First Impressions I was quite excited when I took my new Lumos helmet out of the box and with good reason too. The first thing that struck me is it felt like a real solid piece of kit, very well made and a little more sturdy than an ordinary helmet. To look at, it is…
Disabled people have come under attack again in the latest of George Osborne’s budgets where unemployed disabled people are now set to lose a further £30 per week. In this, the latest blow to disabled people, those on Employment Support Allowance are set to have benefits cut, this comes on top a round of cuts dished…
I have to Confess, I live on a budget at the moment and I don’t have money to burn on expensive kit, however this doesn’t stop me from enjoying and taking part in the outdoors. I thought I would write this piece to review a rucksack at the lower end of the market. I recently…
I was delighted to read that the government is about to spend millions more monies on improving mental health services in England and Wales. As someone who has experienced acute mental health problems over many years I know only too well the importance having effective services that are easy to access. Mental health is on the increase…
The Lomond Hills stand pretty much in the centre of the Kingdom of Fife and can be seen from afar. The village of Falkland lies at the foot of them, an old and historic Scottish town. Falkland is home to the famous Falkland Palace, a monument now under the care of Historic Scotland. I…
For a group of disabled people in East Lothain, any form or disability or impairment presents no barrier to enjoying outdoor activity and sport. Beyond Boundaries East Lothian, or BBEL, provides disabled people with the opportunity to experience and participate in outdoor sports including everything from cycling, to canoeing and gorge walking. I feel privileged to have been asked…
I have always had a desire to cycle the length of the Outer Hebrides have finally taken the plunge and decided to have a crack at it. Round the world cyclist Mark Beaumont recently accomplished it although he did it is 24 hours. I am not proposing to cycle the 186 miles in 24 hours…
My motivation and inspiration doesn’t get much higher than on a ski trip to the Alps. On behalf of Crystal Ski Holidays, I visited Niederau in Austria to take part in a Disability Snowsport UK (DSUK) holiday. Thanks to both Crystal and DSUK, I had a fantastic time and my enthusiasm for…
First Impressions When I opened the packaging of the new ProViz reflective jacket it immediately looked like a top quality product. The material felt soft and malleable, yet looked great as well. The zips looked, and are, waterproof and have good quality toggles for ease of grip as do the draw strings at either side….
We had a comfortable enough sleep in the Dunard hostel that night although I was so shattered after the journey to get there I would have slept anywhere. The beds were a bit rickety and the mattress really soft so not recommended for a prolonged stay. The décor in the front room was a kind…
Knoydart is a very special place. A peninsula on the west coast of Scotland accessed only by boat, it has all the feelings of a remote Scottish island. Staying in the village of Inverie, I went there recently to explore Scotland’s last true wilderness. Standing on the pier at Mallaig, I…
I have been lucky enough to visit Orkney lately and I had a really interesting time. My trip was to carry out detailed research. Funded by the John Muir Trust Des Rubens and Bill Wallace Grant, I went to Orkney to investigate disability access across the archaeological sites. The idea for this investigation came after…
On a weekend away in Scotland, more often then not, one usually ends up traipsing round the nearest town or village to where you are staying in the rain. Last Saturday was no exception and waking up to a stormy day in Pittenweem we made for St Andrews for a mosey round the shops and…
I still love the moment when I click my boots into my skis. It doesn’t seem to matter how long I’ve been skiing, I get the same feelings of freedom and joy. Although, just accessing the snow can be difficult, ski resorts can be challenging environments for anyone. My recent trip to St Anton, supported…
By the time I stopped and it had dawned on me that I had probably gone too far and didn’t really know where I was, I was soaked to the skin and really starting to get cold. The rain had been coming down quite heavily but I hadn’t really realized it, I was just enjoying…
Recently there has been a wave of anti-terror laws introduced and new ASBO criteria included in order to clamp down of the spread of racial hatred on the Internet. Just yesterday David Cameron announced that ‘hate preachers’ should be silenced with the introduction of new anti-terror ASBOS to stop there from spreading their bile on…
This week the Shadow Education Secretary Tristram Hunt told the Independent Newspaper that the Labour Party must get over its fear of the ‘F’ word and start promoting family values. He said the party needs to ‘shed its leftist qualms’ about appearing to patronise when talking about family values. In the past the Labour Party…
Time to review With the New Year just days away, I thought I would write a review of 2016 and reflect on what a fantastic year I have had. Through health, fitness and outdoor sports, I have developed a lifestyle that really makes me happy and I want to inspire and motivate others to…
The Three Brethren If you are looking for motivation, this inspiring walk in the Scottish Borders might just be the thing. On a relatively low hill outside Selkirk, the Three Brethren stand tall against the skyline. Three 10 foot cairns stand on the top of a hill, and give outstanding views of the surrounding countryside….
Vango Roar Stove Review I had been looking for a good, reliable and versatile stove for a long time but now I think the search is over. I’ve been testing out the Vango Roar stove and I’m really impressed with its performance. For me it seem ideal for my purposes and I know that lots…
