Innholdsfortegnelse for Spring 2016 i Trail

Not something in the common vernacular, a sun halo – otherwise known as a 22 degree halo – is an optical phenomenon seen on clear, crisp days and caused by the refraction of light within ice crystals a few kilometres up in the atmosphere. The place where these are refracted is in a perfect circle around the sun with, as the name suggests, a radius of approximately 22 degrees. Similar, partially circular phenomena have perhaps more familiar names (light pillars and sun dogs). And like all optical phenomena – such as Brocken spectres – the angle of viewing causes an imperceptible but total shift in the precise demonstration of the halo. So although you may only be a few feet from someone witnessing the same thing, millions of different ice…

On 17 April 2016, Trail came to the rescue of ‘Cheshire bloke’ Simon Cartwright when he met me, his ‘Lancashire lass’, for the first time, after I responded to Simon’s advert in the Trailmates column in the magazine [see right]. We were married on 19 September 2010, and next month we will be celebrating 10 years of adventures together in the great outdoors. We live in Cheshire, on the doorstep of Snowdonia, which is our favourite place to walk and explore. The first mountain we conquered together was Moel Siabod, while our favourite is Cadair Idris. When not hillwalking we like to venture out on our bikes (including MTB), and in June this year we will be cycling from Venice to Geneva through the Swiss Alps and Dolomites in 7…

PAP OF GLENCOE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS Enjoying this “amazing sunny day out in Glen Coe” are Artur and Kamila Kaczmarczyk from Linwood with Spike. Kamila said they couldn’t have asked for a better view! SNOWDON SNOWDONIA Kim Wedge and her boyfriend Adam Roberts from the West Midlands climbed Snowdon to celebrate Kim’s birthday. It was also their last day together before Adam went on a 3 month deployment with the Royal Navy. The photo was taken by Kim’s friend Sam. RED PIKE LAKE DISTRICT Here’s Mike Pearson from Cockermouth, resting his legs in a pic he took using a tripod and self-timer. He told Trail, “It was great to finally have a clear day to enjoy the views from the summit of Red Pike!” CRIB GOCH SNOWDONIA This is Danny Hudson…

“The closer we got to the cave, the steeper the hillside...” Almost all of the Welsh 3000ers – those 15 mountains over 3,000ft – lie within a rough 11x17km rectangle. Get within shouting distance of one, and you’re within echoing distance of almost all of them. And, as you might expect, they tend to get most of the attention from anyone in walking boots in north Wales. But there are other adventures to be had on the smaller, quieter hills that rub shoulders with the giants. And it was in pursuit of one that we found ourselves clawing up the side of a lowly hill on the far eastern end of the Ogwen Valley. It all started when we spotted the tiny type almost hidden in the folds of Gallt…

‘ Open access’ land in England and Wales can be walked over without the need to stick to paths: legally, in those areas, you can go wherever your boots take you. It includes most mountain areas, moors, heaths and downs in private and public ownership – but not all of them. Open access land is marked on OS 1:25,000 maps as a brownish boundary with a pale yellow interior (see left-hand map) and generally – but not always – sits above the 200m contour. Public access forestry land is pale green and bordered with the same brownish boundary (right). There, you can walk, climb and run to your heart’s content. In England and Wales, roaming rights are more restricted than they are in Scotland – and unless an area is…

HARVEY ULTRAMAPS XT40 £9.95 Hot because: What we have here is all the detailed 1:40,000 mapping and tough, weatherproof paper of a regular Harvey map, but in a size that will easily slip into a pocket. And not just a cavernous, specifically designed map pocket on a hard shell jacket. Folded up, an Ultramap measures roughly 150x70mm – petite enough to fit into almost any pocket. Unfurled, the map is 300mm high by 870mm wide. This is slimmer than a usual Harvey British Mountain Map; but by making the Ultramap XT double-sided and removing some of the non-essential geological diagrams and infographics, Harvey has been able to maximise the coverage and, most importantly, maintain the same 1:40,000 scale. The idea for Ultramaps was born following an off-the-cuff comment about a…

