Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2023 i Country Walking

This month I've been… WE'RE NOT WHAT you'd call adrenaline junkies at Country Walking. We view risk as something to be added like salt to your dinner or perfume to your wrist – a little goes a long way; results don't tend to improve when you apply it by the ladle. But that doesn't mean we're content to float in an amniotic sac of absolute safety, even if all the risk assessments point to the advantages of remaining unborn. Life needs an appreciation of its limits – the point at which something more than mere existence begins; the places recklessness might cause it to prematurely end – if it's to be fully savoured. It also needs peace, perspective and purpose. Wainwright, a walker with whom most of us share an…

VIEWFINDER A conquering hero The horse chestnut is a splendid tree. It can live for 300 years, grow to 130 feet tall, has large palmate leaves with five to seven fingers, and striking spires or ‘candles’ of white and pink flowers in spring. First brought to Britain in 1616, it was often planted to grace parks and gardens, greens and streets, but many of us most prize its autumnal seeds. Tucked inside a tough spiky case, the gorgeously glossy brown conkers are said, with varying amounts of evidence, to repel spiders and clothes moths, and since 1848 they've been the hard nut of choice for putting on a string and smashing. Before then the game of conkers used hazelnuts or snail shells; its name may come from conque (French for…

WE'RE ABOUT 20 minutes into our chat when Polly Martin drops my favourite stat of the month. “The National Trails are thought to save the NHS around £167 million a year,” she says. “That's just by people living longer and being more healthy as a result of using the trails – whether that's walking, running, tramping, horse-riding; and whether it's thru-hiking a whole trail or just using a little section for a day-walk or even a picnic. It all counts. “So whenever anyone asks me how you measure the value of having National Trails, that's a big part of the answer. They are our Natural Health Service.” It's no surprise that Polly is so passionate about this subject. She's the Chief Executive Officer of National Trails UK, a new body…

ALICE NORMAN INSPIRED the community with her ongoing project – walking every metre of every path within a 100km square near her home. Alice highlights the paths she's walked on an old OS map and says she recommends it as a brilliant motivator: “Especially if, like me, you don't like walking the same paths. I also walk long-distance footpaths but this gives me a focus for walks nearer home. I find if I go out without a planned route I give up after about 5 miles, bored. But if I have a route planned, and I'm ticking off paths, I'm happy to do 12 to 15 miles.” Alice loves long walks but says this gives her a spur to make more use of spare bits of time: “When I don't…

SEEN YOU'VE WON? Email walk1000miles@countrywalking.co.uk with your address and a pic of you holding this edition to claim your precious! #minichallenge36 Take your favourite album on tour #minichallenge37 Find an unfriendly sign #minichallenge38 Be Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now Strong performances from… Medals and more: www.walk1000miles.co.uk/shop #minichallenge39 Start a curio collection #minichallenge40 Find a wild strawberry BROUGHT TO YOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH…

The View WAR!’ ASKED EDWIN Starr. ‘What is it good for?’ Absolutely nothing, according to the answer he came up with himself almost immediately. And with the Russian invasion of Ukraine causing a terrible European war that rages right now, you can see his point. But with the passage of time, wounds heal and rawness fades. One particular conflict has left an abundance of marks not only in our cities but on the landscape we walkers love: the Napoleonic Wars. Trafalgar Square is the most famous example, but unless you're keen on exhaust fumes and wheely suitcases, Nelson's Column may not have much to recommend itself as a walking destination. But other Napoleonic War monuments and memorials very much are, even if, like me, your knowledge of the conflicts (there…

WALK HERE Turn to Walk 17 in this issue, and find a bonus route exploring Wetherlam Edge and Wet Side Edge at walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes GETTING THERE Tilberthwaite is a couple of miles north of Coniston, which is also the closest bus stop (good service seven days a week on the 505 Coniston-Kendal, less frequently by X12 from Ulverston and X7 from Barrow). WHERE TO EAT Coniston has a range of options, including big breakfasts, lunches and cream teas at The Green Housekeeper Cafe (01539441925, greenhousekeepercafe.co.uk). Or try The Black Bull (015394 41335, blackbullconiston.co.uk) which serves beers from the Coniston Brewing Co next door, including the famous Bluebird Bitter, and classic pub dishes like Cumberland sausage and mash (£14) and haddock and chips (£15). WHERE TO STAY Yew Tree Farm, once owned…

HOW TO WALK IT The Ridgeway is a good choice for a firsttime multiday walk although accommodation can be scarce along the trail, so book ahead where you can. Find events, facilities listings and a fantastic planning tool and interactive map at nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/the-ridgeway/ MAPS & GUIDEBOOKS The excellent Harvey Maps The Ridgeway covers the whole route on one double-sided sheet. It's at their signature 1:40,000 scale, which takes a little getting used to if you're more familiar with OS Maps scales. It's printed on lightweight but fully waterproof and durable paper, so weighs just 35g. The OS Maps app is great for plotting circular day routes into and out of villages, and for looking out for archaeological features in the fields either side of the trail. KIT On dry days…

