Outdoors
Field Notes: the Ardgour-Mull Trail
A long-distance trail from Glenfinnan to Mull On May the 29th 2017, I began what was to be a tough walk in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, meandering its way over the bealachs and hills of Ardgour before crossing the sea to Mull and continuing its circuitous path there. I
The context of place
When I first visited the Lake District as a child, I wasn’t too impressed. I remember sitting in our family car at the jetty in Ambleside with rain washing down the windscreen. Dad pointed at mountains in the distance – barely visible through the murk – and said “Those are the
Footprints over Ingleborough
Even the most familiar hills always have something new to offer, as Alex Roddie discovers while walking and camping in the Dales This feature was first published in the April 2017 issue of The Great Outdoors magazine. Ingleborough is the place where I first learned the meaning of the word
A night in Ben Alder Cottage
From Britain’s highest mainline train station to a remote and atmospheric bothy, Alex Roddie packs his snow shoes for a journey over the summits This feature was first published in The Great Outdoors magazine, February 2017. Bothies in Scotland all have their own unique character. There’s Corrour, the
Three winter glens in the Cairngorms
Alex Roddie makes the most of a poor winter forecast, avoiding the summits to take on a challenging two-night solo journey through Glens Feshie, Geldie and Dee to finish up in the Lairig Ghru. This feature was first published on UKHillwalking, January 2017. Early winter can be a tough time
In Pursuit of Perfection – the Lochaber Traverse
Seeking perfection on an ambitious three-day journey to reach Ben Nevis This feature was first published in The Great Outdoors magazine, January 2017 Between 2008 to 2011, I lived in Lochaber. I don’t live there any more. Now I make visits north, losing the weather lottery more often than
Walking 1,500 miles in 2017
In the end, it wasn’t about the miles At the start of 2017, I decided to take on ViewRanger’s Walk2017 challenge. The idea is simple: you pick a mileage target—500, 1,000 or 1,500—then aim to hike it over the course of the year. Because
My nine top wild camps of 2017
Nine of the best, from Ardgour to Norway For the last few years it’s been my custom to do a roundup of my year in the outdoors, but this year I have been posting monthly photo updates and I feel that ground has already been covered. 2017 has, however,
A roundup of my published outdoor writing in November 2017
It’s been a busy month for outdoor writing. I’ve written a number of features for The Great Outdoors – skills pieces, interviews and more – an interview for Sidetracked, and a one-minute mountain for UKHillwalking. I’ve included a couple of notable pieces I’ve posted on this site too.
Pilgrim’s Progress: a century of development in climbing equipment and technique
Alex Roddie charts a century of development in the tools we take for granted This feature was first published in Mountain Pro Magazine, January 2016. Take a look in your rucksack. If you’re a winter climber, you’ll find a pair of crampons in there, and two ice axes