Robin Pakeman
@robinjpakeman.bsky.social
I'm a plant ecologist interested in how to manage vegetation for biodiversity. Also, biodiversity data and functional traits. Live in Aberdeenshire. Committed thermopot.
Lots of fruit on the trees in East and North Yorkshire - hips, haws, sloes, crab apples and even pears. Anything with a deep root seems to have had a good summer. Shallower rooted blackberry has lots of fruit but often withered or tiny.
September 16, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Lots of fruit on the trees in East and North Yorkshire - hips, haws, sloes, crab apples and even pears. Anything with a deep root seems to have had a good summer. Shallower rooted blackberry has lots of fruit but often withered or tiny.
Found #bracken sporing today near Robin Hood's Bay. Only the third time I've seen it in 35 years of working with the plant and obsessively turning over fronds at this time of year. We know high temperatures increase sporing. Is this a response to the warm summer. Anyone else seen it sporing?
September 16, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Found #bracken sporing today near Robin Hood's Bay. Only the third time I've seen it in 35 years of working with the plant and obsessively turning over fronds at this time of year. We know high temperatures increase sporing. Is this a response to the warm summer. Anyone else seen it sporing?
Finished back in Scarborough just before the rain arrived. A few hills to start with and then the cinder track (old railway) between Whitby (pictured) and Scarborough. 41 miles today and 253 over the last six.
September 14, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Finished back in Scarborough just before the rain arrived. A few hills to start with and then the cinder track (old railway) between Whitby (pictured) and Scarborough. 41 miles today and 253 over the last six.
Just 40 miles today, but lots of steep hills (max 25%) through the North York Moors. Morning was complicated by having to find a way round the World Gravel Bike Championship being held in Dalby Forest which had closed paths and even some road. Only a little rain late on and rarely a headwind.
September 13, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Just 40 miles today, but lots of steep hills (max 25%) through the North York Moors. Morning was complicated by having to find a way round the World Gravel Bike Championship being held in Dalby Forest which had closed paths and even some road. Only a little rain late on and rarely a headwind.
Sunny morning followed by some short sharp showers. Wind was in front, from the side or behind as we zigzagged through the East Yorkshire countryside. Pretty villages but fairly dull farmland except for a short bit through the Wolds. 46 miles.
September 12, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Sunny morning followed by some short sharp showers. Wind was in front, from the side or behind as we zigzagged through the East Yorkshire countryside. Pretty villages but fairly dull farmland except for a short bit through the Wolds. 46 miles.
Day three. 42 miles. First part down to Spurn but not all the way to the point as there is no road. Headwind for this bit, but then alternating crosswind and tailwind for the end of the day. Stayed dry, though a fee miles north got drenched.
September 11, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Day three. 42 miles. First part down to Spurn but not all the way to the point as there is no road. Headwind for this bit, but then alternating crosswind and tailwind for the end of the day. Stayed dry, though a fee miles north got drenched.
Yorkshire seems to be shrinking here on Holderness. 36 miles today as accomdation lacking further south. Relentless headwind again.
September 10, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Yorkshire seems to be shrinking here on Holderness. 36 miles today as accomdation lacking further south. Relentless headwind again.
First day od our autumn bike trip Scarborough to Skipsea, 48 miles. As is traditional for our cycling holiday, a headwind was arranged for us. However, it was sunny from Scarborough - pictured - all the way to the end.
September 9, 2025 at 6:15 PM
First day od our autumn bike trip Scarborough to Skipsea, 48 miles. As is traditional for our cycling holiday, a headwind was arranged for us. However, it was sunny from Scarborough - pictured - all the way to the end.
Just to prove we made it to the North Sea.
May 17, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Just to prove we made it to the North Sea.
Day 6, Melrose to Norham. Only 61 km today of rolling countryside, mostly using back roads a few miles north of the Tweed. Brilliant sunshine but a nagging headwind again.
May 16, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Day 6, Melrose to Norham. Only 61 km today of rolling countryside, mostly using back roads a few miles north of the Tweed. Brilliant sunshine but a nagging headwind again.
Day 5 of the Kirkpatrick Way, Newcastleton-Melrose. 73km, more than expected as the gpx route took us to a locked gate on a boggy and tree invaded railway line. Long climbs in the morning followed by rolling hills for the afternoon. The easterlies have become northerlies as we turned north!
May 15, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Day 5 of the Kirkpatrick Way, Newcastleton-Melrose. 73km, more than expected as the gpx route took us to a locked gate on a boggy and tree invaded railway line. Long climbs in the morning followed by rolling hills for the afternoon. The easterlies have become northerlies as we turned north!
Day 4, Annan to Newcastleton, and past the halfway mark. Headwind all day bit relatively easy roads. Only 49 km as accommodation options are limited for the next 40 km. Very much border country and passed the famous Gretna Green blacksmith shop. Now entering the hills.
May 14, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Day 4, Annan to Newcastleton, and past the halfway mark. Headwind all day bit relatively easy roads. Only 49 km as accommodation options are limited for the next 40 km. Very much border country and passed the famous Gretna Green blacksmith shop. Now entering the hills.
