Scafell Pike, the highest peak in England, from Wasdale

July 18, 2018 Trip reports britain, camping, edita, ennerdale, eskdale, hill walking, lake district, langdale, microadventures, peak bagging, rock climbing, sca fell, scafell pike, wasdale 4 Comments

I had only climbed the highest mountain in England once, from the east side 22 years ago. It was time for me to climb it from Wasdale on the west side, and it was time for Edita to climb it for the very first time.

The Ennerdale Horseshoe: a Lake District gem

June 13, 2018 Trip reports alfred wainwright, backpacking, britain, camping, cicerone guides, ennerdale, forestry commission, graham uney, great gable, high stile, hill walking, lake district, microadventures, peak bagging, pillar, scafell pike, wild camping 0 Comment

A sunny bank holiday weekend in northern England was the signal for a visit to the Lake District. As we headed out for a backpacking and wild camping microadventure in Ennerdale, I couldn’t quite believe that it had been five years since my last visit.

World firsts are meaningless, personal firsts are profound

September 18, 2013 Opinion and advice adventure travel, alastair humphreys, everest, exploration, media sensationalism, microadventures, sir ranulph fiennes, travel diaries, travel writing 6 Comments

Some people think adventure is dead because most of the world has now been explored, and there aren’t many genuine firsts in exploration still remaining. But is this true, or is it just the meaning of adventure that needs to be redefined?

Snowdon via the Llanberis Path

September 4, 2013 Trip reports britain, chris bonington, hill walking, llanberis path, media sensationalism, microadventures, moel eilio, snowdon, snowdon mountain railway, snowdon ranger path, wales 0 Comment

Good weather was forecast in the Welsh hills last weekend, so I headed up to Snowdonia, where I completed a fine circular walk of Snowdon via the Llanberis Path and the long whale-backed ridge of Moel Eilio. I expected it to be busy, but not as busy as the media would have you believe.

How Mardale came to be flooded and the Lake District drowned in silly names

June 12, 2013 Trip reports backpacking, britain, camping, coast to coast walk, haweswater, high street, hill walking, lake district, mardale, microadventures, mosedale, swindale, wild camping 3 Comments

In the 1930s the valley of Mardale in Cumbria was flooded to create Haweswater and supply water to Manchester. I imagine it was pretty shocking at the time, but 80 years later only a fool would let it spoil their enjoyment of a very pleasant Lakeland walk. It was glorious weather when I strapped on my rucksack at the start of a two day backpacking adventure.

The Mynydd Du microadventure

May 8, 2013 Trip reports alastair humphreys, backpacking, black mountains, brecon beacons, britain, camping, grant rawlinson, hill walking, microadventures, mynydd du, wales, wild camping 13 Comments

Perhaps I’ve only just noticed, but all of a sudden people have started using the term microadventure for things that used to be called walks. I used to laugh, but after my trip to the Mynydd Du hills last weekend, I’m going to stick my neck out and say that I have now become a microadventurer.