The Coiners’ Walk is a new walking trail developed from a route written and illustrated by locally-based cartographer, artist and writer Christopher Goddard (pictured right). Something of a modernday Wainwright, Chris takes a deep, insightful approach to his guidebooks, often sharing local history and interest within his illustrations and writing. The route Chris has mapped out (which is available on his website) takes in ‘must-see’ locations from the story of the coiners, such as the remote moorland location of Bell House and the nearby Lumb Stone. Further afield, Chris has written a guide to the Wales Coast Path and is now working on a multi-book guide to the England Coast Path. Chris's website also offers detailed art prints of Kinder Scout and Ilkley Moor, as well as pocket-sized books, maps and…

Gear Buying Guide Great new kit PERFECT FOR PREGNANCY There are many reasons why walking gets trickier when pregnant. But a lack of decent kit that you can wear while your body shape changes shouldn't be one of those reasons, say Berghaus. Their new maternity range (launching this month) has been designed to enable women to stay active during pregnancy and in the years that follow. The range includes a waterproof jacket, insulator and baselayer, and the products have impressive features to make life easier, such as two-way zips for better freedom of movement, and a removable centre panel that adapts the sizing. DIAL-A-STRIDE If these Zamberlan 3033 Rondane GTX boots (£410) look more like something you'd wear snowboarding, you've probably noticed the unusual-looking dials. These are BOA Fit System dials, used…

UCO Candle Lantern £35 US brand UCO have been making this cute, clever camping treat since the 1970s. It consists of a compact brass/aluminium canister that extends to reveal a glass chimney. Simply light the wick and it'll burn safely and constantly in the chimney for hours. As the candle shortens, the spring-powered tube gently pushes it upwards. Choose from a variety of candles, including nine-hour wax and 12hour beeswax options; you can even get a citronella version that helps to repel biting bugs. And as it generates heat as well as light, it's also a great way of reducing dampness and chilliness in or around your tent. A classy, sustainable and safe alternative to a battery-powered lantern. cotswoldoutdoor.com…

Polly Martin ‘These trails are our Natural Health Service.’ Meet the passionate walker taking the lead on the future of Britain's National Trails. Page 14 Mary-Ann Ochota Anthropologist, broadcaster, author and presenter of Mystic Britain, there's no-one better equipped than Mary-Ann to tell us about the Ridgeway. Page 48 Johnny Campbell From Huddersfield to a counterfeiter's hideout – it's been quite the journey for this musician and friend of the Cragg Vale Coiners. Page 62…

BE MORE BADGER Our fastest-selling badge ever, this purposeful fellow subtly pronounces your membership of the greatest group of superheroes on Earth! £4.99 SILVER BADGE £3 30mm, with recessed metal detailing, three colours of enamelling and shiny silver finish: it's smaller and finer than the standard badge, and attaches with a secure brooch clasp fastener. £3.99 MEDALS £11.99 EACH 65mm wide, 4mm thick, solid metal with enamelled highlight and unique motto, each gloriously chunky medal comes with its own A6 Completer Certificate. Warning! May cause envy. £14.99 PREMIUM MEDAL Walk 1000 miles and you've scaled a mountain few can say they've climbed. Our Premium 100mm, 4mm thick 1000-mile medal features an exquisite 3D rendering of one of the most recognisable peaks in the world: you'll know it as the Matterhorn;…

BROUGHT TO YOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 2.74 × 365 = walk1000miles.co.uk 2024 CALENDAR Made for walkers • Beautiful, useful, fun • Space for your miles • £7.99 walk1000miles.co.uk/shop 1 MILE ‘Time is so precious’ ‘I had a mini dog walk this evening and took time out to talk to everyone I saw – six people and the walk took me an hour and a half! Sometimes people need my time more than I need my time. Lady number one had been taken into hospital last week and isn't feeling good but a talk and a few pats of Teddy, my dog, and she smiled. Person number two was so happy to see us – they've always lived in this area and after 46 years in the same house are selling…

‘Having worked full-time since I was 16 I was finding it hard adjusting. Then I read about the 1000 mile challenge. I had no idea if I could do it, but thought I'd give it a go. After a few weeks it's fair to say I was hooked, and I managed just over 2500 miles last year! When I retired I was on three different types of medication to control back pain and blood pressure. Now my pain has virtually gone, my blood pressure is normal and I don't take any tablets, with doctor approval. I'm a couple of stone lighter too but the biggest change is in my mental health – in short, just more chilled! On one of my walks about a week or so ago I bumped…

