Matt Cutts of Google Source: Flickr by Tony Young

As a bit of a tech geek I have known about this trek for a while, however to explain why Matt took on this challenge who better to explain than himself.

One thing I’ve noticed while hiking for practice is that you’re *always thinking about water*. How much do you need to carry? Do you have enough water to last until you can refill your bottles?

A lot of people take water for granted. You turn on the tap and there it is. But that’s not what it’s like for everyone. They have to think about water all the time. Walking miles to get it. Carrying it. Worrying how safe the water is.

45,000 people die each day from waterborne illnesses. When you give, 100% of all donations go directly to water projects, and each donation is marked using Google Earth when projects are complete.

Source: My Charity Water Donation Page

Can You Camp at the Summit?

Matt trained and climbed the summit together with two of his freinds. They then did something most people don’t do: they camped out the the crater at the top of Kilimanjaro. The crater is very close to the summit, so Matt actually was camping at 18,000+ ft! From what I gather he had plenty of thermals and lots of sunblock. But why does Matt tell us he did this?

… One big advantage is that you do the 6+ hour slog up to the summit during the day instead of starting at midnight. Hiking during the day is leagues better than at night, in my opinion. The other big advantage is that you get to explore the crater.

Source: Matt Cutts Blog

However, there are downsides to this approach too. Primarily the lack of oxygen, the human body isn’t designed to cope without oxygen and given it’s scarce nature at this altitude it’s easy to see why some people will just opt to leave the summit 20 minutes after getting there to start their descent. Some people at this height may suffer from Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS / Altitude Sickness), and a few people will suffer unfortunately from High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) or High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE). Of course AMS is generally summarised by most as a headache and being sick quite a lot, however it can get much worse. When it does, as Matt explains you end up on what some guides jokingly call the “Kilimanjaro Express.”

The Kilimanjaro Express Source: Flickr by Jolie Odell

Can Anyone Climb Kilimanjaro?

Matt is not an “athlete” by any means, last year he did a few triathlons and has been on some long hikes this year for stamina training … but like many readers of this blog, he is just an average guy who has been trying to get fit. Doing a triathlon for charity would probably be a hard enough target for anyone, but once it’s complete you look for your next target, for Matt this was Mt. Kilimanjaro. In his post Matt poses the ultimate question of if anybody can climb Kilimanjaro … it may come as a surprise to some but the answer is “yes”, and here at cheaptents we agree with him. In essence as long as you can build up your stamina anyone can take on the climb, which is actually more of a hike as there is no rock climbing involved, unless you manage to take some obscure route of course. As Matt says, the question is not can you but do you really want to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro?

If you are going to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro then you may want to consider some of the tips below.

A few tips in case you decide to go:
- I’ve read lots of Kilimanjaro books, and the best one to start with is the book by Henry Stedman.
- I never walk with hiking poles, so I almost didn’t bring poles. Trust me: you should bring hiking poles. I definitely recommend the FlickLock or thumb lock poles over the “twist to unlock” poles. These poles worked very well for me. I’d opt for black handles if you can, because the gray handles got pretty grubby-looking by the end of seven days.
- Get good hiking boots and wear them all over the place for a month or two.
- Take care of your lips with SPF 15 or SPF 30 lip balm or Chap Stick. I used regular Chap Stick, which is SPF 4, but the sun is much stronger at higher altitudes. My lips were pretty sunburnt by the end of the hike.
- We flew into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO, but sometimes written as KIA) from Amsterdam on KLM. But a lot of people flew into Dar Es Salaam (DAR) via Dubai on Emirates. The people we talked to said that the Emirates flights were very nice.
- You may hear the word “Mzungu.” Our guide told us that it means “guest,” but a more literal translation would be “white person.” As far as I could tell, people are saying it with affection though.
- Hike at your own pace–ideally a slow, steady pace that you can maintain for hours. It’s Kilimanjaro, not KilimaNascar.
- Throw in a safari at Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, or the Serengeti National Park. As long as you’re in Africa, why wouldn’t you want to see stuff like this?

Source: Matt Cutts Blog

We also advise you take a look at our camping advice and climbing/hiking advice, the better prepared you are for the climb (or any climb for that matter) the better the chances of success.

