Exploring and learning while out on outdoor adventures.
An evening escape from everyday life can be every bit as rejuvenating as a full weekend away, if you know where to find it. For me, that meant a post-work dash to catch the train to Edale, then scrambling up Crowden Clough on Kinder Scout beneath a sky that would soon fill with stars. I …
Continue reading “Crowden Clough, a Bivvy and Grindsbrook Clough Microadventure”
A panel discussion at the BMC Stand at the National Outdoor Expo 2025 On a packed Sunday afternoon at the National Outdoor Expo, a group of us gathered at the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) stand for a panel discussion on one of the most hotly debated topics in the outdoor world, and one that is …
Continue reading “Wild Camping, Freedom and Access Panel at the National Outdoor Expo”
For many people, summer is all about finding escapes, trips that soothe the soul and create lasting stories. In August 1997, my old school friend and I (plus his enthusiastic golden retriever) set our sights on Jura, a rugged Scottish island known for its wild landscapes, sparse population, and the famous Paps of Jura. What …
Continue reading “Journey to Jura: A Dog, a Bothy, and a Lasting Memory”
Weekend Break Before My A-Level Exams The end of May 1997 brought another chance to escape the bustle of everyday life and return to the mountains, this time on a bivvy trip deep in the Carneddau range of Snowdonia. Hot on the heels of my Rum Cuillin escapades and the YHA Peak Marathon from Edale …
Continue reading “Father-Son Bivvy Adventures in the Carneddau May 1997”
It’s been over three decades since I first set foot on the Isle of Rhum—spelled “Rum” in many an old guidebook. This trip was my second trip to the Isle of Rum, the first being a similar school trip year before with a group and my father. Flipping back through my tattered diary from the …
Continue reading “Remembering Rhum: A Fell-Running First on the Isle of Rum”
The train ride north offered time to reflect. My rucksack, stuffed with crampons, an ice axe, endless layers, and more than a few nerves, sat beside me. Leaving my kids was bittersweet, but this was an essential pilgrimage: a chance to develop my winter leadership skills, refine my decision-making, and learn to manage people in …
Continue reading “Winter Mountain Leadership Training (Cairngorms, March 2016)”
Sunday, 18th DecemberDistance: 20 kmAscent: 638 mTime: ~7 hours We overslept slightly and barely squeezed in a shower before breakfast at 7:30. I’m sure this is a side effect of so many consecutive days on the hill, plus all the planning. If I do something similar again, it would be nice to schedule a rest day in a …
Continue reading “Cairngorm 2016: My Solo Mountain Diary (Part Two)”
Monday, 12th December I handed in my work laptop and BlackBerry, then headed out with the team for our Christmas lunch, courtesy of Brendon. Afterward, I stopped by the office to grab my bags before heading to the train station for Edinburgh. In the evening, I picked up a few last-minute supplies (including food and …
Continue reading “Cairngorm 2016: My Solo Mountain Diary (Part One)”
Day One: From Bamford to Howden Reservoir Our adventure began with a train journey to Bamford. The journey to Bamford was punctuated by the mild panic when the rail replacement buses were announced although luckily it was only some of the trains and after a short delay we were on our way. Our first day …
I found this walk split into three distinct parts with different landscapes throughout these. Starting by the water and heading through the broads, then along the ‘Muddle and Get Nowhere’ discussed railway line before heading through the landscape of old estates and villages. Colin Elliott’s book Long Distance Trails introduces this walk as follows: ‘Though …
Continue reading “Fastpacking Weavers Way in Norfolk from Great Yarmouth to Cromer”
