The Great Outdoors

1 week ago | thegreatoutdoorsmag.com | Francesca Donovan

Main image: Beyond wild camping in a hot tent on Low Fell | Credit: Laura Nurse @lauzexploresWhat is it about sleeping outside that makes us feel so alive? You could chalk it up to the fresh air, the noises of nature, the beauty of a morning mountain view… ultimately, though, much of that kick comes down to novelty. Ditching the standard routine of Netflix nights and duvet mornings jolts us out of the mental boxes in which we spend most of our lives.

4 weeks ago | thegreatoutdoorsmag.com | Cameron McNeish

Main image: David ‘Heavy’ Whalley in Ryvoan Bothy | Credit: David LinternFew of us can claim to have fulfilled all our dreams but for Dave Whalley, otherwise known as ‘Heavy’, the transition from a troubled son of the Manse in Ayrshire to one of Scotland’s most respected mountain rescue experts is the stuff of legend. He once told me that as a teenager that had he not joined the military, he would have ended up in jail.

4 weeks ago | thegreatoutdoorsmag.com | Francesca Donovan

Waterproofing and aftercare specialist Nikwax, in collaboration with community groups Hiking Buddies UK and AT95, has released survey findings that reveal barriers faced by Millennials and Gen Z when it comes to spending time outdoors as part of the proofing brand’s Formulated for Adventure campaign.

1 month ago | thegreatoutdoorsmag.com | Francesca Donovan

Main image: Scout and Paul, a dynamic Mountain Rescue Search Dog Team duo | Credit: Paul BesleyWe love our canine companions in this country, don’t we? In the Peak District, Scout the Search and Rescue dog is somewhat of a celebrity, often papped at Mountain Rescue fundraisers and admired for his agility and ability to find those lost and in need of help in our high places. It’s a deserved reputation.

1 month ago | thegreatoutdoorsmag.com | David Lintern

The Sea to Summit Ultralight is a summer rated air mat that dispenses with the baffles found in many competitors, in favour of a waffle system of semi-independent ‘cells’. For me, this is a summer specialist, and even then, perhaps best paired with a CCF mat for insurance on longer trips.