August is the season for collecting thistles seed heads to use as an excellent tinder for firemaking. The flowers die back and the seed heads burst out in warm weather then disburse in the wind. There are lots of types of thistle in Britain; like Marsh Thistle and Creeping Thistle but one of the best …
Hallival and Askival
It was time for a holiday. I'd worked pretty much every day in May and June and was looking forward to a short break out west, to the Isle of Rum. Rum is in the Inner Hebrides, one of four islands that make up the Small Isles; with Eigg, Muck and Canna. Rum is the …
Tracks in the Snow
This blog is about animal tracks and signs in the snow. I have been building up my photographs over time and I think I've enough now share them. Most of them I am pretty confident about but others less so... I can't distinguish between the tracks of a Crested Tit and Coal Tit for example …
Pyrenees Snowshoe Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Expedition
Right now I'm in Barcelona, resting up and taking time to write a blog about a fantastic week snowshoeing in the French Pyrenees with Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award participants from Shrewsbury School. This week's qualifying expedition was the culmination of 18 months of planning and preparation. The expedition team began their training exactly a …
Continue reading Pyrenees Snowshoe Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Expedition
Making Ice Cream on Meall a’Bhuiridh
Saturday was looking to be a pretty special day weatherwise with sunshine, cold temperatures, little wind and complete snow cover. Fantastic winter hillwalking conditions like that don't fall on a weekend all that often in Scotland so I was keen to get out and enjoy the hills. Me, Hua and Ainslie decided upon Glencoe and …
Kangoo Vanlife
So I got a van. I wasn't gonna. It wasn't for me. Who'd want to stay in a van when you could be in a hammock or tent close to nature? Well.. with winter approaching, my second winter season guiding full time, I reflected on the prospect of 'the choice'. The choice arises from having …
Recipe Ideas for Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Expeditions
Looking for inspiration for your expedition grub, bored of dehydrated meals, unsatisfied with pot noodles? This blog presents three simple recipes for tasty campsite meals, cooked on a stove. There's: Toasted tortilla with cheese, ham and red pepper: 'Speedy Pasta', a simple but delicious pasta based meal with tomato sauce and grated cheese; and, French …
Continue reading Recipe Ideas for Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Expeditions
