h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

And how about tree climbing? You get some of the coolest views from the tops of trees, and one of the things Baden Powell said was "People never look up"... which is amazingly true, and very handy for spying.

As Neil Finn once wrote: "The highest branch on the apple tree / Was my favourite place to be", and he was right, though yew trees are particularly fun, because you can climb quite a way up inside and it's like Mother Nature's own tree-house.

Never grow up, that's what I say.

My mother says "grow up" every time I mention that I'm off to the woods of my childhood to climb trees whenever I'm back home. It might be childish but it keeps me fit and reminds me that we shouldn't be living in nasty grey high-rise buildings and wearing clothes. It can be seen from the characteristics of the shape-recognition layers of the visual cortex that the only reason for our eyes being as fine as they are is the need in the past to spot branches from quite a long way away. I shall go and scan in some of the lovely pictures I've taken from atop fine and sturdy trees suring my life.