The Navigation HUB

📝 FIELD NOTE 007

The Filter

I’ve noticed that we don’t just filter our photographs.

We filter our experiences too.

I’ve done it myself.

I’ve come home from a hike with hundreds of photos, only to spend far too long choosing the one that tells the best story.

The best light.

The best angle.

The best version of the day.

Sometimes even the best version of myself.

Not because it was the most honest.

Because it looked the best.

Then comes the editing.

Changing the colours.

Increasing the saturation.

Making the sky a little bluer.

The grass a little greener.

The sunset a little more orange.

Almost trying to improve something that was already beautiful.

It makes me wonder…

Did we really need the filter?

Or did the mountain already provide everything we came to see?

Maybe we don’t just filter our photographs.

Maybe we filter the story we tell ourselves about the day as well.

We carefully curate what people see.

The summit.

The sunrise.

The dramatic ridge.

The perfect reflection in the lake.

The golden light breaking through the clouds.

But we rarely share…

The four hours of rain before it cleared.

The wrong turns.

The aching legs.

The self-doubt.

The soaked socks.

The wind that made standing still almost impossible.

The long walk back when the excitement had faded.

Yet those moments are every bit as much a part of the hike.

In fact…

They’re often the parts I remember the most.

The outdoors has never pretended to be perfect.

Some days the summit disappears into cloud.

Some days the views never arrive.

Some days you turn back before reaching the top.

Some days the rain never stops.

Nature doesn’t apologise for any of it.

It simply is.

Maybe that’s why I find it so refreshing.

Perhaps perfection was never the point. Perhaps honesty was.

The older I get, the more I realise that the best hikes aren’t the ones that looked perfect afterwards.

They’re the ones that felt real while I was there.

Collected on route.

—

30.08.2026

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Moel Hebog
Meaning of the name: “Hill of the Hawk” or “Hill of the Falcon.” Moel can refer to a bare, rounded or treeless hill, while hebog means hawk or falcon in Welsh.

⛰️ Moel Hebog — Eryri (Snowdonia), Wales

* Height: 783 m (2,569 ft)
* Prominence: 585 m (1,919 ft)
* Classification: Marilyn, Hewitt, Nuttall, Trail 100
* Trail 100 ranking: #74
* Parent peak: Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)
* OS Grid Reference: SH 565469
* Coordinates: 53.0005° N, 4.1399° W
* Mountain range: Moel Hebog Group / Eryri

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Yr Aran
Meaning of the name: “The Peak” — Yr means “the” and Aran is associated with a height, peak or prominent elevated place.

⛰️ Yr Aran — Eryri (Snowdonia), Wales
* Height: 747.2 m (2,451 ft)
* Prominence: 235 m (771 ft)
* Classification: Hewitt, Nuttall, Marilyn, Trail 100
* Trail 100 ranking: #79 in Trail magazine’s 100 Greatest Mountains of Britain.
* Parent peak: Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)
* OS Grid Reference: SH 604515
* Coordinates: 53.0425° N, 4.0837° W
* Mountain range: Snowdon Massif / Eryri

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Y Lliwedd
Meaning of the name: Lliwedd is generally interpreted as referring to a pale/colourless peak. But this is not necessarily the exact meaning.

Bagged in vain as it will be forever them mountain I crashed my drone into and lost… however what a mountain and what a feel it has to it. A one I will visit again and I don’t say that s**t many. It’s gritty the way I like it.

⛰️ Y Lliwedd — Snowdonia, Wales
* Height: 898 m (2,946 ft)
* Prominence: 154 m (505 ft)
* Classification: Marilyn, Hewitt, Nuttall, Trail 100
* Parent peak: Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)
* OS Grid Reference: SH 622 533
* Coordinates: 53.0595° N, 4.0571° W
* Mountain range: Snowdon Massif / Eryri

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Ben More (Isle of Mull)
Meaning of the name: Beinn Mhòr translates from Gaelic as “Big Mountain.”

No views at the top but you can’t be picky when travelling to Scotland to bag, it’s then or never with so many others still left. It’s been a while since I’ve reached a summit with wind force making it difficult to stay standing up.

⛰️ Ben More (Isle of Mull)
* Height: 966 m (3,169 ft)
* Prominence: 966 m (3,169 ft)
* Classification: Munro, Marilyn, Trail 100
* Parent peak: None – it’s the highest point on the Isle of Mull.
* OS Grid Reference: NM 525 330
* Latitude / Longitude: 56.425° N, 6.013° W
* Mountain range: Inner Hebrides – Isle of Mull

Together, we go further.

