My top ten wild camps of 2019
Ten of the best from the mountains of Scotland and the Pyrenees As I mentioned in my year in review, I spent a total of 67 nights under…
Month: December 2019
2019 in review: long-distance trails, avoiding burnout, and planting seeds for the future
Towards fresh beginnings While 2018 was a year of triumph and tragedy, 2019 has been a steadier year with fewer crazy peaks and troughs. It hasn’t been without…
What I’ve been reading this week, 20 December 2019
The physics-defying wren, protecting Scotland’s wild land in 2020, and some book lists… Environment and nature Pervasive human-driven decline of life on Earth points to the need for…
Book review: Another Peak – Everest is not the only summit by Alex Staniforth
Everest was Alex Staniforth’s dream, but that dream died when the earthquake struck Nepal in 2015, ending his summit attempt. This review was first published in The Great…
An afternoon of bird photography at Gibraltar Point
I’m very fortunate to live a few miles away from Gibraltar Point, one of the best wildlife reserves on the Lincolnshire coast. This afternoon I took my camera…
What I’ve been reading this week, 13 December 2019
The return of the taghan, a better alternative to grouse moors, the future of mountaineering, and why you should read old books. Environment Harvest mice found thriving 15…
TGO Challenge 2020 route submitted for vetting
After a few weeks spent pondering maps, my planned route for the 2020 TGO Challenge has now been submitted. For background on the Challenge, and why I decided…
Skills guide: Planning off-path routes
If your hillwalking has mainly been confined to the Peak District or Lakes, it can be daunting to visit a wilder area where there are fewer footpaths. For…
A pillaged ecology in the Scottish Highlands: ‘I am angry beyond words’
An environmental consultant expresses anger and concern about landscape mismanagement and the impact of deer in the Scottish Highlands Last week, after I put up a post on…
What I’ve been reading this week, 6 December 2019
Letting loose the lynx, taking ultralight backpacking too far, an outdoor election, and throwing in the apostrophe towel. Environment ‘Forgotten’ elm tree set to make a comeback –…
Pinnacle Editorial is fully booked until summer 2020
An availability update. I’ve taken on a number of writing commissions lately from several different clients, and have a stack of editorial projects lined up well into 2020,…