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...on Gear

I’ve done a kit list! But why?

Kit lists. They seem to be everywhere. And especially at this time of year (April/May) when the TGO Challenge is imminent. But why have a kit list at all? To answer that question you’d need to ask the individual who wrote their kit list as reasons vary. However, the most common reasons seem to be […]

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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 Tips Gear Reviews

Camping: To Pee or Not to Pee…. 

… in pee bottles? That is the question.  I’m not as young as I once was (an obvious statement) and, as I grow older, I find my physical attributes changing. For one thing I now need to wear reading glasses – something that is certainly taking some getting used too! Another, more pertinent example for […]

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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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Solo Adventures

Snow, Winds and Tightrope Walking in the #YorkshireDales

Before you read my latest blog post may I suggest you go put the kettle on? All will be revealed in a couple of minutes ☺ The First Snows It had forecast snow and indeed I could ‘feel’ it in the air on the afternoon of Friday 20th November. The temperature had dropped steadily over […]