o u t d o o r
FOCUS
spring 2020
From the editor...
David Taylor
G
osh, wasn’t February wet and wild
here in the UK? As I write this the
wind is howling and rain is lashing
down. It’s been a challenging month
for many, particularly for those living
in lowland areas, or those with homes
close to rivers. It isn’t the end of
course, but there has been an oddly
apocalyptic feel to the weather. If this
is a harbinger of things to come then
the next few years are going to be
interesting - for the wrong reasons -
for those of us who work in and rely on
the natural world. What do you think?
Contents
3 New members
4 Wordsmith
6 Atlantic Island Hopping
Meet the newest members of the Guild, who’ve all joined in
2020
Kev Reynolds hears the postman arrive and fi nds the world
in an envelope
Paddy Dillon looks back on twenty years of walking and
writing
10 Book Reviews
12 How to take great photos in bad weather
14 VAT and the digital future of tax
6 10
Roly Smith reviews the latest books by members, including
Walking on the Azores and Navigation skills for walkers
Want to stay indoors when it’s raining? Aquapac thinks it’s
the perfect time to be out snapping
Should you register for VAT? Felicity Martin is here to help
you make a decision
12
Moon phases
First Quarter
2 March Full
9 March Third Quarter
16 March
New
24 March First Quarter
1 April Full
8 April
Third Quarter
14 April New
23 April First Quarter
30 April
Full
7 May Third Quarter
14 May New
22 May
Events / Spring 2020
The Photography Show, NEC
14-17 March
www.photographyshow.com
Vyking Ride, York
19 April
www.bit.ly/Vyking2020
1 Sunrise time 06.44
Sunrise direction 101° Sunset time 17.41
Sunset direction 259° APR Sunset time 19.34
Sunset direction 279° 1 Sunrise time 05.31
Sunrise direction 64°
MAR 1 Sunrise time 06.35
Sunrise direction 81° MAY Sunset time 20.24
Sunset direction 296°
15 Sunrise time 06.13
Sunrise direction 92° 15 Sunrise time 06.04
Sunrise direction 73° 15 Sunrise time 05.08
Sunrise direction 57°
MAR
Sunset time 18.05
Sunset direction 268°
APR
Sunset time 19.57
Sunset direction 288°
MAY
Sunset time 20.44
Sunset direction 303°
Sunset/Sunrise times and direction correct for London. Times for April 1 onwards are BST
Hexham Book Festival
24 April-3 May
www.hexhambookfestival.co.uk Snowdonia Half Marathon
17 May
www.bit.ly/Snowdoniahalfm
Orkney Nature Festival
13-19 May
www.orkneynaturefestival.org WalkFest 2020, North York Moors
23-25 May
www.bit.ly/nymwalkfest
Keswick Mountain Festival
15-17 May
www.keswickmountainfestival.co.uk Tetbury Woolsack Race
25 May
www.tetburywoolsack.co.uk
Cover star
Jon Sparks
Queenstown Bike Park, South Island, New Zealand.
If you’d like to contribute to the next
edition of Outdoor Focus please send an
email with your article idea to me at
[email protected]. The deadline
for copy is the 15 May 2020.
www.jonsparks.zenfolio.com
The Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild is the only UK-based association of media professionals
working largely or entirely on outdoor subjects. Our members cover every fi eld of activity and all
corners of the globe. They include writers, journalists, fi lm makers, photographers, publishers and
editors, all with a passionate interest in the outdoors. For more information visit www.owpg.org.uk.
All images and text copyright the authors. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material
without express and written permission is strictly prohibited.
2 Outdoor focus | spring 2020
Editing/design: David Taylor
[email protected]
ISSN 2043-8591 (print)
ISSN 2043-8605 (online)