If you wish to donate you can do so here: Charity:Water. Remember whatever you donate gets doubled thanks to Google.

Finally, if you are making the climb Take Care of Yourself & Your Equipment, Good Luck.

If you’ve enjoyed this article you may be interested in the Run Across America Interview with Abe Clark. Earlier this year Abe ran unsupported all the way across the USA to raise awareness and money for Living Water International.

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British Climbers Summit in Afghanistan

On 21st July 2010 two British and one American climber reached the highest peak in Afghanistan. The mountain of Noshaq is located in the north east of the country in the Hindu Kush range, on the border with Pakistan. The three mountaineers summitted the 7,492 m peak via the West Ridge. Poor weather conditions and deep snow made for a difficult ascent.

Last year saw the first Afghani summit of Noshaq during the “Afghans to the Top” expedition. It was hoped that the project would promote more high altitude climbing expeditions in the region, and it seems that international climbing community has begun to take an interest. Additionally it is hoped that mountain tourism in the area will be set up with sustainability and conservation in mind.

Mountain Unity International

Information about mountaineering in Afghanistan can be obtained from Mountain Unity International.

Mountain Unity International is a social enterprise set up to promote economic development in north east Afghanistan, with a focus on mountain tourism. We are not a tour operator but can help expedition leaders to connect with local Afghans on the ground.

By co-ordinating and publicising mountain tourism, Mountain Unity aims to provide sustainable livelihoods for the local people. We will also set up small projects to assist in the building up of the local community.

The Wakhan Corridor in the north east of Afghanistan used to be a particularly popular destination for mountaineers. The Wakhan corridor is bordered by Pakistan to the south, China to the east and Tajikistan to the north. This remote area has seen little change over the past 30 years or so. The area has always been peaceful, even during the Soviet Invasion and the on going conflict with the Taliban. However, Mountain Unity’s David James, told the BBC that:

I wouldn’t suggest anyone goes with a holiday mentality. This is for serious trekking and mountaineering expeditions – people that know about working in a real wilderness environment.

You’ve got to look after your own medical emergencies and be aware of your own security. You’ve got to be responsible for yourselves in Afghanistan. But this one particular part has remained entirely peaceful.

With many unclimbed peaks, short approach routes and more or less guaranteed good weather, The Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan could once again become favoured destination for climbers and mountaineers.

The Hindu Kush. Is Afghanistan set to become a top mountainerring destination again? Source Picasa by James Corbishley.

Have you been mountaineering Afghanistan, or climbing in other extremely remote parts of the world? Share your thoughts and experience! Click on comments below.

Alien or Spiny katydid nymph? Amazon Critter
Source Flikr by ggallice

Far from being a “boys-own adventure” Eds reasoning for his amazon hike was “I am simply doing it because no-one has done it before.” he told AP.

The hike was prolonged by floods that forced Ed and Cho to walk a route that was 2,000 miles longer than the 4,000-mile length of the Amazon, which is exceeded only by Africa’s Nile as the world’s longest river.  Which presumably will be Ed’s next task, as Ed also told AP that he has another adventure planned for September 2011.

The long journey Ed has taken is reported to have cost almost £63,000 and has been paid for by sponsor companies and donations by those who care about saving the Amazon. Ed described how it has deepened his understanding of the Amazon, its role in protecting the globe against climate change and the complex forces that are leading to its destruction. Along his journey Ed talked in his blog posts of the vast expanses of open space where there was once forest and is now nothing, including areas where he expected there to be civilisation but it has been moved away because of this deforestation.

Ed and Cho have faced all manner of danger during the hike across the amazon, from sheer drops to anaconda snakes and caiman’s to illness, food shortages and let’s not forget Ed was accused twice of murder by local tribes (who Ed believes took a dislike to him as they had never seen a white man).

Another problem Ed faced every step of his amazing Amazon hike was mosquito bites, some “50,000″ of them in total. Seems like Ed could have done with some mosquito repellent and a mosquito headnet or two. Though of course when Ed’s back in the UK walking his primary problem is likely to be midge bites.

At the time of publication of this post Ed’s website “walkingthemamazon” is down due to a huge ammount of traffic. However, Ed also has his own personal website with a copy of most of the blog posts he made daily whilst on his hike.

