Sony NEX on the Scottish Watershed

View over Rannoch Moor from Stob na Cruaiche. NEX 7, 16-50mm lens @ 18mm, ISO 100, 1/200 @ f8

The Scottish Watershed was the first long distance walk for my Sony NEX cameras and the first bar one on which I didn’t take an SLR (on my very first long walk, from Land’s End to John O’Groats, I just took a cheap film compact, which broke before half way, but I didn’t take photography seriously back then).

Evening Light in the Southern Uplands. NEX 7, 16-50mm lens @ 41mm, ISO 100, 1/125 @ f8

The great joy of NEX cameras for long distance walking is the low weight and bulk. I went into detail about my choice of the NEX 7 here, in what is still my most popular post, and the reasons for changing from DSLRs to the NEX system here. Since that NEX 7 feature I’ve bought the 16-50mm and 10-18mm lenses plus the NEX 6 body that I described in a later piece. Having initially decided that the NEX 5 was adequate as a backup to the 7 I read reviews of the 6 and was persuaded that it was much better than the 5 and had several advantages, including the viewfinder and the wi-fi (though I’ve hardly used the latter). I’ve now sold the NEX 5 and the 18-55mm lens.

Clouds in the Fannichs. NEX 7, 16-50mm lens @ 31mm, ISO 100, 1/200 @ f8

For the Watershed walk I took both NEX bodies (I always take two cameras – breakages and failures have occurred!) and two lenses – the Sony E 10-18mm and 16-50mm. I considered the Sony E 55-210mm lens but decided its 394 grams was unnecessary weight. One reason for this was that I knew I could crop images from the 24mp NEX 7 and still have good quality images. For that reason the 16-50mm lived on the 7 with the 10-18mm on the 6. I did swap the lenses occasionally. Both cameras were carried slung across my body for quick access except in the stormiest weather. I used a Lowe Alpine Apex 100W for the NEX 7 and an old Camera Care Systems padded case for the NEX 6. 

Deer stag in Glen Quoich. NEX 7, 16-50mm lens @ 50mm, ISO 400, 1/125 @ f8.

Crop from the photo above.

The weather, which was too often stormy or dull, meant I didn’t take as many photos as I expected – 1636 in total – so I had more memory cards than I needed, which wasn’t a problem as they are so light. I took 4GB and 8GB cards rather than ones with more capacity as the likelihood of several cards all failing is remote. As it was, I had no problems with any of them.  I also had half a dozen batteries, which was a little heavier and again more than I needed, plus a charger so I could recharge them at town stops. I wanted a full record of the walk so I did take shots in the rain, the cloud and in dense forests.

In dense forest on a misty, rainy day in the Southern Uplands. NEX 7, 16-50mm lens @ 21mm, ISO 800, 1/20 @ f8

Most of the photos were taken handheld though I did have an ultralight Velbon V-Pod tripod that I used for camping shots and in low light. I always used manual exposure, using the histogram as a guide and exposing to the right – being able to see the histogram in the viewfinder is something I find really useful. I kept the ISO as low as possible, mostly sticking to 100. All the images were made as raw files which were then processed in Lightroom.

View south to Loch Lomond from Beinn Dubhcraig. NEX 6, 10-18mm lens @ 10mm, ISO 100, 1/400 @ f8

Overall I am pleased with the results, especially given the prevailing weather, and still delighted with the cameras. The NEX 7 remains one of my favourite ever cameras. The 16-50mm lens was a joy to use too as it’s so light and compact. The 10-18mm is also lightweight and produces top quality results and I should probably have used it more. For long distance walking where weight is crucial these really are excellent cameras if you also want top quality results. Indeed, in terms of technical quality, the NEX cameras produce the best images I have ever taken.

Stormy weather in the Northern Highlands. NEX 6, 10-18mm lens @ 10mm, ISO 100, 1/160 @ f8

Wilderness Walking, Wilderness Writing at the Portobello Book Festival

Next Saturday, October 5th, I'm talking about my writing at the Portobello Book Festival in Edinburgh. The event is from 3 to 4.30pm at the Old Parish Church in Portobello. I'll be appearing with Kellan MacInnes, who will be talking about his book Caleb's List, which I reviewed here. I'll be reading passage from Grizzly Bears and Razor Clams.

