o u t d o o r
FOCUS
winter 2019
From the editor...
David Taylor
T
here’s not much room for the
editor’s er, editorial in this issue of
Outdoor Focus. That’s because this
(thicker than usual) edition has wise
words from regulars Kev Reynolds and
Roly Smith, as well as Paddy Dillon.
It’s also jam-packed with features
about the recent ‘Big Weekend’ in the
Norfolk Broads. Enjoy!
1 Sunrise time 07.43
Sunrise direction 125°
DEC Sunset time 15.55
Sunset direction 235°
1 Sunrise time 08.06
Sunrise direction 128°
JAN Sunset time 16.01
Sunset direction 232°
1 Sunrise time 07.39
Sunrise direction 117°
FEB
Sunset time 16.48
Sunset direction 243°
15 Sunrise time 07.59
Sunrise direction 128°
DEC Sunset time 15.51
Sunset direction 232°
15 Sunrise time 07.59
Sunrise direction 124°
JAN Sunset time 16.19
Sunset direction 236°
15 Sunrise time 07.15
Sunrise direction 110°
FEB
Sunset time 17.14
Sunset direction 250°
Sunset/Sunrise times and direction correct for London. Times in GMT
Moon phases
First Quarter
3 December Full
11 December Third Quarter
18 December
New
25 December First Quarter
2 January Full
9 January
Third Quarter
16 January New
23 January First Quarter
1 February
Full
8 February Third Quarter
14 February New
22 February
Contents
3 Wordsmith
4 Book Reviews
6 Don’t throw in the towel
7 OWPG Big Weekend
8 Outdoor Book
Kev Reynolds remembers the day his dad literally and
metaphorically saw the light...
Roly Smith reviews the latest books by OWPG members,
including Chasing the Dreams and The Ullswater Way
Wondering whether to give up writing guide books? Paddy
Dillon advises you to think again...
Big Weekend organiser, Stan Abbott, looks back on the
recent Norfolk event, as well as forward to future trips
Chris Townsend’s Along the Divide was the 2019 Outdoor
Book winner. In an extract from the book Chris describes
the environmental issues that inspired it
10 Technical Feature
12 Gallery
14 Guidebook
16 Photography
20 Outdoor/Travel Feature
22 Digital Production
Jen Benson, with partner Sim, explains the why they wrote
Green Light, their award-winning technical feature
If you didn’t attend this year’s Big Weekend, here’s a
chance to see what you missed...
Tajikistan isn’t one of the world’s favourite travel
destinations. Jan Bakker and Christine Oriol want to change
your mind with their book, Trekking in Tajikistan
Chris Howes’ Guads, New Mexico portfolio demonstrates
why he’s a worthy winner of this year’s Photography award
An excerpt from Summits & Skylarks shows why Alex Roddie
won this year’s Outdoor/Travel Feature award
Digital Production winner David Lintern explains why the
campaigning website Save Glen Etive was created
8
Cover star
Chris Howes
Cottonwood Cave, New Mexico, USA - one of the
photos from Chris’s award-winning ‘Guads, New
Mexico’ portfolio. See page 16 for more details.
www.wildplacesphotography.co.uk
14
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 February 2020.
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 | winter 2019
20
Editing/design: David Taylor
[email protected]
ISSN 2043-8591 (print)
ISSN 2043-8605 (online)