Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2019 i Trail

Jake Kendall-Ashton pops his winter mountain cherry and discovers a whole new obsession p30 Twitter @KendallMintJake Ben Weeks makes a 36-minute dash up Scotland’s most accessible Munro. No trainers (or training) involved! p48 Twitter @GingerheadBen Simon Ingram examines the curse...or saviour...or curse of modern technology in the hills p60 Twitter @MrSimonIngram Graham Thompson and pals head to Fleetwith Pike for sunset, and put six of the best headtorches to the test for a night in a bothy p72…

We had plans. Plans with twin baby shapes in them. The long wait to be a family was going to be over. The IVF was successful and we were in the 20th week. Holiday plans were different this year. I didn’t want to book our usual walking adventure to far-off places such as South America and Asia. Instead we’d settled on a tour of Italy where the pace would be gentle. Then it happened, on an everyday Sunday. As it sped me to the hospital, I glimpsed from the window of the ambulance a snapshot of a family out enjoying the early September sunshine. Our future ambition and excitement crumbled to dust a few hours later. I had to stay in hospital for a week, which was strangely comforting. There…

YOU! Trail readers, your vote counts! Have your say on which of these 20 finalists should win Mountain Photo of the Year 2019 alongside our panel of judges. Voting closes at 5pm on 10 December 2018. Go to www.livefortheoutdoors.com/mountainphoto18 MARK GILLIGAN Acclaimed photographer and Fujifilm ambassador Mark Gilligan has been putting the Lake District in front of his lens for 40 years. JULIA BRADBURY The face of TV walking, #litterheroes campaigner and co-founder of The Outdoor Guide, Julia reaches millions of viewers – so she knows what it takes to make the masses stop and take notice. LOUISE PARKER Trail’s art editor for over 20 years, and with a keen eye for unique composition and good light Louise may have professionally handled more pictures of the British mountains than anyone…

• Only go with people experienced in the slate mines, in groups of at least three. • Safety helmets are essential whenever entering a mine to protect from rockfall. • A powerful headtorch with spare batteries is a essential to illuminate hazards and keep your hands free. • Wear sturdy, waterproof boots and clothing to minimise the chance of injury. • Make sure to remember your entry point and all possible exit routes. • Ensure someone knows where you are going and when you expect to be back. • Avoid investigating Coniston’s copper mines. They are much more dangerous than the slate mines, as they contain weak floors supported by timber poles rotted by years of exposure to damp. The copper mines also contain gaping shafts more than 100ft deep…

In 1892 Scottish mountaineer William W Naismith came up with a method of calculating how long it should take to cover distance in the mountains. His rule allows 12 minutes per kilometre (assuming an average speed of 5kph/3mph and not allowing for breaks) plus 1 minute for every 10m of ascent. The problem is that this guide doesn’t allow for variations in fitness, terrain, or fatigue. Various modifications have been introduced (Tranter’s Corrections, for instance), most of which tend to extend the length of time mountain journeys take. Some seek to account for terrain, while others aim to factor in individual fitness. But the fact is that the best method is to use your knowledge and experience of your own abilities. If in doubt, particularly as the days get shorter,…

...GREAT SCRAMBLING PERFORMANCE? Hanwag Makra Combi GTX £240 • Men’s 6-13 • Women’s 3.5-9 • Weight 1562g (size 11) This very lightweight boot is ideal for scrambles and via ferrata but it can also take crampons for crossing glaciers or easier snow slopes. It’s not as stiff as other 4-season boots though, so isn’t ideal for long days on steep snow slopes. 76% ...SOFTER FLEX & A GOOD PRICE? Mammut Magic High GTX £260 • Men’s 6.5-13 • Women’s 4-9 • Weight 1878g (size 11) A great all-round winter walking boot that should be ideal for many British hillgoers, but it is not quite as stiff as others so it’s best suited to easier terrain. Some other boots are lighter or potentially more durable too, but it’s still good for…

