Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2023 i Country Walking

This month I've been… THIS ISSUE WE set ourselves the modest task of selecting the greatest walks in Britain – definitively, finally and for the ages, knowing full well it was as impossible a task as choosing the most cherishable hair on a loved one's head. Nevertheless it was a fun – at times fraught – challenge, and we took it as seriously as only games should be. We're proud of the 56-walk collection we put before you today, but we're almost as happy if it moves you to walk or to dispute. Because while this great gazetteer of an edition is as earnestly meant and as exhaustive as can be, it is a mask for a still greater truth – one that you'll soon discover on foot if you…

LOCATION SCOUT The billionaire Roy family are currently machinating their way through the fourth and final season of this pitch-black comedydrama. The battle for control of Waystar Royco is focused on New York City, but founder and patriarch Logan Roy comes from Dundee – as does Brian Cox who plays him – and a memorable episode was filmed in the Scottish city in season 2 (all we'll say is L to the OG). The show also crossed the Atlantic for the final two episodes of season one, for the wedding of Shiv and Tom at Eastnor Castle. The mock-medieval mansion stands near the Malvern Hills – you can see it from Ragged Stone Hill at the southern tip of the range (as below). Show creator Jesse Armstrong hails from these…

BROUGHT TO YOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SPORTSSHOES.COM 2.74 × 365 = walk1000miles.co.uk (Despite what he says!) MILEAGE BELOW WHERE you'd hoped? Not made the perfect start to the year? Reckon your walking's a flop because you haven't yet seen the sunrise from a mountain top? Don't listen to any of the nonsense the must-do-better gremlin in your head spouts. You're doing great. Millions of people will not walk 1000 miles this year. Thousands will give up on the attempt after being disheartened by a setback. Absolutely nobody will walk your 1000 miles unless you do. And though the target dictates a daily average of 2.74 miles over 12 months, you should never mistake that for a scythe you must daily jump or be cut down by. Because it doesn't matter…

We asked Austin What things do you like best about a day climbing mountains? ‘I like the hard scrambly bits the best!' Tell us about a time you felt… ….Excited: ‘I was excited about starting the day on our last walk because I like seeing the views but it was too cloudy plus my friend was also with me.' …Scared: ‘When we were in the clouds, it was freezing cold and we couldn't see anything. We were in there hours!' ….Exhausted: ‘The first time Dad made me carry my own rucksack and we got to the top; it was very steep!' …Relieved: 'On the last mountain we did when we were getting close to the bottom after being in the clouds.' Are you really going to walk all the way…

DISCOVER Grid squares HP, HT, HU, HW GRID SQUARE HU TO FEEL THE forces that sculpt our planet, take a walk at Esha Ness. Crinkling west on Shetland's Mainland – the big island that's the backbone of the archipelago, and square HU – it confronts the full fury of the Atlantic's winds and waves. The elements shatter its coastline into skerries and stacks, blowholes and geos (rocky inlets), sometimes depositing 10 foot boulders 150 feet inland. It's a continuation of a tempestuous past. 395 million years ago, Esha Ness was part of a volcano at the fiery heart of a supercontinent near the equator. The Mount Fuji-esque cone it once had may be long gone, but what remains is renowned as ‘the best section through the flank of a volcano in…

GRID SQUARE NZ Over in Zermatt, there's a mountain we refer to as Switzerland's Roseberry Topping. But for the real deal, you have to come here, to Great Ayton on the northern edge of the Cleveland Hills. Rising above the village is the original Roseberry Topping: spectacular from all angles, sometimes conical, sometimes a spire; touchstone for local wisdom (‘if Roseberry Topping wears a cap, let Cleveland then beware a clap') and icon for local business (check out the logo of Teesside Airport). It's just 1050ft tall; in the Lake District it would only just qualify as a Wainwright, and it is 13,642ft shorter than its Swiss rip-off. Yet it means the world to the countless fans who ascend its crumbled sandstone face each year. It's an especially good ‘starter…

WALK HERE This is a linear walk on well signed paths: from Stackpole Quay, follow the Pembrokeshire Coast Path for seven miles to Elegug Rocks. This route is only possible when Castlemartin Range is open: check first at gov.uk/government/publications/castlemartin-firing- notice--2 For the extra two-mile loop around Bosherston Lily Ponds, turn right at Broad Haven and pick up the well marked trail at the back of the beach. GETTING THERE This linear walk needs two cars, or a taxi, or you can catch the late morning Coastal Cruiser 387 bus from Elegug Stacks (called Stack Rocks on timetables) to Stackpole Quay (Sat only in winter, Sat & Sun in summer). Country Walking stayed at Portclew House (01646 672800, portclewhouse.co.uk), a grand Georgian guesthouse in Freshwater East, where you can enjoy a…

