A wake-up call on the Niederhorn ridge
Returning to the Gemmenalphorn for a timely reminder of the importance of staying fit.
Permanent Tourist
The personal website of Mark Howells-Mead
Latest posts
Mundane
A day comprising of nothing very much in particular and a little boredom is important sometimes.
The gift of rose-tinted glass
What I work for, what I strive for, and the beauty which I see all around me almost every day
What It Is
Finding out 33 years later that I song I love features Michael Stipe in the background.
Washing the stress away
Letting the rain on a regular walk wash away the stresses of life.
Dwarfs sitting on the shoulders of giants
We are like dwarfs sitting on the shoulders of giants in order to see more and farther than they do – not, of course, thanks to our own sharp eyesight or size, but because the size of the giants lifts us up. Bernard of Chartres
Clear Communication in Modern WordPress Website Projects
Modern WordPress makes almost any website possible, but success depends on clear communication and practical, long-lasting solutions — not technical complexity.
Hard Knott from the pass road
During our time in the Lake District in 2024, I did a lone hike to the top of the fell which I’ve been driving past ever since first visiting the region in the 1990s.
Random things in December 2025
Monthly snaps from the end of last year.
The beach from the past
Revisiting my childhood holiday destination on a beautiful summer's day.
Lunch at the glacier
Taking the cable-car to a traditional mountain restaurant below vast cliffs for a birthday treat.
Random things in January 2026
It s been over two years since I last published one of these, but I enjoyed doing them and so I think I might try and reboot my monthly photographic reviews.
Reflecting on a reflection
When I was in my mid 20s and living in England, I used to be a member of the local camera club. Wanting to learn and improve my photography, my lens often turned to subjects which were likely to do well in camera club competitions. The first one I ever got full marks for was [ ]
The Matterhorn is now yours alone
Behind the scenes of filming sequences for an advert filmed by Swiss cinematographer Noah Malin, beginning with a challenging hike to the Hörnli Hut and then some dramatic drone sequences around and above the summit of the Matterhorn. The film makers were alone on the hike and at the hut, and were able to fly [ ]
Autumn colour in the Rosenlaui valley
A long but beautiful hiking route with a couple of short steeper sections, best done in autumn.
Passing Sligachan
Photography at one of the most dramatic valleys on the Isle of Skye.
Rivaz in winter
Short drone video sequences from the UNESCO World Heritage site near Vevey in Switzerland.
Far From Saints
Discovering an alternative band co-formed by Stereophonics singer Kelly Jones.
On Spiez Hill
Walking through the woods and vineyards in the town I have called home for 25 years.
Winter walking
Walking isn't about expansive vistas and big mountains, but the intricacies and moments of the place in which you find yourself.