Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2016 i Trail

Back to school! That familiar call to the classroom can sound like a death knell for free-range kids; but for grown-ups it should signal your time to get back to the mountains ASAP. Come the end of the summer holidays, the crowds vanish and you get the place to yourself. Take a look at this picture... recognise it? That’s Snowdon – and very rarely is it this quiet. There are few days indeed where you have the chance to stand up there alone and quietly absorb the entire panorama. And this sudden solitude couldn’t come at a better time, as the hills in late summer are magical. The days before October, though they’re shortening, are still long enough to get a decent multi-summit yomp in. The midges vanish. A particular…

Scafell Pike, Snowdon or Ben Nevis? Definitely Ben Nevis. The north face holds so many great routes for all abilities both in summer and winter. Highest mountain climbed? L’Aiguille Verte, 4122m [French Alps]. Who’s your mountaineering hero? [Canadian climber] Barry Blanchard. Having been to Canada last year and seen the huge committing faces he was doing back in the Eighties is really inspiring. What do you love about mountains? Being out in the open, the views, the sense of adventure and the unknown. Most memorable day in the outdoors? Soloing the Cuillin Ridge this winter [15 February 2016] was a very special day. Alone and moving fast on an Alpine ridge that I looked at every day on the bus to school growing up is something I will never forget.…

Forgive the unusual approach, but we’re going to start at the end. It’s late on a gorgeous afternoon. The sun is still high and warm, but shadows are starting to lengthen. Tom and I are sitting outside the Prince Llewelyn pub in Beddgelert, supping well-earned pints of Trooper. It’s going down well as we chat to a couple on the table next to us about their holiday. When they ask us what we’ve been up to, we gesture over our shoulders toward the increasingly silhouetted outline of the mountain hanging over the village. The couple’s eyes widen. “You’ve been up that? Crazy buggers!” As perfectly pleasant as they are, these are not mountain people. Moel Hebog is hardly threatening in stature. It looms, yes – but less like a bully…

Among hilarious handles, ‘The Devil’s Point’ falls flat. This whopping wedge of Cairngorms granite may be mighty impressive to look at; but as mountain monikers go it’s a limp let-down, a king-sized flop. Once upon a time, however, it was a lot funnier. As usual it’s the fault of the Victorians. Weird era, that. Show them a hungry orphan and your average top-hatted toff might barely have batted an eyelid; yet a mere flash of lady’s ankle would cause explosions of red-faced outrage. In an age when respectability was all, even table legs were – allegedly – veiled with modest lace doilies. From the drawing rooms into the mountains, Scotland’s first hillwalkers carried their pathological prudishness with them like a sword. An obvious target for cartographic amputation was Bod an…

Mountain jokes are thin on the ground. Genuinely funny mountain jokes even more so. We’ve scoured the Web and the recycling bins at the Christmas cracker factory and come up with a handful that, in the right circumstances, could pass as mildly amusing. Possibly. Q: Why are Snowdonia, the Lake District and the Cairngorms so funny? A; Because they are hill areas. Q: How do the locals predict the weather in Fort William? A: If you can see Ben Nevis it’s going to rain. If you can’t see Ben Nevis, it’s raining. Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson go wild camping in the hills. After a long walk-in and a hearty meal, they decide to turn in for the night. As they zip up their sleeping bags, the great detective turns…

A TREKKING POLES Poles are extremely useful items to have on the hill. They take pressure off the knees and can prop up your tarp or tent. These ones weigh just 316g per pair. PICTURED: Fizan Compact £60 B BACKPACK At 770g this 30 litre Osprey rucksack is a good weight while still featuring comfortable support and padding. PICTURED: Osprey Tempest 30 £90 C WATERPROOF TROUSERS A combination of rain and wind can chill you quickly. Don’t risk ruining your day when these trousers from Montane weigh 140g, pack down to just over the size of an apple (and are much more squashable). PICTURED: Montane Minimus Pants £100 D SLEEPING MAT If you’re looking to cut down on weight, check out the Exped Synmat Hyperlite M mat at 344g. There…