You can also read more about this amazing hike on the BBC News website.

This article on buying a new tent is by no means exhaustive but is meant as a starting place by which you can get an idea of what features and requirements you have for a tent. Once you’ve read this article, if you have any questions or need some more advice simply leave a comment below or if you are looking for more detailed advice visit our camping tent advice section.

What size tent do I need?

Capacity in general is measured by the number of people a tent sleeps, based on the number of standard size sleeping bags it can fit. This does not account for elbow room, storage room etc. Therefore tent capacity can also include square footage in addition to “sleeping” numbers. As a rule of thumb, if you are taking a holiday where you need to share a tent, as opposed to a hiking or running holiday where your tent travels with you, you should consider getting a tent that can accommodate a sleeping capacity of  2 more people than you need. In doing this you will go some way to giving yourself some extra elbow room, adding to the comfort of your holiday. After all, who wants to be spending time in a sardine tin on holiday.

Floorplan of a Lightwave T20 Trek XT

Another consideration for capacity is the usage of the tent, some argue this is the most important capacity factor. For example, if you are going hiking you aren’t going to want a bulky 6 man tent on your back, and similarly if you’re a family of 3 going on holiday for 2 weeks you aren’t going to want a single man tent designed for mountain expeditions. Also finally, if you are a family you may want to take a look at multi-room family tents, this will increase privacy and is also likely to help stop arguments when someone is snoring.

How will I use my tent?

In my experience one of the most overlooked factors when choosing a tent are the requirements that most users will have for a specific type of camping. As mentioned above, if you’re hiking you want lightweight materials and a small pack size, however a family travelling by car probably won’t care so much about weight. The use of the tent will also more than likely determine which type of tent you buy, there are various types including; tunnel, dome, geodesic, pyramid & there are hybrids of various kinds.

Going on a Backpacking Adventure?

So you’re off on a hike, up a mountain, around a few lakes, through some swamp land … and not going back to a campsite? That means one thing, you need to carry your accommodation (the tent) with you.

To ensure your comfort and ease whilst on this hike you will need to consider 3 main requirements for your tent; weight, pack size, ease of use.

• Weight – This is never an easy thing to judge, but generally the lighter the better. Judging weight is awkward because although the size-to-weight ratio has improved a lot over recent years with new technologies and materials, it is still hard to get the balance between the room you actually require for comfort and the weight you can carry, on top of your other equipment.


MSR Hubba Ultralight Tent

• Pack Size – It stands to reason if an item is smaller more things can fit into a space, so the smaller the tent the more extra items you can carry, as long as weight allows.
• East of Use – This refers to the pitching of a tent and just how simple it is to put up. If you’re hiking in the UK you may want to consider the weather as a huge variable. If you are suddenly hit by a storm you may be lashed by rain and gale force winds … could you still put up your tent in these conditions, if not maybe look for an easier tent to travel with.

Fixed-Pitch Holiday Camping

If you’re off on holidays then this is probably the bit you need to read. This is for those who are going away for sometime, travelling usually by car to a campsite where you will be pitching your tent and leaving it in-situ until a few days or weeks later when you are leaving to go home. Again the same 3 requirement types apply with an additional requirement of privacy.

• Weight – With larger tents it is generally accepted that weight doesn’t play that much of a role, however the motto of “lighter is better” still applies. In general bigger tents in the past have been made from canvas. With a whole raft of new materials in use, tent weight has plummeted, so weight is not an issue for most campers these days. You should be considering weight as a partial requirement but not letting it dominate any decision you make.


Vaude Badawi Family Tent

• Pack Size – Again this is a lesser factor for this kind of tent. However you should just double check that the pack does fit into your car comfortably and still leaves room for clothes, food and other things you are taking camping.
• Ease of Use – Again as with the backpackers tent it stands to reason that the easier a tent is to pitch the better. However, unlike the smaller tents, expect this to be a little more hard work, not least because its a bigger tent. Also at this point a consideration maybe the area of ground taken up by the tent. Many campsites are not completely flat, so having a larger tent increases the chance of pitching on uneven ground and, on a busy campsite, it may be difficult to find somewhere to pitch.
• Privacy – Now obviously with smaller tents with no windows this isn’t an issues so much, but with larger family tents it may well be, even if it has no windows. If you require a certain amount of privacy on a family holiday, consider a multi-room tent with an inner tent wall and zipped doorway.