TRAIL ROUTES use OS mapping and gradient profiles, and are available to download at www.lfto.com/routes WALK HERE THIS WEEKEND Langdale Pikes and the Mickleden valley from Side Pike p116…

If you prefer your grub gastro and your ale real, don’t miss the Auld Smiddy Inn at Pitlochry while you’re in town to climb Ben Vrackie. Behind the quaint exterior, the stylish but relaxed interior reflects the equally tempting offerings on the menu – which are a good step up from your average pub grub. The half-day route should give you plenty of time to enjoy a relaxed afternoon tea by the fire if you’re partial to a tea, scones and cream combo. And let’s face it, who isn’t? www.auldsmiddyinn.co.uk…

Distance 8.5km (5¼ miles) +4km if travelling by train Total ascent 700m Time 3½ hours Start/finish Car park in Moulin ( NN944597) Nearest town Pitlochry Terrain Straightforward and well-made paths all the way to the summit, though the last section is a bit steep and rocky Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) 386, OS Landranger (1:50,000) 43 & 52 Accommodation Moulin Hotel, 01796 472196, www.moulinhotel.co.uk McKays Hotel, 01796 473888, www.mckayshotel.co.uk The Old Mill Hotel, 01796 474020, www.theoldmillpitlochry.co.uk Plus numerous other hotels, guest houses and B&Bs Public transport Train or bus to Pitlochry, 2km from start. Traveline Scotland, 0871 200 2233, www.traveline scotland.com Guidebook Scotland’s Best Small Mountains by Kirstie Shirra, Tourist info Pitlochry iCentre, 01796 472215 Best pub Moulin Inn (see Moulin Hotel above) GET THIS ROUTE ON YOUR PHONE! LFTO.COM/TRAILROUTES…

Distance 7.4km (4½ miles) Total ascent 798m Time 6 hours (allowing for snow) Start/finish Lay-by at SH668605 Nearest town Bethesda Terrain Faint and clear paths, steeper grass and heather, rocky mountain plateau Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) OL17, OS Landranger (1:50,000) 115, Harvey Superwalker (1:25,000) Snowdonia North Accommodation ‘The Rocks at Plas Curig’ Hostel, Capel Curig, 01690 720225 Public transport Bus S6 Snowdon Sherpa (Sat/Sun/Bank Hols only – twice a day), Gwynfor Coaches, 01248 722694 Guidebook Day Walks in Snowdonia: 20 Circular Routes in North Wales by Tom Hutton Tourist info Betwsy-Coed Information Centre, 01690 710426 Nearest pub Bryn Tyrch Inn, Capel Curig, 01690 720223 GET THIS ROUTE ON YOUR PHONE! LFTO.COM/TRAILROUTES In association with…

Strenuousness Navigation Technicality Trail 100s Distance 12km (7½ miles) Total ascent 1210m Time 6½ hours Start Parking area at Tanygrisiau ( SH682454) Finish Llyn yr Adar ( SH654478) Terrain Some good paths, upland grass and boggy sections, a few rocky steps, steep grassy slopes at times Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) OL17, Harvey British Mountain Map (1:40,000) Snowdonia North GET THIS ROUTE ON YOUR PHONE! LFTO.COM/TRAILROUTES In association with…

Ever look at a picture of yourself and wonder where the time went? I don’t want to sound all old and nostalgic, but I can’t believe this picture of me (right) was taken three years ago. Or, put a slightly different way, nearly a 12th of my life ago. It feels like last winter. The mountains have a timeless memory when it comes to human lifespans – with the exception of old mine works (p40), and even these look like they were abandoned yesterday – they don’t change as quickly as we do. And so when you go back and experience the same place for a second time years apart, all the intervening time seems to disappear and life suddenly seems very... brisk. It’s an illusion of course, but a…

Online retailer www.sportsshoes.comhas analysed over 677,000 hiking-related Instagram posts from the last three years, in order to find which destinations are being shared the most. Bearing in mind these are the most Instagrammed and not necessarily the most popular, and that destinations posted online may be much wetter/greyer/steeper/harder than they appear, here are the top five: #1 Pen y Fan #2 Ben Nevis #3 West Highland Way #4 Pentland Hills #5 Jurassic Coast For the full list, take a look online at https://tinyurl.com/instahike…

