Paul Barclay, Author at Cumbernauld Living Landscape

As Above Better Below

1st May 2019, by Paul Barclay

The sound of the motorway thunders in my ears and I imagine the cars moving up and down it. What are all those people thinking about as they drive past? Are they marvelling at the road itself, this miracle of human engineering? Oh the wonders above, but what about the wonders below? I chuckle as I move through the woods,…

Volunteering, Inspirational, Wild Ways Well, Guest blog, Species and habitats

The woods are alive!

10th April 2019, by Paul Barclay

Do you ever take a wander through the woods and get that feeling in the back of your neck that you’re not alone… that you’re being watched? It sounds like the intro to a horror film, but the truth is you probably are! Luckily, the only creatures watching are likely to be foxes and deer, birds and insects. A group…

Wildlife reserves, Creating Natural Connections, Wild Ways Well

A journey into Cumbernauld’s wild centre

20th March 2019, by Paul Barclay

Picture an urban scene – is it full of crowds, cars and concrete? It’s no wonder that the hustle of urban life can make people feel disoriented, or even ill. Recently I found myself in Cumbernauld shopping centre feeling like I was having a heart attack. I couldn’t draw breath, was freezing cold and yet soaked in sweat. I felt…

Wildlife reserves, Wild Ways Well

Beating the Winter Blues

13th February 2019, by Paul Barclay

It’s been a cold start to the year but that hasn’t stopped the Wild Ways Well group from getting out exploring Cumbernauld’s wildlife reserves. I suffer badly from Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as ‘the winter blues’. You might relate to an annual feeling of dread and depression during the dark days of winter. When it’s a struggle to get…

Volunteering, Wildlife reserves, Wild Ways Well

New Year, New You

2nd January 2019, by Paul Barclay

What were you doing at the bells? If you’re anything like me you will have course have been sitting in furious concentration studying a year planner, mapping out your route through 2019. And in order to have as successful a year as possible you’ll also have been planning your resolutions, all the ways you’re going to make 2019 the…

Volunteering, Wild Ways Well

‘Tis the season to be jolly?

19th December 2018, by Paul Barclay

‘Tis the Season to be jolly? for 19 December 2018 Paul Barclay, Community Networks Officer, Cumbernauld Living Landscape At this time of year the message that’s beamed into our homes and bombards us from every advertising channel is to smile, laugh, and be happy. But it’s often not that easy. For many people Christmas can be a tough time. The…

General, Wild Ways Well

Winter is Coming

5th December 2018, by Paul Barclay

As my granddad used to say, “the nights are fair draw’n in”. As I write this at 4pm it’s already dark outside and the tail end of a winter storm is blowing freezing rain through the town. But before I complain, perhaps I should spare a thought for the wildlife which is enduring the same conditions but doesn’t get to…

Species and habitats, Volunteering, Wildlife reserves, Creating Natural Connections, Wild Ways Well

Getting arty this Autumn

14th November 2018, by Paul Barclay

What’s in a name? Until quite recently few people had any use for season names except for winter and summer. There were a few changes before we settled on a name, what is now autumn was once called hairst (harvest) or fall. Whatever you call it autumn is a great time to get arty outdoors. Poets and writers have always…

Volunteering, Wildlife reserves, Creating Natural Connections, Wild Ways Well

Get Girls Out

31st October 2018, by Paul Barclay

Studies show that women spend less time physically active outdoors than men and that this difference begins when women are teenagers. This difference is down to a variety of reasons from worries about hygiene, societal pressures and gender stereotyping to fear of crime and lack of opportunity. This is a situation that everyone would like to see change. Getting active…

Education and community, Research and publications, Wildlife reserves, Creating Natural Connections, Wild Ways Well

Celebrating our Wild Ways Well participants

3rd October 2018, by Paul Barclay

Last week the Wild Ways Well Thursday group embarked upon our first ever celebration trip with a sense of trepidation. It was in the aftermath of Storm Ali so there was much checking of the weather reports in the run up as we prepared to set off to the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch Ardinning reserve, just north of Glasgow. Although we…

Volunteering, Wildlife reserves, Wild Ways Well

Author: Paul Barclay

As Above Better Below

The woods are alive!

A journey into Cumbernauld’s wild centre

Beating the Winter Blues

New Year, New You

‘Tis the season to be jolly?

Winter is Coming

Getting arty this Autumn

Get Girls Out

Celebrating our Wild Ways Well participants

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