Top Tent Features to Consider

Now that we’ve addressed the main requirements for your tent, lets take a look at some of the other features that all buyers of a tent will need to consider. This again is by no means an exhaustive list, so if you’ve any questions please leave a comment below.

• FlySheets – These are the fabric that make up the outer most wall of your tent. They are waterproof (whereas inner walls are water repellent), they may also have been treated with fire retardant chemicals, so if this is important ask. There are 2 major materials in use; 1 – Canvas, noted for it’s durability but generally quite heavy and these days in the minority. 2 – polyester, both durable and extremely water resistant, this is the choice of most campers these days.
• Seams – Ensure seams are folded and double stitched, also ensure they are taped. In general if you can pull the 2 sides of the seam and see through them, then water will get through.
• Ground Sheets Protectors – This may seem like an extra expense you don’t need, but using a ground sheet can save you a lot of money and hassle in the long run. A groundsheet protector acts as an extra barrier between the base of your tent and the ground. This prevents damage from sharp objects, reduces general wear and tear and makes cleaning the tent much easier.
• Poles – The main choice for poles in modern tents are fibre-glass and aluminium poles. Fibre-glass tent poles are generally found in the cheaper tents. Whilst they are light and flexible, they do lack strength. Another problem is that they can delaminate and splinter if incorrectly cared for. Aluminium poles can be found in better quality tents. Aluminium tent poles are strong and unlikely to break, even in strong winds.

As this isn’t an exhaustive list of factors and features of tents and is an “essential guide to buying tents” you may also wish to consider taking a read through our more detailed camping advice and/or our camping gear advice sections.

Alternatively, if you can’t find an answer to the question you have – simply leave a comment below and one of our experts here at CheapTents will get back to you shortly.

Be sure to checkout the amazing South Stack Lighthouse. Source Trinity House

The Anglesey Coastal walk measures in at around 125 miles in total, though handily there are 20 towns/villages located directly on the route. This means taking on just part of the walk is easily done, making this walk accessible to most levels of walker at some point. Overall it took us 8 days walking to complete the full distance, plus one more day we spent in one of the villages on the route – from the information I can find it can take anywhere from 5 days to 2 weeks to complete the full distance.

We started walking from the Roman Fort (which encircles St Cybi’s Church in Holyhead), this is also the end point of the full circular walk. On the walk we saw some spectacular scenery, there is some really quite cool wildlife including; puffins, guillemots, seals and even the odd dolphin!
as well as beautiful Anglesey coast line.

Taking in the views of Anglesey

Along the route there are 4 working light houses, including the South Stack Light House – famous for being one of the UK’s most spectacular light houses, positioned on it’s own little island on the west coast. Local to the light house is also a nature reserve, so when visiting the lighthouse you may want to take some binoculars and do some bird watching. To get to the light house you cross a bridge after contending with some 400 stone steps (not the 365 mentioned in local legends), and yes that does mean would need to walk back up those steps! This for me was one of the more tiring aspects of the walk, but it was well worth the visit and the views from the top of the light house are amazing. If this is the primary point of interest to yourself you maybe interested in the Cybi Circular Route which is a few hours walk at just 4 miles long.

Although we went to Anglesey for the views and the good company, one of my primary wants was to see the famous Telford Bridge. Spanning almost 180m the Menai Suspension Bridge is considered by many to be Thomas Telfords finest work – and I agree. Along with this amazing bridge is the Britannia Bridge, which has seen both rail and road service over the years  but today is the only non-dual carriage way section of the A55. Both bridges link Anglesey with the UK mainland.

The amazing Telford Suspension Bridge joining Anglesey with Wales (mainland). Source Flikr by The Ancient Brit

One final attraction and association of note is that which is of course the longest single-word place name in the world, with 58 english letters (51 welsh) Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is a real tongue twister (seriously give it a try). The name means: St Mary’s Church (Llanfair) in a hollow (pwll) of white hazel (gwyngyll) near (goger) the swirling whirlpool (y chwyrndrobwll) of the church of St Tysilio (llantysilio) with a red cave ([a]g ogo goch). The best way to begin pronouncing it is to take a side step from the coastal path and visit the local railway station, on the platform is a fairly decent approximation of how to pronounce the name in english – though I did ask a local who told me simply to call it St Mary’s Church.

