While volunteers will need to get on with the tiring task of litter picking, they will be rewarded with a range of activities including free or discounted mountain biking and an eco walk.

If you’re feeling generous with your time, and want to give something back after all your skiing this year, organisers have asked for volunteers to meet at 10am at the base of one of the three areas.

Gloves and bags are provided and there will be tea and cakes for everyone who brings back a bag of litter. Last year 44 sacks of rubbish were collected across all three resorts by skiers, walkers and dedicated litter pickers.

At Glenshee, the Ski Club is teaming up with Scott Sports to host a mountain bike demo day. This includes a range of bikes of mixed sizes for Big Spring Clean volunteers to try out on the mountain trails and explore Glenshee. The mountain biking is free of charge for all volunteers once they have filled a bag of rubbish.

Cairngorm Mountain is offering the chance to litter pick as part of a guided walk. This will involve taking the funicular up to the stunning top station and walking down as a group under the supervision of a Cairngorm Walks Guide. Volunteers will litter pick their way down the mountain while enjoying a fascinating insight into the wildlife, geology and weather from a local guide.

At Nevis Range, once Big Spring Cleaners have done their bit for the environment, they can take a spin on the vast and varied Nevis Range tracks. Mountain bikes are available to hire for half price to all volunteers.

The Spring Clean is part of Respect the Mountain – an environmental campaign led by the Ski Club of Great Britain. It was set up in 2004 and has so far donated over £35,000 to date to a range of environmental projects.

For more see: www.skiclub.co.uk or email kate.thorman@skiclub.co.uk or call 0208 410 2000.

So what was I going to do when setting off for a three day canoeing and wild camping trip? I was just about to accept the inevitable stinky armpits result when a press release popped into my inbox. Sure Women ULTRA dry, it said.

“The deodorant lasts for 48 hours and has motionsense technology, which responds directly to movement giving you long lasting 48 hour protection,” it added.

And it continued: “The formula contains microcapsules that sit on the surface of the skin and as a result of friction in the underarm break when you move, releasing bursts of freshness throughout the day.”

Ideal, I thought. Three days with very little access to a shower plus a lot of sweaty paddling and sleeping wild. I’ll give Sure a try!

Testing the Sure Ultra Dry deodorant

So I added a big burst of the deodorant prior to setting off on the trip. It smelt nice. Really nice, actually. That would be the fresh summer scent called Linen Dry, then!

The deodorant comes in a 250ml bottle and 150ml bottle but even the 150ml would take up too much space in my camping bag so I decided to put the deodorant to the ultimate test!

Not just 48 hours of activity and camping but 72 hours!

I am quite amazed by the results (and I did need to do a sniff test to find out! Yuk!). Normally I would get a bit pongy after 24 hours of paddling and camping  (well, who wouldn’t?) but the sniff test on Night 1 was good. Still that smell of “linen fresh”! (Just about). By Night 2 there was still little in the way of BO. By lunchtime on day three and during a particularly hot period of paddling I did begin to sniff a more unpleasant odour but that could have come from the armpit of my t-shirt.  On closer sniffing my actual armpits smelt kind of ok. They weren’t fresh, but they didn’t pong as much as I’d normally expect.

I am sorry if this blog is a little unsavoury but I like to test my products properly so I can give a good level of feedback.

I can’t say how much of this stuff (“The deodorant… has motionsense technology, which responds directly to movement giving you long lasting 48 hour protection…The formula contains microcapsules that sit on the surface of the skin and as a result of friction in the underarm break when you move, releasing bursts of freshness throughout the day.”) is actually scientifically true but as deodorants go it does pretty much do what it says on the label, keeping me smelling not too bad at all.

Just one thing, though, I have never been a big fan of spray deodorants because of concerns about the damage to the environment but this Sure deodorant did do an impressive job. The deodorant also comes in a roll-on version.

* Sue Ultra Dry Linen Dry is sold at leading retailers, the RRP is £2.99 for 250ml, £2.19 for 150ml and £1.70 for roll-on.

And take climbing an unclimbed mountain. The G-Force dreams about such things. He would love to be the first to stand on a summit and to go where no other mountaineer has dared.