Send us your 400 words on ‘The Day A Mountain Changed My Life’ and every month we will publish the best. Your story could be one of inspiration, revelation, an epic adventure, or a near-miss! Every published entry will receive a year’s membership to the John Muir Trust (the charity that manages mountains including Helvellyn and Ben Nevis), plus £100 credit to redeem on Mountain Equipment clothing. The author of the best story of the year will win the grand prize of a day of tailored adventure on a John Muir Trust-managed mountain with a Mountain Equipment expert guide, some Mountain Equipment kit and the opportunity to write a full-length feature article for Trail.…

1 Stevie Hughes Loved every climb, but Beinn A’Bheithir was definitely a highlight. 2 Barry Payne On my way up Snowdon in crazy strong wind in among the clouds. This was on my way to my first #EverestAnywhere. 3 Ruth Burgess Despite some great high-level walks with my little ’un, Ellie, her favourite was a low-level walk near Wast Water as 2-year-old boxer, Fletcher, came too! 4 Neil Roberts With the great summer we’ve had I did lots of evening climbs. So my best memory of this year’s #EverestAnywhere is Holly on the trig at sunset. 5 Rebecca McCreadie Another fantastic #EverestAnywhere year in the mountains, mainly with my son. We had a 3-day, 2-night hike in the Lakes which was fantastic, we’ve been on over 30 different summits, but…

When the cold becomes wet and winter unshackles its grizzliest elements, it can be all too easy to snub the outdoors in favour of another mulled wine and mince pie (or three), while pulling on that garishly festive novelty jumper and sidling up to the nearest radiator. But for those who staunchly seek out winter’s worst, boldly heading outside whatever the weather, there’s the Regatta Whitlow Stretch. For nearly 40 years Regatta has been designing quality outdoor clothing that is proudly British and thus ready to deal with all weathers, even if each of the four seasons converge in a single day. And for those all-season adventurers, the new Whitlow Stretch waterproof jacket makes the perfect Christmas gift. A light and durable ripstop fabric shell gives the jacket a robust…

Many outdoor brands now produce environmentally friendly products, but Vaude has a longer association than most with the cause, thanks to its well established Green Shape criteria that sets out a rating system for its products. The company was also crowned Germany’s Most Sustainable brand in 2015. The latest Vaude product to adopt eco-friendly credentials is the Freney IV insulated jacket. The Freney has been around for several years, but from January its fourth incarnation will incorporate PrimaLoft Silver Insulation Eco - 100% PCR (post consumer recycled). This makes Vaude the first brand to use the latest PrimaLoft insulation, and it now plans to convert all its products that were using PrimaLoft Silver and Black insulation to the new 100% PCR version by the summer. Clearly Vaude could not have…

GP Xplor PHR15 £35 TESTER Graham Thompson • Power range 300 lumens for 5 hours, 150 lumens for 8 hours, 5 lumens for 69 hours • Beam distance 157m • Batteries 3x AAA (alkaline or rechargeable) • Weight 110g GP’s Explor PHR15 offers all the power you need for most walking situations, and at a great price. The automatic distance sensor is brilliant for reducing power use, as the torch simply turns up the power when you look into the distance. The PHR15 uses 3x rechargeable batteries (recharged via the onboard USB socket) but will also accept AAA alkalines. The single-button operation is easy to use, allowing you to switch between power settings and turn the auto sensing option on or off. One slight niggle is that you can’t lock-off…

Youth Hostels are a bit like a secret club. Converts are well aware of the amazing value for money the accommodation offers for regular mountain escapes. And the rest, put off by inaccurate imaginings of packed and dingy dorms, are frankly missing out. At Keswick YHA long gone are the days of dowdy décor and inferior facilities. After the 2015 Cumbrian floods it’s had a full makeover, a swish one too, with a new rustic-industrial look throughout. A new Riverside Bar and Restaurant serves up great value breakfasts, meals, snacks and drinks in a setting more reminiscent of a funky hotel than a youth hostel. Situated right on the River Greta, just a 5-minute walk from town, views stretch out from the riverside French doors to the northern fells of…

