Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2015 i Trail

One benefit of living in such a green and rain-swept land is this: we have an abundance of rivers, lakes, tarns, streams, plunge pools and waterfalls to explore and enjoy. Pick your favourite National Park or range of hills, and the chances are there will be a selection of places within where wild swimming is a real and exciting possibility. If you’re wondering why you should try something so unusual and – in modern times – strangely unsanctioned or even sometimes frowned upon, then simply consider a broad, still and cool body of water when you’re next midway through a sweltering summer walk. There’s nothing more tempting, more freeing or more welcome than diving in when the sun is fierce and the air sappingly hot. In the words of Wild…

On 14 July 1865, British mountaineer Edward Whymper became the first person to stand on the summit of Switzerland’s iconic Matterhorn (4478m) – and 150 years later the village of Zermatt at its base is gearing up for some special celebrations. The Matterhorn is one of the world’s most stunning mountains: a jagged triangle of rock that seems to suck alpinists towards it; but it doesn’t only appeal to climbers. Simply gazing up at its sheer walls from below will set your pulse racing, so if you want to join in the anniversary party, head to the Alps in July. You can watch a recreation of the Matterhorn’s first ascent in Zermatt’s open-air theatre; you can retrace the footsteps of those first summiteers on a day trip where you’ll have…

Seen the trailers for the new Star Wars movie: Episode VII, The Force Awakens? Of course you have. But what you might not have noticed was the Lakeland mountain of Blencathra looming large in the background as a trio of X-Wings sped across the surface of Derwent Water. And if you didn’t clock that, you almost certainly didn’t spot Raven Crag starring in the extended trailer that went online this spring, as another fleet of X-Wings raced through the Thirlmere valley. Various scenes from the movie, which hits cinemas in December, have been filmed in the UK. Sadly we’re yet to receive confirmation that the movie concludes with a Lightsaber battle on Striding Edge……

SNOWDON SNOWDONIA This is Trail reader Alan Vickers, with his wife Jo, in a photo he took on the way up Snowdon via the Rhyd-Ddu Path on Easter Sunday. Alan said it involved “an early start, catching some great views on the way!” 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. THIS COULD BE YOU! Send your shots, marked ‘Summit selfie’ to trail@bauermedia.co.uk…

James Hawkins speaks for anyone who’s ever seen the most dramatically notched 1062m mountain in Britain when he says “An Teallach is amazing”. What Trail couldn’t get him to say (but we can now, to spare his modesty) is that his paintings of this Scottish peak capture it like nothing else you’re likely to lay eyes on. Take the image printed here. The landscape is lashed by reedy needles of rain above a shimmering foreground of heather and brush. There’s a blurry unreality to some parts and an arresting crispness to others. The mountain outline at its centre is stark. But that’s just our opinion; to find out how James makes such vivid images, we spoke to the man himself. “Being out on the hill is many experiences in one,”…

A TENT LIGHTING There are various options here, ranging from a traditional lantern or stand-up torch to fairy light-style LEDs. All will add a little more class than a headtorch. PICTURED: Alpkit Trinity £21 B COOKING KIT If you’re going to be chopping veg and preparing fine foods, you’ll need tools. Bring your own, or pick up a pre-packed travel kit that will give you everything you need. PICTURED: MSR Alpine Deluxe Kitchen Set £45 C FOLDING CHAIR Something you’d definitely never see on a wild camp, a camping chair is one those luxuries that in the right setting is actually worth more than its weight in gold. PICTURED: Vango Moon Chair £35 D NOT CAMPING MEALS We’re not knocking camping meals – which taste incredible in…

Welcome to Trail’s routes section: your cut-out-and-keep guide to the best days in the UK hills. Whether it’s an airy mountain scramble, a classic Lakeland fellwalk or a multi-day backpacking epic, you’ll find it here... written by experts, walked by you. • Trail Routes use OS mapping and gradient profiles, and are available to download at www.lfto.com/routes…

The temptation for walkers driving north on the M6 is to turn off at the Kendal junction to the South Lakes, or driving south on the M6 to turn off at Penrith to the North Lakes. Ironically the section of motorway between these two junctions passes the beautiful Howgill Fells. These rounded hills are a walkers’ delight but they are often overlooked as being inferior to their Lakeland cousins. What a shame, as this small group of hills offer fantastic routes and are in places steep enough to test the legs of any mountaineer. Unusually for the north of England these fell tops are also not crossed by drystone walls and, though this adds a certain sense of remoteness to the area, it also makes navigation difficult in poor weather.…