GRID SQUARE SV Every bit of land on this square is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. All 6.32 sq miles of it. The Isles of Scilly form the smallest AONB in Britain – an archipelago 28 miles from the tip of Cornwall with five inhabited islands, and a lavish scattering of smaller islets and skerries. St Mary's is the biggest (and busiest), St Agnes is the littlest of the lived-on isles (and home to the UK's most southerly settlement), but our pick for a dreamy circumnavigation is Tresco. It's just over two miles from top to toe, and a mile wide, and it's generously fringed with white sand beaches all tickled by turquoise seas. Other islands, and stacks with names like Great Cheese Rock, add intriguing granite shapes…

CUT-OUT AND-KEEP ROUTES OUR POCKET-SIZED ROUTE CARDS START ON PAGE 91 SOUTH WEST Durdle Door, Dorset Visit two iconic geological features as you wander atop the ancient chalk cliffs of southern England's Jurassic coast. TURN TO WALK 3 EAST Berney Arms, Norfolk Discover peace and a real sense of solitude in this road-free and wildliferich part of the Broads National Park. TURN TO WALK 10 WALES Llangollen, Denbighshire Explore a medieval hilltop castle, climb limestone crags and cross one of the finest feats of 19th-century engineering. TURN TO WALK 20 SOUTH EAST Seven Sisters, East Sussex A classic coastal journey that takes you to Beachy Head and the famous chalk cliffs of Seven Sisters. TURN TO WALK 5 NORTH WEST Langdale Pikes, Cumbria Climb all four of these rocky summits,…

CAUGHT OUR EYE Fans of CW's longstanding columnist (who also moonlights as Ramblers President) will be familiar with the warmth, wit and self-deprecation with which he talks of his wholehearted love of walking. Here's a giant, joyous helping – as Stuart embarks on an enlightening, entertaining journey through England from Bristol's Banksy to Durham's beaches and from Cotswolds Corduroy to Stoke's oatcakes. In this engrossing exploration, he takes inspiration from the people he meets, uncovers local heroes and secret histories, and takes a clear-eyed yet affectionate look at the kind of country we are and want to be. He also ponders the differences between north and south, urban and rural, and offers abundant proof, he's just the best kind of walking companion to keep. £20, harpercollins.co.uk “I only went out…

Why these 1000-milers have zero time for gremlins – because they know things don't have to be perfect, or even go according to plan, to turn out just great. Feelings can fib ‘On Mondays I volunteer at the hospital on a cancer ward. I usually don't feel like going. If I'm healthy, I go anyway. I NEVER regret it. I always feel I've helped and it makes me feel useful, needed and a little proud of myself.' Mandy Jamieson Challenging times ‘Not much is going to plan in my life presently, including my challenge. But I'm making a point of getting out every Sunday for a big long walk and it's REALLY lifting the week ahead. Hoping to start adding in a mid-week early morning walk soon and before I…

Kes the conker-colour Cocker is an inveterate explorer, often finding his way into the unlikeliest of places when we're busy putting the magazine together. In fact he's hiding out in this issue for you to find! Spot him (not on this page) and you could win over £47 worth of Mountain Paws goodies – just email the page number where you found Kes, along with your address, to: ifoundkes@LFTO.com by 19 May 2023 putting ‘Kes May' in the subject line. Congrats to Colette England from Alfreton, who spotted Kes on p72 of the Spring issue, and wins this month's prize! GREAT PRIZES WORTH OVER £47…

The View THE DEVIL, SAID the old bluesmen and Prefab Sprout, has all the best tunes. He, or she, also has a lot of the best places too. Last week I was at Devil's Dyke near Brighton. It's a great, steep cleft in the gentle landscape of the South Downs, filled most days with kids, dogwalkers and the cows whose constant munching helps preserve the open nature of the Downs. It is one of, according to the Archi website of British placenames, over 80 locations of devilish nomenclature. Most of these have an attendant story which suggests that the Prince of Darkness was a) a quitter b) incredibly gullible and c) had way too much time on his hands. In the case of Devil's Dyke, the story goes something like…

GRID SQUARE HY This square is all about Orkney, an archipelago of 70 islands off the north coast of Scotland – and often visible from it. Twenty are inhabited; some have been for a very long time. A charred hazelnut shell excavated at Tankerness on Mainland dates back to the Mesolithic, around 6700BC. On the other side of the island – the biggest in the group at 202 square miles – you can step forward to 3100BC at Skara Brae. It's the best-preserved Neolithic settlement in western Europe, and World Heritage designated along with the Ring of Brodgar, Stones of Stenness and the chambered tomb of Maeshowe. The Norse, who arrived in the late 8th century and ruled for six, showed little respect for history: they looted the tomb and…

