Getting up the courage for a solo bivvy

I’ve loved the idea of doing a solo bivvy for a couple of years. However, the fact remains, that I am much keener on the idea than on the actuality.  Brought up in London in the 80s and 90s, I was taught not to go down dark alleys and fear of the dark persists (and […]

A short history of the many hats of Ben

This morning, it popped into my head that I wanted to know the history of the Flat Cap.  It sounded like a job for my favorite story teller and fact enthusiast, so I fired him a text.  Apparently my text was a bit ambiguous, as he then told me the tale of how he became […]

The return of the Bothy Adventure – this time with bikes

I casually suggested to my work colleague Kate that maybe we could go to a bothy together. I was a bit nervous about dragging Kate along (what if she hated it?), but Kate was so.very.excited. For weeks! And weeks! And she was still smiling at the end!

A flying visit to the Isle of Arran

“Hey Amanda, do you want to come cycling on Arran next weekend”, “Yes!”, at this point Amanda (Chilean flatmate, been in UK for 6 months), has no idea where Arran is, but has agreed to come along anyway. Cue much excitement when she discovers that it is the Isle of Arran and we have to get a ferry. I mean, I’m excited too, I love ferry adventures.

Summer days

Found an amazing beach by the camp site (camp site on to-do list).  Shoes and socks off of course, no jelly fish to be seen, so had a paddle.  Water wasn’t even cold.  Then tragedy struck, my spork snapped!

Barra, Eriskay and South Uist

It turned into a fine evening and after my shower I strolled down to the water front. Remembering once I got there that I was wearing my pyjamas!   Observant viewers will note the appropriate lighthouse theme of my pyjamas.

A Road to Vatersay

So the question on everyone’s lips….why is Castlebay called Castlebay?….well it is a bay and it has a castle in it. What in the bay? Yup in the bay.

Ferry to the Isle of Barra

For my summer holidays this year I decided on 6 days on Barra. 6 days on Barra? What was I going to do if the weather was rubbish? Luckily I didn’t find out.

Introducing my Chilean flatmate Amanda to Scottish weather.

I could see the horizon and it looked like there might be a haar out to sea, but that was far away and we were going inland and up, so we would be ok…

24 Hour Microadventure in Fife

We arrived at Elie, around 10pm, still almost full day light, and made our way out to Ladys Tower on the coast. History has it that Lady Jane Anstruther liked to bathe in the sea there abouts (although I couldn’t see an obvious spot), so her family built her a changing room tower, and a bell was rung to tell the villagers to avoid the area when she was skinny dipping.