Hello Chris I've just finished reading your latest book, Out There. I read a short review in the TGO Magazine and then ordered it. Thanks for a great book. I enjoyed it very much. Out There is in fact my third of your books. It was a funny coincidence, that a outdoor friend of mine, René Ljunggren and you are of the exact same age and both have been out there for 40 years. You share the same opinions about nature and being in nature. My girlfriend and I went to Scotland in early May for a 9 days introductury hike in stead of allways Lapland and Norway, and we loved it so much, so it will not be our last hike there. As a dane I have had a web-based subscription for the past couple of years, where I read your reviews with great interest. At the moment I'm waiting for the Cairngorms film to reach me in Copenhagen. This Monday morning I got a mail, that the film will probably get here today. I'm so looking forward to it. I have a question to you. I'm doing a lot of oneday-hikes in Denmark, where I take 12-15 person groups for tours around in Sealand to show them the beautiful nature. In addition to this I for the last 5 years have done weekend hikes in the southern parts of the nearby Sweden to show the participants the beautiful wildernes-like areas, that are only 2 h drive from Copenhagen. Here's my question to you: As I'm expecting that the Cairngorms-film is great, I think, that I would be a great pleasure for some of my outdoor friend to see the film as well. I'd so much like to inspire them to your writings and show them about the possibilities in Scotland. Is it ok (: legal), that I show the film for - say - 20 of my outdoor friends, so that we after the film can talk about it, or will I violate any copyrights doing that? Looking forward to hear from you. Yours Thomas Vaaben Søgaard
Sorry for the delay in replying. I don't usually get queries on the Contacts page and I've only just seen this. Hope you enjoyed the Cairngorms film. Showing the film to your friends will be fine.
Just wondering what your view is on rewilding the Uk and the reintroduction plans to release lynx and what will this mean for walkers and wild camping?
I am very much in favour of rewilding and the introduction of lynx and other missing fauna. I don't think it will have any effect on walkers and wild campers other than to make our wild places wilder and more natural. I've written about it a few times on my blog. Here's one piece - http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2015/08/of-wolves-woods-thoughts-on-rewilding.html
Hello Chris, I hope your website helps you as I value your writings and advise. I would love to do a weekend hiking / camping in Scotland. Surely for your advise on gear you could take small groups hiking as per Andrew Skurka. My hiking partner who lives in Toronto learnt a lot from him on travelling lighter. PS: just purchased the Sherpa fleece you recommended, its great. very best wishes. Colin M
I am putting together a winter program for Duke of Edinburgh's Award Volunteers in Perth & Kinross and would like to discuss hiring you for a talk later in the year. Steve McQueen pkassociation@dofedoocot.plus.com 01738 627455
great item about the pacific crest trail. A coincidence that last year my family and I backpacked in Goat Rocks Wilderness, climbing old snowy mountain and camping for one night at Goat Lake on a three day trip. My kids were fascinated by the nightly routine of hiding food up a tree to keep the bears away. Your book on Scotland (world mountain Ranges) is currently our family bible! Keep up the great work.
i Chris Welcome back from your recent trip, it’s been very interesting following your progress on social media. I was particularly impressed with the quality of your Smartphone photographs. I’ve been considering replacing my Ixus 114HS compact camera (203g), my elderly pay as you go phone (97g) and possibly my Garmin Etrex 20 GPS (205g with spare batteries) for a pay as you go Smartphone. As my camera and phone are due for replacement I thought this would be a good opportunity to combine the two and possibly save some weight. It would also give me the ability to listen to audio books and podcasts when wild camping on long winter nights. Do you have any suggestions as to which phone I should buy? I would prefer one using Android OS other than that I am open to any suggestions. Regards Geoff
There's quite a few good trail shoes on the market. As with boots fit is of course the most important factor. I did wear Inov8 shoes for several years but the model I liked has been dropped and none of the current range fit me. I've just reviewed a selection of trail shoes for the next issue of The Great Outdoors magazine so you can see what I think of several models there.
Hello Chris, I first learned of you and your adventures through your book "The Backpacker's Handbook". I was a beginner then and you and your book has been the greatest influence and impact on me concerning walking and backpacking in nature. I wanted to know if you are considering writing an autobiograpy of yourself?
Hello Mark, glad you found my book so useful. I'm not planning on an autobiography at present but my next book, which will be about my Scottish Watershed walk and which I'm writing at present, will be more autobiographical than previous books.
Chris Interesting article about weight of footwear-.Not long taken up long distance walking and munroing- hoping to do some long distance walks again this year. After a couple of years wearing boots- the weak ankles i have had for years following sporting accident when younger meant at least once maybe twice I would go over on one of my ankles - each trip - normally on the descent when I was getting tired.This was with boots that I had bought to give me the support I felt I needed because of my ankle problems .
