Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2020 i Trail

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been bored. Bored of being stuck inside a 5-mile radius of my front door, bored of relentlessly pulverising my local trails, and bored of not being able to chuck my boots, bike or inflatable kayak in the back of my car and head off to do something adventurous. But here’s the good news. With uncertainty surrounding pretty much everything in the world right now – including how and where we can work, shop, eat and even sleep – the great outdoors is finally starting to emerge from its enforced hibernation as the place to be this summer. If 2020 is to be the summer of the great British ‘staycation’, then where better to head than the hills and mountains? So get out there…

VIEW WITH A ROOM A cabin in the woods. Away from civilisation. No social media. Just kingfishers, roe deer and otters to keep you company. Sound good? This riverside log cabin can be found in Cumbria near the Scottish border. If you’re longing to escape the crowds this summer, it whisks you away from the honeypot areas, but you’ll still be within an hour’s drive of The Lakes, Galloway Forest Park, the Southern Uplands and Northumberland. Quite a choice! The cabin itself is perfectly rustic, with solar-powered lighting, a wood-burning stove and an outside gas BBQ. A bathroom pod means you can have hot showers too. oneoffplaces.co.uk/shank-wood-log-cabin World’s best walk? Get inspired with this latest offering from Cicerone, which provides all you need to get planning this classic 11-day trek…

Low Fell Lake District “Really enjoyed being amongst the fells again the other day with my son. Here he is leaping with joy on Low Fell in the Lake District. David Harrison, Workington Sharp Edge Lake District “This is me and my brother Jonathan tackling Sharp Edge in the Lake District together. My brother is very experienced but this was my first proper scramble, and despite being a little nervous I felt a great sense of achievement completing it.” Matt Sinclair, Burnley SWCP Devon “We have been thoroughly missing getting away to the mountains during lockdown, so we’ve been tackling the South West Coast Path instead. This was a beautiful piece of coastline from Lynton to Heddon’s Mouth. Here’s my partner Jeff at the Valley of the Rocks.” Karra Rothery,…

With over 30km² of mountain and moorland centred around Rhinog Fawr, the National Nature Reserve is protected as a Special Area of Conservation and a Site of Special Scientific interest. It is the only Biogenetic Reserve in Wales, and is part of a network of special habitats across Europe with two principal purposes: the onservation of species and habitats in such a way that their biological balance is retained; and to provide natural ecosystems so that research can be carried out into how species interact with one another in these areas. It is home to a wealth of flora and fauna and is one of the few places in Wales where the Lesser Twayblade, a 10cm orchid found under heather and bilberry bushes, has been recorded. Turn to page 101…

To celebrate Trail’s 30th year (we know, we don’t look a day over 28) we’re dusting off our archives each month to resurface a favourite mountain adventure from the past three decades. To kick the series off we’re heading back to 2008, when former editor Matt Swaine ditched his car in favour of a pedal and boot- powered’ Lake District expedition. Bikepacking is a popular way to explore the Scottish Highlands, cutting out long wilderness walks to remote mountains using mountain bikes, but would it be so rewarding in Britain’s busiest National Park? “THE BIKES ENCOURAGED US TO EXPLORE LONGER DURING THE DAY AND LINGER INTO THE EVENING” There’s a bird on my head. Outside Disney movies, wild birds don’t land on people’s heads… but I’m sure there’s one on…

1 Check it is open. The MBA has up-to-date info on all of their UK shelters, so check before you go at mountainbothies.org.uk 2 Bring earplugs as there’s a high chance you won’t be the only person in there, and at least one of those people will be snoring… 3 Bring paracord to make a drying line for rain-soaked kit. 4 Bring a wee dram to sip while you sit by the fire. Whisky is traditional, but hot chocolate is good too. 5 Bring your best chatter, as one of the best things about bothy nights can be the people you meet there. 6 Spend a bit of time with the bothy book. These battered old notebooks often record years of visits, mad stories and scribbled cartoons. 7 Take a…

1 Keep your phone safe, warm and dry before and after you call the team. Once you’ve alerted the emergency services by calling 999, keep your phone free, make sure the ringer volume is turned up and don’t ring your mum! They will probably call you back. Find out who else in your group has a phone, how much battery or coverage they have and collect their phone numbers. 2 Don’t move about when you’re on the phone – it’s easy to lose signal. If you have enough coverage to have a conversation, stay where you are. 3 Make sure your location services are turned on so you can get an accurate GPS reading. This can use a lot of battery power, so it’s a good idea to carry a…

