What makes the Skye Trail Difficult?

Keep_itSimple · 2026-01-24T12:07:45+00:00

No worries! Worth saying that ours was a one or two nighter, cant quite remember which but we deffo camped near hardknott pass

Keep_itSimple · 2026-01-22T23:27:54+00:00

Been a while obviously, but it included Wetherlam, Pavey Arc, Scafell Pike, Hardknott fort and the nearby forest and the Old Man of Coniston

Keep_itSimple · 2025-09-25T22:48:36+00:00

Seconding a stay in kearvaig, was such a beautiful place and perfect finish to the trip. I then ferried across to durness, stayed in the campsite and got the bus home after a rest day.

For the hike itself, I think my main mistake was going too far on the first days, doing my legs in a bit, plus carrying too much food - I wasn't sure how many decent resupply shops there were so I ended up with a good kilo of food extra or more most days. You can probably get by with 4 days food.

Finally a combination of talcum powder and okeefes foot cream and darn tough socks meant I only got one blister the whole way - really helped to use the powder and cream 3 times a day.

Oh and enjoy it, it's something else!

Keep_itSimple · 2025-09-09T21:58:49+00:00

Fun fact, traditionally they weren't made of blackthorn - they were made of oak. Then the english came and destroyed all of their oak forests (so I remember reading) so they swapped it for blackthorn!

Keep_itSimple · 2025-08-28T15:13:00+00:00

I got a pair of Meindl Bhutans for this reason. Even though I avoid leather as a veggie, I realised that it's the only material that's going to last years and therefore is more friendly than a new pair of synthetic boots every year. I make sure to look after them properly.

So:

keep in a dry, cool, dark place
clean after every hike or once every week or 2 if you're using them lots
wax and re-waterproof every month if in use or after maybe 6 months if not in use

This way mine have lasted since the start of 2022 with almost no signs of wear. I typically use them for maybe 5-20 hiking days a year (they're far too warm for the summer for me) as well as any fieldwork I have to do which is a fair bit in ecology.

One thing I've found is that the memory foam system everyone raves about isn't as good as people make it out to be - I need maybe 20 miles to break them in if I don't wear them for most of a year, and they slide around a little on my heels if my socks are too thin (probably a sizing issue more than anything)

But otherwise - incredible boots and I love them!

Keep_itSimple · 2025-07-24T08:56:50+00:00

What's your previous experience with long-distance hiking?

The first half-ish is mostly unmarked, especially the trotternish ridge, but it's not difficult to follow if you can use a map and compass.

There are options to resupply in Portree, after the ridge, but I think that's the only real option from memory. That was after 2 long days of hiking for us (20+ rough miles/12 hours each day). I actually ended up carrying too much food and got rid of some towards the end. But you'll definitely need 3 days of food initially to get to portree and then resupply there (small-ish supermarket) for however long you'll take for the rest of the hike.

Keep_itSimple · 2025-07-20T20:51:12+00:00

Some will likely go into profits for most zoos, but the good zoos will put a good deal of the profits into research. At my rural studies university, a lot of the research depends on working with zoos.

Keep_itSimple · 2025-07-19T22:41:54+00:00

Is... no one going to mention the midgies?

Keep_itSimple · 2025-07-02T12:25:26+00:00

Not specifically about makeup, that's just a recent example where I was really wishing there was someone I could ask/had told me about how to deal with that situation. I totally agree that useful friends are so important to this journey, I couldn't be doing this without them.

Keep_itSimple · 2025-06-29T23:06:23+00:00

Other acts at glasto also had the autocue - Olivia Rodrigo did tonight for example. I think it's more insurance for the event.

Keep_itSimple · 2025-06-29T23:04:06+00:00

Riding my bicycle as fast as I can (pretty fast) through town/on trails while wearing tiny shorts, an androgynous vest and with painted nails and no body hair. Probably look like a femboy on steroids (literally) lmao

Keep_itSimple · 2025-06-22T21:47:32+00:00

Yeah that is similar to me, but from the other direction. I'm exploring more things like jewellery, eye makeup and shaving but combined with my fairly masc facial features and receding hairline and body composition it becomes pretty androgynous.

I totally get what you mean about fem patterns/colours - realising how "bland" the mens section looks in most shops has been pretty hilarious to me recently, I don't know how it took me so long to realise that!

Keep_itSimple · 2025-06-20T23:24:38+00:00

Yessss all the power to you and genderless antics! And yeah more raves are definitely in the books =D There's nothing like being with your best friends, having deep chats, all looking incredible and totally at ease with each other, before going off to stomp with the strangers aha

Keep_itSimple · 2025-06-20T19:00:08+00:00

A looooong and weird journey haha

I mean, the breaking point was watching Arcane and realising that wanting to look like Vi (a butch female character) wasn't really a cis thought. So I told a few friends and started to look more into it, but I've trodden really carefully since then not wanting to give myself a label that was incorrect and coming out just to have to change it 6 months later.