46 WIND UP AT A WINDMILL We're grateful to John Childs for this excellent suggestion – get your Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on and walk to one of the landscape's most magnificent contraptions. 47 TAKE A SKY PORTRAIT Wherever you walk you're walking in the sky. Capture a pic of the pair of you looking interesting, with none of that ground nonsense getting in the way, insisting on its importance like usual. 48 GO ON A GUIDED WALK Take a tour of a city or follow along as a local expert regales you with knowledge wherever you can – pic with you and the leader and the best thing you learned please! 49 HIKE TO A HILL FORT 50 TAKE A TEDDY BEAR ON A PICNIC There are over 4000 hillforts in Britain and…

The View GUEST COLUMN ON 1ST AUGUST 2020, at 6.45am, I touch a stone carved with the words ‘Lyke Wake Walk’ and set off alone on a 41-mile route across the North York Moors. Over the next 10 hours 55 minutes, I walk, jog, occasionally run and often rest. The walk takes me across peaks and peat, dry gorse trying to flower, disused railway tracks and frothing becks, inland and coastal cliffs, views towards Middlesbrough's chimneys and Bronze Age burial mounds, radio masts and a radar base, and not many people. Until the final mile through Ravenscar, the whole 41-mile route passes only two human habitations. I have spent days in the Yorkshire branch of the British Library, poring over nearly 70-year-old articles in which the Lyke Wake Walk's founder –…

WALK HERE Turn to Walk 18 in this issue for your step-by-step guide to follow in David Hartley's footsteps. GETTING THERE Mytholmroyd is served by regular trains from Manchester and Leeds. Cragg Vale is served by regular buses, or is a 30-minute walk from Mytholmroyd station. WHERE TO STAY Most options in Cragg Vale itself are self-catering with minimum two-night stays, but you could go back to basics at Aaron's Campsite (01422 834026, aaronsfarm.net) which has pitches for £20. Or head to Hebden Bridge where there are options aplenty. The White Lion (01422 842197, whitelionhotel.net) has boutique doubles from £120, while The Smithery (07957 256154, smithery.co.uk) is housed in an old weaver's cottage by the riverside and has doubles with breakfast from £80. WHERE TO EAT & DRINK We set…

In November the public can get voting in the 2023 Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) Awards. Here are a few walker-centric contenders that might be worth your vote. BERGHAUS 3D Freeflow With backpacks there's always a compromise: either get a close-fitting padded back system where you sacrifice a degree of ventilation, or get a suspended mesh back system where you sacrifice a degree of stability. Not any more, say Berghaus, whose latest incarnation of their classic Freeflow has been designed to give you the best of both worlds. The 3D Freeflow system suspends the weight away from your back, while the flexible, ergonomic frame stays close for maximum stability. The 3D Freeflow will be available from March 2024 (24 litres–30+5 litres, £150–£180). KEELA Bahookie cover changing robe Apart from having a…

SOUTH WEST SOUTH EAST MIDLANDS EAST NORTH WEST NORTH EAST WALES SCOTLAND IRELAND…

CUT-OUT AND-KEEP ROUTES OUR POCKET-SIZED ROUTE CARDS START ON PAGE 91 SOUTH WEST River Walkham, Devon This idyllic riverside path masks the area's former life as part of the world's largest copper mine operations. TURN TO WALK 1 EAST Norwich, Norfolk Visit one of country's finest cathedrals, then stretch the legs along a riverside trail in a leafy green corridor. TURN TO WALK 14 WALES Ffestiniog Valley, Gwynedd Walk under the gaze of high summits through lush valleys with waterfalls, lakes and Atlantic oak woodlands. TURN TO WALK 22 SOUTH EAST Tollesbury, Essex Bring the bins for a bird-rich march through the Essex marshes, and visit a village with racing sailors aplenty. TURN TO WALK 7 NORTH WEST Wetherlam, Cumbria Two thrilling ridges, a classic Lakeland fell, and an impressive…

Potted history of Its granite cliffs form the most westerly tip of mainland England (Corrachadh Mòr in Scotland takes mainland Britain's crown) and the point itself goes by the name of Dr Syntax's Head, after a character written by William Coombe in 1809 to satirise seekers of the ‘picturesque’. Dr Johnson's Head lies just to the south. Tourists have visited since at least 1649, when poet John Taylor describes cutting his name ‘4 inches deep in a small patch of earth amongst the rockes’. Visitors would leave their horses at a small house at Carn Kez as they walked the cliffs; the hotel and theme park now stand on the site. Legend tells this wasn't always Land's End, and the long strand of Lyonesse once connected Cornwall to the Isles…

