Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2023 i Trail

We talk a lot at Trail about the transformation that washes over Britain's mountains when the snow arrives. And rightly so, because it really is a magical thing to witness. In many ways you don't properly know our uplands until you've walked among them while they're at their most devious and challenging. So as much as we like to sell the dream of winter hillwalking with as many photos of pristine white peaks bathing in golden sunshine as we can find, we also like to think we do a fairly good job of alerting you to the menace that lurks in those mountains once they've received a severe dose of weather. Which brings me to the photograph above. That's our gear editor Ben, looking thoughtful and majestic on a rock…

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH “As I was heading towards Striding Edge in the morning, people were already walking on the ridge,” explains Padam Gurung. “The sun hitting the cliff covered it with light, atmospheric clouds caused a silhouette of the edge, and there were people walking on it, so I grabbed my camera and took shots in various compositions. “I would call myself an enthusiast photographer and I learned photography through friends, YouTube and social media. I am a member of the Armed Forces (Gurkha), originally from Nepal, currently settled in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, serving in the Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS). Since I have come from the Himalayas I absolutely love mountains, and have trekked many places in Nepal, including Everest, Annapurna and Langtang, and parts of the UK…

The Muslim Hikers walking group began in 2020, when founder Haroon Mota (left) set up an Instagram page to connect, inspire and spread positivity within the Muslim community during the pandemic. As lockdowns eased, the Instagram page and support network that grew around it evolved into a walking group, with organised events taking place around the UK. The walks have included ascents of Snowdon, Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, Cadair Idris, and many more classic peaks, and are designed to help people build awareness and confidence in the outdoors. According to recent figures, only 1% of National Park visitors come from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, while a 2021 report by the countryside charity CPRE showed that ethnic minorities have, on average, 11 times less access to green space than…

■ WILDLIFE WATCH: RED DEER (CERVUS ELAPHUS) SIZE Britain's largest native land mammal. 1-1.3m to the shoulder. Males can weigh up to 300kg. LOOKS LIKE Large and heavily built, with a reddishbrown coat and cream-yellow rump patch. Stags have a shaggy neck and, in season (Aug-Mar), massive branching antlers with up to eight points. Hinds are smaller and neater looking. Usually seen from a distance, as a huge herd moving over the hill. ■ PUB QUIZ TRIVIA A What classic Grade 1 scramble traverses a sweeping ridge onto Ben Nevis? B There are three ‘Pinnacle ridge’ scrambles in the UK, one in each of England, Scotland Wales. But which hills are they on? C Which Welsh pub was used as the training headquarters of the first successful Everest climbing expedition in 1953?…

The hills under snow and ice can be extremely unforgiving (especially in Scotland), so while having the right kit is important year-round, it becomes much more critical in the winter. At this time of year more than any other, it's life-saving equipment. As well as having appropriate kit and warm clothing, you also need to be able to access it quickly and easily - when a sudden blast of spindrift tears across the slopes you should be able to grab and strap on your goggles in seconds, not have to blindly empty your pack onto the snow in order to dig them out. With the right kit, well packed, a day on the hill in full winter conditions can be a glorious, challenging, semi-Arctic experience. Here's how to get it…

Lightweight insulated layer The North Face Men's Thermoball Eco Jacket 2.0 £170 For two years this rather lightweight insulated jacket has been a part of my hill kit. It's slim enough to wear comfortably under a shell, and you feel invincible against cold and wet when pairing it up in such a way. Be advised though, in colder conditions a more heavily insulated jacket would be advisable for more stationary activities like wild camping or belaying. I like the fact that my version doesn't have a hood, but if I want one then I can simply add another layer that does have one. Style-wise, I like it. I've always worn it off the hill as often as I can, as the fit suits me. But alas, I no longer actually…

