Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2017 i Trail

1 For a very long walk This National Trail gulps in all the must-see spectacles of the Brecon Beacons National Park in one 95-mile route, including Offa’s Dyke Path, Llanthony Priory, Table Mountain, Talybont Reservoir, Pen-y-Fan range, and the wilderness of The Black Mountain. The route was revised in 2016, so even veterans will find something new. 2 To treat your taste buds If you like your food, Abergavenny is fast gaining a reputation for its culinary creations. The Michelin-starred Walnut Tree Inn offers superb food in an informal and ambient setting, but if it’s a good Indian you’re after, The Kings Head has a pub with an open fire, and an Indian and Nepalese Restaurant attached (Regency 59) serving food from a highly acclaimed chef in the evenings, plus…

As served at... The George, Keswick Legendary among starving hillwalkers staggering into Keswick, the million-calorie (well, lots of calories anyway) Cow Pie is a serious task. Prime Cumbrian beef steak in shortcrust pastry – so a ‘proper‘ pie – this reward for a day on the hill even comes in two sizes. We recommend the large as you‘re almost guaranteed an awesome leftovers lunch on the hill the following day with the piece you didn't manage. Got a favourite meal in a post-hill hostelry? Email trail@bauermedia.co.uk…

My first hill was Kinder Scout. I was 15. I was blown away by it. I remember I particularly liked the clothes at the time… which is typical of me. Soon after that I saved up my money from the greengrocers I worked in and bought a pair of tweed plus fours, a pair of canvas gaiters and boots. At 17 I went off to the Atlas mountains and climbed Toubkal. Standing on rock and ice, looking at the Sahara desert... that was an extraordinary thing to do. Hillwalking was very different to anything my working-class friends were doing. This was me having middle class aspirations because of the kind of people that were doing it... it involved poetry. I remember in 1972 reading Lord of the Rings, then when…

‘‘Rename it the ‘sarnie jacket’ ... Makes lunch infinitely more pleasant.’’ Being nosy gets a bad name, but I think it’s one of my greatest habits. I love interrogating people about their kit and plans. I like watching them pack their rucksacks at the start of a hill day. I once learned how to tie my bootlaces differently because I was staring at a handsome stranger fiddling with his feet in the car park. If I could distil the tips I’ve learned over the years into a dense dose of advice for my younger, greener hillwalking self, here’s what I’d tell her. She probably wouldn’t listen, she’d be too busy staring at strangers, but still. 1 You probably don’t walk as fast as you think you do, especially up hills.…

Some places to spend the night you find by accident. But you don’t just stumble across Camasunary bothy. If you’re here, you’re here on purpose. Getting here is like a logistical assault course. Firstly, you have to get yourself to Skye – which takes some getting to on its own. Then you need to get yourself to Elgol, the storm-battered village clinging to the sharp end of the peninsula of Strathaird. This will take you approximately three times longer than it looks like it should, though with the scenery that unfolds around you as you go, you won’t be complaining. Then once you’re in Elgol, you leave on a skinny coastal trail that passes high above storm beaches, and is in places so slight you might be forgiven for thinking…

Q I always check the weather forecast before heading to the hills – mostly to try and avoid the rain! But I’ve never really got my head around what the wind speeds actually mean. What does a 40 mph wind feel like compared to a 10 mph breeze, and can I walk in it? Chris Oldman, Southampton Wind speed is a lot faster than it sounds. 40 mph might not sound like much in a ground-level world of motorways and fast trains but up on the hill, 40 mph is a gale and progress is seriously impeded. The Beaufort Scale has long been the most insightful windspeed measure thanks to its descriptive nature, so here, we’ve modified it for walkers:…

The UK’s most prestigious mountain photo competition is back for its fourth year – and in 2017, it’s going to be bigger than ever! Trail has partnered up with Fujifilm to offer not one but three amazing prizes worth a total of £3,000 – meaning there’s never been a better year to enter. Previous winners have gone on to appear on television, fill column inches in broadsheet newspapers and publish books – and last year saw thousands of entries compete for the grand prize, which was won by Ryan Simpson for his ethereal image of Pierce’s Castle in Northern Ireland. Could you be the next one to scoop the crown of Trail UK Mountain Photographer of the Year? Only one way to find out: get out there, get shooting –…

