Neville Scott
@nevillescott.bsky.social
Freelance journalist (Times of London mainly). Writing about cricket and culture/history. Have wandered the uplands of 77 countries.
https://www.lulu.com/en/gb/shop/neville-scott/an-evasion-of-capture/paperback/product-1897k5z.html?page=1&pageSize=4
https://www.lulu.com/en/gb/shop/neville-scott/an-evasion-of-capture/paperback/product-1897k5z.html?page=1&pageSize=4
Dropping steeply into Wolfscote Dale yesterday and on to distant Ecton Hill. Brass monkeys in a north-westerly at 1000ft but superb after all the rain. A man in grey passes through the squeeze stile of a silver wall under blue winter skies.
November 18, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Dropping steeply into Wolfscote Dale yesterday and on to distant Ecton Hill. Brass monkeys in a north-westerly at 1000ft but superb after all the rain. A man in grey passes through the squeeze stile of a silver wall under blue winter skies.
Ever felt small?! Ever felt exposed?! It's a grand life
November 7, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Ever felt small?! Ever felt exposed?! It's a grand life
Climbed to this spot in spring and summer - and yesterday added the mists of autumn. Winter awaits. But, in forty days' time, we should be embracing that season in the Pyrenees once more - if only for the three months permitted by Brexit.
November 7, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Climbed to this spot in spring and summer - and yesterday added the mists of autumn. Winter awaits. But, in forty days' time, we should be embracing that season in the Pyrenees once more - if only for the three months permitted by Brexit.
Just setting off for two days' post-season escape. Walking/climbing in Clwydian Range limestone. Forecast very good. Should be rather better than on 1800-ft top of Shining Tor, Pennines last August. "Shining"! Pull the other one...
October 6, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Just setting off for two days' post-season escape. Walking/climbing in Clwydian Range limestone. Forecast very good. Should be rather better than on 1800-ft top of Shining Tor, Pennines last August. "Shining"! Pull the other one...
Sometimes we all need a disused railway after a day in the gorge
October 3, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Sometimes we all need a disused railway after a day in the gorge
Visibility outstanding today: three hours after the exact moment of the autumn equinox, looking SW from this 1210-ft trig above Halldale in the White Peak, we made out the Long Mynd, 65 miles distant on the far horizon. With an anticyclone established, weather's now perfect for the Champo finale.
September 22, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Visibility outstanding today: three hours after the exact moment of the autumn equinox, looking SW from this 1210-ft trig above Halldale in the White Peak, we made out the Long Mynd, 65 miles distant on the far horizon. With an anticyclone established, weather's now perfect for the Champo finale.
Nice to find the route to the spire reclaimed by nature
August 6, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Nice to find the route to the spire reclaimed by nature
Tells you all you need to know about these charmers, really, doesn't it?
July 28, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Tells you all you need to know about these charmers, really, doesn't it?
@chrisgpackham.bsky.social
Ever seen anything like this? I've edited and slowed down (quarter speed) the key frame of a phone video made last week in Limoges. A swallow bombs a magpie - the attacks made repeatedly until magpie was driven off from his niche at cathedral! Nicking the insects maybe?
Ever seen anything like this? I've edited and slowed down (quarter speed) the key frame of a phone video made last week in Limoges. A swallow bombs a magpie - the attacks made repeatedly until magpie was driven off from his niche at cathedral! Nicking the insects maybe?
July 6, 2025 at 9:42 PM
@chrisgpackham.bsky.social
Ever seen anything like this? I've edited and slowed down (quarter speed) the key frame of a phone video made last week in Limoges. A swallow bombs a magpie - the attacks made repeatedly until magpie was driven off from his niche at cathedral! Nicking the insects maybe?
Ever seen anything like this? I've edited and slowed down (quarter speed) the key frame of a phone video made last week in Limoges. A swallow bombs a magpie - the attacks made repeatedly until magpie was driven off from his niche at cathedral! Nicking the insects maybe?
My 2nd ever live cricket was at Headingley for 3rd day of the 1st Test v India - 58 years and ten days before the present iteration! England won (they always did in home Tests v India back then) but only after the mass of runs I saw from Pataudi, Engineer and Wadekar. O my Bishen Bedi long ago....
June 20, 2025 at 7:14 PM
My 2nd ever live cricket was at Headingley for 3rd day of the 1st Test v India - 58 years and ten days before the present iteration! England won (they always did in home Tests v India back then) but only after the mass of runs I saw from Pataudi, Engineer and Wadekar. O my Bishen Bedi long ago....
Went past the 1000-mile mark for 2025 today. Not bad for a former opening bowler 27 years senior even to Jimmy Anderson! 1011.5 miles walked so far this year, inclusive of 47,360 metres (155,380ft) in combined ascents. Resting to cover Notts v Yorks champo game at TB for Times from Sunday 22nd!