Then there’s:

* Crossing a desert

* Getting to the North Pole

*  Rowing an ocean

* Sailing the seven seas

* Reaching the south pole.

All big dreams for so many people.

Dreams can be achievable

But writer and adventurer Tim Moss believes that with a lot of planning, money, listening to advice, time and a huge sense of adventure all the dreams above are possible. And so he has published a book called How to Get to the North Pole – and other iconic adventures. In the book he draws on input from more than 50 explorers, as well as his own knowledge, to create a book that is useful, resourceful and entertaining.

Chapter by chapter he focuses on each adventure and outlines costs, strategy, options, routes, practicalities, testimonials, equipment, anecdotes etc.

I have never come across a book like this and I love the concept. It brings to life each adventure as an actual possibility. Of course, there would stil need to be tons of planning, money, advice and time given to such iconic adventures but then you are never going to achieve mega dreams within a couple of days of easy planning. The adventure wouldn’t be iconic if it wasn’t very difficult to achieve.

I can see the book setting readers off on the start of the planning for their chosen adventure, or two. Whether many of us ever achieve the dream adventure is another thing, but Tim does bring the dream just a little bit closer to being a reality.

I now have an idea of my route for cycling around the world, the sort of equipment I might need, a cost and the start of a training strategy. One day…

3 copies of the book to give away

I have three copies of How to Get to the North Pole – and other iconic adventures to give away. To be in with a chance of winning, tell me on Facebook or via email of an adventure or adventurer that inspires you. I’ll choose my three favourites and ask the publisher to send the books out. Closing date is May 25. (Er, the small print says, my decision is final!)

* How to Get to the North Pole  is available at all good book stores priced at £12.99

With so many people feeling the pinch of rising food and fuel prices, not to mention the recent increases in mortgage rates it pays to find ways to keep fit and save money.

Tips for keeping fit and saving money

Walk instead of catching the bus or driving

But having money is nothing without your health and keeping fit is also a priority for people these days. Gyms or fitness classes can be costly, so here are some ideas on how to keep fit and save some money at the same time.

Walk to work: If you live within a few miles of your work, then walk to work or walk home, or both. If you live further away try cycling (see below) or take the car/train/bus part of the way to work and the walk the last two of three miles. The benefits include saving money on petrol or public transport costs, burning calories and toning leg and butt muscles.

Walk and talk: Agree to meet up with a friend for a walk and chat, instead of a coffee and a chat. Take you own coffee in a flask so that you don’t miss out on the coffee. In this way, you’ll burn calories and save money on pricey shop-bought cafes.

Run home: Perhaps you’re meeting a friend for a catch-up, or taking the children to school, or heading into town for a spot of window shopping. Instead of catching the train or bus home, run back. You’ll need to plan ahead and make sure that you have your running clothing with you in a bag but for a small amount of preparation there will be big pay backs in terms of fitness. Of course, you’ll also save money on transport costs.

Buy a Bike to Work Bike: The Bike to Work Scheme offers tax saving incentives for buying a bike. You can then save further money by cycling to and from the office.

Buy a second-hand bike: Ebay, local bike re-sellers and newspaper ads are a great place to find second-hand bikes. By investing in a bike you’re opening up you opportunities for cycling – and saving money in the longterm. Cycling to work in the summer saves money on rising fuel costs.

Cheap gym memberships: Many gyms offer cheaper deals in the summer, to encourage people to work out indoors, even when the sun is shining. Look out for these deals at local gyms.

… Or skip the gym: Gym memberships usually require a long-term commitment, and who wants to use a gym when the sun is shining outside? Instead, skip the gym and take up a cheaper sport instead, such as walking, running or cycling (se above). Fitness DVDs and on-line fitness video websites offer much cheaper options, too.

Cycle holidays: Plan a cycle touring holiday at home or abroad. Cycling is a great way to see a new country and also means you’ll be far fitter by the time you return home. How often can you say you’re fitter after a holiday?

