Friday Detours: 4th September 2020

4^th August 2020 | Words by Matt Jones @ WildBounds HQ

#1 Build your own canoe
Sales of canoes, kayaks and paddleboards are booming right now. But wouldn’t it be cooler to make your own? Yukan’s weekend workshops will teach you to build your own custom 10ft Canadian Canoe from eucalyptus plywood.

#2 Tors de force
Ultrarunner Jo Meek has smashed the Fastest Known Time (FKT) for the Nigel Jenkins Round on Dartmoor. The route connects 28 tors, a total distance of 122km (76miles) and 4,000m (13,000ft) of ascent, which she completed in an incredible 14 hours 29 minutes and 38 seconds.

#3 Rent a mountain for the night
Could you? Would you? Should you? In Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost main island, a tourism company is now offering the chance to hire an entire mountain for the night – complete with a cosy log cabin at the summit.

#4 Power of Now
In an impressive bit of bouldering, British climber James Squire has repeated Giuliano Cameroni's Power of Now (Font 8C/V15). This tough problem climbs through a 60-degree roof and features some massive moves. Remarkably, James managed it in a single session.

#5 Three exercises that will make you a better hiker
It’s not rocket science, but it is effective. Here’s a quick guide on how to squat, lunge and side-shuffle your way to the summit.