Hill-bagging stats Walking the Wainwrights, the Munros, the Corbetts or the Welsh 3000ers? These routes have got you covered. Gradient profile We map every route for its unique gradient profile, giving you a pinpoint impression of its progressive steepness and the heights you’ll hit. What are the Trail 100? They’re your tick-list of the 100 UK mountains you MUST climb! Download the full list from: bit.ly/trail100 Always take a map on the hill We aim to provide the most accurate information, but you must ALWAYS use an Ordnance Survey or Harvey map on the hill and double-check any directions against it. BEFORE YOU GO... If you’re likely to encounter snow or ice on your walk you need to take precautions. You MUST have ice axe, crampons and the skills to…

Hidden away in the remote fells south-west of Eskdale lies the picturesque Devoke Water – the largest tarn in the Lake District. Often overlooked as a wild, bleak and desolate place, it is one of the few areas left in the Lake District that offers genuine peace and tranquillity. The little-known surrounding fells make for an excellent circuit, starting and finishing from the Birker Fell road, and affording some of finest views of the Duddon Valley and much of western Cumbria including the estuaries of both the River Esk and River Duddon. Leaving the quiet shoreline of Devoke Water and climbing the first of many grassy slopes, you reach White Pike where the route reveals itself on the skyline as a succession of well-defined summit cairns. How you get to…

The shapely, symmetrical cone of Beinn Dorain rising proudly from valley floor to crag-rimmed peak is an inspiration to many a weary West Highland Way walker en route to Bridge of Orchy. Add in the graceful, curving railway bridges of the West Highland Line around the Gleann Achadh-innis Chailein beside it, and it must be one of the best-recognised views in Scotland. The serious hillwalker, however, finds a lovely, curving ridgeline complete with multiple outcrops and rocky, slabby bits. Navigation can be tough in poor visibility, and this may be how The Englishman’s Cairn (Cairn Sasunnaich) got its name. Apparently a Gaelic joke, this alludes to the fact that English walkers may have a rather less than great sense of navigation. The reality, though, is that even Scotsmen have been…

1 SS204070 Turn left out of the car park and join the South West Coast Path where the road turns sharply right. Follow the coast path towards the sea and then in a northerly direction. The path runs along the top of cliffs above Northcott Mouth (NT car park), and Sandymouth and Duckpool (NT car park) beaches. 2 SS202116 Continue north on the coast path from Duckpool beach passing the spectacular fins of Lower and then Higher Sharpnose. Reach Hawker’s Hut where you can deviate inland to Morwenstow if you wish. 3 SS198150 Continue north above Yeol Mouth, taking in the views out to Gull Rock and Devil’s Hole, to reach the Iron Age hill-fort at Embury Beacon. Carry on northwards to the waterfalls at Speke’s Mill Mouth. 4 SS225235…

There is literally no comparison to the mountains of Assynt. Once a little part of America, these monoliths are composed of the oldest rock in the UK, and they rise out of the surrounding landscapes like monuments to the past. Having stood witness to the Highland Clearances and some landmark community land buy-outs, they are immersed in rich cultural history; but it is their prominent peaks and striking ridges that make them such a draw, and one of the finest places to spend a long weekend walking. And, just in case that doesn’t tempt you, know this: the pies at the Lochinver Larder are ace! TRANSPORT There are buses from Ullapool to Lochinver; contact Traveline for times 0871 200 2233 www.travelinescotland.com PUBS/GRUB The Caberfeidh in Lochinver (01571) 844321 www.thecaberfeidh.co.uk Lochinver Larder…

