Night hike and frosty camp

After my aborted attempt to camp at Sandwood Bay, I realised I didn’t want to spend hours lying in the dark in a tiny tent. So, if I wanted to continue camping in winter, I’d have to walk and pitch my tent in the dark. A year ago I would have put that idea straight…

Aborted solo wild camp at Sandwood Bay

After a successful winter wild camp on my own at Slaggan Bay, I decide to endure the long drive to the very north west tip of the UK mainland to visit Sandwood Bay. I’ve wanted to go there for many years, having heard it described as Britain’s most beautiful beach. It has become increasingly popular…

I can handle the dark but not the cold

I already know from my research that wild camping is all about having the right equipment, but I haven’t properly thought through how I handle the cold. It’s September, my inflatable sleeping mat is recommended for 3 seasons, my sleeping bag has a comfort zone of 2-7c, and the forecast is for 6c overnight, when…

3 days solo on the Moray Coastal Trail

Day One The weather forecast was exceptional for Scotland in early September. It was time for my first proper solo walk and wild camp, something I’ve dreamt of doing for many years. I arrive in Cullen by bus at 7.30pm, and began the expedition with a white pudding supper from Linda’s chippie, which I eat…

Facing Fears

For years I’ve dreamed about wild camping. The sense of getting away from it all, being closer to nature, the physical challenge, and overcoming my fear of the dark. The latter issue is significant. I suppose we are all scared of the dark to a certain extent but as I make my way through my…

Glasdrum Chapters 1&2

Chapter One – MEGAN Friday, 6 May 2005, 10.30pm Megan was drinking beer in the kitchen with a few friends when her collie, Glen, ran through the open back door with a muddy stick in his mouth. When he dropped it at her feet, she stared in disgust. It wasn’t a stick; it was a…

Daughter, Disappeared Chapters 1&2

Prologue The stench made her gag. For a moment she was transfixed by the room’s awfulness; the gloom, the paint peeling off the walls, the thin foam mattress covered by a filthy blanket. Behind her the door slammed and she turned. But it was too late. She heard a bolt being drawn on the other…