Visiting the Lake District for many is all about big days on the fells. The area is fortunately blessed with some wonderful and world famous circuits. All the hikes offer long and satisfying days on the high mountains. These are my favourite 10, in no particular order. 1. Pillar and the Mosedale Horseshoe 8.5 miles,…

The Peak District is an area of outstanding beauty with some excellent walking. However what is not common knowledge is that there are also many hills that are worth climbing. In fact across the entire Peak District there are 75 of them (the Peak 75), a surprise to many, even those who know the area…

I received a letter the other day complaining about the difficulty of a climb up Blencathra. He said it was too dangerous and finished his letter with the phrase “the Outdoors is not a Playground, it is a dangerous place”. I nearly fell off my bar stool. Of course it is a play ground. I…

We have introduced a number of Walking Weekenders for 2025. They are a combination of small group (no more than 10) walks with a professional guide (usually myself). The walks are spread across the Yorkshire Dales, the Lake District and Northumberland. We even have Navigation Training Weekends in the Yorkshire Dales. The Weekenders are all…

There is nothing more rewarding than a snowy walk through our upland countryside. The contrast of colours, the light, the sense of adventure, physical challenges and breathtaking views are unique in the fells of Britain after a good snowfall. Choosing Place Fell for a Snowy Walk Last week I enjoyed a splendid walk up Place…

Old fashioned, out of touch and technically incompetent are some of the phrases I have heard about those who use paper maps. Nonsense. There are many, very, good reasons to use a paper map, both practical and pleasurable which increase the enjoyment of any walk. They just need to be used a little differently. In…

Having walked Britain as much as most I can safely say the Dales are completely unique. No visit to another area of England, Wales and Scotland can compare to a visit (or living in) the area. It is partly the physical landscape. However there is also a sense of nostalgia and open space not found…

Close to 100,000 people hike the Yorkshire 3 Peaks each year. It is immensely popular, maybe the most popular challenge walk in Britain. The satisfaction of completing the full circuit is immense and for anyone living nearby it is surely a rite of passage. However the Yorkshire 3 Peaks is just one of a number…

With very few lakes or mountain tarns in the area, the rivers of the Yorkshire Dales provides the watery backdrop which is often so important to a good walk. Each of the main dales in the Yorkshire Dales has its own river. More often than not the dale is named after the river. The rivers…

Half decent weather over the Easter weekend enticed people outdoors in their droves. Many headed for Malham in the Yorkshire Dales. The result was chaos, people queuing on the approach roads, dodging fellow walkers on the walk to Malham Cove, unable to get in to the pubs and cafe and returning home thoroughly fed up.…

One of the great pleasures of walking in the Lake District are the mountain tarns. Created by the work of glaciers around 15,000 years ago the tarns are the location of many of the most picturesque views. These are my favourites. The tarns in the Lake District (known as corries in Scotland, cwms in Wales)…

I have always preferred walking with a dog, rather than without. I grew up with dogs and for the last 25 years I have owned a Border Collie. Bracken, Mist and now Holly have been my constant companions on the mountains and countryside of Britain. Whilst some people simply do not like dogs (and have…