At the beginning of August it was reported by Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team that a notorious hazard in a Scafell gully has finally collapsed. The large perched block or ‘chockstone’, which had been wedged across the col at the head of the steep chute of Lord’s Rake following a 2002 landslip, fractured overnight and fell down the rake. Fresh loose rock on a route already plagued by scree is hardly welcome. But most consider the fall of the boulder a good thing; for years its precarious position at the top of Lord’s Rake has been disquieting, and it has given any trip up the gully a rather unwelcome edge. Luckily, the chockstone fall happened overnight and there were no casualties. But it could easily have been different – and that’s…

AONACHEAGACH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS Here’s Ben Ball with his dad Brian Ball, after “an exhilarating traverse” of Aonach Eagach. Ben said the 77-year-old has been a keen hillwalker all his life, but never had the opportunity to complete this epic ridge scramble until June this year. Each issue we’ll be giving away the new Summit 25/38 mattress from Multimat’s Expedition range. New materials make this self-inflating sleeping mat tougher and lighter for durability on unsupported expeditions. Tested to -35 deg C, its wedge profile maximises comfort and minimises weight, while a warm zone improves tog value under the torso. THIS COULD BE YOU! Send your shots, marked ‘Summit selfie’ to trail@bauermedia.co.uk www.multimat.uk.com…

MONTANE SURGE £300 Hot because: Montane is the first outdoor technical brand to receive a Gore licence in over a decade. Many of its new products take advantage of this, and the Surge is certainly one of the most relevant to hillwalkers. The Gore C-Knit backer has been created to be comfortable next to the skin as well as waterproof. As a result, the Surge is a lightweight and highly breathable shell whose design offers plenty of features that hillwalkers like to find in a jacket: a wired, fully adjustable hood; backpack-compatible hand pockets with AquaGuard zips and waterproof lining; adjustable cuffs and hem. This is not a jacket for Himalayan conquests or winter climbs of Alpine north faces. But comfort, reliability and performance – characteristics that are just as…

Great products come about when great materials are combined with great design. So when Pertex Quantum CS-10 was released recently, promising greater durability without added weight, it was good to see Montane had chosen to use the fabric in its new Featherlite Down Pro Pull On, as the brand has rarely put a stitch wrong when designing jackets in recent years. Pertex Quantum CS-10 uses unique diamond-shaped nylon filaments that lock together tightly to provide a more stable construction, which in turn increases abrasion resistance and improves water repellency. According to Pertex, CS-10 has more than twice the abrasion resistance of fabrics using traditional circular filaments. But this new fabric is also soft and flexible to the touch, is extremely downproof, and looks good when built into a garment. To…

Scope out this adventure from the very accessible Coedydd Aber National Nature Reserve, and you won’t be disappointed. From a landscaped wooded trail to bilberry, heathers, boulders and rough grass up high on the remote plateau of the Carneddau, there is variety and challenge in many guises! You’ll do well not to be enticed into the wonderful native woodlands of Coedydd Aber; but your eye will stray upwards, past the impressive Aber Falls and on to the steep slopes leading to Bera Mawr. This walk delivers massively on clear-sky days. Catch a rough path that wends it way through scree and up past Aber Falls (NB: one vegetated, rocky diagonal step requires attention) and break into a wilder valley with Bera Mawr’s jumbled heap of volcanic boulders above. Cross the…

The Trossachs may be a chocolate-boxy kind of place, full of day trippers, coach parties and tearoom visitors; but don’t be fooled by the genteel veneer – this small corner of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park is also prime hillwalking country. With its lush woods and clear lochs nestled between small but rugged hills, the atmosphere is reminiscent of the English Lake District – and Ben Venue is the star attraction. First coming to prominence in Sir Walter Scott’s romantic poem The Lady of The Lake, wildly popular in the 19th century but practically unreadable today, ‘huge Benvenue’ is short in stature and yet lacks for nothing in character. Rising steep and rocky from dense woods to a knobblebacked summit, its stand-alone location makes for some massive…

