Ben Weeks

1 week ago | livefortheoutdoors.com | Ben Weeks

Perhaps the most fun a grown-up can have with clothes on, this Lake District ghyll scramble is best saved for a sunny day because – guess what – you’re going to get a proper soaking. Spoiler alert: you’re going to get wet when you go ghyll scrambling. Exactly how wet will depend on the experience you’re after. If you want to go the whole hog – wading through rapids, plunging into pools and salmon leaping up waterfalls – you’ll need to enlist the help of a specialist.

1 month ago | livefortheoutdoors.com | Ben Weeks

The history of the Lake District involves more than geology and poetry. There are shadowy stories lurking here, and they’re all part of the rich tapestry that make the Lakeland fells so fascinating. Rain streaked the hostel windows as Tom and I ate breakfast, gazed despondently at maps and thumbed with no real interest through guidebooks. The weather was demoralising. Welcome to Borrowdale, Lake District: England’s wettest place.

1 month ago | livefortheoutdoors.com | Ben Weeks

We think this is one of the best camping stoves out there. Here's why... The Jetboil Flash was one of the first ‘personal cooking systems’ (PCS) to make it big in the UK and has remained one of the best-selling backpacking stoves ever since. But that doesn’t mean there wasn’t room for improvement…The arrival of the Jetboil Flash in 2009 changed the way we thought about how quick and easy cooking in the outdoors could be.

1 month 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 month 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.