Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2025 i Trail

GET 50% OFF All first-time Trail Subscribers get 50% off OS Maps, the Ordnance Survey's digital mapping service. That's the equivalent of 607 paper maps in your pocket! PAGE 24 The first time I went walking on Ireland's Dingle Peninsula, I really didn't know what to expect. Probably a bit like the Lake District, I thought, just with a bit more coast. I wasn't even close. Despite being a short plane or boat ride away from England, County Kerry feels like another world. A place of raw natural beauty where gentle green fields build into savage mountains with cliffs spilling down towards the Atlantic, which in turn stretches endlessly away to the west. Mount Brandon is the star turn in these parts, a sprawling 952m beast of a mountain where…

The UK's most prestigious mountain photography competition is back! Once again, we're celebrating the drama, beauty and power of the mountains through your lens. Whether it's a colourful summit sunrise, a moment of quiet solitude in the hills, or the untamed forces of nature at work, our judges want to see images that capture the magic of the mountains. This year, we're asking that the photograph tells a story. While we do love stunning landscape shots, for 2025's competition we're after something which involves a human element; a picture that paints a thousand words, to borrow a wellworn cliche. Whether that's simply someone silhouetted against a stunning backdrop, your best pal on the crux of a challenging scramble, or perhaps even an evocative shot of an abandoned hat, we're asking…

A traverse of Crib Goch is as extreme as many hikers will ever want to get. No shame in that. Crib Goch has the potential to be a slice – an extraordinarily narrow slice – of mountain terror. On reaching the end of it they'll mumble “That's quite enough of that sort of thing” and opt to stick to paths – nice wide, safe paths – from here on. But for some, Crib Goch is a gateway to harder routes, and as these thrill seekers trot along the rocky arête with grins so wide that it's hard to tell whether it's joy or insanity on their faces, they may spot their next fix rising perilously into the mountain ahead. Clogwyn y Person Arête, also sometimes referred to as the Parson's…

COOMLOUGHRA HORSESHOE Arguably one of the finest walks in Ireland, this 12km trek in the MacGillycuddy's Reeks takes in three of Ireland's highest mountains: Corran Tuathail (Carrauntoohil) 1039m, Beenkeragh 1010m and Caher 1001m. It has breathtaking views and exciting challenges, but is often underestimated so best for seasoned hillwalkers. PURPLE MOUNTAIN & TOMIES A stunning high trek above the Gap of Dunloe with spectacular views to the lakes of Killarney to the north, the Black Valley to the south, and the high jagged peaks of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks to the west. WINDY GAP LOOP, GLENBEIGH The Windy Gap hike is a gorgeous looped trail that takes you along quiet country roads and through peaceful mountain passes with views of valleys, lakes, and the rugged Kerry landscape. CIRCUIT OF MUCKROSS LAKE…

THE BASICS OF SOLAR NAVIGATION The sun has been used as compass, calendar and clock for millennia, and can still be a useful guide to finding your way today. First, it's important to understand its movement through the sky. On the summer solstice, when the north pole is tilted most directly towards the sun, in the northern hemisphere the sun will rise close to the north-east then move through the sky to set close to the north-west. After this, it will rise and set from gradually more southerly points, until the winter solstice, when it rises close to south-east and sets close to south-west. It only rises due east on the equinoxes (this year – 20 March and 22 September). FIND NORTH WITH A SHADOW TRAIL Exactly halfway through the…

■ NEW IGNITER One of the key and, in our opinion, much needed upgrades to the Flash is the ignition system. A notoriously unreliable feature of previous models, the new Flash loses the fiddly separate gas control and igniter button and combines them in one easy-to-use valve. Simply turn the dial fully anticlockwise to simultaneously release and ignite the gas, much as you would with a gas hob at home. Plus, the metal spark wire that sits in the burner to ignite the flame is now encased in ceramic, making it more robust and reliable. A big improvement. ■ BETTER GRIP Trying to hold the burner still while adding or removing the pot was always a bit of a risk. There was nowhere entirely comfortable to hold it without risking…

