Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2019 i Trail

For staunch lovers of the Lake District, sometimes it’s hard to truly explain the appeal of hillwalking in Wales. Too wet, too grey, not enough nice pubs... these are just a clutch of common grumbles. Everyone knows it’s rough and ridgey, dramatic and slightly dangerous, but otherwise they’re blissfully ignorant to everything that makes it such a special place to explore on foot. What they really need to know is that – unless you want to head into deepest, darkest Scotland – this is probably the adventure capital of Britain. Jagged mountains with knife-edge arétes, green valleys with thundering waterfalls, sparkling llyns, thick forests, silent summits, and terrain that feels like it was geographically sculpted with walking boots in mind. You won’t find many chocolate-box villages, or gingerbread shops, or…

Sometimes innovation comes from a standing start. Usually, though, it requires a decent run-up. Running shoe brand On has twisted its knowledge into this strangely shaped trekking boot, the Cloudrock (£180). They’re certainly pleasingly light to wear, and the tractor-tyre tread sole should offer some serious grip too. The fact it looks like nothing else out there at the moment might put some people off, but its uniqueness could just prove to be the Cloudrock’s greatest strength. on-running.com…

Summer 2019 saw the release of the movie Robert the Bruce , with Angus Macfadyen reprising his Robert role from Braveheart . It didn’t get a great reception – this may be because of being shot in Montana, with “some of the worst Scottish accents ever committed to celluloid” (as The Times unkindly put it). Where it should have happened is the small but savage hill group in south-west Scotland forming what’s now the Galloway Forest Park. By the end of his guerrilla campaign here in 1307, Robert – the former king of Scotland – must have known the Galloways at least as well as any guidebook writer. So, I’ve allowed him to choose the five routes in this round-up of the best granite, grass and sparkling lochans that Galloway…

1 Pack heavy items lower down and closer to your back, especially if you’re not expecting to use them right away. 2 Carry calorie-dense snacks with a mixture of fast and slow release energy. Flapjacks are ideal. 3 Share resources, especially when wild camping. Tent, stove and food can all be divided between two, and you only need one first aid kit. 4 Every litre of water adds a kilogram to your pack weight. Take one or two water filter bottles like the Lifestraw Go instead (check the map to identify water points first). Plus, an extra bottle of water for the car so you’re well hydrated before you leave. 5 Use the compression straps to make your pack as compact and streamlined as possible. Things swinging around in a…

1 PACK A HEADTORCH Or two. And spare batteries. This is essential, even if you don’t plan to be out after dark, it’s wise to be prepared. Make sure you have enough battery power to avoid it dying to a slow, dim flicker when you’re halfway across a boggy moorland. 2 USE A RED LIGHT Using the red light option on your headtorch will help to preserve your night vision, but tends to make contour lines on maps difficult to read. Green lights do the same and show up contour lines brilliantly, but fewer headtorches come with them. 3 PAY ATTENTION TO SLOPES It’s much more important to have a good sense of your surroundings when you can only see a few metres ahead. Try to keep track…

From Harter Fell, a series of valleys radiate outwards. Haweswater and Kentmere are particularly famous, for their reservoir and horseshoe walk respectively. But by car, none of these valleys connect, and Longsleddale, accessible only from the east, is something of an outlier. From the top, however, it’s clear how important these valleys used to be, via a range of prominent passes and bridleways. Longsleddale is full of human history, with the now isolated route up the valley’s head a past major trading route between Scotland and the south, as well as hosting quarries famous for their blue slate. Longsleddale was also once considered – with a proposed tunnel under the peaks – for the main north-south railway; and the Haweswater aqueduct runs under its length. Now, it feels delightfully remote,…

Here’s a rugged route in the shadow of Snowdon that will avoid the crowds heading up Wales’s highest mountain. Yr Aran is a rocky summit that looks very pointy from the Nantgwynant valley below, and rises to a respectable 747m/2450ft. With a name meaning simply ‘the peak’, it is a southern outlier to Snowdon and has a fierce independence about it. Although often neglected by the multitudes heading for the higher tops, Yr Aran offers the hillwalker plenty of scope for adventure with decent ridges, impressive crags, hidden cwms and rough ground aplenty. This walk from Nantgwynant follows Snowdon’s Watkin Path for a while, but you’ll feel smug when you take your leave of the crowds and head onto quieter ground where the paths are not so well-defined and the…

