A Wander up The Porter (or) Little Don River

This is the last in the series of walks around Langsett Reservoir I will be posting for now. Similarly to my walk to Pike Lowe, this walk covers areas I think few people are aware of. While the walk is a very pleasant one, it isn't without risk if undertaken at the wrong time of year.

Overview: Blogger on Android

Earlier in the year I was away in the Dales for a few days. While there I decided to try something different and post on my blog using my mobile phone. The software was Google's own Blogger App. I suppose in a way it became a bit more like Tweeting. The App can be downloaded from the Android Market Place and makes the job of posting on the go quite easy.

Review: MX3 Aventure Dehydrated Meal Pack

When I go camping for a length of time and go off doing walks I like to return to the tent and get something prepared to eat quickly. I find that if I have to start and mess around too much I don't always eat properly after a long walk. I've had the usual Wayfarer's and Reiter's meals over the years and even had on occasion the Be-Well expedition meals. But with a week in the Lake District coming up I thought I would try something new. Roll in the MX3 freeze dried meal packs.

When is Pike Low not Pike Low? When it's Pike Lowe

Not to be confused with the not so distant hill of Pike Low along side Ladybower, Pike Lowe is a peak clearly seen from Langsett Reservoir. In my previous post I had done a little reccy work for Pike Lowe, this weekend I went up.

Pike Lowe, the cairn clearly visible.

A Morning Stroll and reccy around Langsett Reservoir

Free Parking, a Public Convenience, Langsett Barn (used for functions), a Ranger Station, picnic tables, good walks and a touch of wildlife. That's what you will find around Langsett Reservoir located around 10 miles west of Barnsley along side the A616 heading towards Woodhead Pass. It's not a source of ultra challenging walks, but it access to great walks to other areas such as Derwent, Margery Hill and my next target, Pike Low Hill.

Karrimor 1 Litre Tritan Bottle review

I have one of those cheap polycarbonate 1 litre water bottles kicking about amongst my gear. I bought it from a well known outdoor retailer a couple of years back. At the time I was unaware of the alleged stories about polycarbonate bottles releasing Bisphenol A (BPA) into the water the were holding. There are various scientific groups showing varying results as to whether the polycarbonate bottles are safe, so I decided to avoid it for now and retired the bottle to a different use, and I'm not saying what that use is. (If you google the subject you will find conflicting reports. Some groups say they are unhealthy, some groups argue this isn't true. For now I think as individuals we have to interpret this as we see it.)

So I decided to find an alternative.

Review: Should I join the BMC?

To quote their website "The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) is the representative body that exists to protect the freedoms and promote the interests of climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers, including ski-mountaineers. The BMC recognises that climbing, hill walking and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions."

A Walk round Swineshaw Moor and Reservoirs

The outer edges of the Peak District have a lot to offer if you're after a nice relaxing walk with some nice wide views. This walk, situated at the far end of Woodhead Pass, not far from the A628 route to Manchester from Barnsley is around 7 miles in length. It has some nice scenic views, and some views right across Manchester's City Centre. Maybe not so picturesque, but quite a surprise.

Review: Aquapac Keymaster

I decided a few weeks ago to give an Aquapac Keymaster a go as a mobile phone case. It's a new design using Aquapacs patented Aquaclip. The phone I have just fits, a little snugly, but it fits all the same. The Aquapac is supposed to be waterproof to 5 meters, a little beyond my depth to test at home, but I tried it anyway.

Scammonden Water to Marsden and...erm...back again!

Do you ever remember those school trips, the ones with packed lunches and places you just can't quite remember. Well, for years I have driven past a reservoir at the side of the M62 just west of Huddersfield and felt for sure I'd been there on a school trip. The location is quite nice, even considering the proximity of the M62 and there's a nice four mile or so walk around the reservoir. The reservoir is Scammonden Reservoir and this weekend I decided to go there for a walk and see if it brought any memories back.