The 10 health benefits of cold water swimming and my first dip in the chilly north sea

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

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. 

A short walk to the impressive Hardraw Force waterfall, 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, Yorkshire Dales, a nice little walk 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.

The best view of Staithes and it's old cottages, in North Yorkshire, UK

 

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.

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

 

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

Wild camping in the Lake District - the best way to experience the great outdoors: Top tips

There's nothing quite like a wild camp - it's an experience I'd recommend to anyone who loves walking and the outdoors. When everyone else has left the mountains 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 if you are lucky. Whilst technically speaking wild camping is not allowed anywhere in England without the land owners prior consent, in the Lake District it is tolerated if you pitch high in the fells above the highest fence line or wall. Just pitch late and depart early morning and leave no trace of you ever being there. If you'd like to experience a wild camp yourself - check out my tips and camping essentials below.

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 

A nice little 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 impressive Cathedral Quarry walk from Little Langdale in the Lake District - a perfect family walk with kids too!

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 

3 of the 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

One of my favourite Lake District Walks: Loughrigg Fell circular walk, via Grasmere, Windermere & Rydal Water

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

A Stunning Ullswater Walk - Sandwick circular via Patterdale & Boredale

You will get stunning views of Patterdale & Glenridding and Ullswater on this walk - one of the Lake Districts most popular walks 

Durham City riverside walk to get the best views of the Cathedral

A classic 'must-see' view of Durham Cathedral over the River Wear - the best view of the Cathedral in my opinion :-)

A walk around Buttermere - my favourite Lake District 'Lake' walk

Looking down Buttermere towards Fleetwith Pike on this cold winters day in February. You wouldn't think it on this photo but we'll experience all weathers in a couple of hours. This walk around Buttermere is my favourite 'flat' walk in the Lakes and is relatively easy, but gives plenty of different vantage points and settings and can be done in a couple of hours.  

Walking Gear - Essential checklist and tips on making your walk the best it can be!

When doing a walk - you need to take the essential bits of kit - check out my walking essentials checklist and tips to make sure you have everything you need to enjoy a walk

The 3 best Roseberry Topping walk routes with the finest views, near Teesside in North Yorkshire

 

Roseberry Topping is a distinctive and iconic landmark with a 'fin' like shape and is a very noticeable peak on the Cleveland Hills. It's a brilliant destination for a walk for all ages. 

The best short Grasmere circular walk with amazing views on Loughrigg Terrace, and a longer route via Rydal Water

The best view of Grasmere lake is up on Loughrigg Terrace, which not many people visit (choosing to stay by the lake shore) But it's not much effort to walk up to this viewpoint and this circular walk of about 2 hours is quite an easy walk to do!

The best High Force Waterfall walk from Bowlees in Teesdale via Low Force

On this walk to High Force you will also see Low Force Waterfalls first which are also very impressive and worth seeing

A scenic walk to Aira Force with stunning views of Ullswater

Taking in the stunning views of Ullswater from one of the best vantage points anywhere around the lake on this walk to Aira Force

A must-do walk from Keswick to Castlehead, Walla Crag, Ashness Bridge & Derwent Water

What a view from the Castlehead viewpoint (near Keswick) looking over Derwent Water towards Borrowdale with Catbells to the right and Walla Crag just off to the left of the photo. This view has got to be one of my best in the whole of the Lake District

A stunning Autumnal Ullswater walk to Gowbarrow Fell and Aira Force

One of my best views in the Lake District looking over Ullswater from Green Hill below Gowbarrow Fell. There aren't many better views than this for me and when the tree's and bracken are golden and the sun is shining it's extra special. You can discover the exact spot of this particular view in this blog post.

The 4 best Catbells walks, near Keswick, with route maps

The summit of Catbells (left of centre of the photo) overlooking Derwent Water, near Keswick in the English Lake District. Catbells is one of the most popular walks in the Lakes and for good reason. For any new visitors looking for walks near Keswick - it's a must-do walk and there are 4 classic routes featured on this blog post.