ROUTE 10 Whiting Bay to Brodick ROUTE 11 Goatfell circuit ROUTE 12 Sannox to Lochranza Arran Coastal Way is a 65-mile/ 105km circular route around the beautiful Isle of Arran that in 2017 was recognised as one of ‘Scotland’s Great Trails’. This trio of walks seeks out the best parts of the Way, and in doing so showcases the many scenic highlights of an island that has been famously dubbed ‘Scotland in miniature’. Day one begins by climbing to visit Giants’ Graves, where you’ll find two ancient chambered burial cairns. Next come the cascades of Glenashdale Falls before quiet forest tracks lead to Lamlash and the coastal path round Clauchlands Point to Brodick. Day two provides a different proposition, following the rugged alternative high-level route to the summit of Goatfell,…

Isle of Arran 12 SEA ALL THE WAY DAY 3 START Small parking area by Sannox Bay, to the north-west of South Sannox 1 NS015454 From the parking area on the A841 at Sannox Bay take the path signed for ‘North Sannox’. This immediately leads to a set of concrete stepping stones to cross Sannox Burn. After crossing the stones the path bends sharply right and leads to the beach at Sannox Bay. The sandy path now runs adjacent to the beach, heading north-east to pass a large navigation beacon. The path now heads slightly inland, following the coastline before entering woodland and passing beneath a large dramatic stone cliff. From here continue north-west until you reach North Sannox Burn. Turn left to follow the burn upstream until reaching the…

MOEL SIABOD WALKED BY Sarah Ryan I shouldn’t have been surprised by this hill. I’d heard it all before I even set out: “It’s got a great scramble”, “The views are amazing”, “It’s one of my favourites!”. But Siabod still delivered one of the most epic surprise views of my life, because everything, every peak and slope, is hidden from view until you set foot on the very top of the mountain. At which point… wow. The first part of the walk, if you take the Daear Ddu Ridge (which you should by the way) is easy. A stroll past slate quarries, turquoise pools hidden in mine workings and a huge wild lake. The scramble starts here, over and between huge blocks with easy hand and footholds and any variety…

Sticking its head above the skyline on the left of this photo is one of the most recognisable landmarks in Lakeland. If you’ve ever driven into the National Park from the south, up Lake Windermere towards Ambleside on the A591, you’ll have seen it. Brooding in the distance, all dark, shadowy and angular. More commonly referred to as one of the Langdale Pikes – the popular and shapely collection of peaks it sits within – the Pike of Stickle’s rocky summit cone grows ever more impressive the closer you get. But to fully appreciate the sheerness of its crags and punchiness of its summit, you need to get high. And the best way to do that is by clambering over its near neighbours Crinkle Crags and Pike of Blisco, which…

These new base layers use knitting – yes, knitting – to create high-tech performance garments. And there’s not a granny in sight… • Blended Merino Sport yarns combine the power of merino with the durability and fast dry times of polyester. • Smartwool body-mapped the garments to match ventilation and insulation to the natural heating and cooling zones. • New knitting technique creates seamless variation in technical performance. • The knit structure enhances performance while minimising weight. • Knitting process yields almost zero waste. • The 3D knit sculpting technique also creates superior articulation that wraps around joints to enhance movement, flex and fit.…

The deadline to enter our 2019 UK Mountain Photo of the Year competition is less than a month away, on October 20, so if you haven’t captured your potential winning image yet, you’d better get to the mountains quickly. Remember, the rules are simple. All you need to do is take a stunning photo anywhere in the UK mountains, upload it to our website, then let our expert panel of judges and the Trail readers pick the winner. Some of the latest entries are printed here to provide some last-minute inspiration. HOW TO ENTER ● Take a stunning photo anywhere in the UK mountains ● Upload up to three entries at lfto.com/mountainphoto19 ● Get your entries in before 5pm on Sunday 20 October 2019 FUJIFILM X-T3 + XF18-55MM KIT WORTH…

