Explore

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Sep 19, 2026, 9:35 AM

In 1818, John Knight bought most of Exmoor and tried to farm it — a twenty-nine-mile wall, drained moorland, a failed copper mine. Two centuries on, the moor is winning.

Somerset In Verse – Exmoor To Levels In Poetry treats that as fact, not fable.

#SomersetInVerse #NaturePoetry

A vast, sweeping Exmoor landscape under a heavy, bruised September sky. In the foreground, a derelict dry-stone wall, moss-covered and partially collapsed, snakes across the undulating moorland. Rushes and yellowing grass push through the gaps in the slate. In the distance, the skeletal remains of a Victorian industrial engine house are being swallowed by thick Atlantic mist. The palette is dominated by deep ochre, slate grey, and bruised purple heathers. Sharp focus on the texture of lichen-encrusted stone and the damp, dark soil of a drainage ditch. Atmospheric, somber, and ancient.

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Sep 18, 2026, 8:54 PM

Ten days to the Kindle edition of Somerset In Verse – Exmoor To Levels In Poetry.

The paperback's had two and a half weeks out in the world — if you've read it already, this is a good week to tell someone who reads on a device instead.

#SomersetInVerse #BritishCountiesInVerse

A wide-angle view of the Somerset Levels at dawn. Thick, low-hanging river mist clings to the dark, waterlogged peat soil and damp marsh grass. In the far distance, the jagged, ancient silhouette of Exmoor rises against a cold, pale lavender sky. The foreground highlights the sharp, tactile texture of weathered limestone and silver glints of water in a slow-moving drainage rhyne. The composition captures the heavy, permanent weight of the earth contrasted against the fleeting, ethereal movement of the morning fog. Diffused, natural light creates a somber yet persuasive atmosphere.

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Sep 17, 2026, 7:41 PM

Chew Valley Lake drowned an entire village, Moreton, in 1956 to build a reservoir. In dry summers, the bridge stones still climb back out of the mud.

Somerset In Verse – Exmoor To Levels In Poetry, out now.

#SomersetInVerse #DeepTime

A wide-angle landscape of a receding reservoir bed during a severe drought. The foreground is a vast mosaic of deeply fissured, sun-baked silt and cracked grey mud. Emerging stubbornly from the shallow, stagnant water are the jagged, silt-stained tops of an ancient hand-hewn stone bridge. The sky is a heavy, bruised ochre of late afternoon, casting long, sharp shadows across the skeletal ruins. Cinematic lighting highlights the grit and rough texture of the lias limestone against the dark, receding waterline, capturing a sense of heavy, rediscovered history.

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Sep 14, 2026, 5:10 PM

Fourteen days until the Kindle edition of Somerset In Verse – Exmoor To Levels In Poetry.

The paperback's been out since the third — if you've been holding off for the ebook specifically, the wait is nearly over.

#SomersetInVerse #BritishCountiesInVerse

A wide-angle cinematic view of the Somerset Levels at dawn. Thick, low-lying white mist clings to the dark, waterlogged peat soil and deep green rhynes. In the far distance, the jagged, solid silhouette of a limestone tor rises sharply against a bruised sky of violet and cold amber. The foreground focuses on the tactile precision of frost-tipped sedge grass and the weathered grain of an ancient wooden gatepost. The atmosphere captures the heavy, permanent weight of the earth contrasted with the fleeting, ethereal movement of the morning fog. High-contrast textures of damp stone, reflective water, and soft vapor.

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Sep 13, 2026, 8:25 AM

Ten days since launch. If Somerset In Verse – Exmoor To Levels In Poetry is half-read on a shelf, the most useful ninety seconds now is finishing it and leaving a rating on Amazon — even just the stars, no essay required.

#SomersetInVerse #BritishCountiesInVerse

A wide cinematic view of the Somerset Levels at dawn. Dense, low-lying river mist clings to the dark peat soil and stagnant rhynes. In the distance, the sharp, jagged silhouette of a limestone ridge rises against a pale, bruised purple sky. Wisps of dry moorland grass in the foreground are coated in heavy dew. The light is cold and silver, catching the ripples of a slow-moving water channel. The composition emphasizes the vast, flat expanse meeting the ancient, unyielding hills. High contrast between the dark earth and the ethereal morning fog, capturing a sense of ancient geological permanence against the fleeting atmosphere of the mist.

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Sep 12, 2026, 9:35 AM

A hundred and thirty Roman curse tablets have been recovered from the spring at Bath — mostly complaints about stolen cloaks and coins, addressed to a goddess. Somerset In Verse – Exmoor To Levels In Poetry treats that as evidence, not folklore.

