The celebrity pilgrim
Recently, a friendly writer called Tirza interviewed me for the new St Olav Ways online magazine, and it was rather fun to be on the other end of things for…
Not-so-noble experiments
Apologies for my extended radio silence. The past month, for some reason, has been one of the busiest of my freelance career, with some fairly exciting jobs falling into my…
Fifty Shades more
The fortnight I spent doggedly chipping away at Fifty Shades of Grey may well have been a joyless period of my life, but it has turned out to be unexpectedly…
A short guide to the Norwegian pilgrim trail
When Dave Tett, Dave Briceland and I walked the St Olav pilgrim trail in Norway last summer, we were surprised to find there wasn’t an English-language guidebook in print [Update…
Walking trousers to fit the season
Hiking is all about being adaptable. Gear does not make the man, but it helps make the man more comfortable. Most people can only justify the expense of one pair…
Five ways to drink gin
Gin is such a gloriously versatile poison that it’s difficult whittling my top choices down to five. I’ve even had to bump two of my favourites (the gin & mixed…
Is a gansey a guernsey?
Round about this time six years ago, I was packing for a reasonably long adventure up in arctic Norway. I’d sorted all my performance gear – the down jackets, fleeces,…
Torching the moor
They were burning the heather up on Danby Rigg when we walked by the other day. It’s odd to think that something which appears such a wild and primal environment…
Hot buttered rum
That uncommonly balmy December has given way to a frosty new year. In our little cottage by the sea, E and I have had the fire roaring from 4pm pretty…
