Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) camping – packing/kit list

I have received a lot of messages asking if I’ll share my packing list for the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) hike, so here it is:

Outdoorista – Inspiring Outdoor Women

In 2016 the Women in Adventure project surveyed hundreds of outdoor women… as a result I recently launched a new website, Outdoorista!

The Women in Adventure project surveyed hundreds of outdoor women about their sources of inspiration, important issues, and any barriers to participation that they might have experienced during their outdoor adventures. Outdoorista is based on their feedback, it includes the content outdoor women said they would like to see…

Outdoorista – Inspiring outdoor women

Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge – 39km, 1440m winter run

Running the route of a race ahead of race day (reccying) is one of the best ways to get know an area. On New Year’s Eve we ran the Yorkshire Three Peaks, a route which covers 39km and with 1,440m ascent, takes in the three highest summits in Yorkshire in a day.

Fastpack Tour du Mont Blanc – 180km, 11,000m ascent, 5.5 days

The Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc (UTMB) is one of the world’s best known ultras, and one I dream of entering. For now a 100 mile race is beyond me, but I still wanted a taste of the UTMB…

So instead of racing, with my running buddy Bo, we fastpacked the Tour du Mont Blanc trail, setting off from Chamonix where we watched the start and some of the finishers of this year’s UTMB.

A promise of the mountains from Chamonix centre at the UTMB start line

Day 1 – Chamonix – Les Houches – Les Contamines (France)

A day of two halves – spectacular views of glaciers from the Brevent (2526m), followed by an exhausting and seemingly never ending descent into Les Houches (1007m). 

Peak Skyrace ultra, UK Skyrunning – 48km, 2000m ascent, 7 August 2016

The Peak Skyrace is relatively short for the ultra distance, but since it is a Skyrace, don’t expect an easy day out. Over 48km there’s 2000m of ascent, and with most of the route on good runnable trails the time limit of 8hrs keeps you moving.

Starting from the race HQ in Buxton, the excellent route is typical of the Peak District. The first section seemed to go by in a flash, taking in a little bit of everything including woodland, the fell of Axe Edge moor, and some perfect rocky trails.

Approaching the Roaches

Thinking about wild camping? For inspiration read Extreme Sleeps by Phoebe Smith

I thought about wild camping for quite a while, but it seemed like a bit of a mysterious world. With so much freedom I almost didn’t know where to start.

Extreme Sleeps by Phoebe Smith showed me how it’s done, and gave me the encouragement I needed to stop thinking about it and just get out there!

Moon Climbing – Made in Sheffield range showcases local designers & artists

It’s not often you find products entirely locally designed and made, but the new Moon Climbing ‘Made in Sheffield’ range is exactly that. The bespoke, distinctively styled products made by Sheffield’s local artists and designers draw on the city’s climbing heritage, and will carry a ‘Made in Sheffield’ logo.

The products launched include the S7 Retro Chalk Bag, S7 Rope Bag, and S7 Musette – S7 being the Nether Edge postcode at the heart of Sheffield’s climbing community. 

It’s official! Sport climbing IN Tokyo 2020 Olympics

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that sport climbing is one of five new sports to feature in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, along with karate, skate boarding, surfing, and baseball/softball.

The announcement comes as a result of a successful proposal submitted by the International Federation for Sport Climbing (IFSC), a non-profit organisation whose main objective is to develop and promote climbing competitions around the world.

The BMC/Climb Britain is the IFSC member federation for Great Britain. They have supported the development of the proposals that the IFSC put to the International Olympic Committee.

Now the decision has been taken,

Adventure in your hands – Discover these independent magazines

Independent magazines can grab you by the imagination and lead you deep into your chosen world. I especially enjoy the authentic voices of contributors, and their photographs and illustrations can’t always be fully appreciated on a small screen.

Comprised of a series of relatively short pieces, these publications fit perfectly into a busy life. Make a coffee, sit down, and read…

Trolltunga hiking guide – Odda, Norway

Trolltunga, or the Troll’s Tongue, is a spectacular natural rock formation hanging 700m above the ground. It’s one of Norway’s most iconic locations, only accessible via a 22km hike out and back with 1,400m ascent and descent. You can hike it in one big day, or wild camp as part of a multi day hike.