BUY IF ...you just need a really big case LOWE ALPINE AT WHEELIE 120 £210 This is essentially a very, very big case for those who want to lug their outdoor gear around in style – or those who would rather spirit large volumes of chinos and sun cream through the airport in the manner of a Serious Outdoors Person. There are 60 and 90 litre versions available for this; we picked the biggest as we were curious how big it was, and can confirm it is the largest case we’ve ever seen. It’s also the most purposeful and rather tough, too – the words ‘tossed from the roof of a lorry at 50mph’ appear in the product notes. Built from abrasion- and water-resistant fabric, it comes with a clever…

Sharp Edge may be short, but it's one of the Lake District’s finest scrambles – a true classic which provides ample challenge and interest over its razor-edged arête, with plenty of hand-on-rock moves and fantastic views to boot. But although short, it’s one to treat with respect, especially on its crux – where an awkward outward sloping 'bad step' descends as the ridge touches Foule Crag. And unless you’re extremely confident of your scrambling skills it’s definitely one to save for fine weather. Like Jack’s Rake, Sharp Edge has a Jekyll and Hyde character; in dry conditions the rock provides a lovely exciting challenge with reasonable grip. But in wet or icy conditions, especially if also windy, the rock gains a nasty slippery greasiness, which doesn’t combine well with the…

Being a sucker for Snowdonia, it took a long time, and many trips, for me to be convinced by the Lake District. This was the walk that swayed me, so I’m bringing you along to show you what an exciting pocket of action it is. Crinkle Crags sits above Oxendale with the Langdale Pikes, Bowfell and the Pike of Blisco as near neighbours. Starting at Old Dungeon Ghyll, with National Trust parking at the very end of the road, you’ll climb up the Band to Three Tarns and be treated to an awe-inspiring view of the Scafells. With Bow Fell to your right, you’ll turn left and start your climb towards Crinkle Crags; it’s a beautiful and very fun walk covering boulder-strewn terrain. With few well-defined paths, you’re able to…

The Cairngorms aren’t famed for their scrambling; the nature of the terrain tends to deliver either climbing or epic walking routes. The more broken ground that scrambling usually occupies is rather thin on the ground. But, if you know where to look, there are a few scrambling gems tucked away. The classic and most well-known is the Fiacaill Coire an t-Sneachda, this thin granite crest provides an exciting and airy grade 1 scramble onto the plateau amongst the grandeur of the Northern Corries. Further west, and away from the hubbub of the ski grounds, is the long and very lonely Gleann Eanaich. This deep glacial trough cuts into the heart of the Cairngorms between Glen Feshie and Braeraich and provides access to two other mountain adventures. To the east a…

1 NH988060 Head to the far right-hand end of the ski ground car park and pick up the path that heads south to cross the Allt a’ Choire Chais. The path turns southwest and is followed as it climbs steadily across the mouth of Coire an t-Sneachda. 2 NH985051 After crossing the Allt Coire an t-Sneachda, turn south and climb the broad ridge to the Fiacaill Coire an t-Sneachda. The going is fairly steady but there are rough sections of boulders and heather. Continue up the Fiacaill staying on the side facing Coire an Lochain. On reaching a shallow col the Fiacaill narrows and steepens. 3 NH987030 From the col the route climbs directly up the blocky crest straight-ahead with ever increasing exposure to the left. At half height the…

1 SN925184 Start at the end of the ‘Sarn Helen’ bridleway. Follow the well-made track north-eastwards over undulating terrain, crossing two streams, keeping the waters of the young Afon Llia on your right-hand side until you pass the source of the river. 2 SN943215 The bridleway continues northwards from a footbridge over the Nant Cwm-du. Turn right here instead onto the smaller track leading into the Craig Cerrig Gleisiad Nature Reserve. Head steeply uphill through Cwm Du, following the stream throughout. As the track peters out, strike out uphill to the north west to attain the broad spur of Fan Frynych. Head steadily uphill over several false summits until the trig point at the top is finally reached. 3 SN958228 Follow a rough track to the south east until you…

