By: Blonde One
Now don’t get me wrong I love a holiday, whether it’s a short English city break or a fortnight somewhere exotic, but I am always glad to get back to Devon! I’ve just returned tonight and got the same sense of homecoming that I always get when I see the ‘Devon’ sign on the M5.
Whilst I was away this time I looked forward to investigating some outdoor shops that I knew were there waiting for me. There were 4 to choose from and I was very surprised at how different they were to Devon outdoor shops! These shops (in the South East of England), despite being national shops, were filled with a whole host of stuff that would not be found in their Devon counterparts. They were full of ski stuff! In not one of these shops did I find one trace of walking paraphernalia! What a shock! Do the people in the South East not go for walks? I know they don’t have the luxury of Dartmoor but nonetheless they do have beautiful countryside around them. How do they kit themselves out with walking poles, gaiters or compasses?
I appreciate the wonder of Kountry Kit in Tavistock more than ever now!
Tunbridge Wells has some great outdoor shops and I promise we go walking! Cotswolds and Blacks are fab there and Cotswolds is over 3 floors and has a great coffee shop in it too… 🙂
A walking shop with a coffee shop sounds almost like heaven to me! How lucky you are.
Try visiting the Reading area! Nightmare trying to get exped kit, although there is one shop specialising in climbing stuff, Altimus, that is fantastic, however when it comes to kit for army stuff, rubbish! I’m always slightly offended that Millets has the cheek to call itsself an outdoors shop.
How frustrating for you! I agree with your Millets sentiments, it’s really a shop for the townies. If ever you come down this way, you will have to stock up.
I find a lot of the larger chains don’t sell terribly appropriate stuff – 300 quid waterproofs that stop at your hips and short bodied base layers bring out my inner grumpy old man (probably great ice climbing with salopettes, but down here, really?).
Although this says more about my prejudices than anything else the sign of a ‘good’ outdoor shop is that it stocks, the admittedly pricey, Paramo, Buffalo or its Montane equivalent and Altberg brands and have staff who will say “Actually, you don’t really need that…” In the past I’ve found that Moorland Rambler in Exeter and quite a few places in North Wales fit that bill.
However, if we’re honest with ourselves, most people most of the time probably need no more than a decent sweater and a set of waterproofs from Mole Valley…
Everyone knows, Mr Woolly, that a girl needs some more attractive kit than a sweater and waterproofs from Mole Valley! You should know by now that the Two Blondes have to get the look just right! 🙂
In the spring you’ll have to persuade the Mr Blondes to take you on a getaway to Paris. Plan to cross the Seine across to the left bank, through St Germain-des-Prés and further into the Latin Quarter where you can… visit ‘Au Vieux Campeur’.
It’s made up of at least half a dozen shops spread over several streets, each one specialising in a particular product: tents, rucsacs, cooking, sleeping bags etc. Perhaps more international brands and a bit less of the idiosyncratically French stuff (Escargot capes! Wire stoppered water bottles!) compared to when I first went there, but it really is a series of Aladdin’s caves.
I suspect you’d have some trouble getting back to the Eurostar on time…
That’s it, I am going tomorrow – pack your bags Blonde One, forget work. We are off shopping (wishing on lone star).
: )