Anglesey Coastal Walking Advice

Covering the terrain is no easy task, indeed you need to be pretty alert most of the time as injuries on this route are fairly common place (another reason its better to do this walk in a group and not alone – though this I think was primarily people scrambling across areas of dangerous land), but the rewards are well worth it. The whole walk is pretty well sign posted, a saving grace if your map flies away in the wind like it did ours. Due to the nature of the walk it is advise you wear high quality walking boots throughout, ensure you’ve always enough drinking fluid (a hydration pack of 2 to 5L will be more than enough to get you through the day really) and of course you never know what will happen with british weather so take some wet weather gear with you. Obviously if you’re doing the whole walk you will be carrying more clothes with you too, investing in some walking poles will help take some of the strain (plus they give you some leverage on the tougher terrain). Also it is inherently a great idea to take your normal walking emergency supplies, so a torch, whistle, a knife, a compass, high visibility vest and don’t forget your dry liner.

Finally I have two pieces of advice:
1 – Ensure there is at least 2 mobile phones within the group and turn one off until it’s needed, running out of battery is a very bad idea in an emergency!
2 – Enjoy the local food and drink, the local (non-chain) bars are amazing value and there are some amazing people to meet (who I am sure can tell you many more interesting facts and stories that I ever could).

If you want to know more about walking or camping in Anglesey, or just want to know what there is to do other than walk in Anglesey it’s worth taking a look at the Visit Anglesey website.

Interested in Coastal Walks? Take a look at the “UK’s Best Coastal Walk” Pembrokshire

From experience we all know what it is like to get a few miles down the road or even to be at the camp site only to notice that you have forgotten some vital piece of kit. To ensure you never have this problem again CheapTents has drawn up a checklist of equipment and supplies, essential to all families going camping this summer.

Where You Sleep

• Tent(s) – including pegs, ground sheet & mallet.
  Check our guide to choosing a perfect family tent.
• Sleeping Bags
• Roll Matt or Air Bed (with pump)
• Blankets, Sheets & Pillows should be considered

Explorer First Aid Kit - £19.79

The Basics Camping Equipment

• First Aid Kit
• Torches & Lamps
• Fold-Up Chairs
• Matches & Lighter – take both
• Multi-use Tool / Handy Knife
• Spare Rope
• Map / GPS

Camp site Cooking

• Camp Stove & Fuel
• Cooler / Cold Box
• Pots, Pans, Cooking Utensils, Plates, Cutlery & Glasses (plastic is best)
• Tin Opener & Sharp Knife
• Thermos Flask(s)
• Bin Bags
• Washing Up Bowl & Liquid (plus cloth/sponge)
• Food & Drink Supplies

Personal Care / Camping Hygiene

• Soap & Shampoo
• Toothbrush & Toothpaste
• Towel(s)
• Toilet Roll
• Antiseptic Wipes
• Any medications

Clothing

• Waterproof Clothing – Jackets, Trousers etc.
• Walking/Hiking Shoes & Boots
• Summers & Winter Hats (plus gloves)
• Normal Clothes (of course)
• Underwear
• Beach Wear (also stops embarrassing shower moments)

Miscellaneous Camping Gear

• Mobile Phone (plus solar charger)
• Spare Batteries
• Toys & Games
• Pen and Paper
• Safety Pins & Sewing Kit
• Duct Tape
• Cash (there is never a cash point when you need one)
• Midge Repellent
• Sun tan lotion
• Travel Clock

So, if you and your family are going camping this summer don’t forget a thing. Use our checklist and have a fantastic holiday.

Tell Us about your camping holidays
Have you been camping this year? let us know about it, where you went, what you did, would you recommend it etc … To tell us about your camping adventure simply leave a comment below.

Good navigation is essential for the race, and you will be provided with detailed maps to follow. The race will include fell running, mountain biking, kayaking, orienteering and a few surprises taking you to those hidden gems. Attitude is everything, so be prepared for the unexpected!