WE ALL KNOW it’s the outdoors that makes sleeping outdoors magical. But how you sleep outdoors is what is going to decide it for most people. For every committed wild camper there is a luxury-lover who wouldn’t consider stepping out of the comfort of their own home for anything less than a glamping Eden. For every family that likes to pitch up and put down roots for a week in a campsite idyll with a big tent, there’s the family who likes to load into the campervan and stay mobile on a tour of some of Britain’s wildest places. And for every camper who prefers the sumptuous surrounds of a valley there’s the adventurer who prefers to sleep on a mountaintop. How you choose to bed down for the night…

WAIT FOR THE SALE A lot of outdoor gear gets sold off when the next model comes out. Set up a Google alert for a particular model you’re after so you get the heads up whenever anything goes on sale, or bookmark sites like Go Outdoors. BUY SECONDHAND It’s never been easier for people to hook themselves up with the kit they need via people who want to offload it; either via sites like eBay and Gumtree, or more recently Freecycle or Shpock. There are some specialist sites out there for outdoor gear too – and it’s well worth checking these out as outdoor gear is generally built to last, so you’re likely to find something with years of life left in it. There has been some issues with counterfeiting,…

What do you think of when you hear the words ‘four seasons'? A An average day in the British hills, isn‘t it? Bring it on! B The temperature rating on my sleeping bag! Mmmm. Cosy! C Sounds cold. Maybe a nice warm cabin in the snow would be nice… D Oooh, those lovely hotels. What’s the best thing about camping? A Feeling close to the elements. B Feeling close to the landscape. C Feeling close to my family. D Feeling close to a bottle of whisky. What’s your ideal camping itinerary? A Peaks, peaks, peaks, peaks. B Peaks, pitch, pub, pint. C Park, paddle, picnic, Pimms. D Pulled pork, Prosecco, pillow. What’s the most uncomfortable place you’ve slept? A Top of a mountain. In a gale. B In a field,…

Everyone focuses on the mountains that stand above Glen Nevis - that is to say, the Mamores and Ben Nevis itself, which grab the attention their muscular presence commands. But wander into the area you could call the Back of the Ben with eyes less focused on the summits and you‘ll be rewarded with a rich, sumptuous landscape of wildwood, waterfalls and wanderings deep into the Steall Gorge and onward towards Rannoch Moor. This place is worth an exploration in itself: but if you still have mountains on your mind there’s plenty to amuse you. The Ring of Steall lifts off from here, as do all of Ben Nevis‘s quietest, wildest and most direct ascents. This month you‘ll catch it at its most verdant, but wait for a breezy day:…

Scafell Pike Lake District Here's Michał Nepszij , Sylwia Złotnik and Barbara Borgul from Chesterfield, with a great view of Wast Water, having enjoyed the amazing surroundings of the Scafell range. Summit Selfie Send your shots, marked ‘Summit Selfie’ to trail@bauermedia.co.uk Crib Goch Snowdon Daniel Chapman's mate Al (left) is moving to New Zealand, so they decided to scale one final UK peak before he goes. Daniel says it was the perfect day for a traverse of Crib Goch. Oh, and they had a beer up there, which kind of seals the deal. 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°C, its wedge profile maximises…

“Make a plan, right now, to go climb a new big hill far from where you live.” An email: Hi Alastair, How are you doing? Idea a bit out of left field... I am looking to introduce two new columnists to the mag. Give me a shout if you’d like to discuss? Best wishes... Simon, Editor. My thoughts: I want to spend the summer climbing hills not writing about hills. I know how badly magazines pay. My reply: Sure! I’d love to. So Simon sent me a bunch of past issues to study. Thumbing copies it dawned on me, with a shock, quite how little I knew about the UK. I was out of my depth! But it was this depth of adventurous beauty that convinced me. If nothing else,…

Paul Allen “The year was 2002. I had just lost my first ever tent to a particularly vicious storm and I was in need of a new refuge. One wise and well-versed wild camping friend, Larry, told me how good his Vaude Hogan was. It had even withstood an accidental stage dive from said owner after an incident with a bottle of whiskey. So, a Hogan became my bombproof, easy-to-pitch home-from-home on the hills. “Roll on to winter 2016 and with a short window of opportunity, I found myself on Grindslow Knoll. In the middle of the night, I had a strange sensation that the wall of the tent was hugging me in a cold, icy embrace. Had the dog performed the trick of pushing me off my mat and…

