On 23 December 2011, The Independent published the latest of its ’50 Best...’ features, this time a feature setting out the 50 Best Winter Walks in the UK.

We were really delighted to find that one of the iFootpath walks made the grade and appears in the list at number three. The Whitehill and Hannington walk, taking in the scenery around Watership Down is also one of our winter favourites so we really can’t argue with the choice.

A panel of four walking enthusiasts compiled the list, including a member of the Ramblers Association and several journalist s for walking publications. For the full feature and to check out the other 49 walks go to

The simple things really are some of life’s greatest pleasures it emerged on Friday. Simple joys such as climbing into a bed with freshly washed sheets or the smell of freshly cut grass really do help to brighten our day, a poll of 3,000 adults revealed.

And of course the walking fans amongst us won’t be at all surprised to hear that countryside walks made it into the top 50 things that make us happy. Walking in the countryside made it in at number 25, ahead of eating chocolate, eating cake and the smell of freshly baked bread.

The new verison of iFootpath Mobile is here. Existing iFootpath users received the following email on 9 September 2011.

I was delighted to almost stumble across a small adder sitting in the path in front of me while walking up to Curbar Edge. It was sitting on the gravel path, presumably soaking up the rays from the hot sunshine until I came along in my size tens and disturbed it. But I managed to get a couple of pictures of the snake before it slithered off into the grass.

I don't know about you, but I didn't really notice the recent lack of planes in the sky when out walking. Of course it was all over the news, but I wasn't particularly aware of much difference. It was only once planes had started to fly once again over the UK that I really noticed it. The noise is not very intrusive where I live in the Peak District, but the number of trails in the sky now seems so much greater than normal, probably as airlines are still bringing people home after a week of no flying in the UK airspace. It makes a big impact on photographs though as this image taken on Stanage Edge shows (taken on Saturday 24th April).

This essay is unashamedly about gear, camera gear. It's got little to do with making photographs and even less to do with walking. Just letting you know.

You don't need all that junk with you!

I don't know how many times I've heard or read people commenting on the frustration of walking up hills with a large and heavy camera system. I'm one of them and have for long had issues with taking a "professional" series digital SLR and lenses up too many hills. There must be a better way of capturing high quality images without having to load up so much weight? Maybe that weight is good exercise, but my view is that it is weight that could be better replaced by more useful gear and supplies or, even better, nothing at all. I have at last found several ways of getting rid of a large amount of that hefty gear and, in my opinion at least, made my images better as a direct result.