Last year I started wearing trail shoes- no ankle support- and I have done a fair few 100 Km in various terrain ranging from easy- to v. difficult terrain - including scree fields , boulder fields etc and I have never gone over once. I put this down to the fact that when you wear boots- your actual ankle ligaments and muscles get lazy- and depend on the boot for support- - so you are not in control- with the trail shoes the responsibility is subconsciously on your own muscles.ligaments and flexibility and balance - and nature depicts it takes responsibility- so in fact trail shoes have lessened my ankle turn overs completely. So trail shoes for me - unless in snow . There are great ones out there- including gortex ones- Salomon and Merrell are my favourites. only concern is long days on hard surfaces- feet can become sore- but not any more than with boots on - and good quality insoles make a huge difference there .Many thanks for all the advice. Kenny
Hi Mr. Townsend If someone wants a boot for a trail like your 2000 the Arizona trail or 2016 Yosemite valley to Death valley so the person needs to travel in desert and and snow mountain, what boot do you recommend to go through all. Thanks for videos and information on website. Regards Amir M
Hi Amir, on the Arizona Trail and Yosemite to Death Valley walks I didn't encounter much snow. On the first walk I had lightweight boots and sandals, on the second sandals and trail shoes. If I expected much snow, as on my Pacific Crest Trail walk, I'd carry boots for the snow and sandals or trail shoes for the rest. If only taking one pair it would be the boots. I'd go for a lightweight synthetic/leather boot. Which model depends on which fits you. There are many good ones.
Hi, Chris. I enjoyed your review of the Hillberg Niak and am considering purchasing it. I am wondering, without a crosspole it looks like the rain would drip into the inner tent with the vestibule open. Did you experience that? I am also looking at the Slingfin Portal 2. Thanks for the info.
Hi, that could happen with the Niak, though I haven't had a problem. The top of the outer door could be closed a little if it did happen. I haven't used or seen the Slingfin Portal 2. The specs look good.
Hi Chris, don't know if you saw this article from Private Eye re grouse moors, as I know it's a topic that is often covered in these pages? I walked from Lancaster to Weardale in Sept mainly over fells I hadn't done before with no proper paths, it's a real eye-opener just how much of the uplands are taken over by them and the carbon footprint must be colossal as you just know people are flying in from all over the world to take part. (text scanned from PE) - "BIODIVERSITY - For peat's Sake...
BORIS Johnson promised in September to "boost biodiversity" by protecting 30 percent of the UK's land by 2030. His government issued regulations restricting the burning of heather by grouse moor owners on England's peatlands, which store hundreds of millions of tons of CO₂.
But landowners did not become a powerful lobby in the Tory party by letting regulation stand in their way. They want to burn the hillsides to make way for younger heather plants that grouse can feed on - and the Conservatives have inserted a get-out clause to let them do just that, by only banning the burning of heather that sits on peat deeper than 40cm.
Freedom of information requests reveal that officials have no map of the uplands showing the depth of peat and thus no idea where burning should be stopped. COP26 or no COP26, the ecological campaign group Wild Moors still reported more than 100 moorland fires across England's national parks in just four days in October, a fivefold increase on 2020.
The influence of the landowning lobby will only grow now that the Moorland Association, which represents the UK's 300 grouse moor owners, has the well-connected Tory peer and columnist Viscount "Matt" Ridley (pictured) as its president.
An investigation by Guy Shrubsole of the Who Owns Britain website reveals that Ridley's company, East Carnigill Ltd, set up in 2018 to engage in "other sports activities", owns the 6,000-acre Cotherstone grouse moor in Durham as well as the nearby East Carnigill and Birk Hat moors.
Collectors of Ridley's multiple interests must now add the moors to the list. He called for "less government in a polemic against regulation in 2006, when he chaired the under-regulated bank Northern Rock-which went bust a year later and was nationalised at public expense. In 2013, the House of Lords standards commissioner found Ridley had breached the code of conduct by bigging up shale gas in a debate on the Energy Bill while failing to declare interests worth at least £50,000 in fracking companies indeed he had assured peers that "I have no [financial] interest" in gas.
Meanwhile, Ridley has for years poured doubt on the severity of the climate crisis while having an open-cast coal mine on one of his estates. Coal may be on the way out, but for as long as the Tories remain in power the Viscount's investments in heather-burning and grouse-shooting will be secure."
Hello Chris
ReplyDeleteI've just finished reading your latest book, Out There. I read a short review in the TGO Magazine and then ordered it. Thanks for a great book. I enjoyed it very much. Out There is in fact my third of your books. It was a funny coincidence, that a outdoor friend of mine, René Ljunggren and you are of the exact same age and both have been out there for 40 years. You share the same opinions about nature and being in nature.