WALK HERE Download a full route guide for the classic walk from Loch Slapin to the summit at walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes GETTING THERE Both Loch Slapin (for classic ascent) and Kilmarie (for SSW ridge route) are on the B8083 between Broadford and Elgol, which is served by buses 55 and 612 (MonFri only, travelinescotland.com). WHERE TO STAY & EAT The bothy at Camusanary Bay is in a gorgeous location, and free, but gets very busy (see mountainbothies.org.uk). It's Scotland, so you can also take a tent and wild camp, making sure to leave no trace, or for a lot more comfort book into Coruisk House (01471 866330, coruiskhouse.com), a restaurant with rooms down near Elgol that's featured in the Michelin Guide. Double rooms from £200 including afternoon tea, a glass of prosecco…

DISCOVER Grid squares NS, NT, NU, NW GRID SQUARE NU There's much to savour in a grid square which includes Bamburgh Castle, Alnwick and Embleton Bay – but for an unparalleled bucket-list tick you can't beat walking on water. At the end of the country lane where Northumberland runs out, somehow it just keeps going – past a lastditch car park, then, without fanfare, into the sea. The coastline peels back and quickly you're out in that wet sand wilderness that characterises all estuaries. Except at the end of this rind of sand, land consolidates again and, quite unexpectedly, there's what looks like green grass and a village. To make sure it's not a mirage, you follow a line of stakes in the sand – parting company with the cars…

In the early 20th century, explorers in the steep gully to the east of Pike o' Stickle started to discover stone axe-heads among the scree. Archaeologists flocked to the scene, turning up hundreds of the things. Some had clearly been cast aside as imperfect, but many were in good condition. It wasn't long before the gully was being referred to as an ‘axe factory' – possibly the largest example of such a thing ever found in the UK. Up here, on an almost sheer slope in inhospitable mountains, neolithic humans were knapping and shaping axe-heads on an industrial scale; a prehistoric hardware store/munitions factory staffed by deerskin-clad arms dealers. Geologists soon worked out why: the gully sits over the surface exposure of a vein of hard volcanic greenstone. The greenstone…

DISCOVER Grid squares OV, SC, SD, SE GRID SQUARE SD There's a lovely three-way Mexican standoff going on in SD. The lower third of the Lake District vs two thirds of the Yorkshire Dales vs the entirety of the Forest of Bowland. Also eager to join the fight are the Fylde and Sefton coasts and the West Pennine Moors. But our winner is that giant of the Dales, Ingleborough. The showpiece of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, waiting to dazzle you with its astonishing profile (especially from the south, north and west), myriad routes of ascent and descent, and buckletload of treasures such as Trow Gill, Gaping Gill, the scenic cottage at Crina Bottom (sometimes with tea kiosk) and the limestone pavements of Southerscales and Raven Scar. Whether you ascend from…

DISCOVER Grid squares SO, SP, TL, TM GRID SQUARE SP This square spans Birmingham to Oxford and Cirencester to Corby – but its walking apogee is in the Cotswolds. In fact should England ever need to be recreated on a fresh planet, its essence could surely be extracted from the villages of Broadway and Snowshill and the walk between them via Broadway Tower. The honeyed-stone houses of Broadway radiate a warm vision of bucolic British life, its formidably pointless tower the wholeheartedness of English eccentricity. Snowshill is so winsome it's where Hollywood insists every nice British person (like Bridget Jones) goes for Christmas. These supremely pleasant hills are spacious, gracious and tastefully upholstered in wildowerrich grasses and smart farmers' fields. The limestone on which the grasslands depend, and from which…

WALK HERE Turn to Walk 7 in this issue. GETTING THERE The walk starts at Westminster Tube station on the Circle, District and Jubilee lines. If you're driving to London from the north there's cheap parking at Alexandra Palace (£3/day) from where you can catch the tube at Wood Green, a 34-minute journey from Westminster. Tube journeys can be paid for without a ticket with any contactless payment card directly at the gate. WHERE TO STAY There are six YHAs in central London (yha.org.uk/places-to- stay/london) with shared room beds in Oxford Street from £27 and private rooms £70. WHERE TO EAT The Lodge Café (020 3058 1224) at Hyde Park Corner offers delicious pasties, sandwiches and wraps at the park entrance. For a bigger lunch the Regent's Bar & Kitchen in…