Jegihorn Swiss Alps Crossing the Rope Bridge on the Jegihorn (3206m) via ferrata in the Swiss Alps are Chris Lewis (front) from Near Sawrey and his friend Graham Lea. It was a great end to a week’s Alpine climbing, which included an ascent of the 4000m Weissmies. Kirk Fell Lake District “Here we are at the top of Kirk Fell, en route to Great Gable, which is behind us. Oliver is 11 and is an avid reader of Trail magazine, which he has a subscription for. He loves mountains and especially the Lake District. Eleanor, 10, is a keen walker and adventurer. They are pictured here with their support crew Gerald and Nicola from Watlington, aka Mum and Dad.” Snowdon Snowdonia Alex van Heeswijk from Derby sent this photo of…

WATKIN The big ascent 13km / 1146m ascent / start near Beddgelert RHYD-DDU The quiet one 13.5km / 895m ascent / start Rhyd-Ddu car park SNOWDON RANGER The easiest one 13km / 936m ascent / start Llyn Cwellyn car park LLANBERIS The steady climb 14.5km / 975m ascent / start Llanberis CRIB GOCH The exposed scramble 10.2km (6 miles) / 895m of ascent / start Pen-y-Pass PYG The rugged one 11.5km / 723m ascent / start Pen-y-Pass MINER’S The lake-side one 13km / 723m ascent / start Pen-y-Pass * Distances stated are out and back on the same path.…

Autumn is an awesome time to explore the UK mountains, with long shadows creeping along the slopes and low-slung cloud filling the surrounding valleys and glens. It’s a time when the summer tourist hordes disappear and wildlife takes over, with birds migrating in noisy gangs high above the summits and the sound of red deer roaring far below. You’ll often experience the full spectrum of weather, with the potential of all four seasons in the one day. You can start your hike in blazing sunshine and soaring temperatures, only to be met with horizontal rain, sleet and snow on a freezing mountain top. It’s a time of year when plans can shift quickly depending on what the elements throw at you, which is why downloading a world-leading outdoor navigation app…

In May this year, on Mount Everest’s towering 8848m slopes, 11 people died in the space of 11 days. The photograph on this page was taken in the midst of that tragic period, revealing a terrifying queue to the summit, in which people waited in line for up to three hours. The photo was taken on possibly the busiest ever day on the mountain, with estimates of close to 300 summiters. When trying to unpick and understand the stories around those 11 deaths, people spoke of inexperienced climbers, unqualified guides, a lack of leadership or teamwork, and inadequate supplies and support. There were reports of stolen oxygen canisters, insurance fraud and forged permits. Of human faeces from high on the mountain poisoning the water supply below, of litter left on…

Small changes can make a huge difference, so when a brand updates a popular product it can be make or break time. Montane’s Prism (and Prismatic for women) insulated jacket has been a favourite with hillwalkers for a few years now. This autumn heralds the arrival of the updated version, so do the changes add up to even better performance or has this jacket lost its appeal? Designed primarily as an easy-to-pack insulated jacket that balances weight with warmth, the Prism/Prismatic has always been a popular jacket to stow in a rucksack. Ideal for throwing on when the temperature drops on the summit, it is also breathable enough to wear during the descent until the temperature rises. Mountain-friendly features like a hood, great pockets and the all-important low weight and…

With hands clinging to wet rock, feet searching for secure holds and our bodies fighting to stay dry, this was a severe test of clothing and equipment. Sheets of rain pummelled the mountains, flooding the ravines and attempting to force any brave adventurers off the mountains. We were scrambling up Crinkle Gill onto Crinkle Crags at the head of Great Langdale in the Lake District. And conditions were brutal. We were well prepared though, with six of the best waterproof jackets at our disposal – if the jackets could perform well in these conditions, it’s fair to say they’d perform well in any typical day on the British mountains, where wind and rain is all just part of the experience! We needed jackets that would not only keep us dry…

