Table of contents for July 2016 - Issue 49 in The Simple Things

We told the kids we were going on an adventure, so they were puzzled when we took the usual footpath near our house. It was a sunny summer’s evening and the plan was to veer off the path just before sunset, wander across a couple of fields and set up a wild camp near a stream. My tweet, posted with this pic the next morning read: ‘Wild #camping with the family. Dawn. Bats, deer and a thunderstorm. V good but not much sleep...’ It had been quite a night, but everyone was full of what they’d seen, heard and felt when we’d ambled back home for breakfast at our own kitchen table. Exploring doesn’t mean you have to travel far, just different.…

It’s the stuff of dreams – sequestered away in a treehouse refuge, with a bird’s eye view – and the clever constructions in Jane Field-Lewis’s book are dreamier than most. You could imagine living your life in most of the 33 houses featured here. They range from the ramshackle – cobbled together from timber off-cuts and a ladder made of sawn-up branches – to the regal, complete with queen-sized bed, a romantic terrace and a bathtub. There are architecturally adventurous structures, builds with a minimalist feel, a delightful Dartmoor Cocoon house, made with overlapping spruce ribs and, sweetest of all, the Bird Apartment, which looks like a birdhouse and has 78 bird boxes integrated into one of the walls. (Pavilion)…

PROUDLY HOMEMADE VIETNAMESE VEGETABLE SUMMER ROLLS These pretty,lightrollsare deliciouswitha piquantsauce Makes 1480g vermicelli rice noodles14 edible rice papers14 butterhead or other soft lettuce leaves100g beansprouts14 thin carrot batons, peeled14 thin cucumber batons2 handfuls fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped14 fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped 1 red chilli, slicedFor the dipping sauce:4 tbsp hoisin sauce4 tbsp peanut butterlime juice to taste 1 Prepare the dipping sauce by mixing together all the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed. 2 Cook the vermicelli according to the instructions on the packet. Drain and set aside. 3 Soften the rice papers. Fill a large bowl with warm water. Carefully and slowly dip the rice papers in one by one. Leave each one for about 20 seconds until totally soft. Lay the rice…

Open-air theatre Gather friends and a picnic to watch theatre, opera or a film screening in the grounds of a National Trust property. nationaltrust.org.uk/lists/ http://nationaltrust.org.uk/lists/top-spots-for-outdoor-theatre-music-and-film top-spots-for-outdoor-theatre-music-and-film Outdoor epic Kynren – an Epic Tale of England is an open-air theatre production that covers 2,000 years of history in the grounds of Auckland Castle, County Durham. From 2 July–17 September Elevenarches.org Free festival Head to the riverside at London Bridge any day this summer and you’ll catch free theatre, film and sporting event screenings, live music and dance classes as part of the London Bridge City Summer Festival. lbcsummerfestival.com Location shoots Summer Nights shows all your favourite films in heritage locations around the UK throughout the summer. summer nightsfilm.co.uk The Nomad Cinema picks screen gems to show in cool London venues. whereisthenomad.com…

IN TERMS OF human consumption, rice has to be the most important crop that we grow. It’s a staple around the globe – providing food and income for those that need it most. An essential carbohydrate, it delivers energy and flavour as the bulk of many dishes, from Indonesia’s fried nasi goreng to England’s sweet, creamy rice pudding, China’s medicinal, porridge-like congee and Spain’s seafood-and-saffron-flecked paella. There are numerous types of rice, and ways to categorise them, but the most useful way of shopping for the grain is to think of it in terms of its purpose. Long grain rice is best boiled or steamed for fragrant individual grains in a Turkish pilaf or a West African jollof, while medium-grain rice can be stirred into Italy’s molten, regional risottos and…

From the green hills and red soils of Devon, Pipers Farm produces slow-grown, 100% grass-fed, sustainable meat. And the farm is offering readers the chance to win a meat box every month for a year, including native Red Ruby beef, Saddleback pork, properly free-range chicken, Suffolk lamb and gluten-free sausages and burgers. Pipers Farm believes in producing food in harmony with nature, encouraging a diverse ecosystem to inhabit the farm alongside the livestock. So fields remain small, with 400-year-old hedgerows marking their boundaries. And Pipers has championed other small family farms who are raising native breeds in a traditional way. With a commitment not only to high animal welfare but also to creating a truly delicious product, Pipers Farm has received high praise from foodies such as Jamie Oliver (being…

