Alastair Humphreys » Polls

What is the Most Beautiful Scottish Mountain?

Al Humphreys — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 09:43:48 +0000

A while ago I found myself in the delicious position of being in the Highlands of Scotland, armed with a hire car, bivvy bag and packraft, and with nowhere particularly to go.

The situation screamed out “Road Trip!” A quick request on Twitter and Facebook as to the Top 5 Most Beautiful Scottish Mountains came up with some real gems. You should try to check some of them out for yourselves…

Sean Newall I like Ben lui a lot. Got a alpine look to it. Really needs to be covered in snow though. Great wee pub for drink afterwards nearby too!
Mark Cooper I wouldnt bother with Nevis, never get a view from the top, Ben Lui is very nice, get to Mull Al, beautiful on the western islands. When you coming up?
Martin Radoczi I love Meall a’ Bhuiridh in Glen Coe.
Janyis Watson Hopefully someone will suggest a beauty near the Kyle of Lochalsh, where I’m heading on Friday!
Howard Elliott Suilven, Stac Pollaidh, An Teallach, Slioch, Liathach
Tony Skerl Cuillins – Skye be there for a sunrise or sunset.
Paul Kle buachaille etive mor
AndrewBober Cuillins
totempd Any over in the Western Isles, rising straight out of the sea.
scotland2sahara@Al_Humphreys 5 most beautiful mountains in Scotland? I like An Teallach, Liatach, Stob Binnean, the eildon hills and all of Skye.
stevesaunders I love Foinaven myself, Ben stack is a beauty
Loosehold the cuilin ridge ( hmm can you call that a mountain? ) must be up there with the true mountains!
Littlehuan Arrochar Alps above Rest and be Thankful are stunning. Also my favourite Scottish place name. Not highland though.
GridNorth An Teallach, Liathach, Suilven, Ladhar Bheinn, Aonach Eagach
55n 1-buchaille etive mhor 2-foinavon 3- Liathach 4-Braeriach 5- Sgurr na Ciche with honourable mention for Ben Nevis north face
iain_jones Suilven, Ben More Assynt, Buachaille Etive Mor, Ben Starav, Schiehallion
kim_harding Suilven
bazzargh 1. Buachaille Etive Mor 2. the rest?
adam_jb_long Sgurr nan Gillean, Stob Dearg, Schiehallion, An Teallach, Stac Pollaidh. Favourite and most beautiful r 2 different questions
tourwinner Beinn Eighe near Torridon is one that stays with me

What about you? What are your favourites? Have your say in the comments…

What is the Best Expedition Sleeping Bag?

Al Humphreys — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:53:54 +0000

Knowing how people love a good gear debate (the best camping stoves, one-man tents, expedition backpacks and touring bikes have all proved popular), here’s one to get all you gear geeks hot under the collar (or leave you shivering like those long awful nights in a tent when you’re wearing every scrap of clothing you’ve got, you’re hunkered deep in your sleeping bag and you’re still bloody cold and torturing yourself through the long hours until dawn with thoughts of the big fluffy 4-seasons down bag you left at home to save a bit of weight…).

After the tortured simile comes the question:
What is your favourite sleeping bag?

My favourite summer sleeping system is a lightweight option of combining a down jacket and a silk sleeping bag liner. Year round I prefer to err on the side of a light bag combined with wearing more clothes. However out on the Arctic Ocean last year I used a pile liner with a four-season synthetic bag on top.

I’m asking this question precisely because I know what a difficult one it is, dependent upon the season, the weather, the weight, bulk, price and so on. But go on, have a go.

For once I’m also encouraging gear-geek details such as weight, season rating and price…

What is your favourite sleeping bag?

What is the Best Single Person Tent?

Al Humphreys — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 09:43:42 +0000

I’m looking to get a new one-man tent – the £40 one I lived in for a year as I cycled across Asia is due a graceful retirement.

Last year I asked what was the best expedition backpack. The feedback on that piece was so helpful. So I would really appreciate any suggestions you may have. Pop them in the comments section below…
Thank you.

The collective wisdom of Twitter came up with some good suggestions for me:

psychovertical: The Exped Vela extreme is a nice tent, and works well with just the fly (v light) http://bit.ly/emXsmo

SarahOuten Sarah Outen: Hubba XP by MSR is pretty good. Has vertical walls so you can sit up.

touchtherock: Another vote for the Terra Nova superlight Voyager, good stability/weight ratio with plenty of room for 1, or friendly 2.