YOUR TESTER James Forrest A prolific peak bagger and wild camper who has climbed hundreds of mountains in the UK and abroad, James gives his gear a serious thrashing on every trip. Traditional wisdom suggests you should wear high-ankled hiking boots for big mountain walks and long-distance treks. But, these days, that kind of old-school thinking is largely outdated and discredited – in fact, many now think a pair of low-ankled, trainer-style shoes are a far better choice. Why? Well, trail shoes are comfy straight out of the box and let you move lightly and nimbly through the hills, unlike blister-inducing, progress-hindering traditional boots. While the latter are rigid, unforgiving, heavy, cumbersome, sweaty and clunky, hiking shoes are energetic, cushioned, lightweight and super-comfy with a far more enjoyable ‘ride’. Of…

The Kentmere Horseshoe does what it says on the tin: it's a skyline rollercoaster taking in all the fells enclosing the head of Kentmere. The ‘Alternative Kentmere Horseshoe’ – something I made up simply because I felt like a change - is different in that it starts by heading into the higher reaches of Kentmere and then making a beeline for Ill Bell, a shapely peak that's also a Trail 100. It's an opportunity to experience this beautiful dale from more than just a bird's-eye perspective and throw in a visit to the remote Kentmere Reservoir at the same time. Ill Bell's north-east ridge makes for a tough ascent – it's at the sort of angle where, once you're on it, you probably won't want to look back down. It's…

It is possible to escape the Three Peak challengers and make it to all three tops, plus bag the county top of Lancashire. This is a wonderful landscape with expansive views across northern England. The weather can be very changeable, so be prepared for anything. Spending three days to complete the peaks means one can enjoy the incredible views across Yorkshire and out to Morecambe Bay and enjoy what is on offer locally in food, accommodation, entertainment and drink. There are numerous caves and waterfalls to visit too, many situated on the walks, and of course the famous Ribblehead Viaduct to watch the trains cross. A relaxing way to spend a weekend doing the Three Peaks Plus. GET THERE There are regular trains from Leeds railway station. The A65 running…

DARTMOOR Hound Tor Writers often live in their own heads, telling themselves all sorts of stories to distract from the relentless barrage of hogwash that is an occupational hazard of living on planet Earth. One such writer was Sabine Baring-Gould of east Devon (1834-1924), who as a folk song collector, hymn lyricist, novelist, and Anglican priest, proposed that Hound Tor was so named because of the canine heads formed by the weathered rocks – great dogs poised eternally atop the ramparts, keeping a silent watch over the shifting moorland. Other people escape reality using hard drugs, and to be honest, you'd need to have taken a fair few to see any sort of dog-like resemblance after you've walked the six miles from Bovey Tracey to this particular bit of granite.…

Rolling onto a Caledonian MacBrayne ferry provokes, in me at least, a properly Pavlovian response. There is nothing intrinsically stimulating about the mediocre cup of tea, the greasy breakfast roll (Lorne sausage and fried egg for me, please, with red sauce), or the muffled sound of the insistent gentleman trapped in the announcement speaker. Yet all of these things cause me to dribble excitedly, wag my proverbial tail and start barking at seagulls as the engines thrum into life. It seems I've conditioned myself into associating the CalMac experience with visiting Scotland's resplendent Hebridean islands, where mountains and sea collide to provide enough in the way of adventure to last any hill-going, beach-combing eccentric at least several lifetimes. If you're at all familiar with these islands, this reaction may ring…

CNEIFION ARÊTE This magnificently steep arête of shattering rock climbs, narrows, twists and bucks as it climbs out of Cwm Cneifion above Llyn Idwal to finish high on the Y Gribin ridge. The start is probably the hardest part, but there's plenty of exposure throughout. DOLMEN RIDGE Climbing the main cliffs of Glyder Fach at the back of Cwm Bochlywd, this is less a scramble and more an epic in miniature. It zigs and zags as the route unwinds – often near vertically – up the mountain, gathering exposure as it goes. CYFRWY ARÊTE Tucked away on the steep northern cliffs of the Cadair Idris massif, this route takes you on a true mountaineering journey from the edge of Llyn y Gadair to the summit of Cyfrwy, just west of…

