The blog post on preventing blisters has now moved:
http://www.walkandtravel.com/walk_and_travel_blog/5-top-tips-for-blister-prevention-when-hiking/
Come and read my blog about travel accessories, walking gear, tips on outdoor gear, info and reviews. There is a smattering of advice posts on what outdoor gear you may want and outdoor gear you need. Hey, I sell outdoor gear, 'course I'll blog about it!. Will couple this with other interesting snippets on the outdoors as and when it pops up. Keep checking back and thanks for looking at the Walk and Travel Blog. Gareth Sear
Thursday, 10 November 2011
Thursday, 3 November 2011
Travel Food Inspiration
This page has now moved to:
http://www.walkandtravel.com/walk_and_travel_blog/goulash-zuppen-travel-food-inspiration/
Thanks for popping by and do click through for a read!
http://www.walkandtravel.com/walk_and_travel_blog/goulash-zuppen-travel-food-inspiration/
Thanks for popping by and do click through for a read!
Monday, 31 October 2011
Sunday, 30 October 2011
Top tips for winter walking.
Walk to know about Winter Walking? Then please follow the link to where this blog post is now located!
http://www.walkandtravel.com/walk_and_travel_blog/top-tips-for-winter-walking/
http://www.walkandtravel.com/walk_and_travel_blog/top-tips-for-winter-walking/
Sunday, 23 October 2011
Saturday, 25 June 2011
Everest ER - BBC TV.
Ever thought about climbing Everest?
This is a blog post from a long time ago - one that I never published. For some reason. Time now to publish.
Everest - it conjures up the most amazing images in my head, dreams re-awakened of climbing to it's summit, but most of all it's the beauty of the area, the Himalaya, the awe inspiring roof of the world. The one place that won't go away, that won't change in thousands of years - captured in books that line my book shelf. These images, this scene, THAT mountain - Everest.
This is a blog post from a long time ago - one that I never published. For some reason. Time now to publish.
Everest - it conjures up the most amazing images in my head, dreams re-awakened of climbing to it's summit, but most of all it's the beauty of the area, the Himalaya, the awe inspiring roof of the world. The one place that won't go away, that won't change in thousands of years - captured in books that line my book shelf. These images, this scene, THAT mountain - Everest.
I've probably climbed it a number of times, beating Kenton Cool in his 4 summit bids, (at time of pubblishing this blog post in June 2011 he has been on the summit of Everest 9 times. Phew!) but, sadly it is always from an armchair - and no doubt once or twice from my sleep. Not quite the same but infinatley safer.
Everest is not a place to be messed with and this was well reflected in the documentary on BBC1 this evening. Everest ER. It was great to see Kenton Cool in it, great to hear about Mountain Madness. The the most amazing thing was the Base Camp hospital - what the programme is all about. There are a number of illnesses that you can get on the mountain and it looks like the Doctors who give up their time to staff this hospital see everything from frost nip to cerebal oedema.
The filming on this documentary is great, the stories of joy, the stories of dissapointment, the sheer bloody mindedness you need to conquer a mountain such as this.
Thinking about what you need to go through to get to the top. The challenges, the misery, the hope, the physical and mental preparedness. I take my hat off to everyone who climbs to the roof of the world and to anyone who climbs their own personal 'Everest'. One day I will, no doubt, be climbing my own.
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Beginners Guide to Navigation
Beginners Guide to Navigation.
5 Top Tips to Help with Navigation When Walking.
"Get lost!" I hear you say, or rather help me not to get lost.
To be honest you don’t really ‘get lost’ when you are out walking. I like to think of it as merely losing my place on the map. Rather like putting your book down, not marking where you are and ‘losing your place’. However, the ramifications of ‘losing your place’ on a map can be quite high.
Here are my five top tips to help with navigation.
Top tip 1: Read the instructions that came with your compass.
Silva, one of the most common makes of compass always put a small instruction manual in with their Silva compasses. They tell you how to use it, following the Silva 1-2-3 system. If you have bought your compass from a retailer ask them for a quick demo on how to use it.
Top Tip 2: Read your map.
A map is full of symbols and if you are a Dan Brown fanatic like me, then you will love reading maps. Symbology at its best. The symbols are translated in the key on the side of the map. Learn as many as you can, especially the ones around the walk you are planning to do. Look out for footpaths, cliffs and anything else that will make your walk interesting, dangerous and show you landmarks.
Top tip 3: Find a place you know and have a practice.
Try setting your map to North. Look for a landmark in the distance and see if you can find it on the map. Set a compass bearing to the landmark using the Silva 1-2-3 system. Work out the route to get there. For example; ‘follow the foot path on such and such a bearing for x km’s. Turn right at the footbridge’. So on and so forth. This is how guide books are often written, but it’s much more fun doing your own.
