Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2022 i Trail

“We need to rewrite our story. To turn this tragedy into a triumph. We are, after all, the greatest problemsolvers to have ever existed on Earth.” There are countless quotes I’d love to print in Trail from Sir David Attenborough, but this one from the speech he gave at the recent COP26 conference stuck in my head. The global climate crisis and issues such as biodiversity loss, cutting our own carbon footprints and adopting more sustainable lifestyles are hardly new; but they’ve been brought into sharper focus by recent events. As a group of passionate enthusiasts who love mountains and wild landscapes, it’s a safe bet that many of us are already taking steps to limit our environmental impact. But that’s not to say we can’t do more. At Trail…

For me, being alone in the mountains is the best way to de-clutter my mind. I’m predominantly a solo climber these days, and whenever I’m stressed out about anything, be it in my work or personal life, I find myself wishing I was up on a rock face with nothing to worry about but where the next pitch goes. During my last adventure – a link up of all 83 Classic Rock climbs in the UK – there was often a lot on my mind. I was constantly worrying about the weather, or if I was going to finish the trip on time, or where the next opportunity to resupply with food would be, and after a few weeks of this I began to feel distinctly worn out. You wouldn’t…

■ MEET LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE If your friends prefer gym trainers to walking boots, or coffee in town to a brew with a view, a club can help you find a new crowd who are up for exactly the same kind of adventures as you. You’ll meet a real variety of people, of different ages and abilities. Many club members make lasting friendships that go well beyond walking. ■ GET WALKING EVERY WEEK With a regular programme of planned club events throughout the week there will always be something you can go along to, and people free to walk when you are. So you’ll never have to wonder where to go or who to walk with. ■ PASS ON YOUR SKILLS, AND LEARN NEW ONES It’s fundamental to the purpose of…

I am standing at our base, a lump of gritstone we call ‘The Office’, looking up at our training area for the day. At my feet Scout, my border collie search dog, sits quietly. To our left is a deep clough, the bottom hidden from view; to the right a sheep fence. Three hundred metres above me is a serrated slope of snow curbed here and there with vertical slabs of grey gritstone. Above that, a blue sky. The deep snow is pristine. No footprints, no vegetation, only the occasional gritstone boulder that winter has prised from the crag above. Snow is still drifting, eddies of white powder scurry down the hillside on the firm wind that tumbles from the blue above. Unseen beyond is a featureless plateau well-known for…

■ RED FOX Fox tracks are very similar to dog tracks and can be hard to distinguish, but there are some clues... Size is one, as a fox print will never be larger than 4.5cm long. The interdigital pad (the large palm or heel pad) is always small, and on the rear foot sometimes even smaller than a toe. And hair sometimes shows up between the pads. ■ Size 3-4.5cm ■ Elements Four toes, one interdigital (‘palm’) pad ■ Common mix-ups Dog ■ DOG Dog tracks vary massively, depending on the size and breed. The prints of smaller dogs, like Jack Russells, or dogs bred for speed, like whippets or lurchers, can look very like a fox’s. Check the interdigital pad, which is usually triangular and larger than the toes,…

TERRAIN USE When there’s a deeper covering of snow and ice, or on steeper ground, crampons with good-sized spikes are a minimum requirement. On easy gradient paths with only a thin film of ice, pull-on ice grippers will offer improved traction while being less unwieldy and easier to walk in than crampons. SPIKES Walking crampons usually have 10 spikes, with most of those pointing down. Crampons for steeper terrain will offer 12 spikes with the front points being more horizontal. Grippers may have fewer spikes or use alternative means of boosting grip such as chains or wire coils. CRAMPON STIFFNESS This is limited by the part linking the forefoot to the rear spikes, and determines which footwear the crampon will fit and its intended use. For winter walks flexible crampons…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 13.5KM TIME 5 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 720M PEAK BAGGER STATS WAINWRIGHTS 3 Bowscale Fell, Bannerdale Crags and Souther Fell. For Wainwright walkers, these names may be familiar. This quiet, upland area sits modestly behind the heights of Skiddaw and Blencathra, but packs its own punch in terms of steady access, expansive views, sweeping lines and lonely character. And they will bite back on worse weather days, given the fact the paths are less distinct, the hill tops are exposed and going underfoot can be varied. There is a beguiling, windswept beauty to this quiet ‘back o’ Skiddaw’ upland; and the expansive views to the east, over the Eden Valley offer up a sense of vast space that is not often felt in the curvaceous valleys of other…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 20KM TIME 6-7 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 750M Starting a walk from the highest road pass in Wales may seem like cheating, with much of the climb done by car, but Gospel Pass is well worth the visit in its own right. Perched towards the northern edge of the Black Mountains, this remote, twisting road links the remote Vale of Ewyas with the vast plains spreading northwards towards mid-Wales, and offers plenty of adventures in the rolling hills and valleys of the south Wales borderlands. Twmpa, the first summit to the west, is easily gained before our route heads south high above the Grwyne Fawr dam, stretching across and then back into the valley again. A stroll along the valley floor, crossing the babbling waters of the Afon…

