The Jetboil Summit Skillet is by no means a necessary piece of backpacking kit. People who are happy to eat energy bars, instant coffee, and just-add-water-to-a-bag freeze dried meals will no doubt find it overkill. But for the backcountry gourmet camper, this ultralight skillet is a game changer. I’ve been using it for the last …
Spiced Pickled Blackberries
These pickled blackberries have become an autumn ritual with the autumn blackberry glut. The original recipe comes from All Good Things Around Us by Pamela Michael (copyright 1981), recommended to me by Tim from Homewood Cheeses. This book is a great source of inspiration for all kinds of “good things” found in the wild. Sick …
Dehydrated refried black beans
Mexican food is my ultimate comfort food, especially when camping, and these dehydrated refried black beans totally make my day. Forget that homogenous store-bought gloop that you can buy in a tin. With a dehydrator, you can make sensational dehydrated refried black beans to bring on your backpacking trips. Tent tacos, here we come… This is …
Portobello Mushroom Campstove Fajitas
These campstove fajitas are based on Erin Baker’s wonderful portobello mushroom fajitas recipe in her book The Veg Table. I’ve adapted it for the camp stove so that you too can enjoy tent tacos on your future backpacking and wild camping trips! This is definitely a recipe for warmer months. Don’t get me wrong, tacos …
Wild Camping in the Carneddau
This wild camping trip in the Carneddau area of Snowdonia was inspired by the “Hut Among The Hills” chapter in Wilderness Weekends by Phoebe Smith. Her book details a relatively low level circuit with a one night stay in Dulyn bothy. We adapted it into a two night trip taking in some of the major peaks of …
Orange, Apricot and Pecan Granola
Everyone should have a good granola recipe in their repertoire, be it for backpacking and wild camping, or just to have at home. This orange, apricot and pecan granola has become a favourite of mine. Of course, you can use any combination of fruit, nuts, seeds, and grains that you’d like. The key is in …
Nature, mental health, and the problem with social media
I’ve been thinking about the outdoors and mental health lately. You’ve probably already heard that spending time in nature can help with mental health problems including anxiety and depression. In Scotland GPs have even started prescribing “nature prescriptions” to people suffering from a range of conditions, including mental illness. It makes sense – I’m sure we all have …
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Red Lentil Dhal
This red lentil dhal is one of my favourite recipes of all time and one of the first dishes I turned into a dehydrated backpacking meal. I relish the flavours and aromas of Indian food, wherever I am, but especially out in the wild after a long day’s trek. The spices in this red lentil …
The Bochlwyd Horseshoe (Tryfan and the Glyders)
The Bochlwyd Horseshoe is a challenging all-day scrambling adventure around the Glyderau region of Snowdonia. The route includes four popular scrambles: Tryfan North Ridge, Tryfan South Ridge, Bristly Ridge and Y Gribin. I had the immense fun of completing the Bochlwyd Horseshoe with Andrew and our dog Lucky on a sweltering August Bank Holiday weekend. …
Wild Camping Food: What To Eat On a Wild Camping Trip
This wild camping food guide offers some guidelines and ideas for what to eat on a backpacking trip. Specifically, what to eat if you want to eat well. This guide avoids processed prepackaged foods and focuses on real food high in both flavour and nutrition. I wrote this for people like me who want to …
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Red Lentil, Carrot & Cumin Soup
This dehydrated red lentil soup with carrot and cumin is easy to make at home and quick to rehydrate on the trail. I’ve gotten into pureed soups like this for lunches on my backpacking trips, particularly on long arduous days. An afternoon break for something hot and wholesome can provide a welcome boost in both …
Campstove Shrimp and Grits
Shrimp and grits is a dish that hails from America’s “low country”. It’s filling, delicious, wholesome, and easy to make with a camp stove. This is perfect comfort food after a long day’s hike when all you want is something hot, tasty and substantial. I first discovered shrimp and grits during a summer I spent …
