What I’ve been reading this week, 31 May 2019
I seem to have read a lot of interesting things this week, so once again it’s a slightly longer entry. Enjoy. Long-distance backpacking Cape Wrath Trail trip report, southern half, May 2019 – Philip Werner hiked part of the CWT this month. Shame he had such a bad experience at
Paper vs. digital journaling on a long-distance trail
When I go backpacking, keeping a journal is an important part of the process for me – as important as taking photographs. But should you keep a digital journal or record your thoughts in a real, physical notebook? Here’s what I’ve learned about the pros and cons of each.
What I’ve been reading this week, 24 May 2019
Since there was no ‘reading’ post last week – I was away backpacking in the Highlands – I’ve included a few extra links tonight. Enjoy! Backpacking and the outdoors The Helvellyn and Fairfield Horseshoe via Striding Edge – Mark and Edita take on a classic hillwalking circuit in the Lake District. Blown
What I’ve been reading this week, 10 May 2019
Sustainable tourism, walking for mental health, the 40th TGO Challenge, section hiking the CWT, and editing as therapy. Environment Human society under urgent threat from loss of Earth’s natural life – the most important story of the century. High in the Swiss Alps, tourism is wreaking environmental havoc – taking a
Aonach Beag and Ben Nevis, Alpine-style
A decade ago, my life was very different. I’d been living in Glen Coe for just over a year, working behind the bar at the Clachaig Inn, and I spent all my spare time writing, climbing and hillwalking. Looking back now, it hardly seems real. On the 10th of
Chased by Storms: 113 miles along the Haute Route Pyrenees and GR11 in 2016
Three long-distance routes traverse the Pyrenees: the GR10, GR11 and, most challenging of all, the Pyrenean Haute Route. In 2016, on the hunt for mountains and summer sun, Alex Roddie got a taste of each of them. This feature was first published in the August 2017 issue of The Great
The delicate balance of information and uncertainty in adventure
This essay was first published in my Pinnacle Newsletter on 26 April 2019. Sign up for my newsletter here. Some say that ‘adventure’ has become a meaningless term. Today, it’s used for everything from a five-minute walk in the park to summiting unclimbed peaks, but most would agree that
What I’ve been reading this week, 3 May 2019
Writing a guidebook in a mountain hut on the Pyrenean Haute Route – Tom Martens, author of the new Cicerone guide to the HRP, writes about an adventure in the Pyrenees. The stories behind the notebooks that documented Rob MacFarlane’s travels underground – this is wonderful. inov-8 Roclite 345 GTX Review
Haute Route Pyrenees planning: maps, apps, GPX data, and more
Updated 2019-07-12 to reflect my final setup on the eve of my hike. From mid-July 2019, I’ll be thru-hiking the Haute Route Pyrenees. Planning is now well underway, and in this blog post I’d like to outline my approach to maps, route planning, and how I’ll handle
What I’ve been reading this week, 26 April 2019
Pennine Way, lessons learned about self-doubt, rewilding, and giving peat a chance. Long-distance walking The Pennine Way – Tales from the Trail – this is a superb trip piece on hiking the Pennine Way from Mark Rickaby. 10 things I learnt about self-doubt walking the Te Araroa Trail – Katrina Megget shares some