Email your picture, along with a few words about the walk and your contact details to cwroutes@bauermedia.co.uk COOKHAM, Route 3, Spring 2023 As very new subscribers to Country Walking, we couldn't believe our luck – an amazing walking route on our doorstep! It was the perfect distance, over a mix of riverside, woodland and open countryside. The scenery and views over this stretch of the Thames are breath-taking. We perfected the art of ‘mudd-ling' through some very large and muddy puddles. Maybe gaiters are our next investment! Friends, Carole Moore & Christine Harvey, by email THIS ONTH'S PRIZE WINNER FORMBY, Route 16, April 2023 Inspired by Nick's article in the April edition, I decided it was about time I returned to Formby, and I wasn't disappointed. The walk was excellent, from…

URBAN Great for town and city walks, parks and country parks with well-made tracks. Lightweight, flexible, with plenty of bounce over hard surfaces, and stylings which are at home in a coffee shop as well as a nature reserve. FIELD & WOOD Versatile boots for classic country walking: parks, field paths, woodland, canal towpaths and riversides. HILLS Ideal for lower uplands; think the South Downs, Brecon Beacons and Peak District. MOUNTAINS Tougher boots for the most challenging terrain, ie. Lake District, Snowdonia, the Scottish Highlands. TREKKING Tough but flexible boots with a focus on comfort, for long-distance walks and mountainous treks. FAST & LIGHT Boots with a clear emphasis on low weight and agile movement over multiple terrains from woodland to hills. WATERPROOF Your at-a-glance indicator as to whether the…

EVERYONE SAYS IT. Podiatrists say it. Mountaineers say it. #walk1000milers say it. It's a simple message but here it is again: good walking socks are just as important as the right boots. Even the boot that fits you perfectly won't do its best work unless it's partnered with a proper walking sock, one that holds the foot in place, stops it from slipping and rubbing, protects the most vulnerable parts of the foot and takes away the moisture that leads to odours, friction, blisters and infection. Here's the perfect illustration of why the humble sock is actually the cleverest piece of kit you can buy, courtesy of an absolute classic… PROMOTED PRODUCT Hike Lightweight Merino Performance £22 A sock for all-day walking or expeditions in warm weathers, the Hike Lightweight…

Mountain Warehouse Isocool Hiker Socks £12 These days, you can spend upwards of £20 on quality socks, but there are plenty of cheaper options out there, too, including this cosy spring-summer pair (discounted to £8). Cushioned around the heels, toes and soles, then lightly padded up top, they are made from a cotton blend with MW's IsoCool wicking treatment. Though not as luxuriously soft nor warm as pong-resistant merino wool, it's very comfy nonetheless. mountainwarehouse.com Keela Insect Shield Hiker Socks £17 If you've ever waded through long grass, heather or bracken in summer, you'll know what it's like to be lunch for thirsty bugs. Warm, sweaty ankles are nectar for blood-sucking ticks, midges and mosquitoes. That's where these clever socks come to the rescue. They are knitted from ultra-soft bamboo…

FROM BLISTERS TO BUNIONS, plantar fasciitis to hammer toe; foot, ankle and lower limb complaints are alas common ground for the walking community. And they can become incredibly serious. Thankfully, Adele Holmes is here to help. As director of Cockermouth Chiropody and Podiatry in Cumbria – and an avid walker herself – she has treated countless foot complaints for walkers and runners. She is passionate about helping people to treat and manage podiatric complaints – or, better still, to prevent them in the first place. Here's her best advice when it comes to looking after your feet. BLISTERS The best thing to do with blisters? Prevent them. Blisters are caused by friction, so reduce the friction. Make sure your boots fit as perfectly as possible and wear breathable socks with…

SIGHTS | SOUNDS | WONDERS | IDEAS | COOL STUFF VIEWFINDER Catch the song of sunrise The first notes ring through the darkness an hour before dawn. Robins, blackbirds and song thrushes (below) often open the concert. Wrens and warblers add their vocals next; then great tits and blue, sparrows and finches as the light brightens. The dawn chorus reaches its crescendo in the half hour either side of sunrise, and there are seasonal variations too, as the native choristers of early spring are joined in May and June by migrants like chiffchaffs and blackcaps to form an awe-inspiring avian choir. Of course, these beautiful notes aren't for our benefit. It's the males showing off their strength through singing, to attract females and warn off competitors. The shadowy dawn is…