Healthy children’s parties: A cheaper and healthier idea for a kid’s party is to organise a cycle birthday picnic, or a climbing party, or a walk to the top of a hill party.

And where will you put all those pennies that you save? Check out the best ISA rates with Moneysupermarket and put away your saved money without paying taxes on your savings. Result!

I also like the feminine shaping of the t-shirt.  It is roomy enough up top for boobs and nipped in a bit at the waist with a bit of flair over the hips. If you’re buying this top and like them on the tighter side I’d go for a smaller than normal size, but if you like tops that flatter with a little extra room, then stick with your normal sizing.

The top is made to suit “intense aerobic activities like cycling, trail running etc.” And according to the details, “the fabric feels light and cool, and with active moisture management in the form of Q.M.C. fibres”. All this is topped with mesh inserts at the sides to increase airflow and the high zip collar to offer sun protection (when zipped up) or ventilation (when unzipped).

 Jack Wolfskin t-shirt on test

So, if the top is made for hot and sweaty activity, that was the activity I needed to go for. Cue a hot and sweaty hill run. On a warm-ish day running uphill makes me very sweaty very quickly. I began with a long-sleeved baselayer over the top of the Jack Wolfskin Accelerate Zip t-shirt, but soon stopped to peel off the outer layer.

The t-shirt still felt light and cool, just as the label had said it would. But things were set to become even warmer. The ascent was non-stop for about 400m and although running slowly I could feel the heat begin to rise. Weirdly I didn’t feel any sweat on my skin. It seemed to disappear and although it must have evaporated through the t-shirt fabric the top still felt dry to touch.

At the top of the hill the wind picked up and temperatures suddenly dropped. I stopped again to put my long-sleeved top back on. This would normally be the point when I started to notice a cold and damp t-shirt baselayer but not with the Jack Wolfskin. The fabric had effectively allowed all my sweat to evaporate and still felt nice ad dry against my skin and under my top layer.

The t-shirt actually does as it says on the label.

Added to this is the trademark wolf paw mark that I like so much! (Read my previous Jack Wolfskin kit review blog to find out why.) The price is a little more than I’d normally want to pay for a t0-shirt (£40) but since it works so well at keeping moisture away from the skin I think I might be tempted to buy another.

The top would be ideal for running, cycling, hill walking, canoeing, skiing and any other outdoor activity that makes you sweat! A lot!

I was sent the Phantom (black and grey colour) to try by Jack Wolfskin but the top also comes in far prettier Lake Blue and Peak Red. See Jack Wolfskin for further details.

Falke Naima baselayer top

This is one of Falke’s “ergonomic sport system” products. Ergonomic means a design that fits the shape and movement of the body as closely as possible. This is generally achieved through the choice of fabrics and by utilising a construction that is as seamless as possible

The Naima is a snug fit. But it doesn’t feel overly tight like some tops made with high contents of Lycra can feel. It doesn’t constrict and it does seem to move with the body.

The combination of different knits and fabrics magically help with the overall design of the baselayer. I can’t really describe why it does this, except to say that my Naima fits beautifully yet doesn’t fell over-stretched. A number of friends have commented on how nice the baselayer looks.

I have a Small size and being a size 10 if feels brilliantly. Even the arms are long enough for my Miss Tickle-length arms! The cuffs just about slot into gloves on colder days and this is a huge bonus for someone with extra long arms! Most of my other tops have cuffs that stop above the wrist!

Looks good but what about performance?

But looks aren’t everything. The baselayers needs to function well, too, and across a range of activities. I have mainly worn it on cooler days, either as a baselayer on its own or with a Gore-Tex breathable waterproof jacket over the top. And I really like it.

It is called a “midweight baselayer “and I’d say this is a perfect description. It is better suited to mild-ish winter days on its own or cool-ish summer days.

There are different panels of material in the areas where you’re most likely to sweat, and it does a pretty good job of getting rid of sweat. I don’t think the top wicks sweat away quite as efficiently as other lighter weight tops but then I guess this is a hard thing to do.

Other nice details include reflective logos on the logo at the rear and on the front, which are good for safety on darker evening runs.

