hike | camp | paint
I’d been planning to be in the Lake District this week for some time, but the weather chose that exact time to rebel. Facing the prospect of up to 95 kph gusts and lots of rain, I looked around for alternatives – anything just to get out for a couple of nights. And so I … Continue reading Washed Away
It's traditional that each year I do the TGO Challenge, I do a warm-up or preparation trip - sometimes more than one - in the lead-up to the main event. This is an opportunity to see where I'm at physically, try out gear and help make the decisions as to what to take, and simply … Continue reading A bit of the South Downs Way – Warming Up for the TGO Challenge 2025
So I've now completed the Wealdway, my Long Distance Path project for 2015 and it's worth a look back at how it went. Actual v Plan - the stats I planned the walk to take advantage of the various railway stations the route crosses: In Kent and East Sussex railways run broadly east-west and so … Continue reading A Look Back at the Wealdway
The sun was still trying to inch its way up into the sky as it I got back to the car from last night's camp, and such was the direction I was headed in that I found myself driving almost head-on into the sun for most of the drive. Irritating but a positive sign for the … Continue reading A Long Man and a Long Walk (Wealdway: Berwick to Eastbourne)
Moonlight bathed the tent in streaks of silver, filtered by the straggling branches of the bush sheltering us from the big open field, and from the gaze of any passers-by foolhardy enough to be out on this cold night. In terms of other life, all was quiet - no birds, no small mammals, not even the … Continue reading The Last Wealdway Camp
The plan was ambitious, and as it turned out, too ambitious. A dry and warm forecast for the weekend, and the need to get out for a camp in August to maintain the goal of a wild camp every month led me to the attempt to finish the Wealdway. It was always going to be … Continue reading There may have been some swearing… (Wealdway: Uckfield to Berwick)
Sunday: Tonbridge to Ashdown Forest I got off the train at Tonbridge, and was immediately struck by the relative cold compared with both home and London. It was also trying to rain, but thankfully without much success.  I'd planned this walk to fit nicely in a period of forecast dry weather and really didn't fancy another couple … Continue reading Deer and Detours (Wealdway: Tonbridge to Uckfield)