It might not be the biggest mountain in the Lakes, but it's one of the most iconic. Its distinctively angular summit towers over Keswick, its scree-laden slopes grey in the brightest of sunlight. The entire thing, all 32 square kilometres of it, rises up from the valley bottom in elegant sweeping lines. The paths on the town-side are some of the most well-walked in the National Park, although those round the back are relatively ignored. At 931m, Skiddaw is the fourth highest Wainwright, and the first stop on the gruelling 66-mile, 42-peak Bob Graham fell-running challenge. It stands above Keswick like a declaration: this, here, is a place of mountains. And late last year it became England's highest nature reserve. Not the whole thing, but a swathe of 12 peaty,…

Having a gas Jetboil Flash £150 (and others) Ok, so the stove pictured here is the same one you'll find on page 52, but this here isn't really a review of the Jetboil Flash specifically, and a more of a love letter to all PCS (Personal Cooking System) stoves. Allow me to explain. A few weekends ago, I was on a motorcycle tour of Wales with a pal. Having just survived the Devil's Staircase (like a shorter Hardknott Pass), we pulled into a gravelly riverside lay-by, retrieved the stove (which just happened on this occasion to be the Jetboil Flash) from a pannier, and brewed up in the glorious Nant Irfon valley. As we sat in the atypically sunny and warm Welsh weather, three thoughts occurred as to why this…

This weekend on Skye offers contrasting mountain experiences – an exciting, rocky mountain adventure with a little hint of a scramble and long-distance, wild, grassy walking. Bla Bheinn is a classic Skye mountain day, similar in character but separate from the Black Cuillin mountains. It is tough and rocky and you'll need to sniff out the best route near the top. The Trotternish Ridge can be played around with. You could travel light do it in one massive 40km day. A more relaxed option would be to take a tent or a bivvy and just sleep under the sky. You could even just do two separate day walks and sleep in a nice warm bed each night, as there are options to descend mid-way. GET THERE Portree and Broadford are…

KEY FACTS Everyone knows Helvellyn, right? It's probably (and that ‘probably’ is backed up by numerous surveys) the Lake District's most popular/best known/most walked upon fell. And when we talk about Helvellyn, more often than not it's with reference to its ridges. Naturally, most of these conversations centre around what is probably (again, see the surveys) its most popular route: an ascent via Striding Edge. And although this is the fell's most striking ridge (no probably here – this point isn't up for debate), Swirral Edge on the other side of Red Tarn also sees a fair amount of traffic, often as the descent on the horseshoe route simply referred to as ‘Helvellyn's Edges’. So Helvellyn has two edges – Striding and Swirral. Job done. Except, if we widen our…

TIKTOK AND INSTAGRAM DRIVE MOUNTAIN RESCUE CALL-OUTS Mountain Rescue call-outs hit record highs across the UK last year, according to data shared by MR teams and Ordnance Survey. For the first time, teams in England and Wales were called out every day of the year in 2024, and Scotland alone saw over 1000 rescues for the first time. The biggest spike came from 18 to 24-year-olds, with callouts nearly doubling, thanks in part to social media turning remote beauty spots into viral must-sees. Mike Park, chief executive of Mountain Rescue England and Wales, said: “We know from incident reports that more and more people are tempted into risky locations by Instagram posts”. Older walkers weren't exempt either, with rescues of those aged 75-79 also doubling. Since 2019, incidents have climbed…

ASKIVAL, ISLE OF RUM The highest peak on Rum at 812m, Askival is the jewel in the crown of the Rum Cuillin. This range also includes five other peaks, one of which is another Corbett, Ainshval, plus Trallval, a Fiona. Doing the whole circuit is a demanding day out, complete with tough navigation but with some brilliant hands-on scrambling. The ridge is narrow, the drops are sharp, and the views – if the mist allows – are spectacular. Stay overnight in Dibidil bothy if you can. SGURR NAN GILLEAN, ISLE OF SKYE Traversing Skye's Cuillin Ridge involves miles of exposed rock, steep technical scrambles, devious navigation, and no fewer than 11 Munros. Sgurr nan Gillean is the first of the Black Cuillin peaks you see as you head to Glen…