ROUTE 10 Lingmoor Fell & Side Pike ROUTE 11 Swirl How & Wetherlam ROUTE 12 Black Fell & Holme Fell The cluster of fells between Coniston and Elterwater always seem a little different from some of their bigger and better-known neighbours to the north. A combination of heather-clad tops and damp, deciduous woodland nestles next to rivers, tarns and impressive reminders of the former slate industry. There are high fells too, with open ridges and rocky ribs which rise above a series of quiet valleys. Elterwater village makes a great base, with paths and tracks leading in every direction – enjoy the broad isolated ridge of Lingmoor Fell and climb to the summits of Swirl How and Wetherlam, follow the Cumbria Way to the waterfalls at Skelwith Force, and discover…

Goatfell is something of a two-faced mountain – but in the best possible way. From its southern side it looks green and rounded and far from exciting. The Arran Coastal Way meanders up its flanks and the peak appears tame; some might even say boring. But how wrong they’d be. This photo is taken from Goatfell’s 874m summit, looking north over the scrambly Stacach Ridge towards North Goatfell. And from there, the scenery explodes in crag and crevice as the spectacular Glen Sannox Horseshoe reveals itself. To the west, beyond the dip of The Saddle, sits the multi-spoked peak of Cir Mhor. Further around the head of the valley is the steep-buttressed fortress of Caisteal Abhail, neighboured by the dark axe-cut notch of Ceum na Caillich – The Witch’s Step.…

The Cobbler Arrochar Alps “As a group we usually go out annually for a walking and climbing weekend. This was our first in three years and here Rich, Brian and Julian are taking a break just near the summit of The Cobbler.” Paul Taylor, Lincoln Braeriach Cairngorms “This was taken in August on our annual trip to the Cairngorms. Here’s 12-year-old Lottie Leyland (and Brown Bear) at the summit of the UK’s third highest mountain. Braeriach, looking down the Lairig Ghru and across to Cairn Toul. The scramble through the Chalamain Gap was awesome.” Craig Leyland, Blackpool Blencathra Lake District “First hike to Blencathra summit via Sharp Edge.” Dean Lightfoot, Barrow-in-Furness Helvellyn Lake District “This is Jonah (12) giving a very happy and relieved thumbs-up on Striding Edge. Difficult conditions…

As hillwalkers I feel like we are often chasing something – escape, solitude, the next summit. I think many of us are chasing moments of perfection, in a world where they are almost impossible to find. The remarkable thing about the hills is that sometimes we actually do stumble across perfection. Whether it is a sunrise above a cloud inversion, or a moonlit summit view, we occasionally witness nature at its most flawless. As a pro landscape photographer, I spend a lot of my life in pursuit of these elusive moments. I have been privileged to photograph some of the most beautiful mountain areas in the world - from Yosemite National Park to the Slovakian Tatras. However, there is nowhere I have been, absolutely nowhere, that excites me as much…