So many things can ruin a good walk. Torrential rain and howling winds are the main culprits, followed by all-encompassing hill fog, excessively arduous slopes, grumpy companions, disorientating terrain, progress-hindering barbed wire fences, territorial cows, or – God forbid - forgetting to pack your bag of Jelly Babies. But, perhaps worst of all, is anything to do with your feet – wet socks, blistered toes or twisted ankles are a sure-fire way to turn an otherwise perfectly good hillwalk into a misery-fest. You won’t be able to enjoy the idyllic landscapes or relish the sense of freedom and escapism – all you’ll be thinking about is the searing pain of your blister pinch-points, or the nauseating squelchy feeling of sodden socks. That’s why a reliable pair of 3-season boots is…

DIFFICULTY EASY DISTANCE 13KM TIME 4 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 500M PEAK BAGGER STATS TRAIL 100s 1 Beyond the main plateau of the North York Moors, an isolated outcrop extends from Easby Moor. This formerly conical, volcano-shaped hill suffered a significant landslide in 1912, which changed its shape forever to the asymmetric sharp-edged summit. Its profile from a distance now leads some to call Roseberry Topping a ‘mini-Matterhorn’. Small it might be in stature, but mighty it is in legend. And although his map-making voyages and explorations are now discredited for paving the way to colonialism, the young James Cook’s exploratory spirit isn’t in itself far removed from that of us hillwalkers wanting to discover new places to walk. Born to a working-class family, Captain Cook grew up at Aireyholme Farm below…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 15KM TIME 5 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 646M This historic route along an old drove road know as the Minch Moor forms part of Scotland’s longest long-distance route – the Southern Upland Way. The solidly built ‘Three Brethren’ dominate the summit. Standing at 3m tall and beautifully constructed during the 16th century to mark the boundaries of the Yair, Philiphaugh and Selkirk estates, today they play an important role in Selkirk’s annual ‘Common Riding’. A plaque on the fence lists the names of each year’s Standard Bearer. IS IT FOR ME? FITNESS Reasonable fitness needed TERRAIN Heather-lined paths and forestry paths, some boggy sections near the reservoir following wet weather – please note the area is popular with mountain bikers too NAVIGATION The route is part of a…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 28KM TIME 9 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 1000M 1 NS780099 From Sanquhar Tollbooth (museum) take a path south-west to River Nith and head upstream to cross Blackaddie Bridge. Turn left for 500m, then take a path on the right alongside Euchan Water. In 1.3km this emerges on a small road. Turn left, up-valley, for 1km. 2 NS755081 Fork down left on a track to cross the river and up left to a plantation. Work to left around this, then up open moorland to join the faint, waymarked path of the Southern Upland Way. Follow this uphill to the ridgeline fence. 3 NS745051 Don’t go through, but turn right and follow fence or wall over Cloud Hill and along the ridgeline. Join a windfarm track for 1km, then follow…

ULTIMATE WEEKEND ▲ 3 ROUTES The Cambrian Way is a 480km route between Cardiff and Conwy that winds and climbs through fields and valleys, and over wild and rocky mountains. It was developed by Tony Drake during the ’60s and ’70s and takes around three weeks to complete in a single journey! This small section of it gives you a taste of the experience - reversing it north-south through the Rhinogydd and Cadair Idris. You’ll test both your physical endurance and navigational skill on a 60km quest that includes a wild camp in a dark and wayward landscape. Pay your respects to the spirits and you might survive for a night out in Barmouth before you hit Cadair! Maybe one day you’ll be up for the whole route? ROUTE 7…

SCA FELL, LAKE DISTRICT WALK IT First of all, it’s worth noting that you won’t be walking on to Scafell Pinnacle, the slanting, jagged tower to the left of where the two figures are standing in this photo. Many have stood on top of it, but it’s very much a rock-climb, rather than a hillwalking objective, so don’t get too ambitious unless you’re armed with ropes and helmets. What you most definitely can do, though, is get this close to the Pinnacle with a proper exploration of Sca Fell’s summit, the second highest point in England at 964m. There are plenty of excellent ways to climb Sca Fell from either Wasdale or Eskdale, but whichever way you approach the top make sure you save some time to tiptoe carefully around…

LAKE DISTRICT CAT BELLS Although only added to our #Trail100 bucket list during the revisions earlier this year, with hindsight it’s inconceivable that the little hill with the big views could ever have been overlooked. Cat Bells tops out at a lowly 451m, which would barely make it more than a lump on a larger mountain were it anywhere else. But it’s where Cat Bells is that makes it so special. Rising from the edge of Derwent Water – just two miles over the lake from Keswick’s Crow Park as the bird of the same name flies – Cat Bells dominates the skyline by virtue of being the most shapely fell on display. Although vaguely bell-shaped (if you squint a bit), it’s possible the name is a distortion of Cat…

