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 …
Loch Glass: the Hidden Side of Ben Wyvis
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 …
Bac an Eich, a remote Corbett in Strathconon
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 …
Plynlimon: Wild Camping in the ‘Green Desert of Wales’
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 …
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Nant Syddion Bothy, Mid Wales
It was mid-November and I’d taken a few days off well ahead of time. It had been a few weeks since I’d been on any kind of outdoor excursion, so I was eager to get out. The weather forecast was a mix of rain and cold, with snow in the forecast and more to come. …
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 …
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. …
Black Mountains Wild Camping: Top Tips and Beautiful Spots
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 …
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Skye Trail: Wild Camping and Backpacking Trip Report
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 …
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Dartmoor Wild Camping: Belstone and Okehampton Common
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 …
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Fan y Big Circular from Blaen-y-Glyn
This post highlights a circular walk via Fan y Big, including a wild camping option. Starting point: Blaen y Glyn Uchaf free car park. Distance: 7 miles (11km). Height gain: 420 meters (1380 feet). OS Maps: Explorer OL12 or Landranger 160. Download Route Summary. Fan y Big may not be the highest peak in the Brecon …
Wild Camping in the Berwyn Mountains
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 …