It's that time of year again (my favourite time of year), the air temperature has dropped dramatically and the water temperature is falling too. The cold has never stopped me swimming in my cossie, and I try to keep those costume swims going throughout winter (once a week if I can) but it does stop … Continue reading A warmer swimsuit than usual
Ever heard of the high performance fabric, Ventile? I hadn't until recently and there were a few reasons why it caught my eye. Ventile claims to be 'the world’s most effective, natural, all-weather cotton textile' and most importantly the cotton used in the fabric is grown sustainably. Although it's new to me, Ventile has quite … Continue reading My jacket is made from Ventile
My love for wild swimming first blossomed when I went for a swim in a loch with my mum when I was 17. I remember it being a really tough year, and like any introvert teenager I wasn’t very good at communicating with my mum. She swam outdoors regularly and she asked me to join … Continue reading Beginners guide to wild swimming
Described as one of the most stunning and remote festival locations in the world, Tiree is my favourite of the Hebridean islands and also home to my favourite event of the year. This year Tiree Music Festival celebrated it's 10th birthday, and it was a weekend I will never forget. The sun was shining from the second … Continue reading TMF10 #WaitingOnASunnyDay
It's Monday morning and I am still recovering from Saturday's yomp. But recovering with all the right kinds of aches and pains. We reached our goal of 36 miles (the silver distance) and I couldn't have asked for a better team mate to do it with. My mum and I set off at 7:30am on … Continue reading The Cateran Yomp / 36 Miles
This post is in partnership with the Great Scottish Run to share my experiences, training and involvement in this years Glasgow event. Running. It's never been my thing. I was alway last at sports day and the one moaning at the back of the pack during cross country. I am healthy and maintain average fitness … Continue reading Walker to runner / Great Scottish Run
This review is not an advertisement, however Kilpi UK gifted me these items ahead of my ski trip. All opinions are my own. Women's Nalau Hardshell Jacket Reduced £268.82 Thumbs Up Untechnical comment, but I love the colour (stands out really well in photos) Longline cut meant the jacket overlapped my ski pants a considerable amount, giving me … Continue reading Kilpi UK Review / Ski Pants & Jacket
To kick this one off, I want to say a huge thanks to Freezepro in Edinburgh for sorting me out with a set of touring boots this season. I’ve been saving pennies for months to buy all the new kit I needed to go touring, and having support from Freezepro really helped me at the … Continue reading My First Week on Skins // Sponsored by Freezepro
In roughly 8 weeks time (if all goes to plan) I will be taking part in The Cateran Yomp. According to the event website, it is the biggest and toughest long distance walking event of its kind. Yomp is a military term for a long distance march, which links us to why this event takes … Continue reading The Cateran Yomp / 8 weeks to go
It’s difficult to sum up why I am so in love with the Hebrides – maybe it’s the deserted white sandy beaches, or the island hospitality – or maybe its just the anticipation of a CalMac breakfast! Whatever it is, it gives me more excitement than any holiday abroad could. Visiting Colonsay in the winter … Continue reading Winter Island Hop with Calmac
It's beginning to look a lot like winter. Finally! We have had an incredibly slow start to our winter season in Scotland, so we're all relieved to have a nice dump of the white stuff on the mountains this week. I think it's fair to say that Scottish skiing is a labour of love. It … Continue reading Scottish Skiing / Nevis Range
My van rental was in collaboration with Caledonian Campers ahead of the Scottish Caravan, Motorhome and Holiday Home Show - my experience was gifted. The show opens 7th-10th of February at the SEC Glasgow - come check it out! You could go as far to say I am obsessed with camper vans. So much so, my boyfriend … Continue reading Home Is Where You Park It
Frozen ground. Long dark nights. Minus temperatures. There are many reasons why most of us pack away the tent come winter. But what about the positives; no midges, more cups of tea and 17 hours of darkness for a lie in! In all seriousness, there is something magical about sleeping outside in winter – the … Continue reading Winter Wild Camp
Six countries, fifty-four hours of driving and many frankfurters later - we are all home after an incredible two weeks. In August this year my Dad proposed the idea of a skiing road trip for the Christmas holidays, inviting all the 'kids' (of whom I am the youngest) plus partners, friends... whoever fancied it. And … Continue reading SKIING AUSTRIA / Tiso Review
Fact of the week - fashion is the second largest industrial polluter...only to be beaten to the top spot by oil. AHHH that is horrible isn't it? And it's our greedy, materialistic mindset that has made this happen. Last week I watched the BBC documentary 'Fashion's Dirty Secret' with my mouth wide open, totally gobsmacked as … Continue reading Sustainable Cossie
Have you ever dreamed of visiting the Northern Lights? Well, thanks to Trespass you have the chance to WIN an all-expenses-paid trip for two people to the Northern Lights in 2019 - yep, that includes travel, accommodation, food, expenses - everything! One lucky winner will take an equally lucky friend or family member on an … Continue reading Trespass #DoSomethingWild
