Since completing the Wainwrights, I've noticed that during the autumn & winter months, as the weather becomes more unpredictable, that I've been moving more towards wildlife photography - still getting into the outdoors, but staying lower down in woodland & in the valleys. One creature I had yet to see, due it it being endangered in England & Wales, is the beloved Red Squirrel. This is the UK's only native squirrel species, which, unfortunately since the introduction of the Grey Squirrel from America in the 1870's has led to the Red's decline. Prior to the Grey's introduction, there was estimated to be 3.5 million Red Squirrels across the British Isles, whereas today that has dropped significantly to somewhere in the region of 140,000, with three quarters of the population living in Scotland. The Grey's are larger than the Reds, and out-compete the Reds for food. Additionally the Grey's carry the Squirrel Pox virus, which if contracted by a

  2019 saw me complete quite a few of the objectives I had set myself at the start & throughout the year, including: Completed the 214 Wainwright Fells Completed the Ullswater Way First Welsh Wild-camp First Yorkshire Wild-camp Saw my first wild Red Squirrel Saw my first Starling Murmuration Got out to see the Red Deer Rut Walked around Derwentwater Got 16 wild camps in the bag (or should that be rucksack?) Now its time to start afresh for the new decade, and to start it off right, I've set myself the following goals for 2020: First Scotland Wildcamp Finish the Welsh 3000's First Peak District Wildcamp Wildcamp Yorkshire - Whernside & Fountains Fell Complete the 10 Highest Mountains in England by climbing Cross Fell (Eden Valley, North Pennines) and finally, for now, wild-camp at least once per calendar month.....