My girlfriend and I went to Scotland in early May for a 9 days introductury hike in stead of allways Lapland and Norway, and we loved it so much, so it will not be our last hike there.
As a dane I have had a web-based subscription for the past couple of years, where I read your reviews with great interest.
At the moment I'm waiting for the Cairngorms film to reach me in Copenhagen. This Monday morning I got a mail, that the film will probably get here today. I'm so looking forward to it.
I have a question to you. I'm doing a lot of oneday-hikes in Denmark, where I take 12-15 person groups for tours around in Sealand to show them the beautiful nature. In addition to this I for the last 5 years have done weekend hikes in the southern parts of the nearby Sweden to show the participants the beautiful wildernes-like areas, that are only 2 h drive from Copenhagen.
Here's my question to you: As I'm expecting that the Cairngorms-film is great, I think, that I would be a great pleasure for some of my outdoor friend to see the film as well. I'd so much like to inspire them to your
writings and show them about the possibilities in Scotland. Is it ok (: legal), that I show the film for - say - 20 of my outdoor friends, so that we after the film can talk about it, or will I violate any copyrights doing that?
Looking forward to hear from you.
Yours Thomas Vaaben Søgaard
Sorry for the delay in replying. I don't usually get queries on the Contacts page and I've only just seen this. Hope you enjoyed the Cairngorms film. Showing the film to your friends will be fine.
DeleteJust wondering what your view is on rewilding the Uk and the reintroduction plans to release lynx and what will this mean for walkers and wild camping?
ReplyDeleteI am very much in favour of rewilding and the introduction of lynx and other missing fauna. I don't think it will have any effect on walkers and wild campers other than to make our wild places wilder and more natural. I've written about it a few times on my blog. Here's one piece - http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2015/08/of-wolves-woods-thoughts-on-rewilding.html
DeleteHello Chris, I hope your website helps you as I value your writings and advise.
ReplyDeleteI would love to do a weekend hiking / camping in Scotland. Surely for your advise on gear you could take small groups hiking as per Andrew Skurka. My hiking partner who lives in Toronto learnt a lot from him on travelling lighter. PS: just purchased the Sherpa fleece you recommended, its great. very best wishes. Colin M
I am putting together a winter program for Duke of Edinburgh's Award Volunteers in Perth & Kinross and would like to discuss hiring you for a talk later in the year.
ReplyDeleteSteve McQueen pkassociation@dofedoocot.plus.com 01738 627455
Hi Chris,
ReplyDeletegreat item about the pacific crest trail. A coincidence that last year my family and I backpacked in Goat Rocks Wilderness, climbing old snowy mountain and camping for one night at Goat Lake on a three day trip. My kids were fascinated by the nightly routine of hiding food up a tree to keep the bears away.
Your book on Scotland (world mountain Ranges) is currently our family bible!
Keep up the great work.
Andy Williams, Lichfield.
i Chris
ReplyDeleteWelcome back from your recent trip, it’s been very interesting following your progress on social media. I was particularly impressed with the quality of your Smartphone photographs.
I’ve been considering replacing my Ixus 114HS compact camera (203g), my elderly pay as you go phone (97g) and possibly my Garmin Etrex 20 GPS (205g with spare batteries) for a pay as you go Smartphone.
As my camera and phone are due for replacement I thought this would be a good opportunity to combine the two and possibly save some weight. It would also give me the ability to listen to audio books and podcasts when wild camping on long winter nights.
Do you have any suggestions as to which phone I should buy? I would prefer one using Android OS other than that I am open to any suggestions.
Regards Geoff
Hi Geoff, my current phone is the Samsung Galaxy S7 and I'm very pleased with it. It runs on Android and has an excellent camera.
DeleteCheers Chris I'll take a look.
ReplyDeleteHi Steve,
ReplyDeleteThere's quite a few good trail shoes on the market. As with boots fit is of course the most important factor. I did wear Inov8 shoes for several years but the model I liked has been dropped and none of the current range fit me. I've just reviewed a selection of trail shoes for the next issue of The Great Outdoors magazine so you can see what I think of several models there.
Hello Chris, I first learned of you and your adventures through your book "The Backpacker's Handbook". I was a beginner then and you and your book has been the greatest influence and impact on me concerning walking and backpacking in nature. I wanted to know if you are considering writing an autobiograpy of yourself?
ReplyDeleteMark Utzman
Hello Mark, glad you found my book so useful. I'm not planning on an autobiography at present but my next book, which will be about my Scottish Watershed walk and which I'm writing at present, will be more autobiographical than previous books.
DeleteHi Chris,
ReplyDeleteAre you still a fan of the Sony A7? I'm thinking of buying one to replace my 2013 Sony RX-1.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI've never had an A7. I have the Sony NEX 7 and the Sony a6000, and I think both are excellent.
