Mera Peak photos

You may have seen my previous post in the lead up to Mike and Calum’s Nepalese adventure.  Well, we’re back and have some photos and a route map to show you.  The route map was produced using my Spot Connect (a device that links up to overhead satellites...

Wildlife to watch out for

At any time of year Scotland is a brilliant place to watch wildlife, but now that Autumn is well and truly upon us and with winter approaching, here are a just a few things you should be looking out for in particular. Red Deer – Early summer is the best time to...

Hostile Habitats

This is a great read, and a book that I’ve looked at on quite a number of occasions now, either just for interest or for example, when I was looking for information in the lead up to my Summer Mountain Leader assessment. A great idea for a Christmas pressie,...

Great Glen Canoe Trail

This guide is an essential resource to help you plan your journey through the Great Glen across Scotland. As well as the calm waters of the Caledonian Canal there are the challenging open waters of Loch Lochy and Loch Ness. Here you will find advice on how to deal...

Path of the Paddle

Lessons from the master: A short film from canoeist Bill Mason illustrates the joy and poetry of paddling solo.  All the basic strokes used to control the canoe are rendered with perfect clarity through animated lines. Like what you see?  Share it with your friends on...

Beachwatch Cleanups

According to the Marine Conservation Society, Scotland has the highest average litter levels in the UK of six out of the seven sewage-related debris items: condoms, cotton bud sticks, nappies, tampons/tampon applicators, toilet fresheners, and sanitary...

Outdoor activity fatalities

Did the headline grab your attention?  Good. Having recently attended an event in Edinburgh (the SYHA Youth Residential Experiences Conference, which was very good I have to say), I was wowed by some stats that Gavin Howat (Inspector, Health & Safety Executive,...

Mera Peak, here we come

On the 7th October 2011, In Your Element staff, Mike and Calum will head off to Nepal to attempt one of its highest trekking peaks; Mera Peak [6476m/ 21,246ft].  In the year of their 40th birthdays (yes, they’re that old!), here was a great excuse to take on...

SCA River Advisers

The Scottish Canoe Association (SCA) is a great place to start if you’re looking for any information that’s paddle-related.  They have a large list of resources on offer for experienced and less-experienced paddlers alike. One of the services that the SCA...

Cairngorms National Park

A large part of our time is spent working in the wonderful Cairngorms National Park, so any changes that are proposed to the way the park operates, are of interest to us. Draft plans on how the Cairngorms National Park should be managed over the next five years has...