Welcome to the Our Sporting Life hiking blog. I’m Stacey and I’ve been hiking religiously since 2020. Lockdown helped me discover local trails and since then I’ve been bagging munros, Wainwrights, as many hills and mountain ridges as I can find, plus flatter trails too. I’m absolutely hooked. Most of the hiking blog posts here are written by me. I cover routes, reviews, gear and other features relating to hiking (mostly in the UK because that’s where I am). And I’m a firm believer that nobody should write about a route they haven’t done themselves. That’s why we don’t have thousands upon thousands of route reviews, but instead a smaller number of the ones we’ve done ourselves and can do into more detail on.
Sometimes, other members of our team of guest contributors may share hiking articles here too, but we only publish content on topics that the writer has experience of.
Even the best waterproof jacket in the world is going to need reproofing eventually. And if you want to get more life out of your waterproof jacket investment, then reproofing it properly is the key. After 6 years of reproofing jackets (sometimes well, sometimes not) this is now my go to as the best method of reproofing.
Osprey hiking bags are certainly are the higher end of the price scale when compared with other options on the market. But are they worth it? And is Osprey a good hiking brand? Here’s my honest take after just about 3 years of hiking exclusively with Osprey bags.
It has been so long since I got the Osprey Sirrus 36 that it has since been replaced with the Sirrus 34! Nonetheless, having spent almost 3 years hiking with this backpack, I now feel qualified to review it properly. So here’s what you need to know.
I bought the Osprey Sirrus 24 women’s hiking bag back in May 2022. After almost 2 and half years of use, only now do I feel qualified to actually write a review! So here’s my honest take on this hiking backpack designed specifically for the female body.
A hiking bag is a hiking bag, right? So when premium end brands start marketing some as “women’s” specifically, what’s the deal? Well, there IS a benefit for female hikers in using bags designed specifically for a women’s body. Let’s look at them!
I fell in love with Merrell a few years ago when I got a pair of hiking boots I just LOVED. But it’s been all downhill since then unfortunately with consistent quality issues and poor customer service. So, is Merrell a good hiking brand? Well, in my opinion, largely not. But let’s talk about it in more detail.
I’m planning the Welsh 3000s in 24 hours challenge for next summer. Having done most of them individually, I already know how tough a challenge this will be. Here’s the list and the route I’ll be taking
Knowing what to buy for the hiker in your life who seems to have everything already is no mean feat. But we’ve got you covered with 21 hiking gift ideas in 4 budget ranges – under £10, under £20, under £50 and big budget indulgence!
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.
With winter on the way, we take a little look at how to ensure you stay warm whatever your outdoor adventure of choice.
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.
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.
Dovestone is a beautiful place in the Peak District’s Dark peak, nestled amongst the Saddleworth Hills. But there’s far more for hikers here than reservoir walks. Here’s a hiker’s guide to Dovestone Reservoir and the surrounding hills.
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.
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.
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.
Hiking is a great stress reducer and can actually help increase your productivity. But when you’ve under pressure with tight deadlines and exams, how do you make sure you can fit it all in? Let’s take a look/
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
Love a bit of scrambling? I do! Maybe it’s the fresh air and adrenaline combination. Maybe it’s the views. Whatever the reason, I am hooked on scrambling.
Here’s my take on the UK’s 8 best Grade 1 or 2 scrambles (covering England, Scotland and Wales).
The Ogwen Valley is just something else. Spectacularly beautiful with its rugged, rocky peaks and pristine valley, there are hikes here suitable for all types of hikers and walkers. And here are 5 of the best Ogwen Valley hiking routes in my humble opinion!
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.
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!
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