Alpine Hikes: Mettelhorn

A day of adventure and stunning scenery in the mountains of southern Switzerland.

Lake District Hikes: Bowfell, Esk Pike & Great End

My latest Lake District adventure: exploring a dramatic mountainscape above the clouds.

Lake District Hikes: Pike O’Blisco & Crinkle Crags

Route description for a fantastic half-day hike in beautiful Langdale.

Lake District Hikes: Buttermere

Lake District Hikes: Buttemere.   I’ve never been to Buttermere before, but I’ve heard it’s one of the most beautiful parts of the Lake District and so was really looking forward to my visit this year. It was a foul day of wind and rain when I arrived, over the grim Honister Pass, but it …

Lake District Hikes: Mardale Head

Lake District Hikes: Mardale Head.   After doing the waterfalls hike at Swindale in the morning, I drove along Haweswater for an afternoon hike around Mardale. Haweswater was originally a natural lake, but was dramatically enlarged almost a century ago, and now supplies around 25% of the water for north-west England. It’s part of a …

Lake District Hikes: Swindale

Swindale is a beautiful and under-visited valley in the eastern Lake District. It forms part of the RSPB Haweswater nature reserve, lying the other side of some tangled hills from the reservoir itself. The Swindale Beck flows down from the fells south of Haweswater and joins the River Lowther on the edge of the national …

Hemmed In

Hemmed In. It’s funny how past experiences can suddenly come back to you in a new way. Have you ever noticed that? Things you’ve done, places you’ve been, emotions you’ve felt, they can resurface and impact the present. Sometimes it can be negative, with bad experiences from the past hamstringing you in the here and …

Lake District Hikes: Yewbarrow

Lake District Hikes: Yewbarrow. Another day, another hike. Still in remote and beautiful Wasdale, this time I took on Yewbarrow, which is low and long but commanding wonderful views. After a long hike up Kirk Fell and Great Gable the day before I didn’t need much excuse to rest, but the absolutely fabulous sunshine meant …

Lake District Hikes: Kirk Fell & Great Gable

Lake District Hikes: Kirk Fell & Great Gable Wasdale is one of the most remote parts of the Lake District. Those views of Wast Water and its surrounding mountains are instantly recognisable, but it’s a relatively peaceful part of the national park because it’s harder to get to. So much the better if, like me, …

Our First Resort (Exodus 15)

Our First Resort (Exodus 15). When you face a problem, what is your first resort? What's your first inclination? Do you try and fix it yourself? Do you side-step and try and find a way round it? Do you blame others, give up, or call in favours? There's lots of ways, and most of us …