Eat Sleep Wild
Routes Recipes and Wild Experiences from the West Coast of Scotland
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 …
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 …
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 …
The Llanbedr Horseshoe is a classic ridge walk in the Black Mountains, the easternmost hill range in the Brecon Beacons. With over 16 miles in length and almost 1000 meters of ascent, this walk makes for an exhilarating day out and a highly rewarding challenge, particularly on a beautiful day. After a steep climb at …
Fans of history, solitude, and off piste wild camping will have a field day in The Erme Plains in Dartmoor. All of Dartmoor is rich in prehistory, with the Erme Plains containing a particularly dense cluster of still-visible Bronze Age settlements, stone rows, and stone circles. The first part of this walk takes the easy-to-follow …
I’ve been really lucky over the last few years to not only take a few stupendous trips to Scotland, but to also have the pleasure of staying at Pinewood Steading, a dog-friendly self-catering cottage near Loch Ness. I’ve known the owners Jane and James Slaughter for years, so I may be a little biased, but I …
This trip report details a summer wild camping trip to Shenavall Bothy with a climb up Ruadh Stac Mor, considered one of the most remote Munros in Scotland. The Munro is located in the Fisherfield Forest, known as the “Great Wilderness” as the area is wonderfully devoid of any settlements. Ambitious folks take on not …
For insane mountain views and idyllic wild camping, head to Assynt in the Scottish Highlands and plunk yourself in the middle of Glencanisp Forest between Suilven and Canisp, two exquisite mountains with totally different personalities. I recommend a two nighter for this one. The two mountains are a challenge but doable in a day. Or …
A few highlights from a February walk around Pen Cerrig-calch and Table Mountain inspired by the Cicerone guide’s Walking on the Brecon Beacons book (Walk 40). A little outing for some micro-navigation practice and a bit of rock study turned quickly into a day of mostly Type II fun. Cold weather and heavy wind made …
This Loch Glass walk follows straightforward tracks, taking in a lesser appreciated side of Ben Wyvis. Starting point: Free parking at the start of the walk or further along the road at Eileanach Lodge. Distance: 7.8 miles (12.5km). Height gain: 350 meters (1140 feet). Time: ~5 hours. OS Map: Explorer OL437. See route summary and …
This trip report includes notes and photos from a winter ascent of Bac an Eich (849m), a Corbett above Strathconon in the Scottish Highlands. For a detailed route description, see the Walkhighlands website. I’ve come to Scotland for a January escape. Scotland may not the most obvious place for a winter holiday – the daylight …
This trip report is from a winter wild camping trip to the Plynlimon range of the Cambrian Mountains. The area is known by some as the ‘Green Desert of Wales’, so-called for its lack of roads and towns. As I found for myself, this part of Wales feels like a truly undiscovered country. No doubt …
It was mid-November, and I had planned these few days off well in advance. It had been weeks since my last outdoor adventure, so I was eager to get back out. The forecast promised a mix of rain and cold, with snow on the horizon and more to come. With daylight fading by 4:30pm, around …
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 …
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. …
The Black Mountains in the Brecon Beacons are a terrific place for wild camping. These are not to be confused with the Black Mountain (singular) on the easternmost side of the National Park (you can read my other post on wild camping on the Black Mountain for that). The Black Mountains form the northeastern part …
The Skye Trail is an unofficial walking route across the Isle of Skye in Scotland taking in some of the most epic landscapes of the island: wild headlands, epic ridges, towering mountain summits, eerie remains of abandoned villages, fascinating geological formations, and miles and miles of unspoiled scenery. This is the stuff that wild camping …
This Dartmoor wild camping route takes a journey through the north west part of Dartmoor, one of the bleakest but also most dramatic parts of the this national park. Along the way you take in Yes Tor and High Willhays, the two highest parts of Dartmoor on Okehampton Common, with splendid wild camping spots on …
This post highlights a circular walk via Fan y Big, including a wild camping option. For more great walks like this, check out Cicerone’s book of 45 Circular Walks in the Brecon Beacons. Fan y Big may not be the highest peak in the Brecon Beacons – in fact it was recently downgraded to a …
We’ve been looking for some straightforward outings that enable us to grab a slice of wilderness at short notice without excessive planning or time off work. Our recent one night wild camping excursion in the Berwyn Mountains proved just the ticket. The Berwyn Mountain range is an isolated range in northeast Wales just outside of …
Cadair Idris has been on my hit list for a few years. Knowing it’s one of the most popular summits in Snowdonia, I’ve been saving it for a weekday, when I happened to be free, and when the weather promised great views. I finally got the chance this July, which happens also to be my …
The Rhinogs (also known in Welsh by the plurals Rhinogydd or Rhinogau) are a mountain range in Snowdonia, known for the rugged and wild terrain. It’s far less popular than other areas of Snowdonia such as Snowdon, the Glyderau, and Carneddau, and so a great place to truly get away from it all (particularly on …
The Cotswold Way has long been on my hit list since I first moved to this area back in 2004 (crickey!). Eight years later and I’ve finally got around to it! The decision was slightly random: last November 14th was Andrew’s and my two-year anniversary and we knew we wanted to spend a good chunk …
I’ve just returned from an incredible (and way too short) cycle tour of Wales. In four days I covered just over 100 miles from Chepstow to the Elan Valley following various branches of the wonderful National Cycle Route the whole way. The distance is a testament to the challenge – there are hills a plenty …