Q The Lake District is full of great views, making it almost impossible to choose a favourite! But which summit offers the best panorama in terms of the number of other peaks you can see? Becks Martin, St Helens Jeremy says Using geography, backed-up by personal experience, I would plump for High Raise, the non-descript grassy peak located at the radial point of the majority of valleys. Along with its neighbour Ullscarf, High Raise makes up the highest ground at the watershed amongst the central fells. This, along with the open nature of its summit, allows unrestricted views to almost all corners of the Lake District. During my time in Mountain Rescue (long before mobile phones) the VHF radios we had worked best with line of sight transmissions. Whilst covering…

High blood pressure affects 1 in 4 adults in England and is one of the biggest risk factors for stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular conditions. But keeping an eye on your blood pressure needn’t stop you from being active outdoors. Ideally, we should all be checking our blood pressure twice a day, but it’s simply not possible to visit a doctor on a daily basis. With the EVOLV all-in-one blood pressure monitor from Omron, you can do it from the comfort of your own home. And as recent research reveals, the majority of GPs agree that modern home blood pressure monitors can now be as accurate as the clinical equivalents used in doctors’ surgeries. Free from fiddly tubes and wires, the EVOLV is sleek, smart and simple to use…

It’s a brave brand that ditches a well established range of rucksacks for a whole new range, but that is exactly what Lowe Alpine has done by replacing its popular Attack range of packs with the Ascent range. The company describes its new range as designed for mountaineering, climbing, alpinism and ski touring but the Mountain Ascent 40:50 is an ideal all-purpose mountain pack for those that like to mix year-round rugged mountain days with mountain scrambles and the occasional night inside a bivvy bag, bothy, hut or hostel. Other models in the range are the Alpine Ascent 40:50 (£100), Ascent Superlight (£100), Alpine Ascent 32 (£90), Alpine Ascent 25 (£85), Peak Ascent 42 (£75) and Peak Ascent 32 (£70), which no doubt will have their fans among Trail readers…

ON YOU A ❑ SHORTS SALOMON Wayfarer Shorts £50 B ❑ BASE LAYER ICEBREAKER Everyday Short Sleeve Crewe £45 C ❑ SOCKS 1000MILE 2 Season Walking Sock £14 D ❑ LIGHTWEIGHT BOOTS MAMMUT Comfort High Guide GTX £170 E ❑ SUN HAT/CAP MONTANE Coda Cap £20 F ❑ SUNGLASSES JULBO Monterosa/Montebianco £140 G ❑ RUCKSACK DEUTER ACLite 26 £75 H ❑ WALKING POLES BLACK DIAMOND Trail Trekking Poles £70 IN YOUR PACK I ❑ FLEECE BERGHAUS Extrem7000 Hoodie £130 J ❑ BEANIE MONTANE Classic Beanie £20 K ❑ THIN GLOVES MONTANE Primino Gloves 140 £20 L ❑ INSULATED FLASK HYDROFLASK 21oz £27 M ❑ WATER BLADDER CAMELBAK Crux 2l £35 N ❑ SUN CREAM P20 200ml £16 O ❑ LIGHTWEIGHT WATERPROOF MAMMUT Ebba £150 P ❑ SOFTSHELL ICEBREAKER Cool-Lite Incline…

Welcome to Trail’s routes section: your cut-out-and-keep guide to the best days in the UK hills. Whether it’s an airy mountain scramble, a classic Lakeland fellwalk or a multi-day backpacking epic, you’ll find it here... written by experts, walked by you. WALK HERE THIS WEEKEND A route on Crinkle Crags gives great views of Bowfell p109 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: LFTO.com/trail100 Always take a map on the hill…

As the name suggests, The Wet Sleddale Horseshoe can be a bit ‘damp’ in some places! However, if you love wilderness country with few paths and a feeling of remoteness, then this route could be right up your street, so to speak. You’ll need to be a good navigator and use your map regularly - plus it will help if you feel comfortable being literally in the middle of nowhere! If this is ticking all your boxes then head for Wet Sleddale, choosing a day of clear settled weather to enjoy an interesting Eastern Lakeland day out. The valley is located close to Shap and The A6 and is not really well known to many Lakeland fell wanderers, with most visitors being dog walkers who don’t venture far from their…

