A year as a Mountain Rescue trainee

I spent Saturday evening high up on the moors of the North Pennines in driving rain and strong winds trying to find small features in the dark using only a map and compass. There were no paths to follow, so we waded through knee deep heather, bogs and streams hoping that after pacing 800m onContinue reading “A year as a Mountain Rescue trainee”

2021 – Not such a bad year?

Another year over. 2021. It started with lockdown, home schooling, lots of snow, cross country skiing from the back door and lots of local walks, usually alone. Lockdown lifted in late March and day walks with friends started again, initially to the North Pennines and then back to the Lakes. The weather was great forContinue reading “2021 – Not such a bad year?”

Orienteering in the Howgills

4 hours of running over rough, pathless, tussocky grass with leg burning ascents and knee wrecking descents. Maybe running is an exaggeration, I doubt I ran more than half of it and that was only when it was flat or downhill. The Kong Mini Mountain Marathons are essentially mountain orienteering events. You are handed aContinue reading “Orienteering in the Howgills”

Loch Mullardoch – Blog

4 days of backpacking around Loch Mullardoch in some of the wildest country that Scotland has to offer. 55km, 5000m of ascent (and descent), 12 Munros and 3 nights sleeping above 800m. Add in a few midges, a lot of rain and poor visibility and you’ve got an epic adventure. I keep a diary onContinue reading “Loch Mullardoch – Blog”