I was a tiny bit dubious about this book, simply because the author goes by the name Jules. If you were at school with me, you can probably hear the same allegedly “slimy but satisfying” voice that I hear, declaiming, “Hi, I’m Jules!”. I say this as a person who could go by Jules but … More Travel Library: Not Cool: Europe by Train in a Heatwave by Jules Brown
When I went to Iceland in February, I went with the hope of finding a chance to watch a documentary I’d seen mentioned in the Reykjavik Grapevine: Swimming Pool Stories, a film about Icelandic pool culture. I couldn’t find it online. Was there maybe a cinema in Reykjavik where I could catch it? Might it … More Film review: Swimming Pool Stories
Girlguiding SWE and LaSER always have a Dartmoor training and leisure walking weekend the weekend of the 20-somethingth of September. I usually go. I did my training in 2014 and I use the leisure weekend to build up my logbook. You used to email them and request a place and now there’s an event site … More A solo logbook walk on Dartmoor
Oh, I’ve been talking about this for so long! It’s been nearly two years since I decided to go down the kayaking leadership route and at long last, I’ve got my first actual qualification on that route! I finally did my Paddlesport Safety and Rescue course – in fact, it’s been so long that the … More I finally did my Paddlesport Safety & Rescue course!
I think this is a thing I’m going to try to make a regular feature – depending on how much time I spend camping in Iceland in future. Anyway, last year I talked about the campsites I stayed on and I want to do it again. Did I go round and take photos specially for … More Iceland campsites review (summer 2023 edition)
I’m slightly surprised that the Travel Library series has not yet included a book by Al Humphreys, given that he’s one of the adventurers I look to whenever I’m running low on ideas. I’ll be making up for it – during the plague years, he explored a single OS map, his local one, and I … More Travel Library: Ask An Adventurer by Alastair Humphreys
I’ve had my eye on Camp Wildfire for a while and last year, I got an unexpected last-minute opportunity to go as crew. I enjoyed it so much that eventually I talked myself into going as a paying customer this year. If you’ve not come across it, Camp Wildfire is a festival inspired by Scout … More What I did at Camp Wildfire
There’s one thing I’ve wanted to do in Iceland for years but somehow it’s never fitted into my itinerary. Well, thanks to my Summer in the North trip turning into Impromptu Whistlestop Tour of the Ring Road, suddenly it did fit: I went kayaking on the glacial lagoon, Jökulsárlón. We all know Jökulsárlón, Iceland’s famous … More Kayaking on the Glacial Lagoon
You may remember that a while back I had a go at glassblowing. I wasn’t great at it because blowing that much pressure down a tube triggers my gag reflex. The actual manipulating and handling of the glass was all new but with practice, I could probably become competent but if you can’t blow the glass, … More I tried blacksmithing (I can do it!)
This post has already been through several drafts, with titles like “I got my Going Away With licence!” and “I nearly got my Going Away With licence!” but the reality is… I nowhere near got my Going Away With licence. I did organise a Ranger camp single-handedly though, and I’m going to tell you all about … More Organising a Ranger camp
I Am A Polar Bear 