The Upper Derwent Valley is beautiful and a lot of people know it. Slippery Stones, where the River Derwent runs down from the hills to Howden reservoir, is a popular picnic spot, where you can sit beneath the bleakness of the moors, beside tumbling water and not too far from your car. This route takes that in, but sidesteps onto the flanks of Bleaklow and explores much quieter valleys. It runs alongside the River Derwent while it still looks like a burn, winds between shaded trees and at the midpoint you get an exceptional view over the Peaks. There’s plenty of options for exploration and navigation is rarely tricky, making this a fantastic option for getting the kids or the family out. If you want to convince someone reluctant of…

1 NH915086 From the road head at Whitewell take the path east for 100m to join the Glean Eanaich access track. Turn right onto it and follow it all the way up the glen to steppingstones at the mouth of Loch Eanaich. 2 NN917998 Cross the stepping-stones and follow the path (Ross’s Path) west then south around the shore of Loch Eanaich. After 1.7km Ross’s Path starts to climb and traverses below the crags to reach the mouth of A’ Phòcaid (The Pocket), an aptly named hanging corrie on the flanks of Sgòr Gaoith. 3 NN906977 From the floor of A’ Phòcaid the onward route up the corrie head wall looks unlikely, but stick with it. It’s not as bad as it looks and it’s fairly straightforward to weave a…

The Black Mountain, or Y Mynydd Du, is a brooding hulk of wilderness set in the far west of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Not to be confused with the rolling slopes and spurs of the Black Mountains (plural) at the opposite end of the park, Y Mynydd Du is a place where dramatic escarpments rear up from the plains below, topped by a little-trodden interior sliced by streams and topped by a jumble of limestone outcrops. Despite its outstanding glacier-sculpted cwms and lakes, winding streams and fascinating karst landscape, this gem of the national park receives nowhere near the number of visitors of neighbour Pen y Fan. All the more reason to explore at a slow pace, enjoying the solitude. When combined with the long disused tramroads, Roman pathways…

1 SN886211 Park at the layby formed by the old road bridge, Pont Gihirych, immediately adjacent to the modern bridge. Enter the open access land at the western end of the bridge and head uphill for a few hundred metres to pick up a track heading south-west. After around 2.5km the track bends around to the south. Cross four streambeds and then head uphill to the east, reaching the summit of Fan Gyhirych after around 1.5km. 2 SN880190 From the trig point head eastwards, skirting the steep northern edge of Fan Gyhirych before descending to an obvious track, the remains of a 19th century tramroad. Follow this eastwards to the track junction at Bwlch y Duwynt. 3 SN902197 Head southwards and downhill to the head of a large stream before…

Do a first sweep of your mountain photos 1 The Mountain Photo of the Year competition is open and the winning image might be lurking on your hard drive. Do a first sweep of photos you’ve taken over the last year and create a shortlist of possible entries. You might find some potentials that you think can be improved with better light or a different focus… which is as good a reason as any to get back out in the hills this month. Spend the night in a bothy 2 Inspired by Camasunary? Get out for a weekend and spend a night in any one of the bothies all over the country. Check www.mountainbothies.org.uk for locations and the Bothy Code. Walk a hill not by the main route 3 Pick…

WHY? Glamping first caught the public’s eye around the late noughties. Its surge was more or less down to an image of Kate Moss in wellies at Glastonbury and the revelation that she was camping at the festival, but not just camping – this was camping with loos, Moroccan rugs, woodburners and phone chargers in a kind of fire-lit faux-Bedouin commune. Some bright spark coined the word glamping from ‘glamorous camping’ and it is now big business. Affordable luxurious corners, replete with safari tents and tipis, are popping up in the corner of many sites, while camping pods and shepherd huts offer a rustic mid-point between a tent and a building. Glamping retreats can cost as much as premium hotels, but with the right gear and an eye for investment…

