I’ve now been on the road for six months – I can barely believe it! And after six months and 9,000km I’m in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
My last note was about the Sahara and unquantifiable amounts of sand. I have since then travelled through five countries over hugely varying terrain and differing geographical regions: through the [...]
Tags: cycling · desert · Helen · outdoors · take on africa
Charmoz GTX – Scarpa
I was fortunate enough to spend my alpine summer with a pair of Scarpa Charmoz GTX Mountaineering Boots to try out and pass my humble opinion on, and I have to say it was an experience I’d be only too happy to repeat. Aimed squarely at the mixed ground climber the boots [...]
Tags: Alps · Climbing · Nick Parks · outdoor · outdoors · webtogs
It’s long been recognised that the wilderness, especially mountain wilderness, has a spiritual quality that humans need. John Muir expressed it perfectly when he said “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul.” and it’s [...]
Tags: Climbing · gore · mountaineering · outdoor · outdoors · webtogs
Glacier Travel
Glacier travel is not something that is possible to replicate easily in the UK and as many alpine excursions involve tackling glaciers, understanding the dangers of crevasses and falling ice cliffs and how to minimize the risk is essential. Crevasse rescue skills and prussiking can be simulated to a degree on rocky crags but [...]
Tags: Alps · Climbing · Nick Parks · outdoor · outdoors · webtogs
For most hillwalkers and climbers from the British Isles leaving our shores and tackling the mountains of our nearest neighbours for the first time, the barriers to success and enjoyment often seem overwhelming and a bigger challenge than they are wishing to tackle.
In this short series of articles we explore the differences between the UK [...]
Tags: alpine · Alps · Climbing · mountaineering · mountains · outdoor · outdoors · webtogs
Life for me turned upside down on 24th July 2007 when Ifor was born and the amount of outdoors time that we had before hand changed for the worst. We have tried to keep our outdoors lifestyle up to date since then but through necessity have had to compromise. I’ve blogged before about how the [...]
