I can still smell the wet wool and the metallic tang of that first real sleet hit back in the Cairngorms—the kind that doesn’t just …
Setting a Turnaround Time and Honouring It
The Signs Animals Leave Besides Footprints
I remember standing on a ridge in the Cairngorms back in 2012, teeth chattering and visibility dropping to about ten meters, watching a group of …
R-value Is the Number That Decides Your Night
I remember a night in the Cairngorms back in 2014, huddled under a tarp in a relentless sleet storm, listening to the rhythmic, hollow thud-thud …
Wind Is the Reason Most Days Get Cut Short
I remember standing on a col in the Cairngorms three years ago, watching a group of otherwise capable walkers try to “power through” a sudden …
The Complete Guide to Rucksacks and Packing
I’ve sat on too many ridges in the Cairngorms watching people struggle with packs that were far too technical for what they were actually doing. …
Down or Synthetic: Choose by How Wet You Get
I remember a group I was leading in the Cairngorms three years ago—it was late October, the wind was gusting at forty knots, and the …
The Complete Guide to Layering
I remember standing on a ridge in the Cairngorms three years ago, watching a group of hikers freeze in place because they’d followed some glossy …
A Mountain Forecast Says More Than the Temperature
I remember standing on a ridge in the Cairngorms back in 2012, watching a group of incredibly well-equipped hikers stare blankly at their phones while …
Sleeping Bag Ratings and What They Really Mean
I’ve spent twenty-two years watching people make the mistake of buying gear based on a shiny brochure rather than the reality of a damp tent …
Overtrousers You Can Get on Without Sitting Down
I once spent six hours huddled under a limestone overhang in the Cairngorms, watching a group of well-meaning walkers try to navigate a descent in …