Since this Adventure Race is being held in the Lake District there could well be some open water swimming.

The 2010 event will be held from 27th to 30th of August and will be part of the Adventure Racing World Series. That’s bank holiday weekend, so you’ll probably need your waterproofs! The cost to enter the event is £1485 per team of four, that’s just over £370 each. This does not include kayak hire. For those entering late, this price will increase by 10% on 1st July. The closing date is 1st August.

The Adidas Terrex Race is being organised by Open Adventure.

Open Adventure was set up by James Thurlow in 2004 in reaction to the lack of Adventure Racing in the North of England. Since then Open Adventure has grown each year attracting some of the best adventure racers across the world and support from the largest brands in Adventure sport.

The 2009 Adventure Racing World Series was won by a British team consisting of Nicola MacLeod, Tom Gibbs, Nick Gracie and Warren Bates.

If you would like some inspiration for getting into Adventure Racing a great place to start would be our interview with Ian Adamson, the World’s most successful Adventure Racer! Ian Adamson has won many endurance races and is six time adventure racing world champion. In the interview he tells us about his interest in outdoor sports, including kayaking, sailing and orienteering, as well as sharing some top tips on being a world class adventure racer.

The Travel Trekker Pro 70 + 17 consists of a large 70 litre rucksack and a small 17 litre daysack. The travel daysack fits snuggly onto the back of the rucksack, secured by clips and is semi-covered by protective flaps, described by Lowe Alpine as a clamshell pouch. This clever design will help to protect the daysack from being accidentally torn off the main rucksack whilst your luggage is being man-handled during your travels.

The ultimate adventure travellers bag. The TFX Travel adjustable back system ensures comfort when carrying heavy loads and yet folds flat for mechanised transportation. The Pro comes with a small day bag for city tours and day hikes. Lowe Alpine.

Travel Trekker Pro 70 – Main Rucksack

There are two carrying handles, one on the top of the rucksack and one on the side. These handles feel strong, and with ample padding so that the bag can be picked up quite comfortably. There is also a detachable strap that enables you to sling the rucksack over your shoulder, so that you can easily carry your travel luggage around when the proper back system is stowed away. However, this strap and its clips seem a bit flimsy.

Lowe Alpine Travel Trekker Pro 70 + 17 Rucksack: The best travel luggage!

Lowe Alpine TFX Travel Back System

The back system is Lowe Alpine’s TFX Travel back system, which can be shut away underneath a zippered panel. When the panel is unzipped it can be rolled up and stored away behind a velcro fastening. It is a little awkward to roll the panel and stuff it away, but having the panel eliminates the risk of the shoulder and waist straps from being accidentally torn off during baggage handling, so it is worth the inconvenience.

The back system itself consists of height adjustable shoulder straps and waist straps. These padded straps are quite stiff but surprisingly comfortable, even when the rucksack is fully loaded up. Adjusting the height of the shoulder straps is relatively simple: unclip the cover and slide the shoulder harness up or down as required, using a wide strap. There are markings to give an indication of where shoulder harness should be for a person of your height. The shoulder straps have tension adjusters and clips so that you can attach the travel daysack in front of you. There is also a chest strap which has a plastic buckle with a built in whistle. With all these features, the TFX back system makes the pack suitable for hiking and is far more than just a means of carrying the rucksack through the airport or across the station.

Rucksack Pockets and Storage

The rucksack has a generous 70 litre storage capacity and is opened by a zipper that runs around the pack in such a way that it opens up like a suitcase. It is possible to lock the zip together with a padlock, providing some security for your luggage.

The Travel Trekker opens like a suitcase and has plenty of pockets

Inside the main compartment of the travel backpack there is a big mesh pocket on the back of the lid, handy for storing dirty clothes. There are also two smaller pockets along the sides that connect together with a clip, which can help to keep your gear tidy. One of these is a mesh pocket and the other is not. Finally there is a large circular bucket pocket which closes with a draw cord. These pockets and compartments enable you to keep your gear reasonably organised without losing the large empty space that you would be use to if using a suitcase. There are also compression straps on the outside of the rucksack, just in case you have some space in your bag when embarking on your travels!

