Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2024 i Country Walking

This month I've been… ONE OF THE things I like most about walking out into the wild is leaving so much behind. Not like a prisoner making a break – more like a multistage rocket leaving Earth's gravity. It's not that I want to escape anything, actually, or because I carry heavier burdens than anyone else, but because it feels good to just be the essential human for a while – not a job, a house, an age or stage or any of the social grid references by which we're usually located. Just a curious spirit which finds itself inside a fantastically capable organic space suit, with which it can process all kinds of interesting data, roam pretty well without limit, and keep going for a surprisingly long time powered…

Keen Clearwater Sandals I know it's been a good summer when I look at my feet and see a tiger-stripe tan pattern; it means I've walked many happy, light-footed miles in a pair of these sandals. Available in leather or tough webbing versions, they're rugged enough to protect your toes, airy enough for a foot-refreshing breeze, quick-drying so you can paddle in and out of water, and so slipper-comfy I can wear them from sun-up to sun-down. A contoured footbed and elastic bungee cord keeps them secure – no flipflopping here – and the grip is good. Sturdy boots of course have their place and I've not tried these in the high mountains, but otherwise it's hard to prise me out of them until November. And if the ‘fragrance’ of…

1. Plain and simple Dunlop wellies. I have had some of those posh wellies that come with buckles on in fancy colours but they were absolutely useless on the foreshore. The simpler, the better. 2. I also wear a knackered pair of old Blundstones and they're perfect too when the mud isn't too deep. 3. If I'm going into really deep mud, boots have a habit of getting stuck and coming off. So I also have a pair of yachting boots which are very tight so they don't come off and I can tiptoe across the mud quickly and confidently.…

We all age at one day per day. But how we get older depends on us – and by walking 1000 miles you take the bold, positive, powerful way, not the self-fulfilling timid one, says Dr Peter Davies. BROUGHT TO YOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 2.74 x 365 = walk1000miles.co.uk 500, 1000 MILES & BEYOND! Delivery now or on completion: www.walk1000miles.co.uk/shop WE ALL HAVE basic needs for our health – good food, enough sleep, enough exercise. We also need something to do, something to be and something to become – a sense of personal coherence, and a narrative about how and why we matter to ourselves, to others, and the wider world. We need to know connection and belonging. And if all that sounds like a prescription for #walk1000miles, well, it is.…

Take part in one of our mini-challenges this month and if we publish it entry you can claim a money-can't-buy Golden Badger with your copy of CW. This month's deadline: 12 September. Literally priceless! 41 FIND A REALLY OLD WAYMARK Find the oldest waymarker or milestone you can – anything indicating a distance, place and great age. Thanks to Cynthia Parton for the idea! 42 TAKE A MOUSE As its inventor Joe Wilkinson says: “You put the camera where a mouse would be, set the timer and it's a mouse-eye view, like if a mouse was taking your photo.” Thanks for the idea Roger Moore! 43 FIND THE CHEAPEST… We're on the hunt for the cheapest everything – pint, cuppa, lunch, fuel, bus ticket, pair of boots… If you find something you…

SINCE LAST I wrote to you, dear reader, much has changed. England nearly won the Euros for one thing (when, oh when, will walking become a sport? We would be world beaters at that). Also there's the small matter of a new government. You must have noticed. It was all over the papers and telly. Now naturally, as someone who must remain publicly neutral on such matters, I could not possibly comment on whether this is a good thing or not (Harry Hill side-eye to camera) but what many reading this will be keen to know is, in amongst all the stuff about growth and fiscal drag and national renewal, what's in it for us, the walkers of Britain? Can we expect any of the revolutionary reforms and freedoms that…

WHEN COUNTRY WALKING reported on a new plussize rucksack last year, our inbox went into meltdown. ‘We need more options like this.’ ‘Pleeease review more plus-size kit.’ ‘I'm small and I have to wear kids’ kit most of the time.’ ‘Why do boots stop at size 11?’ ‘I've never found a pair of walking trousers that have fitted me.’ So we knew we had to cover this in greater detail. At the same time, we met writer and plus-size campaigner Steph Wetherell, co-founder of Every Body Outdoors, and the project fell into place. We've asked Steph to review six products which claim to suit plus-size walkers, while CW's own Rob Holmes and his family have tried out petite-size kit. We've also asked two readers to try out longer length trousers…

I'm 6ft 6in and very few brands seem to make kit that acknowledges people like me. Walking trousers are a particular problem. Country Walking suggested Fjällräven, which offers what it calls ‘raw-length’ trousers in addition to its standard lengths. The idea is that the trousers arrive overlong, and you have them adjusted to fit. I was initially sceptical about how it would work, but I need not have been. As I first tried on these raw-length Nils trousers, I could easily tell the fit was close and comfortable. I duly went to my local alterations shop to get them cut to length. The process involved removing three inches from the hem; they were then re-stitched and looked as good as new. They are made with soft but resilient G-1000 material…

