The Niger River has one of the most bizarre courses of any major river on Earth. It starts just 150 miles (240 km) from the Atlantic Ocean in Guinea. But instead of flowing west to the sea, it heads inland, northeast toward the Sahara Desert.

Why?

1/n The river flows northeast for more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) through Mali, passing the ancient city of Timbuktu after forming a massive inland delta, the largest in West Africa. Then, instead of continuing to the desert, it makes a sharp turn southeast.

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THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE ODYSSEY

Christopher Nolan's new film, The Odyssey, is based on Homer's great work of fiction. For over 2,500 years, scholars have tried to match Odysseus' journey to real Mediterranean islands and coastlines.

Here's where they think Odysseus went:

1/n After the Greeks sack Troy, Odysseus sails home for Ithaca. The trip should take weeks. Instead, storms, monsters, and angry gods turn it into a 10-year 'odyssey'.

Troy itself is in what is now north-west Turkey, close to the sea.

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For more than 300 years, explorers and geographers have argued over one seemingly simple question: Where does the Amazon actually begin?

The answer is surprisingly difficult to obtain, and has changed several times as maps, expeditions, and GPS technology has evolved.

1/n For centuries, the accepted source was the Marañón River in northern Peru.

Early explorers regarded it as the Amazon’s main upper river because of its size and importance. For over 200 years, that was the consensus.

2/n

In a very remote part of Nunavut, northern Canada, lies a seemingly unremarkable body of water. According to the map, it's just one of many mid-sized lakes in that area.

However, 45-mile (72 km)-long Yathkyed Lake contains something quite literally unique in the world.

1/n Yathkyed Lake has a plethora of small islands. The largest, however, is about 9 miles (15 km) long, and itself contains a number of smaller lakes. The largest of these is about a mile (1.6 km) long.

2/n

As everyone knows, the longest river in North America is the Mississippi. From its source just south of Lake Itasca in Minnesota, it runs south for 2,350 mi (3,780 km) into the Gulf of Mexico/America.

However, the Mississippi technically isn't actually the longest at all.

1/n The longest tributary of the Mississippi by far is the Missouri. At the confluence of the two, the Missouri is 2,540 miles (4,090 km) long as opposed to the Mississippi's 1,170 miles (1,880 km). In effect, it is twice as long.

2/n

In honour of the Brazil v Norway game tonight, here's my favourite Norway geography fact.

The small village of Skjolden looks unremarkable on a map. Little more than a small settlement in inland Norway. However, and remarkably, Skjolden is actually a "seaside" village.

1/n Skjolden is at the farthest extremity of the mighty Sognefjord, a seawater fjord that extends deeply into the Norwegian west coast.

2/n

There is only one point on Earth from which when it rains water can flow into three different oceans (Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic). However, Canada and the USA both lay claim to the title.

But which peak is the victor? Is it American or Canadian?

1/n The first candidate, Triple Divide Peak in Montana, is claimed to be the true hydrological apex of the North American continent. Water on one side flows to the Pacific in Oregon, to the Atlantic (via the Mississippi), and to the Hudson Bay via the Nelson river.

2/n

In the state of Wyoming, USA, lies a real hydrological oddity. It's a small stream (creek) that is thought to be one of a just a few examples in the world. It is placed so precariously and perfectly that it's hard to believe it is able to exist.

1/n The stream in question is called North Two Ocean Creek, and for a short duration it runs right on top of the Continental divide for North America. What makes this creek so unusual is that as it spills out onto Two Ocean Pass it bifurcates.

"So what?", you might say.

2/n

The day a Scotsman told the king to f*ck off - Another true royal story
A number of years ago, Jenny and Adam Watson’s phone rang. Adam answered it and was met by a very plummy voice asking to speak to ‘Mrs Watson’.

‘Certainly, may I ask who’s calling?’

‘Yes, it’s Charles, Prince of Wales.’

Holding the phone to his chest with some scepticism, Adam whispered to his wife, ‘I think Prince Charles is on the phone for you.’

And, sure enough, it was. HRH was vexed about some local issue and wished to discuss it with Jenny, a councilor at that time. After a brief conversation the prince invited Jenny and Adam to tea on the Balmoral estate so they could continue the discussion in a bit more detail.

Some days later Jenny and Adam duly arrived at Birkhall, on the Balmoral Estate, and met with Charles to discuss the issue that was weighing on his mind. After a period of time, when he was satisfied he’d got up to speed with the relevant information from Jenny, he changed tack to discuss something else that was on his mind.

'I've got a problem', said Charles.

1/3 ‘Do you know Gordon of Abergeldie?’ continued the prince.

Those unfamiliar with the machinations of Deeside aristocracy would be forgiven for not knowing that there has apparently been bad blood between the Gordons of Abergeldie and the royal family right from the time of Queen Victoria. Why this should be I’ve no idea, but seemingly the rift did — does? — run deep. The Gordons have held Abergeldie for centuries, and it borders the Balmoral estate.

‘Yes,’ said Adam. ‘I know him well enough.’

‘I’ve simply tried everything to welcome him; to be a friendly neighbour. But he just won’t have it,’ said Charles. ‘I’ve invited him to tea, even, but nothing.’

Adam and Jenny were unable to proffer any advice to the prince on the specific subject of how he might ingratiate himself to his Abergeldie neighbour. With a shrug of the shoulders Charles then recounted an astonishing recent episode where he’d had an altercation with Gordon.

