As usual, we roll in early, creeping down the last stretch of lane that falls away towards the Humber. The small car park by the disabled bays has only a handful of spaces and was already quite busy. As we headed off from the car, the reedbeds quickly came into view and beyond them, two …
Author archives: Richard Cole
Sunrise Runs at Big Data LDN: A Tradition of Movement and Community
There’s something special about London at dawn. The city is barely awake, the streets are quiet. While most of the 15,000 people heading to Big Data LDN are still stirring in their hotel rooms, a small group of us from the DataFitClub lace up our shoes and head into Hyde Park for what has become …
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Leading Nether Red Brook & Fair Brook Scramble for AAC(UK) A Classic Peak District Scramble
Some of the finest scrambles in the Peak District are hidden in plain sight. Nether Red Brook is one of them. It’s marked clearly on the 1:25k OS Explorer, yet oddly absent from the BMC’s mountain map. A small oversight, considering this delightful gully is among the best hands-on routes in the Dark Peak. It …
Legends, Castles, and Coastlines: A Road Trip Through North Wales
There’s a rhythm to travel when you blend outdoor ritual with discovery: a morning run at sunrise, a pause for yoga, then the road unfurling towards castles, coastlines, and waterfalls. My few days in North Wales followed that rhythm, part adventure, part heritage trail, part mindful escape. Day One The trip began at Basecamp Wales. …
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Family Adventure in Northern Ireland and Donegal: From Causeway Coast to Errigal’s Hills
Bags were packed the night before. At 5 a.m., I loaded the car, coaxed sleepy children through a quick bowl of cereal, and we rolled towards Birkenhead for the day ferry to Belfast. Audiobooks lined up; the promise of a corner of the UK we’ve neglected for decades. Boarding was easy. Then a wander of …
Mountain Leader for AAC on Helvellyn via Striding Edge & Swirral Edge
It was definitely a game of two halves. We met outside the Fairlight Guest House in Glenridding under a light drizzle, a great mix of Austrian Alpine Club members from different backgrounds and experience levels, meeting for the first time. Ahead lay one of my favourite outings in this corner of the Lake District: the …
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Wilderness First Aid 2025: Essential Tools for Triage and Monitoring You Should Know
I’ve been refreshing my first aid every few years for as long as I can remember, but somehow Nicola at High Peak First Aid always manages to deliver something new and practical. This weekend’s 16-hour Wilderness First Aid course was no exception. What stood out most for me this time were two key tools that …
Birdwatching at Idle Valley Nature Reserve with Chesterfield RSPB
After a long and tiring week, we skipped our usual morning Pilates (saving it for the evening) and headed out early into a damp morning. The world was still waking up. The roads were quiet, the air peaceful, and the few people already out, mostly runners, seemed absorbed in their own rhythms. I felt a …
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Beating the Storm: A Friday Night Escape to the Peaks
A spontaneous summer microadventure with my son, another weekend came around faster than expected. With weather warnings flashing up for heavy thunderstorms on Saturday and Sunday, our carefully planned camping trip suddenly needed a reshuffle. So, we pulled the trigger and shifted our adventure forward. Friday night it was. After work, bags were quickly packed. …
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A Month of Noticing: My 30 Days Wild Journey
Each June, The Wildlife Trusts invite people across the UK to take part in 30 Days Wild. A month long challenge to do something wild every day. It’s a call to pause, connect, and rediscover the nature that surrounds us, whether that’s deep in the hills or just around the corner. This year, I took on …
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