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 …
Seabird Colonies: Timing and Distance
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, …
The Group Shelter That Changes a Bad Day
I once watched a group of very capable hikers, well-equipped for a summer trek, huddle under a lightweight bivvy bag that was clearly designed for …
Staying Clean Enough on a Five-day Trip
I remember a week in the Cairngorms back in 2014, caught in a three-day stint of relentless, horizontal sleet that turned everything into a grey, …
The Complete Guide to Hiking With Children
I once watched a well-meaning group of parents attempt a “scenic loop” in the Lake District, only to end up huddled under a single, inadequate …
The Complete Guide to Walking a Long Trail
Most people will try to sell you a “complete guide to long distance trails” that looks like a glossy brochure, filled with photos of hikers …
Descent Hurts More People Than Ascent
I remember a Tuesday in late October, somewhere on the edge of the Cairngorms, when the wind wasn’t just blowing—it was screaming through the heather, …
A First Aid Kit Matched to Your Actual Skills
I once spent forty minutes in a freezing downpour on a ridge in the Cairngorms, trying to stem a bleed from a client’s leg using …
Toileting Outdoors Properly, Since Nobody Explains It
I remember a Tuesday in the Cairngorms, mid-November, when the sleet was coming in sideways and my bladder felt like it was about to give …
Migration: Timing, Weather and Fallout Days
I remember sitting on a granite outcrop in the Cairngorms back in 2012, watching a pair of peregrines circling a ledge through a veil of …