tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266Tue, 28 Apr 2026 19:42:59 +0000CairngormsScottish Highlandsbackpackingwild campingsnowwinterThe Great OutdoorshillwalkingTGOoutdoor gearhill walkingoutdoor writingconservationwritinglong distance hikingphotographyScotlandnaturebooksStrathspeyweatherbook reviewslong-distance hikingoutdoor booksPacific Crest Traillong distance trailsgear reviewsski touringoutdoor magazinesfilmautumnoutdoor gear reviewsTGO ChallengeTerry Abrahambirdsbackpacking gearmountainsMunroslong distance walkingwinter campingwildlifeMeall a'BhuachailleScottish watershedwinter hillwalkingCairngorms National ParkGlen FeshieLake DistrictPacific Northwest Trailhikingigloosstormsautumn colourscampingtreeswild landJohn Muir Trustwind farmswoodsBen MacduiCairn Gormlong-distance trailstentsCairngorms In Wintersunsetcamerasforestoutdoor photographytalksforestsrewildingcloudshiking gearnature writingContinental Divide Traillandscape photographylong-distance walkingJohn MuirMonadh 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parksottersoutdoor Xmas presentsoutdoor accessoutdoor blogsoutdoor gear testingoutdoor phoneoutdoor pocastsoutdoors writingovergrazingphone mastsphoto editingphoto processingphotograohyphotographic gearpine martenplayspower banksptarmiganpublishingquad copterrain clothingrain jacketsravensrecordingrecyclingred deerreindeerright to roamriver fordsroute-findingrowan treesrugged phoneruined houseruinssandalssatellite communicatorsscanned slidesscience fictionsea birdssealsseasonsshelterssignssilversmithskysky racessmartphonesnow meltingsnow travelsolsticespring snowstar photographystealth campingstorytellingsun protectionsunshinesustainabilityswanstent reviewtent reviewsthawthawsthe Cuillinthe layer systemthru'hikingthunderthunderstormstrad musictrail foodtrainstrapstripodsultralight gearurban landscapewaist packswalking footwearwalking gearwalking gear reviewswalking gear testingwalking trouserswaterwater for hikingwaterproof notebookswaterproof/breathablewhooper swanswild camping gearwild campswild land areaswildcatswilderness signswilderness walkingwildfireswindwindswindshirtwinter camping. camp stoveswinter climbingwinter clothingwinter gearwinter hikingwinter landscapewinter landscapeswinter mountain safetywinter skillswinter woodswoodwoodlandBackpacking, hiking, camping, mountains, natural history, wilderness, book reviews, conservation, writing, photography, arts, politics and anything else on which I have something to say.http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/noreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)Blogger2216125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-8813422942380788457Sat, 25 Apr 2026 20:55:55 +00002026-04-25T21:55:55.605+01:00backpackinghikingwild campingThe camp in Coire an IubhairIn response to the photo at the start of my recent post  about stove systems I was asked by Chris Sainty about the boots I was wearing. As I had no idea, the picture being 21 years old, and many boots having been tested since then, I searched through my files and discovered I'd written a trip report and gear review for this January 2005 trip for The Great Outdoorshttp://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/04/from-archives-wild-camp-and-mountain-21.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-8102777509872010044Sun, 19 Apr 2026 22:12:00 +00002026-04-25T14:44:36.180+01:00backpackingcamping stoveshikingUsing the original Jetboil in 2005A lightweight backpacking stove system arrived for testing a few days ago, the third such new stove system this year, which set me thinking about the rise of these stove and pot combinations and why they are popular. A stove or cooking system is basically just a pot and stove that come as a package. They’re not new. The methylated spirits/alcohol burning Trangiahttp://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/04/a-look-at-stove-systems-for-backpacking.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-5786795029512641728Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:21:00 +00002026-04-13T23:21:11.247+01:00TGOThe Great OutdoorsThe May issue of TGO has a big feature on gear for wild camping. My contributions are reviews of four stoves - Fire Maple Petrel Titanium Ultralight, GSI Pinnacle Four Season, Alpkit MyTiBurner, & Robens Fire Wisp Solo Cook Set UL -, the Gregory Baltoro 65 pack, and the Alpkit Radiant sleeping mat. Another mat is reviewed by David Lintern - the Highlander Nap Pak Arctic.Also in this section http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/04/a-look-at-may-issue-of-great-outdoors.