Grant MacLeod, the ‘Munro Bagpiper’, is bringing music and heritage to the mountains by playing the pipes atop every single Munro. We often wax lyrical about mountains, claiming there’s music in these hills as we gaze into the distance hearing only the sounds of nature. But, when it comes to the outdoor exploits of Grant MacLeod, the Munro Bagpiper, these romantic ruminations resound rather more literally. He set out to play his pipes atop every Munro the day before his nana – his greatest musical champion, who bought Grant the kilt he still wears to this day on his summits (“Yes, it still fit ..read more

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Meet Charlotte Ditchburn, our creator of the month, a passionate outdoorswoman who is championing access rights for all. Charlotte Ditchburn – otherwise known as the Public Rights of Way Explorer (the PROW Explorer for short) – knows the importance of time outdoors firsthand. The 26-year-old Hill and Moorland Leader and Access Field Officer has been campaigning for better access since 2018, but her efforts took on new significance as we spoke in the aftermath of the ruling to ban wild camping on parts of Dartmoor. Main image: Charlotte Ditchburn, the PROW Explorer talking to campaigner Debbie ..read more

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Juls Stodel, a long-distance hiker and bothy enthusiast, is on a one-woman mission to spend a night at every MBA bothy in the UK. At the halfway point, 50 bothies in, The Great Outdoors chats with Juls about ‘survival mode’, bothy code and the many miles in between as she waits out a weather front in order to continue her big walk between every Mountain Bothies Association shelter in Britain. The Great Outdoors: What inspired the Big Bothy Walk? Juls: In June, my landlord decided to sell my flat. Nowhere else was renting. I ended my lease, put my belongings into storage and set off on an adven ..read more

Heather Mackins in on a mission to share the magic of ‘thru-hiking’ with others who seek solitude and solace on long-distance walking trails in the UK and further afield. Heather is a 36-year-old lawyer based in Yorkshire. But you can often find her ‘thru-hiking’ in the wilds of the Scottish Highlands, pack on, escaping the humdrum of normal life – or blogging about her experiences. Having grown up in the Peak District, she is drawn to long-distance treks time and again to test her physical and emotional strength – as well as her gear! Here, Heather shares her passion for adventure with The Gr ..read more

Hill and Moorland Leader Emily Taylor is inspiring others to walk the UK one trig at a time with her Peak District trig bagging exploits. Emily Taylor likes to bag trigs. Indeed, they make her grin – hence her moniker, ‘Trigs and Teeth’. But, the 35-year-old’s relationship with the outdoors goes much deeper than smiles in pixelated social media posts on trig bagging missions. After the loss of her dad to suicide in 2019, hiking helped Emily manage PTSD, depression and anxiety as she awaited therapy. Emily grew up watching her dad climb the gritstone edges of the Peak District. Now, she finds f ..read more

Our January 2023 Creator of the Month, Colin Woolf paints the minute intricacies of our natural world in his pin-feather paintings. Colin Woolf has a strong visual memory. It is not hard for him to recall the sight of an adder coiled next to his tricycle wheel, aged three, on an exploration of the English countryside. This ability, Colin tells The Great Outdoors, is particularly useful in his work recreating moments of natural wonder from his time in the mountains on canvas, particularly when it comes to his astoundingly intricate pin-feather paintings. Words: Francesca Donovan | Images: Colin ..read more

The Great Outdoors rounds up the best Christmas gifts for hikers that the wild person in your life will love. ‘Tis the season of crisp walks and wintery views. Indeed, nothing beats a day outdoors for most hillwalkers. But these Christmas gifts for hikers should put a smile on their face come Christmas morning while they eagerly await the annual festive walk. Words: Francesca Donovan | Main image: Umar Andrabi 1. A trip to the mountains Making memories is often worth more than something materialistic to those who love spending time outdoors – and it could be a more sustainable option. Write th ..read more