Hillwise Freelance Mountain Leader

Climate change is happening, and we need to act, so that means planting more trees right? Well yes that will help, although it requires a more nuanced approach than just chucking any old tree in on any bit of spare land. However in the UK there is an arguably equally powerful tool, which if left […]

Let me begin by saying that “I believe in rewilding”, this implies that I put my faith in this concept, in this case my faith for the future of the planet. Many, many people are thinking and saying the same, to the point where this “faith” is fast becoming a global religion. But like most […]

So here we are again, and to us outdoor enthusiasts, we face the onset of another frustrating time. As we view pictures of pristine snow conditions on mountains in Scotland and Wales posted (presumably) by people living in the shadow of those summits, many of us are limited to the immediate area of our homes […]

I read a lot about rewilding and I hear a lot more about it. Usually the theme is planting trees or allowing trees to regenerate naturally in uplands and pasture land. I don’t intend to go into the rights and wrongs of converting these areas to woodland, but to focus on one aspect of the […]

Regular readers of my blog could be forgiven for believing that it’s just a page about walking kit, but in reality its about any issues impinging on the hillgoer, and environment is central to the hillwalkers raison d’etre. Environment is also more controversial than which boots are best, and it should be understood that I’m […]

In this review I’m not going to comment on colour choice as it’s such a personal thing, and can be better gauged online or in store. I have not worn any of these garments in anger, but as I occasionally work at Exeter Cotswold Outdoor, I have had the chance to examine them all, try […]

In the beginning was the anorak…an outer garment pulled over the head with a kangaroo pouch pocket and made of various canvas materials, usually with some treatment to keep out the worst of the weather. The anorak was cut quite short and had a “frog” that passed between the legs and buttoned up to reduce […]

About 25 years ago, when Karrimor was still a top technical outdoor equipment brand, I purchased their 30 litre Hot Rock daysack. That sack has been everywhere and done everything with me in the intervening years, a real “Go To” bag. But now the top pocket zip has begun to fail and can’t be trusted, […]

The Mountain Equipment Rupal  is a no nonsense waterproof jacket made of 75 denier 3 layer Gore-tex throughout, it comes in four colourways (two tones of blue, crimson, dark blue and two tone orange) and weighs in at 570g (20.1 oz for us dinosaurs who still remember them). It has two large chest pockets, underarm pit=zips, […]

Covid has impacted all of us in one way or another, and 2020 has not been good for the Outdoor Adventure Industry. We at Hillwise have had to think hard about our core income streams and some things have had to go. We have decided, with great reluctance, to surrender our NNAS providership, so we […]