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-2026818134239456347Mon, 06 Apr 2026 23:24:00 +00002026-04-07T00:24:25.738+01:00backpackinglong-distance hikingPennine WayBelow Rakes Rocks. My first camp on the Pennine Way, April 7On April 7th, 1976, I set out on my first long-distance walk, a journey that was to set the pattern for the rest of my life. In the previous few years I had done plenty of day walks in the hills and a few one or two night backpacking trips. Now I wanted to find out what a longer trip felt like and whether I could complete one. I chose http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/04/fifty-years-ago-i-was-on-pennine-way-my.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-3568732310193100427Sun, 05 Apr 2026 22:50:00 +00002026-04-06T00:18:02.025+01:00hikingScottish Highlandswild campingCamp in the forestWith a big storm approaching and unsettled weather already here venturing into the high mountains didn’t seem a good idea so I decided on an overnight trip in my local moorland hills. There were places I’d still never visited despite living here for over thirty years. This seemed a good time to go and see them. The field of young pines with the Cromdale Hills in the http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/04/a-local-walk-camp-in-stormy-weather.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-3111692346118584425Mon, 30 Mar 2026 23:23:00 +00002026-03-31T22:44:56.904+01:00backpacking stovesJetboilTrailCookJetboil TrailCook 1.2LMy most used stove and pot combination for winter camping for more than a decade has been the Jetboil MiniMo as it has a regulated burner and a wide pot with a heat exchanger. I’ve long thought this by far the best of Jetboil’s stove systems so I was  excited to hear that a successor was being launched featuring some of the new features that appeared in the revamped http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/03/a-first-look-at-new-jetboil-trailcook.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-2438619187427057531Fri, 27 Mar 2026 21:50:00 +00002026-03-29T15:36:07.703+01:00Cairngormshikingwild campingBeautiful sunshine in Glen FeshieA sunny forecast for the equinox suggested a walk to welcome the spring. Glen Feshie and the Moine Mhor beckoned (it always does). I hadn’t been there since last August – far too long. The sun was indeed shining and the air was warm as I set off down the glen. High above I could see remnants of a recent snowfall edging the rim of the Moine Mhor plateau. The Allt http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/03/an-equinox-walk-camp-in-cairngorms-glen.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-2994379218914452422Sat, 14 Mar 2026 23:35:00 +00002026-03-24T22:55:48.805+00:00backpacking gearcampingsleeping matsWith my old Therm-A-Rest Ultralite and a tent full of mats ready for making a videoI started thinking about mat and tent combinations for the first time last year. The idea had never occurred to me before because it had never been necessary. Why would the two items affect each other? Until fairly recently they didn’t but now some mats are thick enough to reduce headroom and end space in a tent, http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/03/sleeping-mat-thoughts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-5324842066980016931Mon, 09 Mar 2026 23:49:00 +00002026-03-09T23:49:41.833+00:00TGOThe Great OutdoorsThe theme of the latest issue of The Great Outdoors is doing more with less, whether that's keeping gear in good repair so it lasts well or finding budget and second-hand gear. Peter Macfarlane combines the two, finding used items of clothing (Gore-Tex jacket, fleece jacket, fleece salopettes, baselayer) and a  daypack for a grand total of £53 and describing how he returned them to working http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/03/a-look-at-april-issue-of-great-outdoors.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-527112961012367507Sun, 08 Mar 2026 14:55:00 +00002026-03-08T22:37:52.208+00:00camping stovesweatherwoods A breezy, sunny day in early March. The sun warm, shaded areas cool, the wind chilly out in the open. The distant mountains shining with fresh snow, their summits in and out fast-moving clouds.The first buds are just appearing on birches, rowans and willows, only noticeable from close up. The grasses are still mostly faded yellow but again a close look reveals tiny spurts of fresh green in http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/03/a-walk-in-woods-first-use-of-new-stove.