From the south the Ochil Hills look immense, a great green wall rearing high above the towns and farmland of the Central Belt. The abruptness of this escarpment is reminiscent of the North Pennines, and the boggy-but-spacious walking to be found on the rolling summits above reflects the comparison too. If you’re driving past en route to the Highlands then you really can’t miss the Ochils, and sooner rather than later you owe yourself a detour to investigate this intriguing Lowland upsurge at close quarters. It is an extensive range, stretching from Stirling to eastern Fife, but the prime slice is found just above the little towns of Alva, Tillicoultry and Dollar, where deep gorges and waterfalls provide the most interesting approaches to the main ridge. Best of the bunch…

Route 10 Ben More Route 11 Dun da Ghaoithe Route 12 The Burg “The island has a low-key backwater feel...” It may be only the second largest of the Inner Hebrides (behind Skye), but the Isle of Mull is second to none for the variety of its wild landscapes, from isolated coast to rugged hands-on ridges. The low-key backwater feel of the island as a whole is perfectly reflected in its walks. Just as you’ll rarely run into traffic on Mull’s many miles of twisting singletrack road, so the idea of a crowded footpath here is almost unthinkable. On day one tackle Ben More, Mull’s only Munro, via the classic scramble of the A’ Chioch ridge. Next it’s an easier round on the dramatic seaside summit of Dun da Ghaoithe,…

One of the great things about a walking trip is that it usually turns into a walking holiday. And if you’re going on holiday, you’ve got the perfect excuse to spend your nights – as well as your days – somewhere suitably epic. In years gone by the best you could probably hope for was a dusty seaside B&B, a draughty mountainside hostel, an inhospitable pub or a muddy field to pitch your tent in; but fortunately the 21st century has arrived and brought with it a whole new era of overnight accommodation options. As well as your more traditional choices (camping, bivvying, shivering in caves and bothies etc), you can now sleep in all kinds of weird and wonderful places – from lighthouses and treehouses to shepherd’s huts and…

Almost exactly 40 years after they teamed up to successfully complete the first British ascent of Mt Everest in September 1975, Sir Chris Bonington and Doug Scott have renewed their climbing partnership to raise vital relief funds in the wake of the recent Nepal earthquakes. On 12 June, Bonington (80) and Scott (74) led an ‘expedition’ on the ice wall of Keswick’s King Kong Climbing Centre, where they were joined by over 100 members of the public in an attempt to climb the height of Everest (8848m) in just 24 hours. Completing the challenge involved topping out 1,000 times – hence why Chris and Doug decided to rope in a few volunteers – with all funds raised being donated to the Community Action Nepal Earthquake Appeal. Founded by Doug Scott…

We decided to try a Trail route for the first time. We picked the Classic Route up Yr Elen and Carnedd Llewelyn [Nov14]. We opted to do it in two days in the opposite direction and enjoy a wild camp. What a fabulous walk! We spent an hour on the summit of Llewelyn at sunset in complete blissful isolation with views south towards the Glyders and Snowdon beyond, before camping out just below the summit. We never made it to the top of Yr Elen as by the following morning rain had arrived and it was covered in clag, so we escaped south and followed the Afon Llafar back to Bethesda. Oddly enough, we met an old chap with a magnificent beard heading in the opposite direction – and clutched…

Go to the mountains Do all the best routes! THE RUNNERS UP... 25 Goatfell Horseshoe (Arran, Scotland) 24 Moel Siabod, Daear Ddu ridge (Snowdonia, Wales) 23 Great Gable Traverse (Lake District, England) 22 Bidean nam Bian via the Lost Valley (Highlands, Scotland) 21 Carnedd Dafydd /Carnedd Llewelyn (Snowdonia, Wales) 20 Coniston Fells (Lake District, England) 19 Edale Horseshoe (Peak District, England) 18 Kentmere Horseshoe (Lake District, England) 17 Pen y Fan and Cribyn (Brecon Beacons, Wales) 16 Ring of Steall – Mamores (Highlands, Scotland) 15 Ben Nevis via the CMD Arête (Highlands, Scotland) 14 Langdale Pikes (Lake District, England) 13 Newlands Round (Lake District, England) 12 Cadair Idris circuit (Snowdonia, Wales) 11 Scafell Pike Corridor Route (Lake District, England) READ ON FOR THE TOP 10... “I have enjoyed Liathach several…

