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

books

Thirty five days to my ‘Big Walk’

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail!” Benjamin Franklin Thirty-five days until I set off and I am still umming and ahhing over a small number of route […]

books

A library for hikers- Canals

Canals cross the United Kingdom. Historically, these inland waterways had a relatively short working life before being usurped by the railway but are today resurrected within the leisure market. Not […]

Gear

A few grams here, a few grams there… packaging

This is a wheeze for those who cut tooth brushes […]

Planning

Fifty days to my ‘Big Walk’

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success” Alexander Graham Bell The off grows ever nearer, half a hundred days away. So what am I up to? I am […]

art

Another delivery- Pigment PBk31

OK, so this addition to my gear is going to confound most lightweight hikers. Most of us take along a little luxury on the trail, and strange as it may […]

Gear

Gear talk: Another delivery… trail shoes

I’ve been waiting for this delivery. I won’t say that […]

Gear

Sixty days to my ‘Big Walk’

I recently did a brief post on how I was getting on with cleaning knives and multi-tools at home, while struck down with minor illness. In a response to this, […]

Gear

Gear talk: A few grams here, a few grams there… in search of the perfect USB LED light

Over the past few years there have been a number […]

books

A hiker’s library: ‘Jupiter’s Travels’ by Ted Simon

“When people asked me, later, why I chose to ride […]

Gear

A well overdue clean-up

Sitting at home, full of the lurgy, I decided to put procrastination to one side and clean up a couple of my knives and multi-tools. It is surprising how much […]

books

Gear talk: Journals

Now into 2018 and the start date for my Three Points of the Compass walk gets ever nearer. Time to start gathering together some of those items that will have […]

Gear

Gear talk: Tweaking my hydration set-up

I write this over the festive season. During the weeks leading up to Christmas there have been numerous packages and packets arriving at home and workplace, containing various online purchases. […]

Food