Top tip 4: Don’t over estimate how quickly you will walk.
How quickly do you walk? Walk a set route that you know the distance of and time it. If you are doing this on the local streets you will walk quicker than in the countryside. In the countryside you will be stopping to admire the view, to check the map, have a drink or snack. Uphill and uneven ground can add time to your walk. Take it easy and enjoy the walk.
Top tip 5: Reward yourself.
Think about what you have just done. You learnt to use a map and compass. You planned a walking route, you walked the route. What do you deserve more than tea and cake in a local cafe or a wonderful roast and a pint in the pub?
Navigation is a vast subject with books dedicated to it. For most simple walks in the local area, knowing the basics is important. If you are doing something more adventurous, learn and practice your navigation before you go.
Time for you to join in!
5 Top Tips to Help with Navigation When Walking.
"Get lost!" I hear you say, or rather help me not to get lost.
To be honest you don’t really ‘get lost’ when you are out walking. I like to think of it as merely losing my place on the map. Rather like putting your book down, not marking where you are and ‘losing your place’. However, the ramifications of ‘losing your place’ on a map can be quite high.
Here are my five top tips to help with navigation.
Top tip 1: Read the instructions that came with your compass.
Silva, one of the most common makes of compass always put a small instruction manual in with their Silva compasses. They tell you how to use it, following the Silva 1-2-3 system. If you have bought your compass from a retailer ask them for a quick demo on how to use it.
Top Tip 2: Read your map.
A map is full of symbols and if you are a Dan Brown fanatic like me, then you will love reading maps. Symbology at its best. The symbols are translated in the key on the side of the map. Learn as many as you can, especially the ones around the walk you are planning to do. Look out for footpaths, cliffs and anything else that will make your walk interesting, dangerous and show you landmarks.
Top tip 3: Find a place you know and have a practice.
Try setting your map to North. Look for a landmark in the distance and see if you can find it on the map. Set a compass bearing to the landmark using the Silva 1-2-3 system. Work out the route to get there. For example; ‘follow the foot path on such and such a bearing for x km’s. Turn right at the footbridge’. So on and so forth. This is how guide books are often written, but it’s much more fun doing your own.
Top tip 4: Don’t over estimate how quickly you will walk.
How quickly do you walk? Walk a set route that you know the distance of and time it. If you are doing this on the local streets you will walk quicker than in the countryside. In the countryside you will be stopping to admire the view, to check the map, have a drink or snack. Uphill and uneven ground can add time to your walk. Take it easy and enjoy the walk.
Top tip 5: Reward yourself.
Think about what you have just done. You learnt to use a map and compass. You planned a walking route, you walked the route. What do you deserve more than tea and cake in a local cafe or a wonderful roast and a pint in the pub?
Navigation is a vast subject with books dedicated to it. For most simple walks in the local area, knowing the basics is important. If you are doing something more adventurous, learn and practice your navigation before you go.
Time for you to join in!
- What are your top navigation tips?
- What are your thoughts on Navigation?
- Do you use a Garmin GPS or another make? Will it ever replace a compass...
Friday, 3 June 2011
Beginners Guide to Walking Gear
This page had now been moved to: http://www.walkandtravel.com/walk_and_travel_blog/5-uk-walking-essentials/
Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for stopping by!
Monday, 31 January 2011
Narrow Fit Walking Boot for Ladies
Thanks for stopping by - This post has now moved to here: http://www.walkandtravel.com/walk_and_travel_blog/womens-narrow-fit-walking-boot/
Enjoy your read and if you need to know anything else please ask!
Enjoy your read and if you need to know anything else please ask!
Thursday, 27 January 2011
What is THE ultimate travel accessory?
What do you think is THE ultimate travel accessory?
Dental floss is not just for teeth you know. But is it really the ultimate travel accessory? Girls, listen up, do you take travel hair straighteners with you travelling? How about the humble head torch? A micro fiber travel towel?
These are all travel accessories that you see time and time again in the top 5 travel accessories blog posts. OK, so maybe you don't see head torch that often, but the other three? Rather common place. I was reading a blog post on luxury travel accessories yesterday and they listed a wooden box of Fortnum and Mason tea bags.
Would you take Fortnum and Mason tea bags in wooden chest travelling or would you pop a few PG tips (insert your own favourite brand here) into a plastic bag?
I've just responded to a quick question posed to me about really strong sticky tape called McNett Tenacious Tape. It is said to aggressively stick to any surface. As far as I know it does. it is lightweight, clear, flexible and will fix a huge amount of things. Perhaps this is THE ultimate travel accessory? Especially if you are backpacking around the world or are adventure travelling.