Backpack Luggage Features

It is made from “N630, 1680 Poly Ballistic” Fabric, which is fairly tough, yet still flexible. At 3.5 kg it is a relatively lightweight when compared to other popular luggage such as large wheeled suitcases, but heavier than backpacking rucksacks of a similar size.

A rucksack rain cover is stored in a small pocket at the top of the rucksack, where it is handy for quick deployment to cover your backpack should you encounter a sudden downpour.

There is also a large mesh stash pocket at the front, underneath the daysack storage clamshell.

Travel Trekker Pro 70 – 17 litre Daysack

The travel day pack has a number of features that are particularly suitable for the traveller. There is a hole at the top for a head phone cable with a pocket just inside for your iPod or mp3 player. There are also two secret pockets, one on the front and one at the back, which are ideal for keeping your passport, tickets and other important travel documents. The secret pocket at the front also contains a clip for attaching your keys. As with the large part of the rucksack, it is possible to secure the zipper with a padlock.

There are two mesh pockets on either side of the daysack and a compression strap. The only disappointing feature are the straps, which are very lightly padded and not really suitable for spending a whole day carrying the daysack sightseeing around a city or on a short hike. A small waist strap would also be a welcome addition, if for example you were going on a day hike or cycle ride.

Lowe Alpine Travel Trekker Pro 70 + 17 Review Summary

The Travel Trekker Pro 70 + 17 from Lowe Alpine is a well thought out rucksack which is ideal for gap year and world travel luggage. The large 70 litre backpack has a solid, comfortable and stowable back system with suitcase opening. The 17 litre travel day pack fits securely onto the main rucksack and includes features specifically for the traveller such as secret pockets. The shoulder straps on the daysack could be improved but would be acceptable for most people.

Have you got a Lowe Alpine Travel Trekker Pro 70 + 17 or similar rucksack? What backpacking luggage would you recommend? Tell us what do you think and add to the review. Click on “comments” and let us know!

Why not write a review about your outdoor kit?

www.lakedistrictwalks.com

General / Searching for a Walk

John Dawson’s Lake District Walks is a veteran walking website with a classic, straightforward design. It contains 40 hikes in the Lake District and over 300 photographs taken en route. The walks can be found using an index that is subdivided into sections of the Lake District based on the location of the walk. These are north, north east, east, south east, etc. and The Howgills. Each walk within these sections is identified by the name(s) of the major peaks on the route, or the name of the walking route, e.g. Fairfield Horseshoe. Each walk has a brief list of the summits and points of note along the walking route, the grid reference of the start and finish point, the total distance, total ascent and equivalent distance. All of the walks are circular, except of the Morecombe Bay Crossing.

The English Lake District is the most beautiful natural terrain I know. In 1990 I was fortunate enough to be able to come to live here permanently and walk the Lakeland fells to my heart’s content. This site is dedicated to all those who explore the area on foot. John Dawson.

There is an index of photographs listing each photo in alphabetical order, with the photo name including the main object of the photo and where the photo was taken from. Most of the photos can be viewed in small or large versions, whilst some others have a zoom-in feature. There are also a number of panoramas. These are very useful if you are planning a hike and want to get an idea about a particular part of the terrain, or if you just want to look at photos of great Lakeland scenery. Each photo page has a link to hikes that are relevant to the photo.

The search facility is useful for searching for specific locations such as Taylorgill Force. Searching for names of the highest or most popular peaks, e.g. Scafell Pike, Bowfell or Blencartha, gives too many results since these are mentioned on lots of webpages within the site.

Navigation around the website could be improved. There is a small navigation bar near the bottom of each page, which is obscured by banner adverts. The navigation bar only contains links to the Title Page, Walks Index, Photo Index and Site Search. There are a few pages listed at the top of the photo index page that I would have missed seeing, had I not looked at the photo index.

www.lakedistrictwalks.com - lots of great hikes throughout the English Lake District

Walk Descriptions

Clicking through to the webpage for an individual walking route gives you a repeat of the summary, the option to view the route on an OS Map and a list of route grid references. You can also view the route mapped onto satellite images which have been added to the website ShareMyRoutes.com.

Next there are “Escape Routes” that enable you to make the walking route shorter or abandon the hike in the case of fatigue and/or bad weather.