Just about everything to do with Blencathra is perfect. Looming over the northern fringe of the Lake District, it’s probably the easiest big hill to get to in the National Park; its statuesque form standing free and proud of other ranges, convenient to those spilling off the big roads of northern England. And yet this splitter of a hill manages to offer the finest, most Lakeland of Lakeland views towards Derwent Water, into Borrowdale and towards the jostle of fells that layer back above Keswick. Climb Blencathra, and you could be nowhere else but in the heartland of England’s most mountainous national park. The feature that catches your eye immediately is the extraordinary, bite-shaped arête that shimmers in the sun on the mountain’s eastern flank: Sharp Edge. This ridge –…

In general, a healthy mix of information and inspiration delivered via the medium of comprehensive and comprehendible writing, revealing diagrams and illustrations, and appetite-whetting photography are the ingredients that make the best guides stand out. And let’s get straight to the point – this is up there with the best of them. Author Iain Thow has compiled all the headline Southern Highland scrambles (from Dumfries and Galloway in the south, to the Monadhliaths in the north-west and including the isles of Arran, Mull and Rum) along with a smorgasbord of lesser known routes which may have been off the reader’s radar. Indeed, the ‘acknowledgements’ suggest that around a third of the routes have not previously been recorded. With input from other expert writers, the geology, wildlife and history of Scotland…

Many people go to north Wales determined to climb Snowdon, especially if it’s for the first time. Some of the more confident among you may puff out your chests and brag about tackling the mountain by its notorious ridge, Crib Goch. Good for you. Your bragging rights are well deserved. From every angle, Crib Goch looks properly mean – it’s a thoroughly tempting route. Personally, Crib Goch has long been a battleground in my mind. A mental war with myself over my capability to tackle and enjoy such an exposed scramble, combined with a strange urge to conquer it. Every time I see it, it beckons me to take it on. What I want is to stand tall, and be proud to control my fear of walking on the edge.…

Total gridlock; every space in the car park was occupied and the narrow roadway choked with disappointed drivers turning their vehicles around and fighting against the flow of traffic. We’d left the car further back and opted to walk. A smart choice, it turned out. Bright days in the Lakes bring the crowds, and Skiddaw attracts its fair share. On paper, it’s easy to see why. The summit is the sixth highest in England and one of only two 3000+ feet (914.6 metres if you’re metrically inclined) English peaks outside of the Scafell Massif; the other being Helvellyn. Perhaps partly because of this popularity, Skiddaw’s also always had its detractors. Viewed from the gear-shop lined streets of Keswick, Skiddaw appears large but uninspiring. It’s green and rounded, lacking the rock…

LIFEVENTURE SILK ULTIMATE SLEEPING BAG LINER £52.99 A liner is a light and compact way to add warmth to your sleep system. It’s also perfect for reducing the need to wash your sleeping bag – an awkward chore. This silk liner is treated with Polygiene to inhibit bacteria and keep the liner feeling (and smelling) cleaner for longer. www.lifeventure.com FALKE COOL UNDERWEAR BOXER £39 Created for use in mild to warm weather, Falke’s range of Cool Underwear (which includes these boxer s horts for men) uses synthetic construction to wick moisture rapidly, dry quickly, and maintain next-to-the-skin comfort, while ventilation zones ensure a tempera ture regulating airflow. www.falke.com BRIDGEDALE COOLFUSION TRAILBLAZE £16.49 Blending merino wool and man-made fibres to create a soft, light and highly-breathable sock, with the added benefit…

Like all good things, the Cairngorms National Park takes a bit of effort. For anyone living south of the border, you could fly to some foreign destination in the time it takes you to drive there… However, for anyone that loves the hills, this is one trip you must do. And a cosy shepherd’s hut lost in the glory of the countryside is guaranteed to get you closer to the heart of this wild place. But be warned, once you’ve sampled some of the best walking and glamping in Scotland, you may just be spoiled for life. The hut is situated in the grounds of Inshriach Estate, near the River Spey and five miles from Aviemore, and is the perfect spot to devour the three Cairngorm routes in our Ultimate…