A Quick Visit to the Isle of Harris

Huisnish

 

 

 

The Outer Hebrides are a wonderful chain of islands on the Atlantic Edge. My recent visit to the Isle of Harris to give a talk at the Harris Mountain Festival was unfortunately all too brief, just a taster to remind me how marvellous an island it is. I should really make a longer visit. I reached Harris via the ferry from Uig on the Isle of Skye and had the same feelings when crossing Skye, even though the mountains were in cloud and a fierce wind blew with heavy showers at times, as I hadn’t been there for a few years.

Leaving Skye

The ferry crossing was in a strong wind and choppy seas. Skye faded into the cloud and Harris appeared as a hazy dark outline. There are usually many sea birds on the crossing but the dark surging waters and the grey sky made it hard to spot any on the water. In the air there were gannets, white against the dark clouds, flying high then suddenly spearing down into the waves. Small dark auks flashed past, skimming the water, and on islets cormorants perched, prehistoric as usual.

Tarbert

I spent much of a day wandering round the little town of Tarbert, admiring the harbour and the tiered houses and visiting the North Harris Trust. The big Skye ferry dwarfed the harbour. I watched with fascination as the front slowly opened like a giant mouth to disgorge vehicles. That evening I gave the first talk on my Scottish Watershed walk to a good audience who asked plenty of questions, which I always enjoy. Thanks to North Harris Ranger Matt Watts for inviting me. I hope I'm asked back next year.

Huisnish

The strong wind continuing to blow and the mountains remaining in the clouds the next day I headed west to the coast at Huisnish, a long slow drive down a scenic winding single track road. In the Outer Hebrides there’s a huge contrast between the rocky east coast and the beautiful sandy beaches backed by machair (a fertile shell-sand sward) to the west. At the little peninsula of Huisnish I ambled round several beaches and coves and gazed out across the vast dark expanse of the Atlantic Ocean – next stop America. The flowers that turn the machair into a glorious swathe of colour in the summer had gone, leaving green, sheep-cropped grass. Clumps of marram grass decorated sand dunes with heather and bog plants on the little rocky knolls. The sea shimmered and shone as the sunshine came and went in the racing clouds. The wind was cold and every so often blasts of chilly rain swept the landscape. Gulls and oystercatchers dotted the sandy beaches.

Huisnish

Then it was time to return to Tarbert and the ferry. I’ll be back.

Leaving Harris

Scottish Watershed Gear

Camping somewhere on the Watershed

I'm currently writing a trip report on the gear I used on my Scottish Watershed Walk last June and July for the November issue of The Great Outdoors magazine. Before the walk I wrote a piece about the gear I was planning to take, which I've posted below.  I did make some changes before the walk, particularly in clothing so this isn't a list of what I actually carried though it's fairly close.

Scottish Watershed Gear

Late in May I’ll be setting off to walk the Scottish Watershed from the English Border to Duncansby Head, a distance of some 1200km (though I’ll walk more with side trips for supplies). The average elevation of the route is 450 metres and it crosses 44 Munros and 24 Corbetts as well as many other tops. I’ll need gear to cope with everything from hot sunshine (optimistically!) to heavy rain and strong winds. And of course midges.

My gear selection is based on what has worked on other long distance walks, especially the TGO Challenge. Gear that works well on a two-week walk across the Highlands should prove just as good on a two-month walk the length of Scotland. After the walk I’ll report on whether I was right and how well everything worked. In the meantime here’s a rundown of the main items.

Footwear

Having worn Inov-8 Terrocs on several TGO Challenge walks and on the Pacific Northwest Trail I know these ultralight trail shoes are excellent for backpacking so I shall be wearing them again, with Superfeet footbeds. As back-up and for really hot weather I’ll also take Hi-Tec Owaka sandals (my Best Buy in the sandals review last year) as these are light and comfortable. Having had to buy sandals on a previous TGO Challenge walk and on the Pacific Northwest Trail I know it is false weight-saving not to have spare footwear.