2/3

1. Eas Fors Waterfall on the Isle of Mull, Pendle Hill in Lancashire, and Bredon Hill in Worcestershire all have something very unusual in common: they are all tautological place names.

To put it another way, their names are triply redundant.

Still unsure?

1.

It is when a name means the same thing in multiple languages.

Eas Fors Waterfall

1. Eas = waterfall (Gaelic)
2. Fors = waterfall (Norse, as in ‘force’ in northern England)
3. Waterfall (English)

One of the very few names in Scotland with three names for the same feature.

2.

The well-known town of Kirkintilloch (Kirky to locals) lies just north of Glasgow. Its name, like Stenhousemuir's, can trace its origins back 2,000 years, well before Gaelic came to Scotland.

Spoiler alert: it has nothing whatsoever to do with a 'kirk' (church).

1. The name is in three sections Kir-kin-tilloch. The first part, 'Kir', is from an ancient Brythonic word for 'fort': caer. The fort in question is the old Roman fort of the Antonine wall, situated in what is now Peel Park in the middle of the town.

2.

To most people, the town of Stenhousemuir is little more than a funny-sounding name they'll have heard on the Saturday classified football results. Few will give it a second thought. However, its origin makes for one of the most intriguing place-names in Scotland.

1/n The third part of the name, muir, is straightforward enough. It simply means "moor": an area of uncultivated land, usually of questionable agricultural quality. However, it's the first two parts of the name that are so interesting, and whose geneses go back 2,000 years.

2/n

What happens when an immovable object meets an irresistible force? Well, when faced with one of the world's oldest rivers, the irresistible force loses. Such is the case in the Appalachian Mountains, where not even moving tectonic plates could subdue an ancient watercourse.

1/n Starting off in North Carolina, the oddly-titled New River runs north into Virginia then onward until it meets the Ohio River and then to the sea via the Mississippi. In southern Virginia, though, it passes through part of the Appalachians.

I say 'pass' rather than 'cuts'.

2/n

In the state of Wyoming in the USA lies a real hydrological oddity. It's a small stream (creek) that is thought to be the only one of very few examples in the world. It is placed so precariously and perfectly that it's hard to believe it is able to exist.

1/n The stream in question is called North Two Ocean Creek, and for a short duration it runs right on top of the Continental divide for North America. What makes this creek so unusual is that as it spills out onto Two Ocean Pass it bifurcates.

"So what?", you might say.
2/n

The small Norwegian village of Skjolden (pop: 238) looks absolutely unremarkable on a map. Little more than a small settlement in inland Norway, surrounded by pretty mountains. However, and remarkably, Skjolden is actually a seaside village.

1/n Skjolden is at the farthest extremity of the mighty Sognefjord, a seawater fjord that extends deeply into the Norwegian west coast.

2/n

I love the old counties of Britain before they were monkeyed around with. The way that there's no 'London' or 'Glasgow'. No 'Liverpool' or 'West Midlands' (urgh). Glasgow is Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire (two ancient towns in their own right). Yorkshire is absolutely huge.

1/4
To see proud old counties like 'Huntingdonshire' and 'Westmorland' consumed by larger neighbours is a travesty. Look also how the new Cumbria has annexed the Barrow-in-Furness peninsula of Lancashire. Absolutely criminal.

2/4

The name London is so ubiquitous that few people stop to think about where it originates. Like so many names in England, pre-dates the Roman conquest of that part of the world. And it is almost certainly nothing to do with King Lud, as popularised by Geoffrey of Monmouth.

1/n The Roman name for what is now London was Londinium. But this is merely a Latin rendition of an existing name.

2/n

Image link: londontopia.net/site-news/feat…

Loch Lomond is arguably Scotland’s best-known stretch of water, no doubt due to its proximity to Glasgow and the large population centres of Central Scotland. It is dissected by the Highland boundary fault line, and has some unique characteristics.

1/n The loch is divided into two distinctive parts: the broad and shallow Lowland section with many islands, and the narrow and deep Highland section.

2/n

A stellar day above Glen Lyon today, with sublime views. However, the North Chesthill estate does everything it can to dissuade/scare walkers from even leaving the car park.

Here’s what I found today.

1/6 Directly below the rip-off car park (£8.20, thank you. KERCHING) signage, the first misrepresentation/bastardisation of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code is displayed prominently, telling people to walk elsewhere. A clear breach of the code.

2/6

Today I fulfilled a long-held ambition. I visited the wilds of upper Glen Lyon to see the pagan shrine which houses stones used in the only Celtic ritual in Europe that survives in its original form, possibly since the Bronze Age (1200 B.C.).

1/5
Tigh nam Bodach is a rare surviving pagan relic. A small stone structure shelters a set of smooth, human-like stones, thought to represent an ancient family: the Bodach (old man), the Cailleach (old woman), and their children.

2/5

On this day in 1692, one of Scotland's most infamous episodes took place at Glen Coe. Government troops, under the leadership of a Scottish captain, Robert Campbell of Glenlyon, attacked and killed the hosts of the houses they were guests in.

1/n After the 1688 Glorious Revolution, William III required Scottish clans to swear allegiance by 1 January 1692. Alasdair MacDonald of Glen Coe attempted to take the oath but was delayed by bad weather. Despite swearing fealty on 6 January, his clan was marked for punishment.

2/n