Ben Weeks

1 week ago | livefortheoutdoors.com | Matt Jones |Ben Weeks |Nick Hallissey

Walking poles (also called trekking poles) can give you a major advantage when covering big miles with a heavy pack. This guide reviews the best walking poles tested by our experts. Walking poles (often called trekking poles) assist with balance and stability on uneven terrain. They also help alleviate the strain suffered by your knees – experts estimate that when used properly, walking poles can take up to 30% of the weight off your lower joints. That's a big plus on long, steep mountain days.

1 week ago | livefortheoutdoors.com | Ben Weeks

Think every wild camp or bothy experience is a blessed one? Think again. Long-term sufferer Ben Weeks looks back on some of his more unpleasant overnight experiences in the mountainsOne of the things that puts novices off staying in some of the more common accommodations associated with hiking and wild camping is that the experience will not be an entirely pleasant one.

2 weeks ago | livefortheoutdoors.com | Ben Weeks

This ridge walk bags three Munros on one of the finest mountain routes in Scotland, which makes its relative obscurity something of a mystery. Here’s how to meet (and climb) the Five Sisters of Kintail. The UK is full of mountains that, if it weren’t for their location, would be significantly more popular with hikers. The Five Sisters of Kintail are a prime example.

3 weeks ago | livefortheoutdoors.com | Ben Weeks

Socks designed specifically for the demands of trekking and hiking exist for a reason. But finding the right pair for your outdoor endeavours can be a challenge. Here’s what to look for... The right walking socks depend on a number of factors, with season being a major one. If you're someone that goes out for treks in cooler and warmer months, you really ought to have the correct socks for each occasion.

1 month ago | livefortheoutdoors.com | Ben Weeks

Switzerland’s Matterhorn is the most iconic mountain in the world. There’s nothing in the UK that compares to it. Or is there? There just might be something lurking in the Lakes, but you have to look closely. The human mind is drawn to finding recognisable shapes in inanimate objects. This phenomenon even has a name: pareidolia, the ‘tendency for perception to impose a meaningful interpretation on a nebulous stimulus’. It’s why we see animals in clouds, faces in trees, and Jesus on our toast.