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-681649492412407662Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:08:00 +00002026-03-05T00:08:49.842+00:00CairngormshillwalkingLate afternoon lightOne afternoon a few days ago I headed up into the Cairngorms in the hope of seeing the sunset. The day was sunny and quite warm for the last day of February but the forecast was for cloud coming in from the south-west on strong winds. I hoped this wouldn’t arrive too soon but at just the right time for the setting sun to colour the clouds red and gold. My favourite times in http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/03/in-search-of-changing-light-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-3465995528761811835Tue, 24 Feb 2026 14:44:00 +00002026-03-08T22:34:23.360+00:00backpacking stovescamping stoveFire MapleI'd just finished a comparative stove review for The Great Outdoors magazine (to appear soon) when another stove arrived, this one the Fire Maple Star X1 Pro Cooking System.* This follows the familiar pattern of a heat exchanger pot that fits on top of a canister stove. There are a few interesting features on this version of the design though. Note that this is just a first look. I haven't used http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/02/a-new-stove-system-from-fire-maple.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-3005329802019652402Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:54:00 +00002026-02-23T00:54:44.065+00:00Cairngormswinter backpackingwinter campingSnow on the last morningSometimes it only takes a fierce blast of wind to change plans. A few minutes being blown around in the high level car park was enough to persuade us that starting lower down and staying there was a good idea. So it was back in the cars and down to the shelter of the forest. The forecast being for the high winds and low clouds to continue we thought we’d probably stay lowhttp://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/02/wind-and-snow-and-tough-terrain-on.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-4454272213859489584Wed, 18 Feb 2026 23:10:00 +00002026-02-18T23:10:54.099+00:00book reviewshillwalkingThe CorbettsThe Corbetts is the latest volume in the superb Scottish Mountaineering Club Hillwalkers’ Guides series. Like the earlier books The Corbetts is beautifully designed and illustrated. According to the publishers it’s the third edition of a guide first published in 1990 as The Corbetts & Other Scottish Hills but in fact it’s so different that it’s really a new book. Everything is new – route http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/02/book-review-corbetts-by-rab-anderson.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-1588451630316274317Mon, 16 Feb 2026 23:56:00 +00002026-02-16T23:56:13.001+00:00TGOThe Great OutdoorsIn this issue of TGO I write about the Hilleberg Akto tent which I used on my continuous round of the Munros and Tops thirty years ago this year. The tent is still fine and I look at how I've kept it in good condition.In reviews I look at the Grubs Bearline 8.5 boots which I've been wearing a great deal in the snow this year. Also in individual reviews Fiona Russell reviews the Snowline Spikes, http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/02/a-look-at-march-issue-of-great-outdoors.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-8472221040013396680Tue, 03 Feb 2026 23:00:00 +00002026-02-03T23:00:33.045+00:00backpack campingCairngormsLate January and stormy weather followed a thaw of the deep snow that fell in the first half of the month. High up the snow continued but in the glens there was rain. Not wanting to battle a storm high up I decided on a quiet forest venture for my first camp of the year. Enjoying the peace of the woods was preferable to struggling through snow and mist on the tops. As I set off the Cairngorms http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/02/a-quiet-first-camp-of-year.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-8883083666556484679Wed, 28 Jan 2026 23:30:00 +00002026-01-28T23:30:01.407+00:00The Yukon Quest is a 1000-mile dog sled race from Fairbanks in Alaska to Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory. It’s regarded by many as the toughest such race in the world. Much of it takes place on frozen rivers. That’s when it’s not crossing mountain ranges. I guess the route could be hiked and pack rafted or canoed in summer. But that wouldn’t be the Yukon Quest. That requires ice and snow. http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/01/book-review-hiking-yukon-quest-by-dr.