KEY FEATURES ANKLE CUFF The ankle cuff prevents mud and grit from entering the boot, while protecting against scrapes on rocks. The stiffness in the cuff also reduces strain on the ankle when traversing slopes and scrambling by adding extra support. MIDSOLE STIFFNESS Grab the boot by the toe and heel and bend the toe towards the heel, then twist the toe while holding the heel still. The harder it is to bend, the more suitable it is for rockier ground. UPPER Leather uppers with minimal stitching are generally more durable. However, many boots will last well if not used regularly, or if not used on the roughest mountain terrain. A stiff, more supportive upper is ideal for rockier ground. OUTSOLE LUGS Deep, wide-spaced lugs bite into soft mud and…

What is the most exciting walk in the Langdale valley? There are so many contenders: the Jack’s Rake scramble up Pavey Ark; the classic Langdale Pikes traverse; or maybe Bowfell via the Great Slab. But none of these excellent options is, perhaps, quite as good as this circular route up Pike of Blisco and Crinkle Crags. If you prefer your mountains rough and rocky, this will be right up your street, transporting you into a ‘scene of desolation and rugged grandeur equalled by few others in the district’, as Wainwright put it. Prepare for the adrenaline to flow and the heart to race, without ever feeling like the end is nigh – and, at under 12km, you get all this drama without excessive exertion. The walk starts with a climb…

There are several approaches onto Braeriach, but it’s not an easy mountain to reach whichever way is chosen. Each route onto the summit of Britain’s third highest mountain is stunning but perhaps the finest leaves from Coylumbridge and strikes through the long, lonely and wild confines of beautiful Gleann Eanaich. From here a rough, tough pull gains Braeriach’s 1296m summit and an extraordinary panorama. Gleann Eanaich runs for 12km and climbs to over 500m in height with its lower reaches swathed in the wonderful woodland of Rothiemurchus. The higher ground is flanked by dramatic cliffs plunging from the summits of Braeriach, Sgoran Dubh Mor and Sgor Gaoith, which also surround the marvellous and remote Loch Eanaich. The landscape around the loch used to be home to a number of sheilings.…

DAY 1 START Small parking area at Ashdale Bridge, Whiting Bay 1 NS047252 From the parking area, cross the bridge and take the signed Glenashdale Falls path, which heads directly west. Follow the leafy track past a couple of houses then go through a gate, passing a forest walks sign. The path continues along the riverbank before forking at an obvious signpost marked ‘Giants’ Graves’. Turn left, heading south to climb the hillside via several steep zigzags. The path plateaus and contours the hillside before coming to an obvious grassy expanse and the chambered cairns known as Giants’ Graves. Enjoy the fantastic outlook over Whiting Bay and Holy Island. 2 NS043246 Continue directly south until reaching the main forest track. Turn right and right again at the T-junction signed ‘Glenashdale…

I’ve long thought the two towering mountains at the northern end of the Lake District, with their feet in the coffee shops and pubs of conviviality, are the perfect bedfellows. A sense of betrayal when climbing one without the other is often felt, because they’re joined at the hip. Skiddaw is higher and larger, a whale of a mountain. Blencathra, on the other hand, is obliging in every way, with a way up for every interest and ability. Not only do you get to climb these peaks, you get to sample the promised land that is the ‘Back o’ Skiddaw’. If such a thing as an experienced, fit hillwalker, with no experience of the Lakes existed, this is the walk I would take them on. For the views south, for…

Transcending the world of climbing like no other mountain survival story, Joe Simpson’s account of his near-death experience on Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes sold well-over a million copies, has been translated into 20 languages, was converted into a BAFTA award-winning film – and now 34 years on is going to the West End. Received with five-star reviews, the play adaptation has astounded critics who were left “gripped” and “breathless” by this new perspective on Joe’s agonising escape from the clutches of the mountains after his climbing partner had to cut the rope connecting them and leave him for dead. Somehow bringing the icy landscape to life with tricks of perspective and lighting with dizzying realism, and with scenes from Joe’s imaginary wake at the Clachaig Inn in Glencoe,…