1 SS234246 From the campsite, either follow the signed path back to the coast path and then turn right to reach Hartland Quay or turn left onto the road outside the campsite and follow this down to Hartland Quay. From the quay head north along the coast path, following the spectacular cliff top to Hartland Point. 2 SS231275 Enjoy spectacular views from Hartland Point and the light house – built in 1874 to guard the headland – and the wonderfully named Tense Rocks. On a clear day you can see across to Lundy Island and south Wales. From here the coast path heads east and then south east to the ancient Iron Age hill-fort at Windbury Point. 3 SS286266 Continue on the coast path in a south-easterly direction. The trail…

1 NC107219 Starting from the parking area on the road to Glencanisp Lodge, continue along the road and take a left fork to pass behind the lodge. From here head right, the road becoming a gravel track with great views ahead of Suilven and Canisp. 2 NC147209 At Suileag, 4.5km from the start, the track splits. Here you take the right fork to pass in front of a lovely old wall of a sheiling (shepherd’s hut). This brings you alongside the Abhainn na Clach Airigh. The track crosses the river via a bridge just beyond Lochan Buidhe. From here, climb gently until you reach a cairn. 3 NC167196 From the cairn turn off the track onto a path to the right (this is before the second bridge marked on the…

1 NC232273 From the car park, cross the A894 to take the small path that starts on the opposite side of the road. This good path heads gently up towards the large east corrie of Quinag and Lochan Bealach Cornaidh. It passes above the lochan, with its tantalising sandy beach, on its north side to come to steeper slopes below the Bealach a’ Chornaidh. 2 NC206282 Instead of climbing directly to the bealach, take the path off to the right to double back on yourself and traverse steeply north-east up onto the shoulder of Sail Gharbh by a large cairn. 3 NC203289 From here, head right along the broad, rocky shoulder to reach the summit of Sail Gharbh. (808m). To the south you see the rocky buttresses of your last…

There’s no actual mountain named Coledale; instead this magnifent horseshoe is named for Coledale Beck, around which it rises. Only a few kilometres from Keswick and encompassing seven summits plus one mile-long ridge, and all bound up with mostly clear paths, it’s one of the northern Lakes’ best walks – yet it’s relatively little-trodden. Which is equally a shame and a grand thing, because once you’ve got the initial pull up Grisedale Pike out of the way, the lilting course is a delight. Up here you have striking views, swooping contours and shadowy crags. All in one perfect 16km loop.…

I have just read the proposal re: cyclists in the hills. My initial reaction was “Yes, why not?” – and then I got to thinking. With the rise in militant cyclists, is this really going to work? Imagine walking up the Pyg Track on a sunny day when DING DING “Move over!” comes in your ears, all riders equipped with headcams to record walkers who are too slow to react. Obviously, there are sections that are totally unsuited to bikes; but there are plenty that are. A further concern is how long before trail motorbikes are permitted on the paths. There are parts of the hills that are suitable for both walkers and cyclists, but I think a little selectivity is in order. Roger Smithies, via email The claim that…

Do you know what they call mountains in Wales? Mynyddoedd. We bet, unless you’re Welsh, you didn’t know that. We bet more of you knew the French for mountain – montagne – than the Welsh. And that’s just one of the things that makes north Wales quite unlike anywhere else. It’s mysterious. Splintered, slate-plundered peaks within a spit of the sea, the landscape here is by turns brutal and beautiful. And for the adventurous walker, there are few places with such potential for adventure in such a relatively compact area. North Wales (by which we don’t just mean Snowdonia; the National Park misses a lot) is a place with it all – from classic climbs to ancient mythology. So enjoy the next 16 pages, designed to offer a bucketload of…