Forecast said blue sky, light cloud cover. What did I get? Zero visibility and unforgiving rain. Standard. But, on the bright side I took my new boots for a spin and tested their maximum waterproof-ness and durability in dreich conditions. I haven't had a new set of boots for 7 years - my old kicks … Continue reading Anatom Q2 Ultralight Hiking Boots
With a beastly winter coming our way I am starting to cram as many outdoor activities I can into Autumn before we are hit with -temperatures. The last few weeks have been very sea/loch based for me so I was keen to stay on dry land for a few days - and yesterday I took … Continue reading GoApe Aberfoyle
A Dryrobe has been on my kit wish list for almost a year. I had a shot of my brothers Dryrobe on Christmas day last year and it was incredible. We had been out on the water and in the water all day and I got very very cold. This isn't usual for me, I … Continue reading Kit Review – DRYROBE
This week I have teamed up with UK based clothing brand Otso to get to know them a little better. I had the pleasure of trying out a few pieces and also had a chat with Simon (founder) about Otso and the brands ethical qualities. Simon also had a few questions for me - so … Continue reading Q&A with Ethical Clothing Brand OTSO
A sunny morning in Glasgow - so Adele and I decide to go for a wee jolly up Ben A'an. Reasons being - I've never been up Ben A'an before, it is small enough to do in a short afternoon and Adele told me she'd never climbed a hill before. Say what! I'd heard about … Continue reading Afternoon hike – Ben A’an
It’s happened again – I’m the bearer of bad weather. I arrived in ‘sunny Kishorn’ – a small village in the Scottish Highlands where my mum moved to about two years ago. It’s an incredible place, surrounded by towering mountains, endless horizons, views of Skye – an ideal place for those who love to be … Continue reading KAYAKING & WILD CAMPING IN LOCH KISHORN
Sorry I'm going to begin with a rant... and get onto recipes in a sec Nothing pains me more than going to a restaurant IN SCOTLAND that is serving seafood from overseas. We all know Europe to be a haven for seafood excellence, but what about us? Scotland has 16,500km (including the islands) of coast … Continue reading Seafood at home
I first stumbled upon Rheign on Instagram a few months ago when I saw a picture of someone wearing that incredible aqua blue half-zip top (which just happens to be my favourite colour). After checking out their website I realised Rheign is in fact a really small independent company run by designer, owner and model … Continue reading Rheign Clothing Review
I AM HOME - phew. As many of you may know (due to an overkill of instagam stories) I have been away sailing in the English Channel for the last 10 days. I am suitably windswept and windburnt to call myself a yachty now... although I'm not sure that's really a trend I want to … Continue reading Sailing Jolanda
BreakfastBramble Cafe Giffnock I can not fault this place. Wonderful fresh food, great service and spotlessly clean. The cafe is small, so sometimes I've had to wait for a table... but absolutely worth it. Delicious cakes for after, and fantastic coffee. BrunchCafe Strange Brew ALWAYS busy, but for good reason. I could shout about these … Continue reading Glasgow Food Map (Summer eats)
Hands down, Tiree is my favourite of the Hebridean islands and also home to my favourite event of the year. Tiree Music Festival is a haven for Scottish trad music, supporting both new and established bands from all around the country. What's really magical about this festival is the location; Tiree is a paradise of white … Continue reading TMF more than just a festival
Radisson RED is the latest hotel to pop up in Glasgow and it is located in my favourite/most trendy part of town. I was so intrigued by the way Radisson have designed and marketed this chain of hotels I was itching to take a look around... further than the skybar (which I have visited a … Continue reading Discover Radisson RED Glasgow
Summer seems to have totally caught up with me this year, I feel like I'm still just getting into the swing of this sunshine and I am NOT ready for it to leave. Last minute frantic planning for our Sardinian adventure comes as no surprise, as most of our trips are spontaneous... or just unorganised. … Continue reading Traveling Sardinia
Finally, its festival season! And unlike pervious summers in Scotland... for as long as I can remember, festival season is shaping up to be a paradise of sun this year. So to celebrate in the best way possible, Trespass sent me along to TRNSMT fest for the day to try out some new pieces from … Continue reading Trespass goes 2 TRNSMT
What an incredible day, we are going home happy, sun-kissed and full up on seafood! We left Glasgow at 9am this morning for a one day gastro and cultural tour of the west coast, and we are blown away by everything we have experienced today. From food and scenery to drink and conversation we have … Continue reading Tasting Scotland – Seafood Special
This week the west coast of Scotland has been graced with what felt like endless hot sunny weather... although it has rudely come to an end now. So I am back inside for the first time in days covered in aftersun and drinking lots of water. Phew! As much as I LOVE the sun, I … Continue reading Hot Weather Adventure Tips