Weirdly, though, and I still can’t work out why, there is an L and an R on the sleeves. Presumably this is for Left and for Right. But why would this be needed when the top obviously faces one way because of the front zip? Anyone have the answer?

The Falke Naima comes in XS to L and a range of colours. It costs around £70, which seems pricey but so far it has washed and worn very well.

There will be two route options:

* Running 7.5km on forest trails and then mountain biking 60km on the north side of Loch Ness (including 1700m of climbing)

* Running 7.5km on forest trails and then road cycling 56km with 1050m of climb on the south side of Loch Ness, followed by a 5km run on tarmac.

The duathlon will take place on August 25, from Inverness.

The British Heart Foundation uses the vital funds raised by events such as the Loch Ness Duathlon to fight against one of the UK’s biggest killers, heart disease.

For more information, see Loch Ness Duathlon, call 0800 169 3672 or send an e-mail to scotlandevents@bhf.org.uk

* Handsonevents is the organisation behind such classic events as the Cairngorm Sportive, the Skye Sportive and the epic Bealach Mor.

Halcyon in the Hebrides

by Bob Orrell

After 60 years of sailing in Scotland, Bob Orrell decided to single handedly sail his boat Halcyon 1000 miles around stunning islands and seas lochs of Western Scotland. He set sail, from Fairlie on the Clyde, around the Mull of Kintyre via numerous inner islands to Barra in the Outer Hebrides and to the Atlantic side of the islands. In total he anchored at 50 different places.

Along the way, the author rejoiced and grimaced through Scotland’s changeable weather; met fascinating people and visited places with fabulous stories, enjoyed adventures and described Scotland’s amazing western coastline through a sailor’s eyes.

Bob is a lovely writer and brings to life the atmosphere and sights of his intrepid expedition around one of the most stunning coastal areas of Scotland. Part descriptive and part informative, the book offers as much to the armchair reader as to the sailor who fancies setting off to follow his route.

I would have loved to have seen more photographs and to have had the pictures dispersed liberally through the book but  it is still easy enough to find yourself lost in Bob’s words and descriptions, so little is lost in so many pages of text.

The Halcyon in the Hebrides is published by Whittles Publishing, priced £16.99.

Scotland

by Peter Friend

This is an enlightening book looking at many of the famous landscapes of Scotland. As Peter writes: “The pleasure of enjoying a landscape is greatly increased and deepened by developing some feeling for the events in the history of the Earth that may have caused it.”

Don’t worry, as you do not have to be a qualified geologist or an expert on landscape and nature to understand this book. This is a revealing guide that offers a wealth of insight for the average person, who IS interested in Scotland’s landscapes. Equally, it would offer a huge amount of info for the expert, or perhaps even a geography student.

The book is logically split in different areas of Scotland and explains why, for example, Glencoe has its magnificent mountains, while the Scottish Borders are rolling. And why the islands in the north west differ from those in the south west of Scotland.

Famous landmark landscapes are also explored. For example, there is the columnar jointing on the isle of Staffa (Fingal’s Cave) has long fascinated all those who visit. If you haven’t been to Staffa, then perhaps you have seen a similar rock formation at the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland.  But do you know why the rocks are formed as they are or why the same formations are seen at Staff and in Northern Ireland? Peter describes how this rock formation has been created here, and in other places, and making it simple to understand the forces of nature on the land.

Photographs, digital displays and graphics greatly enhance the book and make it easier to show how the landscape has changed over many millions of years.

I am not sure I would pick up this book and read it from start to finish but I have been interested enough to dip into it and find out more about some of my favourite areas of Scotland, and also to discover why some places look as they do.

This would be a recommended coffee table book, especially as so many of us turn to reading books on Kindle and iPads.

Scotland is Published by Collins, priced £65 for the signed hardback version and £30 for paperback.

The Natural Explorer: Understanding Your Landscape

by Tristan Gooley

Although this book might sound similar to Peter Friend’s Scotland it isn’t! Tristan’s is a more contemplative book and his approach sees the reader exploring the landscape as people would from generations ago,  by sun, moon, stars and natural phenomena. Inspiration is also taken from past travellers and there are entertaining anecdotes thrown in among Tristan’s own travels.