“Beyond the likes of Sgurr an Iubhair, Am Bodach and Stob Coire a’ Chairn, the Nevis massif raises its crown above the horizon.” Beelzebub, Lucifer, Simon Cowell – whatever name you attribute to him, it seems Old Nick is a prolific hillwalker. The Devil’s Kitchen in Snowdonia; The Devil’s Point in the Cairngorms (more on this on page 54); The Devil’s Punchbowl on Arran; he gets about. But while these mountainous landmarks certainly have a touch of the mildly malevolent about them, it’s hard to find anything particularly sinister about the Devil’s Staircase. It’s a well-marked, easy-to-follow, not overly steep section of the West Highland Way (WHW) that takes walkers from the roadside in Glen Coe up to the saddle between Stob Mhic Mhartuin and Beinn Bheag beyond the eastern…

Great Calva rises to an impressive 690m/2,265ft. A prominent feature of Lakeland’s Northern Fells, it towers in the wilderness country ‘Back o’ Skiddaw , taking the distinct pyramidal shape that we love our mountains to be. On the summit you feel as though you are miles from anywhere, and the all-round panoramas are magnificent. This walk has a real remote flavour to it, and takes you into some hidden parts of the Lake District that may surprise you. It also visits the Scottish-looking Whitewater Dash falls and follows a wonderful track that winds its way through some fairly inhospitable terrain. The falls tumble impressively at the head of the Dash Valley, where the only dwelling is the remote Dash Farm; guidebook writer Alfred Wainwright considered these falls to be the…

Visible from miles around, Pen y Fan sits above Brecon in south Wales. Its distinctive shape draws tourists from all over, and for good reason: it’s a great walk. Cefn Cwm Llwch is a beautiful long and rolling ridge that climbs straight onto the summit of Pen y Fan itself. If you take this route you’ll miss out Corn Du, but you’ll also avoid the crowds approaching via the popular southern tracks. Starting from Brecon, this walk boasts fabulous views of the Beacons themselves as well as out to the Black Mountains on the western side of the National Park. You’ll get some good climbing in short, sharp bursts with an element of exposure as you approach and descend the two summits. Try to stick to the paths where you…

The South West Coast Path runs for 630 undulating miles from Poole in Dorset to Minehead in Somerset. Away from the tourist hot spots, this north Devon section is one of its hidden treasures: an ever-changing landscape packed with glorious views, engaging walking and fascinating geology. For example, do find time to drop down to the shore and admire the intriguing formations of heavily folded Devonian sandstone. Pitching your tent and watching the sun sink into the sea at Hartland is a fitting end to day one. And Peppercombe Bothy, your second overnight stop, makes a perfect, restorative hideaway. TRANSPORT Trains to Barnstaple www.nationalrail.co.uk 08457 484950; buses from Barnstaple to Bideford or Bude via Hartland Traveline 0871 200 2233 www.traveline.info PUBS/GRUB The Bush Inn Morwenstow (01288) 331242 www.thebushinnmorwenstow.com; Hartland Quay…

1 SS383240 Leave the bothy and head down the track back to the coast path. Join the path on the right just before the bridge and follow it in a north-easterly direction. The coast path undulates along the top of the cliff until you join the old dismantled railway for the last couple of kilometres to the beach at Westwood Ho! 2 SS431292 The coast path follows the track along the top of the shingle bank above the beach and joins the access road to the car park for about a kilometre. Pass Sandymere and continue on the coast path around the golf course and Northam Burrows Country Park. The path follows the edge of the land around until you reach the car park near Appledore. 3 SS449312 Follow coast…

1 NC250216 Start at the car park at Inchnadamph. Follow the main road north to cross the bridge then take the track to the right. Here you pass by the turning to the hostel and a few houses with the track continuing into Gleann Dubh alongside the picturesque River Traligill. Ignore a path off to the left just before you cross a bridge. Soon you come to Glenbain Cottage, from where the track becomes a path with some boggy sections. 2 NC270210 The path splits with the right fork crossing the river to the Traligill caves, worthy of a detour now or on the return. To continue to the peaks, take the left fork to follow a small, gentle path along the left-hand side of the river, passing pretty pools…