You can find here various short pieces and longer articles I have written, with a few useful resources. It will alter and be added to over time. Dip in to it, you might find something of interest…
- Pin badges associated with outdoor activities, clubs and campaigns have been produced for decades. A large number of examples can be seen in the following links-
- Bothies– a glance at some of those visited
- Calculating temperature change with elevation and wind chill
- Drones, are they an intrusion?
- Every Day Carry, or EDC
- A glance at bringing together a particularly useful set of ‘stuff’ for commuting and travelling. My Every Day Carry
- Altoids tin- creating an Urban EDC
- Zebra F-701 pen, possibly the best choice for EDC
- The Fibonacci Sequence- useful maths for hiking
- Food on trail
- Some thoughts on food and drink on trail, plus a look at the challenge of resupply.
- Foot care
- Sad experience recounted and learnt from. Nothing too horrific. Plus a little advice in the extra links above
- Guide books for rambling in Kent– a brief history of their development
- ‘How to stop a mad dog’
- A hikers Library
- All of us have a few books, or printed resources, that we like to return to or rely on. Here are some of mine
- Knots, on trail and a retrospective, plus some resources
- Lego- really! Yep, there have been a few brick minifigures released over the years that may be of interest:
- Lego Advent Calendar Hiker (2008)
- Lego ‘Creator’ Log Cabin backpacker (2011)
- Lego Mountain Climber (2013)
- Lego Hiker (2016)
- Lego ‘Creator’ Boy Camper (2016)
- Lego Ninjago Zane Hiker (2017)
- Lego Hiker (2018)
- Lego Boy Camper (2018)
- Lego Brand Retail Manager’s Conference- Camper (2018)
- Lego Backpacker (2022)
- London- A fascinating history of the free printed maps produced for walking in the capital and largest city in England the UK, in four parts:
- Map Measurers
- A brief history and series links looking at some examples from my personal collection. These are intriguing instruments and deserve more attention than the scant information to be found elsewhere.
- National Parks– Seventy years old in 2021- a family album
- Navigation
- Maps
- Harvey maps– a growing relationship with these excellent maps, particularly on longer trails
- Ordnance Survey maps: Three Points of the Compass has had a long relationship with the finest maps ever produced. A retrospective glance.
- A few lessons learnt on navigation and some advice, take it or leave it, your choice of course.
- Highlighters for use with maps
- Using a slope card to determine gradient
- Making a set of Pacer Beads
- How to use the Sun Clock on the Silva Ranger SL sighting compass
- Maps
- Outdoor Magazines and Journals
- The printed medium has produced some classic (and less so) publications over the years, how many do you remember?
- Outdoor organisations in the United Kingdom
- A brief glance at the various outdoor organisations that have pioneered the way for us in the UK and abroad, plus some links where I look at a few in more detail
- Pedestrianism
- A look at the mostly 19th century form of competitive walking-. An absorbing piece of almost forgotten history.
- Pooping on trail– mostly just a look at what I carry to facilitate the necessary. Not gross, honest!
- Street Furniture- one thing is guaranteed while hiking in the UK. That is encountering a fascinating array of street furniture. A closer look at what may be seen.
- Post Boxes
- Post boxes on the London LOOP (part one, part two)
- Post boxes on the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path
- Wall boxes- the ‘one in every village’ scheme
- Sustrans Millennium Mileposts– occasionally encountered on the National Cycle Networks
- Telephone Kiosks– can you tell your K2 from your K6?
- Trail signage– a totally random collection of signage from the trail
- Village and Town Signs
- Post Boxes
- Whisky-
- Yews– a look at this venerable tree, witness to history and frequently found in churchyards
Three Points of the Compass 
Hi Jools,
I have recently found your blog and it has become a firm favourite. Thank you for the work and time that you have put into it.
Many of your interests follow mine (although I do need to spend time with map measurers), particularly sketching. You have encouraged me to start my own walking sketch journal, and when the weather is better I hope to take it on my walks. For this I bought the square format Rhodia Touch journal, it is a lovely book with 90 gsm ink and wash paper.
Anyway, once again many thanks for your advice on this and other aspects of walking – it has improved my own skills and pleasure of the outdoors.
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Thanks for your comment Lynn. The Rhodia Touch pads and books come in various format but none seem to be small enough to suit my lighter weight backpacking style. They really do seem to know how to turn out a decent product, though I have heard some users are experiencing issues with ink on their paper on the Touch series.
I am very pleased to hear you get something positive from my ‘ramblings’. Very sorry, but much more of the same to come…
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