Posts by Chris H
There are two ways stuff can get into the wilds. People and nature. Nature is simpler so I'll get that out of the way first. Once heavy debris ends up in the woods it's likely to stay there if it d...
I wouldn't take the boat you've pictured out on a fast-flowing river. I would use it on flat water, if there's no damage to the hull. For moving water I'd expect a seat that you wouldn't slide ar...
Swifts tend to fly higher than swallow and house martins, but the biggest giveaway is the noise they make. From almost the same page you linked you can listen to the audio file. A swift call is a...
When these first came out, they had a tendency to fail at the hinges, especially in the wind. While the leading makes have probably dealt with this to some extent, not all makes will have. And this...
I suggest you don't need a tent and a tarp, unless the latter is also to be worn as a poncho (unless I've missed them you don't mention waterproofs). Similarly you don't need a head torch and a tor...
The "swans can break your arm" concept is rather lacking in evidence, though one once caused a kayaker to drown. They are a nuisance on the water, especially if you get between adults and their cyg...
No, gulls (of some species at least) steal food from other birds by moving them until they drop it. They must then be adept at snatching the falling food in mid air. There's material of interest ...
It's certainly possible in North Wales, one was reported near Mold a couple of weeks ago and they're quite mobile at this time of year. I don't think you can rule out common buzzard for several rea...
Carrying all the gear won't be easy. Whoever has the baby will probably only be able to carry one day's worth of baby stuff and nothing else. Either you get a rucksack carrier as Russell suggested ...
The hiking shoe/waterproof trainer style is comfortable for casual strolls on easy trails, in good weather. This "light outdoors" (or fair-weather hiking) market is huge in comparison to serious h...
Any kayaking shop will have a selection of both shoes and boots designed for this. While you can get them with thin soles, I recommend thicker soles if you're mainly wearing them on rocky river bed...
If you carry the right layers and adjust them well, you can often get away with cotton with no discomfort let alone danger in benign conditions. But we shouldn't plan for only benign conditions a...
If it stings your eyes you're probably working too close, but glasses wouldn't help (goggles might). If you're using it a lot you may find it dries your skin so you could choose to wear gloves (or ...
Hydrogen gas doesn't spontaneously ignite, but does burn in air over a wide range of concentrations. It's also ready to ignite with a spark. So although you may be able to start a fire with one, th...
There are two main things that can go wrong with gps accuracy. The first is the quality of the signal, which can be less than for a dedicated gps unit (less space for an antenna and other design...
I tend to tuck mine inside my outer layer of clothing if it's cold but dry. This keeps the lenses warm so avoids condensation. It helps with camera battery life too.
The most important things are: Do what works for you. Try boots with the type of socks you intend to wear them with. Sock weight can be used for fine tuning even once you've bought the boots ...
You can definitely go for one pair. I've actually been pleasantly surprised at the quality of the optics at almost the bottom end of the market, if you go for something common like 8x20. We've g...
I've never had too much trouble with a double cuff - a velcro or (better) elastic inner cuff and a loose outer. In the worst conditions, an elasticated inner cuff under a goretex glove with long el...
If your mug is wet, why would you put it inside? If you like a hot drink while packing up, you might have a wet (or even dirty) mug after you've packed anything on which you might dry it. If you ...
You won't find enough continuous forest for what you want in southern England. But (about 20 years ago) I walked and wild camped (actually bright orange bivvy bags) a fair stretch of the south do...
I agree that the sources on the internet for the GRs (grandes randonnées, the main long-distance trails in France) are a bit old-fashioned, and not ideal for finding routes. However here are some ...
Here are a few things most of which I don't think have been mentioned already: Walk faster: exert the sort of effort you'd exert hiking with a day pack and it will keep you much warmer than strol...
This is really just a hypothesis, but here in the UK we also get mixed wader flocks. A significant reason for large/mixed flocks to occur is predation. Watch out for what happens when a large flock...
Do you have 2 split rings (keyrings) with you? If so, here's how to make a buckle like that (or rather its D-ring predecessor): Attach both split rings to the upper strap, where the old buckle is/...