So tell me: What is THE ultimate travel accessory?
Free roll of Tenacious Tape to the person who I think beats me!
 |
| THE ultimate travel accessory? |
Dental floss is not just for teeth you know. But is it really the ultimate travel accessory? Girls, listen up, do you take travel hair straighteners with you travelling? How about the humble head torch? A micro fiber travel towel?
These are all travel accessories that you see time and time again in the top 5 travel accessories blog posts. OK, so maybe you don't see head torch that often, but the other three? Rather common place. I was reading a blog post on luxury travel accessories yesterday and they listed a wooden box of Fortnum and Mason tea bags.
Would you take Fortnum and Mason tea bags in wooden chest travelling or would you pop a few PG tips (insert your own favourite brand here) into a plastic bag?
I've just responded to a quick question posed to me about really strong sticky tape called McNett Tenacious Tape. It is said to aggressively stick to any surface. As far as I know it does. it is lightweight, clear, flexible and will fix a huge amount of things. Perhaps this is THE ultimate travel accessory? Especially if you are backpacking around the world or are adventure travelling.
So tell me: What is THE ultimate travel accessory?
Free roll of Tenacious Tape to the person who I think beats me!
Thursday, 20 January 2011
Brighton Climbing Centre
Should Brighton have an indoor climbing facility?
I have been climbing for a number of years now and it has always amazed me that Brighton does not have an indoor climbing facility for the public to use.
I keep hearing people talking about a wall in Brighton -me included -but no one has managed to do anything about it. Until now that is. Cassie and Sean set up a Facebook Group a while back to garner support for the climbing wall. I'll have to admit I haven't really heard anything until today when I received an email from them.
Finally they have found somewhere to house the Brighton Climbing Centre. With a possible 16m high wall (eat your heart out K2). Enough to make me nervous for sure. At the moment it is going through planning permission and they need support from as many people as possible for this climbing wall. Please go to the Brighton Climbing Centre website and use their messaging system to send an email of support for the Brighton Climbing Centre.
This is a copy of the email that I sent:
Please take this email as support for the planning application for the Brighton Climbing Centre. It is sad thing that Brighton does not have a decent in door public climbing wall. Small towns such as Horley and Midhurst all boast such leisure facilities and Brighton is lagging behind in providing people from the city and its surrounding areas with such a facility.
I was climbing at K2 in Crawley on Monday 17th January and the wall was jam packed. By 7.30pm you had to wait to get on a rope and climb, demonstrating the popularity of this sport. A large number of people at the wall were from Brighton University. People often start their climbing while at University and go on to really appreciate the outdoors through climbing, walking and mountaineering. Having a climbing centre in Brighton will give the students there (as well as the other citizens of the city) the opportunity to experience this fantastic sport along with the camaraderie and health benefits that it brings, both now and in the future.
I implore you to look upon this application with favour.
Gareth Sear
www.walkandtravel.com
I look forward to hearing how it progresses. Congratulations are to be given to those involved to get it this far.
I have been climbing for a number of years now and it has always amazed me that Brighton does not have an indoor climbing facility for the public to use.
I keep hearing people talking about a wall in Brighton -me included -but no one has managed to do anything about it. Until now that is. Cassie and Sean set up a Facebook Group a while back to garner support for the climbing wall. I'll have to admit I haven't really heard anything until today when I received an email from them.
Finally they have found somewhere to house the Brighton Climbing Centre. With a possible 16m high wall (eat your heart out K2). Enough to make me nervous for sure. At the moment it is going through planning permission and they need support from as many people as possible for this climbing wall. Please go to the Brighton Climbing Centre website and use their messaging system to send an email of support for the Brighton Climbing Centre.
This is a copy of the email that I sent:
Please take this email as support for the planning application for the Brighton Climbing Centre. It is sad thing that Brighton does not have a decent in door public climbing wall. Small towns such as Horley and Midhurst all boast such leisure facilities and Brighton is lagging behind in providing people from the city and its surrounding areas with such a facility.
I was climbing at K2 in Crawley on Monday 17th January and the wall was jam packed. By 7.30pm you had to wait to get on a rope and climb, demonstrating the popularity of this sport. A large number of people at the wall were from Brighton University. People often start their climbing while at University and go on to really appreciate the outdoors through climbing, walking and mountaineering. Having a climbing centre in Brighton will give the students there (as well as the other citizens of the city) the opportunity to experience this fantastic sport along with the camaraderie and health benefits that it brings, both now and in the future.
I implore you to look upon this application with favour.
Gareth Sear
www.walkandtravel.com
I look forward to hearing how it progresses. Congratulations are to be given to those involved to get it this far.
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