MSC POWER STICK £14 . 95 Outdoor folk aren’t the only people with a need for portable power. The fact that the Power Stick is described by MSC as being ‘the size of a large lipstick’ hints at the fact that it might be better suited to a handbag than a backpack. However, if you just want a compact option to keep buried away in your rucksack for use in the event of an emergency this could be ideal. The Power Stick’s internal battery will retain its charge for months, and when full it’s capable of completely recharging a smartphone from flat with plenty left over for further top-ups. The aircraft aluminium body is reassuringly robust, and the LED display that shows how much charge remains is really useful. The…

The Berwyn Hills are the true unsung heroes of Welsh mountains – taller than any of the celebrated peaks of mid Wales and nudging close to the scale and grandeur of the Brecon Beacons. They also feel far more remote than the honeypot hills of nearby Snowdonia. The king of the range – the south top of Cadair Berwyn – is actually the highest mountain in Wales outside of the National Parks – a real accolade – although it wasn’t always recognised as such. In the first series of OS maps, its neighbour, Moel Sych, visited on this walk, was given this honour by just 1ft (0.3m). Later they were both granted 827m (2,713ft), although this actually referred to Cadair Berwyn’s north top, rather than the south one. Eventually the…

Toilers on the ‘Mountain Track’ could be forgiven for thinking Ben Nevis is dull, yet its split personality could not be more extreme. Over on the north side of The Ben lurk the greatest crags in the British Isles, a complex array of ridges and gullies of an almost Alpine scale. At first glance these fierce defences look impregnable to non-climbers, but a devious line of weakness does offer itself to walkers willing to get a little hands-on. This is the famous Ledge Route. The route, more ridge than ledge, provides a spectacular scrambling expedition up the full height of the crags. Your surroundings may look improbable, the exposure is palpable, and yet the technicality is surprisingly modest. With the Ledge Route in the bag it’s an easy stride up…

1 SJ950583 Start at the car park (pay and display) by the south end of Rudyard Lake. Officially, this is a canal reservoir but its wooded setting is now a popular venue for sailing, canoeing and fishing. Although Rudyard Kipling was born in India, his parents first met each other here and named their son after the lake! Walk east along the top of the reservoir dam, cross the old railway track and pass through a small gate. A path climbs stone steps and continues ahead between Greentree Farm and Willgate Farm. Cross a minor lane and continue east, through pasture, to reach the A523. Turn right for 100m and cross a road to take a path past Poolend Farm and onto Lower Foker Farm. Turn left at the next…

“Cwm Eigiau is one of those places you can walk into, take a deep breath and let its tranquillity wash over you.” You expect towering crags, knife-edge ridges and lofty summits with magnificent views in Snowdonia; what you don’t expect is to be able to enjoy them in peace and quiet. Ease of access and the fact that Snowdonia’s mountains are in full view of busy valley roads mean these much-loved peaks a rarely anything but quiet. So to be able to find a challenging horseshoe route that delivers a nicely balanced mix of ridgetop walking, high summits and some testing terrain might seem to be a big ask! Defying the odds, however, there are a few scattered about, and one of the best (in fact one of the best…

Footpaths may lack glamour, but few aspects of mountain conservation are more important. Battered by boots and wild weather, even the best-constructed fall into disrepair – so the BMC (British Mountaineering Council) has launched a massive new campaign to fix the most desperate cases. It aims to raise £100,000, which will go towards path maintenance on mountains in eight National Parks, including Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Kinder Scout – all of which annually absorb the footfall of thousands of walkers. Recent weather hasn’t helped: flooding in the Lake District this winter caused roughly half a million pounds’-worth of damage (equivalent to a year’s work) in just a few days. The Parks simply don’t have the funding to fix it. But, with a little help from us lot, paths can be…

“What’s your nickname? The Lonely Snow Leopard.” Highest mountain climbed? Unknown! I was trekking in the Himalayas with no GPS, which usually gives me my elevation. I was with a local gypsy and I asked him how high we were, as someone had told me that it was around 6000m; but he just looked at me like I was stupid and replied, “It’s impossible to measure a mountain.” What’s been your greatest adventure? I’ve climbed in Mongolia, Wales, Scotland and the Alps; but I recently took on the eight highest mountains in Madagascar on my world-first crossing of the island – the majority of which were blocked by near-impenetrable jungle. Nothing could have prepared me for how mentally and physically tough the journey would be. It nearly broke me. What…

