I once spent four hours crouched in a damp gorse thicket near the Cairngorms, waiting for a single pine marten, only to realize my “high-tech” …
Watching Nocturnal Animals Without Blinding Them
Taking a Dog on the Hill Responsibly
I’ve spent two decades watching people mistake a sunny morning in the valley for a guarantee of safety, and adding a dog to the equation …
The Complete Guide to Walking Alone
I once spent four hours sitting in a damp hollow on a ridge in the Cairngorms, watching a group of “prepared” soloists try to negotiate …
Winter Camping: Long Nights Are the Real Challenge
I remember sitting in a bivvy bag three years ago on a ridge in the Cairngorms, listening to the wind try to peel the flysheet …
Foil Blankets Are Almost Useless. Carry This Instead.
I remember a Tuesday in the Cairngorms back in 2014—the kind of day where the mist doesn’t just roll in, it swallows you whole. I …
Winter Is the Easiest Season to See Things
I was standing on a frost-slicked ridge in the Cairngorms three years ago, my fingers so numb I could barely operate my binoculars, watching a …
River Crossings: When the Answer Is Simply No
I remember a group of walkers back in the Cairngorms, three years ago, standing on the edge of a swollen burn. They were staring at …
The Complete Guide to Hiking With a Dog
I was standing on a scree slope in the Lake District three years ago, watching a well-meaning hiker scramble to untangle a high-tech, retractable leash …
Seabird Colonies: Timing and Distance
I spent three hours last Tuesday standing on a granite ledge in a gale that felt like it was trying to peel the skin off …
Trekking Poles: Length, Technique and When to Stow Them
I once watched a group of otherwise capable hikers struggle through a scree slope in the Cairngorms, their legs shaking and their rhythm completely broken, …