VIEW WITH A ROOM On the western fringes of Snowdonia National Park is a treasure… one we’re not entirely sure we want to shout about because we’d quite like to keep it all to ourselves. On a hill, in amongst the trees, between the mountains and the sea, is Brynkir Tower. This folly has six floors, each of which is an entire room accessed by a stone spiral staircase. Stay here on a self-catering basis to enjoy views from huge arched windows on three sides of every room that look out over the Snowdonian hills. The best view is from the roll-top bath on the top floor. Recently reopened after renovation, let’s just keep it our little secret! • menaiholidays.co.uk CALORIE DEFICIT? Need post-mountain refuelling in the Lake District? Head…

The Boa lacing system, as shown on these Dachstein Alpha Boa low cut GTX walking shoes (£140), is something of an oddity. It uses a dial which, when twisted, tightens a thread around the shoe like a python, or indeed a boa, constricting its prey. It’s quicker than tying a knot, offers a more comprehensive fit, and cyclists and snow-sports enthusiasts have been fans for a while. But is it an essential innovation for hillwalkers? Probably not, although anyone who’s attempted to tie laces while wearing thick gloves may appreciate the simplicity of the Boa system come winter.…

Affinity Photo is an award-winning photo editing suite offering powerful features at an unbeatable price. The Windows and Mac versions are usually available for a one-off price of £48.99, but anyone who enters UK Mountain Photo of the Year 2019 gets an exclusive 50% discount, so Affinity Photo could be yours for just £24.49! ENHANCE HIGHLIGHTS Remove the default tone curve when editing RAW files, making it easier to recover highlights, boost shadows and shape the tonal range. LIFT THE HAZE A Haze Removal filter improves the contrast and depth of your image by removing haze and fog. AIRBRUSH IMAGES The Inpainting Brush easily removes dust spots and unwanted elements, such as people and power lines. GET CREATIVE Use Lighting to relight your image, Clarity to enhance texture/structure, and Gaussian…

In my early twenties, I found myself living in London and in the midst of a minor life crisis. Although things looked great on paper, in truth I was utterly miserable. It infuriated me that being desperately unhappy but ‘financially responsible’ was apparently something I was just supposed to accept. I impulsively booked myself a flight to California and decided to spend a few days camping in the majestic Yosemite National Park. Instinctively, I think I knew even then that I needed some time in the mountains to gain some fresh perspective – and to this day, I maintain that no important decision should ever be made in a place with a ceiling! A literal leap of faith from a 40ft cliff into a glacial lake, surrounded by snowy mountains,…

Sweat prickles my hairline and my calf muscles burn, still tight from a long car journey, as I climb. I shorten my steps and dig my toes into the dirt. The narrow path zigs left, cuts back right and after a few metres I swing my bag to the ground and look out over the lake below. I breathe, deep and long, and then thank my lucky 21st-century stars that I’m only carrying waterproofs, food and water up here and not the dead weight of a deceased relative. Ok, that took quite a sudden, dark turn. But this is quite a dark tale, by our modern sensibilities. Photographer Tom and I are walking a corpse road. There are many paths in British hillsides that I might call corpse roads, on…

1 Park at the Braes of Foss car park (charge). A memorial commemorates Schiehallion’s part in a famous experiment. In 1774 the Astronomer Royal Maskelyne became the first to measure the mass of the Earth, which he did by observing the deflection of a pendulum by the mass of Schiehallion. As part of the experiment the volume of Schiehallion had to be calculated, for which purpose contour lines were invented by Charles Hutton. The path to Schiehallion begins at the far end of the car park. 2 Until a few years ago, the path led from the car park directly up to the flank of Schiehallion; the passage of thousands of boots had let to it becoming a quagmire as well as a scar on the face of the hill.…

SIDE ZIPS Fitting overtrousers over your boots is useful, so look for long side zips that extend, ideally to the top of the thigh, to make this task easier. FIT Baggy overtrousers will fall down as you walk, and are annoying to wear as they rustle and rub. So look for leg length options, ankle cuffs and waist adjustment, as well as a tailored fit to suit your body shape. The addition of brace attachment points should ensure the trousers stay up better. WEIGHT If your overtrousers are only needed occasionally, then search out lower weight designs, so you can carry them in your pack without being overly weighed down. WATERPROOFNESS & BREATHABILITY All the overtrousers featured here are waterproof and breathable, but those with higher price tags tend to…

