About the journal
Ada Fenwick, outdoor writer and recovering map-maker
I spent nine years drawing maps for other people, then realised I’d hardly used one. Far Afield is what happened next.
Why I write it all down
The trip reports I found when I started out were either breathless (“epic!”) or vague (“allow plenty of time”). Neither told me what I actually needed: how long the climb really takes, whether the hut takes cards, where the water is, and when the last bus leaves.
So that’s what I write. Every trip on this site is one I’ve done myself, at my own pace, and written up with the timings I walked rather than the ones on the signpost. If something went wrong, it’s in there. If I’d do it differently, I say how.
How I travel
Mostly on foot, sometimes in a kayak, and wherever possible by bus or train to the start. I’m not fast, and I don’t chase summits. I’d rather walk a long ridge slowly than tick off a peak, and a lot of what I write is about the small, nearby places you can reach on a Saturday morning.
What you won’t find here
- Sponsored posts or gear I was sent for free. Kit I write about, I bought, and I’ve used it for at least a season.
- Routes I haven’t walked. If I’m passing on someone else’s notes, I say so.
- Pop-ups asking for your email the moment you arrive. There’s a newsletter, and it’s at the end of each post if you want it.
Get in touch
Spotted something out of date, or walked one of these routes and have notes? I read everything. Email [EMAIL].
The Sunday letter
Read the next trip before it goes on the site.
One long read, one small trip you could do this month, and the kit I’d actually buy again. Every other Sunday, free.