If you have any questions or would like to get in contact with me directly I can be found at the following email address:
backpackingbongos(at)googlemail(dot)com
Contact me
57 Comments to “Contact me”
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Hi
I sent this message by clicking the relpy tab in windows mail to you last blog but I dont think you would have got it.
What my message said was more or less as follows :
When you are stating distances or heights could you please give it in miles, feet & inches and then the metric equivalent in brackets.
The measure system we have used for many centuries has served this country well. So this continual drip, drip of metrication is a subversion in the minds of the population and it brasses me off !
( I have to use metrication as a surveyor but I Always revert to imperial in my daily life as a matter of principal ) -
Hey Roger. I was brought up on Metric, so metric it will be on my blog I’m afraid. Although I do give a mish mash of Metric and the olde fashioned one, i.e Miles for distance walked but metres for height climbed!
I have never understood the pounds and oz system of weight, that just comes across as barmy.
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Hi,
If the Terra Nova Laser is still on offer I’d be very interested in taking it off your hands – any idea what the p&p is likely to be?
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Hi
I sold the Laser comp last week and forgot to remove it from the page. Sorry about that.
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Hi , ive seen U’ve climbed Ben More Coigach , I got one question , is there any pitch i can set a tent for a night ?
thanks for answet in advance 🙂
regards !
Bart-
Hi Bart. Do you mean official campsite or camping wild?
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Hi, what tent are you currently using for your backpacking trips? I’m asking because I am looking for a light backpacking tent at the moment and want to know your opinion ( I know you didn’t get along with your Laser!)
Thanks 🙂
Alicja-
Hi Alicja. I am currently using a Tarptent Scarp1 tent on my backpacking trips. I really rate it, a bit heavier than the Laser Comp but much more stable, roomier and it has two porches. The only downside is that you currently need to import from the US.
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Thanks for the reply! I’m actually spending this Christmas in US so who knows, I might come back with a new tent !:)
Cheers,
Alicja -
Hey, kind of an odd question, but where is your photo from on the side? The one of you in a blue raincoat on a mountain with a mountain in a lake below. I ask because I have an almost identical photo of myself at Mount Rinjani in Indonesia. I’m almost wearing the same thing too!
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Hi there, you have got the location spot on. We did a trek there a few years ago, reaching the top just in time to see the sun rise. Lovely spot.
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Hello from Finland! I just happened to drop into your blog and what a wonderful site it is. Great job with the beautiful pictures and the interesting stories.
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Hi Tom, thanks and good to hear that you enjoy the site.
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Hi there, just wondering wot packs your pup is carrying as I’ve a staff myself and would like to get something similar, cheers, mike
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Hi Mike. The pack is made by Ruffwear, if you google them there are plenty of stockists on the internet.
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Hi there, just read your blog re walking in Glen More on Mull. Congratulations on getting away from the usual trip up Ben More to bag a Munro that the average climber does.There are plenty of hills with fabulous views and extremely tough walking on Mull, and with the added bonus of being really wild-no footpath on the map and no track visible on the ground. It’s getting a bit like the Lake District with hoards of unimaginative little brightly coloured people traipsing along on the same old boring route. I went to Mull to get away from all that, and so far have avoided climbing Ben More- with the crowds- and with my partner we have walked all day and have never seen anyone for days.You have seen and experienced for yourself that wonderful sense of isolation that comes with truly wild places. Perhaps to be really at one with nature you should try wild camping in your van-it is possible in a few places-, but I’m not even giving a hint where as the places are, as they will inevitably get trashed by the careless untidy ones and then closed off. For my money you have passed the test of being an adventurer. Might bump into you one day. Ian.
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Thanks Ian. Perhaps cross paths in the wild and lonely places one day.
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Hi! Love your photos and descriptions. I tramped in some of the areas you cover when I was younger and fitter, 35+ years ago. Great memories and I am pleased not too much has been spoiled yet. Now retired and knackered, living in Turkey. Some really good walking here, Have a look at the pictures on the local trekking group’s site: https://www.facebook.com/groups/didimlidogayuruyusculeri/photos/
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Hi there Deri, thanks for your comment. From looking at your photos it appears that the weather is much nicer for hiking. Lots of blue skies!