PhilOutdoors: The Rab Summit Superlite is available for £250, otherwise look at Lightwave tents, or @hrXXLight‘s suggestion of the Black Diamond Firstlight is good.

monkeyboyraw: Check out the new Terra Nova Solar 1, updated and super lite but not true self support.

webbpete Pete Webb: Got one of these, not for the extreme though. http://www.rab.uk.com/equipment/bivvis/summit_mountain_bivi—140/

Revolution_Ferg: This was diamond, really light, and free standing. http://cascadedesigns.com/msr/tents/experience-series/hubba-hubba/product

ward_andy: Not ultralight (by @PhilOutdoors standards anyway) but have heard rave reviews about the Hilleberg Soulo http://is.gd/ky9c8

hrXXLight: BD firstlight

nksheridan : I’m for Hilleberg Akto!

tookiebunten: for the top of a Scottish mountain in the full clutches of winter?

benlcollins: I used Golite Shangri-La 1 on my walk last yr: brilliant lightweight option, 500g, pitches with trek poles http://bit.ly/i8VBT3

alistairpearson: By 1-person tents, I assume you mean 2 person tents. The former being always too small. I swear by my Vaude Taurus Ultralite.

snoweider: I have macpac microlight- tough, but not the lightest, plus probs with condensation compared to my old wild country zephyr.

Do you have any other suggestions for me?

The Greatest Cycling Movies of All Time

Al Humphreys — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 09:54:27 +0000

This month’s poll question on Twitter and Facebook was about the Greatest Cycling Movies of All Time. Here is the collective wisdom of social media in action…

jepgraham bmx bandits
tobyhillman belleville rendezvous, genius if not completely inspiring.
orr_james hell on wheels. It documents team telekom during the tour de france. Brilliant
rideearthtom Breaking Away is a great cycling movie!
PhilJones40 It can only be The Flying Scotsman featuring @GraemeObree, book is even better.
Orbitalearth Not sure if it can be classed as a cycling movie but it starts on a bike! 127 Hours
NattySupertramp The only film I know of is the Bicycle Thieves. It’s about an italian father and son looking for their stolen bicycle.
fixie_bot try MASH a film about the fixed gear scene in San Fransico.
paulhensey e.t?
RichStwits @RideTheDivide is pretty inspirational stuff.
DanielMartinAdv some good docos: http://bit.ly/d52cdS
stuwitterer Maybe a docufilm rather than a movie but great none the less http://www.ridethedividemovie.com
piemanpete Breaking Away – http://imdb.to/9VruAt

And to show that Facebook is not yet dead, there were plenty of offerings from there as well:

Martin Radoczi American Flyers is about all i can think of.
Neil Garrity Breaking Away, 1979. Certainly enjoyed it as a youngster!
Will Hodson Breaking Away, The Flying Scotsman and I can show you some footage of my fancy dress ride as a gladiator through France any time you want too……
Giles P Croft ‎+1 for Flying Scotsman. But the best cycling film is Hollentour (Hell on Wheels). Beautifully filmed, awesome soundtrack, a real insight into suffering at the TdF.
Johnny Hall Chasing Legends
Will Hodson Just googled it and A Sunday in Hell and Overcoming are highly rated too…..whole of Sunday in Hell is on youtube if u got a spare hour and a half….
Craig Northam ‎’Belleville Rendevous’ (The Triplets of Belleville) for a rather different take on the “cycling film” genre!
Dave McFadden Race across the sky
Ellen Hadley Take a Seat (http://www.takeaseat.org/)
Roro Kilduff ROAM (for offroad)
Giles P Croft Will, Sunday in Hell is very much a cycling anorak’s documentary (I fall into this category). Interesting, but not hugely inspiring. Overcoming is excellent – it’s got Jens Voigt in it after all – but is very much of its time. A pre-ban Basso vs. a rampaging Armstrong, hmmm.
Claire Delune Anotheer vote for the Triplets of Belleville. One of my all time favorite movies!
David Piper Ride The Divide?
Richard Gregg E.T.?….No. Breakin’ Away? Maybe. When I was a student it was inspiring, anyway. I’m sure it’s dated now though.
Daniel Papadopoulos i’ve just ordered “bicycle dreams” as it looks absolutely insane!! endurance gone mad!!!
Alicia Andrews motorcycle diaries – not really a cycling movie but good nonetheless.
Dickie Greenleaf Follow Me… probably not what you mean, but worth a watch.
Tobias Mews Chasing Legends! About the Tour de France. An amazing film!

