Black Down is the highest area of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England and Beacon Batch is the highest point at 325m, just over 1000ft. On a clear day it offers fabulous views of the Bristol Channel, the Quantocks, Exmoor, the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons, Cheddar Gorge and the easyjet planes landing and taking…

I have owned a number of stoves over the years. In the old days, the classic Camping Gaz stove, Optimus 8r or Hex burner. More recently the Trangia meths burner and most recently the Jetboil system. I love this stove. I don’t cook when backpacking. I eat some fruit, energy bars, nuts/raisins and I heat…

A few precious days off, a quick flight to Inverness and I was in heaven. I had looked at the cost of the sleeper from London but back pain and the idea of hours in a seat just didn’t cut it. Instead, a £60 return with Easyjet from Luton airport and I arrived, fresh and…

There is a joy to be found in a long walk on the flat. Particularly with advancing years. Occasionally it’s great to find walks with great views and features that don’t have too arduous an approach. I love hills and have climbed many a Munro but a brisk day’s walk on a clear Autumn day…

My aged feet aren’t in bad shape but they lack the spring in their step that I used to take for granted and a recent episode of plantar fasciitis, which wiped me out for months, highlighted my need to stretch more all the time and find a shoe or boot that looked after my most…

I first put on a backpack and boots proper at about the age of 16 and walked the South Downs Way with a couple of friends. This was then called hiking, and the equipment was either rubbish and likely to fall apart or incredibly durable with a weight to match.  My very first ill-prepared Long…