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James,
Wonderful site have really enjoyed reading your reports and you have inspired me to do more solo trips in addition to my regular trips with friends in the Nallo 2. I have just ordered a Zepyhros 1. Hope it comes before the weather worsens. I am even thinking of taking my unruly Border Terrier (Alf) with me!
Just wanted to mention a couple of things which may be of interest. Last month camping by Llyn Lluncaws in the Berwyn we were puzzled by lights in the sky, clear white lights to the south in a vertical formation which appeared and disappeared no sound heard. It was only later at home did I find out about the UFO stories from the 1970’s on the Berwyn. Have you heard about or seen anything similar in this area or otherwise? Have backpacked for over 20 years and never seen anything like that. To make things more unnerving at the same time we saw the lights we caught the reflections of a Fox’s eyes in the head torches which stalked around us for quite a while.Also I have not heard any mention of the Biolite Stove on your site. I purchased one this year and find it incredible provided you have dry wood and birch bark. It has a USB port on the unit for charging your devices on the hill as it generates electricity thermogenically. The internal fan kicks in and it is almost like having a portable forge with you. Have you used one or seen one what do you think?
Best Wishes
Mick-
Thanks for your kind words Mick, good to hear that you enjoy the blog.
I have had the same thing with lights like those in mid Wales many years ago. I have to say that it freaked me out a bit until the next day I realised I was camping a few miles from a military firing range. But then again who knows!?
I have heard of the Biolite stove. Not been tempted so far as when I saw it in the shop I thought it was far too heavy and bulky. Just got myself a woodburner for use in a tent, more on that when I have used it.
Cheers
James
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Ha great site! Been stopping by since VG stopped updating his blog. I was on Mull in the summer, gave up sadly half way up Ben More as it was in the mist and rain when I awoke in the Glen after bivi tenting the night before. …If your looking for something new and visiting Scotland you should think about getting hold of a solo open canoe and use with a kayak paddle! There great for multi day/week trips on the west coast in the summer months. The low wind and calm water means you can canoe almost every day with plenty of gear and do parts of the coast as well as the locks. They even work well on a trolley for getting from lock to lock or lock to sea!
Thanks
Scott-
Hi Scott. Thanks for dropping by and commenting. It’s a shame that Geoff at VG has stopped updating, it was his blog that gave me inspiration to start my own.
Ben More misted over for me too when I climbed it one summer a few years ago. Shame as I imagine the views would be great.
I have thought of the canoeing option, I think that I would need to do some sort of course before taking to water though. Too real risk of me doing something stupid otherwise!!
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Hi, great blog by the way. Really inspired me to get out and wild camp again & to buy a Trailstar, which will make it easier to camp with my son (11). Just one question though, what camera do you use? I have a Nikon D70 but never fancy lugging it along with me, especially as I end up carrying most of the kit! Cheers Stuart
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Hi Stuart, the camera that I use is a Panasonic Lumix G3. A good compromise between size and quality. Pretty cheap to boot as well.
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Yes its a bit sad that he doesn’t appear to be backpacking anymore?? I think him and his wife woke me one morning in the lake district while I believe he was collecting water, as it was on their site coincidentally that they had been there that morning.
There’s plenty of lochs that you can stay close to the shore on. There’s a nice campsite at the southern end of Loch Sheil at Camas Bhlathain that you can’t really reach by land. And also near to that the burial ground and chapel on Eilean Fhianain, which is interesting. It would be worth hiring a canoe for! Just get one with buoyancy added because they are dangerous in the sense that the don’t really float without it and can capsize with only a few inch’s of water in them, not that’s ever happened to me in the years I’ve been using mine!
I am also sadly not going to be taking up sea kayaking, as I think there’s too much risk doing it on your own. I’ll never get the Eskimo roll either!? Especially with it full of gear!
