I’ve run a few village hedgerow surveys now and they’re one of my favourite low-effort, high-impact ways to get to know the patch of countryside I live next to. Hedgerows are linear wildlife corridors: they store history, feed birds and insects, and link habitats. With nothing more than a...
Jan 24, 2026
• by Aurélien Duval
Latest News from Outdoorangus Co
When I first organised a litter-pick on the village green near where I live, I expected to spend an hour collecting crisp packets and beer cans. What I didn’t expect was how quickly a simple community tidy-up would lead to conversations about the hedgerow, sightings of rare moths and the idea of adding a basic habitat survey to our regular rota. If you want to start something similar where you...
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The Jurassic Coast is one of my favourite places to poke along the shoreline — dramatic cliffs, fossil-bearing rocks and a rich, ever-changing intertidal world that rewards a slow, curious pace. I love a low-tide scramble: equal parts hiking, light scrambling and careful rock-hopping, with pockets of sheltered rockpools revealing small, thriving ecosystems. But planning a safe, responsible trip...
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I spend a lot of time crossing open moorland in the UK, and two of the deer species I bump into most often are red deer and fallow deer. At a glance they can seem similar — both are large, tawny, grass-eating mammals that favour open country at times — but once you know what to look for you can tell them apart quickly and confidently. Below I share the practical cues I use on the hill: visual...
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I spent a cold, soggy week on Dartmoor this winter testing five waterproof boots across peat hags, plunging bogs and long, muddy tracks. If you spend much time walking UK winter trails you already know the challenge: deep, suctioning mud, constant drizzle, and the kind of wet that seems to find a way through seams, collars or flimsy leather. I wanted boots that actually keep feet dry, give...
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I’ve spent countless hours walking Britain’s coastlines with a camera on my chest and a full pack on my back. Long coastal days can be brutal on shoulders and lower back: constant wind, narrow paths, slippery rocks and the need to carry camera gear that doesn’t like to be jostled. Switching to an Osprey pack with their Anti-Gravity suspension and well-thought-out bagging features changed...
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I love walking with my family in Herefordshire — it’s the kind of place where every lane seems to hide an ancient story. On a recent loop we followed a quiet country road, skirted past meadows and orchards, and spent most of the afternoon identifying and recording ancient hedgerow trees. It turned into one of those walks where the kids were engaged, I was taking photos, and we all left with a...
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I spend a lot of time walking long stretches of the Cotswold Way and I’ve learned to love planning solo day hikes that rely on lightweight kit and good old-fashioned navigation skills rather than a phone app. Going app-free forces you to slow down, notice the landscape, and trust your map-and-compass routine — and it’s completely achievable with sensible planning. Here’s how I plan a...
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Picking the right time for a birding walk in the UK is as much about reading weather patterns as it is about choosing a route. Over thousands of hours in the field I’ve learned that clouds and wind tell you a lot: where birds will be, how visible they’ll be, and whether your wandering will feel productive or frustrating. In this piece I share the practical, boots-on-the-ground approach I use...
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I’ve spent thousands of hours on UK trails—wet moors, rocky coastal paths and muddy woodland tracks—and over time I’ve learned that being able to treat common trail injuries yourself is as important as choosing the right boots. In remote places a small kit and the right know-how can turn a day-ruining incident into a manageable setback. Below I share practical, tested advice for treating...
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Sunrise landscape shoots are a ritual for me: the quiet hours before dawn, the changing light, and that brief window when colour and mood line up. Packing for those early mornings is always about balance — getting everything I need for a great image while keeping weight and bulk down so a 20-litre rucksack doesn’t feel like a boulder on my back. Below is the kit and mindset I rely on for a...
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