Chris
ReplyDeleteInteresting article about weight of footwear-.Not long taken up long distance walking and munroing- hoping to do some long distance walks again this year. After a couple of years wearing boots- the weak ankles i have had for years following sporting accident when younger meant at least once maybe twice I would go over on one of my ankles - each trip - normally on the descent when I was getting tired.This was with boots that I had bought to give me the support I felt I needed because of my ankle problems .
Last year I started wearing trail shoes- no ankle support- and I have done a fair few 100 Km in various terrain ranging from easy- to v. difficult terrain - including scree fields , boulder fields etc and I have never gone over once. I put this down to the fact that when you wear boots- your actual ankle ligaments and muscles get lazy- and depend on the boot for support- - so you are not in control- with the trail shoes the responsibility is subconsciously on your own muscles.ligaments and flexibility and balance - and nature depicts it takes responsibility- so in fact trail shoes have lessened my ankle turn overs completely. So trail shoes for me - unless in snow . There are great ones out there- including gortex ones- Salomon and Merrell are my favourites. only concern is long days on hard surfaces- feet can become sore- but not any more than with boots on - and good quality insoles make a huge difference there .Many thanks for all the advice. Kenny
Hi Mr. Townsend
ReplyDeleteIf someone wants a boot for a trail like your 2000 the Arizona trail or 2016 Yosemite valley to Death valley so the person needs to travel in desert and and snow mountain, what boot do you recommend to go through all.
Thanks for videos and information on website.
Regards
Amir M
Hi Amir, on the Arizona Trail and Yosemite to Death Valley walks I didn't encounter much snow. On the first walk I had lightweight boots and sandals, on the second sandals and trail shoes. If I expected much snow, as on my Pacific Crest Trail walk, I'd carry boots for the snow and sandals or trail shoes for the rest. If only taking one pair it would be the boots. I'd go for a lightweight synthetic/leather boot. Which model depends on which fits you. There are many good ones.
DeleteHi Chris. I've sent you a question by mail. Hope that's okay. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHi, Chris. I enjoyed your review of the Hillberg Niak and am considering purchasing it. I am wondering, without a crosspole it looks like the rain would drip into the inner tent with the vestibule open. Did you experience that? I am also looking at the Slingfin Portal 2. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteHi, that could happen with the Niak, though I haven't had a problem. The top of the outer door could be closed a little if it did happen. I haven't used or seen the Slingfin Portal 2. The specs look good.
ReplyDeleteHi Chris, don't know if you saw this article from Private Eye re grouse moors, as I know it's a topic that is often covered in these pages? I walked from Lancaster to Weardale in Sept mainly over fells I hadn't done before with no proper paths, it's a real eye-opener just how much of the uplands are taken over by them and the carbon footprint must be colossal as you just know people are flying in from all over the world to take part. (text scanned from PE) - "BIODIVERSITY - For peat's Sake...
ReplyDeleteBORIS Johnson promised in September to "boost biodiversity" by protecting 30 percent of the UK's land by 2030. His government issued regulations restricting the burning of heather by grouse moor owners on England's peatlands, which store hundreds of millions of tons of CO₂.
But landowners did not become a powerful lobby in the Tory party by letting regulation stand in their way. They want to burn the hillsides to make way for younger heather plants that grouse can feed on - and the Conservatives have inserted a get-out clause to let them do just that, by only banning the burning of heather that sits on peat deeper than 40cm.
Freedom of information requests reveal that officials have no map of the uplands showing the depth of peat and thus no idea where burning should be stopped. COP26 or no COP26, the ecological campaign group Wild Moors still reported more than 100 moorland fires across England's national parks in just four days in October, a fivefold increase on 2020.
The influence of the landowning lobby will only grow now that the Moorland Association, which represents the UK's 300 grouse moor owners, has the well-connected Tory peer and columnist Viscount "Matt" Ridley (pictured) as its president.
An investigation by Guy Shrubsole of the Who Owns Britain website reveals that Ridley's company, East Carnigill Ltd, set up in 2018 to engage in "other sports activities", owns the 6,000-acre Cotherstone grouse moor in Durham as well as the nearby East Carnigill and Birk Hat moors.
Collectors of Ridley's multiple interests must now add the moors to the list. He called for "less government in a polemic against regulation in 2006, when he chaired the under-regulated bank Northern Rock-which went bust a year later and was nationalised at public expense. In 2013, the House of Lords standards commissioner found Ridley had breached the code of conduct by bigging up shale gas in a debate on the Energy Bill while failing to declare interests worth at least £50,000 in fracking companies indeed he had assured peers that "I have no [financial] interest" in gas.
Meanwhile, Ridley has for years poured doubt on the severity of the climate crisis while having an open-cast coal mine on one of his estates. Coal may be on the way out, but for as long as the Tories remain in power the Viscount's investments in heather-burning and grouse-shooting will be secure."