that tends to go with pro-natalist, ‘women should all be homemakers’ rhetoric.
Doesn’t broaden the frame to include the hugely damaging, illogical stance on the environment (drill for fossil fuels; to hell with environmental protection laws & action) that tends to go with pro-natalist, ‘women should all be homemakers’ rhetoric.
Reposted by Rachael Unsworth
A really interesting conversation.
@katewagner.wehwalt.net has more than a bird's eye view of the desecration of the White House. She's deeply knowledgeable & reflective about trends in architecture & the politics involved. The ballroom phenomenon is emblematic of wider forces.
@katewagner.wehwalt.net has more than a bird's eye view of the desecration of the White House. She's deeply knowledgeable & reflective about trends in architecture & the politics involved. The ballroom phenomenon is emblematic of wider forces.
December 29, 2025 at 9:00 AM
A really interesting conversation.
@katewagner.wehwalt.net has more than a bird's eye view of the desecration of the White House. She's deeply knowledgeable & reflective about trends in architecture & the politics involved. The ballroom phenomenon is emblematic of wider forces.
@katewagner.wehwalt.net has more than a bird's eye view of the desecration of the White House. She's deeply knowledgeable & reflective about trends in architecture & the politics involved. The ballroom phenomenon is emblematic of wider forces.
R4 The World This Weekend coverage of the fate of town centres seemed not to consider re-populating central streets.
Fringe/redundant retail properties + space above shops can be made into apartments, esp where close to rail/bus station.
Then there's extra demand on the spot.
Fringe/redundant retail properties + space above shops can be made into apartments, esp where close to rail/bus station.
Then there's extra demand on the spot.
December 28, 2025 at 1:50 PM
R4 The World This Weekend coverage of the fate of town centres seemed not to consider re-populating central streets.
Fringe/redundant retail properties + space above shops can be made into apartments, esp where close to rail/bus station.
Then there's extra demand on the spot.
Fringe/redundant retail properties + space above shops can be made into apartments, esp where close to rail/bus station.
Then there's extra demand on the spot.
Reposted by Rachael Unsworth
How effective is protesting? According to historians and political scientists: very
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
How effective is protesting? According to historians and political scientists: very
From emancipation to women’s suffrage, civil rights and BLM, mass movement has shaped the arc of US history
www.theguardian.com
December 28, 2025 at 1:25 AM
How effective is protesting? According to historians and political scientists: very
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Rachael Unsworth
Bon retour au Canada, Monsieur le Président Zelenskyy.
Aujourd'hui, à Halifax, nous avons annoncé des nouvelles mesures pour aider l'Ukraine à mettre fin à la guerre d'agression russe, à se relever et à rebâtir. Lorsque la paix viendra, le Canada sera là pour l’Ukraine. Slava Ukraini. 🇨🇦🇺🇦
Aujourd'hui, à Halifax, nous avons annoncé des nouvelles mesures pour aider l'Ukraine à mettre fin à la guerre d'agression russe, à se relever et à rebâtir. Lorsque la paix viendra, le Canada sera là pour l’Ukraine. Slava Ukraini. 🇨🇦🇺🇦
December 27, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Bon retour au Canada, Monsieur le Président Zelenskyy.
Aujourd'hui, à Halifax, nous avons annoncé des nouvelles mesures pour aider l'Ukraine à mettre fin à la guerre d'agression russe, à se relever et à rebâtir. Lorsque la paix viendra, le Canada sera là pour l’Ukraine. Slava Ukraini. 🇨🇦🇺🇦
Aujourd'hui, à Halifax, nous avons annoncé des nouvelles mesures pour aider l'Ukraine à mettre fin à la guerre d'agression russe, à se relever et à rebâtir. Lorsque la paix viendra, le Canada sera là pour l’Ukraine. Slava Ukraini. 🇨🇦🇺🇦
Breathtakingly moving images & musings on the theme of 'return'.
"... a promise of repetition with difference, the looping path that is never quite the same twice".*
There are parallels in my very different story as an urban tour guide, steeped in a place.
"... a promise of repetition with difference, the looping path that is never quite the same twice".*
There are parallels in my very different story as an urban tour guide, steeped in a place.
Air Ais gu Cladach / Back to the Shore
Where map thins, bearing grows; thresholds teach direction.
Bidh an t‑uisge a’ tilleadh mar chuimhne: tonn air tonn, facal air facal.
Water returns like memory: wave on wave, word on word
Spiorad aird nam Murchan Pt.21: www.rkphotographic.com/blog/2025/12...
Where map thins, bearing grows; thresholds teach direction.
Bidh an t‑uisge a’ tilleadh mar chuimhne: tonn air tonn, facal air facal.
Water returns like memory: wave on wave, word on word
Spiorad aird nam Murchan Pt.21: www.rkphotographic.com/blog/2025/12...
December 27, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Breathtakingly moving images & musings on the theme of 'return'.
"... a promise of repetition with difference, the looping path that is never quite the same twice".*
There are parallels in my very different story as an urban tour guide, steeped in a place.
