I’ve spent twenty-two years watching people mistake “wild” for “careless,” and nothing irritates me more than seeing a scorched patch of earth left behind because …
A No-nonsense Guide to Building a Sustainable Campfire
Leading a Walk for Friends Without Being in Charge
I remember standing on a sodden ridge in the Cairngorms, watching a group of “enthusiastic” hikers try to navigate a scree slope in heavy, leather …
Finding Your Tent Again in the Dark
I remember a group in the Cairngorms back in 2014—mist rolling in thick as wool, visibility dropping to five meters, and the group leader staring …
Reading Warning Behaviour Before It Escalates
I remember standing on a scree slope in the Cairngorms, the wind cutting through my layers, watching a golden eagle circle a crag. A group …
The Difference Between a Summit and a Survival Situation Is How You Organize Your Kit: How to Pack a Hiking Backpack Efficiently.
I once spent four hours in a sodden valley near the Cairngorms, trying to find a specific emergency shelter that had been buried under a …
Don’t Let a Bad Decision at the Trailhead Become a Rescue Mission: How to Choose Hiking Boots for Beginners.
I remember a group I led back in 2014—a lovely, keen lot—who had spent a small fortune on the flashiest, lightest ultralight boots you could …
A No-nonsense Guide to Pitching a Tent on Uneven Ground
I was halfway through a frozen granola bar in the Cairngorms, listening to the rhythmic thwack-thwack of my client’s head hitting the tent pole every …
Ultralight Kit Wears Out Faster. Decide Knowingly.
I was halfway up a scramble in the Cairngorms last October, soaked to the bone and shivering, when the seam on my “ultra-light” waterproof jacket …
Finding Reptiles by Understanding Basking
I remember standing knee-deep in a peat bog outside of Glencoe, shivering in a relentless drizzle that had soaked through my supposedly “waterproof” trousers, trying …
Groups Move at the Speed of Their Slowest Decision
I remember standing on a narrow col in the Cairngorms, watching a group of eight people try to navigate a technical descent in a sudden, …