CRIB GOCH SNOWDONIA Taking this sunny selfie is Chris Birch from Rushden, Northants with his bro-in-law Andy Chambers. Chris confessed, “This was after the knife-edge section heading towards Snowdon. We caved in and used all fours as it was our first time over the ridge and we didn't have the bottle to put our hands in our pockets!” THIS COULD BE YOU! Send your shots, marked ‘Summit selfie’ to trail@bauermedia.co.uk Each issue we’ll be giving away the new Summit 25/38 mattress from Multimat’s Expedition range. New materials make this self-inflating sleeping mat tougher and lighter for durability on unsupported expeditions. Tested to -35 deg C, its wedge profile maximises comfort and minimises weight, while a warm zone improves tog value under the torso.…

“As height is gained, interest increases and underfoot, the terrain shifts from gently rising greenery to steep, shattered stone.” For white-knuckle traverses of razor-backed arêtes or scrambles up spikes of rock that’d as soon bite your legs off as look at you, it’s hard to beat north Wales. In this respect, the Lake District can’t really compete. But it doesn’t try to, and nor should it. What Lakeland offers in spades are the sort of routes that get you high among the fells above blissful scenery and provide an element of exposure to invigorate the senses, but are still relaxed enough that your entire concentration needn’t be focused on putting one foot in front of the other without falling off anything, giving you the opportunity to fully absorb and appreciate…

A REPAIR TAPE Ripped your down jacket? Torn your trousers? This strong tape provides quick, effective and long-lasting repairs that are almost invisible. PICTURED: Gear Aid Tenacious Tape £6.50 B GORE-TEXPATCHES Each pack contains two patches of Gore-Tex fabric with strong adhesive backing, which you can cut to fit every specific hole or tear. PICTURED: McNett Gore-Tex repair kit £7.50 C BOOT CLEANER Washing boots with water gets most of the mud off, but the water-repellent coating may still be clogged up. This will revitalise the materials and keep performance levels up. PICTURED: Nikwax Footwear Cleaning Gel £3.75 D BOOT PROOFER Walking boots need regular reproofing due to the high levels of abrasion they face. Once you’ve cleaned them, apply a dedicated waterproofing product. PICTURED: Nikwax Nubuck & Suede Proof;…

Ullscarf is the most central of the Lake District fells but its lack of notable features ensures that it remains low down on many people’s list of places to walk. This is their mistake – pick the right day and the 360 degree views from this area are unrivalled. There is a hidden central ridge that does not often crop up in conversation; and how many people have heard of Coldbarrow Fell for instance and (not the Langdale) Blea Tarn? This route takes in both on the way to Ullscarf and the centre of Lakeland. Great Crag is a seemingly forgotten fell, its heights disguised by other lumps and bumps that surround it. Beautiful Dock Tarn nestles below it and the main path from Watendlath to Rosthwaite crosses its lower…

Longer than Snowdonia’s Glyders but just shorter than the Lake District’s High Street, at 17km the Hatterrall Ridge in the Welsh Borders is a fantastically long unbroken moorland ridgeline. And with the border between England and Wales running along its length, it’s possible to walk virtually the entire ridge north of Hatterrall Hill with one foot in Wales and the other in England! The views are exceptional too. No surprise then that Iron Age inhabitants built a hill-fort at the southern end of Hatterrall Hill. With great views into the Olchon Valley to the east with its patchwork of hedgerow-lined grassy fields and low rolling hills, south over the Skirrid and Sugar Loaf hill, and west into the U-shaped valley of Ewyas and the dark striking ridges of the Black…

“More than a touch of northern grit.” The market town of Leek is often called the ‘Queen of the Moorlands’, and its narrow streets and old mills have more than a touch of northern grit. In fact the nearby rocky horizons, which seem to rise straight from the cobbled square, are forged from the distinctive local pink-tinged gritstone. It’s a homely base from which to explore the Peak District – the glorious south-western quarter that’s part of Staffordshire, even though some say the National Park is all in Derbyshire! The jagged escarpment of the Roaches might feature in many guides to landscape photography, but the surrounding heathery hills always feel like the parts of the Peak District no one knows about. TRANSPORT Train to Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield or Buxton, with bus…