TRAIL MAGAZINE Gower CIRCULAR COASTAL ROUTE This stretch of coastline has some of the finest coastal scenery in the UK and is packed full of interest. The climb to Rhossili Down is rewarded with superb panoramic views of Rhossili Bay and the majestic Worm's Head. It is worth timing this walk with the largest spring tides of the year which expose the Carboniferous limestone reef at low water. Fall and Mewslade Bays are two of the finest coves in Gower and are inviting for a swim, depending on the time of year. Large winter storms throw some of the best surfing waves in the UK onto the reefs, and you may see the spectacle of a surfer disappearing into the ‘green room’ in the notoriously hollow waves that break here. In…

TRAIL MAGAZINE Lake District FALLS & FELLS The Lake District's lofty western fells, with their rocky countenance and superior stance, seem to look down on the grassy little urchins to the south of Loweswater, particularly in winter when mountains such as Pillar, High Stile and Grasmoor sport elegant coats of snow. But there's no reason for these lower tops to develop an inferiority complex. With some surprisingly steep and rugged faces, hidden ravines and an air of lonely isolation, they can hold their own among the National Park's greats. Views of the Irish Sea are an added bonus, giving a distinct sense of these being coastal hills. This grassy yomp explores three of these gently rounded tops - Gavel Fell (526m), Blake Fell (573m) and Burnbank Fell (475m) - but it…

In association with DAY 3 13 SX215650 Starting in Dobwalls, head south past the school leaving the village. Cross over the railway lines and continue to follow the road for the most direct route. Continue along the road to Lunghwa and as it branches off, keep to the right, following the lane to the top of the valley. The road turns into a track as it enters Liggars Wood at Scawn Mill. 14 SX216620 The track descends into the woods and weaves between the woodlands and some open fields, before returning to the woodlands again. Follow the path that handrails the West Looe River until it meets Millcoombe Farm at the midst of several road junctions. The footpath continues to the south between the buildings at Herodsfoot. This again drops…

Brecon Beacons THE FAMOUS BEACONS HORSESHOE In association with DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 13.3KM TIME 5-6 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 807M PEAK BAGGER STATS TRAIL 100S 1 1 SO037170 From Taf Fechan car park, head north along the road to what was the Lower Neuadd reservoir. Follow the waymarked path across the valley to the hill fence on the other side. 2 SO028180 Climb steeply left alongside the forestry fence up to the ridge, turning north towards Graig Fan Ddu. 3 SO019182 Continue north along the ridgeline to Cefn Cul. Across the valley is the Roman road crossing over the gap between Fan y Bîg and Cribyn and so on to Brecon. The track continues along the crest of the ridge, close to the steep drop on the right, and care should be…

GO THERE… with lots of experience, or with a qualified guide If you've never heard of the Aonach Eagach ridge, it's probably fair to assume that you lack the experience to be tackling it in winter. Sorry. It's not that we're being elitist - up to a point we believe the mountains are for everybody. But if you've been in and around the mountains for any amount of time, have read the odd copy or two of Trail, have browsed the web for mountain info, or have joined any of the multitude of mountain focused Facebook groups, you'll have come across the Aonach Eagach at some point. And if you haven't, it suggests you are just starting out on your mountain journey. And in the not too distant but ever-so…

When it comes to what makes a winning mountain photograph, there is no set formula. Previous winning photos have captured every part of the UK's mountains, at all times of day, from summer to winter and everything in between. What every winning image does have in common though, is an ability to evoke a feeling of being out there, high and wild. And there's much more to a mountain photograph than any other landscape image: namely the sheer effort it took to get there, and the elements endured to wait for that perfect moment. This year's winning image captures Jupiter, Saturn and Venus aligning in a magical moment that connects the wild camper on top of Garnedd Ugain with the three planets beyond; while Snowdon peeks through the sea of…

There is a tree out there that has a reputation of such mixed meaning that it's hard to know what to make of it. Luckily, it's easy to know what to make out of it: guitars, the foundations for the city of Venice and, erm, clogs! Welcome to the watery world of the alder tree. Alders (not to be confused with elder trees), like their roots in moist soils, so the banks of our rivers and lakes are their usual habitat. This simple fact makes finding and noticing them that much more straightforward. I can think of many, many riverside and lake/ lochside paths that I've followed over the years that have themselves followed a slender but continuous string of alder trees. Alders reach a height of 28m and only…