TRAIL’S ROUTE Strenuousness Navigation Technicality Distance 11.6km (7¼ miles) Time 6 hours Total ascent 1280m Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) 433; OS Landranger (1:50,000) 24; Harvey Superwalker (1:25,000) Torridon Start/finish car park at NG868576 “a trio of witch’s hat-shaped fangs” Go NW Scotland Do Beinn Alligin There are great mountains, and then there are the mountains of Torridon. Mouthwateringly wild and breathlessly spectacular, Torridon is a name that sends tingles flickering down the spine of anyone who’s ever set foot on a British hill. This is Scotland at its brilliant best – a place of brutish, stand-alone peaks that skyrocket from sea-level to summit in the blink of an eye. A secluded kingdom of water and rock overflowing with sea lochs and white sand beaches, rutting deer and soaring eagles, medieval…

The Vango Trail 25 is a great rucksack for walkers or for everyday use, featuring durable fabrics and large side pockets. The Vango 10 LED Headtorch meanwhile offers 16 lumens of light via three modes. It has a pivoting head and an adjustable headstrap, and takes 3 x AAA batteries (not included). Simon Ingram, editor With a print subscription to Trail magazine you benefit from: TWO quality gifts, worth £35 Having each copy delivered directly to your door Saving against shop prices Saving 50% off an annual YHA membership and 10% off any bookings made through the YHA website Alternatively, get the same deal on digital or upgrade to a package subscription – available at www.greatmagazines.co.uk/trail * When you pay by direct debit PLUS ACCESS TO 1,000 FREE ROUTES and…

QUESTION I want to take some friends hillwalking for the first time. Do I need to be insured? Kate Tidswell, Abingdon ANSWER Rob Johnson mic A qualified International Mountain Leader, Rob’s led groups all over the world via his company www.expeditionguide.com This is a question that is frequently asked, as people are concerned about their liability. In the UK there is a strong tradition of people being introduced into the mountains by more experienced friends, and it is one that should be encouraged. There is no requirement for you to be insured to take your friends out. If you are concerned about liability, however, the easiest solution is to join the BMC (www.thebmc.co.uk). Your membership will provide you with civil liability insurance and personal accident insurance, and the BMC has…

While some two-person backpacking tents carry a price tag of £500-600, you don’t need to get a bank loan to purchase this new offering from Regatta, which at £110 is a fifth of the price of some of its counterparts of similar dimensions. Indeed, the Regatta Halin 2 makes camping and backpacking affordable for just about anyone. The Halin 2 is part of Regatta’s Point 214 range, which was created to provide fellwalkers and hikers with technical gear that can withstand wet and windy days in the hills. It is the only tent in this range, with Regatta’s other tents being designed for other user groups such as families and festival goers. The tent is a two-person design and it packs down to 53x15cm with a weight of 2618g, so…

Unlike its spiky Glyderau neighbours, Y Garn is a smooth, friendly-looking mountain, appearing a little like a giant armchair high above the lovely Cwm Idwal. With less rock than its peers, it also has less scrambling; but what it lacks in quantity, it more than makes up for in quality with its exposed East Ridge – a single, top-notch Grade II that exploits an unlikely line of weakness in the magnificent rocky prow of Castell y Geifr – the Castle of the Goats. This is a step up in difficulty and seriousness from the more typical Ogwen scrambles. The moves are no harder than the typical lines followed on Tryfan’s North Ridge or Bristly Ridge, but whereas there’s always an alternative on those classic Grade 1s, there isn’t much option…

The small island archipelago of St Kilda is famously remote, lying some 40 miles west of the Outer Hebrides across often turbulent seas. Getting there requires commitment and luck, as the weather frequently has the last say as to whether a crossing is possible. Many visitors to the main island of Hirta will limit their exploration to the fascinating ruins of the village and other traces of the settlement famously evacuated in 1930, but heading into the island’s hinterland of whalebacked hills, rugged headlands and towering cliffs brings considerable rewards. The views – should you be blessed with good visibility – are tremendous. This route takes in the summits of Mullach Mor, Oisebhal and Conachair – the island’s high point at 427m. The longer variant taking in Gleann Mor, Mullach…