1 SK062609 Walk across a walled enclosure to a small gate, signed Open Access. Head uphill, through thick heather, to reach Lum Edge – a small unexpected escarpment capped with blocks of gritstone. The view looks straight into the steep, basin-shaped tributaries of Blake Brook. Walk south to meet a wall and continue to one of two or three stiles leading to a road. Turn right for 400m to a prominent barn and take the gate onto a path running across the head of the steep valley. Turn left on a farm track after 350m, pass the farm buildings at Herbage and take the path leading down to a footbridge where marshy fields are often the order of the day. Continue ahead to meet a narrow lane in the isolated…

1 NY195123 Return to Scarth Gap. Where paths cross at a cairn turn right on a rebuilt path, which zigs out left and back right on a slanty ledge. Scrambly options are alongside the path, rejoining it to a tiny tarn. Pass to the left of it to Haystacks’ first summit cairn and bear right to another one 100m away with Ennerdale views. 2 NY193131 Various paths ramble down south-east, to pass along the left shore of Innominate Tarn. The path now slants east down the steep Buttermere flank, above a gully top, and then slightly up to cross the outflow of Blackbeck Tarn. 3 NY201128 The path rises, passing to the right of a rocky knoll. At the path high point is a cairned path junction. Turn right, on…

There are many incredible things to say about the Rum Cuillin; but why focus on Trollabhal (alternatively known as Trollaval, Trallval and Trollvall, which all loosely translate as ‘the ridiculously cool mountain of the trolls’) as opposed to the taller Askival? Well, Askival will always get the headlines, being higher – but it’s Trollabhal that cuts the most striking dash. From Glen Dibidil, it looks prohibitively steep – a real incisor tooth of a peak – and has all the burnt, spiky charm of the neighbouring Black Cuillin of Skye, yet without the necessity of a rope to summit. It’s challenging and intimidating-looking, but doable – and boy, does it feel great to say you’ve done it. Rum is an incredible mountainous Lost World of a place; whatever you climb…

THE SUMMIT THAT... packs the best view of the Hebrides there is AN STAC WEST HIGHLANDS 814m “Moidart’s An Stac doesn’t look much from below; it’s just a pointy little pile of rock and grass that barely pokes above 800 metres. There are no paths, no cosy pubs or tearooms nearby, no people for miles around, but when you get to the top… boom. There’s the Isle of Rum, smack in your face. There’s Eigg and the weird little bulge of An Sgurr jutting up from its southern edge. There’s the entire Cuillin Ridge, every one of its legendary peaks clearly visible. Directly below your feet are secluded islands and beaches, unreachable by road and looking completely untrodden. You can’t believe a place so flawlessly perfect can actually exist. When…

So, yes: it’s very important in outdoor history. I know lots of angry climbers live there and grumble about gritstone, which apparently is much more ‘proper’ than any other rock. I even know a guy who lives there, and he’s quite nice. But I’ll be honest: until recently, when it came to the Peak District and hillwalking, I’d rather have gone somewhere else. ‘Dislike’ is too strong a word. Instead I’ll use two: ‘confused’ and ‘underwhelmed’. First word first. Say ‘Peak District’ to an alien (or a Norwegian) and they’ll picture something a bit like a topographical bayonet shop. The cruel truth is, most of it isn’t a bit like that because, as it turns out, ‘Peak’ doesn’t mean ‘peak’ in the way you might imagine. But we’ll get to…

What made you pick Blencathra for this documentary? I was coerced! I originally planned to film Helvellyn, but broadcaster and friend to the late Alfred Wainwright Eric Robson persuaded me to take up Blencathra as it’s currently for sale, which would make a good angle. I’m now planning to use Helvellyn as the finale to the trilogy. What’s the mountain been like to film? Aesthetically it’s a challenging massif to capture on camera. Round the back it’s smooth, rounded and featureless. The southern face is where it’s at for drama, which makes it tough to maintain visual interest through the seasons. But as time’s passed I’ve fallen in love! Blencathra is one of the finest humps of rock in Lakeland. What did you learn about Blencathra over the 12 months?…

