Outdoors
Gear notes from a night on the dunes – Tread Lite Gear, Oookworks & more
Last night, armed with a few new items of gear to test out, I went for a wild camp on the dunes by the coast. I managed to capture a few good images, too. I’ve camped here before. In June 2016, I took my lightest wild camping gear for
The times when I’ve gone ‘stupid light’
A couple of years ago, I read an article by Andy Skurka called Stupid Light: Why light is not necessarily right, and why lighter is not necessarily better. I’ve always tried to pack intelligently, rather than just aiming for the lightest possible load, but I’ve been guilty of
Thoughts on summer sleep systems
Two years ago, I bought a new sleeping bag and thought it would be ideal for every backpacking scenario. But now I find my needs diversifying, and I’m looking for a new – and much lighter – option for summer trips. The Rab Neutrino 400 The sleeping bag I bought in
Windslab Wall
January 2007 It’s my first trip to Glen Coe and I’m planning my first winter climb. Conditions are terrible, but I’m twenty years old and don’t know any better. What could possibly go wrong? My tent is flooded. I arrived at the Red Squirrel campsite late
#Walk2017 – a photographic study of the first 100 miles
At the start of the year, I set myself the challenge of walking 1,500 miles. Here is a photographic study of the first 100. A few things have surprised me. My new routine My daily morning hike generates the bulk of the mileage – a five-mile circuit that I walk
Naeboots on the Cape Wrath Trail
Alex Roddie describes his experiences walking Scotland’s greatest long-distance route… with nae boots. This article was first published in The Great Outdoors Magazine, October 2015. ‘You’ll never make it across Knoydart in those flimsy shoes, mate. And that lightweight tent’ll be ripped to shreds.’ Another backpacker had
Ben Alder Cottage and the Ossian Munros: Field Notes
In this month’s issue of The Great Outdoors Magazine, I’m stravaiging in the mountains above Ben Alder Cottage. Here are a few photos that didn’t make the cut. A year ago, I stepped out of a warm train carriage onto the platform at Corrour Station, a remote
New UKHillwalking feature: Three Days in the Cairngorms
In November 2016, I walked a 37-mile route through the Cairngorms, staying low level and avoiding the tops due to a huge dump of new snow. Although it takes in no summits, this route has plenty of interest to hold the backpacker’s attention. Here’s an overview map of
Making time for fitness
For several years, despite my regular trips to the mountains and my long-distance walks, I have struggled to find a way to maintain fitness in my everyday life. Here’s how I’m going to aim to walk 1,500 miles in 2017. The problem with my daily routine is