Knowing when to walk away Setting up to launch - the calm before the internal storm. It’s hard, sitting down to pen something about a part of me so deeply embedded in who I am. It’s in how I show up for myself and others, shaped by years of feedback from both ends of the spectrum and everything in between. Something that has been a driver for some of my finest achievements whilst at other times riding roughshod over the ever-present voice of reason to help me arrive at some of my scariest and indeed lowest points in life. To write this feels like a betrayal in some ways, like the ultimate act ..read more

Nestled amidst the picturesque landscapes of Bingley, West Yorkshire, stands a testament to human ingenuity and engineering prowess: The Five Rise Locks. Recently celebrating its 250th birthday, this testament to British engineering continues to captivate visitors with its impressive design and functionality. A Brief History Five Rise Locks in the afternnon sun Constructed in 1774, the Five Rise Locks were designed by the renowned engineer John Longbotham. The purpose behind their creation was to facilitate the transportation of goods along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which played a pivota ..read more

Recently, my friend Pat and I embarked on an unforgettable journey to climb the mighty Old Man of Hoy. This iconic sea stack located on the small island of Hoy off the coast of Orkney, Scotland, has been on our respective bucket lists for a while. Once we had bumped into each other at work again and realised the weekend climbing hits in Scotland that our jobs had brought into the realm of possibility, it was only a matter of time until we got on with it. Looking down On the Old Man from the headland Formed over thousands of years by the forces of nature, this majestic sea stack stands as a te ..read more

The Art of Golden Hour Landscape Photography Shooting into the sun at Ilkley There's something magical about the way nature glows during the golden hour - that fleeting time just before sunset or after sunrise when the light is soft, warm, and imbues everything with a golden hue. For landscape photographers, it's a coveted time to capture stunning images that showcase the beauty of the natural world. However, taking advantage of the golden hour requires a careful balance of technique, timing, and creativity. As a photographer, mastering the art of golden hour landscape photography can take yo ..read more

Look at any of them for too long and you’ll find yourself tracing the lines of famous routes on their northern aspects. The 1938 route and the Directissima on the Eiger, The Lauper, Haston-Eistrup and The Nollen on the Monch and the North East ridge and Silberhorn (to the north and often included in an ascent of the Jungfrau from the northern side) on the Jungfrau. On the drive back from Fribourg this morning, just after sunrise, with the glow of the early light illuminating the famous trio against an overcast sky, I found myself doing just that. The Nollen is a strikingly obvious line up th ..read more

Loneliness: ‘Lonely is just one word chosen to represent so much To tell of feelings inside that the senses cannot touch Lonely can be in the teardrops on a bereaved person’s cheek Lonely can be in the silence of sorrows too deep to speak Lonely can haunt a deserted room that Laughter once made proud Lonely surrounds you when you’re alone or finds you in a crowd Lonely is heard in echoed footsteps of a departing friend Lonely penetrates the solitude of nights that will not end Lonely will not listen to the pleadings of a broken heart Lonely stays and torments until new Love shatters it a ..read more

65° North Home of the Midnight Sun and 23 Hours of Rain Having been sent home from work in Germany with a herniated disc and cleared of the potential cauda equina problems, I was staring down the barrel of a few months of rehab and little/no work. I have wanted to visit Iceland for a long time but other priorities dictated that it didn’t happen. Now here I was, with time, Iceland as one of the green listed countries, cheap flights in an attempt to entice potential visitors and a once in a lifetime opportunity to see a live volcano. Alas, I had only had one vaccine and my next one wasn’t schedu ..read more

A few years ago I went for an evening of tuition on long exposure photography. My kit was fairly basic but as I was to find out, that didn’t and still doesn’t matter. The group met at Media City in Manchester at around 8pm one November evening. In those days, football matches weren’t played behind closed doors and people could visit theatres, restaurants and bars. This meant that there were illuminated points of interest in every direction, with the added bonus of a central water course. During the evening, we touched on composition, capturing cloud movement, reflections and light trails. I ca ..read more

Sunrise from the summit ridge of Gran Paradiso, looking towards the Matterhorn in the distance Upon watching some people fly from just below the summit a few summers ago, a hike a fly (hike/climb up and paraglide back down) seed was firmly planted. Imagine being able to save your legs from the brutal and monotonous descent typical of so many summits. Imagine being able to take in the views from the air, gliding down to those warm alpine meadows in a matter of minutes. Yes, this idea definitely had legs. Fast forward 3 years and I find myself mentally fatigued from the first of the Covid lockd ..read more

Climbing and Paragliding in the Haute Alpes Barre Des Écrins Sunrise The forecast looked pretty dire in Chamonix and following a pretty unsuccessful attempt on the Bionnassy-Mont Blanc climb and fly with a friend, I needed a success. An invitation from Claire Mercuriot to have a couple of days in the Écrins, where it’s always sunny apparently, had me deciding to hedge my bets and head there in the hope of a demi adventure or two. I drove over feeling tired from some over eager partying the night before, arriving in time for a quick brew and then holing myself up in my van for the night to mak ..read more