Pack

My biggest dilemma has been in choosing a pack. I’ve oscillated between the Lightwave Ultrahike 60, Montane Grand Tour 55, Lowe Alpine Nanon 50-60 and the original GoLite Quest that I used on the Pacific Northwest Trail (I don’t like the current Quest – it’s heavier and not as comfortable). After much deliberation I’ve settled on the 1230 gram Ultrahike, which I think a good combination of toughness, comfort and light weight. It’s just about waterproof too – though I’ll still pack sensitive gear in waterproof stuffsacks. My only reservation is the lack of a big pocket or pouch on the back but I’m sure I can cope without this.

Shelter

After its superb handling of the big storms during the first week of the 2012 TGO Challenge the Mountain Laurel Designs Trailstar was the obvious choice. I love the space and the wind resistance. As there are likely to be midges later on in the walk rather than just a groundsheet I’ll pair it with a mesh inner, the Oookworks Trailstar Nest. My Carbon Fibre Pacerpoles will be used to support the Trailstar. The total weight, including pegs, is 1157 grams.

Sleeping Bag & Mat

Last winter I was very impressed with the Rab Infinity 500 down sleeping bag, which has amazing loft for the weight. However I think it’ll be too warm for a summer walk so I’ll be using the Infinity 300, which weighs 650 grams and has a comfort rating of +3º. If it’s like the 500 that rating will be very conservative.

My mat will be a NeoAir XLite Small, which weighs just 230 grams and packs into a tiny bundle. I have had a few failures with air beds in the past few years but as this is a summer trip I’ve decided to take the risk again, reckoning I can just sleep on the ground if it fails (after all, Hamish Brown did the first continuous round of the Munros without a mat at all – and he started in April).

Kitchen

Having used it successfully on last year’s TGO Challenge and on the Pacific Northwest Trail I’m sticking with the 225 gram Caldera Ti-Tri Inferno, which I hope to use with wood in any fine weather but will probably mostly use with meths. As I may not be able to get the latter everywhere I’ll also carry the tiny 3 gram Gram Cracker stand for solid fuel tablets, which I’ll put in my postal supplies.

With the Ti-Tri I’ll use my now 22 year old Evernew 0.9 litre Titanium Pan. An MSR 0.6 litre titanium pot that nests inside the Evernew one will double as a mug and a second pot. The two together weigh 220 grams.

Clothing

Temperatures are not usually very low in Scottish summers but rain and wind can make it feel very chilly. Good waterproofs are essential. Having been impressed with Polartec Neoshell the last few years I’m taking the new lightweight 430 gram Rab Myriad jacket in this material, paired with an old pair of GoLite Reed overtrousers, which weigh 110 grams.

Good though Neoshell is I still prefer a light windproof top in dry breezy weather. One adds a surprising amount of warmth when worn over a base layer too. My choice here is the Montane Lite-Speed, which is made from Pertex Microlight and weighs 170 grams..

For warmth I’m taking my well-used 215 gram Jack Wolfskin Gecko microfleece top, a veteran of many long walks, plus a Patagonia Ultralight Down Shirt, which at just 158 grams won’t add much to my load but which will be really welcome on chilly nights.

My main legwear will be Paramo Merapi Active Trousers, which I’ve been wearing recently and have found to perform well. They’re made from very soft comfortable polyester and weigh 308 grams. I’ll also carry some running shorts for that fabled hot weather. These will double as underwear.

On my top I’ll wear a Rab MeCo zipped base layer. I’ve used this merino wool/Cocona polyester top on the Southern Upland Way and the TGO Challenge and know that it can be worn for two weeks without smelling or failing to wick. On this walk I might found out just how long it stays acceptable!

Other clothing will consist of my cotton Tilley Hat for sun and rain, a Buff for warmth and Teko merino wool socks.