THIS YEAR'S OUTDOOR Photo of the Year competition has ravished our judges's eyes and provoked huge admiration. Final vote counting is now underway to determine which of these gorgeous images will assume the crown in their respective categories. We're showcasing all shortlisted images online and we'd like to thank everyone who entered regardless of whether your image received the nod. It's been our pleasure and privilege to share these moments with you, captured with your immense skill and patience. Prizes from our partners Fujifilm and Macs Adventure await winners and runners up. But here's to everyone who took part. See the full gallery of shortlisted Mountain images at www.livefortheoutdoors.com/opoty COUNTRY CATEGORY THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS macsadventure.com FUJIFILM fujifilm-x.com THE PRIZES 1st place in each category Fujifilm X-S10 + XF18-55mm 2nd…

Never worry you're not walking far enough to make a big difference to your health. A new study by the European Society of Cardiology suggests the farreaching benefits of walking kick in earlier previously thought. A daily walk of just a mile (about 2000 steps) is enough to reduce the risk of dying from diseases of the heart and blood vessels; just two miles a day reduces the risk of dying from any cause. The even better news for 1000 milers is the benefits continue to grow the further you go – each additional half-mile you walk daily brings a further 15% reduction in the risk of dying from any cause. Lead researcher Professor Maciej Banach, of the University of Lodz, Poland (pictured) says: “In a world where we have…

Amazing new limitededition badger Beautifully enamelled and accompanied by an important message and fascinating facts – it's a subtle yet unmistakable sign of your participation in Walk1000miles and allegiance to a higher cause: the brotherhood of badgerdom! ‘Love mine,’ says Andrew Jones; ‘It's here and lovely,’ says Jeanette ScottMcDonald; ‘I love mine!’ concurs Catherine Griffiths; ‘It's fab,’ says Richard Inns of our fastest-selling badge ever! £4.99 Walk 1000 miles keyring A shiny, inspiring daily reminder to walk, and of walking's fix-all powers. ‘If in doubt, walk it out’ reads its motto. It's also easy to adapt as a collar-worn medal for a dog who deserves recognition as much as you do! £3.99 Stunning 2024 walker's calendar Our new calendar is the most beautiful yet – and useful and fun to…

WALK HERE See Walk 8 in this issue. WHERE TO EAT, DRINK & STAY The Eagle pub in Kelvedon Hatch (01277 373472, theeaglepublichouse.co.uk) has good pub grub such as beef and Guinness pudding with creamy mash and veg for £15.50. A little further south, the White Horse at Coxtie Green (01277 372410, whitehorsebrentwood.co.uk) boasts of offering 10 cask ales every day, and has mains such as ham, egg and chips for £8. Accommodation is a little thin on the ground in the immediate area; further south in Brentwood you'll find a Premier Inn and Holiday Inn (rooms starting from £60) while the highly rated Marygreen Manor (01277 225252, marygreenmanor.co.uk) has luxury doubles from £140. MORE INFORMATION The bunker is open daily from 10am to 4pm from March 31st to October…

BUSHNELL Powerview 2 binoculars When it comes to binoculars, we tend to rely on the big names like Silva and Opticron – but we've loved these new offerings from US specialists Bushnell, which look every bit as sophisticated and are competitively priced too. The entrylevel 8×21 version (£39, above) is sleek and compact; perfect for keeping close to hand for that quick bird ID or scanning for a distant stile or signpost. The higher-spec 8×42 version (£90, right) is ideal for more dedicated wildlife enthusiasts looking to give serious time to watching the skies, seas or boughs. wexphotovideo.com POLARTEC Fresh Face The latest Unusual Thing To Use in Outdoor Gear? Mint oil. Fresh Face is a natural, renewable and biodegradable odour reducer used in Polartec's new Delta fabrics, designed to…

ONE BRAND FITS ALL Also at the Outdoor Trade Show we met Maier Sports, who sell all kinds of outdoor apparel, but specialise in trousers. And the reason they've really caught our eye is because their products come in 61 sizes. That means whether you're tall, small, broad or narrow, Maier should provide you with a perfect fit. Their size chart takes a bit of getting used to, but once you get your head round it, hopefully you'll no longer need to compromise on getting the right waist size, leg length or knee position.…

Nick Hallissey, Deputy Editor Miles walked this month: 60 It's often said that we don't ‘go through old photos’ any more, seeing as they're all stored on a phone and usually forgotten. But our family started a tradition of making an annual photo album every Christmas a few years back, and I'm amazed how often we look through them – and how often visitors notice them and start flicking through. The other day we were looking through our pictures from lockdown and remembering the things we did to entertain ourselves. Including, of course, the walks. This photo was taken by my youngest, Charlie (then 10), on a walk round a Lincolnshire fen in early summer. Charlie lay down in the grass, lined up the shot, said ‘I want to be…