DIFFICULTY EASY DISTANCE 12KM TIME 4 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 410M For those who make their approach to Snowdonia along the A5 there is a moment when it becomes abundantly clear that they have left England behind and have entered a very different land. Roadsigns display unpronounceable place names, while the valleys become deeper and the hills much steeper. There is no doubt about it – you are in Wales. As you pass through the Vale of Llangollen the landscape is heart-achingly beautiful and redolent of the myths, legends and folklore that abound in dragon land. What a shame that few stop and explore beyond a comfort break at the old toll house where Llantysilio Mountain could be mistaken for the Cairngorm foothills. Such is the draw of Snowdonia, these intensely…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 7.5KM TIME 4 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 550M PEAK BAGGER STATS CORBETTS 1 Surrounded by some of the most popular mountains in the southern Highlands, Ben Donich is somewhat pushed into the background when compared with peaks such as Beinn an Lochain and The Cobbler. And while seemingly retiring in nature, Ben Donich is actually a much more rugged mountain than first impressions allow when viewed from Glen Croe. Here the Rest and Be Thankful sits at 244m above sea-level, with its name referring to the inscribed stone that was placed by soldiers when they completed the original military road in the mid-1700s. Over the centuries it has provided a welcome break for travellers including Boswell and Johnson, Thomas Pennant and Dorothy and William Wordsworth. And due to…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 10.75KM TIME 6 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 545M PEAK BAGGER STATS WAINWRIGHTS 1 1 NY327047 From Elterwater village, cross the river and fork left on the lane, passing the hostel on the right. Fork right again, just before the hotel, and walk uphill for 200m. Go right on a rough track through woods and turn left after 600m onto a bridleway – fork right after 100m. 2 NY320044 Follow the track uphill to pass old quarry workings and go through a gate at the start of Open Access land. Lingmoor Fell certainly lives up to its name – the swathes of purple ling which carpet this bumpy ridge between Little Langdale and Great Langdale stand out like a fiery beacon in late summer. A path continues ahead, past…

Credit where credit is due: when in 1973 Alfred Wainwright devised a Coast to Coast walk across northern England, it was a masterpiece of inspiration, a touch of genius – if not of concept, then of line – and it would be difficult if not impossible to link the two chosen ends by a more satisfying route. It is an excursion to rank with the finest of this country’s long-distance walks. The man himself said it was but one Coast to Coast walk – that walkers could devise their own. Maybe so, but as a tribute to its quality its enthusiasts grow by the year, while ‘alternatives’ are still relatively few. The walk has taken second place in an international poll of favourite long-distance routes and has the reputation for…

The highest point of the island known as ‘Scotland in Miniature’, Goatfell is the sharp centrepiece to Arran’s underrated and startling highlands. Towering above the village of Brodick, it is an easy objective amongst a sensational world of jagged granite peaks. What it lacks in height, Goatfell makes up for in sheer drama. The 874m summit is a fine viewpoint to admire the fearsome ridges that make up Arran’s nononsense mountain terrain, with great views over the island’s western peaks, Brodick Bay and across to Ayrshire on the mainland. It’s not the biggest, hardest or prettiest, but it’s loved by everyone who climbs it. 1 COIRE LAN EASY ■ 3 hours ■ 3.9km ■ 860m ascent Start High Corrie, NS026422 Terrain Forest, open mountainside, steep corrie, rocky ridge, rocky summit…

I was watching TV recently when I saw something that almost made me choke on my Pringles. It was a view of the British mountains I’d never seen before. And that view, it turns out, forms the basis for one of the most groundbreaking landscape paintings in the history of British art. Maybe even world art. The painting is ‘Snowdon from Llyn Nantlle’ by Richard Wilson, and I immediately wanted to explore that view. After all these years I’d found a new way of looking at mountains I thought I knew inside out. The painting It’s worth looking more closely at that painting on the previous page before I tell you what it was like to be in it. The oil painting is a masterly composition of pointy mountains. It’s…