Walk leaders at the event include seasoned global adventurers and qualified Mountain Leaders Clare Kelly (heronahill.com) and Susie Amann. Clare's walks will have a focus on map-reading skills. “I find it really satisfying to see women embrace map-reading and become eager to head off into the hills to explore,” she explains. “Feeling confident with a map really does open up a whole new world of walking and it's wonderful to see people discovering that.” Susie will be leading several walks including a bus-out/walk-back epic. “What I love about Out & Wild is that it isn't loud and brash and crowded as some festivals can be,” she explains. “I think people enjoy walking with others who are part of their ‘tribe' – whatever that may be – as they feel relaxed,…

START A QUEST to walk 500 miles and guarantee you'll bring something epic home from this holiday season. Not just a medal and that magical number, but a fitter body, happier mind and the all-round positivity that's the foundation of our resilience. Whether you're turbocharging your 1000-miles campaign, or this is your first try at a walking challenge, it's fun to fill in your free charts and watch your miles build and it'll help turn every scrap of time into pleasure and purpose in the best gym in the world! GET YOUR CHART There's a chart inside the back cover, or you can download and print two free from walk1000miles.co.uk/500miles ORDER YOUR MEDAL Keep it sealed ready to open when you finish! walk1000miles.co.uk/shop JOIN THE MOST SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY ON THE…

21 WALK TO A NAMED TREE Some trees are old or notable enough to have a name – ancient like the Fortingall Yew, photogenic like Robin Hood tree at Sycamore Gap, fun like Old Knobbley in Essex. Walk to one, share its tale. #minichallenge21 22 IT'S A SIGN! We're looking for a pic of you with a sign, notice or billboard – big, unusual, fun, surprising or even breathtakingly dull. Because signs can be interesting when encountered on foot. #minichallenge22 23 FAMOUS FACE, FAVOURITE MAG Buoyed by a letter, we wonder if you can persuade any other celebs (we'll set the bar low) to pose with the magazine or your badge. Local politician? Reality show relative? #minichallenge23 24 BE A DISEMBODIED HEAD Separate your head from your body photographically, perhaps with the…

WALK HERE Turn to Walk 12 in this issue. GETTING THERE The walk starts from Stickle Ghyll car park (pay and display, free to NT members) in Great Langdale. Bus 516 runs six times daily from Ambleside (twice through to Windermere and Kendal, which both have rail stations). WHERE TO STAY Country Walking stayed at the Langdale Hotel & Spa (015394 38014, langdale.co.uk), which offers 4-star comfort in the heart of the valley near Elterwater: spacious, spotless en-suite rooms; access to swimming pool, spa bath, sauna and steam room; and gorgeous touches like Kendal mint cake on your pillow. Doubles from £180pn, with a slap-up breakfast (early risers can have a continental spread delivered to the room). Spa packages also available, and self-catering properties too. WHERE TO EAT Tuck into…

DISCOVER Grid squares TA, SH, SJ, SK GRID SQUARE SK Britain's oldest national park fills the north-west quadrant of this square and it's packed with star attractions for walkers – Kinder Scout, Mam Tor, Stanage Edge to name a few. But two of the Peak District's most spectacular peaks, tucked south of Buxton, rarely get the limelight they deserve. For decades there wasn't even a legal right of access to their summits. Parkhouse Hill (1230ft) and Chrome Hill (1453ft) are limestone mini-mountains that rip up dramatically from the otherwise gentle rolling turf of the Dove Valley. Their knobble-topped, curving ridges are unlike anything else in the park, and often likened to stegosaurus' spines – many fondly know them as the Dragon's Back range. Nearby Hollins Hill is a great ledge…

1 Clouds weigh hundreds of tonnes 2 Trig points make hills 1.2m taller 3 You don't realise how strong your legs are until you try a handstand 4 Days are long, years are short 5 Walking is an added preservative 6 Standing still you're still travelling 66,000mph around the sun 7 If you start counting from zero your lips won't touch till one million 8 At sea level on a clear night we can see 3 miles across but 15,284,426,407, 245,867,000 miles up 9 Every word is a made-up word 10 Bear Grylls is 96 in bear years…

1 FIT IS EVERYTHING Reviews are helpful for objective measures like weight, width, features, performance and purpose, but they can't tell you exactly how a boot will fit your unique feet. It doesn't matter how glowing a review is; if a boot doesn't fit you right when you try it on, keep looking. 2 THINK: WHERE WILL I BE WALKING? Make sure the boots you try on are suitable for the kind of walking you want to do. A boot designed for fields and lanes is very different from a boot made for trekking. So always outline your exact needs to the assistant. Some boots are made to be good all-rounders, but it might be safer to buy two different pairs. A lighter, softer boot (or shoe) should be ideal for…