He aims to reveal why “some travel experiences thrill us while others leave us cold”. Tristan reckons that it’s possible to enrich every journey through the landscape simply by increased awareness of our surroundings and understanding the “subtle connections between the land, sky and landscape”.

Tristan has organised the book, not in regions (it covers the whole of the UK) but Senses, Plants, Mountains, Coast, Valleys of ice, Animals, Light, Sky, Weather, Colour etc.

Readers will easily lose themselves in the reverie, but I might have liked a few more pictures. Perhaps I’m a bit shallow but I always enjoy a few pictures to accompany a book that talks so vividly about nature and the landscape.

The Natural Explorer  is published by Hodder, priced £16.99

About a year ago, my life was a mess. I was a depressed, severely overweight insomniac who was camping out in a friend’s spare room after my long-term relationship had fallen apart.

As I lay in the bottom bunk of a set of children’s bunk beds (I’m six foot two; imagine it) I thought: “You know what? I think it’s time to change my life; after all, things can’t get any worse.”

Unlike every other time I’d decided to change my life, lose some weight and get happy again, this time I actually did something about it. My friend had an exercise bike that had was unused – so I took the opportunity to commandeer it for my own purposes.

From that day, the small Welsh village of Cefn-y-Bedd sang with the sound of a fat man pushing pedals for 90 minutes a week. I dread to think how much sweat was shed in that room, and I’m not afraid to admit that the first couple of 30 minute sessions I would struggle to walk the few steps to the shower cubicle. I wasn’t in good shape, but the endorphins the workout provided made it all worthwhile (and it also gave me an opportunity to check out new bands. I love music so spending half an hour pedalling was a great opportunity to whack my headphones in and check out some new music).

Summer rolled round and I finally moved into a place I could sort of call my own – I was sharing with three other guys, but at least I wasn’t sleeping in someone’s spare room any more. Anyway, this place had a shed, and it wasn’t on the third floor, which meant one thing: I could get my mountain bike back.

I’d bought the bike for one of those bike-to-work schemes and then shamefully never used it. It had seen about 2 miles worth of use that had left me a wreck, and then it had been left in the shed where it did nothing but collect dust. However, I was now ready to get out there and ride. By the time I got it back I was four stone (nearly 60lbs) lighter than the last time we’d crossed paths, and I was absolutely raring to go.

The first time I went out for a bike ride planned to do a mile or two, and I ended up doing eight. Feeling my lungs and calves burn while the July air whipped against me was incredible. How had I let this feeling pass me by for so long?

The town I had moved to is on top of a hill – it’s impossible to leave it without going down a pretty steep incline, and as such rides normally involved an incredible, speedy first half coupled by an agonising, slow crawl back up, but I loved every second.

The amazing results

I’ve stopped losing weight now (I’ve lost over 100lbs altogether) but I’ve kept the cycling up. I’m no endurance rider (my average ride length is around 10 miles), but I love every second – even more so now that I’ve got my new girlfriend interested in cycling and we can hit the roads together If you think we sound like that annoying couple who exercise together, you’re probably right; we also go to Yoga together, too.

It’s worth pointing out that I’m still very much an ordinary guy. I’m not a Lycra warrior and I’ve no idea what it is that squeaks at the moment (I’m not even sure if it’s me or the bike) – but I wouldn’t go back to where I used to be for the world.

Cycling really did change my life for the better, and I’d urge anyone who’s thinking about getting on a bike to do it right away. You don’t have to spend thousands on gear, just pick up a bike, throw on a helmet and get outside!

Chris writes for Moneysupermarket.com’s life cover team.

Happy walkers: Debbie and Ellen

After long negotiations on Facebook and email, the final count included seven of us. Only one, Jill, had walked Ben Nevis before. Two had never even walked a Munro. One was on the biggest keep-fit drive of her life, after giving up a long-term addiction to cigarettes and a decade of somewhat unhealthy eating and sitting around-itis. Another woman had given birth to her second son only three months previously.