Jen & Sim Benson Writers of adventure guides, and passionate about our wild places. Kirstie Shirra Guidebook writer and lover of Scotland’s ‘best small mountains’. Ronald Turnbull Creator of a whopping 30 guidebooks and 18 unique coast-to-coasts. Dan Bailey Author of Scotland’s Mountain Ridges and a huge fan of big routes. Kate Worthington Lifetime mountain walker, now living and working under Snowdon’s shadow. James Forrest Former newspaper journalist turned adventure travel writer. Roger Butler Roger likes to tick off remote Hebridean islands as well as mountains. Jeremy Ashcroft Trail’s mountaineering editor and a veteran of every classic UK route. 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 use…

Distance 12.9km (8 miles) Total ascent 347m Time 4 hours Start/finish Blackrock Gate lay-by ( ST482545) Nearest town Weston-super-Mare Terrain Almost all on good paths; some muddy, slippery areas Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) 141, OS Landranger (1:50,000) 182 Accommodation Camping at the Cheddar Caravan and Camping Club site, 01749 870241. Glamping at Warren Farm in Blagdon, 01420 80804. Or stay at the YHA Cheddar, 0345 371 9730 Public transport Regular buses to Cheddar village from several towns accessible from mainline between Bristol and Taunton, www.traveline.infoWalk can be joined from Cheddar by taking the footpath on left opposite main cave entrances then turning right following the path up to point 2. Guidebook Somerset, Wiltshire & the Mendips – Walks (Pathfinder guidebook) by Brian Conduit and Debbie King, revised by Nick…

13.5 km/ 8½ miles 6½ hours Gaelic names can be plain and peaty, with an endless succession of Grey Humps (Meall Glas) or Reddish Stonepiles (Carn Dearg). But sometimes the ancient Highlanders let their romanticism run away with them and give a couple of hills the names they deserve. The Castle: if it makes you think of heroes in clanky armour, and croaking ravens, and a damsel (or knight) having a wee bit of trouble on the scrambly bit, well you’ve pretty much got the picture. The ridgeline is pleasantly narrow and sharp on top. It’s got rocky bits, and a path weaving between, and a slashed gap that maybe’s been made by a sword. Then again, the idea that the hill’s been undermined a bit by the Ice Age…

Distance 23.7km (14¾ miles) Total ascent 1930m Time 12 hours Start Cluanie Inn ( NH075117), finish A87 at NG992131 Nearest town Kyle of Lochalsh Terrain In summer conditions the ridge offers clear paths on narrow grassy ridges, with some very light scrambling. Snow cover brings risk of cornices (snow overhangs) on corrie edges, and steep icy slopes. In winter Aonach air Chrith’s ridges and Sgurr an Lochain’s peak fall between walking and mountaineering, so this is a route for seasoned winter walkers only. Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) 414, OS Landranger (1:50,000) 33; Harvey British Mountain Map (1:40,000) Knoydart, Kintail & Glen Affric Accommodation SYHA Ratagan, Glen Shiel, 01599 511243 Cluanie Inn, Glen Shiel, 01809 335021 Kintail Lodge Hotel, Shiel Bridge, 01599 511275 Public transport Bus from Invergarry or Kyle of…

15.9 km/ 10 miles 5½ hours Alfred Wainwright described the Howgill Fells as looking like a herd of sleeping elephants. If we run with this for a second, then maybe the smooth, rounded body lines of a family of dozing elephants are exactly what you need for a ‘safe‘ snowy day in the fells, especially if your technical winter skills aren’t up to alpine scratch. No crampons or ice axes needed to climb the gentle slopes of an elephant’s trunk, right? Little chance of falling to your death down an icy precipice when you’re descending the curved mound of an elephant’s bottom, right? The Howgill Fells are not only easy in winter, they are usually quiet too. Lost in a no-man’s land between the Lakes and the Dales, part of…