You know a bog when you lose your boot up to the ankle in it. It's mossy, squelchy, soaks your feet and almost doubles the length of a walk in tiny detours. It might appear, from a distance and at a glance, desolate. Walking through Rannoch Moor, a 50 square mile expanse of blanket bog swamping Glen Coe, you'd be wise to stick to the train tracks that cross it. But a healthy bog is far from bleak. There, bog asphodel blazes beside tufts of cotton grass. Hummocks of lime green, crimson and copper-coloured mosses rise alongside shrubs of sweet-smelling bog myrtle, nibbled by moth caterpillars. The caterpillars are eaten by black grouse chicks in their first years of life and short-eared owls scour the mire for prey. Pools glint…

Quechua Adult Snow Crampons £30 This is a bit of a misnomer. It is not a crampon, and neither is it ideally suited to snow. At least, not deep, fluffy stuff. But on ice and hard-packed snow, these could be exactly what you need. Available in four sizes (S, M, L, XL) the rubber frame can be pulled over almost any type of footwear, allowing the 11 microspikes underneath to boost traction. Make no mistake - these are not mountain tools. Even Quechua's website refers to use on flat terrain. But for easy winter strolls, these highly packable grippers are a bargain. BEST FOR less serious, more horizontal ground. Edelrid Spiderpick Crampons £40 Think of the Spiderpicks as snow chains for your feet. Much like snow chains, these can be…

On a clear day, looking up the steep slopes beyond the waters of the reservoir to the craggy edges of the Kinder plateau above, it's easy to forget that almost the whole Kinder plateau was once forbidden land. A place where gamekeepers were moorland ‘bouncers’ protecting ‘private’ land, who often clashed with ramblers hoping to escape their urban working environments to walk in more natural surroundings. The disagreement between ramblers and landowners came to a head in 1932 when young walkers from Manchester and Sheffield converged on Kinder for a mass trespass from Bowden Bridge, Edale and Snake Pass. Hardwon gains had already been made, such as the Hayfield and Kinder Scout Ancient Footpaths Association's efforts to prevent closure of the William Clough footpath in 1897, but the publicity generated…

TRAIL MAGAZINE Isle of Rum MOUNTAIN WILDCAMP Back in 2021, I visited the Isle of Rum with my friends to write up a route. It was a trip full of amazing memories and experiences, but one in particular always makes me laugh… We were camped on the mountain in a biting northerly wind, all wrapped up in our tents, and in the middle of the night we were awoken by the most horrific noise outside. I genuinely thought I was having some kind of nightmare! We found out later it was the Manx shearwater. They spend most of their lives out at sea but return to the island in the middle of the night to feed their young - tens of thousands of them - and the noise is so horrendous…

TRAIL MAGAZINE Yorkshire Dales CLASSIC LIMESTONE SCENERY Malham Cove has that special ‘wow’ factor, and it would be all too easy to spend a lazy morning admiring the towering cliff, followed by an afternoon hopping over the clints and grykes at the top of the abyss. But there's much more to see and, while the gulch of Goredale Scar is often combined with a walk at the cove, this route heads west to explore another chunk of theatrical limestone scenery. The track around scenic Malham Tarn eventually swings south to join lonely paths on the way to the crags and caves at Attermire Scar. Here, Victoria Cave has helped paint a picture of early life in the Dales - 120,000 years ago, hyenas hauled the remains of hippos and elephants into…

Cornwall COAST TO COUNTY TOP In association with DAY 1 1 SX095914 The route begins at the Boscastle Harbour. Head south-east out of the village and cross the road towards the car park. Behind it, a footpath is signposted that drops down and continues through the woods. The footpath handrails the River Valency and continues on a steep path uphill for approximately 3km. 2 SX124913 The footpath then meets another footpath heading south at an intersection. Follow this new path south towards Halamiling. The path initially descends down towards woodlands, before ascending again after you cross the River Valency at the footbridge. Continue south as the path rises above the woodlands and into open fields. The footpath follows the hedgerow to the east of the fields and is well worn.…