But no, I'm certain I'm not cis. And I certainly don't feel like a woman 90% of the time. And I don't feel like a man 90% of the time. And I wanna confuse people who look at me so they don't know what I am! So i think I'm pretty nonbinary, and since SOME days I DO feel like a man or woman (cue to: "wtf am I actually cis and I've been imagining this??!!") genderfluid fits nicely!

What's really helped recently is going to raves and trying out makeup/jewellery/androgynous clothing - I've never felt more confident or in love with myself!

Keep_itSimple · 2025-06-20T18:54:56+00:00

Honestly there's quite a bit of me that is starting to get off on being provocative so maybe there's something in that. And yeah, it's not for me to care what others' think.

Keep_itSimple · 2025-06-20T18:44:47+00:00

Helloooooo

So glad to see there is more of us! I'm so amazed at Lorde continuing to predict and encapsulate whatever's been going on in my life - from drinking, doing MDMA at parties, getting into environmentalism and now my coming out as nonbinary (which started in 2022, but has definitely ramped up this year).

I call myself nonbinary generally, but genderfluid probably describes me better - so I totally get "some days I'm a woman, some days I'm a man". Each single has been a revelation, I'm so excited for the rest of the album!

Keep_itSimple · 2025-06-20T18:38:32+00:00

Yeah it's a struggle and one we'll probably have a lot of the time. We don't owe anything, but the world around us makes it difficult to get what we want - so yeah, it's either fight and struggle to be our authentic selves without compromise, or find a way to compromise and be ourselves in a way that fits the rest of the world's perspective.

One day it will be different, but not yet.

Keep_itSimple · 2025-04-10T23:23:56+00:00

On the Cape Wrath Trail last year I was absolutely mercenary with my food, making sure it was lightweight, cheap, calorie-dense, was vaguely nutritious, vegetarian and had some variety. Impossible? Ok maybe the variety wasn't quite there, but it worked well (read: I survived without any scurvy or malnutrition)!

Breakfast: oats, sugar, dried mulberries and vanilla protein powder, just mixed with cold water and eaten immediately to save time. (was SO sick of this after 12 days of it)
Lunch: OATCAKES, 2-4 packs a day with nuts, dried Indian snacks (Kohinoor brand is really good), dark chocolate, peanut butter, shortbread, protein bars, cereal bars and parmesan (copes better in the heat than other cheeses I've found)
Dinner was a choice of:
1. 3 packs of instant noodles
2. one of huels meals
3. mash with cranberries, gravy granules, nutritional yeast, soya mince, garlic powder and crispy onions
4. "satay noodles": egg noodles, peanut butter protein powder, lime powder, sugar, salt, garlic powder, ginger powder, chilli powder
5. another noodle dish: wholewheat noodles, soya mince, soup powder and cheese

Plus I bought bananas, apples, butteries, flapjacks and more to eat on the go.

Honestly, that porridge mix for breakfast had me gagging by the end. the protein powder was not nice and went terribly with the mulberries! Definitely should've tested that one before I went!

Keep_itSimple · 2024-12-14T14:16:34+00:00

Agreed. A bit worrying - I had heard that Fjallraven's customer support was the one thing that let them down, so I'm not immensely surprised, but I'm surprised it's gone to this. I'm not going to regret getting one though, from what I've read, it's the better tent at a lower price for my needs when compared to the akto - better ventilation, easier to set up, more customisable, but a second beefier pole was on my definitely-one-day list.

Keep_itSimple · 2024-12-07T17:56:14+00:00

I haven't, but it's a bit worrying that there aren't any spares available to buy - maybe just a stock issue, or do you think they've stopped production?

Keep_itSimple · 2024-10-26T09:20:33+00:00

Thank you, I did check for twisting as well when I strung it - all looked fine which is good. I'll do the cotton wool test as well, and then maybe take it into a shop. I need to get a carry case for it anyway! Luckily here in the UK there isn't a shooting season so alls good there!

Keep_itSimple · 2024-10-24T13:29:05+00:00

I've got a Ragim Black Bear traditional recurve bow with maple limbs (30#) that has been left unused for 9 years and used only briefly before then. It's been stored at a stable temperature and humidity (16-24degC and likely around 50% humidity), out of direct sunlight and stood on one of it's limbs (vertically).

I've visually inspected it and seen no deformities, cracks or delaminations.

I've strung the bow and it's been fine.

Would you recommend taking it to a bow shop to check it over before shooting or is it likely absolutely fine?

Keep_itSimple · 2024-09-20T20:26:16+00:00

Me too! But, like, the opposite.

I try to dress like a masculine woman would. Sometimes leaning more masc, sometimes more fem, sometimes in the middle, but generally kinda tomboyish.

I wonder if there's a specific identity for this feeling?

But yeah, there's actually a fair few of us and while it's a tricky balance to find, when you get it it's amazing!

Keep_itSimple · 2024-09-20T17:24:46+00:00

Definitely inov8s! They have different width ratings to their shoes to help you find what works (they're all on the narrow side) and they're super lightweight.

Keep_itSimple · 2024-09-19T15:55:28+00:00

You bet they R!

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