An Teallach presents a very strong case for being the greatest mountain in Scotland. Clearly this claim lies beyond pure physical status, as other mountains such as Ben Nevis and Ben Macdui hold these titles in terms of height and acreage. With An Teallach the term ‘greatest’ applies to human reaction to it; and like its counterparts around the world such as the Matterhorn, El Capitan and the Eiger, the emotions it invokes when you first set eyes on it are overwhelming. The classic view is from the east, from Dundonnell, looking to the glowing pinnacles of its torturous crest across the dramatic depths of east-facing corries. It is, however, not a ‘one-trick pony’; and from whichever side you view it – be it from the depths of the Fisherfield…

1 HOTEL Few experiences can compete with that moment when, after a day on the hill, the weary walker lowers themself into a hot bath and exhales. And for this perfect moment to be at its indulgent best, the surroundings need to be just so – ideally within the setting of a country house hotel. It’s important to bear in mind that not all of these establishments welcome wet and muddy walkers, so choose carefully. On our travels, we’ve encountered a few enlightened places with a down-to-earth approach to mucky hikers. Here you’ll find a relaxed attitude to dress codes and a flexible stance on mealtimes. The best examples have an earthy hikers’ bar and a more sophisticated bar and restaurant offering up a feast to replace the energy expended…

While Beinn Alligin can’t claim to be the tallest or toughest of Torridon’s great peaks, a traverse of the mountain is regularly described as one of the finest hillwalking experiences in Scotland. This is chiefly down to the trilogy of ‘Horns’ that decorate the mountain’s crest. This series of rock towers on the south-east ridge offer some easy but immensely satisfying scrambling in this most hallowed of settings. What’s more, while tackling the rough rock of these airy pinnacles, you’ll enjoy views over to the other great mountains of the region – foremost of which are the grandly-buttressed Beinn Eighe and the seemingly impenetrable Liathach. Technicality-wise you’re not looking at anything harder than Grade 1 scrambling, and this comes more from the sense of exposure than difficulty of manoeuvre. While…

Anyone who visited the Keswick Mountain Festival between 14-17 May will know that yet again it was a superb showcase of walks, talks, sporting events and live music – but what they might not know is that it also raised over £15,000 for Community Action Nepal through a range of fundraising activities. Trail got involved by holding a huge second-hand gear sale that raised £8,173 in just two crazy hours of ridiculously low-priced bargains, while outdoor brand Trekmates raised £4,100 by selling sample products over the course of the weekend. River Publishing and The Wainwright Society collected over £1,000 during a talk by fell runners Steve Birkinshaw and Joss Naylor; while there were also significant contributions from KE Adventure, Wanderlust, Cicerone and Wenlock Spring. With the addition of over £5,000…

Highest mountain climbed? Mount Everest – 11 times! [In 2013 Kenton completed the ’Everest Triple Crown', summiting Everest along with the neighbouring peaks of Nuptse and Lhotse in just five days.] Scafell Pike, Snowdon or Ben Nevis? They each have their own enduring characteristics that make them all special, so to compare and contrast is a little unfair. Why do you love mountains? I love the sense of freedom they provide and the fact that they represent an untainted version of the world. Who's your mountaineering hero? There have been many, but Doug Scott and Sir Chris Bonington are up there; then guys like Alex MacIntyre [British climber who was killed in 1984 at the age of just 28], or some of the pioneering Polish climbers such as Wojciech Kurtyka.…

SNUGPAK THE CAVE £496 Hot because: Uber-light wild camping is fine (we’re big fans), but sometimes it’s nice to have more comfortable and sociable digs. The Cave is a sturdy 4-person (read: 3-people plus kit) geodesic tent weighing under 5kg – not too bad when the load is shared. It’s the details that make the difference, and we loved that The Cave comes with great pegs, the poles are colour-coded to simplify assembly, it has plenty of storage pockets, and the inner is black so you don’t get that rude first-light awakening. In fact, during a laptop screening of Valley Uprising while camping in Ogwen, the experience was positively cinematic. Being a caveman just got cool. We say: “Shared with a couple of mates, some ale and one or two…

