I called in here to exchange a coat last week, actually on behalf of someone else who didn't have…read morethe time. Alex was very friendly on the phone and explained what coats and colours were available in the same price range. After my friend made a choice I whizzed down to New George Street. Alex couldn't have been more helpful and I changed the coat over before having a look around the store. It was larger than I'd expected and there's certainly a lot of quality stuff on sale. I was tempted by some of the colourful outdoor clothes and backpacks but didn't buy anything on that occasion.

Situated at the bottom end of town by the market, this is a great store for all things outdoors! It…read morehas clothes on the entrance floor and then go downstairs for boots, sleeping bags etc. Prices are reasonable and staff are very friendly and helpful. Products are well discounted in the sales so always worth a look then. This store is ideal for the general product as well as more specific sports items and they are quite happy for staff to just browse but are also available if you need help without being pushy about it- nice to have a store where the staff are not just behind a till.

The time came to kit myself out with a new pair of walking boots so I ventured out to Darts Farm…read moreShopping Village as Cotswold Outdoor has a relatively large retail space there. Darts Farm presents a surprisingly wide array of shops selling anything from fresh fish to a gaudy Emma Bridgewater Aga. It is the sort of place that can end up costing you a small fortune as those little bits and pieces that you pick up as you wander around start to add up pretty quickly! I am ordinarily a Tiso man through-and-through but finding myself residing in the South West it is a bit of a trek to one of their excellent stores! The position of my favoured outdoor kit shop is open so this was a chance for Cotswold Outdoor to make a claim for the crown... I must admit that I was not expecting much when I browsed the selection of climbing boots... this is not a slight on their range but in previous visits to other Cotswold Outdoor shops I have not felt at all valued as a customer. On this occasion the service I received was nothing short of excellent! My feet were measured to a level of detail that I have not experienced since I was fitted for my current pair of orthotics. The length and width of my feet were measured both while I was sitting and whilst standing. This info was then used to provide guidance on suitable boots for my feet. Three different pairs of boots were then brought out from the stockroom to be tried on and tested (albeit in a slightly limited manner). Where Tiso wins out, particularly at their 'Experience' stores, is the rough terrain areas on which you can test the footwear. Here, I had to make do with a stomp up and down a short ramp to mimic my foot movement within the boots akin to ascending and descending some eminence and a brisk wander around the store. I made my choice of boots and duly paid for them, leaving the shop with a lighter wallet and feeling valued as a customer, but still longing for Tiso...

This is a real shop for outdoor stuff. Not a shop that has fashion stuff under the guise of a…read morespurious sport. In Cotswold you can get proper walking boots, real fell-running shoes, those ropey things that climbers use (you may guess that I'm not a climber), proper real coats, tents, hats... you get the idea. There's also gadgets like tripods for attaching to jungle branches and ways of finding your way in the desert. The staff know what Gortex and gaiters are. Not sure why it's called Cotswold as the stuff in here seems designed for ground that's a lot more challenging and rugged than the tame Cotswolds.

Best shop for technical outdoor clothing in Swansea, with Jay and the guys really looking after…read moreyou. Some top sales too!

Firstly, this was listed on Yelp under "Fashion" and I have no idea why. I tried to change it to…read moreSporting Goods, but I am not sure it worked. Secondly, this is my favorite store in all of Exeter. My two favorite kinds of stores are "Army/Navy" stores (Military Surplus) and "Junk stores" (tools, electrical bits, parts, etc). It should be noted that "junk" is not a pejorative term in this case. This place combines my two favorite kinds of stores into one! If I am ever back in Exeter, I will make a bee-line for Exeter Surplus! It's a little hard to find, but my GPS found it for me. PS They have a website: http://www.exetersurplus.com

Honestly the best camp site I've EVER been to. Ever…read more The main USP of this place is its privacy. Pitches are hidden away and branch off from bumpy walking paths and are surrounded by woodland. The pitches are so far apart from each other that you'll often forget you have neighbours. An awesome option which I tried for the first time here, as we were only staying for one night, are the pre-erected tents. It felt like a bit of a cop out but was an absolute godsend. When we arrived, we were shown to the load/unload point nearest to our spot. Depending on where you're located on the site, you then use their huge wheelbarrows to lug your gear to your spot which could be anywhere from a 1-6 minute walk-ish. Most, if not all of the pitches come with a handmade canopy area and some kind of hand crafted seating arrangement / bench area which can vary in quality dependant on what you've paid. The pre-erected tent that we paid for came with EVERYTHING. A washing up area with water butt, bowl, washing up liquid, tea towels; a kitchenette type arrangement with gas, cooker (2 hobs), kettle, and a big cupboard which contained all your kitchen utensils and cutlery etc. Oh, and a coolbox too! Although it was a bit knackered due to squirrels trying to break and enter... We also had a real charming dining area with a big table and benches which where made by the owner's son. SO impressed. Additionally as part of this package we got a fire pit/grill thing so we obviously had a BBQ for dinner and breakfast. Fuel is available to buy from the reception for a decent price. Everything here is GREEN - they really pride themselves on being environmentally friendly. They're big on recycling and enthusiastic about respecting your surroundings. Some of their rules can be a bit confusing, mainly if you've had a few beers before visiting the bathroom... There are two toilets in a cubicle. One for 1s and another for 2s! Also no flush, just a jug, and some sawdust. Totally fine though. On site there's a little cafe which is only open at certain times, I didn't get chance to visit but seemed lovely. There's a communal washing up point for the visitors who don't have their own, and a freezer for you to help yourself to ice packs for your cooler - they've really thought of everything to make your stay as easy as possible! The owners are great, too. Dead interesting characters and so friendly and helpful. And they own goats, dogs, and chickens! Think they might be my idols. Living the dream.