Tom Isitt
@tomisitt.bsky.social
Author, historian, cyclist, hiker, occasional climber, idiot adventurer with unrealistic goals and expectations.
Back in use, yes. But still very damaged and polluted. Soil and groundwater contain alarming levels of heavy metals, even now. Clout is very good, if a bit dry.
November 10, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Back in use, yes. But still very damaged and polluted. Soil and groundwater contain alarming levels of heavy metals, even now. Clout is very good, if a bit dry.
The Castello, an Italian WW1 machine gun position on Costabella Ridge in the Dolomites.
November 10, 2025 at 5:13 PM
The Castello, an Italian WW1 machine gun position on Costabella Ridge in the Dolomites.
Italian WW1 trench near Bosco Malo (Hudi Log) on the Carso, dug in summer 1917, untouched since then (except by brush fires in 2021).
November 9, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Italian WW1 trench near Bosco Malo (Hudi Log) on the Carso, dug in summer 1917, untouched since then (except by brush fires in 2021).
Tell me you got A.I. to write it, without telling me A.I. wrote it 😂
November 6, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Tell me you got A.I. to write it, without telling me A.I. wrote it 😂
Well that’s frustrating…I hiked for 2 days, crossed a glacier, and climbed to 3306m (10,846ft) ASL on an icy mountain to take a photo for the cover of my book, and people assume it’s a composite, or A.I. 😡
November 5, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Well that’s frustrating…I hiked for 2 days, crossed a glacier, and climbed to 3306m (10,846ft) ASL on an icy mountain to take a photo for the cover of my book, and people assume it’s a composite, or A.I. 😡
My spell-checker hates my new project.
November 4, 2025 at 3:06 PM
My spell-checker hates my new project.
Apocryphal story: a small Slovenian child, on seeing a detachment of Bersaglieri cycling past, said “Mummy, mummy, who are those ladies in the funny hats?”
October 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Apocryphal story: a small Slovenian child, on seeing a detachment of Bersaglieri cycling past, said “Mummy, mummy, who are those ladies in the funny hats?”
Researching the Great Retreat of 1915, I thought it would be a good idea to plot where my main protagonists were, and when. And, like many of my good ideas, it’s spiralled completely out of control. Still, if something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing to excess.
October 29, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Researching the Great Retreat of 1915, I thought it would be a good idea to plot where my main protagonists were, and when. And, like many of my good ideas, it’s spiralled completely out of control. Still, if something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing to excess.
Happy Poppymas, everybody!
October 28, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Happy Poppymas, everybody!
Putting together an online photo gallery of WW1 huts on the Italian Front, and thinking I should tap up B&Q for some advertising.
October 28, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Putting together an online photo gallery of WW1 huts on the Italian Front, and thinking I should tap up B&Q for some advertising.
When my son said he was going to the football, I didn’t realise he’d actually be playing.
October 26, 2025 at 3:40 PM
When my son said he was going to the football, I didn’t realise he’d actually be playing.
So, in addition to snakes, ticks, UXOs, tetanus, rock-falls, frostbite, avalanches, and falling off mountains, we can now add Dengue Fever to the list of potential hazards that may be encountered while “walking the ground” on the Italian Front.
October 23, 2025 at 4:28 PM
So, in addition to snakes, ticks, UXOs, tetanus, rock-falls, frostbite, avalanches, and falling off mountains, we can now add Dengue Fever to the list of potential hazards that may be encountered while “walking the ground” on the Italian Front.
At least Cycling Weekly acknowledges the existence of women 👍
October 23, 2025 at 10:07 AM
At least Cycling Weekly acknowledges the existence of women 👍
The micro aspect of some actions on the Italian Front means it’s sometimes possible to identify the exact spot where a man (or three, in this instance) died. It’s quite chilling.
October 20, 2025 at 8:20 PM
The micro aspect of some actions on the Italian Front means it’s sometimes possible to identify the exact spot where a man (or three, in this instance) died. It’s quite chilling.
This year’s autumnal tree photo.
October 18, 2025 at 5:14 PM
This year’s autumnal tree photo.
Today’s handy infographic tells you everything you need to know about Allied foreign policy in the Balkans during WW1.
October 15, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Today’s handy infographic tells you everything you need to know about Allied foreign policy in the Balkans during WW1.
Not whether this is any good, but it looks interesting
October 15, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Not whether this is any good, but it looks interesting
Contrasting the WW1 experiences of western journalists and Serbian refugees during the Great Retreat of 1915. Foie Gras and roast duck for the former, starvation and hypothermia for the latter.
October 11, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Contrasting the WW1 experiences of western journalists and Serbian refugees during the Great Retreat of 1915. Foie Gras and roast duck for the former, starvation and hypothermia for the latter.
It’s the hi-viz requirement that put me off. How can people admire my ££££ Rapha kit when it’s covered up?
October 4, 2025 at 12:43 PM
It’s the hi-viz requirement that put me off. How can people admire my ££££ Rapha kit when it’s covered up?
Bivacco…Italian for “mistake” (to paraphrase a popular saying in the hiking/climbing community).
October 3, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Bivacco…Italian for “mistake” (to paraphrase a popular saying in the hiking/climbing community).
Toilet paper bound into an easily portable form 😉
October 2, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Toilet paper bound into an easily portable form 😉
The “hiking essentials” they never tell you about.
October 2, 2025 at 9:39 AM
The “hiking essentials” they never tell you about.
The Italians launched more than 90 unsuccessful infantry attacks on Col di Lana, before resorting to blowing the top off it with a mine.
September 30, 2025 at 4:38 PM
The Italians launched more than 90 unsuccessful infantry attacks on Col di Lana, before resorting to blowing the top off it with a mine.