Brecon Beacons WIDE VIEWS & WATERFALLS In association with 1 SO063170 From Blaen-y-glyn Isaf car park, walk back to the main road, turn left and cross the bridge over the Caerfanell. Cross the stile on the left and follow the path on the right-hand bank looking upstream. 2 SO060174 After exploring the fall, retrace your steps to rejoin the path which continues up the stream above the gorge. Continue following the path along the stream valley to the stile in the hill fence near the stream. The path now works its way high above the stream, which flows in a steep-sided, wooded gorge that culminates in the last waterfall in this section. The path passes close by and it is worth making a short detour to stand at the top…

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WHAT THE JUDGES SAY: Louise Parker, Trail art editor: “I love the peaceful quality above the clouds, halfway to space. The tent and headtorch aligned with the planets, and the mountain breaking the horizon, all makes for a truly superb composition. And that blue!” Chris Upton, Fujifilm ambassador: “A highly impactful shot. The inversion brings a minimalist feet to the image, and the colour contrast of blue with the green tit tent works very welt.” Stephen Govier, public voter: “My vote went to this incredible image, as I see something new and thought-provoking every time I look at it.”…

WILD SLEEPS THIS MONTH Glaramara Pike O’ Stickle Buachaille Etive Mor TRAIL 100 BIVVY COUNT 11/100 Where you sleep on each mountain is dictated by terrain and, perhaps more importantly, the wind conditions. On my Trail 100 wild camps this month I showed two modern-day cave girls a special treat in Langdale, hiked with a Yorkshire YouTuber to the top of Glaramara, and Lady Kelly of Kinlochleven showed me the best residence in Glencoe. Staying low Chatting to Andrew on the climb up to Glaramara reveals he is prepared for bad weather, which is a good thing because wind gusts of over 50mph are on the way. This is, in fact, the reason we are here and not on Great Gable, which is doing a Ben Nevis impression with its…

THIS MONTH'S WINNER Steall waterfall Glen Nevis “This photo was taken by my partner Ada on our family trip to Scotland. Between more difficult trails (Ben Nevis, 360° Loch Ness bike trip) we were doing easy trips to relax. Pictured with me are my two daughters Maja and Julia, and my wonderful mother-in-law Aga. Oh yes, and billions of midges…!” Jan Hoss High Raise Lake District “On my way to High Raise from Grasmere, with my friend Bente - from Norway. She has wanted to visit the Lakes since 2003, and I think I can safely say I she won't be leaving it nearly 20 years before she returns!” Cath Pert Fairfield Horseshoe Lake District “On a trip back in August we met this little chap perched on its owner's…

A The Carn Mor Dearg (CMD) Arête. B St Sunday Crag in the Lake District (G1), Pen yr Ole Wen in Snowdonia (G2), Sgurr nan Gillean on Skye (Diff). C The Pen-y-Gwryd Hotel near Pen-y-Pass ■ WORD TO THE WISE Trail reader John Bisson: “Many years ago in January, my daughter Emily and I went from Great Langdale over Crinkle Crags to Bowfell. As it got dark I found that I had forgotten my headtorch. Luckily I had a small Maglight, so we had to come down the Band and find our way to the ODG pub taking turns to light the path. The moral is, check your kit!”…

Wherever you lay your head While it's entirely possible to form an acceptable pillow out of a dry-bag and some spare clothing, it'll never be quite as comfortable as a proper pillow. The Forclaz Inflatable Pillow from Decathlon (£15) comes closer to the real thing. It adds a surprising boost of overnight comfort and is so light (1 70g) and compact (0.7 litres) that you'll barely even notice it in your rucksack. Snug as a bug This Mountain Warehouse Microfibre Mummy Sleeping Bag liner (£24, although currently on sale at £15) adds an additional layer of comfort and warmth to your sleeping bag. The easily washable liner also helps preserve the life of your sleeping bag by reducing how often it needs to be cleaned. Do not disturb Go Outdoors…