8 km/ 5 miles 4 hours 1 NY255176 Turn left from car park for 200m and take driveway/ bridleway on right, with hotel on left. Pass between houses, go through gate and join grass track leading south-west into little-known Troutdale with steep woodland on either side. A path, paved in places, rises through trees, on the right bank of the stream, as the valley narrows. Out of sight, a waterfall tumbles in the trees on the left. Cross a stile and fork left on a narrow steepening path through bracken, with some steps. At the top of the steps the path keeps ahead through open glades and scatterings of rock before swinging right to pass an isolated landmark yew tree. Keep on the path, rocky in places, to climb onto…

Quietly unassuming, but impressively iconic: the Moelwynion range of classic Welsh summits in northern Snowdonia packs many punches. The first day meets three peaks with a difference: Moelwyn Bach, Moelwyn Mawr and Cnicht. Modest grandeur. The second day romps along via boulder, bilberry and heather, keeping high until the bittersweet finale, descending from Moel Siabod into the clutches of Capel Curig. The distance is kept achievable for shorter daylight hours and should see you back off the hill in time for a good dinner in the valley. Delight in the very best this range offers, with views from coast to coast at Porthmadog to Conwy in the north, to Cadair Idris and Carnedd Llewelyn. Be immersed and surrounded by northern Snowdonia, for just a little longer. DAY 1 Tanygrisiau to…

As served at… Bridge Inn, Buttermere “Probably the best burger I’ve ever had. I’d drive to Buttermere just for another one of these!” That’s what Tony tells us, and he lives in Suffolk. The Bridge Inn’s Signature burger is a juicy, succulent home-made beef burger sandwiched between two halves of a soft brioche bun with grilled bacon, sliced Cumbrian cheddar, lettuce, tomato, crispy onion and honey mustard mayonnaise, all served up with either chips or fries. The resulting tower is so unwieldy it has to be pinned together with a small wooden stake. But it is delicious, albeit rather difficult to get your mouth around – particularly if you don’t take the stake out... > Share your gastronomic delights with us at trail@bauermedia.co.uk…

That’s it! Entries have closed, and just 20 from over 800 amazing photographs of the UK mountains remain to be put to the final vote. And now it’s time for you, the Trail reader, to choose your favourite from the shortlisted images on these pages. The public vote will count as one vote on the judging panel of five other esteemed judges. All you have to do to place your vote is go to www.livefortheoutdoors.com/mountainphoto18 Voting is open from 9am on 26 November 2018 until 5pm on 10 December 2018. Don’t miss your chance to have your say on Britain’s very best Mountain Photo of the Year! VOTE NOW Log on to www.livefortheoutdoors.com/mountainphoto18 to see all these images in all their glory – and to vote for your favourite! VOTE…

Q Why have I heard some people say sunglasses are necessary for winter hillwalking? Can I really damage my eyes by looking at snow? Simon Featherstone, Burnley GT says Yes! Even in the UK eyes can be damaged from the glare of snow on sunny days, although the danger is greater in alpine and high-altitude areas. This is due to the atmosphere being thinner at higher altitudes, so less light is filtered. The more light that reaches the snow the more glare is reflected, but there will also be more of the damaging ultraviolet (UV) light. Snow glare also makes it difficult, if not dangerous, to navigate and negotiate difficult ground safely. Even without the direct harmful effects of UV, wearing sunglasses reduces eye strain. Sunglasses that block out 100%…

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (and while you might have spent a night or had lunch there, you probably wouldn’t give it as your permanent address), you’ve probably come across the phrase ‘fast packing’. New gear designs have been launched under this banner, mostly of the lightweight variety. These are garments designed to be used in combination for maximum performance, that won’t weigh your pack down when not required. Montane’s new Fleet hard shell and Future Lite mid layer are great examples of products that function superbly as standalone items, but that can be used together for even greater flexibility. MONTANE FLEET JACKET £270 This waterproof shell uses two types of Gore-Tex membrane for the perfect balance of weather-resistance, weight and breathability, Active Shell in the main body…

