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Alex Roddie

Happiest on a mountain. Writer, story-wrangler, digital and film photographer. Editor of Sidetracked magazine. Machine breaker.

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Backpacking gear for sale June 2017

I’m having a clearout, so here’s your chance to grab a lightly used item in great condition! Garmin GPSMap 62s with 1:50,000 OS mapping – £180 NOW SOLD Montane Medusa 32 rucksack M/L – £40 NOW SOLD Trailpix ultralight tripod – £35 Sleeping bags – scroll to the bottom

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Vecto: the best way to carry water in the backcountry

Update 17/07/17: this project has now been funded. I’m looking forward to test it! Lightweight backpackers face a conundrum: how to carry and treat water in the wilderness? Many of us use compact Sawyer filters, but the bladders they come with are less than perfect, and other

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→ New feature: Lightweight Backpacking for Beginners

I’ve just published a new feature on UKHillwalking, intended to help UK backpackers take first steps towards reducing pack weight. This isn’t aimed at the cuben fibre and rain kilt crowd – it’s an article for people who have been lugging around massive packs and want to make

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ViewRanger vs Garmin – I was wrong

In April 2017, faced with the news that ViewRanger was introducing a new social feed that could not be deactivated, I wrote this somewhat angry post explaining why I hated the idea. But fast-forward two months, and my position has softened. I thought I’d be able to replace ViewRanger

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A walk through the Fairy Glen, Rosemarkie

Today I took a short walk through the waterfall-filled valley known as the Fairy Glen in Rosemarkie. Here are a few images from my outing. I’m off trail at the moment and spending a few days with my brother on the Black Isle. Watching the weather and trying to

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Walk2017 – images from May

This month I added a short trip to the Lake District to my everyday walking in Lincolnshire. Summer is finally here. As my daily walks become more and more part of my routine, I’ve found my drive to take pictures has declined. Maybe it’s because I know every

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Editing TGO Magazine

In early May, I took a call from Emily Rodway, the editor of TGO Magazine. She had a simple request: for me to help get the June 2017 issue ready while she was on holiday. Of course, I said I’d do it. My relationship with this magazine goes back

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Pinnacle Editorial is closed until late June

It’s that time of year when I pack my rucksack, head north, and pray the midges haven’t come out yet. That’s right – I’m off on my next long-distance trail! Unlike last year1, this time I am not taking a structured approach to my wandering. James and

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Follow-up review: Trailpix ultralight tripod

In my initial hands-on review of this innovative product, I concluded that ‘I think this is going to be exactly what I’ve been looking for’. After using it in the field, I’ve changed my mind. Here’s why. What and who is this thing for, again? * It’s

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Thinking about video

I used to shoot a lot of video, but at some point over the last few years I stopped. I’d like to start again. My first videos originate from 2004-2005, and were all captured on basic point-and-shoot digital cameras. Most of these video clips are extremely short and were