Sometimes you have to jump in with your eyes shut. When I started Carrier Company, I thought it would last two, three years at most – a way of supporting my young family after moving to Norfolk from London. I’ve always invented jobs for myself. I thought I could sell my quilts and cushions to holidaymakers, as well as doing some gardening, as I’d been doing in London. One day, I saw some jute and wondered what I could make from it. I needed a carrier for my garden, so that’s what it became. It worked so well, I started selling them at local fairs. I realised I was on to a good thing when I took them to a national fair and we sold out. We’ve now been going…

*There’s no better way to get to the heart of a city than through the people who live there. Every month, we ask someone, clearly in love with their city, to take us on a personal tour and tell us what makes it so special. You may feel inspired to visit one day or to rediscover the charms of a city closer to you, but for now just sit back, relax and enjoy some armchair travel. How long have you lived in Bristol? I’m Bristolian born and bred, which often surprises people as I don’t have that trademark West Country accent. Apart from three years away at university and a short stint living in London, Bristol’s been my home for nearly 40 years. Tell us what you love about living…

The Fish Ladder by Katharine Norbury A mix of travelogue, memoir and nature writing, it follows Katharine and her nine-year-old daughter as they follow a river from the sea to its source; the journey of self-discovery is rippled through with emotional responses to the natural world. The Stream by Brian Clarke The powerful story of a watercourse over five years. It meanders from natural observations only an angler spending hours on a riverbank could make to the seemingly irrelevant decisions and development nearby and their changing of this world. Waterlog by Roger Deakin An enchanting record of the late great nature writer’s attempt to see the country through fresh eyes by swimming his way around Britain’s most wild and beautiful places. His ‘frog’s eye view’ is captivating. Wild Swimming by…

Slightly bored (and disbelieving) of some of the messages on lotions and potions, which claim to turn back the hands of time? For those of us who are mostly comfortable in our own skin or just too busy to bother, aspiring to a wrinkle-free, flawless face can seem futile and a little, well, silly. Fortunately, we’re not alone. There’s a band of individuals who are passionately steering beauty and skincare onto a new course, focusing on how products make us feel, not just how we look. Much as you’d choose to buy health-giving foods that taste good and which you know the provenance of, the idea is that these natural beauty brands offer a more holistic approach to your wellbeing. Imelda Burke, green beauty expert and founder of natural beauty…

‘‘She’s landed,’’ proclaimed the headlines. The “she” was Amy Johnson who, in May 1930, became the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia. Not that the public needed this explanation – they’d been eagerly following the progress of the ‘flying secretary’ around the world. This summer – the 75th anniversary of her death – The Amy Johnson Festival (amyjohnsonfestival.co.uk), taking place in her hometown of Hull, will celebrate her achievement. Alongside her fellow ‘aviatrices’ – or female pilots – of the twenties and thirties, Amy explored the new frontiers of the sky, pushing the boundaries of human achievement. The interwar aviatrices weren’t the first women to spread their wings. In 1911, journalist Harriet Quimby became the first American woman to gain her pilot’s licence (and the second in…

“Bees and other insect pollinators are responsible for one in three mouthfuls of our food” As a child, I spent many happy hours chasing butterflies. We had two buddleias, or butterfly bushes, in our garden and, from June to September, they would be alive with a variety of species, from Peacock to Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshell to Meadow Brown. Forty years on and I’m sad to see that my son isn’t enjoying the same experience. Many butterfly species are steadily declining and it’s the same story with bees and many other pollinating insects. Either as a result of disease, which has wiped out the bee population, loss of habitats, which are vital for pollinators to make their nest, or the widespread use of pesticides, many of these creatures are struggling…

WHY GROW THEM? Don’t let the memory of eating that tasteless, shop-bought pickled beetroot put you off growing this wonderful vegetable. Try it roasted, blended (check out Ottolenghi’s incredible puréed beetroot with yoghurt & za’atar recipe) or raw to enjoy its delicious, earthy flavour, as well as benefit from all the vitamins packed within. It’s also one of those crops that can be harvested early as a baby vegetable, or left in the ground to grow to any size between a golf and a tennis ball. WHEN TO SOW? Sarah Raven recommends soaking seeds in warm water for half an hour before sowing in the veg patch or container. For a constant supply, sow every three to four weeks from March to July in a sunny spot and good soil.…

