Dave Roberts reviews the Karraig Boots by Keen. The Men’s Karraig Boot by Keen are a sturdy bit of kit designed for backpacking and mountain walking: For adventures deep in the backcountry, dependable comfort is key. This waterproof backpacking boot features board-lasted construction for added stability plus a heel brake for extra support on the …
One of the most essential items in the walker’s pack is a decent map. With so many different types, which ones should you buy? Here’s a brief run-down of the maps available for outdoor activities in the UK by the Ordnance Survey, Harvey Maps. and others We reviewed the waterproof or laminated versions where possible in …
Navigation Skills 3 – What’s the best map for walking? Read More »
Lakes aren’t the first thing that springs to mind when you think about the Peak District National Park yet it has it’s fair share of famous ones. They may be man made, but the reservoirs of the Upper Derwent Valley still draw tourists to the Peak District. The highest reservoir, is the Howden Reservoir which was …
Best Walks from Ladybower Reservoir and the Upper Derwent Valley Read More »
Cadair Berwyn is the highest point in the Berwyn mountain range, though the current summit was for years a crag between Moel Sych and the old summit at Cadair Berwyn North Top until the OS surveyed it and found it was 3 metres higher than either! It’s likely that any walk up will also include …
The small town of Windermere takes it’s name from perhaps the most well-known of the Lake District’s lakes. At almost 17km long and 66m at it’s deepest, Windermere is England’s largest lake. Bowness-on-Windermere has become a popular destination for visitors all year round, and has a mix of circular lakeside walks suitable for all the …
Best Walks From Bowness and Windermere in the Lake District Read More »
Great Gable is perhaps the most iconic mountain in the Lake District. While that’s an overused description that’s practically a cliche. we think that in this case it’s justified. Towering over Wasdale, separated from England’s highest mountain – Scafell Pike – by barely a few kilometres laterally and a cruel 79 vertical metres. Great Gable …
Blencathra, one known primarily as Saddleback, is a popular mountain in the Lake District’s Northern Fells. It may only be 868 metres in height, but it’s one of the most popular mountains in the Lakes owing to the wide varieties of routes to it’s summit. It’s also diminutive in scale with some routes up being …
Dave Roberts Reviews the Paramo Quito Jacket in glorious orange, with an update of how well the jacket is performing FIVE YEARS later. Having run all winter in a black Paramo Adventure Light Smock, in the dark may I add, I had to get hold of one that made me a bit more visible. While …
Paramo Quito Jacket Review – A Five Year Update! Read More »
There are few, if any, other places like Wasdale in the Lake District. Despite boasting the tallest mountain in England in Scafell Pike, it still manages to retain a wildness and remoteness that you don’t get towards the east of the park. Not only does it have the highest mountain, but the deepest lake – Wastwater …
Dave Roberts has been grabbing day walks where he can over the last few months, and brings us his Montane Halogen 25 pack review. What is it? The Montane Halogen pack provides 25 litres in capacity, which makes it as expected a day pack. With an ice axe attachment system as well as claiming to …
The Lake District is best known for it’s fell walks and Wainwrights, but there are easier and low level walks that are suitable for all abilities. Whether you’re looking for an easy walk in the Lake District suitable to your group’s abilities, or a low level walking route for when the fells are too wet, …
Best Easy and Low Level Walks in the Lake District Read More »
This time of year, its essential to make sure that your waterproof jackets and leggings are fully waterproof and ready for the autumn and winter conditions. This guide outlines how you waterproof the more typical Gore-tex and it’s many varieties which cover most waterproof jackets sold, and the Paramo Analogy system which is another popular …
How to Clean and Reproof Gore-tex, eVent and Paramo Waterproof Jackets Read More »
Glenridding and Patterdale are two small villages close to each other at the southern end of Ullswater in the Lake District. Glenridding is Cumbric in origin, with it’s name loosely meaning Bracken Glen. *Redïn, meaning ‘ferns, bracken’ (or rhedyn in Welsh), and *glinn, ‘valley’ or glen. Patterdale is simply Saint Patrick’s Dale. What’s In Glenridding and Patterdale? Glenridding …
There’s no shortage of hard hill walks in the Lake District, so here’s a selection of ten harder routes to get you going. Are they the hardest walks in the Lake District? Probably not, as you could easily pin a couple of walks together and make an epic walk that’ tougher than most of these, these are …
Dave Roberts reviews the Primetech Stove Set, a cookset for up to three people that includes an efficient stove and the pots. The Primetech Stove Set from Primus is an all in one solution for solo or small groups for wild camping cooking. Including the pans, windshield and remote canister stove – as well as …
Autumn is a great time for waterfall walking – especially after heavy rain (rather than during!) and one of the best places in Wales for that is Bro’r Sgydau, also known simply as Waterfall Country. The Brecon Beacons’ Waterfall Country is a part of the Brecon Beacons National Park and contains an exceptionally high number of …
Fairfield at 873 metres high, depending on how you define a mountain, is the 7th highest mountain in England – or the 6th highest in the Lake District and is one of the most popular mountains in the Lakes. It’s busy but slightly quieter than the neighbouring Helvellyn, and has a range of walks up …
Autumn is upon us and the best time of the year to undertake a walk to one of the many waterfalls in North Wales. Waterfalls are often at their best this time of year, and as most waterfalls are found in woodland, you’ve also got the autumn colours to make things even more spectacular. Of …
The Brecon Beacons National Park was established in 1957, the third and final Welsh National Park and has a wide range of walks to suit all abilities. It’s a popular walking destination, which is partially due to it’s location, being close to the population based of the south wales coast as well as London and …
Snowdonia has such a wide selection of mountain walks, it’s a challenge to choose from them. While some of the absolute classic walks and scrambles such as Tryfan and Crib Goch are a shoo in, the remainder might be a bit harder to choose from. So we’ve limited the choices to no more than 2 …
There’s no better way to start off a Snowdonia hill walk than staying in a campsite (unless you’re Wild Camping!) Snowdonia has it’s choice of cool campsites, but do you really want one that ensures you’ve got logs for the log burner in your pure yak-skin yurt? Probably not, you’re on a budget and if …
The highest mountain in England is well known to be Scafell Pike, but what about the other of England’s highest mountains? Following on from our top 25 Summits in Wales – we’ve compiled the same list for England. The only problem with compiling a top 25 for England is the utter domination of the Lake District! So …
Dave Roberts reviews the LifeSaver Liberty water filter that doubles up as a bottle. The LifeSaver Liberty is the worlds’ first and only portable water purifier which is a bottle with an inline pump combined. The LifeSaver Liberty is designed for anyone in the outdoors who wants to ensure plenty of clean water on the go. We tested …
The mountain of Skiddaw in the Lake District Northern Fells stands at the magical 931m height, making it the 3rd tallest* mountain in the Lake District National Park and England, and also classed as one of the Furth Munros. It’s often noted as being a relatively easy mountain to climb as it has a good …
The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB stretches from Prestatyn in the north to Llangollen in the south. It was originally just the Clwydian Range, which is now the northernmost section found between Prestatyn, Rhuthin Mold and Llandegla. It’s long and narrow and followed in it’s entirety by the Offa’s Dyke National Trail. There are numerous small …
Best Walks in the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB Read More »