Rewilding & Trail Shoes in the latest issue of The Great Outdoors ... plus The Great Outdoors Challenge

Ancient Caledonian Pines in the Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve

The October issue of The Great Outdoors has just been published. My backpacking column is entitled 'Wolves and woods: Thoughts on rewilding' and describes my encounter with a wolf pack in the Yukon Territory and my ideas on rewilding Scotland with reference to George Monbiot's book Feral and Jim Crumley's The Last Wolf and The Great Wood.

Turn the page and, by coincidence, Jim Crumley turns up again in Jim Perrin's Hillwalkers' Library. Perrin picks Waters of the Wild Swan as his choice of Crumley's books. I haven't read this one but it does sound excellent. Of the many Jim Crumley books I have read - all of which I've enjoyed - I'd choose A High and Lonely Place, about the Cairngorms, and The Last Wolf as my favourites. I agree with Perrin that Crumley should be better known, though I'm not sure that insulting the prospective readership is a way to encourage them to seek him out!

In gear I review 12 pairs of trail shoes and unsurprisingly like the ones I used on the Scottish Watershed walk (there'll be a report on how my gear performed on that walk in the next issue). Judy Armstrong reviews six women's waterproofs and picks the female version of the one I used on the Watershed as her Best Buy. In individual reviews Daniel Neilson likes the Marmot Nabu, a Power Dry lined Neoshell jacket that looks good for winter, and the Patagonia Ultralight Down Vest.

Back when Daniel Neilson was putting this issue together he surprised me by asking if I had a photo of Meall Dubhag, a rather obscure summit above Glen Feshie that used to have Munro status. As it happened, I'd photographed this top while making The Cairngorms In Winter film with Terry Abraham last winter. On seeing the magazine for the first time today I discovered why the photo was required. Cameron McNeish has an entertaining and salutory feature entitled A Step Too Far? about problem he's had on various Munros. One of these was Meall Dubhag during a big winter storm when Cameron was at risk of falling into steep Coire Garbhlach, whose slopes can be seen in my photograph.

Elsewhere in this issue there's a lovely photo of Slioch and Loch Maree by Steven Russell; Mark Richards on line drawing; a look at crowdfunding with comments from Terry Abraham who used Kickstart to raise money for The Cairngorms In Winter film;  a wild camping round of Langdale with Vivienne Crow; a look at Lakeland mountain passes with Mark Gilligan; Leon McCarron describing his amazing journey on foot across China; a feature on jobs in the outdoors with interviews with a range of outdoor workers; and Roger Smith on the need to do more to protect wildlife. The Hill Skills section covers spotting satellites; the red deer rut; understanding rain; and walking solo.

This is also The Great Outdoors Challenge issue with accounts from this years event and application forms for next years.

Harris Mountain Festival

The great cliff of Sron Uladal on Harris

This week I'm heading over to the Isle of Harris via the Isle of Skye to give a talk on my Scottish Watershed walk at the Harris Mountain Festival. As the weather is very stormy at present with many ferry services cancelled or disrupted I'm hoping it all calms down before I travel. While on Harris I'm hoping to do some hill walking or, if the tops are in cloud, visit some of the lovely beaches.

Storytelling along the Southern Upland Way

One of the pleasures of leading a group is meeting interesting people and I was delighted and surprised when I discovered that Daniel Allison, one of the people who came up Sgor Gaoith with me at the start of the month, was a storyteller and musician. I was also very interested when he told me that later in the month he was walking the Southern Upland Way and telling stories in communities along the way, a fascinating idea. Daniel has now started his walk, which can be followed on Facebook - Among the Wild Deer - and on Twitter @amongthewild. The Southern Upland Way, which I've hiked twice (see here for a brief account of my 2010 walk), is long and quite tough in places. Stopping off to tell stories along the way would require even more energy and determination. Most evenings on my walks I was happy just to lie back in the tent with a hot drink and a book.

Daniel also has an interesting website, again entitled Among the Wild Deer, which gives information on his storytelling, workshops and more.