Yes! It’s a very common mistake to presume that just because a piece of outdoor gear is built for bad weather it doesn’t need the TLC you give to more intimate bits of kit such as fleeces and base layers. But washing your rain gear is critical to its performance – particularly since most modern shell clothing features breathable/waterproof fabric. To understand why it’s so important to wash your waterproofs, you need to understand the structure of the typical breathable/waterproof fabric. These fabrics – including Gore-Tex and eVent – are made up of billions of tiny holes that are big enough to allow gaseous sweat molecules to escape, but small enough to stop liquid rain droplets from getting in. The efficiency of the fabric therefore relies on these holes not…

Tarping – once a bastion of hardcore specialists – is going mainstream. More and more people are finding merit in a more ‘open’ type of shelter, designs are getting better, and so are high-tech lightweight fabrics. Plus, in a bid to save weight manufacturers aren’t shying away from recruiting other bits of kit you may be carrying anyway, like trekking poles. The Thru-Hiker is actually two products, either of which can be used independently: the Thru-Hiker 70 Wing (the blue bit) and the Thru Hiker 2 Mesh House (the, er, mesh house bit.) The wing is simply a specialised tarp, which can be erected using trekking poles and tensioned using the supplied guys. It’s rather elegant in the way it ‘floats’, and – thanks to locking tensioner guys at the…

Hill-bagging stats Walking the Wainwrights, the Munros, the Corbetts or the Welsh 3000ers? These routes have got you covered. Gradient profile We map every route for its unique gradient profile, giving you a pinpoint impression of its progressive steepness and the heights you’ll hit. What are the Trail 100? They’re your tick-list of the 100 UK mountains you MUST climb! Download the full list from: bit.ly/trail100 Always take a map on the hill We aim to provide the most accurate information, but you must ALWAYS use an Ordnance Survey or Harvey map on the hill and double-check any directions against it. BEFORE YOU GO... If you’re likely to encounter snow or ice on your walk you need to take precautions. You MUST have ice axe, crampons and the skills to…

The whaleback shape of Lancashire’s Pendle Hill dominates. From whatever direction it is viewed it is immense. Its north, west and eastern flanks form very steep ramparts to its summit – so steep in fact that from the Barley side the famous ‘Big End’ has steps cut into hillside to allow laughingly ‘easier access’ to the top. In truth, there is no easy way up Pendle Big End. From the south the challenge is less severe but still makes for a decent climb to achieve the summit and the magnificent view to be had from there. That said, there is far more to Pendle Hill than simply bagging the summit, and I thought that it would be interesting to explore a route that took in the whole of the summit…

Sometimes known as ‘the big Small Isle’, Rum is by far the largest of the Small Isles archipelago. It is also the wettest and most mountainous island of its size in Britain. The Rum Cuillin are a chain of rocky volcanic mountains dominating the southern part of Rum. The traverse requires some moderate scrambling and no climbing other than a couple of short sections that are easily avoided. However, this is not an undertaking to be taken lightly; the route requires a substantial physical effort, there are several airy and exposed sections and the weather on Rum can change very quickly. If you’re prepared to carry the necessary kit, overnighting at Dibidil MBA bothy is a fine way to end your traverse before walking out to Kinloch. 1 NM402994 Cross…

1 SK007612 Walk north up the lane from the lay-by and turn right onto the first track below Hen Cloud. Follow this as its swings south below the crags and continue into woodland. Turn left up through the trees (minor paths) to join a path above blocks of gritstone and follow this to the highest point. Descend north to a small gate, cross a field and pass through another small gate. Take the path straight ahead, rising up to a pair of old stone gateposts below the rocky skyline. Continue on through pine and larch trees but stop to look up at the imposing buttresses, which – even in midweek – are busy with climbers and outdoor pursuit groups. Many of the crags have memorable names: Bog Slab, Demon Wall…

Ennerdale is the biggest bit of Lakeland without a car park. Its skyline circuit means three shortish days (or two stonkers) without ever touching tarmac. Rewilding Ennerdale starts here, as you roam a dozen big hills and sleep in one rather small hut. The YHA’s Black Sail Hostel lurks among the egg-shaped drumlins in the great grass hollow of the valley head. So walk till you’re tired, let someone else cook dinner, and revive the lost art of conversation. Then spend the evening staring at Great Gable while the stone walls reflect the late sunshine onto your back. And if you do need the facilities in the night, they’re just outside – so you get to enjoy starlight twinkling in the stream. TRANSPORT Bus 217 once a week (Wed) from…