Anyone who has stood on the top of a mountain and looked out at the world below, feeling their worry and stress slip away on the wind, knows how much better the world can seem when seen from the top of a hill. A literal, geographical change in perspective can change the way you look at life. And the breathless arrival on a summit can remind you that, whatever else is going on, some things can still be achieved. Time in the hills benefits anyone who wants it. The lofty peaks don’t judge and there’s no charge to climb them. Anyone who can climb Scafell Pike may do so. In England and Wales everyone is allowed to stroll along a right of way and march across Open Access land. In…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 13KM TIME 4-5 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 593M By Cheviot standards Windy Gyle is a busy hill, as the Pennine Way crosses its cairn-crowned summit. A couple of well-trodden routes start on the English side of the border. But, for those looking for something a wee bit different, an examination of the map and a little out-of-the-box thinking will reveal a number of tasty-looking alternatives. This route takes you into the quiet, rarely-visited Trows Valley where sheep trods contour steep hillsides and eventually lead to Routin Well, a natural spring high on the southern slopes of Windy Gyle and one of the finest views in Upper Coquetdale. Once across a stretch of rough, peat-pooled moorland, the summit’s giant Bronze Age burial cairn is quickly reached. Then, after soaking…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 16KM TIME 7 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 720M The landscape of Arenig Fawr and its surroundings can be hard won in certain conditions, especially under winter snows. The modest summit shelter atop a relatively broad rock-littered plateau hides another story of lives lost, and now lives remembered: the 8-strong crew of a US Army Air Force B-17 bomber, whose plane crashed on the slopes of Arenig Fawr in August 1943. While making a logical journey to Arenig Fawr’s summit via the perfect glacial-formed Llyn Arenig Fawr, take some time to appreciate the slightly brooding atmosphere that pervades the llyn. It is now managed as a small reservoir, but it’s very hard to see anyone here, even though there is a frequented and modest bothy hut nestled beneath the…

The Cairngorms arctic-alpine plateau make up the highest contiguous landmass in the UK, severed by deep, glaciated glens. Though it’s the heights that often get the most attention – and this route tops three of the six highest in the UK – the lows deserve attention too. Splitting these giant mountains in two, the glen walls rise up in sheets of scree and towering rock, the upper reaches softened with mist or encrusted with snow. They are as fearful and glorious as the hills themselves – all of which are traversed in a single day between stone and sky, one kilometre up in the air. There’s also a pale sandy beach, ancient Caledonian forest and a bothy with a toilet. If you’re planning to backpack the whole 3-day route, it’s…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 13KM TIME 7 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 930M PEAK BAGGER STATS WAINWRIGHTS 3 TRAIL 100s 1 1 NY306010 From the car park walk up the lane to the farm at High Tilberthwaite and take the left-hand gate. Follow the well-made track uphill through trees and over open rocky ground. Go through two gates, walk over the crest of the hill and head down to the next gate, with views north to Little Langdale Tarn. 2 NY305028 Fork left at a squat hawthorn tree and take the rough track to cross a stile next to a locked gate. Now leave the track and go right to a footbridge over Greenburn Beck. 3 NY294023 Walk up the start of the grassy ridge and continue uphill until the path levels out.…

7.7km DISTANCE 670m ASCENT Grade 1 WINTER ROUTE Although it’s often one of the first Lake District scrambles hillwalkers will tackle, Blencathra’s Sharp Edge is no pushover. As the name suggests, it is challengingly narrow in places, and the drops off either side are unforgiving. Sadly, falls and fatalities on Sharp Edge are regular occurrences – mostly at the ridge’s ‘Bad Step’, where an awkward step down on polished outward-sloping rock into a narrow notch above a steep gully is notoriously tricky, particularly in wet or icy conditions. For that reason, most sensible folk will head up there in summer when the rock is dry, the wind is low, and the daylight hours long. However, for those experienced winter ridge-baggers who like nothing more than taking to high, airy routes…

SNOWDONIA, NORTH WALES WALK IT Clogwynygarreg is very close to the B4418. The smaller hill of Bryn Gwyn is a great landmark and, if in a car, park as close to it as possible. If on the bus you could walk up the ‘B’ road from Rhyd-Dhu quite easily. A strip of open access land connects it to the road, which can be used as the approach. It takes 10 minutes to get to the foot of Clogwynygarreg from the road, but don’t let that lull you into a false sense of security. Steep rock defends the peak. This must be avoided and the weak points in its defences found, which take the form of rakes. Getting to the top involves being on steep, pathless, rocky ground; so make sure…