+ 216 miles Free your spirit Britain's most animalistic mountain | The golf course that's returning to nature | The lane haunted by a headless coachman… and more great walks SOUTH WEST SOUTH EAST EAST MIDLANDS NORTH WEST NORTH EAST WALES SCOTLAND IRELAND…

VIEWFINDER Fantasy land Where better to film House of the Dragon than the nation with a red dragon on its flag? Locations across north Wales star in the second season of this Game of Thrones prequel, with Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) riding his dragon Caraxes through Eryri/Snowdonia National Park. Eagle-eyed walkers may spot the distinctive coxcomb of Tryfan and the river-ribboned Nant Francon, and the immense slate quarry at Dinorwig near Llanberis turned into Harrenhal. Scenes were also shot at Penmon, Beaumaris and Llanddwyn Beaches, all on Anglesey, and at Trefor Quarry on the Llŷn Peninsula (pictured below). Cut from the flanks of the triple-peak of Yr Eifl, what was once the biggest granite quarry in the world was transformed into Dragonstone, the ancestral seat of House Targaryen. Production…

Welsh politician Thomas Howell Williams loved Cadair Idris so much he named his drinks company after it in 1873, then added Idris to his own name by deed poll. A small ruin by the start of the Minffordd Path – arguably the finest route up this Snowdonian mountain – is the remains of Idris & Co's drinks laboratory. Starting with mineral water, Idris grew into one of Britain's biggest soft drinks makers, earning a Royal Warrant to serve Queen Victoria. Best known for its fiery ginger beer, the company was later bought by Britvic and the ‘try me if you dare!!’ drink discontinued in 2019, but the family is remembered at Dôl Idris, a park at the foot of the mountain gifted in the 80s by descendant Ivor Idris. Find…

You need a permit from the Port of London Authority to mudlark on the tidal Thames. Permits are currently suspended but you can keep an eye out for updates at pla.co.uk/thames-foreshore-permits. And it's crucial to mudlark responsibly and safely. There are Scheduled Monuments where you are not allowed to mudlark and areas where you cannot disturb the foreshore. Be aware of the tides, which can cut you off, and watch out for deep mud. Lara's books have more detail on the do's and don'ts.…

The View SOME OF WHAT I'm about to tell you, you already know. You're Country Walking readers; of course you understand that going for a walk is probably the most empowering, liberating and life-affirming decision you can make. But there are many people out there who either don't know that yet, or have an idea it might be true, but lack the confidence and the encouragement to go and try it. This is especially true among Britain's ethnic communities. When I founded Black Girls Hike in 2019, I wanted to change that, and somewhat to my amazement it has succeeded in ways I could never have imagined. What started as a walk for a few women in my local area has become a national organisation with thousands of members. We…

WALK HERE Turn to Walk 14 in this issue for your full route guide. GETTING HERE Cannock Chase is easily accessed from either Cannock or Rugely via the two roads (Penkridge Bank and Birches Valley) which connect the two. You can also reach the Chase easily from the railway stations in either town. WHERE TO EAT The Rag at Rawnsley (01543 277491, theragatrawnsley.co.uk) at the southern edge of Cannock Chase has a well-regarded range of home-made pub food and fine ales. MORE INFORMATION Cannock Chase AONB has an informative website: cannock-chase.co.uk, but also try the Forestry Commission's page at forestry.gov.uk/cannock-chaseforest, which offers routes but also info on Forest Live, the series of concerts hosted in an array of the Commission's forests, from Kaiser Chiefs to Bryan Adams and Nile Rodgers.…

WALK HERE Turn to Walk 17 in this issue for a route around Waterton Park. GETTING THERE Access Waterton Park from the car park by Anglers Country Park Visitor Centre (postcode WF4 2EE; £2 for 4 hours, £4 all day), 6 miles from Wakefield and 9 miles from of Barnsley. Arriva Yorkshire buses 195, 195A and 196 stop opposite Anglers Country Park (0344 8004411, arrivabus.co.uk). WHERE TO STAY, DRINK & EAT Walton Hall is now part of the Waterton Park Hotel (01924 257911, watertonparkhotel.co.uk) and if you really want to feel close to Charles Waterton, you can stay in the hall itself, just as CW did on our visit. (Other rooms are available in the newer complex opposite the hall.) The hotel is little short of sumptuous but it's reasonably…

ASK ANY WOMAN if they're happy with the range of walking kit available to them and the chances are you'll hear a grumble. It's rare and special to find something that fits perfectly and suits our individual needs, and when it comes to size, fit, fabrics, range of colours and suitability for purpose, it's hard to escape the conclusion that we're still under-represented compared with what's on offer for men. But it used to be a lot worse, and the journey we've been through to get to this point is quite extraordinary. Ever since women started having the temerity to seek adventure in the outdoors, the textile industry has struggled to keep up with us. Here's the story so far… and a plea for the future. CHAPTER 1 Pioneers in…