I‘m on the summit looking across what is regarded as one of the finest scenes in all of Ireland, maybe even the world if you ask the locals. One thing is for sure, I'm the highest thing for miles around and the view from the top of Cnoc Bréanainn, aka Mount Brandon, is astonishing. This south-west coast of Ireland is wild and rugged, with wide silver-lined bays of white sand and underwater mountains making pointy islands that jut out of the Atlantic blue. Mount Brandon itself is a beast. At 952m it is the highest mountain in Ireland outside of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks, and it's a broad massif of two very different halves. The western side is a sprawling apple-green carpet. The eastern aspect plunges abruptly into the darkness of…

[HOW TO] WALK ON EVERY KIND OF TERRAIN …from wet grass to scree slopes DO wade through puddles. Oftentimes, the ground underneath is much harder than the mud around it – which is why the water hasn't drained away. So long as it's not too deep, you might be better off wading straight through – but do make sure you test it first. DO take zigzagging lines when ascending scree slopes. This helps prevent sliding backwards and is easier on the legs. If there's an existing line, it's probably there for a reason and likely the most stable route. DO plunge your heels in when descending scree. Imagine you're moving through snow – it's a similar technique and you can move at quite some speed this way. As you would…

The arrival of the Jetboil Flash in 2009 changed the way we thought about how quick and easy cooking in the outdoors could be. Super-fast boiling times, clever yet simple features, reliability over time: for many, the Flash quickly became the definitive personal cooking system (PCS). The concept of a PCS is simple: a sit-on-top burner and pot combo, with each part specifically designed to be used together to maximise efficiency and minimise boil times. There are loads of them about now (see opposite for just three others), but Jetboil was the OG and the Flash is its best-selling product. But why, if it's been around since 2009, are we talking about it now? Because the Flash has just undergone an upgrade, and we think it's one worth highlighting. Upgrading…

YOUR TESTERS Matt Jones & Ellie Clewlow are outdoor writers and photographers with a passion for adventure. They walk and scramble year-round all over the UK. They live and work in the heart of Eryri (Snowdonia). Whether you're planning to walk a long-distance trail this summer or just hoping to spend more time wild camping in the hills, having the right sleeping bag can make or break your overnight adventures. And for UK use, a reliable 3-season sleeping bag is probably the most versatile option, striking the perfect balance between warmth, weight and packability. Designed to handle the varied and often unpredictable conditions of spring, summer and autumn, these bags offer enough insulation for chilly nights while still being adaptable enough for warmer conditions. These days, it's a little easier…

Vallon Heron Desert £129 As the name suggests, these sunglasses have been created for environments that are exposed to a lot of sun. And aside from deserts, you know where else can get a lot of sun and offer little shelter? The mountains. There's a reason Vallon claims these have been “inspired by classic alpine design”. The leather side shields and detachable centrepiece block out sunlight and protect against dust and wind, while the polarised lenses enhance colours, protect against glare, sharpen vision, and provide Cat. 3 UV400 protection. SunGod Zephyrs £70 We've been big fans of SunGod's sunglasses for a while. They don't offer quite as many colour combinations as Goodr, but the ability to easily custom-pick your frame and lenses – including the choice of polarised and premium…

Chile's Torres del Paine National Park lies towards the southern tip of South America, surrounded on the west by labyrinthine, lonely fjords, and on the east by endless, dry steppe, and sitting on the edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the largest sheet of ice in the southern hemisphere outside Antarctica. There is a feeling of immensity in Chile's premier national park – vast sheets of fractured blue ice, turquoise and emerald lakes, primeval-looking forest, vertical granite spires and seemingly limitless cloud-streaked skies. It is one of those rare destinations with which you think you are familiar even before arriving – after all, one or more of its iconic views decorate almost any publication or webpage associated with Patagonia – yet it has somehow managed to lose none of…