Day 3 of the Kirkpatrick Way. 70 km from Castle Douglas to Annan. First half through rolling hills with the odd cheeky climb, second half on the flat into a headwind. We lunched with Scotland's favourite poet and had good views of the Lake District. Finally, a shot of a #heron for heron lovers.
May 13, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Day 3 of the Kirkpatrick Way. 70 km from Castle Douglas to Annan. First half through rolling hills with the odd cheeky climb, second half on the flat into a headwind. We lunched with Scotland's favourite poet and had good views of the Lake District. Finally, a shot of a #heron for heron lovers.
Some wind sculptured trees near Kirkcudbright. 77 km today through gently rolling hills.
May 12, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Some wind sculptured trees near Kirkcudbright. 77 km today through gently rolling hills.
One from yesterday I forgot to post. This is Luce Bay site #1 in the Scottish Coastal Survey. We repeated the survey mainly in 2010 and 2011, but this site had to wait until 2013 to get safe access to do the repeat at the same time of year as it was done in 1976.
May 12, 2025 at 5:43 PM
One from yesterday I forgot to post. This is Luce Bay site #1 in the Scottish Coastal Survey. We repeated the survey mainly in 2010 and 2011, but this site had to wait until 2013 to get safe access to do the repeat at the same time of year as it was done in 1976.
Day 1 of the Kirkpatrick Way, Portpatrick to Newton Stewart. 77km of rural quiet roads through Galloway. Hardest thing was finding the velocipede sculpture at the official start in Stranraer. Gratuitous sea kale piccie to show how close to the sea we were at times.
May 11, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Day 1 of the Kirkpatrick Way, Portpatrick to Newton Stewart. 77km of rural quiet roads through Galloway. Hardest thing was finding the velocipede sculpture at the official start in Stranraer. Gratuitous sea kale piccie to show how close to the sea we were at times.
End of day zero of the current bike trip. Only 12 miles so not a proper day. Most of day taken up with three trains to get from Edinburgh to Stranraer including two hours on Ayr station. View is of Portpatrick harbour - extreme SW Scotland.
May 10, 2025 at 8:28 PM
End of day zero of the current bike trip. Only 12 miles so not a proper day. Most of day taken up with three trains to get from Edinburgh to Stranraer including two hours on Ayr station. View is of Portpatrick harbour - extreme SW Scotland.
No prizes for guessing where I am today.
April 28, 2025 at 10:37 AM
No prizes for guessing where I am today.
A day in the sunshine doing our annual check of the fences at our long-term, large-scale grazing experiment at Glen Finglas. Large-scale means 12 km of fences to check to keep the woolly escape artists where they should be. @ect-uk.bsky.social
April 9, 2025 at 7:17 PM
A day in the sunshine doing our annual check of the fences at our long-term, large-scale grazing experiment at Glen Finglas. Large-scale means 12 km of fences to check to keep the woolly escape artists where they should be. @ect-uk.bsky.social
Our solar array in the village hall carpark has arrived. Glass Community Association will have achieved carbon negativity and massive reduced electric bills when it is connected.
March 29, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Our solar array in the village hall carpark has arrived. Glass Community Association will have achieved carbon negativity and massive reduced electric bills when it is connected.
Very grand setting for our workshop in Skipton. The hotel were redecorating the smaller room we had booked, so we had the ballroom instead.
March 21, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Very grand setting for our workshop in Skipton. The hotel were redecorating the smaller room we had booked, so we had the ballroom instead.
Four different hotels this week as we're travelling the UK running workshops on bracken control options. Thanks to all the attendees and to the venues. Each hotel had an unexpected view from the window.
March 21, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Four different hotels this week as we're travelling the UK running workshops on bracken control options. Thanks to all the attendees and to the venues. Each hotel had an unexpected view from the window.
Is this the best view from a Motorway services? Breakfast at Annandale Water on a road trip running workshops on bracken contol options.
March 18, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Is this the best view from a Motorway services? Breakfast at Annandale Water on a road trip running workshops on bracken contol options.
First in person meeting of the JUSTLANZ project visiting one of our study areas, the Somerset Levels and Moors. The project is looking at the potential mismatch between top down net zero targets and livestock farmers capacity to adapt. Also need to consider knock on impacts on biodiversity.
March 12, 2025 at 4:06 PM
First in person meeting of the JUSTLANZ project visiting one of our study areas, the Somerset Levels and Moors. The project is looking at the potential mismatch between top down net zero targets and livestock farmers capacity to adapt. Also need to consider knock on impacts on biodiversity.
Trip out today to the Clava Cairns. Early Bronze Age chambered and ring cairns to the southwest of Inverness. Serious undertaking for the locals. Clever design of the stone circles to have red stones glowing in the winter sunset and silvery stones sparkling at summer dawn.
January 26, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Trip out today to the Clava Cairns. Early Bronze Age chambered and ring cairns to the southwest of Inverness. Serious undertaking for the locals. Clever design of the stone circles to have red stones glowing in the winter sunset and silvery stones sparkling at summer dawn.