A return to Dartmoor and the Erme Plains, but taking a slightly different route inspired by the Dartmoor Cicerone Guide by John Earle. This route heads up the Erme Valley to Erme Pits, then back via Yealm Valley. Ample camping opportunities can be found pretty much everywhere, be it up on the isolate moor or …
Borrowdale and High Raise – Lake District Wild Camping
Notes from a one night Lake District wild camping expedition in Borrowdale, camping near Langstrath Beck and taking in the summit of High Raise (762m) just north of the Langdale Pikes. This was not an ultralight expedition – and it was all the better for it! Essentials Getting there: Parking can be challenging in the Lake …
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Mushroom foraging with John Wright in the New Forest
Highlights from a magical mushroom adventure in the New Forest led by mushroom hunter and foraging role model John Wright, accompanied by my great friend and solstice sister Emily Watkins (aka @deathandcaches) and a friendly group of fellow fungi enthusiasts. John is possibly best known for his recurring appearances on River Cottage. He’s also an …
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Creag Rainich via Loch a’ Bhraoin bothy
This trip report covers a walk up Creag Rainach via Loch a’ Bhraoin and the associated Lochivraon bothy originally taken on 11 July 2021. For you hill baggers, Creag Rainach is a Corbett at 870m, and like many Corbetts, is very remote and requires an off piste slog to get to the top. The reward is one …
DIY Camper Cushions
Of all the van conversion projects I’ve completed so far, the one that’s had the most positive reception is my DIY camper cushions for my pull out camper bed! It seems that making camper cushions is a bit of a dark art – from sizing and cutting the foam to making cushion covers – so …
Pen y Fan via Cwm Crew
An off piste route up Pen y Fan via Cwm Crew, an isolated glacial valley with loads of geological interest and very few people. Don’t let the distance fool you – the round trip is less than seven miles but the going can be arduous making for a challenging but supremely rewarding day out. Here’s …
Drygarn Fawr – Wild Camping in the Cambrian Mountains
Since my trip to the Cambrian Mountains a couple years ago, I’ve always wanted to go back to explore more of this “Green Desert of Wales”. It may not have the high drama of the Brecon Beacons or Snowdonia (the Cambrian Mountains are mainly rounded hills of grass-covered sandstone and mudstone, verses the older and …
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“The Horrible Bothy”, Grwyne Fawr, Brecon Beacons
A tale of Type 2 fun and many, many learning moments, told from the cozy Grwyne Fawr bothy in the Brecon Beacons. Following a few very successful bothy trips, including Scotland’s four star Magoo’s, the remote Tarf Hotel, and Nant Syddion bothy in mid-Wales, I’d caught the bug. There aren’t many bothy bagging opportunities this …
Book Review: Wilderness Weekends
This is less of a review and more of an homage to one of my favourite books and travel writers. Wilderness Weekends by Phoebe Smith was the first book I bought to inspire my early wild camping adventures. As the title suggests, this book is a guide to 26 overnighters across the UK in wild …
My tiny camper slide out bed
Adding a bed to the Ford Transit Connect was a big exciting step forward in the camper project! A place to sleep AND to store a few things. The result is by no means perfect, but for someone who has never built a single piece of furniture in her life*, I was pretty pleased! I …
Whisky & Raisin Banana Bread
I was a little late to the lockdown banana bread trend, but a bowlful of ripe bananas during lockdown #3 finally brought it to the fore. In truth, I’d caught the dreaded virus. Mild symptoms, fortunately, but it did send my taste buds out of whack. Foods I usually liked were suddenly unappealing. I often …
Ryder’s Hill, Dartmoor
I’m a sucker for a high point, and Ryder’s Hill at 515m is the highest point on southern Dartmoor. This became our target on a cold but clear New Year’s Eve. There are several marked footpaths up to this remote hill on Holne Moor, but we decided to approach it from our base near Yartor …
