Wild camping in the Lake District in one of my best spots

  

What a stunning location on this wild camping trip in the Lake District

Linhope spout waterfall, a short walk in Northumberland - perfect for a picnic and spot of wild swimming

 

The idyllic Linhope Spout Waterfall in Northumberland 

Wild camping in the Lake District at Angle Tarn, one of the best spots in the Lakes

 

Wild camping spot for the night at Angle Tarn in the Lake District - stunning place

Vango Cobra 600 Sleeping bag review

 

The Vango Cobra 600 Down Sleeping Bag is great value, 4-season, and packs away small & light 

Simonside Hills walk & Dove Crag near Rothbury, one of the best walks in Northumberland for all the family

 

Looking towards Rothbury from Simonside in Northumberland on this excellent family walk

Swainby circular walk on the Cleveland Way in North Yorkshire

 

Swainby is an ideal place to start a walk from in North Yorkshire and this is my favourite circular walking route from Swainby that is on the Cleveland Way for half of it and offers superb views.

Keld to Muker circular walk, via the Wildflower Meadows in Upper Swaledale, Yorkshire Dales

 

Looking down on the River Swale towards Muker on this walk from Keld in Upper Swaledale in the Yorkshire Dales

A quiet walk near Osmotherley in North Yorkshire, from Square Corner around Thimbleby Moor

 

On the Cleveland Way looking towards Oak Dale Reservoir with Osmotherley in the distance

Cold water swimming health benefits - top 10

I've discovered first hand that there are literally loads of health benefits to cold water swimming

Cold water swimming - my first dip in the chilly North-sea :-P

The north-sea was an ideal place to dabble in a bit of cold water swimming - even better when it is snowing :-)

The best Catbells Walk route, near Keswick, with tips & photos of what to expect on this popular Lake District walk

Catbells offers some of the best views that the Lake District has to offer for a relatively modest in height mountain/fell for the Lakes. It's also a quick walk and near Keswick so its very accessible.

My new product launches - Unique gifts for outdoor lovers!

 

Some of the artwork I have created as showcased on some products - they will make some nice gifts for any outdoor lover you know (nudge nudge wink wink ;-)

AUTUMN is a stunning time of year & here's my 5 favourite Autumn places in Northern England

 

Autumn is a magical time of year and a photographers dream when the leaves on the Fall trees take on many shades of brown and orange and everything in between! Read on to discover my favourite 5 autumn locations in Northern England. 

Hardraw Force waterfall walk, England's highest waterfall in the Yorkshire Dales

 

Hardraw Force waterfall in all its glory - its surprising just how accessible the walk is to England's highest waterfall - perfect for kids and the elderly! Read on to learn more about this short, must-do Yorkshire Dales walk.

The stunning Keld waterfall walk in Swaledale, inc. Wainwath & Kisdon Force in the Yorkshire Dales, near the Tan Hill Inn

 

The stunning view of the waterfalls at Wain Wath Force is what attracted me to this area in the first place and there are lots of other waterfalls on this short walk 

The best Scafell Pike walk, via the Corridor Route from Seathwaite, to conquer England's highest mountain

Near the summit of Scafell Pike - what views on a clear day! There are quite a few walking routes up to Scafell Pike - but the route from Seathwaite via the Corridor Route is the best in my humble opinion and is often refereed to as the Connoisseurs route, as those familiar with the various Scafell Pike routes will recommend this particular walk. You may well only ever climb Scafell Pike once in your life, so make sure you choose this best walk & this way up, and not the more popular & shorter route (but a bit of a slog) from Wasdale :)

Etive Mor Waterfall - A photographers dream! Is this the most scenic & best waterfall in Scotland?

Etive Mor Waterfall is a popular place for photographers and it’s easy to see why when you visit this iconic and awesome Scottish location. It’s an easy to get to place and if you are in the Glencoe area it’s a must-see view. 

Isle of Skye: Top 10 must see places & best views on this breathtaking Scottish island

The Quiraing on the Isle of Skye - a simply stunning place and this particular view point is surprisingly quite easy to get too!

Old Man of Storr Walk - the route with the best views, Isle of Skye, Scotland

A superb view of the Old Man of Storr. Whilst many people hike right up to the Old Man of Storr - few walk beyond it to a better vantage point in my humble opinion, which is where this photo was taken. Make sure you do and follow the map route below for the best views of the Old Man of Storr.

Staithes cottages - a walk to the best view in Staithes on the North Yorkshire coast near Whitby

 

A stunning view of Staithes in North-Yorkshire overlooking the cottage rooftops. This timeless view of the old fishing port is one of my best views in Northern England and I'll never tire of it.

Malham Cove walk in the Yorkshire Dales - Choose this route for a family day out

 

Malham Cove is a unique and picturesque place that is very accessible and it's easy to see why it's a popular walk for all the family

Wild camping in the Lake District guide, tips & best spots

Wild camping is an experience I'd recommend to anyone who loves the great outdoors. When everyone else has gone home you have the place to yourself - and the chance to see spectacular sunsets, sunrises, mist filled valleys and the most amazing dark and stary night skies you'll ever see.

A Short Loughrigg Tarn walk from Skelwith Bridge, via Elterwater, near Windermere in the Lake District

What a view over Loughrigg Tarn with the Langdale Pikes in the distance 

Glamping Pods family holiday with Hot Tub near Richmond in Yorkshire

Our lovely Glamping Pod for our holiday, complete with wood-fired Hot Tub, fire pit and en-suite with shower & kitchenette

The best Cathedral Quarry walk route from Little Langdale in the Lake District - a perfect family walk with kids

This is the impressive main chamber inside Cathedral Quarry, which is a small network of interlinked quarries above Little Langdale that where mined hundreds of years ago, and although now disused, they are maintained and kept open for free by the National Trust. They are a brilliant little destination for a short walk and explore, especially with kids who will love it, and there's a pub in Little Langdale too called the Three Shires! What's not to like? 

Cycling in Hamsterley Forest on the Mountain Bike Trail - Red Route

Heading off on the Mountain Bikes through Hamsterley Forest 

Best Wild Camping Tents - Top 5

Choosing the best tent for Wild Camping is a balancing act of taking into consideration 4 things: Size, Weight, Cost & Robustnes in handling the weather! Read on to discover the top 5 best wild camping tents and my No.1

3 best family friendly walks with kids in Yorkshire to enjoy the great outdoors

 

The Malham Cove walk from Balham village in Yorkshire is a brilliant walk and great adventure for young kids

Loughrigg Fell circular walk, with superb views of Grasmere, Windermere & Rydal Water. One of the best Lake District Walks near Ambleside

Stunning views of Loughrigg Tarn from Loughrigg Fell with the Langdale Pikes in the distance

Helm 2 Compact tent review - one of the best wild camping / back-packing tents

The Helm 2 Compact tent is one of the best value wild camping tents out there and for someone like me who is budget conscious then that is vital