Journeys by hiking, running, cycling and touring
No sooner had the last trip to Dartmoor worn off, than I was back for (and I can barely believe I'm saying this) the main backpacking trip of the year. This was to be a solo affair though, and it needed an objective... I really wanted to capture as much of the "big trip" feel … Continue reading Dartmoor: A Step in the White Direction
In my quest for the perfect pyramid, I became aware of the Pretents Soloist when scanning through one of the contintental European gear sites (I can't remember which one, though). At the time they were rather confusingly branded with mentions of Tara Poky, TFS (The Free Spirits) as well as Pretents. I think they were … Continue reading Pretents Soloist
It's been a long time coming, the first backpacking trip of the year. The intention always was to let the initial mad rush subside and then go, and it was handy that this tied in with the usual August non-firing on Dartmoor. The four of us were due to meet up in March to do … Continue reading Released onto Dartmoor
The sky is looking a bit grey as I set off, and I momentarily wonder if I've made the right choice of gear. The plan is do the bulk of the walk today, find somewhere to bivvy and then have an easier walk back. But a bivvy, even one with a hoop, isn't the most … Continue reading Chalk and Brambles
I recently took a look through my Wildcamp Gallery, which I started back in 2013 as a visual record I could look back on. The idea was to post one photograph for each wild camp done, and watch it build up over time. As the number of camps grew, the idea was that every time I … Continue reading Best Wildcamps – A Miscellany
I've got a bit lazy recently, part of a cycle of binge exercise followed by nothing for a week or more, and bored with the really local walks, thought it was time for a walk on the North Downs. So that's what I did. Looking back at my calendar, and my Social Hiking maps, it … Continue reading Return to the North Downs
I recently took a look through my Wildcamp Gallery, which I started back in 2013 as a visual record I could look back on. The idea was to post one photograph for each wild camp done, and watch it build up over time. As the number of camps grew, the idea was that every time I … Continue reading Best Wildcamps – Summits
I recently took a look through my Wildcamp Gallery, which I started back in 2013 as a visual record I could look back on. The idea was to post one photograph for each wild camp done, and watch it build up over time. As the number of camps grew, the idea was that every time … Continue reading Best Wildcamps – Introduction and Tarn Camps
It's been a while since I updated my Wainwright lists. And lockdown provides a good opportunity to get things like this up to date. Of course, I finished them in 2015, but I had a bit of tidying up to do. In the aftermath of the completion of the 214, I noticed that the overwhelming … Continue reading Wainwright Stats
The End A time of mixed emotions: on one hand there is the achievement of dipping the feet in the North Sea; on the other the disappointment that it's all over. That's stayed pretty constant as a baseline throughout my 3 Challenges, but the actual details have varied slightly.. Challenge #1 (2017) If I were … Continue reading (Virtual) TGOC 2020: Part 5
I'm technically late with my "phone-in" again, but I was supposed to phone in Tuesday (from Clova) and then again from either Forfar (on Wednesday) or Brechin (on Thursday), depending on route taken. So it seemed like a good idea to split the difference and combine them in one Wednesday "phone-in". This post covers days … Continue reading (Virtual) TGOC 2020: Part 4
Oops, I'm late for another phone-in. I should have been in Braemar yesterday (or "Graemar" on my virtual route). Days 8, 9 and 10 on the (real) 2020 Challenge would have seen me head from Kingussie up Glen Tromie, before cutting across to Glen Feshie. I'd then given myself the option of a couple of … Continue reading (Virtual) TGOC 2020: Part 3
Today (ok yesterday, as I'm posting this the following morning) is day 7 on the Virtual TGO Challenge, and we're halfway across. The crossing of the A9, at least for those in the Newtonmore to Aviemore area, seems to symbolise the halfway point. Of course, if on a more southerly route, you'll have already crossed … Continue reading (Virtual) TGO Challenge 2020: Part 2
Today is Day 3 on the Virtual TGO Challenge, and obviously if the Challenge were running normally it would also be day 3 in reality. It was also day 3 on the 3 previous Challenges which I took part in. The first 3 days of the Challenge for me have a rhythm all of their … Continue reading (Virtual) TGO Challenge 2020: Part 1
With the actual Challenge deferred to 2021, something is needed to fill the gaping hole left. A couple of posts, including one from Sue and Ali, have suggested ways in which a virtual Challenge could be done, within the confines of the lockdown. So this is mine.... There are various ideas about sharing memories of … Continue reading (Virtual) TGO Challenge 2020: Preparation