KEY FEATURES AXE HEAD If you think of an ice axe as T-shaped, the axe head is the horizontal top of the T. The head has two main components: the pick and adze. Heads are normally made of cold-rolled or hot-forged steel, though lightweight axes use aluminium, which isn't as strong and blunts quicker. Some axes have a grip or cover over the central portion of the head for enhanced carrying comfort. STRENGTH RATINGS A Type 1 or B-rated axe is suitable for winter walking and general mountaineering, and is likely to be lighter and cheaper. Type 2 or T-rated axes are stronger and can be used on more difficult and graded winter climbs. Some T-rated axes can work perfectly well as walking axes too. SHAFT Hillwalking axes used more…

FITNESS Steep ascent/descent can be tough, but it's relatively easy for seasoned walkers. TERRAN Moorland, some rough/narrow paths, sometimes boggy. Craggy edges near path. After rain the Kinder stream may be tricky to cross. Steep descent off Kinderlow End. NAVIGATION Good nav skills needed after Sandy Heys especially in low vis and wet conditions. GET THERE A624 (Chapel-en-le-Frith to Glossop) to HayfieLd, then lane to Bowden Bridge. Or train to New Mills and bus to Hayfield (1 mile from Start). EAT & DRINK The Sportsman is very convenient for the end of the walk. Friendly staff serve Thwaites ales. Wide menu choice, but the fish and chips is very good! STAY OVER Both C&CC campsite and The Sportsman are very convenient for walk start. Or try numerous Airbnbs, The George…

TRAIL MAGAZINE Snowdonia QUIET EXTENDED HORSESHOE Even the coastal journey via Bae Tremadog Bay accessing this westerly area is worth savouring. With one eye on the undulating coastal dunes, the other casting back inland to beckoning heights, the sense of openness and a ‘little bit wild’ is tangible. With your back to the sea, the route's scenic shapes unfold ascending the ‘bald hill’ of Moelfre, including wonderful views of Rhinog Fawr and Rhinog Fach. Deserted settlements, ancient cairns and the remains of an Iron Age fort at Craig y Ddinas add to the remote depth of interest. The latter miles pick up an old coach road from the 18th century (originally a drover's road from London to Harlech), whose travellers would rest at Tynewydd, now just remains at the southern foot…

TRAIL MAGAZINE Lancashire HILL & MOOR Seen from almost any direction, Pendle Hill's steep faces present a forbidding profile, emphasised by its relative separation from the surrounding high ground. Few hills in the country excite the imagination more than this, with its tales of witches and supernatural happenings. Even today, the narrow doughs and wooded valleys around Pendle's flanks feel remote and are little visited, and it is small wonder that 16th and 17th century visitors approached the area with trepidation in their hearts. It is perhaps strange that a place long associated with such evil and foreboding should also have sparked conviction in a completely opposite direction, for it is on this same hill that George Fox received the vision which inspired him to found the Quakers in the 1650s.…

In association with DAY 2 8 SX183766 Starting from Jamaica Inn, head out of the car park and follow the road opposite. The road will head south-east towards Colliford Reservoir, which will come into view as you travel closer. The road will start to become rougher, and as it turns to the south-west, continue onto the track in the direction of Dozmary Pool. Follow around the eastern shoreline of Dozmary Pool, following an established track around the perimeter. 9 SX194741 At the edge of the pool, you will hit another farm track. Follow this track south back out onto fields and Moorland. The track will fade as it goes between two hedgerows with fields either side. This track then ends as the route opens back out onto open moorland. Ascend…

Brecon Beacons MOUNTAIN VALLEY & RIDGE In association with 1 SO025248 From the main car park, follow the footpath down into the stream valley of Nant Gwdi, cross the bridge and climb up through woodland to the open hillside. Turn left and follow the path above the fence into the valley, to where it drops down to the stream. Pick an easy descent and work your way along Nant Sere to the head of the valley. At the head of this valley is the north-east face of Pen y Fan on the right and the north-west face of Cribyn on the left. 2 SO019216 Once in the basin below Cribyn, strike towards the foot of the north-east face of Pen y Fan, and from here climb the headwall on the…