FIT No boot is worth having if it doesn’t fit properly. The inside of the boot should be around 13-15mm longer than your foot. You can gauge this by putting the boot on, without the laces tightened up, and then placing your forefinger down the inside of the boot at the heel. Better outdoor stores will measure your feet for a precise fit. The upper should be snug and comfortable across the foot too. DURABILITY If you want your boots to last as long as possible, look for uppers with minimal stitching and a rubber rand that fully encloses the whole boot. Durable designs are most important for those regularly heading out onto rockier ground and ice-covered mountains, but it’s not so important if you walk less often in the…

MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT QUARREL JACKET £300 USED BY Distinctly non-quarrelsome news and features writer Ben Weeks USED FOR 14 months Comfort is a funny thing to pin down. Being uncomfortable, however, is an obvious state, so perhaps the best way to establish comfort is the absence of discomfort. And by that definition, this is probably the most comfortable hard shell I’ve owned. That’s partly due to the materials used, as the Gore C-Knit backer has a soft feel that’s unusual in a hard shell. The outer fabric is more typical, with Gore-Tex 40D providing the predictable waterproof and windproof performance. The hood is good. The zips are good. The pockets are good. These are not exciting things, but they are important things. And I love the colours and design of the…

This month’s Walk of a Lifetime over the celebrated Langdale Pikes takes in some classic overground Lakeland landscapes. But venture deep underground in Little Langdale and you’ll find the impressive Cathedral Cave. Although the caves are actually man-made – a leftover from the green slate quarrying – they are still quite the marvel, and you can’t help but be wowed by the National Trust site, which is popular with climbers. You’ll need a torch and there’s safety info at the entrance. Find them at grid ref NY314029. www.visitcumbria.com/amb/cathedral-cave/…

Trail has partnered with Ordnance Survey's OS Maps to bring you the ultimate interactive routes experience. Subscribers to Trail get free access to OS Maps, where you can view and print 1:50,000 and 1:25,000 OS maps at no extra cost, plan your own walks and view this month's routes online. In addition, the free OS Maps navigation app for smartphones and tablets turns this online tool into a powerful navigation aid. Subscribers can upload their own routes, download the routes from the magazine and browse more than 1000 more from previous issues. See page 66 for details of how to subscribe, or visit www.LFTO.com/routes…

8.5 km/ 5¼ miles 3½ hours A cracker of a small peak, yet less than two hours by train from Glasgow or Edinburgh, Ben Vrackie offers a perfect escape for those needing to get out on a winter walk. Located in beautiful Highland Perthshire, Ben Vrackie dominates the skyline above Pitlochry. Its fine paths lead you to the top of one of the best viewpoints in the southern Highlands with bigger neighbour Beinn A’ Ghlo dominating the skyline to the north and the Strath Tay valley spread out to the south. The route up it though starts and ends in the pretty village of Moulin on the outskirts of Pitlochry. While there has been a settlement at Moulin as far back as the Bronze Age, with archaeologists dating ancient hut…

Distance 13.5km (8½ miles) Total ascent 1100m Time 6½ hours Start/finish Lay-by (stretch of old road) on A82, 2km south of Crianlarich, east side of road ( NN369238) Nearest town Crianlarich Terrain Steep-sided ridge of grass and rocky knolls, with most rocks avoidable. Steep grass or snow for part of the way up Beinn a’ Chroin. Grassy slopes, soggy valley bottom, and gravel tracks Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) 384, OS Landranger (1:50,000) 50, Harvey Superwalker (1:25,000) Crianlarich Accommodation SYHA Crianlarich (Nov-Mar, Fri-Sat), www.hostellingscotland.co.uk Also By the Way Hostel, Tyndrum, although it is closed Nov-March, www.tyndrumbytheway.com Public transport Crianlarich rail station is nearby. Better, the Citylink coach Glasgow to Fort William and Portree passes start thrice daily, 0871 200 2233, www.traveline.info Guidebook Walking Loch Lomond and the Trossachs by Ronald…

