https://www.facebook.com/729645660241560/

The Navigation HUB, Colwyn Bay (2026)

24/08/2026

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.

24/08/2026

📝 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

20/08/2026

✖️ 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.

16/08/2026

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

10/08/2026

✖️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. 🧭

09/08/2026

FIELD NOTE 004

The Quiet

For years, I hiked with headphones.

Music gave me energy. It helped me find a rhythm, pushed me through steep climbs and made the miles disappear. Some songs are forever tied to memories I’ve made on the trail.

I still hike with them from time to time.

But over the last few years, I’ve started leaving them in my pocket more often.

Not because music is wrong.

Because I realised what I was replacing.

The mountains are one of the few places left where there is very little demanding your attention.

No notifications.

No traffic.

No advertising.

No endless scrolling.

No constant pressure to be doing something.

Just space.

Just time.

Just the quiet.

Yet I’ve noticed something over the years.

Many of us rush to fill that quiet.

I’ve done it myself.

People hiking with speakers echoing across an entire valley.

People walking with headphones from start to finish.

People reaching for their phone the moment they stop walking.

People talking simply because silence feels uncomfortable.

It’s almost as though we’ve forgotten how to simply exist without being entertained.

The strange thing is, the outdoors has its own soundtrack.

The wind moving through the grass.

Water finding its way over stone.

Birdsong carried across an empty hillside.

Your own breathing after a long climb.

The steady crunch of boots beneath your feet.

Those sounds are easy to miss.

Not because they’re quiet…

But because we’re rarely quiet enough to hear them.

The mountain never asks for your attention.

It simply waits until you’re quiet enough to notice it.

Collected on route.

—

09.08.2026

04/08/2026

Are you joining us this Saturday?

Please check the following:

- Have you confirmed your attendance on the Hiking Buddies UK Facebook event?

- Have you joined our WhatsApp group for updates? (More updates coming in the next few days)

See you there for another classic MGH and a free gift from Pioneer Camp ✖️⛰️

02/08/2026

FIELD NOTE 003

The Pace

For a long time, I thought the goal of a hike was simple.

Get to the summit.

The faster, the better.

I’d study the route, set a pace, keep moving, reach the top, take a photo as proof, and head straight back down.

Another Wainwright.

Another Nuttall.

Another mountain ticked off the list.

I left with another achievement, but not always another memory.

Looking back, I realise I spent years treating mountains like checkpoints instead of places.

The walk up became something to get through.

The summit became something to capture.

The descent became something to finish.

Somewhere in between, I forgot to experience the mountain itself.

These days, I still enjoy reaching the top.

But I no longer believe that’s the point.

Some of the best parts of a hike happen long before the summit.

The first glimpse of the ridge.

The sound of boots on stone.

The smell of pine after rain.

A conversation with a stranger.

The moment you stop, catch your breath, and realise just how small you are.

None of those moments can be ticked off a list.

They only happen when you slow down enough to notice them.

I’ve climbed mountains that I barely remember.

Not because they weren’t beautiful…

But because I was too busy chasing the next one.

Sometimes the pace we choose decides what we take home.

Collected on route.

—

02.08.2026

29/07/2026

Garbh Bheinn
Meaning of the name: Garbh Bheinn translates from Gaelic as “Rough Mountain.”
This officially entered itself into my top 3 favourite hikes so far to date. Obviously based on personal experience this hike had it all. Scramble, multiple infinity pools, cloud inversion and a Brocken spectre…

⛰️ Garbh Bheinn (Ardgour)
* Height: 886 m (2,906 ft)
* Prominence: 688 m (2,257 ft)
* Classification: Corbett, Marilyn, Trail 100
* Parent peak: Sgùrr Dhomhnuill
* OS Grid Reference: NM 904 622
* Latitude / Longitude: 56.704° N, 5.425° W
* Mountain range: Northwest Highlands (Ardgour)

26/07/2026

FIELD NOTE 002

The Viewfinder

I used to think reaching the summit was the reward.

I’d get there, pull out my phone before I’d even caught my breath, and start taking photos.

Wide shots.
Portrait shots.
Different angles.
Check them.
Retake them.
Maybe a video.
Maybe another one, just in case.

Only years later did I realise something.

Most of the views I remembered weren’t the ones I’d actually looked at.

They were the ones I’d seen through my phone.

Somewhere along the way, I’d turned the summit into a photoshoot instead of a moment.

Now I try to do something different.

When I reach the top, I leave my phone in my pocket.

Just for a minute.

I look around first.

I notice the wind.

The silence.

The movement of the clouds.

The shape of the valleys.

The feeling of finally standing somewhere I’d spent hours walking towards.

Then, if I still want to, I’ll take a photograph.

Because a camera is brilliant at capturing what a place looked like.

But it can never capture what it felt like to stand there.

Some views deserve more than a glance through a screen.

Some memories are better collected with your eyes than your camera.

Collected on route.

—

26.07.2026

The Navigation HUB

24/08/2026

24/08/2026

20/08/2026

16/08/2026

10/08/2026

09/08/2026

04/08/2026

02/08/2026

29/07/2026

26/07/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The School

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request