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-5607130050954135833Wed, 21 Jan 2026 22:01:00 +00002026-03-08T22:51:30.439+00:00wild campingwinter camping. camp stovesUsing the MSR Reactor high in the CairngormsI use a stove on camping trips year-round. I like my morning coffee. I like hot food. In winter a stove becomes much more important though. Hot food and drink can warm you up and be a huge morale booster. You may need to melt snow for water. So a winter stove needs to be reliable and powerful. Melting snow in the Jetboil MiniMoWhen I started http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/01/stoves-for-winter-camping.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-5076174854109709103Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:21:00 +00002026-01-12T00:21:54.124+00:00In the latest issue of The Great Outdoors I review the excellent Ombraz Refugio sunglasses, two pairs of wide footwear that fit my wide feet (Gemma Palmer reviews two pairs of women's wide boots) and the Polar Grit X2 Pro outdoor watch. The last is one of four watches in a long-term side-by-side review, the others being the Garmin Enduro 3 reviewed by Fiona Russell, the Corus Nomad reviewed by http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/01/a-look-at-february-issue-of-tgo.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-6132987223286182653Sun, 11 Jan 2026 00:25:00 +00002026-01-11T00:26:58.842+00:00#snow #StrathspeyHeavy snow falling on a favourite birch tree. January 6The New Year began with snow and continued with snow and then more snow. The deepest locally for fifteen years. Walking quickly became difficult, the soft snow shin to knee deep. Snowshoes and skis were called for and I've been using both. Skis are great out in the open, snowshoes in the confined depths of the forest.Just a smattering of snowhttp://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/01/enjoying-deep-january-snow-photo-essay.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-1442329332074568417Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:48:00 +00002026-01-06T22:02:53.877+00:00outdoor gearMelting snow in the Fire Maple Petrel G2 PotHere's my favourite gear of the year roundup following another twelve months testing gear for The Great Outdoors, this blog, and my YouTube channel. Not all the items were new for this year, just tested by me for the first time. As always they don't necessarily replace ones from previous years or old favourites and they're in no particular http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/01/favourite-new-gear-of-2025.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-5720501942209008927Sat, 03 Jan 2026 00:55:00 +00002026-01-09T00:06:02.210+00:00Cairngormshillwalkingwild campingAfter sunsetBetween Christmas and New Year I managed a last overnight trip of 2025. Without much time and given the short hours of daylight plus a forecast for the weather to turn stormy by the end of the second day I didn’t plan to go far. I did want a high camp though, so I decided to head up into the Cairngorms and camp somewhere near Cairn Gorm itself. I set off in sunshine, though the air http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/01/last-hill-camp-of-2025.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-6091290291294327102Thu, 01 Jan 2026 23:45:00 +00002026-01-01T23:53:02.577+00:00New Year's DaywalkingNew Year's Day in Strathspey: clouds, wind, snow, touches of sun,The year turns again. The winter celebrations are ending. The light is returning, albeit slowly. It's a time for reflection and for looking forward. In the immediate future lies winter, several more months up here in the Scottish Highlands. Plenty of snow I hope, and not too much rain.This year I plan to do at least one walk of two http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2026/01/welcome-to-new-year-thoughts-plans.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-4367154682261002802Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:26:00 +00002025-12-24T00:26:34.393+00:00Merry Christmas everyone. Thanks to all who have supported my work here and in magazines and books. I am truly grateful. May you all have a wonderful 2026.http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2025/12/seasons-greetings-everyone.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063908328061898266.post-6385272919264977746Tue, 23 Dec 2025 23:52:00 +00002025-12-30T18:38:53.268+00:00tentswild campingOn the Moine Mor, Cairngorms, August. Mountain Laurel Designs Trailstar.It's the time to start looking back on the year that's ending and at the trips and camps I've done. This year again I stayed in the Highlands, mostly in the Cairngorms in fact. As I've said before, there is so much to do here! There were no long trips this year, for various reasons. I am determined to rectify this in 2026. http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2025/12/my-camps-in-2025.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Townsend)5