Running a village nature watch is one of the most rewarding things I’ve done to connect people with the landscape on their doorstep. It doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive — just a clear plan, a handful of motivated volunteers, and a simple, repeatable survey method that feeds records...
Feb 11, 2026
• by Aurélien Duval
Latest News from Outdoorangus Co
Choosing between a 20L and a 30L rucksack for dawn landscape photography is one of those practical decisions that feels simple until you're standing at a misty viewpoint with a leaking waterproof and a tripod too big for your pack. I’ve spent thousands of hours walking and photographing across the UK, and I still weigh up this choice every time I plan an early-morning shoot. Below I walk...
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I have a habit of finding the muddiest, rainiest paths on purpose. Inevitably, that means I’ve had my fair share of close calls with cameras and phones that look as if they’ve been through a peat bog. Over the years I’ve learned a handful of practical steps that actually make a difference when a device is waterlogged or splashed with mud—how to minimise further damage, recover shots, and...
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Dusk on farmland is one of my favourite times to be out with a camera. The light softens, hedgerows come alive with sound and colour, and red foxes often slip out to hunt and play. Photographing them without a hide can be challenging but deeply rewarding—provided you put the animals’ welfare first. Over years of wandering fields and hedges I've learned a few reliable methods to get natural,...
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I’ve had more than a few unplanned nights on Scottish hills — late descents after navigation went pear-shaped, sheltering from sudden storms, or taking the pragmatic call to wait out fading light rather than push on. When you’re caught out, the choice of shelter matters: it shapes how warm, dry and rested you’ll wake up, how light you can travel, and how quickly you can get back on your...
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Cold-weather day hikes ask a lot of your body and your pack. I’ve learned the hard way that a small, well-chosen stash of food can keep you warm, moving, and in good spirits when temperatures drop and daylight is short. Below I share the meals and snacks I reach for on crisp winter walks—options that are high in energy, easy to prepare, and light to carry. These are practical, often...
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I spent several weekends recently walking moorland routes across northern England with the Sony a7C II in my pack, testing it as a handheld camera for landscape and wildlife shots. Moorland photography is a good stress test: wide, often windy vistas, tricky light that moves with cloud and sun, and the occasional fast-moving bird or wary mammal. I wanted to answer practical questions I ask before...
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I’m out on the trail a lot, and one of the things that has become part of my routine is looking not only for the next view or bird song, but for the plants that don’t belong. Invasive non-native plants can quietly take over a stretch of hedgerow, choke a pond or destabilise riverbanks — and the earlier we notice and report them, the better the chance local groups have to act. In this post...
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I love the idea of a micro-adventure that starts the moment I step out of my front door and uses only public transport to get me to a stretch of coast I don’t often visit. The Norfolk coast is perfect for this: long, changeable, and remarkably wild in places, with compact towns and a decent public transport network if you plan well. Below I’ll walk you through how I plan a day or overnight...
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Choosing between a 30L and a 45L rucksack for multi-day ridge walks in the UK is one of those decisions that seems small until you're halfway up a wet, windy fell with your toes numb and your waterproof buried somewhere at the bottom of your pack. Over years of walking ridgelines from the Lake District to the Scottish Highlands I’ve carried both sizes extensively. In this piece I’ll walk you...
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Fog on the Pennine Way is a humbling thing. I’ve walked sections of it when visibility dropped to a few metres and the world collapsed into soft grey. In those moments GPS can feel like a miracle, but batteries fail, devices glitch, and relying solely on a smartphone or watch is a risk I don’t take. Over the years I’ve learned to trust a map, a compass and a few deliberate habits. Below I...
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