Staff Blogs
Tall tales from the outdoors. Outside staff are often to be found running over moors, trekking up mountains and climbing up everything from high mountains to Stanage boulders. Occasionally they'll even be caught squeezing under mountains, and every year at least two of them will find some way to climb a frozen Kinder Downfall.
When we can persuade them to stop moving for long enough, we get them to write it all down and share some of the photos they've taken. Welcome to the Outside staff blogs.
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Kayaks in Scotland, canoes in Essex
Sea kayaking on the north west coast of Scotland and canoeing on the River Stour on the borders of Suffolk and Essex provided polar opposites of paddling experiences during June. My annual trip to Scotland with Martin, a friend from the Gower in south Wales, was a continuation north from...
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Unexpected Fire and Ice - Winter Trekking in Manaslu
Ever since my first winter trip in 1996 I have been an enthusiast for visiting Nepal out of the main trekking/climbing seasons. There are many benefits; most notably the weather is usually very much to my taste – that is cold and clear. Also, there are very few other foreigners around even in popular areas such as Everest or Annapurna.
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The Hope Valley Skyline
For the last few years, Outside staff have run the Edale Mountain Rescue classic route, The Nine Edges as an annual shop running challenge.
This year we decided to change the route, mainly just for the sake of a change, but also to get around the transport logistics of a linear route that didn’t start or finish at the shop! Continue reading
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Titan Cavern, Castleton
Chris Harle tackles the Titan cave in Castleton
Over the last three winters Mad (Mick Langton) and I have been on over forty caving trips in Derbyshire. However there has been a nagging self-accusation that has continued to taunt us. “But you haven’t done Titan yet.”
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Outdoor books for Christmas
Every year our tireless Book Man, Chris Harle reads pretty much everything mountain related that he can lay his hands on. This is his run down of the best outdoor books you can find for this Christmas. Continue reading
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The North Face - Gear Test in Zermatt
When the The North Face asked if Robert and I would like to come to Zermatt for a few days to test next year’s gear, it didn't take much thought. 150 outdoor types from all over the globe were whisked to Switzerland last week to hear the latest news from the North Face and more importantly, to try out their newest product on the ice and slopes.
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Carry On Up the Karakoram
If you are of a certain age you might be thinking that this blog entry is based on the antics of Kenneth Williams, Sid James and Hattie Jacques in an innuendo laced romp in the mountains of North Wales. (The improvised Khyber Pass being famously filmed in Snowdonia for Carry on Up the Khyber.)
Well,it isn’t. Continue reading
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Salomon Ring of Steall Skyrace
I have taken part in quite a few local fell races over the last few years, but this sky running thing is new to me. When a friend told me they had signed up for the Salomon Ring of Steall Skyrace, for some unknown reason I decided that it would be a good idea to sign up too. Continue reading
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Women with Altitude - A nod to pioneering female climbers
Acknowledging pioneering female climbers
Recently I was asked, “Why are there no female climbers featured in the café photographs?” It was a valid question from a customer who was concerned that women were being under-represented, if at all. Continue reading
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Ring of Bright Water - Scottish Sea Kayaking
It wasn’t a good start to the trip. I was standing in the middle of a service station car park locked out of my car. The keys were in the ignition, the radio was on, my phone and wallet were on the passenger seat. But worst of all my coffee that I’d just bought was going cold. Continue reading