I remember a Tuesday in late October, somewhere in the Cairngorms, when the wind was coming off the plateau with enough force to strip the …
Campsite or Wild: Choosing for the Trip You Want
The Complete Guide to Gardening for Wildlife
I spent a decade as a ranger watching people spend hundreds of pounds on “biodiversity kits” and designer bird feeders, only to wonder why the …
Camping Well Without Spending Hundreds
I spent most of my twenties watching well-meaning hikers walk into a mountain gear shop and walk out three thousand pounds lighter in the wallet, …
Where You Can Actually Walk and Why
I remember standing in a sodden sheep pasture three years ago, staring at a hand-painted sign that effectively told me my presence was a crime, …
Cleaning Your Boots Between Catchments
I remember standing on a peat bog in the Lake District three years ago, waist-deep in a soak that felt like it would never end, …
Repairing a Jacket Instead of Replacing It
I was halfway up a scramble in the Cairngorms, soaked to the bone and shivering, when I heard that unmistakable, sickening rip of my hardshell …
Leave No Trace, Interpreted Honestly
I remember standing on a ridge in the Cairngorms three years ago, watching a group of perfectly geared-up hikers stare blankly at a darkening sky, …
Storing Kit So It Is Ready in March
I once watched a group of relatively experienced walkers reach for their hardshells halfway up a ridge in the Cairngorms, only to find the waterproof …
The Complete Guide to Identifying Trees and Plants
I remember standing on a sodden ridge in the Cairngorms back in 2012, trying to explain to a group of hikers why we couldn’t use …
What a Designation Actually Protects
I remember standing on a ridge in the Cairngorms three years ago, watching a group of hikers scramble over a delicate patch of lichen-covered granite …