#SomersetInVerse #NaturePoetry

A detailed view of a dark, thermal pool at twilight. Thick, swirling mist rises from the water's surface, partially obscuring ancient, hand-hewn limestone walls slick with moisture and vibrant green algae. Deep shadows settle in the weathered crevices of the stone. The water is dark and reflective, showing subtle ripples from a slow, steady subterranean upwelling. The atmosphere is heavy, ancient, and silent, emphasizing the physical weight of the wet stone and the ethereal, fleeting nature of the rising steam. Deep charcoal and mossy green tones dominate the palette.

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Sep 11, 2026, 7:54 PM

'Gravity is the only jointing compound.' That's Tarr Steps — a clapper bridge held together by nothing but weight. Somerset In Verse – Exmoor To Levels In Poetry, out now in paperback.

#SomersetInVerse #DeepTime

A low-angle, cinematic shot of ancient, massive flat gritstone slabs spanning a clear, rushing moorland river. The stones are weathered, showing heavy textures of orange lichen and deep-set grain, interlocking through sheer weight. Cold, clear water swirls around the base of the slabs, creating small white-water eddies. In the background, a dense woodland of gnarled oaks and vibrant green ferns is partially obscured by a soft, damp morning mist. The color palette is grounded in slate greys, deep forest greens, and the translucent amber of the riverbed. The lighting is filtered and atmospheric, highlighting the raw, geological tension between the unmoving rock and the flowing water.

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Sep 9, 2026, 6:09 PM

A week out now. Somerset In Verse – Exmoor To Levels In Poetry is on Amazon in paperback, with the Kindle edition following on the 28th. If you've been meaning to pick it up, this is still the week that decides how far it travels.

#SomersetInVerse #BritishCountiesInVerse

A vast expanse of the Somerset Levels at dawn. Thick, low-hanging silver mist clings to dark, waterlogged peat trenches and ancient drainage ditches. In the foreground, a single, gnarled pollarded willow tree stands with deeply fissured, moss-covered bark, its skeletal branches reaching toward a pale, bruised purple sky. In the far distance, the sharp, permanent silhouette of a limestone ridge cuts through the soft, ephemeral fog. The ground is a textured patchwork of deep ochre moss, wet silt, and dark, reflective standing water. The lighting is cold and atmospheric, capturing the heavy, damp scent of the moors and the stillness of the prehistoric landscape.

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Sep 7, 2026, 5:10 PM

Somerset In Verse – Exmoor To Levels In Poetry is out now in paperback on Amazon. The Kindle edition follows on the 28th of September — worth knowing if you've been waiting for the ebook rather than holding off on the whole thing.

#SomersetInVerse #BritishCountiesInVerse

A sweeping panoramic view of the Somerset Levels at dawn. Heavy, translucent mist rolls over dark, saturated peat soil and standing water. In the far distance, the jagged, ancient limestone ridges of the Mendips rise sharply into a cold, overcast sky. The foreground features the rough, weathered texture of a lichen-covered stone wall and the soft, ephemeral movement of tall marsh grasses. Atmospheric lighting with a palette of slate grey, deep moss green, and pale silver. High detail on the contrast between solid rock and shifting vapor.

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Sep 7, 2026, 4:10 PM

'Until the island is cut off and returns to itself.' That's Muchelney, which becomes an actual island most winters. Somerset In Verse – Exmoor To Levels In Poetry, out now in paperback.

#SomersetInVerse #NaturePoetry

A vast, flooded landscape of the Somerset Levels at dawn. Cold, heavy mist clings to the surface of still, dark water that has swallowed the surrounding fields. In the distance, an ancient stone church tower rises from a solitary, isolated mound of green land, completely encircled by the silver-grey flood. Half-submerged willow trees with skeletal branches break through the water’s mirror-like surface. The color palette is dominated by charcoal, slate blue, and a faint, pale winter light. The composition emphasizes the stark boundary between the permanent ancient stone and the shifting, temporary tide. High detail on the rippled texture of the water and the weathered grain of the distant masonry.

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Sep 6, 2026, 8:25 AM

Somerset In Verse – Exmoor To Levels In Poetry runs a hundred miles and seventy-six poems, from Exmoor's sandstone to a marsh that swallowed a village and kept every detail. Out now in paperback, alongside Macfarlane, Armitage and Jamie.

#SomersetInVerse #NaturePoetry