hiking with brian

A geographic memoir of walking, backpacking, misadventure, friendship, and family hikes across Britain, North America, and beyond.

By foo.barstein

17 posts

• Early Walking Roots in Clapton — The love of walking began during school breaks spent with grandparents in a small flat in Clapton, Hackney. After lunch, while the grandpar…
• First Hike with Brian on the Pennine Way — The first hike together was in Spring 1971 while studying at Sheffield University. A stretch of the Pennine Way was walked over several day…
• Lake District Hike: Rain, Wind, and Emergency Rations — A hiking and camping trip to the Lake District began with a backpack inspection intended to minimize weight. Brian had packed an enormous q…
• Descending Sharp Edge — Toward the end of the Lake District hike, Atkinson Pike was ascended with the plan to descend by a path between sheer precipices along Shar…
• North Wales Hike: Port Surprise and the Rhinog Trek — A demanding hike in North Wales began with a strict pack inspection. Brian was allowed limited emergency rations and nothing beyond bare re…
• Rest Day at Betws-y-Coed — After the Rhinog crossing, Betws-y-Coed was reached in exhaustion and a rest day was chosen. Packs were left at accommodation, and the day…
• Adirondack Hike: Trailhead and Flooded Crossing — After moving to New York in late 1977, an Adirondack hike was planned during Brian’s visit the following summer. The Adirondacks formed a h…
• Long Lake Seaplane Shortcut — After difficult off-trail forest hiking in the Adirondacks, the route regained the path and reached Long Lake in the late afternoon. A rest…
• Lake Tear of the Clouds and Mount Marcy — The Adirondack hike continued for several days through forest until Lake Tear of the Clouds was reached—the source of the Hudson River and…
• Presidential Range and Appalachian Trail Section Hiking — The Presidential Range is a series of peaks named after United States presidents on the Appalachian Trail in the White Mountains of New Ham…
• Yellowstone Lodge and Old Faithful — The Yellowstone trip began by flying into Billings, Montana, and taking a bus into the heart of Yellowstone. A night was spent at the famou…
• Yellowstone Backcountry: Hot Springs, Bog, and Grizzly Fear — The Yellowstone backcountry hike crossed varied terrain: grass-lined streams, fast-flowing rivers, and forested slopes. Camp was struck sho…
• Great Smoky Mountains: Failed Hike and Later Return — The Great Smoky Mountains straddle Tennessee and North Carolina, with the Appalachian Trail running along a high ridge dividing the two sta…
• Asheville Rescue Base — The starting point for the Great Smoky Mountains hike involved staying with Pat in Asheville, North Carolina. After the hike failed, Pat re…
• Canadian Rockies Hike with Ramon — When each son reached 16 or 17 years old, an initiation backpacking hike followed. The most successful was with eldest son Ramon: a wonderf…
• Olympic National Park with Ramon — A year after the Canadian Rockies hike, Ramon and Tony followed with a magnificent hike in Olympic National Park in Washington State. The h…
• Malvern Hills: The Needle in a Hillside Caper — The latest walking holiday in the Malvern Hills was based at the Wyche Inn, in a saddle of the hills midway along the north-south range. On…