Trail’s UK Mountain Photo of the Year competition is now underway! We’re looking for photos that capture the mountain experience and instantly transport you to another place. You don’t have to be a professional with a big fancy camera though. Composition and timing are important, but there’s lots you can do to enhance your images. Check out the tips from processing experts Affinity Photo to help you maximise your chances of winning. And here are a few of our favourite entries so far… BRING YOUR LANDSCAPES TO LIFE ■ SATURATION This is all about the power of the colours in your images, and it really comes into its own when you want to emphasise summery blue skies or punchy florals in your photos. You can also use it to lessen…

I like a night out. And by that I mean, I like a night out in the mountains, whether it’s wild camping, bothying, snow holing, bivvying, tarping, anything so long as it’s not in a hammock (long story). Any excuse and I’m heading out there. But occasionally, just occasionally, something strange will happen. Something so vivid that it’ll seer itself into the ‘WTF just happened…? ’ part of my memory. Let’s take the lid off that box and see what’s lurking inside… Phantom 1 Ben Macdui in the Cairngorms is the second highest mountain in Britain. Once away from all the trash of the Cairngorm ski resort, it’s a vast wilderness where you can’t help but feel humbled. And the mountain has an unexplained presence - The Big Grey Man.…

STRATUS/STRATO Layered, normally flat and smooth CUMULUS/CUMUL Puffy, cotton-wool CIRRUS/CIRRO Thin, wispy and hairlike ALTO Medium level NIMBUS/NIMBO Rain-bearing + 6000M (18,000FT) Cirrus: White, silky hair-like clouds. Often form before a warm front or from aeroplane contrails, and some of the best for catching sunset colours. Cirrocumulus: Group of regularly spaced out white cloudlets, sometimes called a mackerel sky. Usually appear in good weather but can hint at approaching storms. Cirrostratus: Very wispy, hazy clouds. 2000-6000M (6500-18,000FT) Altocumulus: Clumps or lines of cloudlets, look corrugated or like scales. White or grey, indicate settled weather. Altostratus: Thin, spread-out, often grey, usually a sign that the weather will change. Nimbostratus: Featureless and dense, bringing continuous rain. 0-2000M (6500FT) Stratocumulus: Large masses of round clouds. Often indicate a weather front. Cumulus: Fluffy white…

The differences between soft shell, fleece and insulated jackets have become increasingly indistinguishable over the past decade or so of gear evolution. Today, the lines separating them are so blurred that even the keenesteyed gear enthusiast might feel like taking a day trip to Barnard Castle to test their vision. But this amalgamation of categories isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Although it may cause a headache for brand catalogues, retail displays and gear reviewers, all of whom like to neatly pigeonhole kit, what it means is that manufacturers are able to take the best parts and features of the various products and blend them together to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. The new Kinesis jacket from Mountain Equipment is a case in point.…

TYPE OF ‘PROOFING’ Some types of cases offer just waterproofing and some just impact resistance from knocks or drops, while others offer both. Which you need may depend on where you go with your phone, what you intend to do with it, and whether it has any inbuilt proofing of its own. VERSATILITY Many phone cases are specifically tailored to fit one phone or another. If you want to use the case with multiple phones then these may be less useful than a generic pouch-type case. SCREEN PROTECTION A phone’s screen is its most vulnerable spot and few cases offer it much protection. It’s worth pairing a robust surround with a hardened screen protector of some kind. BULK The more protection a case offers, the more weight and bulk it’s…

DIFFICULTY MODERATE DISTANCE 18.6KM TIME 6 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 648M At over 90 miles in length, the West Highland Way is no walk in the park, and for most represents a full 5-7 days of effort. Officially opened in 1980, this is Scotland’s original long distance route, and over the last 40 years it has become a rite of passage. But perhaps you don’t have time to plod the whole distance from Milngavie to Fort William? Served by ferries, this bite-sized chunk is one of the real gems of the Way. The east shore of Loch Lomond between Rowardennan and Inverarnan is generally thought the roughest stage of the entire route. The path’s countless little ups, downs and wiggles make for harder work than might be appreciated looking at a…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 13.7KM TIME 5 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 894M PEAK BAGGER STATS WAINWRIGHTS 3 TRAIL 100s 1 Alfred Wainwright’s famed coast to coast walk is a long-distance trail traversing the width of England from St Bees Head in the west to Robin Hood’s Bay in the east. Hikers start on the shores of the Irish Sea and two weeks and 190 miles later arrive at the North Sea, having travelled across the Lake District, Pennines, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors. The highlights are plentiful, but perhaps this short leg between Rosthwaite and Grasmere might be the finest of them all. Wainwright himself waxes lyrical about this section of his coast to coast walk, stating ‘the way is lovely’ as you explore ‘delectable surroundings’. He describes the start of…