This is a soothing skin lotion, great as a spray for sore skin, including sunburn. MAKES: 300ml KEEPS: up to six months INGREDIENTS 100g dried chamomile flowers 100g organic dried aromatic rose 2.5 litres water METHOD 1 Put everything in a pressure cooker on a worktop near the sink. Close lid and remove the pressure regulator to expose the vent pipe. 2 Connect the hose to the vent pipe. Pass the hose beneath the water tap and then on and into a collecting glass bottle. 3 Turn the heat to high. When the water boils, open the tap to allow cold water to flow around and cool the hose. 4 The distillation process should be slow with minimum heat. Simmer on low until you have distilled 300ml of water –…

SARAH CUTTLE Sarah is the photographer behind our garden feature on page 114. She loves long-distance cycling and organising her veggie plot. A memorable summer adventure? A trip up the coast of Croatia, when we visited the Krka National Park, and spent the afternoon swimming in a fresh water lake. BEN TISH Ben is a chef at Salt Yard Group. He also regularly contributes to the food pages of the broadsheets and monthly magazines, and created the recipes for our barbecue feature on page 39. A memorable summer adventure? The first of many trips to Alacati in Turkey with my wife Nykeeta. An enchanting town that has permanently influenced my cooking style. TRISTAN GOOLEY Tristan is a natural navigator and author, who loves spending time in the woods. He wrote…

“We design simple things for people to enjoy,” say Pete and Kirsty Thomas, the creative duo behind Tom Pigeon. Working from their studio in Anstruther on the east coast of Scotland, they have gained a reputation for their geometric designs on prints, jewellery and stationery, inspired by the geography and geometry of their home town and a love of mid-century design. Their latest screenprint trio, Flotsam, Jetsam and Lagan (£60 per print) was inspired by beachcombing expeditions. They also sell work by like-minded designers for their ‘sourced’ collection, such as Edward Smith’s handmade model boats (West Coast Steam Puffer, £40, above), and take on creative commissions such as the capsule collection for the World of Charles and Ray Eames at the Barbican last year. Now that sounds like a creative…

individual keenly attuned to the creative potential of the city, and the liberating possibilities of a good walk”, and she enlists a cadre of writers and artists, all who have appreciated a meander, to her cause. Virginia Woolf was a fan of ‘street haunting’, Sophie Calle created art works from her wanderings and Agnes Varda turned her walks into films. Inspiring. (Chatto & Windus) Lauren Elkin likes to stroll through the streets of whichever city she finds herself in to see what she can see. Historically, it’s been a male pursuit, the dandy flaneur stalking the boulevards in the mode of Baudelaire, but Elkin is determined to redefine the role, with women as ambassadors for avenue amblings. In Elkin’s celebratory peon, the flaneuse is “a determined, resourceful…

“A bikini says ‘holiday’, especially one spent in a hot climate by a pool” Apparently, 85 per cent of bikinis never enter the water. They are worn near the water – on a lounger by a pool or a towel by the sea, say; and above the water, on the deck of a yacht or a cruise ship – but rarely actually in it. Which is hardly surprising: the bikini is not built for activewear, it is too precarious for that. Many a bikini top or bottom has become untethered inconveniently when taking a plunge. No, the purpose of a bikini is to expose maximum amounts of skin to the sun, thus boosting all-over, even, tanning potential. A one-piece swimsuit in comparison is far too confining for the true sun…

NECTARINE HONEY CAKES Makes 9 (Gluten-free) 75g butter, diced 60ml honey 80g ground almonds 45g fine brown rice flour 2 tbsp arrowroot or gluten-free organic cornflour 11/2 tsp gluten-free baking powder finely grated zest of 1 small lemon 60ml (1/4 cup) almond, rice or coconut milk 1 large free-range egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 medium nectarine, thinly sliced 1 Preheat oven to 160C/Fan140C/310F. Grease a nine-hole friand tin generously with melted butter. Place butter and honey into a small saucepan and set over a low heat, stirring often until the butter has just melted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. 2 Place ground almonds in a medium bowl and sift over the brown rice flour, arrowroot or cornflour, and baking powder. Add lemon zest…

FAVOURITE SHOP Papersmiths Stationery addicts will love Papersmiths with its impeccable selection of fountain pens, design magazines and kids’ books.papersmiths.co.uk FAVOURITE GALLERY Bristol Museum and Art Gallery The art gallery is often forgotten in favour of the museum, with its Victorian taxidermy and gypsy caravan. But it’s worth visiting for its carefully chosen exhibitions.bristolmuseums.org.uk FAVOURITE CAFÉ Mockingbird This light, bright café is the place to go for a taste of the American South.mockingbirdcafe.tumblr.com FAVOURITE RESTAURANT Bravas My go-to place to eat for its goblets of gin, tortilla de patatas and laid-back, intimate vibe.bravas.co.uk FAVOURITE MARKET Saturday flea market With a good mix of stalls selling knickknacks, this is always worth a browse, as is neighbouring covered market St Nick's.bristolfleamarket.co.uk FAVOURITE WAY TO SPEND AN HOUR Clifton Observatory Sliding down the…

