I once spent four hours in a horizontal downpour on the Skiddaw ridge, watching a client struggle to find his waterproof shell because he’d shoved …
Packing a Rucksack So the Weight Sits Right
A Small Pond Is the Single Best Thing You Can Add
I spent three years as a ranger watching people try to “improve” nature by forcing it into a shape that didn’t work, and a garden …
When Someone Goes Down Two Hours From the Car
I remember standing on a scree slope in the Cairngorms, watching a perfectly capable walker try to “power through” a grade-two sprain because they didn’t …
A Garden That Actually Supports Wildlife
I spent years as a ranger watching people try to “save nature” by buying expensive, plastic-heavy bird feeders and decorative stone hotels that end up …
Calling Mountain Rescue: What They Need to Know
I remember standing on a ridge in the Cairngorms three years ago, watching the light die while a group huddled under a single, inadequate tarp. …
The Complete Guide to Training for the Outdoors
I spent ten years watching people buy the most expensive, high-tech training programs and carbon-plated shoes, only to see them struggle to maintain a steady …
Matching a Stove to a Pot Actually Matters
I remember sitting in a bivouac in the Cairngorms three years ago, teeth chattering so hard I could barely hold a lighter, staring at a …
Camping With a Dog Who Has Never Slept in a Tent
I once spent three hours in a sodden tent in the Cairngorms, trying to untangle a wet, shivering Labrador from a pile of expensive, “dog-specific” …
The Route Card That Makes You Findable
I remember standing on a ridge in the Cairngorms back in 2012, watching the light fail while a group of hikers realized their “safety plan” …
Camping With Small Children and Actually Sleeping
I remember standing in a sodden patch of grass in the Lake District, watching a family try to wrestle a high-tech, lightweight tent into the …