*please note this is not a sponsored post - we bought this larger board for bigger and better adventures Two Bare Feet Sport Air 12'0 x 6" Inflatable SUP It's been almost a year since I first got my SUP board from Two Bare Feet, which is a smaller 10ft board. It is perfect for … Continue reading Two Bare Feet Review – 12ft SUP
There are few experiences in life that can overrule the excitment and the freedom of sleeping in the wild. Sleeping outside, whether the experience is good or bad will undoubtably set the scene to be one of those unfogettable moments in your life. Camping in a campsite is fun too, but it doesn't give the same … Continue reading Spontaneous Wild Camping Mull of kintyre
Snorkelling is an awesome way to explore the blue shallows - most people have given it a go in warmer waters abroad, but there are some incredible snorkelling spots on our door step if we are willing to face the cold. Kit wise... not much is required and what you do need; doesn't come at … Continue reading Two Bare Feet review – snorkelling kit
Plan your days and weeks ahead - there's nothing more exciting than having a calendar full of things to look forward to. Check the weather - getting organised to make the best use of good weather is a million times better than being stuck twiddling your thumbs on a sunny day because everyone else is already … Continue reading How to spend more time doing what you love with the people you love
The women who become role models to us, and the women who SHOULD become role models to us are two very different people. Most of the time we don't even notice - but how does this fair up for generations to come... the kids who are going to be thrown into the whirlwind of social … Continue reading Dear sports marketing, please ditch the f**king models
RIP Rusty - The search for a new van begins Summer is approaching... slowly! And the search has begun for a new family van, because our loved and 'trusted' red T4 kicked the bucket last year... due to summer exhaustion. I say family van; its my mums - she is the poor soul who has … Continue reading Ad(van)tures Pending
The Arrochar alps – sitting quietly in the midst of surrounding giants. Blue sky and views that stretch forever, glistening icicles, frozen burns and that iconic rock formation iced with heavy coats of white. The Cobbler in December!The best thing about winter hill walking in Scotland is unpredictability. The worst thing about winter hill walking … Continue reading The Arrochar Alps in December
A cold Christmas? It defiantly was for me; I feel the cold... unlike my three older brothers who seem to have built up an impressive immunity. Our holidays began with Christmas and Boxing day on the Isle of Bute at our Dads. With lots of relations on the island, we are really lucky to have … Continue reading Ice Buzz – Christmas Water Sports
First Bothy adventure of the year - UAGS Unless approached by sea, Uags Bothy is at the end of an extremely boggy scramble from Toscaig (south of Applecross). We (Callum, Ewan and I) did plan to paddle there in sea kayaks - launching from my mums front garden in Kishorn and exploring the coast line … Continue reading Bothy Culture
I've selected a few of my favourite outdoor adventure films to share with you, a mixture of low-budget pieces alongside some bigger productions. They present to us parts of the world most could only dream of visiting and the majority are shot in jaw dropping cinematic quality (which makes viewing even more enjoyable). Forget Love Island … Continue reading The World is Bigger Than Me [my favourite adventure films]
Why bother? If your asking yourself, why bother? I feel ya! I often feel disengaged and don’t touch my sketchbooks for days because I feel my phone is easier to keep notes in. Often I’m ‘too busy’ to come up with interesting thoughts or ideas and to be honest, I’d much rather watch Netflix than … Continue reading Tips and tricks for keeping a sketchbook
Contemporary Art does not have to be pretentious and confusing, and although it often seems that way, it is down to you (the viewer) to make it relevant to yourself. So i'm here to provide you with the do(s) and don't(s) of contemporary art; maybe a few gallery etiquette tips as well to help you through … Continue reading Contemporary art; an introduction of some kind
It’s Friday the 13th of October, the air is frosty and fresh, the trees are rustling in golden and the sun is low in the sky - blinding me as a drive home after a B E A UTIFUL day at Arnprior Farm’s Pumpkin Patch. I have always wanted to visit a pumpkin patch! There … Continue reading Hello Pumpkin
Blue Mind In my last post I mentioned the idea of 'Blue Mind' - I got so many lovely responses and questions about it so I'm going to explain it a little more. Just to recap - 'blue mind' is a mildly meditative state, it is a sense of general happiness and satisfaction with life … Continue reading Blue Mind, Vitamin Sea and Salty Hair
My first blog post! AH! Despite our indecisive weather, spring has finally sprung in Glasgow. So since the sun is FINALLY out and everybody is craving a sunny holiday; I thought I'd fire out a few book suggestions - for all those who like to lie in the park pretending to look cultured and read … Continue reading Books to buy and keep 4ever
Our stay at Taymouth Marina was gifted in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own. It's not often we get a holiday with a minimal itinerary, but this weekend Callum and I have totally embraced down time. We spent two nights at Taymouth Marina and it was the perfect place to chill out … Continue reading Fancy Pants Adventure Weekend / Taymouth Marina
Rona McMillan 