What I’ve been reading this week, 8 February 2020

Winter changes, finding wild Scotland, the true summit of Manaslu, and the hard lands of Glen Banchor.

Environment and nature

Winter Changes – I enjoyed this piece by Anna Fleming about unpredictable modern winters in the Cairngorms, and how they can influence human behaviour.

Something is happening to Norway – this is a compelling presentation about how Norway’s climate and weather are rapidly changing.

Grouse Moors – Benign Tradition or Eco Disaster? – a balanced piece from UKHillwalking.

Finding wild Scotland – John Burns goes for an amble in Glen Feshie.

Long-distance hiking and the outdoors

Black girls hiking: how the outdoors is becoming more diverse – ‘Feeling welcome can be as simple as experiencing a connection to the landscape.’

Thoughtfully yours on the CDT – Inaki shares some insights about his Continental Divide Trail thru-hike. ‘You won’t be everywhere at the ideal time, particularly if you do a continuous hike. You need to swallow this.’

Days 26-29 of #WalkNZ part 2 – River Crossings – Katrina Megget faces some challenging river crossings on the Te Araroa trail.

Expert Tips For Winter Walking – there’s a lot of valuable knowledge here, collated by UKHillwalking.

The true summit of Manaslu: a long-standing mystery solved – Mark Horrell gets to the bottom of a Himalayan mystery.

Glen Banchor – Merryn Glover investigates an abandoned glen in the Monadhliath. I’ve been here myself; it’s a place with a certain aura. ‘Yes, Glen Banchor is beautiful, but these are hard lands, and just as I hope its story is never lost under the grass, so too do I hope its story is not ended, but can be written in a new chapter, teeming with life.’

Books and publishing

Author Interview: Helen and Paul Webster, Day Walks in the Cairngorms – I’ve just received this book for a review. It looks excellent!

Guest Blog: Roger Hubank – The Novice Years – Roger Hubank is the author of classic climbing novels, and this is a fascinating insight into his earlier years.

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