Category Archives: Uncategorized

Just placing this here. Just an exercise last night but a casualty turned from uncomfortably cold to chipper and warm inside a bothy bag with 2 people for company in under 5 minutes. Several brands make them. I carry the Supalite version of these from summitgear dot co dot uk. (The Supalites are less weightContinue reading “Bothies Before Bandages™️”

‘The Global Wildfire Information System estimates that by November, wildfires had burned 47,026 hectares (116,204 acres) in 2025 in the UK – the largest area in any year since monitoring began in 2012, and more than double the area burned in the record-breaking summer of 2022’ A recent article in the Guardian. ‘The Best TimeContinue reading “Dangerously Underprepared”

….. and so it was that from the thousands that had applied to attend the traditional 17th of November gathering, i whittled it down to just six. Two of which were dogs. In maybe 10 years of doing this today was the best weather by a stellar mile. Cold but not too cold and fullContinue reading “Per Tradition”

First glove day of the season the other day. Emerging out in to the wind above Lose Hill Farm and the northerly strips the heat from my hands … @niwaki.hq Season. Fleece lined Japanese winter gardening gloves. Waterproof. Grippy palms. Enough dexterity for most tasks. I carry probably 3 pairs right through until the endContinue reading “Dexterity Matters”

The leaves have fallen off the trees and the bare landscape offers less opportunities to hide. Winter is a time when raptors become more conspicuous. Fewer daylight hours coupled with reduced prey abundance, means birds of prey are hunting more frequently too. Peregrine, hen harrier, goshawk, short eared owl, barn owl, common buzzard and kestrelContinue reading “Kes”

Excellent article on winterising kit for mountain rescue duty. Much of this advice is as relevant to ‘ordinary’ hill and mountain walkers as it is to MR volunteers.

Part of the evening / night patrolling by the @eastern_moors_partnership rangers is a check of gates and car parks. There’s well over 50 years of experience sat in that Land Rover and, to steal the Army-ism, we notice the absence of the normal and the presence of the abnormal. In extreme weather like this eveningContinue reading “The Twitch”

Just out of site is a bloke brewing up on a stove. He’d walked down the disused line from the lay-by on the A689. We had a natter. Him in his cagoule and me in my tie and Barbour. It’s called Wynyard something or other now. Funny how planners and councillors rename stuff with theContinue reading “Disused”

‘By now i am used to suffering. I have endured so much in waves and war. Let this next adventure follow’ – OdysseusHomer’s ‘The Odyssey’ Not sure how Instagram found me @patsyshipley81 ‘s feed and from there the account of the @gbrsgroup gang and others. However, via those accounts i saw mention of this psychedelicContinue reading “In Waves and War”

Just a reminder to myself (and anyone else that’s on ‘ere) that for every negative encounter with people on the moors and paths hereabouts there’s 10, 20 or 30 positive ones. Chatting about the weather or routes with folks out walking, cycling, horse riding, birdwatching or running. Depleting my supply of biscuits for a fourContinue reading “Note To Self”