The Other Blog!

I started this blog to give me a place to jot down and share wandering thoughts about the outdoors, but I have been keeping another blog for some years. It is called Training for the OMM because it was originally there to track my training for the Original Mountain Marathon in 2010, but I've continued it ever since, partly because I am always training for an OMM.

However, although it has more of a running flavour, there are a few posts in it that might appeal to a broader outdoor audience. I have picked out a few below.

• Suddenly I am obsessed with energy/weight ratios!
• Weekend In Wales
• Microadventure!
• Results of OMM2010 Nutrition Study
• Gear List for the 2010 OMM
• Walking in Wales

Quilts

When it comes to lightweight camping I have always fancied a quilt. The theory is that when you sleep in a sleeping bag (down or synthetic) the bottom of the bag is crushed under your body and provides very little insulation. That's why you have a thermarest or similar, to insulate you from the cold ground. So why bother? Get a sleeping bag that has insulation on the top and sides, and nothing on the bottom.

But while I have theoretically fancied one, I have never actually explored the options... until this morning.

DofE Weekend in the Brecon Beacons

Teresa, Ian, Howard, James, Steve and Kelly having lunch of Saturday (Chris and Sam were still out on the moor)

Just back from a great weekend in the Brecons with twenty eight young Gold DofE trainees and eight leaders.

Winter settles in

Golden leaves in the low afternoon sunlight as we walked the fields. Reds, browns, golds. Feet kicking through yellow maple shapes.

Red rosehips on bare branches. Sloe leaves fading and wrinkling, revealing the smooth blueblackbitter fruit.

Fieldfares clacking as they circle and settle, their long autumn journey complete for another year.

A golden sunset slanting over the distant woodline.

Winter settles in.

First Post

Every blog has to start somewhere! So....

... welcome to the first post of this new blog. I have had another blog for a few years, but that was focussed on my running, and I needed somewhere for wider thoughts and ideas about walking and climbing and life outdoors.