A fitting beginning

 I'm packing. 

And unpacking. 

And packing again, but this time rotating everything 90°.

But still it won't fit. 

I am trying, really trying, to travel light, simple and small. My tent weighs less than a kilo, my Primus stove is tiny, and I'm taking the bare minimum of clothes. 

But my trial pack this weekend was a disaster. A bulging, nearly bursting rucksack, a whole bagful of stuff I couldn't squeeze in, and a pile of things that, OK, I can live without (no, I really don't need a magnify glass, or that extra pair of trousers...) 

So tomorrow I'm going to have to buy a bigger rucksack, and start again. It's that, or do a Dervla Murphy  https://www.travelbooks.co.uk/dervla-murphy/ and take a donkey. 

In Praise of Walkhighlands

 I'm preparing for the big Stroll Up Scotland, and there is one source that I turn to again and again - Walkhighlands - https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/

 

Founded by Helen and Paul Webster in 2006, the site contains the information that I need to make this walk work. There are extensive route commentaries, gear guides (I've taken advice on tents and cooking equipment so far) as well as links to Ordnance Survey maps. One user has posted video blogs of sections of the Scottish National Trail, which help me understand the terrain. The news section includes features on rewilding and land use - all of which help understand the context of the terrain I will be walking through.

 

The site is funded by donations from its users, and from the John Muir Trust and NESTA. So it is independent and objective, important in a site that touches on the health and safety of its readers.

Thank you, Helen and Paul!