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| New Year's Day in Strathspey: clouds, wind, snow, touches of sun, |
The year turns again. The winter celebrations are ending. The light is returning, albeit slowly. It's a time for reflection and for looking forward. In the immediate future lies winter, several more months up here in the Scottish Highlands. Plenty of snow I hope, and not too much rain.
This year I plan to do at least one walk of two weeks or more, unlike 2025 when four days was my longest trip. Will I venture beyond the Highlands for the first time since 2019? Maybe! I have no definite plans yet. There will be hills and camps wherever I go of course.
Blog posts, videos, gear reviews, stories of trips will all continue. You'll find my work in most issues of The Great Outdoors magazine. I still have the last trip of 2025, just three days ago, to write about. I hope to be working on a new version of an old book with Andrew Terrill again too. I'll be working on improving my video skills as well (sorely needed!).
Looking back will take me to 1996, thirty years ago, and long my walk over all the Munros and Tops. I'll be thinking and writing about that this year.
Beyond my tiny corner of the outdoor world I'll continue supporting those people and organisations fighting for nature and wildness and campaigning on the biodiversity and climate crises. issues that are becoming more important by the day. I don't think I did enough on this last year. I aim to do better in 2026.
I'll continue supporting those promoting diversity, equality, and inclusivity too. This is a shared world. Variety is good.
My New Year's Day walk - more a short stroll really - took me along the edge of an old plantation that protected me from the bitter wind and then out into the full blast on snow-spattered fields. Exhilarating and life-affirming. I made a little video on the walk.
Happy New Year!