A bit about me…

Many years ago I grew interested in Iceland originally as a place to study volcanic and frozen landforms as an aid to the interpretation of alien worlds such as Mars, Titan and Europa as part of my interest in Planetary Geomorphology and digital geographies. At the same time, as a university teacher, I was interested in getting difficult geographical concepts across to undergraduate students.

I recently retired as a Professor of Physical Geography. Much of my career, when not teaching, has been as a leader and promoter of teaching, learning and the student experience in a number senior academic positions.

Why I love being a Teacher Tour Leader…

Taking a small group of students to Iceland and watching how quickly they link what they see in the field to the theories they have been taught in the classroom makes me realise that Iceland is one of physical geography’s most perfect natural teaching laboratories. Thus for over a decade Iceland has been a key component of my field teaching.

I have always been first and foremost a teacher and I retain an honorary fellowship at the University of Manchester, and still run their undergraduate Icelandic field courses as well as now having time for writing about Iceland. Consequently the opportunity to extend my passion with Discover the World Education is a real privilege.

My Favourite Place in Iceland…

Aside from teaching and writing, I have a particular passion for water as a photographer, and Iceland has water in abundance!  My students are used to me jumping out of the bus to grab ‘that shot’.

Once, unbeknown to me they persuaded a bus from another group to hang back couple of minutes whilst I shot the Skogafoss rainbow minus any tourists!  Whilst not the biggest waterfall, Skogafoss exhibits a particular natural beauty. However, often to avoid the crowds by the main fall I spend a few hours walking above it to the series of hidden falls that stretch back into the hills where you find few people even in summer and yet some spectacular water scenery. It has become one of my favourite places.