• What happens to a river after lots of rain depends whether it is ‘flashy’ or not. If surrounded by impervious rocks and soils like clay then rain can go from sky to river in a matter of hours but if the surrounding rock is porous, like chalk or limestone, then it can be months before the water that collects in underground aquifers (natural reservoirs) reaches the river. The clue is in the bridges: those in flashy river country will be higher and have supporting pillars to avoid being swept away by floodwaters. • Fancy a wild swim but don’t know the river well? Look for waterlillies, which are rooted to the bed; white ones like shallow, very slow and very clear water, so are more common in ponds but…

Skin & Tonic Sometimes a health crisis can be the catalyst for positive change, and that was certainly the case for co-founder Sarah Hancock. After being diagnosed with endometriosis in 2010, Sarah decided to create a more conscious lifestyle. What she craved was no-frills skincare, free from the synthetic chemicals that were prevalent in many products. With partner Josh in tow, Skin & Tonic was born to meet that need. Their philosophy is simple; no outlandish claims, no gender targeting, just pure, organic ingredients that work. What to try: 100% certified organic, Skin & Tonic’s Calm Balm is a multi-purpose nourishing balm that champions the power of English lavender and doubles as a sleep-inducing treatment. Rub the balm into temples and wrists before bed – these pulse points will…

Little says summer like lying in a meadow full of buttercups*, a bee buzzing in your ear. These yellowest of yellow flowers with their lustrous petals on long, swaying stems flower from spring until the end of summer, spreading abundant cheeriness as they colonise patches of grassland. Pick a handful and bundle into a vase to bring this joyfulness and the warmth of summer indoors. Add a ladle full of clover leaves for extra meadowyness. * Hold one under your chin, wisdom has it, and see if the yellow reflects on your skin. This indicates a liking for butter, in case you weren’t sure.…

“It needs only to be dropped into a table to provide instant shade” There comes a time during any sunny outdoor activity when, no matter how much you love the heat, you crave a bit of shade. How long you hold out before ducking for cover depends a lot on how deep is your tan or, more likely, how pale is your skin. Which is when the garden parasol comes into its own. Standing furled and ready, it only needs to be dropped into the centre of a table or speared into the lawn, then opened, to provide instant shady coolness and to protect those beneath it from damaging UV rays. A cup of tea in a deckchair can be drunk in an elegant and leisurely fashion beneath a fringed…

YOU MAY NEED... Packing cubes and nylon reusable sacks to keep your suitcase orderly A washbag: essential for every traveller, obviously A beach towel, unless there are plenty when you get there A travel bottle set to keep your liquids manageable A plug adaptor and battery charger to make sure all your tech works A Thermos flask for UK holidays Earplugs, because you never know how noisy your neighbours will be…

LEMONS Screen-printed Oxford linen, with the necessary waterproof lining. Best for: offering a citrus fresh alternative to the traditional floral wash bag. £35, jennysibthorp.com PIPOCA POUCH Made in Brazil from colourful woven nylon Best for: those for whom Olympics fever is even affecting their choice of wash bag. £13, couvertureandthegarbstore.com CYCLING LADY Made from wipe-clean printed cotton, both practical and pretty. Best for: perhaps encouraging some sport, perhaps recovering after. £17, snowdenflood.com…

“This is a book for any boy who has ever sighed for a boat of his own,” says this 1956 book’s blurb, as if the title didn’t say as much. But despite appearances, it’s not a how-to, rather the adventures of Ralph and John from homemade raft to escapades on the North Sea. The drama comes when Joan – “a mere girl” – gets a look in with her yacht and our heroes have to “grudgingly marvel” at her skill. Follow up with the Major-General’s The Boys’ Book of Angling for more sexism by the sea. Found in Halcyon Books, Greenwich…

