After much deliberation, I opted for the Rab Cirrus Alpine synthetic insulated jacket to see me through my winter hiking season. After a couple of weeks of testing on some cold weather walks and in some rainy conditions, here’s my review.
There’s something utterly magical about a cloud inversion from a pretty mountain summit. But how do you increase your chances of getting one? Well, I’m no meteorologist, that’s for sure. But I’ve spent plenty of time trying to figure it out and I’ve had a lot of success over the last year. So here’s what I’ve learned about forecasting cloud inversions.
With a pretty positive forecast suggesting the possibility of cloud inversions in the Hope Valley at the weekend, I set a 5am alarm and headed off in the hope that I could enjoy my morning coffee on Winnat’s Pass with beautiful skies and cloud inversions. I was NOT disappointed.
So you want to hike Mam Tor? But which route should you take? Where should you park? And what other hills are worth a visit while you are there? Let’s take a look in this guide to hiking Mam Tor.
Hypothermia kills hikers in the UK’s mountains every single year. That’s just a fact. Despite our relatively mild climate, the cold combined with the wet here means people are at risk of hypothermia when hiking mountains if not properly equipped. In this guide, we talk about what hypothermia is, how it happens, how to prevent it and how to spot the signs when hiking in the UK’s mountains.
Hiking with your kids can be so incredibly rewarding for both them and you. It’s so wonderful when you can both share a passion. But as hiking can be mentally and physically challenging, it’s not always the easiest thing to get your children involved in. And of course, their enjoyment is paramount. So here are some top tips learned from hiking hundreds of miles with my children.
So you’re shopping for a new winter hiking jacket? Chances are you’ve got 101 different decisions to make (brand, colour, style, size, breathability, pack-away-a-bility… the list goes on). And one such decision is going to be about whether to go for a synthetic insultation jacket or a down jacket. So just what is best? Let’s take a look at the facts.
In November 2023, I bought the Mammut Alto Guide Hooded women’s waterproof jacket. Over 10 months, many hikes, hundreds of school runs, many adventures and much rain)later, here’s my review.
Cold hands do NOT make for good scrambling hands. But how do you keep those fingers comfortable with winter scrambling without sacrificing on grip and mobility? And even in summer, sometimes a pair of gloves is essential to stop your hands being torn to pieces. So let’s take a look at the best scrambling gloves.
Metal studs? Plastic ones? Astroturf boots? Which football boots are best for those of you playing your football on artificial pitches? Let’s take a look.
Winter hiking is on its way again. But for those of us hiking mountains, Autumn on the ground means wintery temperatures up top already. So as I prep my winter hiking kit, I’ve put some battery powered heated socks and gloves from HeatPerformance to the test. Here’s what I think.
I’m new to rugby. I’ve watched a bit but just took up playing (union) and I’ve had to give myself a total crash course on the rules and mechanics of game play. League is a bigger game local to me than Union, so I’ve probably watched more rugby league than union. As such, my first job was to figure out the differences. So for anyone who is as confused as me, here’s what I figured out.
Nothing ruins a hike quite like blisters. How can something so small cause so much pain and discomfort? So, if you’re anything like me and you’re practically phobic of getting them on your hiking days, here’s a few tips to help you prevent them.
You’ve gone and set yourself up a football team or you’re playing in one. And you guys need a kit refresh? How do you go about creating your own football kit for your team? Let’s take a look.
The Peak District’s Dragon’s Back refers to the near scaly appearance of the ridge line running over Chrome Hill and onto Parkhouse Hill. I hiked them both recently and here’s how it went.
The National 3 Peaks challenge encompasses Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon – the highest peaks in each of Scotland, England and Wales respectively. To add to this challenge, participants attempt to complete them all in 24 hours – which also involves a lot of driving. It’s a fun challenge and very tough but my least favourite thing about it is the amount of people on each of those summits. So here’s a few alternative challenges.
Throwing back to my first solo munro hike up Sgòr Gaoith. The summit on this one really does have some of the most wonderful views. Here’s how it went.
There’s always room in my life for a new sport. So I asked AI to make one up for me. So without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about the game of Aeromagna (which, honestly, I think needs to exist in my life for real).
We asked AI to get creative and design some football kits for us. I’m not sure we’d wear them all, to be honest. But a couple of these are not bad at all.
The backpass rule in football prohibits goalkeepers from handling the ball in certain circumstances. Let’s take a look at what those are with this simple explanation of the rule.
On a sunny August morning, I made a revisit to Old Man of Coniston. Tight for time and really only revisiting to get the view I did NOT get the last time, I took short route up for just that one summit. Here’s how it went.
Can American football find a successful place at grassroots level in the UK? Let’s take a look at the facts.
If you’re new to football, the offside rule can seem a little intimidating to get your head around at first. But don’t worry – it can be explained in simple terms. Here’s our beginner’s guide to understanding the offside rule.
Fancy a sporty way to raise money for charity that doesn’t involve marathon running? We’ve got you covered.
Discover the benefits of hiking for students! Learn how taking a break from schoolwork to enjoy the outdoors can boost mental health, improve academic performance, foster social connections, and enhance physical fitness. Find practical tips for starting your hiking journey and balancing it with your studies
From technical innovations to personal preference, spiked to spikeless and a whole array of brands on the marketplace, finding the best golf shoes for you might seem like a minefield. We hope to simplify the process with golf shoe shopping tips and considerations.
Sometimes, the kind of football team you want to play on doesn’t exist locally enough to you. So what about starting it yourself? Here are some key considerations for those of you thinking about it.
Pen Yr Ole Wen looked absolutely magnificent from Devil’s Kitchen when I hiked up there earlier in the year. So I knew then that my next trip to Snowdonia’s Ogwen Valley simply had to be up to Pen Yr Ole Wen’s summit. I took that hike up via the East Ridge in early May 2024. Here’s the route, some photos and how it all went.
I took the long trip up to Assynt last weekend with my eyes firmly set on the prize of the two Munro summits of Conival and Ben More Assynt. In the end, I only got the one!! But here’s how that hike went and some photos from a generally beautiful day.
I’ve lost count of the number of times a hiking route has seen me wading through a river. And what’s worse than finishing your hike with wet feet is spending the best part of a week waiting for your hiking boots to dry after. So here’s my rundown of tried and tested methods of drying your hiking boots FASTER!
Traditionalists may not like it! But personally, I don’t like to risk being stuck on a hill or mountain with a dead phone or head torch battery. So I like to carry a portable charging device (or 2, or 3) with me. Here are the best portable charging banks for hiking that I’ve used. (And I’ve used a lot, by the way).
We don’t post loads on social (shock, horror, we know). But we will try harder… promise!