DIFFICULTY HARD DISTANCE 28KM TIME 10½ HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 1400M PEAK BAGGER STATS CORBETTS 2 1 NS603001 From the bothy, head southwest (to right of a wall) across the valley floor and its stream, then up the slope of Currie Rig. Turn south along a wide moorland ridge and up to the trig point on Cairnsmore of Carsphairn. (As a shortcut, there’s now a direct path down south-west for a track to Green Well of Scotland north of Carsphairn.) 2 NX594979 Descend south along crag tops, then down south-east to reach Beninner. Head down south then south-west to cross Knockwhirn. Head down west to a small gate, then cross Benloch Burn downstream from a square plantation. Head down to right of the burn for 500m to a ford. Here a…

DIFFICULTY HARD DISTANCE 15KM TIME 8HOURSE TOTAL ASCENT 1300M 1 SH691353 Stay at Cae Adda campsite the night before and you can leave your car on site for £3 per day. From the campsite, walk west then north-west along the edge of the woods. About 100m after the wood ends, turn left and follow the road until its end then continue on the track that climbs westward. Follow the winding wall to its end, crossing a stream about midway. Turn left at the top and walk south to approach Moel y Gyrafolen head on, direct to the top. From there, it’s south-west across the small bwlch and over to Diffwys. Pass the pool, keeping south-west over the rough and rocky terrain of Foel Penolau and then Moel Ysgafarnagod. 2 SH658346…

DIFFICULTY HARD DISTANCE 17KM TIME 8 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 1200M PEAK BAGGER STATS TRAIL 100S 1 1 SH652155 The route here starts from the A493 road above Graig Wen campsite. Remember to adjust the route if you stayed somewhere else. Walk south-west past the quarry. Leave the road at Tyddyn Bach, climbing south past the spoil tip and join the road (you can walk straight up this road from the main road if you choose). Turn left and follow the road all the way to Llynnau Cregennen. Continue past the standing stones until you join the next road. Turn right and continue for about 350m to Hafotty Fach. 2 SH660134 Leave the road and climb south-east through the often wet field. Pass the cairns and cross the stream, aiming slightly rightward for…

Lockdown restrictions are easing and the opportunity to get back in the hills is returning. Good news, surely? Well, not entirely… If you’ve spent any time on social media of late you’ve no doubt been saddened and angered by photos of the devastation being left by some ‘wild campers’. Scorch marks from fires, damaged vegetation and mounds of rubbish are just some of the scenes that have blighted the countryside as people flocking back to nature demonstrate just how little respect they can have for it. It’s easy to dismiss this as the activities of a minority; a small group of ne’er-do-wells who aren’t proper wild campers anyway. But while this is mostly true, this behaviour risks a greater effect on all of us. The Peak District National Park has…

You might miss your first sighting of Bristly Ridge as you zoom along the A5, the Carneddau looming over one side of the car, Tryfan eclipsing everything else on the other. It’s tough enough, if you’re the poor sod driving, to keep your eyes on the road as it twists and rolls between Wales’ most gargantuan hills. But if you’re jammy enough to be the passenger, you might notice, past Tryfan’s shark fin outline, a shadowy rock staircase climbing steeply and steadily to the top of one of the highest mountains in Snowdonia. It’s dark, jagged and enticing enough to make you want to leap out the door of the still moving car and tuck‘n’roll straight onto the mountain track. This is Bristly Ridge. A hard and fast, undoubted champion…