START IS THE WATER FREE FROM DEBRIS AND DIRT? YES DO YOU WANT THE LOWEST-PRICED PURIFICATION? YES LIFESYSTEMS CHLORINE DIOXIDE TABLETS £10.50 The lowest-priced method of making water safe to drink is to collect some and drop in one of these tablets. The chlorine dioxide within the tablet kills bacteria such as E coli and parasites such as Giardia that can be found in mountain streams, as well as viruses such as polio and hepatitis. Unlike the chlorine used in swimming pools, chlorine dioxide has no after-taste. To treat your collected water, just add one tablet for every litre and leave for 30 minutes. Debris and particles in the water will reduce effectiveness and also make the water rather unpalatable, so you may need a filter system as well. But…

YHA Borrowdale Buried within the leafy depths of the Lake District's most loved valley and on the banks of the River Derwent, YHA Borrowdale has a real ’out of the way’ feel . This spectacular wooden-fronted building offers wonderful accommodation for every type of walker; with dormitory beds, private rooms and camping pods to choose from – and despite being fully modernised inside it still retains all of its rustic charm. This is the perfect place to kick off your boots at the end of a long day, relax on a sofa with a pint of local ale, then treat yourself to a home-cooked three-course meal. Scafell Pike, via the Corridor Route and Grains Gill YHA Borrowdale is perfectly situated for people wanting to explore the mountains, with perhaps the…

High Street got its name from the Romans. They sent their year-zero version of the M6 along this high line of hills above Ullswater. Walking this ridgeline of High Raise, Wether Hill and Loadpot was about as easy as strolling down to the shops for a six pack and the July issue of Trail. It’s so smooth, and grassy, and almost free of those annoying ups and downs. Also of course it’s free of ancient Britons, Tourists in Unsuitable Footwear, and other riff-raff. Okay, so you aren’t wearing hobnailed sandals, and you’re not in a hurry to get home to Rome after a stint on Hadrian’s Wall. You’ll still like the High Street ridge (despite its sad lack of pelican crossings and shopping opportunities) for the way Pooley Bridge looks…

The east–west ridge of Mynydd Preseli rises unexpectedly from the rolling farmland of Pembrokeshire. Its ancient rocks break through the heather moorland in a series of angular tors sharpened by untold years of erosion. Over the high ground runs the so-called Golden Road, used by our Neolithic ancestors, possibly as a trading route. Here too is the source of the mysterious bluestone or dolerite, somehow transported the many miles from here to Stonehenge to form its inner ring. No wonder there’s a timeless feel to this landscape. A sense of spaciousness is also present as you look out over the coastline of south-west Wales – if it’s clear, across the Bristol Channel to the south and as far as Snowdonia to the north. This route follows most of the ridge…

Route 7 Langdale Pikes Route 8 Swirl How & Wetherlam Route 9 Loughrigg Fell & Cathedral Cave Stand on Lingmoor Fell just 15,000 years ago. On either side, great glaciers emerge from Langdale and Little Langdale, to crunch against the even bigger one from Dunmail. Result: a huge ice bowl, humped over the rock lump of Loughrigg Fell, separating into the ice streams of Coniston and Windermere. Consider the Grasmere - Elterwater - Ambleside triangle at the heart of Lakeland, where every hump is smoothed by the glacier, and Loughrigg is cut about by short-term rivers that ran around the melting ice. The icebowl becomes lowland Lakeland of tarns and small summits, woods and waterfalls. Combine it with the Langdale Pikes and Coniston Fells for days of down, up and…

“A few years ago, I took my family to Full Circle Yurts at Rydal in the Lake District. After a night watching the stars through the glass dome in the roof, the kids got up, stood in the doorway, looked out at Loughrigg and said: “Can we go up there, Dad – please?” That yurt turned two fenland girls into hill-walkers, and I’ll be grateful forever.” NICK HALLISSEY, deputy editor, Country Walking “I have magical memories of staying at Dolgoch Wilderness Hostel in the wilds of mid Wales. It’s miles from anywhere and entirely off-grid – once gas-lit, now with solar power, and the water comes from the nearby stream. There was no Wi-FI, no TV – just cups of tea and talking around the log-burning stove, while outside bright…