Scott
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Hi, we are planing to go to findland lapland next summer for trekking and climbing, but, up to now, we can not find trekking maps (1:50.000 or 1:100.000 maximum) of such zone. We see that you have some maps of sweeden lapland. Do you know where we can find and buy such maps of finland lapland ? Thank you in advance.
Oriol Massó
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Hi Oriol. I’m not really sure where to get maps of Finish Lapland as I have not bought any before. I recently just purchased a couple of maps of the Sarek area of Sweden and found them on Amazon.
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Hi, I first found your blog last year when researching the Galloway forest for a trip I was planning. I’m now contemplating trips into the howgills and monadhliath and there you are again!
Thanks for the posts, they’re interesting, inspiring and informative. Pictures are great too!
See you out there one day!
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Thank you for your kind words. Sounds like you have the same fine taste in the less popular hilly bits as well! Enjoy the Monadhliath, they are superb.
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Hello, I found your great pictures when I was trying to find out what a quaking bog was. Then I was carried away by your story– I knew after seeing just the quaking bog picture it wasn’t a US meadow (where I am) because it was prettier in a certain way, yes it truly was. Besides they were all so beautiful anyway in a totally Welsh way. But the reason I’m writing you, I noticed– a gray stone house perched up in nowhere, with no roads, just in lonely splendor. It’s in the picture that has some teeny sheep that look like pieces of cotton. On the upper right of the picture in some pines.
I’m quite sure it’s a house and not a pile of rocks because I got a magnifying glass. Is it possible people live there? Weren’t you amazed to see it? Or were you backpacking just outside a busy town? Would it be an eccentric millionaire, do you think, who arrives for one week a year in a helicopter? Or a hardscrabble farm family who hardly ever see anyone?? It just looks so much like something in a dream.-
Hi there Lynn, its good to hear that you enjoyed the blog. Do you know which blog post the photo is in?
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Sorry. It’s August 7, 2010. Arenig to Llanuwchllyn. The arresting picture that came up under “quaking bog” in google is the picture ‘However the ground beneath our feet…” The picture with the stone house is the picture with “We soon intersected a narrow mountain road” which I suppose proves a road is there for the house. But still! Were you amazed there was a house there or did it just seem to be a regular thing? It’s very nice. I know UK is crowded, I’m glad it’s so empty also. I like to picture you at work on Friday, then meeting your friend at lunch that day and just.. deciding.
I live in Berkeley, CA. I could do the same, exactly. All summer the hills are gold. All winter they’re green. In the trees, the leaves don’t move, it’s quiet, and there’s no underbrush. Very different from the east coast where the leaves are always flapping. Once I saw 5 turkey vultures land in a skinny tree about 4 feet tall and huddle there, pulling all the branches almost to the ground. They didn’t notice, they seemed to be just talking about the sad state of vulture affairs, but not really that upset.
Now I’ll be reading all your posts, thank you very much, they’re great and they’ll keep me from internet shopping and from worrying about (about the Republican Party). Thanks, Lynn-
The building is a regular farm in the Snowdonia National Park. The road links some villages together, still pretty remote up there for the UK though. For such a crowded island we are lucky that we have so many beautiful places to escape to, all within a few hours drive.
One day I will cross the Atlantic and walk the Pacific Crest Trail.
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Good. You’ll see those vultures. Thanks.
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Hi, my name is ajduan. I am MA student in Birmingham university, major Film and TV production. And I am currently planning to film a 25 mins documentary project about hiking walkers. If you have any planning about traveling in the UK during August, would you be possible that I follow you for couple days in your convince?
let me know if you are interesting.Aijun
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HI there:
Came across your account of experiencing the wonderful west end of Cona Glen and surrounding peaks. I spent four years mapping the geology there as a PhD student in the 1960’s – pictures brought back great memories and cemented a plan to return there later this month to visit a particular outcrop at the head of the glen that still sticks in my mind after fitty years of ‘geologizing’ on every continent on the planet!
Thanks for that.
Ian
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It really is a fantastic place Ian, thanks for stopping by to comment.