The best gardens have a variety of interest. The sun-trap patch of lawn where everybody gathers, the pristine borders full of exhibitionist flowers, and the patio still technically outside but close enough to the house to easily grab a quick drink or snack and made more comfortable with the addition of sofas and scatter cushions. But for me, the best part of any garden is that wild, forgotten corner where the flora and fauna is left to abide by its own rules. It usually offers a place for reflection – literal and introspective – and, most importantly, is the place where few people bother to congregate. And those that do will all be of the same quiet, considered nature. The Rhinogs, or rather the Rhinogydd to give them their correct…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 33KM TIME 10 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 1400M Tucked between the heights of the Black Mountains and the River Usk, Crickhowell is a great base for exploring the Brecon Beacons National Park. This route climbs steeply to Pen Cerrig Calch, high above the Usk valley from where the glorious ridges of the Black Mountains stretch away into the distance. Sheep and ponies graze the mountain top, unperturbed by the occasional swoosh of a glider overhead, and the increasingly common red kites, buzzards and ravens. Views from the ridgeline extend far into the distant west, taking in isolated Mynydd Troed and on towards the central Beacons peaks. By contrast the secluded Grwyne Fechan valley is more of a human-made affair. Centuries-old farmsteads dotted along the riverside give testament to…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 22.5KM TIME 8 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 740M Whernside is most well-known for being part of the 24-mile Yorkshire Three Peaks walk. On any day, the main routes from Ribblehead and Chapel-le-Dale may be deservedly busy, but they only take in a small part of the fell as a whole, and crucially miss the iconic photographer’s haven of Twisleton Scar, with its gnarled, windswept trees anchored in silver blocks of limestone pavement on the long approach from the village of Ingleton. If you’re up for a good leg stretch away from the crowds, this beautifully isolated moorland route features its own fabulous section of the Wainwright-inspired ‘A Pennine Journey’ trail and a snippet of the Dales High Way, alongside a section of former Roman Road, and of course…

ULTIMATE WEEKEND ▲ 3 ROUTES West of St John’s Town of Dalry the Southern Upland Way is genuinely upland all the way (especially including the recent higher line east of Moffat). But its line through the Galloway Hills is along a gravel forest road. And given that the Galloways are the finest part of the entire range, this is seriously disappointing. So here’s a high line alternative, westbound from Sanquhar to Bargrennan. It’s a backpack route – which is also the best way of tackling the Southern Upland Way as a whole. Both overnights can be spent in bothies, and there’s a café at Carsphairn. The first day is ordinary Southern Uplands – grassy ridges with windfarms. But days two and three are a high, wild line through the granite…

DIFFICULTY HARD DISTANCE 25.5KM TIME 8½ HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 650M 1 NX468869 If starting from Backhill bothy, return up the track northwards, continuing on for another 1.5km to a fork west of Meikle Craigtarson (point 8 of day 2); turn left along a tree gap to cross Gala Lane stream. From Gala Lane, head south-west up to the base of the rocky spur called the Brishie. Work round to the right, then up the less steep slope onto the point of the spur. Head up the mildly rocky crest to Dungeon Hill. 2 NX460850 Head south of west along the slope top to the small cairn on Craignairny. (Here, if you’ve been enjoying the Brishie, you could divert off-route over the splendidly rugged Craignaw.) Descend to the corner of Loch…

DIFFICULTY HARD DISTANCE 21KM TIME 9HOURSE TOTAL ASCENT 850M PEAK BAGGER STATS TRAIL 100s 1 1 SH662267 The longest of the days, walking south/south-west all the way to Barmouth across broad ridges. From camp, take the track on the left-hand (northern) side of the lake that crosses the bottom of the boulder field and join the path that runs south-north alongside the wall above the big slab. Turn left (north) and climb uphill through broken tracks, keeping the wall close to your right. About midway up you’ll reach a level. Keep left of the wall/fence. The rising section is a bit rocky but the path is fairly obvious and soon levels out on the summit with a rather blunt ending of the wall. 2 SH664270 From the summit, retrace your…

So many adventures have started from the Cairngorms ski resort car park and this one is no exception. It’s such a great place to springboard into the mountains from. ‘m not going to beat around the bush – for the first 2km of the day, walking through the ski area, there’s nothing very pretty, particularly out of the ski season. But I’m not complaining, as without it we wouldn’t have the top car park to give us the high starting point. South-south-east from the starting point, he stairway to heaven is Fiacaill a’ Choire Chais. Once on this spur, things get a little more shapely and mountainous near the top. I remember one winter looking down into Coire Cas from this ridge and seeing ptarmigan in full winter plumage. It…

Knoydart Errors were made while trying to get my first job at Trail in 2004. One: trying to blag experience at the job interview. Ben Macdui? Sure, I know him! My last peak? Let’s just say it was what I like to call a two-gaiter expedition. Have I heard of Knoywhat? By this point they’d given me the gig and dispatched me to the latter (Knoydart, which I’d never heard of) on my first ‘job’. Three of us pulled up at a Highland lodge beside Loch Quoich. Beer poured, fires lit and wind rattling the windows, I was very happy. Next morning photographer Tom gravely reported he could see ‘white horses’. After frowning at the surrounding fields, I considered the objective. Canoe into Knoydart, nab a wild and pointy peak,…