This is where we write. Essays, race reports, reflections on the hills and the sea, photography notes, and the stories that emerge from days spent running among the fells, chasing light at mountain races, and paddling Britain's wild coastline.
We believe the best way to understand fell running, hill racing and sea kayaking isn't just to do them—it's to sit with them afterwards, to think about what happened, what it meant, and why we keep returning to these landscapes. That's what we do here.
Essays & Articles
Our archive spans years of writing about the Scottish hills, the Welsh mountains, and the Lake District fells. We write about specific races—the drama of a fell race in winter, the particular challenge of a high mountain route in poor visibility, the quiet satisfaction of a personal best on familiar ground. We write about the people who run these hills, the photographers who capture them, and the routes that define our seasons.
We also write about sea kayaking: the logistics and the joy of paddling from the Shetland Isles down the length of Britain's coastline to South Wales. We write about tides and weather, about the islands we've landed on, the wildlife we've encountered, and the peculiar freedom of moving under paddle power along some of the world's most beautiful and demanding waters.
Each piece is rooted in real experience. We don't write about places we haven't been or races we haven't run. Our words come from the hills themselves, from the starting line, from the kayak, from the moment the light breaks across a ridge or the moment exhaustion gives way to something else entirely.
Race Photography & Visual Storytelling
Photography is central to how we understand these sports. We write about the craft of capturing fell races and hill races—about positioning, light, the decisive moment when a runner's effort or joy becomes visible. Our photography writing explores what makes a great race image, how photographers work in challenging mountain conditions, and what the best images tell us about competition, resilience, and the landscape itself.
These articles sit alongside our race image galleries, offering context and insight into the events and athletes we've documented across northern England and Scotland.
Northern Horizons: Coming Soon
We're excited to announce Northern Horizons, a comprehensive collection of challenging hill and fell running routes across Scotland and Northern England. Set to be published in 2024 by Scottish Mountaineering Press, this book represents years of exploration, route-finding, and writing.
Northern Horizons brings together detailed route descriptions, practical guidance, and the kind of insider knowledge that only comes from spending hundreds of hours on these hills. Whether you're looking for a classic high mountain traverse, a technical fell race route, or a challenging day in wild country, you'll find it here. Each route is presented with the same attention to detail and evocative description that defines our writing on this site.
We'll be sharing extracts, behind-the-scenes notes, and updates as publication approaches. Follow along to stay informed.
Why We Write
Fell running, hill racing, and sea kayaking are physical pursuits, but they're also deeply reflective ones. There's time to think on a long climb. There's space to process what you're experiencing. And afterwards, there's the impulse to capture it, to make sense of it, to share it.
Our writing serves that impulse. We write to:
- Document the routes, races, and journeys that matter to us and our community
- Explore the technical and tactical aspects of fell running and sea kayaking
- Celebrate the athletes, photographers, and adventurers who push these disciplines forward
- Preserve the stories and insights that emerge from time spent in the mountains and on the water
We also write because these landscapes deserve it. The Scottish hills, the Welsh mountains, the Lake District fells, and Britain's coastline are extraordinary. They demand attention, respect, and the kind of careful observation that only comes from sustained engagement.
Follow the Writing
New pieces are published regularly. Whether it's a detailed race report from a winter fell race in the Cairngorms, a reflection on a sea kayaking expedition along the Shetland coast, or an essay exploring what draws us back to the same hills year after year, you'll find it here.
We invite you to read, to explore our archive, and to follow along as we continue to document and reflect on the hills, the races, and the water that define our lives. There's always another story to tell, another route to describe, another perspective on why we run with axes—metaphorically speaking—through some of Britain's most beautiful and challenging terrain.