Climb Jacobs Ladder Edale is a village best known to outdoor enthusiasts as the start (or finish) of the Pennine Way; a 265 mile walk along the ‘backbone of England’. A short stroll from the train station into the centre of the village will bring you to the Nags Head pub, the official starting point for…
Tag: Hiking
How to Spend a Week in Luxembourg
Luxembourg first began blinking on my radar when I was contacted by Eric. Before that, the country never really stood out to me as a destination that should be high up on my bucket list of places to visit. As a fellow hiking enthusiast, Luxembourger Eric and I accidentally stumbled across each other after discovering…
Some Days, Hiking the Appalachian Trail SUCKS
Look at this photo. At a glance, I think you’d agree that I appear pretty happy to have reached the 600 mile mark and of course, I was thrilled. But behind the weary smile, a different reality unfolds, undetectable to the camera. I had spent a good half an hour prior to this picture being…
What I Ate on the Appalachian Trail as a Vegan
Before leaving the UK to start my Appalachian Trail adventure, one of my main concerns was how I would survive my hike on a vegan diet. Having been vegan for a little under 2 years, life at home in the UK on a plant-based diet is a breeze. I’m a foodie; I love cooking and…
I Hiked Over 1000 Miles of the Appalachian Trail | Why I Quit
1150 miles to be exact; if you can forgive the 3 day sizzling aqua-blaze down the Shenandoah River, blue-blazing the challenging, yet rewarding Mau-Har Trail and the odd yellow-blaze; which, to be quite frank, was sometimes necessary in keeping me sane. My motto is, after all, that rules are made to be broken. I set…
How to Plan your Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike from the UK
With just one week until I board a plane to the States, I am finally starting to feel like I am prepared for my upcoming thru-hike attempt. It’s taken months of research, preparation and planning, and being from the UK, it has required a little more brain power – especially in terms of logistics and…
7 Stunning Walks in and Around Cheshire
At the end of last year, I waved goodbye to Manchester and moved temporarily back into my family home in Cheshire, in order to save money for my upcoming Appalachian Trail adventure next month. Since then, I’ve been incredibly lucky to discover an abundance of beautiful, varied walks on my weekly training hikes, in and…
My Gear List for the Appalachian Trail | Pre-Hike
When it comes to hiking the AT, gear is the talk of the town. Everyone wants to know; “What gear will you be taking? How much does it weigh? Where did you buy it?” For me, I pretty much had to start from square one; I didn’t even know what trail runners were. The Appalachian…
How Much Does a 2 Week Road Trip Around Iceland’s Ring Road Cost?
One of the first subjects that crops up when you plop Iceland into any conversation I feel, is cost. Indeed, this was something I was all too aware of before embarking on my adventure; though it wasn’t quite enough to put me off. I went to Iceland with my good friend Jim and together, we…
Gear List: Camping in Iceland in September
Iceland has been on my radar since I discovered my true affinity for the great outdoors in Tasmania, back in 2016. Since then, I have been on a mission to get closer with nature, be it day trips from Manchester to the Peak District, or adventures a touch further afield. On 17th September 2018, I’m…
How to get a B-2 Visa for Hiking the Appalachian Trail
Why the B-2 Visa? Check your eligibility As a British national, I am eligible to enter the USA under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) for business or pleasure. Sounds pretty simple, but there’s a catch; this only allows stays of up to 90 days and then I’d have to sling my hook. The Appalachian Trail…
I’m Going to Hike the Appalachian Trail in 2019
My awareness of the Appalachian Trail first came about in my early twenties, after reading Bill Bryson’s book, A Walk in the Woods (cliche, I know). In true ‘me’ fashion, I quickly became obsessed with the idea, but university and other adventures were to come first, and I pushed the fantasy to the back of…
10 Australian Tours Well Worth the Money
I feel like there is a slight divide in opinion within the travel community when it comes to going on tours. Some, for instance, argue that they are a waste of money, overpriced and inflexible, whilst others swear by them, base entire trips around them and don’t want the hassles and responsibilities, which come when planning…
How to Spend 3 Days in Edinburgh
Since returning from my long term travels towards the end of 2016, my aim for 2017 and beyond was to experience (and come to appreciate) a little more of my own turf. This is something a great deal of us neglect to do; we get so caught up in jetting off to distant lands, that…
23 Things You’ll Love About Kangaroo Island | South Australia
In 2015, I was incredibly fortunate to find myself living on Australia’s third largest island for three and a half months. Without a shadow of a doubt, Kangaroo Island changed my life; the people I met, the lifestyle I led, the scenery that took my breath away, the wildlife I encountered – from the cute to the downright terrifying and the fascinating…
5 Magical Hikes in the Blue Mountains
My first experience of the Blue Mountains was back in 2014, just 2 weeks into my Australian adventure. It was cold and wet. The warmest item of clothing I had brought with me was a thin hoodie and my best footwear was a pair of old running trainers. I was completely unprepared. Almost 2 years later I returned, armed with…
The Ultimate Road Trip Itinerary | 5 Weeks in Tasmania
We spent 5 months working in the little town of Strahan, furiously saving for the next chapter of our travels. When April 2016 rolled around and Targa zoomed past in a cloud of dust, it was finally time to take full advantage of our unusually healthy financial situations and the pure luxury of ample time, two things backpackers are normally scraping the bottom…
Tasmania’s Great Short Walks – Tried & Tested
If you are a lover of the great outdoors like myself, then Tasmania is most definitely the place for you. The island is home to over 2000km of tracks dedicated to all types of walkers, be you the fair weather type who enjoys a short stroll, or an avid bushwalker who likes to disappear for…
5 Unmissable Walks Around Cradle Mountain
There are heaps of tracks all around Cradle Mountain – Lake St. Clair National Park. They vary in difficulty and length, ensuring that there is something for everyone and with so much to see – waterfalls, lakes, fairy-tale forests, buttongrass plains, mountain ranges and an abundance of wildlife, I would definitely recommend spending a good chunk of time here. We spent a week…
Climbing Mt. Amos and Walking the Hazards Beach Circuit
Mt. Amos makes up part of the Hazards mountain range, dominating the landscape and towering dramatically above Freycinet Lodge, which can be found nestled comfortably at its base. After being kindly invited to spend the weekend at the Lodge, I was super excited to explore its surrounds and the National Park in particular. Unlike the walk to Wineglass Bay…
Hiking the Three Capes Track
The Three Capes Track opened to the public in December 2015 and takes you on a truly wild adventure across some of Tasmania’s (and the world’s) most stunning wilderness. Over 46km and split across 4 days, the experience encompasses access to the Port Arthur Historic Site, an adrenaline fuelled boat trip, 3 nights accommodation in…
The Fluted Cape Circuit, Bruny Island
Our first taste of Bruny Island was back in November 2014, when two rookie backpackers with limited time and a dwindling money supply attempted to cram the entire East Coast of Tasmania into one week. Needless to say, it was a blur, and the one night we had allotted ourselves over on Bruny was nowhere…