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Hi Roger, I’m working on a job for Visit Britain (from time to time I work freelance for them). I came across your site and I wanted to say how fantastic your photographs are. Every year Visit Britain are involved in Landscape Photographer of the Year and (in my humble opinion) you should think about entering for it. Timings-wise, you may have just missed it for this year but perhaps double-check just in case. Dan
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Thanks for your kind words Dan, I will check it out. BTW my name is James, not Roger 😉
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haha, 🙂 sorry James. i just checked again and unfortunately the deadline has passed for this year. Their site is http://www.take-a-view.co.uk/step-1-Selecting-your-images.htm
I think what you get are the angles that a lot of other people don’t because you really explore places.
Good luck, your pictures and your site are really inspiring! -
Thanks for the kind words Dan.
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hi james on reading your latest trip report I noticed you were having trouble sliding off your mat.i have just posted a little video of modification to my bag I done a while back.take a look on youtube (thegeordiefellwalker).best of luck for your upcoming adventure.
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Hi George. Just got back, I will check out your video. Thanks.
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sorry james had to delete my youtube channel for now so ignore last message.
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Ok no worries!
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Have you thought ever of using snowshoes? I used a pair this year in the cairngorms for two weeks, all glens and passes, above 500m. It made things doable, five, six, mile days where up to eight. No problem with knee dead snow! I’m thinking maybe a mouintian type snow shoe could be really good if coupled with a mountain tent like the Soulo, and then using only higher walking routes in the cairngorms.
I had a good three weeks with the canoe this summer mostly on salt water areas by the way. It was all Muscles, seals, and sun, with a couple of wet days and one or two on the shore!
Great trip to Salek by the way!!!
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Hi Scott, I would like to try snowshoes one day, especially in places like the Cairngorms. A two week winter trip up there sounds great!
Canoe is on my wish list too!
Thanks 🙂
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Hi! I’ve just come across your blog while looking up Kungsleden and have some questions. Is it alright to camp anywhere along the trail as long as it is not too near the huts and am I allowed to start a camp fire or must all cooking be done with the provided stoves in the huts? Thanks in advance!
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Hi Jin. Yes you are allowed to camp anywhere along the trail with the exception of the Abisko National Park. There is a designated campsite there though. Camp fires are not at all environmentally sound and not something that I would recommend, you are also above the tree line most of the time. You can bring along your own stove which would make things a lot easier. Hope that helps.
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James,
Hope you don’t mind me asking for some advice. I am thinking of starting the Pennine Way as a series of backpacks and day walks. For the start I have decided to leave my car in Glossop, take a taxi to Edale to start the walk. After an overnight camp I would hope to return to Glossop from the Crowden area to retrieve the car.Any advice on the best place to leave a car overnight in the Glossop area?
Cheers
Mick-
Hi Mick. Sorry for late reply as I somehow managed to miss this. I have left the car a couple of times in Old Glossop at the end of the road next to the big factory. Lots of space when I was there and lots of comings and goings so hopefully safe. At SK045 948 where the Doctors gate path hits the road.
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James, Thanks for the advice. I probably worry too much about leaving the car overnight but its nice to get some local knowledge. The GR is very useful. Enjoying the blog and your adventures.
Cheers
MG -
Hi James,
thank you for your blog. I enjoyed reading and watching some of your material, and I found it very useful as I am currently planning a hike on parts of the Kungsleden and I am considering to visit the Sarek as well. I was wondering which tools you used for navigation. And where did you get the maps from that you have shared on your blog?
Cheers,
Tobias-
Hey Tobias. You can buy Swedish maps on the Viewranger app if you want them electronically. I got a deal a few years ago with the whole country for not too much. The best paper maps are by Calazo, they print on Tyvek so waterproof too. I can’t remember the exact site I got mine from but plenty in Scandinavia will deliver to the UK. I used a combo of both which worked well.
James
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Okay great, thank you, I will look into that! 🙂
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Hi James. Been enjoying reading your blog from 2010 tonight. Tell me, were you ever given an explanation for the poor Scarp 1 fly stitching and are you now very happy with it? I’ve just bought one and your account, although 2010, alarmed me a bit. Thanks. G.
Backpackingbongos 