Julia Goodfellow-SmithOct 5, 20213 minLost in the fog - navigation skills requiredWhen I was packing for hiking the South West Coast Path last year, I became obsessed with weight. I shaved grams off what I had to carry...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithMar 3, 20213 minHiking boots or trail shoes? For the last 20 years or so, I have walked in leather Brasher walking boots. I have found them comfortable and long-lasting, even though...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithFeb 17, 20214 minA day of veteransThe Veterans’ Hub in Wyke Regis was started by Andy, a veteran himself, as a weekly meet-up for a coffee and a chat. But as he heard...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithFeb 8, 20214 minA rocky day around the Isle of PortlandHow do you walk for 14 miles with large blisters on the soles of both of your feet, without making them worse? A sensible response would...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithFeb 4, 20211 minHiking hints and tips - hikers' woolHikers’ wool is a mainstay of my first aid kit. I was first told about it by my friend Hazel, who used it when she walked the Camino de...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithFeb 3, 20214 minOn my ownI clung on to my husband Mike as we stood in the car park at Lulworth. He joked that it was because he was so warm, but it was far more...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithJan 31, 20213 minHiking hints and tips - packing listI worked hard on keeping the weight of my rucksack down while walking the South West Coast Path. I used almost everything that I carried,...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithJan 17, 20214 minAcross the rangesThe view back across the ranges I had carefully planned the first few days of this walk so that I knew that I would be setting off on the...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithJan 17, 20213 minThreats to the oceans Walking past Kimmeridge Bay, I visited the Dorset Wildlife Trust and Fine Foundation’s Wild Seas Centre and talked to one of their...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithJan 17, 20211 minKimmeridge Bay Marine Nature ReserveWalking towards Kimmeridge Bay, I was looking out for the Clavell Tower, an elegant landmark standing on the cliffs. When it came into...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithJan 8, 20212 minPlastic food, anyone?All around the South West Coast Path, I saw signs of the plastic pollution in our seas and on our beaches. Plastic lasts for hundreds of...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithJan 8, 20212 minSteep steps and high emotionDespite all of my training, my knees were wobbling like a plate of blancmange. After a gentle start to the South West Coast Path, coming...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithDec 22, 20204 minHiking hints & tips - rocking your rucksackOn any long-distance trail, your rucksack will be your constant companion. It’s never going to be easy carrying all the extra weight, but...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithDec 22, 20202 minHow am I going to survive the cold?The first few days of my South West Coast Path adventure were a bit of a shock. After a long, hot summer, I re-discovered what it felt...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithDec 22, 20201 minFestive Season Wave TherapyIf, like us, you have had to cancel a visit to the coast this festive season, or if you just fancy a bit of wave therapy, this is for you.
Julia Goodfellow-SmithDec 16, 20204 minHiking hints & tips - practiceWalking the 630-mile-long South West Coast Path continuously in 52 days taught me a lot about hiking and camping. Some of this knowledge...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithDec 10, 20202 minSeaweed - the source of oxygen and many fine jokesWalking the South West Coast Path, I was embarrassed when I realised how little I knew about seaweed, so I’ve done a bit of research and...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithDec 10, 20202 minThe adventure beginsUntil I actually saw the sea, I wasn’t entirely convinced that my South West Coast Path adventure would happen. I had planned, trained...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithNov 25, 20201 minJulia's Jellyfish Journey in Yours magazineFancy that - the star letter in Britain's #1 fortnightly women's magazine. That's another 189,000 or so people reached with some...
Julia Goodfellow-SmithNov 24, 20201 minJulia's Jellyfish Journey in 'Marine Conservation' magazineOne day as I was walking along the north coast of Devon, I was chatting to some other walkers about seals. I explained that I was raising...