Working near seabird colonies on cliff edges is one of those experiences that feels both intimate and fragile — up close you can see the earnest business of breeding, but every step or shout risks undoing that work. I’ve carried out surveys along a number of Britain’s coasts, and over time I’ve learned that careful planning, patience and the right kit let you collect useful data without...
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After a long multi-day border hike that threads cliff tops, boggy passes and quiet lanes, I often find myself wanting...
Peat hags — those dark, ragged edges of peatland where the turf has slumped away — catch me every time. They’re...
Finding a brood of sea ducks — eiders, scoters, long-tailed ducks — along Britain's shores is one of those small...
Finding a brood of sea ducks — eiders, scoters, long-tailed ducks — along Britain's shores is one of those small rewards that makes coastal time feel rich. But photographing breeding sea ducks is a responsibility as much as a craft. From experience, the best images come when the birds behave...
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I've followed a lot of cliff paths over the years: some smooth, some nervous, and a handful that have ended in that hollow, unstable crunch that tells you the ground beneath your feet is giving way. Crossing a collapsing cliff path is one of those situations you hope never to face, but if you walk...
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Slack-packing a border hike with trains and low‑impact resupply stashes is one of my favourite ways to experience Britain's wild edges. It lets you move light, linger in interesting places and stitch together routes that would be awkward as a continuous backpacking trip. Over the years I’ve...
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Why a short safety belay matters on grassy cliff exitsI've spent years picking my way off coastal cliffs and steep grassy slopes where a single slip can quickly become an uncontrolled slide. In those moments a full climbing setup isn't practical: time, weight and the awkwardness of hauling a...
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I’ve spent countless damp mornings knee-deep in peat, helping small volunteer teams plug eroded haggs and revegetate bare peat. Lightweight peatland repair plugs made from jute, coir and locally collected Sphagnum are one of the most practical, low-impact tools we use: they’re simple to...
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When I plan a trip to see puffins on the Farne Islands I start from one simple idea: the seabird colony must come first. You can make spectacular images and memories without putting breeding birds at risk — but it takes intention. Below I lay out how I pick a low-impact route, the timings that...
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After a long winter of snow, the thaw brings a particular, uneasy season across blanket peat: white surfaces collapse into a patchwork of soft hummocks, hidden pools and thin crust that will no longer carry weight. I’ve learned to read those signatures — the visual and tactile clues that tell...
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I remember the first time I crawled out onto a peatland boardwalk to lift a broken board and examine what was going on beneath my boots. The smell of wet peat, the tiny bells of hare’s-tail cottongrass and the distant cry of curlew made it clear this was not a place to rush. Boardwalks over...
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There’s a particular kind of freedom to be found in low-tide coastal scrambles: a squeeze of wildness, the reveal of rock platforms and seaweed-smoothed routes, and the quiet satisfaction of moving along a shoreline when most of the crowds are inland. As someone who spends a lot of time around...
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On the exposed border ridges where peat tussocks meet short, wet grass and a thin crust of ice, footwear and traction choices can make the difference between a steady, enjoyable walk and a long, nervous shuffle. Over years of routes along cliff-tops, upland mires and cross-border ridges I’ve...
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