7.4 km/ 4½ miles 6 hours When the white stuff clings to Snowdonian peaks, it can prove a challenge to route-plan round the prevailing winter conditions – wind direction, snow build-up and avoiding certain slopes, visibility, freezing level… the list goes on! At over 3000ft, the height and grandeur of these two Carneddau mountains provide adventure all year round, but never more so than when draped in a winter cloak. Those familiar with the fickle nature of ‘Welsh winter’ will have come to realise that ‘winter’ means many things in Snowdonia. Sometimes, mountains are draped in sparkling, sprawling snowflakes under an alpine sun, or rime ice on rocks with patches of hard snow clinging to boulders and shaded slopes, or slicing-sideways rain and hail yielding fantastically awkward verglas on rocks.…

Distance 15.9km (10 miles) Total ascent 1067m Time 5½ hours Start/finish Joss Lane pay and display car park in Sedbergh ( SD658921) Nearest town Sedbergh Terrain Generally good fell paths – rough and pathless at Swere Gill, steep and exposed at Cautley Spout, flat and easy on return Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) OL19, Harvey Superwalker (1:25,000) Yorkshire Dales North West Accommodation The Dalesman Country Inn, 015396 21183 The Black Bull Inn, 015396 20264 Howgills Barn, 0800 832 1632 (all in Sedbergh) Public transport Sedbergh is linked to Kendal, Dent, Kirkby Stephen, Kirkby Lonsdale and Hawes by buses operated by Stagecoach, Woof’s of Sedbergh and Western Dales Community Bus Guidebook Walks on the Howgill Fells and Adjoining Fells by Alfred Wainwright Tourist info Sedbergh Information and Book Centre, 015396 20125…

DAY 1 12 km/ 7½ miles 6½ hours 1 SH682454 Leave the parking area, pass the waterfalls and pick up a grassy path on to the Llyn Stwlan (reservoir) service road. You could head up this road to the reservoir and pick your way up to Bwlch Stwlan, but that’s a lot of tarmac to walk and the next leg is more interesting! Walk 800m from the parking area. 2 SH676451 Where you pass the ‘Pinacl’ ridge above the road, search out a small mine opening on the road’s north side. There’s evidence of footfall to view the entrance. You can start a west-northwest ascent from here. It looks steep, but it’s rewarding to gain height above the road and emerge onto a quiet, more level area with good views.…

Strenuousness Navigation Technicality Trail 100s Distance 15.7km (9¾ miles) Total ascent 870m Time 5½hrs Start Llyn yr Adar ( SH654478) Finish Moel Siabod Café/car parking ( SH727578) Terrain Some good paths (rocky at times), upland heather, grass and boggy sections, can be indistinct in poor visibility Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) OL17 & OL18, Harvey British Mountain Map (1:40,000) Snowdonia North GET THIS ROUTE ON YOUR PHONE! LFTO.COM/TRAILROUTES In association with…

Strenuousness Navigation Technicality Trail 100s Wainwrights Distance 12km (7½ miles) Total ascent 900m Time 5½ hours Start/finish Langdale ( NY294064) Nearest town Ambleside Terrain Steep-sided ghyll, tarn, craggy corrie, rocky summits, high-level moorland, broad col, steep bridleway and valley bottom track Accommodation Langdale Youth Hostel, 0345 371 9748, langdale@yha.org.uk National Trust Campsite Great Langdale (tents, yurts and pods) 01539 437668, www.nationaltrust.org.uk Baysbrown Campsite, 01539 437150 Tourist info Ambleside TIC, 0844 225 0544, www.golakes.co.uk Public transport Trains to Windermere, buses to Langdale via Ambleside. Buses: Traveline, 0871 200 2233 Trains: National Rail Enquiries, 08457 484950 Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) OL6, OS Landranger (1:50,000) 89, Harvey BMM (1:40,000) Lake District, Harvey Superwalker (1:25,000) Lake District West Guidebooks Pictorial Guide to the Central Fells by A Wainwright Great Mountain Days in the…