backpacking
A fastpacking circuit in the Cairngorms
51km through the Cairngorms with running shoes, a lightweight pack, and a mindset that wasn't quite hiking and wasn't quite running but something distinct from both.
My top ten wild camps of 2019
Ten of the best from the mountains of Scotland and the Pyrenees As I mentioned in my year in review, I spent a total of 67 nights under canvas this year, of which 47 were ‘wild’ camps. It’s been a fantastic year for wild camps. The Haute Route Pyrenees
Skills guide: Planning off-path routes
If your hillwalking has mainly been confined to the Peak District or Lakes, it can be daunting to visit a wilder area where there are fewer footpaths. For the first-timer in the Scottish Highlands, here’s how to confidently plan walking routes – even where there are no paths. This feature
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
News: Cape Wrath Trail features published
There’s plenty to read about my February Cape Wrath Trail in TGO magazine this month. In my last blog post about the CWT, I promised that more detailed features about this trail would be published in due course. I’m glad to announce that the first of these features
The Cape Wrath Trail(ish) in winter(ish) – a very brief account
In February 2019, I hiked 299 miles from Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath, the north-westernmost point of mainland Britain, mostly following the Cape Wrath Trail. Here’s how it went, plus a few photos. Folks looking for a comprehensive trip report may be disappointed this time. I’m a professional
The winter Cape Wrath Trail gear list
After months of preparation, I have a near-final gear list for next month’s winter Cape Wrath Trail attempt. Here are a few thoughts on the gear I’ve selected and why. Trigger warning: this is not an ultralight gear list! General gear considerations For information on the trip’s
The Cape Wrath Trail in winter: seeking silence in the Scottish Highlands
Time to announce my big winter project for early 2019. More: * Gear list on Lighterpack * Why go offline – and how? * Resupply plan It’s time to talk about a project I’ve been planning for a while. You may have seen hints on social media or in my newsletter about
The Alder Trail
Alex Roddie answers the call of Ben Alder’s wildness in this ambitious long-distance trail between Fort William and Aviemore. This feature was first published in Trail magazine, November 2016. The Alder Trail is a highly challenging route, with considerable off-trail sections crossing Munros, suitable only for experienced backpackers in
My review of ‘Along the Divide’ by Chris Townsend in the latest issue of TGO
In the October 2018 issue of The Great Outdoors, I review Along the Divide: Walking the Wild Spine of Scotland by Chris Townsend. This is an excellent book, perhaps my favourite from this author: Along the Divide treads that skilful line between serious, important landscape writing and a damned good