"... a promise of repetition with difference, the looping path that is never quite the same twice".*
There are parallels in my very different story as an urban tour guide, steeped in a place.
A relative gave me some special cheeses.
One of them is *so* pungent.
I tried shutting it in an unheated room, on a cool pack, but the pong still seeped through.
So it went into a picnic box outside the back door.
This evening I sampled a small portion.
😋
But the remainder has been banished again.
One of them is *so* pungent.
I tried shutting it in an unheated room, on a cool pack, but the pong still seeped through.
So it went into a picnic box outside the back door.
This evening I sampled a small portion.
😋
But the remainder has been banished again.
December 26, 2025 at 9:40 PM
A relative gave me some special cheeses.
One of them is *so* pungent.
I tried shutting it in an unheated room, on a cool pack, but the pong still seeped through.
So it went into a picnic box outside the back door.
This evening I sampled a small portion.
😋
But the remainder has been banished again.
One of them is *so* pungent.
I tried shutting it in an unheated room, on a cool pack, but the pong still seeped through.
So it went into a picnic box outside the back door.
This evening I sampled a small portion.
😋
But the remainder has been banished again.
Reposted by Rachael Unsworth
And still on memorable Christmas moments, congratulations to the staff of the embassies of France, Germany and the UK for this "Xmas Flashmob" in the Kyiv metro.
Of course, there was only one choice of song - Shchedryk! Merci, Danke, Thanks, Dyakuyu
#SlavaUkraïni
Enjoy.
Of course, there was only one choice of song - Shchedryk! Merci, Danke, Thanks, Dyakuyu
#SlavaUkraïni
Enjoy.
December 24, 2025 at 3:36 PM
And still on memorable Christmas moments, congratulations to the staff of the embassies of France, Germany and the UK for this "Xmas Flashmob" in the Kyiv metro.
Of course, there was only one choice of song - Shchedryk! Merci, Danke, Thanks, Dyakuyu
#SlavaUkraïni
Enjoy.
Of course, there was only one choice of song - Shchedryk! Merci, Danke, Thanks, Dyakuyu
#SlavaUkraïni
Enjoy.
A delight to hand our new book 'The Illustrated History of Chapel Allerton' to 126 advance buyers who came to my kitchen on Monday and Tuesday to pick up their order.
Here with ⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐ designer Emma Boulter & author Steve Burt. Such amazing teamwork.
Here with ⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐ designer Emma Boulter & author Steve Burt. Such amazing teamwork.
December 24, 2025 at 7:23 AM
A delight to hand our new book 'The Illustrated History of Chapel Allerton' to 126 advance buyers who came to my kitchen on Monday and Tuesday to pick up their order.
Here with ⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐ designer Emma Boulter & author Steve Burt. Such amazing teamwork.
Here with ⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐ designer Emma Boulter & author Steve Burt. Such amazing teamwork.
Reposted by Rachael Unsworth
Have just nipped into the beautiful Leeds Central Library to collect my Chapel Allerton history book, written by the very affable Steven Burt and edited by @leedstours.bsky.social . It's a hefty tome @leedscivictrust.bsky.social #chapelallerton #leeds #localhistory #publiclibraries
December 22, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Have just nipped into the beautiful Leeds Central Library to collect my Chapel Allerton history book, written by the very affable Steven Burt and edited by @leedstours.bsky.social . It's a hefty tome @leedscivictrust.bsky.social #chapelallerton #leeds #localhistory #publiclibraries
leedscitylinks.commonplace.is/en-GB/propos...
Leeds city centre additional #cycle route improvements 2026: green
Existing cycle lanes: blue
Ambitions: pink
Beige box is pedestrian zone.
Some see inconvenience; others see various longer-term gains.
Map of wider area:
www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/v...
Leeds city centre additional #cycle route improvements 2026: green
Existing cycle lanes: blue
Ambitions: pink
Beige box is pedestrian zone.
Some see inconvenience; others see various longer-term gains.
Map of wider area:
www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/v...
December 22, 2025 at 11:38 AM
leedscitylinks.commonplace.is/en-GB/propos...
Leeds city centre additional #cycle route improvements 2026: green
Existing cycle lanes: blue
Ambitions: pink
Beige box is pedestrian zone.
Some see inconvenience; others see various longer-term gains.
Map of wider area:
www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/v...
Leeds city centre additional #cycle route improvements 2026: green
Existing cycle lanes: blue
Ambitions: pink
Beige box is pedestrian zone.
Some see inconvenience; others see various longer-term gains.
Map of wider area:
www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/v...
Do read about how @ledbydonkeys.org used ingenuity, daring, teamwork, luck and a cereal packet to pull off this daring, high-impact stunt.
Elements of Ealing Comedy but dead-serious purpose of shedding merciless light (32,000 lumens-worth) on the horror of Trump & Epstein.
Elements of Ealing Comedy but dead-serious purpose of shedding merciless light (32,000 lumens-worth) on the horror of Trump & Epstein.
Good to hear that the charges were dropped.