June 18, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Went past the 1000-mile mark for 2025 today. Not bad for a former opening bowler 27 years senior even to Jimmy Anderson! 1011.5 miles walked so far this year, inclusive of 47,360 metres (155,380ft) in combined ascents. Resting to cover Notts v Yorks champo game at TB for Times from Sunday 22nd!
An old comrade in Canada has just sent me this. Cannot fault the sentiment.
June 12, 2025 at 1:41 PM
An old comrade in Canada has just sent me this. Cannot fault the sentiment.
Summit of Soles Hill, 1168ft, White Peak. Perfect breeze up there and at least 3 degrees C cooler than town. What you call an escape - worth every inch of a 16-mile walk!
June 11, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Summit of Soles Hill, 1168ft, White Peak. Perfect breeze up there and at least 3 degrees C cooler than town. What you call an escape - worth every inch of a 16-mile walk!
Good grief they've reincarnated Ginger Baker again to announce the squad for the opening Test. This Artificial Intelligence business is really getting out of hand.
June 5, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Good grief they've reincarnated Ginger Baker again to announce the squad for the opening Test. This Artificial Intelligence business is really getting out of hand.
The way up...and the top. Eee, the White Peak; nowt like it!
May 16, 2025 at 4:03 PM
The way up...and the top. Eee, the White Peak; nowt like it!
Overcome by the heady sweet perfume of rampant gorse, an old git flounders in the scrub on the 1030ft summit of Alport Heights. Going due south from this point there is no top higher before you reach the Basque Pyrenees. If disentangled, he should be covering Notts v Hants for Thunderer tomorrow.
May 8, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Overcome by the heady sweet perfume of rampant gorse, an old git flounders in the scrub on the 1030ft summit of Alport Heights. Going due south from this point there is no top higher before you reach the Basque Pyrenees. If disentangled, he should be covering Notts v Hants for Thunderer tomorrow.
Patriarch of All the Russias might have been more appropriate.
May 3, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Patriarch of All the Russias might have been more appropriate.
Kicking off the season with Notts v Durham from Friday for the Times. Also Warks v Notts from 18th, with Notts v Essex for another outlet in between. Fine way to spend April - only hope this superb weather holds. Now being taken out for a belated birthday dinner by the memsahib. Can't be bad.
April 1, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Kicking off the season with Notts v Durham from Friday for the Times. Also Warks v Notts from 18th, with Notts v Essex for another outlet in between. Fine way to spend April - only hope this superb weather holds. Now being taken out for a belated birthday dinner by the memsahib. Can't be bad.
Leaving Pyrenees tomorrow to report a 38th county cricket season. Final count for 86 days here was 677 miles walked, inclusive of 43,423m (142,463.9ft) in combined ascents. The latter's by far the greater aid to fitness. But fairly knackering!
March 16, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Leaving Pyrenees tomorrow to report a 38th county cricket season. Final count for 86 days here was 677 miles walked, inclusive of 43,423m (142,463.9ft) in combined ascents. The latter's by far the greater aid to fitness. But fairly knackering!
The memsahib however breezes on. Well you've got to be brazen, haven't you?
February 13, 2025 at 5:36 PM
The memsahib however breezes on. Well you've got to be brazen, haven't you?
It's now 54 days since our return to the Pyrenees for the maximum stay permitted by Brexit. Today's short foray into the cloud around Canigou carried the total miles walked this trip to 495.5, with combined ascents of 31,184 metres. Better conditions tomorrow may see that 500-mile mark claimed.
February 12, 2025 at 4:08 PM
It's now 54 days since our return to the Pyrenees for the maximum stay permitted by Brexit. Today's short foray into the cloud around Canigou carried the total miles walked this trip to 495.5, with combined ascents of 31,184 metres. Better conditions tomorrow may see that 500-mile mark claimed.
We climbed 1299 feet in 40 minutes yesterday, at an average gradient of 1:4. Good effort, though I say so myself. Overall day of 2716ft in combined ascents through 10 miles. But rain in Pyrenees today: spending a quieter afternoon watching Orient v Man C (1-0 at half time!) and two Six Nations ties.
February 8, 2025 at 1:31 PM
We climbed 1299 feet in 40 minutes yesterday, at an average gradient of 1:4. Good effort, though I say so myself. Overall day of 2716ft in combined ascents through 10 miles. But rain in Pyrenees today: spending a quieter afternoon watching Orient v Man C (1-0 at half time!) and two Six Nations ties.
Modesty should certainly forbid my mentioning it but might this give a flavour of the culture of cricket in the 1970s-1980s? Best of luck with your project.
January 23, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Modesty should certainly forbid my mentioning it but might this give a flavour of the culture of cricket in the 1970s-1980s? Best of luck with your project.
Combine the two, perhaps?
January 20, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Combine the two, perhaps?
Combine the two, perhaps?
January 20, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Combine the two, perhaps?