I personally would like to add Bicycle Dreams – a lovely film about the madness that is the Race Across America.
And, from this blog, here are a few more goodies:

Breaking Away
American Flyers
Quicksilver
Rad
Overcoming
Hell on Wheels
Road to Roubaix
A Sunday in Hell
DeTour the Movie
Road to Paris

Do you know any good ones that we’ve missed? Have your say below…

Finally, here’s a nostalgic three minutes for me:

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Will you recommend a great book for me to read?

Al Humphreys — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:53:48 +0000

I have finally made it to the end of the bookshelf that holds all my unread books.
This is great news: it means that I have an excuse to buy more books and begin a new swathe of reading.
So I thought I would use this blog today to ask you to recommend in the comments section a book that you think I should read. I’m looking for novels, biographies, humour, travel – anything at all, so long as it’s an incredible book! Please do let me know.
I wrote a post like this last year and it generated a great response (see “What book are you reading right now?”). Fingers crossed for more this year…
This year I asked the question on Twitter and received loads of fantastic suggestions. What else would you add? Have your say in the comments…

Twitter suggestions:

alannevertooold

@Al_Humphreys Mad White giant by Benedict Allen is very good, made me want to go to the jungle.
DaveCorn

@Al_Humphreys ‘The Shack’ by Wm Paul Young. Went to a lecture of his last night, remarkable bloke, unique book.
nickhand

@Al_Humphreys to Kill a Mockingbird. Turned me from a dyslexic non-reader into a reader at 16 (and I think made me a bit more political)
LawrenceBham

@Al_Humphreys Without making you feel big headed lol one of my face books is pt 1 of your journey! Very honest.
ProfPing

@Al_Humphreys There’s this book about a guy who took 4 years and 40000+ miles to cycle round the world. I really enjoyed that one!! ;o)
adam_jb_long

@Al_Humphreys Two small books for travelling light: Alan Garner- Thursbitch, JA Baker – The Peregrine. Both bring landscape to magical life.
Moo1970

@Al_Humphreys A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry by far. The characters were my friends by the end if the book.
PhilCTynan

@Al_Humphreys La floradita!
greaseandglide

@Al_Humphreys Wind, Sand and Stars.
arcticlass

@Al_Humphreys Have you read “Arctic Dreams” by Barry Lopez?
gmdavies84

@Al_Humphreys Hey Al, straying a little from the adventure genre but ‘Peace Is Every Step’ by Thich Nhat Hanh is great.
NattySupertramp

@Al_Humphreys INTO THE WILD BY JON KRAKAUER
jmwollny

@Al_Humphreys have you read blood river by Tim butcher? Great read.
runwithmark

@Al_Humphreys lisa tamati – running hot. Great book and a lovely woman
chrisjlines

@Al_Humphreys …Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy before The Honourable Schoolboy. Both are outstanding like their sequels.
coopersound

@Al_Humphreys Hell or High Water – Peter Heller
Orbitalearth

@Al_Humphreys To rule the night- by astronaut Jim Irwin …a book i read 25 years ago!!-not the best- but what an adventure!
P0bsta

@Al_Humphreys : Recommend ‘Ten Zen Questions’ – Susan Blackmore… ‘Feeding the Rat’ – Al Alvarez
smithers1980

@Al_Humphreys Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Just pips Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell.
BetterLifeCycle

@Al_Humphreys – best book I’ve ever read? Tricky one; currently re-reading A Short History of Nearly Everything (Bill Bryson) & that rocks
profeetcustom

RT @Al_Humphreys: So, what’s the best book you’ve ever read? 100 Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
James_Gillies

@alannevertooold @Al_Humphreys and @RideTheDivide is worth a watch if not already done.
treemonkey_

@Al_Humphreys Woodlands by Oliver Rackham
Peakflow

@Al_Humphreys Nicholas Shakespeare’s Biography of Bruce Chatwin…the definition of troubled genius…taken too early
Montys_Creosote

@Al_Humphreys or given all other suggestions, Unscathed – Phil Ashby?
german68

@Al_Humphreys Mountain Days and Bothy Nights or The Shining Mountain.
Montys_Creosote

@Al_Humphreys China Mieville is good for sci fi, so are Ken Mcleod and Ian Banks (Player of Games)? Although, some people spurn the sci fi.
RobFriend

@Al_Humphreys The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins
TinaFotherby

