Author Archives

Jools

UK backpacker, striving for lightweight while body gets increasingly heavyweight. Completed all of the UK national trails while fitting in local day hikes and other multi-day trails both in the UK and overseas. Walked across mainland UK on five month 2500 mile 'Three Points of the Compass' hike in 2018

Trail talk

The East Highland Way. Part One: Fort William to An Dubh Lochan

The East Highland Way stretches 82 miles across Scotland, from […]

Uncategorized

Gear talk: five favourite pieces of gear in 2025

It’s time for the Three Points of the Compass annual […]

map measurer

Map measure of the month: Morris’s Patent Bijou Wealemefna

With the release of this tiny instrument, English inventor and manufacturer Edward Morris probably reached his zenith when he created the smallest in his developing range of map measures.

art

Tiny titanium pens

Three Points of the Compass takes a glance at mini titanium pens, suitable for keyring, EDC kits and lightweight backpacking, these are tough little fellows, just don't lose them!

map measurer

Map measure of the month- Morris’s Patent Chartometer, without totaliser

This month's instrument is attractive, awkward to use and full of faults. The design was later refined and led the way for many manufacturers of similar map measures.

Gear

Fire Maple Petrel Titanium Ultralight Backpack Stove

Easily the world's lightest commercially made remote canister stove, Fire Maple's new offering is a welcome addition to the choice of lightweight stoves, providing something a little different.

Cooking

Fire Maple 800ml Petrel Ramen Pot

This wide-base 800ml offering from Fire Maple is the latest in their Petrel range of heat exchanger pots and goes some way to improving both efficiency and stove compatibility, but not ease of use.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: McDonald’s Roller Ruler

McDonald's Roller Ruler/Règle Circulaire is a simple card measure that helped introduce children to tracking and measuring a line.

Electronics

Nitecore NB Plus 10000mAh ‘energy bar’

Three Points of the Compass has long been a fan of Nitecore Powerbanks, using them across many thousands of trail miles. Does the latest NB Plus 10k have anything new to offer?

art

Ultem: is this the ultimate material for lightweight EDC pens?

One type of plastic has been exciting comment among the Everyday Carry brigade. But does polyetherimide have anything to offer? Three Points of the Compass purchased a trio of pens to try them out.

Gear

Youth, learning, enjoyment, retrospection… and a set of scales

A few items of new gear have been carried over the threshold of 'casa Three Points of the Compass' in the last few days. While carrying out a few necessary preliminary tasks, retrospection and consideration of 'what it is all for' came to mind.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: Munn’s Map Measurer and Compass

Produced by a London jeweller specifically for cyclists in the 1890s, this little fob instrument bought together two useful functions

beer trail

A Norwich beer trail

Three Points of the Compass embarks on a beer trail in the 'City of Ale'. It is hard work, but someone has to do it!

Gear

Gear talk: Zpacks Ultralight Camp Shoes

Three Points of the Compass ignores over a decade of personal preference and adds the Zpacks Ultralight Camp Shoes to his gear. Why!

Trail talk

The Hebridean Way- Days 10 and 11: Lewis, trail’s end

Three Points of the Compass winds up his Hebridean adventure. A last couple of days would throw midges, bogs and yet more road walking my way

Trail talk

The Hebridean Way- Days 7-9: Harris and Lewis

Three Points of the Compass continues his Hebridean adventure, moving from the shining sands on the west of Harris, to cross to the mountainous east and north of the island, before continuing to Lewis, his tenth and final island

map measurer

Map measure of the month: Silva baseplate compasses, with scale slides

Silva are one of the most respected manufacturers of compasses. Included on some of their baseplate models is a handy exchangeable map measuring scale.

Trail talk

The Hebridean Way- Days 4-6: Benbecula, Grimsay, North Uist, Berneray and South Harris

Three Points of the Compass continues heading north(ish) across the Western Isles archipelago on the Hebridean Way

Trail talk

The Hebridean Way- Days 1-3: Vatersay, Barra, Eriskay, South Uist and Benbecula

It was May. That means one thing- backpacking in Scotland. Three Points of the Compass sets off to traverse ten of the Western Isles archipelago, on the Hebridean Way.

Gear talk

Sleeping base layers

Three Points of the Compass takes a look at the base layers he uses as sleep clothes. There have been recent changes, not much, but at least these now lack the holes and rents of the old un's.

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