This August, Pioneer Camp joined for a memorable group hike through the stunning landscapes of the Lake District — exploring the Coniston, Brim Fell & Dow Crag route.​

From cool morning starts to warm climbs under the sun, the trail brought changing conditions and new challenges at every turn.​

Designed for adaptable adventures, our Convertible Hiking Pants helped hikers transition effortlessly between full coverage and open-air comfort, while the Training Quick-Dry T-Shirtdelivered breathable comfort through every climb, every step, and every mile.​

But beyond the gear, this day was about something bigger — connecting with nature, meeting fellow explorers, and creating memories along the trail.​

Thank you to The Navigation Hub and everyone who joined this adventure. We’re proud to support communities that inspire more people to step outside and discover their own paths.

📝 FIELD NOTE 006

Recharge

Before every hike, I check my phone battery.

I make sure my watch is fully charged.

I pack a power bank, just in case.

Everything is ready to go.

But I rarely stop to ask myself the same question.

Am I?

I’ve spent most of my life moving.

Working.

Driving.

Planning the next event.

Thinking about the next idea.

Creating the next project.

Even when I’m resting, I’m usually creating something.

I’ve often wondered where I actually recharge.

Because I don’t really stop.

I’ve never been someone who can sit and watch television for hours or switch my brain off completely.

Sometimes I wonder if I’ve been in “sport” mode for so long that I don’t even recognise what recharging feels like anymore.

Then I go walking.

It’s strange.

By the end of the day, my phone battery is almost empty.

My watch is flashing low battery.

Everything I’ve carried has slowly run out of power.

Yet somehow…

I haven’t.

In fact, I usually drive home with a clearer mind than when I arrived.

Not because the hike was easy.

Often it’s anything but.

Tired legs.

Heavy breathing.

Soaked through.

But somewhere between the first step and the last, something changes.

The mountain asks almost nothing from me.

It doesn’t need a reply.

It doesn’t send notifications.

It doesn’t expect me to be productive.

It simply asks me to keep walking.

Maybe that’s why I leave feeling different.

Perhaps recharging isn’t always about stopping.

Sometimes it’s about finding the one place where your mind finally can.

Collected on route.

—

23.08.2026

✖️ A little something for the community…

If you’ve been looking at getting some new kit for your hikes, this one might be worth a look 👀

As some of you will know, we’ve teamed up with Pioneer Camp, who have been supporting our Monthly Group Hikes with some great outdoor gear.

They’ve currently got their Back to School sale running, and they’ve also given us an upgraded 15% exclusive discount to use alongside it. 🤘🏼

So, if you’ve had your eye on a new jacket, fleece, trousers, waterproofs or just fancy treating yourself to some new kit, now’s probably a good time.

🏷️ Exclusive Navigation Hub discount: 15% OFF

Use code THENAVIGATIONHUB at checkout.

The 15% discount is available until 30th September, after which it will go back to the usual 10%.

You can check out the sale here ⬇️

https://pioneercampgear.com/collections/sale

As always, thanks to everyone who supports the brands that support what we’re doing with The Navigation Hub. 🧡

And a big thanks to Pioneer Camp for continuing to support our community and our hikes.

FIELD NOTE 005

Signal

One of the first things I used to do when I reached a summit…

Was check for signal.

Not the view.

Not the weather.

Not how far I’d walked.

Signal.

Almost instinctively.

Three little bars in the corner of a screen somehow felt important.

It’s strange when you think about it.

The mountains are one of the few places where the outside world can’t always reach you.

No messages.

No emails.

No group chats.

No endless stream of notifications asking for your attention.

For a little while…

You simply disappear.

Yet I’ve noticed how uncomfortable that can feel.

I catch myself checking my phone, hoping the signal has returned.

Not because I need anything.

Just because I’ve become so used to always being connected.

The irony is…

The moment we lose signal is often the moment we become most present.

We notice more.

We talk more.

We think more.

We look up instead of down.

The mountain doesn’t care whether your phone has reception.

It quietly reminds us that the world keeps turning, even when we’re offline.

Maybe losing signal isn’t something to worry about.

Maybe it’s something we’ve forgotten to appreciate.

Collected on route.

—

16.08.2026

✖️AUGUST MONTHLY GROUP HIKE

CONISTON, BRIM FELL & DOW CRAG

Always a top hike. 🧭

After a pretty grim forecast had us expecting rain, we couldn’t have asked for a better turnaround. The clouds cleared, the sun came out, and we were treated to a proper hot, sunny day in the Lakes. ☀️

Our August route took us around Coniston, Brim Fell & Dow Crag and it ticked all the boxes.

For some, it was their first time taking on the route. For others, it was a chance to come back and experience it again this time with the views they missed on their previous visit.

And what a difference the weather made.

Big views. Good climbs. A few sweaty faces. Plenty of laughs. And, as always, a great bunch of people sharing the hike together.

Thanks to everyone who came along and continues to support the Monthly Group Hikes 🧡

And a massive thank you to PIONEER CAMP for the continued support, the great gear and the gifts for everyone as they went down an absolute treat! 🙌

Same people. New routes. More memories.

Find your path. Find your people. 🧭