Stefan Durkacz

The makings of a feast in Glen Feshie Food is fuel and is thus a big deal on a long distance walk, but get the balance right in your food bag and it's not something you need to worry about too much. I did a lot of research on food and nutrition before the Tay watershed walk, reading outdoors blogs and loitering around the supermarket aisles looking for likely items, reading calories and ingredients. As part of the planning and preparation it was time well spent as I ate well with little hassle throughout the walk. I didn't buy a single item of fancy, costly freeze-dried expedition food, and thrived on what was available in your average small-to-medium sized grocery shop in your average Scottish village. I hit on several things I liked and stuck with them, so kept it simple with just enough variety to avoid boredom. For me, there were seven main considerations when working out my diet for the trip: Do I like it? Peanut butter got the heave-ho after a few days. I'd packed it...

Walking and camping: the yin and yang of backpacking. I've written quite a bit about the walking, so here's the story of the campsites. I remembered to take a picture of all except one. Camping in a big puddle in the pouring rain at the back of the Kingshouse Hotel, I wasn't in the mood. The morning of the first day, making porridge and tea at the Tayview caravan park in Monifieth. It's mostly static caravans, right on the seafront, with a little lawn for tents. I arrived by train in Dundee the afternoon before, stomach in knots as what I was about to do sank in, far too late. I bussed out of town. Do you know Monifieth, asked the smiling conductor. She made sure I got off at the right stop. The caravan park has a little cafe and I ate omelette and chips and listened to the aftermath of St Johnstone's Scottish Cup victory over Tayside rivals Dundee United. Synchronicity? The cafe owner came over to chat and dispensed a promising long range forecast when I said I was...