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

Trail talk: Slighe a’ Ghlinne Mhòir- six days in November. Part two

Three Points of the Compass backpacked the Great Glen Way in November 2021. My final three days take me the length of Loch Ness, to finish in Inverness

Trail talk

Trail talk: Slighe a’ Ghlinne Mhòir- six days in November. Part one

Thick with cold and unfit, what to do? It was obvious, go and backpack the Great Glen Way in Scotland. I waited a week to see if the aches and cough went away and the headache subsided. They didn't. It looked like one of those 'super-colds'. So I booked train tickets and was away within days.

Electronics

Gear talk: looking at Power Adapters

My search for an efficient, small, lightweight power adapter with USB-C port for UK use continues. A look here at three prospects.

Cooking

Trail talk: weighing fuel canisters

Three Points of the Compass believes there are two essential tools required when looking at fuel requirements for a backpacking trip. These are digital scales and a sharpie

books

A hiker’s library: advice for those visiting the mountains- from 1907

"How not to break your neck on the mountains, by one who has tried it" or, The Complete Mountaineer, by George Abraham

map measurer

Map measure of the month: Model D13777- the Discovery Channel ‘deluxe map measurer with compass’

The Discovery Channel 'deluxe map measurer with compass' is a simple instrument with design faults

Trail talk

Trail talk: Et mortuus est

Three Points of the Compass needed a walk- time to think about recent months and recent loss

Trail talk

Trail talk: Churchyard Yews

Visit many churchyards in England and Wales and you are very likely to encounter a yew tree. Spare these ancient trees a glance for some have witnessed turning points in history.

Gear

Knife chat: Woodn’t you believe it- three terrific little Swiss Army Knives

Three little knives from the Victorinox range that feature wood scales

Cooking

Gear talk- butane canister converter nozzles

Many will be aware that lindal valve gas canisters can be expensive, while bayonet connector butane cartridges can be much more affordable. There is a cheap, tiny, copper transfer nozzle available for putting the contents of one, in to the other...

Cooking

Gear talk: the G-Works Gas Saver Plus

The G-Works Gas Saver Plus is a handy little device for utilising cheap cartridges of butane, or gathering together the contents of almost empty canisters into one. Though simple to use, extreme care must be taken nonetheless.

Gear

Knife chat: Victorinox 84mm Alox Bantam and Cadet

Two Victorinox models provide good options in a modest 84mm frame. Unburdened by unnecessary function, the single-layer Bantam is the simplest while the two-layer Cadet offers just a few more tools. Both models come with attractive alox scales and weigh very little.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: the Vistascreen Pathfinder

The Vistascreen Pathfinder is a very simple map measure with clues to it's origins

Organised outdoor

Trail talk: The ‘Ramblers’- a part history, through their badges

Since their creation in 1935, the Ramblers' Association has undergone various revamps. This is a glance at how the organisation has mirrored their changes in brand.

Cooking

Gear talk: gas canister adaptors

Most backpacking stoves have lindal valve type connectors. Using an adapter opens up the possibility of using different canister types

Cooking

Gear talk: O-rings- check ’em!

Many of us will have managed to fit in a few weeks of backpacking this year and some gear might have been having a rough time of it. Beside cleaning, re-proofing and condition checking, think about including an inspection of the O-rings fitted to gas and multi-fuel stoves.

Gear

Three Points of the Compass

Long Distance Trails, lightweight backpacking and gear, map measures and anything outdoorsy

Author Archives

Jools

Trail talk: Slighe a’ Ghlinne Mhòir- six days in November. Part two

Trail talk: Slighe a’ Ghlinne Mhòir- six days in November. Part one

Gear talk: looking at Power Adapters

Trail talk: weighing fuel canisters

A hiker’s library: advice for those visiting the mountains- from 1907

Map measure of the month: Model D13777- the Discovery Channel ‘deluxe map measurer with compass’

Trail talk: Et mortuus est

Trail talk: Churchyard Yews

Knife chat: Woodn’t you believe it- three terrific little Swiss Army Knives

Gear talk- butane canister converter nozzles

Gear talk: the G-Works Gas Saver Plus

Knife chat: Victorinox 84mm Alox Bantam and Cadet

Map measure of the month: the Vistascreen Pathfinder

Trail talk: The ‘Ramblers’- a part history, through their badges

Gear talk: gas canister adaptors

Gear talk: O-rings- check ’em!

Gear talk: mini-tripods

Map measure of the month: HB Curvimètre ‘Model No. 54M’

Knife chat: Victorinox horticultural knives- do they have a place beyond the garden?

Gear talk: The BRS 3000-T gas stove