Serves 4–6 as a light lunch with salad, 8–10 as a starter 1 × 23cm spring-form tin, greased and base-lined BASE TIER 200g oatcakes 100g unsalted butter PARMESAN CRISPS 20g Parmesan cheese, finely grated PEA PURéE 100g butter 2 garlic cloves, crushed 300g peas FILLING 360g cream cheese 120ml double cream 4 eggs zest of 1 lemon salt and pepper, to taste 100g peas DECORATION handful of pea shoots, edible flowers (eg pea flowers, violas) 1 For base tier, put the oatcakes in a food bag and bash with a rolling pin until they are reduced to crumbs. Melt the butter, then combine with the crumbs in a bowl, mixing to coat. Press into the base of the tin in an even tier (a potato masher is the best tool…

  LOUISE GORROD Our Wishlist Editor, Louise, is also our Stuff of Life shopkeeper (shop.thesimplethings.com). Look out for this symbol for items in the shop. Louise also blogs, bakes and photographs at Buttercup Days: buttercupdays.com…

It is incredible to see the world through Tristan Gooley’s eyes. The writer, navigator and explorer can find wonder in a puddle, interpreting its depth and situation to unlock the mysteries of its formation. The tiniest of insects can signify if the water in a stream is crystal clear; while the lack of the same insect can be a harbinger of doom for the water’s purity. Cloud formations, stars, moss, scientific kitchen table experiments all play their part in revealing a way to understand the natural world, all brilliantly explained by the infectiously enthusiastic Gooley. Before too long, you’ll want to play detective and “decipher codes in the environment”. Inspiring stuff. (Sceptre) * Discover how to read a river with Tristan on page 72…

Come rain or shine, you’ll be the envy of any campsite you head to this summer with The Glam Camping Company’s stylish ‘Sugar & Spice’ tent, a luxury four-metre bell tent, exclusively designed in the UK. Devised with an Indian summer theme, it is beautifully appointed with wooden poles and pegs, porthole windows in the doors, contrast trims and handmade, golden, bell-tipped bunting. If showers threaten, you’ll stay toasty in this tent, which features a fully zipped-in PVC groundsheet and a heavy duty outer in 100 per cent cotton canvas, which is fully waterproofed, PU-coated, mould and rot resistant and comes with its own canvas bag. The ‘Sugar & Spice’ bell tent is ideal for glamping trips away, as well as kids’ sleepovers, wedding celebrations and garden parties. In addition…

Pudding THIS FRUITY CLAFOUTIS IS SWEET AND TART AND TASTES LIKE SUMMER Serves 8 650g cherries, un-pitted and with stems attached1 dsp cherry liqueur100g icing sugar2 large eggs1-2 dsp flour100ml crème fraîche5-6 dsp milkbutter for greasing Extra: 26cm ovenproof dish with a fluted edge 1 Pre-heat oven to 220C/Fan200C/425F. 2 Arrange the cherries in the base of the greased ovenproof dish with the stems pointing upwards. Sprinkle over the liqueur and a little of the icing sugar. 3 Warm in the middle of the oven for approximately 5 minutes until the cherries are heated through. Reduce the oven temperature to 175C/Fan155C/325F. In a bowl, beat the eggs gently and combine with the flour, the rest of the icing sugar, crème fraîche and milk. Slowly pour the mixture over the cherries…

Beef bavette with smoky salad onions and salsa cruda Barbecued mushrooms with rosemary and garlic Wood-roasted potatoes Charcoal-grilled chicory with pomegranate molasses Crispy artichokes with lemon and sage Smoky bitter-chocolate puddings with melting whipped cream Cooking on a barbecue is an appealing blend of art and science – and often becomes a talking point among the assembled group of friends or family (not always memorable for the right reasons). Chef Ben Tish’s passion for grilling over charcoal and wood began in a typically British fashion. “The annual dusting down of the family barbecue at the beginning of summer was full of expectation,” he remembers. “Back then it was more about the ceremony of lighting the fire and the anticipation than the actual results: dubious sausages, 70 per cent meat content…

An 1868 edition of Harper’s Bazaar defined croquet as: ‘contact and competition between the sexes sublimated into an elegant, highly formalised ritual, occurring in a deceptively wholesome garden setting… An exquisite game… where hearts are lost and won’. This description leaves no doubt as to why the game took off – it was one of the first opportunities men and women had to play sport together. Today, the social aspect of it is still a key part of its appeal – both for those playing in their gardens and for members of the 200-odd clubs that are part of the Croquet Association. These more serious players often have backgrounds in the sciences, chess or bridge but, as Elizabeth Larsson, manager of the Croquet Association, points out, “Croquet is the only…

