Backpacking and walking have been rather neglected by me as hobbies for the last few years, but my
enthusiasm has been recently re-kindled by the Coast to Coast walk I did in July/August 2000. This is
190 miles from St. Bee's on the west coast of England to Robin Hood's Bay on the east. It was an absolute blast! Many thanks to Les, Mark, Matt
and Sue for making it such good fun :) You can read all about it here.
| Manufacturers | |
| Macpac Rucksacks | The best rucksacks I've ever seen. A bit more expensive than some, but they seem to go on for ever. And they're the most 'waterproof' rucksacks I've ever come across! |
| Terra Nova Tents | The best tents I've seen too! Formerly 'Wild Country', these are beautiful tents that you can definitely rely upon in storms and high winds. One particularly stormy night at Sprinkling Tarn it was so windy that one of the (Easton Aluminium) poles actually bent (!).....but all the other tents blew down so I wasn't complaining! Mine's an Ultra Voyager. Check them out. |
| Hilleberg Tents | My second tent, a Hilleberg Akto, is also excellent, and made by this Swedish company. I bought it after reading a rave review by Chris Townsend, who used one whilst Munro bagging (I think). Highly recommended as a one person tent. |
| Lowe Alpine | I don't use a lot of Lowe kit, but I frequently use a Lowe Alpine Contour Runner day sack. It's one of my favourite bits of kit. It has a 30 litre capacity and it's light and comfortable. I particularly like the fact that I can put my water bottle and flask into the side mesh pockets, so that I don't have to take off the rucksack each time I want a drink. I've been using this little rucksack for about 6 years now, and it's showing no signs of wear. I'd highly recommend this as a small day sack. |
| Garmin | I had a toy attack on the Coast to Coast walk, and bought a GPS (Global Positioning System)in Ambleside. It's a Garmin eTrex Summit. I've not used it much yet, but it's great for taking a quick reading to find out where I am. I'm sure it's good for other things too, but first I have to get to grips with the manual. |
| Ortlieb | Ortlieb make the best map cases I've ever come across. They're hard wearing and totally waterproof, and robust enough to be tucked into the waist band of your rucksack. They also make all sorts of other waterproof bags for keeping various items of kit dry. |
| Meindl Boots | Great boots. Comfortable and hard wearing. I think they also look pretty cool, although that's not supposed to be a consideration in walking boots ;-) |
| Vendors | |
| Cotswold Outdoor | This is my favourite kit shop. They sell lots of kit by great manufacturers, and the sales staff get out there and use it themselves. I feel that I can trust them when they make a recommendation. |
| Field & Treck | They have a pretty comprehensive online ordering service. I've not used it yet, but it's good to be able to check out their prices. |
| Outdoor Pursuits Co-operative | More kit online. |
| Walkers' Services | |
| Sherpa Van Project | These people will transport your kit for you from A to B when you're doing long walks in the UK and parts of Europe. I used them for part of the Coast to Coast walk, and they were reliable and helpful. |
| Coast to Coast Packhorse | This is another baggage moving service for those doing the Coast to Coast Walk. If you're not sure what to do with your car, you can leave it with them at Kirkby Stephen at the start of the walk and get a lift to St. Bees. They'll then collect you from the end of the walk and take you back to your car. This is a good way to meet others on the way to the starting point, and takes the hassle out of car parking arrangements. |
| Information | |
| uk.rec.walking | This is a UK walking newsgroup, and seems like quite a friendly and helpful place. From time to time they organise group walks. |
| Coast2Coast Website | An accommodation and services guide for those interested in doing the Coast to Coast walk. |
| Long Distance Walkers' Association | A useful resource for those interested in long distance walks in the UK. |