What happened next: the night Led By Donkeys projected Trump and Epstein on to Windsor Castle
The art activists made headlines during the US president’s state visit when they shocked the waiting media with a short documentary – and were quickly arrested
www.theguardian.com
December 22, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Do read about how @ledbydonkeys.org used ingenuity, daring, teamwork, luck and a cereal packet to pull off this daring, high-impact stunt.
Elements of Ealing Comedy but dead-serious purpose of shedding merciless light (32,000 lumens-worth) on the horror of Trump & Epstein.
Elements of Ealing Comedy but dead-serious purpose of shedding merciless light (32,000 lumens-worth) on the horror of Trump & Epstein.
Reflecting that, as a geographer through & through, hard on the heels of relaying news about a book covering 4.25 sq miles of the Leeds suburb where I live, I was straight on with catching up on understanding the wider world within which this teensy weensy patch is nested.
December 18, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Reflecting that, as a geographer through & through, hard on the heels of relaying news about a book covering 4.25 sq miles of the Leeds suburb where I live, I was straight on with catching up on understanding the wider world within which this teensy weensy patch is nested.
Defining 2025:
Chris Lockwood, Europe Editor, The Economist, was listening to the car radio.
"I felt physically quite ill.
It was frankly shocking to hear a man as heroic as Zelenskyy being upbraided in that fashion.
An incredibly bleak & upsetting moment".
www.economist.com/insider/the-...
Chris Lockwood, Europe Editor, The Economist, was listening to the car radio.
"I felt physically quite ill.
It was frankly shocking to hear a man as heroic as Zelenskyy being upbraided in that fashion.
An incredibly bleak & upsetting moment".
www.economist.com/insider/the-...
The year in review: the stories that defined 2025 | The Economist Insider
Over the past 12 months power has shifted, conflicts have intensified, elections have recast political landscapes and technology has advanced at a dizzying pace.
Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist’...
www.economist.com
December 18, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Defining 2025:
Chris Lockwood, Europe Editor, The Economist, was listening to the car radio.
"I felt physically quite ill.
It was frankly shocking to hear a man as heroic as Zelenskyy being upbraided in that fashion.
An incredibly bleak & upsetting moment".
www.economist.com/insider/the-...
Chris Lockwood, Europe Editor, The Economist, was listening to the car radio.
"I felt physically quite ill.
It was frankly shocking to hear a man as heroic as Zelenskyy being upbraided in that fashion.
An incredibly bleak & upsetting moment".
www.economist.com/insider/the-...
Even if it costs a ridiculous amount to see off this absurd case, I'm not alone in considering that to be a justifiable use of funds, whereas capitulating & settling for a preposterous sum is not.
So please sign the letter and share:
stoptrump.org.uk/sign-bbc-let...
So please sign the letter and share:
stoptrump.org.uk/sign-bbc-let...
Sign the letter: The BBC must not pay Trump a penny
Stop Trump Coalition
stoptrump.org.uk
December 18, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Even if it costs a ridiculous amount to see off this absurd case, I'm not alone in considering that to be a justifiable use of funds, whereas capitulating & settling for a preposterous sum is not.
So please sign the letter and share:
stoptrump.org.uk/sign-bbc-let...
So please sign the letter and share:
stoptrump.org.uk/sign-bbc-let...
Here it is - in the nick of time to fulfil our claim that it would be 'The north Leeds Christmas Gift of 2025'.
First delivery this morning and the rest to follow on Monday.
First delivery this morning and the rest to follow on Monday.
December 18, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Here it is - in the nick of time to fulfil our claim that it would be 'The north Leeds Christmas Gift of 2025'.
First delivery this morning and the rest to follow on Monday.
First delivery this morning and the rest to follow on Monday.
Reposted by Rachael Unsworth
Ten days until Christmas, 'Made in Manchester' is still number eight English history bestseller at Waterstones.
December 15, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Ten days until Christmas, 'Made in Manchester' is still number eight English history bestseller at Waterstones.
Reposted by Rachael Unsworth
Thanks, Sanneru, for bringing info back & forth across the ocean. That's needed.
Repeated lies get ppl to vote for con artists, psychopaths etc. Most U.S. media are Right Wing. Also some churches, "nonpolitical" podcasts, sports announcing--full of RWng disinfo.
upine.medium.com/the-vast-rea...
Repeated lies get ppl to vote for con artists, psychopaths etc. Most U.S. media are Right Wing. Also some churches, "nonpolitical" podcasts, sports announcing--full of RWng disinfo.
upine.medium.com/the-vast-rea...
The Vast Reach of Right Wing Disinformation
In one of my previous essays, I explained how very much in denial most Americans are about the extent to which our nation is immersed in…
upine.medium.com
December 13, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Thanks, Sanneru, for bringing info back & forth across the ocean. That's needed.
Repeated lies get ppl to vote for con artists, psychopaths etc. Most U.S. media are Right Wing. Also some churches, "nonpolitical" podcasts, sports announcing--full of RWng disinfo.
upine.medium.com/the-vast-rea...
Repeated lies get ppl to vote for con artists, psychopaths etc. Most U.S. media are Right Wing. Also some churches, "nonpolitical" podcasts, sports announcing--full of RWng disinfo.
upine.medium.com/the-vast-rea...