The Lake District, arguably the best place to go walking in England. Source: Flickr by dullhunk.

Following this heading section comes the route description. The navigational information is quite detailed and there are helpful comments about the difficulty of the terrain. Links to pages containing photographs are contained within the walk description. The descriptions of the photographs state where the photo was taken from and often identify many of the peaks and summits that can be seen.

As well as Lake District walks there are also hikes and trekking routes in Turkey and Cyprus.

GPS waypoint data is provided for some of the walking routes.

There is a fair amount of advertising in the form of banners and Google Ads.

Summary – lakedistrictwalks.com

John Dawson’s has walked many of the fells in the Lakes. He is obviously passionate about the area and knows it well. Consequently this walking website is very comprehensive. The walk descriptions and maps provide detailed and helpful information.

The equivalent distance calculated for each walk provide a useful indication of the severity of the walk. The photograph index is very useful for identifying Lakeland Peaks and looking at views the Lake District.

If you are going hiking in the Lake District then lakedistrictwalks.com is definitely worth looking at.

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www.walkit.com

The urban walking route planner

Whilst walkit.com does cover the most of the UK, it is region specific in as much as it a walking route planner for a the urban environment. The aim is to help people who live in cities get some exercise and reduce their carbon footprint. It differs from other walking route planners because it dynamically creates walking routes in much the same way as on-line car journey planners. So for example you can you use it to help you plan a walking route to work, the pub, the shops or your friend’s house etc. The design of www.walkit.com is uncluttered and allows ease of use, although it could benefit from a photograph or two to help provide inspiration to get people walking.

Walks can be found in the urban environment, for example along a canal towpath. Source: Geograph.co.uk. © Copyright Robin Hall and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence.

To create an urban walking route you must first select your city from a drop down menu. You can then enter your start and finish locations as well as adding any additional places that you wish to travel via. It is possible to use place names or postcodes. Then you can choose between a “direct route” or a “less busy” route. There is also a “low pollution” route available for some places.

The direct route generally keeps to main roads, whereas the less busy route utilises minor roads, footpaths and canal towpaths. There are lots of urban footpaths programmed into the walkit.com database so it is often possible to find short cuts and road free routes.

The route is then displayed on a scalable map on the right hand side of the screen, with numbered navigation instructions down the left hand side of the screen. Clicking the navigation link shows you the location for that instruction on the map.

In some places the navigational description gives additional information such as:

Go to the right around the roundabout, 1/2 kilometre on, and then turn off onto PARLIAMENT SQUARE, heading north. You’ll pass BLACKBIRD BAR OR PUB, pass CAFE ROUGE RESTAURANT and then pass ZEROS NIGHTCLUB.

Above the map is a table showing the distance in miles, kilometres and steps, the time it will take and how many calories you will burn up walking at fast, medium and slow speeds, and the amount of CO2 saved by walking compared to taking the car, bus and train, tube or metro.

An elevation chart is also shown. For the routes I was looking at the scale was too large and the elevation chart showed a flat line.

www.walkit.com - creates walking routes along footpaths and towpaths in the city.

One useful feature is that you can create a circular walk. To do this enter a starting point, your walking speed of either 2, 3 or 4 miles per hour and the length of time that you wish to walk for. The suggested walks encompass footpaths instead of roads where possible. The only drawback is that for a given set of choices only one possible walk is suggested.

There are three large advertising banners on the website. Ironically whilst I was on the walkit.com website the banners were advertising the new Mini!

The walkit.com website is being developed and they have a prominent invitation for people to suggest improvements.

Summary – walkit.com

The idea behind this website is a good one and overall the functionality is quite impressive. Since walkit.com enables you to plan a walk to and from places that you normally go to, you have no excuse for not leaving the car at home and getting some exercise!

Possible improvements could include points of interest along the walks, for example if there is a statue or monument, building with interesting architecture, gardens or one of the blue plaques that indicate a historical fact about a particular place.

At present there are no cities located in Wales or Northern Ireland, however the walkit.com website is expanding.

Review walkit.com

Have you used www.walkit.com? Were you able to find a suitable walking route? Was the information provided useful and accurate? Let us know what you think! Add to the review using the comments link below…