"Exploring solitude"

This is the title of an unusual exhibition at our Gardens Gallery. It "opened" this evening. Neville Gable travelled to the Antarctic a year or two ago on an artistic commission under the auspices of the British Antarctic Survey. There, he produced videos featuring himself, photographed by cameras (one launched on a kite); and he wrote daily emails to his wife, Joan, who used the text to produce a series of imaginative drawings. A book in a very limited edition has resulted - it was on display, alongside the last letter of Cheltonian Edward Wilson, who was part of Scott's last - ill-fated - expedition. Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum are promoting this show, and have acquired the videos to go with their collection of Wilson memorabilia.

Seeing our MP, Martin Horwood, amongst others present at the opening, I bent his ear with my view of the government's Alice in Wonderland approach to the definition of "marriage": he said I was the first person in his constituency who had told him of their opposition to the proposal that gays should be able to "marry"; which amazed me. "All that's necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing," didn't someone say?

Winter walking

Fed up with staying inside to assuage my sinusitis, I accepted a lift to near Ullenwood this morning, and walked the couple of miles home. The Today programme had reports of an early Spring, but it wasn't much in evidence on Crickley Hill, above the snow line.

Over this short distance, there is an interesting variety of trees and terrain. Old beeches stand in amongst the new planting in the Country Park, and in the National Trust land along the Cotswold edge. Then, as you approach Greenway Lane, there's a large stand of fir trees. And crossing over to The Crippets, former home of the ill-fated scientist Edward Wilson, you enter a world of oak (and Jacob sheep), before coming in amongst rather sad old orchard land near Leckhampton Church. Only in the last quarter mile did I hit tarmac.