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...on Hiking My Adventures

Cape Wrath Trail 2019: Initial thoughts – Trepidation? Why?

It’s been 9 years since I first decided I wanted to hike the Cape Wrath Trail (CWT) – one of the (allegedly) toughest long distance paths in the UK. In fact I wrote a blog post entitled Why I’m back(pack)ing the Cape Wrath Trail over 3 years ago detailing reasons why I wanted to hike […]

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...on Hiking My Adventures

Why I’m back(pack)ing the Cape Wrath Trail.

I’ve been backpacking for over 30 years now and walked half of the Pennine Way when I was just 15 years old. I have since walked many of England’s long distance trails as well as hiked in Europe over the years, but have done little backpacking in Scotland. I am now looking for more challenging […]

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...on Gear ...on Hiking

Backpacking: Does it weigh heavily on your mind as well as your back?

“2.4 Pound Extreme Ultralight Backpacking on the Appalachian Trail” Source “Six Lessons From the Ultralight Backpacking Movement” Source It seems every week there is another article, blog post, tweet or forum debate extolling the virtues of ultralight (UL) backpacking written by self proclaimed experts, amateurs and experienced backpackers alike. From ‘common sense’ advice such as […]

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...on Hiking My Thoughts

Loneliness and the Joy of Solitude: Thoughts of a Solo Backpacker.

Most of my backpacking and long distance walks have been done solo over the years, mainly because, in the early years at least, I didn’t know anyone else who wanted to hike for more than a day or two. Sure I knew of people who hiked long distances – in fact it was Chris Townsend […]

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...on Hiking My Thoughts

My Hiking Demons: Thoughts as I prepare to conquer my Pennine Way nemesis.

As I mentally prepare to set off for my Pennine Way hike on May 23rd I want to share with you some thoughts inspired, in part, by both my past 2 failed attempts to thru-hike this iconic trail and also by my good friend and hiking buddy Stuart Greig’s (aka @LoneWalkerUK) recent decision to stop […]

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...on Hiking ...on Tips My Thoughts

Best Foot Forward – Foot Care Tips for the Long Distance Hiker.

Edit: 29th January 2023. This post is now 8 years old and some links may be broken. Hiking involves walking and walking means being on your feet a lot. Obvious right? So shouldn’t we treat our feet with respect and love? After all, there is is nothing quite as soul destroying for the long distance […]

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...on Hiking My Thoughts

How I Plan For a Hike Or, More Accurately, Don’t.

I have quite a few hikes planned for this year and as I sit looking at the route for the first of these hikes, The South Yorkshire Way, it struck me just what a misnomer that statement is – ‘a few hikes planned’. You see, I don’t really plan my hikes. Whether it’s a quick […]