This is a fabulous Snowdonia mountain day. It has a bit of everything we love about this legendary landscape: a feeling of remote quietness, navigating through mountainous terrain, rugged rock to scramble through, high mountain plateau, notable summits and descent routes that will still pose route finding choices to hone your skills! And it’s a good long day – best for dry conditions with some extended daylight. Travel across two summits named after ancient Welsh princes of Gwynedd, thought by many to be Llywelyn the Great (born in 1172) and his son Dafydd ap Llywelyn. ‘Carnedd’ in Welsh means ‘Cairn’, with Carnedd Llewelyn being Snowdonia’s second highest peak (defined by relative height) to Snowdon. After stretching the legs on a longer than average walk-in, the northern cwms of Carnedd Dafydd…

The Pentland Hills Regional Park, which sits on the southwestern edge of Edinburgh, covers an area of 35 square miles. The rolling outline of the hills, including Scald Law (the highest point of the Pentland Hills) and Carnethy Hill, grant a conspicuous sight for many miles around while the paths that criss-cross the glens and peaks offer a wonderful diversity of walking opportunities. One of the best routes takes in Caerketton, Allermuir Hill and Capelaw, which form the focal point of the Park’s northern aspect. Both Caerketton and Allermuir Hill rise to over 457m (1500 feet) in height (Capelaw just scrapes under this mark) and consequently the views across the flatter plains of Lothian to Scotland’s capital city, then onwards along the gorgeous coastlines of East Lothian and Fife, are…

Choose a photo that sums up a moment that made you feel on top of the world, and you could be in with a chance of winning a range of beautifully designed rucksacks from Lowe’s latest collection. It could be a day when you walked further or climbed higher than you thought you could, a special walk with family or friends, or a moment when you overcame adversity that left you feeling fantastic. As long as it’s a moment that felt out of the ordinary, in the outdoors, it’s in with a chance! Lowe Alpine rucksacks are packed with 50 years of experience, so the prizes include everything from cool vintage day-packs based around the brand’s heritage to the very latest technical hillwalking rucksacks. All you have to do to…

WHY? Even the most committed outdoors person has to appreciate that when you have a family, life moves on: suddenly it’s not all about you anymore, and you have to consider the fact that other people might not be quite as sold on the al fresco life as you are. The solution is getting your family out there – and making that first experience of camping one they’ll want to repeat. There are plenty of ways to achieve this, and it’s never been easier to get your family camping. But you will still need the four 'R's: the right site, the right weather, the right kit… and the right ideas. Nail the first time, and they’ll love it for life. Whether you’re camping with little kids or teenagers, there are…

WHY? Campervanning is one of those things that, until you’ve had a go, you might be a little mystified as to the appeal. But when combined with the motivation to explore and cover distance, a camper van is about as close to perfection as you can get. For the sake of variation, we’re generally talking about the more nomadic kind of campervan adventure, as parking up on a campsite with a van is essentially just comfortable camping on wheels. But being out on the open road, with the world on your doorstep, is a fabulous way of covering ground quickly and experiencing much more from a short break than you ever thought possible. DRIVE!  5 top UK campervan experiences PEMBROKESHIRE AND THE BRECON BEACONS Some fine roads skirt the Brecon…

WHY? The joy of waking up next to a chuckling stream or high on a mountaintop with clouds around you having slept wild, is one that is tough to beat. There are fewer purer experiences to be had in the hills – aside from anything else, you get to witness the two most dramatic and beautiful moments of the day (sunrise and sunset) and the most extreme (the darkness) – the feeling of which you’re unlikely to forget in a hurry. Humans are programmed to operate by day and scurry home by night, so when the sun goes down and you’re still on a hill it’s entirely natural to feel slightly… uneasy. But spending the night on a hill isn’t any different to spending the day on a hill; it…

WHY? Call it what you like – extreme camping, tarping, bivvying – it all basically means camping without a proper tent, and either embracing the wild or making do with a lot less than a glamper would consider acceptable for a night’s sleep. While the disadvantages may be detailed as a less comfortable or secure experience, the advantages are much more measurable: you have a lighter backpack so can get to more places with fewer blisters, and your connection with the outdoors becomes that much closer. WHAT IS... THE 7KG RULE? It’s said that the body starts to notice weight on the back in a truly detrimental way when your load exceeds 7kg – which means if you can get what you need into a rucksack and stay under this…