@Al_Humphreys My favourite is William Boyd’s Any Human Heart. Genius – intriguing and entertaining. I must read it again.
LawrenceBham

@Al_Humphreys Hi Al I am doing an assignment for my OU course on “sacred places” as an adventurer.
Rumathie

@Al_Humphreys so difficult! Avoiding obvious Tolstoy/harper lee, recently Thousand Splendid suns Khaled Hosseini, Ian McEwan, enduring love?
peterarhodes

@Al_Humphreys Glamorama, Brett Easton Ellis. Flawless.
NattySupertramp

@Al_Humphreys The Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara.
iwantacervelo

@Al_Humphreys anything by Vernor Vinge. A deepness in the sky is particularly great.
Andy_is_great

@Al_Humphreys the da vinc….. (joke)
mustbethisway

@Al_Humphreys Songlines — Bruce Chatwin, Oxonia Robert Byron & the other two by Patrick Leigh Fermor.
mustbethisway

@Al_Humphreys I’ll start with the Songlines, Road to Oxonia, A Time of Gifts & Between the Woods and the Water…
alistairpearson

@Al_Humphreys Best book I’ve read: Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
LawrenceBham

@Al_Humphreys Mr Nice by Howard Marks is cool as is Reefer Men by Tony Thompson. They’re both about drug smugglers. Marks is very witty!
louisebrowne

@Al_Humphreys The Raw Shark Texts by @stevenha11
alannevertooold

@Al_Humphreys Thats a hard one, i was gripped by Touching the Void and The White Spider. Also enjoying you going through South America.
mstafford

@Al_Humphreys easy: ‘touching the void’ – the first (and best) book about disasters up moontains that i read.
Lee_Wilfred

@Al_Humphreys The Traveller by John 12 hawks best book ever, in my opinion.
MarkKalch

@Al_Humphreys Tough, but Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa is pretty epic. A lot of adventure and learning to be had.
chrisjlines

@Al_Humphreys Or Fatherland by Robert Harris or The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett.
jackersjp

@Al_Humphreys Integral Psychology: Consciousness, Spirit, Psychology, Therapy by Ken Wilber
vids76

@Al_Humphreys hmm best evers …. Anne Rice – Vampire Lestate / Shantaram / Shogun / Dune / Teachings of Don Juan / Wonderland Avenue
ed_dowding

@Al_Humphreys 10 lessons from the road, without a doubt.
chrisjlines

@Al_Humphreys Or then again, maybe it’s one of Le Carre’s other Karla trilogy books and Mieville’s The City and The City.
vids76

@Al_Humphreys Recent finishes Count of monte cristo / James Clavels Asia Saga / This thing of darkness .. all great books
snoweider

@Al_Humphreys Oh easy. Lord of the rings. A journey on foot, with danger, elves and friends. Blew my quite geeky childhood mind.
chrisjlines

@Al_Humphreys My view changes every month. At the mo’, it’s between The Honourable Schoolboy by Le Carre or The Scar by China Mieville.
NattySupertramp

@Al_Humphreys Take a Seat by Dom Gill?
martianloafer

@Al_Humphreys Zen and the art of Motorcycle maintenance, paths of glory.
ElioStudio

@Al_Humphreys The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert, ignore Eat Pray Love, read this incredible tale of modern pioneer Eustace Conway.
cyclingtoashes

@Al_Humphreys the lost cowboys by Hank Wangford is a helluva read. It’ll prob interest you having cycled through the area too.
SOTMario

@Al_Humphreys Alone in Berlin, Birds Without Wings, Carry On Jeeves
bastiendemange

@Al_Humphreys 2 book you wont forget soon Vassili peskov : lost in the taiga and also Kolyma by varlam chalamov
Andy_is_great

@Al_Humphreys Hey Al I liked these; The Kon-Tiki expedition – Thor Heyerdahl, Captain Scott – R feinnes, The Unthinkable – Amanda Ripley
thecreativepenn

@Al_Humphreys you need a Kindle , then you always have more samples – I am addicted to samping
jezhastings

@Al_Humphreys book to read-Richard Mabey’s Beechcombings.
snoweider

@Al_Humphreys I’ve just finished “The Tracker” by Tom Brown Jr. Amazing account of growing up in the wild and learning to live with nature.
alannevertooold

@Al_Humphreys “Two wheels on my wagon” by Paul Howard is worth a read if not done so already.
polarben

@Al_Humphreys Riddley Walker