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…

The ‘Dales 30’ are the mountains in the Yorkshire Dales National Park over 2,000 feet with a 30 metre drop on all sides (100 foot when all said and done). The full list is here. Buy  the guide book here Over the past few years increasing numbers of people are taking up the challenge of…

If you are not familiar with the Yorkshire Dales it can be very difficult to work out where to go to avoid the crowds. I have chosen 10 excellent walks which are from, or very close, to the most popular centres. However the walks themselves defy the ‘always busy’ tag and lead to hidden gems…

I have listed the 25 best walks in the Lake District. The walks are a mixture of longer walks across some of the higher mountains and shorter ones taking in the beautiful lakes and lowland scenery. If you complete all these 25 walks you will have experienced the best the Lake District can offer. The…

To gain the most out of any walk put some time in to planning it. The more effort you put in before heading out, the more enjoyment the walk will be. Heading out in to an area you are not familiar with “on the hoof ” may sound great but largely is not. A guide…

One of the great attractions of a visit to the Yorkshire Dales are the picturesque villages. Only on a few occasions do they let let you down (I’m not naming them). However I do believe some are better than others and here are my Favourite 6 villages in the Yorkshire Dales. The criteria I have…