OSPREY Tempest 20-litre Extended Fit Rucksack RRP: £130 Target price: £125 Sizes offered: XS/S or M/L back length. Up to 70-inch hip The concept of an extended-fit pack may be surprising to some people, but it's difficult to describe how much better this pack fits on my body than regular-fit rucksacks. For both the women's (Tempest) and men's (Talon) packs, the hip-belt is generally longer, and the padded section has been extended, meaning it actually hugs my hips and keeps the pack from moving around, and doesn't dig uncomfortably into my stomach. It will comfortably fit up to a 70-inch hip, but anyone below a size 20 will struggle to tighten the hip-belt sufficiently and should stick to regular-fit packs. The shoulder straps and sternum straps have also been adjusted and…

GREGORY Maven 55 Rucksack RRP: £220 Target price: £185 Sizes offered: XS/S, S/M Gregory is aiming to provide a pack for ‘every body’, as seen in its Plus Size range (which won CW‘s Innovation of the Year award in 2023) but also in the fact that many of its packs, such as this and the men's Zulu range, come in XS versions too. So, as a 5ft female, the XS/S size Maven 55 was ideal for my six-week backpacking tour up the east coast of Australia. Torso length is easily adjustable for smaller body shapes, and the cradled hip-belt really hugs. Together with the cushioned shoulder straps this keeps the load close to your back to avoid any hint of feeling unbalanced (a problem I've experienced previously with bigger, less…

1 A new National Park is coming Britain could have a 16th National Park as soon as 2026, after the Scottish government selected Galloway from a shortlist of five to advance to consultation stage. If approved, Galloway would be the first new national park since the South Downs in 2010, and Scotland's third, after Loch Lomond & the Trossachs and the Cairngorms. The new park would span hundreds of square miles of rolling hills, moorlands, pastures and beautiful coastline, highlights including The Merrick (pictured), the hill with the longest view in the whole country, the high and wild ridge of the Rhinns of Kells, and the ravishing Solway coast. Rob Lucas, chair of the Galloway National Park Association, says: “Galloway has fantastic hills, mountains, moors and coastlines. What we don't have…

KEEP KIDS HAPPY ON A WALK Many parent-child conflicts on walks are born from our desire to get from A to B. Kids generally don't care about that (unless B happens to be an ice cream parlour) which can lead to hair-tearing frustration. The trick is to cancel all thoughts of B, and focus on the walk itself. Finding what makes your sprogs tick will drastically reduce whinging and foot dragging. It might be a treasure hunt that distracts them from the ‘chore’ of walking, or playing I Spy, searching for colours or landmarks, or simply chatting to you about what's on their mind. If they spend ages looking at a worm, drawing shapes in the mud with a stick or throwing stones in a river, good – they're enjoying…

If you could go walking with anyone, alive or dead, real or fictional, who might it be and why? An ordinary Londoner, probably a woman, in the year 1603. It was the year Queen Elizabeth died and she had changed the country beyond recognition. I'd want to know how they were feeling and what they thought about the future while we toured the theatres and the bear-baiting rings – and of course, the river. Do you have a special place where the world feels right, no matter what else is happening? The corner of a field just outside a beautiful bluebell wood in the Surrey Hills near where my mother lives, where I can just stare at the oaks and be happy. I love woods. I'm basically one of the…

SEEN YOU'VE WON? Email walk1000miles@countrywalking.co.uk with your address and a pic of you holding this edition to claim your precious! #minichallenge31 Find something rare Show us something we don't see every day… #minichallenge32 Take a donut on a day out Because why not? And resisting the temptation to eat it before lunch indicates moral fibre. #minichallenge33 Eat a flower Specifically, a mallow, rich in protein, calcium, iron and vitamin C. #minichallenge34 Find the scariest scarecrow They have no right to be this disquieting! #minichallenge35 Become a tegestologist What's that? Why, a collector of beer mats – what better summer hobby? BROUGHT TO YOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH…

WALK HERE Download Swindale at walk1000miles.co.uk. You can also visit wildhaweswater.co.uk to find out about events and experiences across the estate. WHERE TO EAT, DRINK & STAY The 4-star Haweswater Hotel (01931 713673, haweswaterhotel.com) is the closest option. The hotel was built from the stonework of the village of Mardale, which was submerged with the creation of the Haweswater reservoir. A little further away in Bampton, the community-run Mardale Inn (01931 719202, themardaleinn.com) has doubles from £115 and classic pub grub on the menu. You can find a great list of local accommodation options on the Wild Haweswater website under the ‘visit’ tab. MORE INFORMATION Visit the RSPB mini-site wildhaweswater.co.uk for full visitor information, along with visitlakedistrict.com. Wild Fell is published by Penguin and available from all good booksellers, priced…

Miles walked this month: 154 My summer holiday saw me walking 12 miles a day for two weeks in almost 40°C heat and 70% humidity. Having done something similar before, I knew which part of my body would start to object first – and this time I came prepared. Sure enough after a couple of days walking my feet were in agony – red, sore and swollen so much they wouldn't have fitted into any of my regular footwear. Cue my emergency scheme – by day, Skechers GoWalk sandals, which with Velcro straps were able to accommodate my swollen trotters. By night, feet raised and slathered in cooling, soothing Green People's Prebiotic Foot Cream. Combined with low salt intake and plenty of high-water food to help with water retention, I…