“A lot of people told us to tear the house down, but we wanted to keep it and that decision was very rewarding” When Australians Kim Amos and Stephen Eakin decided to take a year off and have a sabbatical, they left their Sydney home and headed for Byron Bay on the New South Wales coast with their three children, Noah, Hunter and Arlo. This was not to be a holiday, though; instead they decided to spend the year buying and renovating a house. “We’re busy people who love a challenge,” says Kim. This particular challenge was to return an old coastal weatherboard house to its former glory. “We always loved renovating but, more importantly, we felt that having a purpose for our time away would help us blend into…

Looking down from her own rooftop garden in south-east London, Lottie Muir spotted a neglected roof garden on the top of the Brunel Museum on the opposite side of the street. Having recently completed her gardening diploma and worked on Sarah Price’s Olympic garden, she felt inspired. “It was a glorious spot,” she recalls. “A secret circular garden, and despite the mass of buddleia and weeds, I could see it had so much potential.” She decided to approach Robert Hulse, director of the museum, to see if she could create a community vegetable plot there, right on top of the Thames Tunnel Shaft. Robert gave Lottie the go ahead and, with money from the Mayor toward the design and help from the conservation volunteer charity TCV, she was all set…

Weeds compete with your plants for soil, water and nutrition. But don’t immediately reach for the chemicals. Some weed killers are toxic to wildlife, as well as humans. The organic grower is far more creative, and sympathetic, when dealing with ‘plants in the wrong place’. First, ask yourself if you really need to pull them up. Stinging nettle flowers provide pollen for butterflies and, when cooked, young nettles provide iron and vitamin C. Clover is a beautiful flower and if you cut, rather than kill it, the leaves are a nutritious addition to the compost heap. Tea brewed from ground elder (that most hated of gardeners’ weeds) is said to be a remedy for coughs and arthritis. OUT OF THE LIGHT To learn more about weeds, visit our pages gardenorganic.org.uk/weed-management.…

CACTUS The current cacti trend is heading for your kitchen. Whether as pickle or as water, edible cactus is hailed for its antioxidant properties, as well as being high in fibre, and vitamins A and C. We’re playing catch up with Central America where nopales (or cactus) salad is a Mexican staple. TRY IT: Crussh sells a Detox cactus super smoothie. Or retox with foodnetwork.co.uk’s recipe for frozen cactus pear margaritas. BUY IT: mexgrocer.co.uk sells cactus leaves for a nopales salad, or try in quiches, omelettes and soups. SEE IT: on our Tasty Trend Pinterest board.…

One of those rewarding jobs that doesn’t require much time or effort, yet makes a huge difference. Removing flowers once they have bloomed – and before they have the chance to set seed – encourages the plant to produce more flowers. It’s also a useful trick to reduce the amount of petals that can litter the border or lawn, as well as providing a hideout for unwelcome pests. It’s an easy technique to learn and can be adapted depending on the variety of plant you’re deadheading. n Keep roses and bedding plants in good condition by snapping off tatty flowers with a finger and thumb, behind the bud. n Flowers attached to tougher stems, such as dahlias, chrysanthemums, marigolds, tree peonies and lilacs, are best snipped with secateurs or scissors,…

Phacellophora camtschatica Known as the ‘Egg-yolk Jelly’ due to its appearance. Like an underwater spiderweb, it captures those that swim into its tentacles. Aurelia spp. Once thought to be a single, global species; now believed to be hundreds of different species. Thankfully, its sting is generally harmless to humans. Aequorea Their ‘radial canals’ mean aequorea look a bit like a curved bicycle wheel. Resist a ride, however. They eat other jellyfish, and sometimes even each other. Turritopsis The Turritopsis dohrnii can reverse its life cycle and transform itself back to a polyp. Eternal life seems a bit wasted on a jellyfish, unfortunately. Porpita porpita Looks like a single organism but actually a teeming colony of polyprops. They’re totally tropical – both in water preference and their bright blue and yellow…

SPEED, VELOCITY AND ACCELERATION Think speed and velocity are the same? That’s you rushing to the wrong conclusion. Speed is distance divided by time. Velocity is speed in a given direction. So, 18m/s is a speed (roughly 40mph) but 18m/s east is a velocity. It can be + (forwards) or - (backwards). -18m/s would be 18 metres a second backwards (quite an achievement). So speed is a ‘scalar quantity’ – it only has magnitude (like distance) – and velocity a ‘vector quantity’ – has both magnitude and direction. As acceleration is a change in velocity, it’s a vector quantity. To work out acceleration, divide the difference between the speed at start and end by the time taken to make the change. So, if you’re driving to your holiday, velocity is…