I had no idea what to expect on Ben Nevis but I was anticipating much laughter and great female chat, plus the usual dose of outrageous four-seasons-in-one-day Scottish weather.

The walk up Ben Nevis

Ben Nevis is not a particularly tough hike but it is long (some 10 miles) and the route does head from sea level to an impressive 1344m (4409ft). The “tourist path” is well trodden and I have never before seen so many walkers on one Scottish hill. Nor have I encountered such a breadth of walkers from four-year-olds to people in their 70s, and from those sporting jeans and trainers (silly people) to those in full-on mountaineering kit. There were also a great number of dogs!

Despite a dismal weather forecast (I have no idea why we even consult the forecasts) we set out in great spirits – and under a sunny and blue sky. To start with the trail quickly steepened and for the first couple of miles many walkers would be forgiven for thinking they will never make the top. With newbie walkers with us, we took our time, stopped frequently for snacks (yes please, more Soreen!) and to drink water.

Then, just when required, the trail flattened out a little and offered a straightforward upwards march. This is not to belittle Ben Nevis, but because of a well-laid and well-worn trail that zig-zags efficiently uphill, the hiking is some of the easiest I have encountered on a Munro. Still, it’s a long, long walk.

Ellen was blog-testing Soreen. We were all force fed!

I confess that I did, at times, find it hard to walk at the right pace for the group. I am more used to the G-Force’s quick-fast trotting pace. One of the group did suggest that next time they will have a t-shirt printed for me saying: “I don’t normally walk this slow, but I am being kind to by friends”!  Mostly, however, I was very content to chat with different members of the group and catch up on gossip, some going back years.

Some three-quarters of the way up, we began to encounter snow. In fact, one walker who had already been to the summit and who we exchanged a few words with, reported that “although tricky because of snow, the summit was possible”. This made me think of Everest, and I felt some relief to be carrying a map and compass, and with the sure knowledge of being able to use them. Some 10 years ago a friend lost his life descending Ben Nevis in snowy conditions and I knew there was a tricky section near the summit that can demand good navigation skills to avoid two severe drops.

But still, with so many people on the Ben and such clear skies, I found it hard to believe that the route would not be easy to find. In the event, it was! I wonder now whether the descending walker was a little inexperienced or if she had summited shrouded by early cloud but our walk to the top was very straightforward. Indeed, thanks to the snow, it was easy to pick out a route marked by thousands of footprints!

Approaching the top of Ben Nevis

Reaching the summit of Ben Nevis

I know, after speaking to a few of our group, that they were extremely relieved to see the top. Walking up hill for four or five hours is hard, especially if you have never done so before. Even SuperMum Kat, who this year summited Kilimanjaro, revealed she had tired leg muscles!

The summit of Ben Nevis was crowded! Think Sainsbury’s on a Saturday morning and you’ll get the picture! If you turned your back to the crowds, however, and surveyed the magnificent landscape all around, looking across mountains, moors and lochs, the sense of height and wildness was more achievable.

The girls on Ben Nevis summit

The summit picture of our group reveals the delight of reaching the highest place in the UK!

Descending Ben Nevis

If you’ve walked mountains before, you’ll know that the descent can be more exhausting and challenging than the ascent. Certainly, we all suffered sore knees, thighs and calves to a greater or lesser extent. There were a few snow flurries. And it felt as though the walk was longer going back than going up (why is it always like that?!). But there was very little moaning. Women are great for keeping spirits and morale high.

Fabulous views from Ben Nevis

I am delighted that I have now summited Ben Nevis (and I no longer feel embarrassed!) – and I am so proud of all the girls. What a fantastic day out.

And a special mention for Super Ben Nevis Walker Debbie

Just a year ago, Debbie smoked 20 a day, was overweight and lacked energy. She couldn’t believe that she would enjoy any kind of fitness activity. Then she bought a bike (with my help) and started cycling, took up walking and then running, gave up smoking, replaced fags with an exercise addiction and lost lots of weight. It was truly uplifting to see her delight at walking Ben Nevis.

PS Thanks to Ellen for her photos. I forgot my camera!