To really get to know a mountain range, you need to climb it as many different ways as you can. The northern approaches to the central Brecon Beacons are always spectacular, but approaching Corn Du from Cwm Llwch, dramatic though it is, always lacks that true mountain horseshoe feel, as well as missing out the 555m outlying summit of Pen Milan – an excellent vantage point worthy of inclusion in any walk. So this route puts that right. It starts by the Nant Cwm Llwch – a great place to begin a walk – but instead of following the stream up to its source like the traditional route, it breaks west to gain the mountain’s north ridge by an easy assault on Pen Milan. From here, it’s quality walking all…

The route starts at Hadfield, easily accessible by train or car and familiar to many as the setting for The League of Gentlemen. This is the beginning of the easy Longdendale Trail, which leads you to the foot of Wildboar Clough, and the classic hard route onto Bleaklow. There are several vertical wall sections with waterfalls up this Grade 2/3 scramble in the ascent of the clough, which can prove a little challenging. However, it is possible to pick an accessible route up the north-eastern flank without having to scramble hard rock. After topping out it is a short stroll across the moor to the Pennine Way and on to the cairn marking the summit at Bleaklow Head, the Peak District’s second highest summit. This high moorland landscape is shrouded…

ROUTE 7 Wasdale ROUTE 8 Langdale ROUTE 9 Borrowdale Wouldn’t it be handy to have the valleys of Wasdale, Langdale and Borrowdale all right beside each other and right beside the motorway? Well, it’s actually happened, and there’s no point trying to hide it – not now the scenic bit of the M6 has officially been granted National Park status. Twice over: the northbound carriageway is in the Lake District and the southbound one is in the Yorkshire Dales. Who could argue with that? Seeing as this stretch of the M6 is even lovelier than junction 10 on the M3, which is already counted within the South Downs National Park. Time for some complete transparency here. This Langdale isn’t Great Langdale, this Wasdale might better be referred to as Wasn’t-dale,…

START/FINISH Lay-by on the A6 south of Shap, southbound side above Huck’s Bridge. 1 NY552037 Cross A6 at the lay-by (for best sightlines up and down the road) and head up the verge south to the hilltop, for a track down left. Through a gate immediately turn right beside the fence, up a small grass path. A pinecone-style cairn stands at 455m, with fine views southwards. The small path continues along Ashstead Fell’s level summit ridge. 2 NY562027 At the ridge end the path leads down steeply south-east, then into the foot of a gap between plantations. At the top of this, various small paths converge at the cairn on Mabbin Crag. Bend left, south-east, down between trees, then south into plantations, on a small path under trees, damp in…

DAY 2 START / FINISH Cladach Visitor Centre 1 NS011376 From the car park at the visitor centre take the track away from the A841. Keep to the right of the Wineport Bistro before passing Arran Brewery on the left. Soon after, take the main Goatfell path in the far left-hand corner of the courtyard. The path ascends gently via woodland before turning right and heading north-west to a tarmac road. Go straight over the road and continue on the broad track into forestry. The track swings left then right, directly north, passing several paths joining from the left and right. Pass a Forestry Commission sign for ‘Goat Fell’ as the track again curves left before bending sharply right. Here continue straight ahead on the narrower path. Carry on through…

23km DISTANCE 1565m ASCENT 8-9hrs ON THE HILL WHERE DO I START? You’ll start and finish in the village of Threlkeld, a few miles up the road from Keswick. There are a couple of car parks, plus it’s easy to reach by bus from Keswick and Penrith. WHAT’S THE TERRAIN LIKE? A real mixture of narrow rocky ridge, flat grass paths, rocky mountain plateau, moorland slopes, wide tracks, river valley and stream crossing. HOW HARD IS THE WALK? Hall’s Fell Ridge on Blencathra is rocky but not too technical or exposed, so the real test is in your fitness. It’s a long walk, with two big mountain ascents. Not one for total beginners. WHAT MAP SHOULD I USE? OS Explorer OL4 & OL5 (1:25k) OS Landranger 90 (1:50k) Harvey Superwalker…