Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2019 i Trail

How can men’s outdoorsy underwear be made better? (Sorry ladies – these are for specific contents) Saxx claims to have the answer in the bag. • Micro-mesh support is quick-drying and highly breathable. • Reversed stitching placing the flatter, softer side of the seams against the body for increased comfort. • The 3D hammock-shaped BallPark Pouch™ keeps ‘everything’ in place and prevents skin-on-skin chaffing. • An ergonomic construction provides support around glutes, thighs, quads and hamstrings. • Fly opening allows calls of nature to be answered quickly and conveniently. • Moisture wicking fabric combats clamminess and dissipates moisture. • Boxer Brief fit is slim and athletic for active adventurers.…

A couple of years ago near Horton in Ribblesdale station, a lady stopped me on the pavement. She was dressed in outdoorsy kit of the highest spec. “Your rucksack is very large,” she frowned. “I know,” I said. I knew because I’d carried it over Ingleborough and Whernside and was, by this point, quite tired. “It really shouldn’t be so big,” she wagged her finger at me. Actually wagged. “Erm, well, it’s just I’m carrying a lot of stuff.” I was, you see. The friend I was walking with had a bad hip so I was carrying our shared food and tent. I was also carrying food for the dog, extra water, a sleeping bag, two Therm-a-Rests and a dog coat. It was warm now, but it had been raining.…

If there is one feeling I wish I could package up and share with the world, it would be the way nature makes me feel. I have never felt more alive, free and strong in myself than when standing on top of a mountain. The wind blowing around me, clouds shifting to give way to a beautiful sunset, my heart beating. I literally feel on top of the world. There’s something about the wind, the flow of water from rivers and the vast expanse of the wilderness that makes me feel afraid and protected, vulnerable and confident at the same time. It’s almost as though I know everything is exactly how it should be and I don’t need to worry about a thing. The best medicine for my own mental…

Over splashes of ale and torn-open crisp packets, hill-weary walkers debate the important matters of the day. What makes a proper pie? Which is the best hill in the Lakes? What’s the best ridge-walk in Britain? If you were going to get into the best ridge in Britain then we’re heading into territory more divisive than whether ketchup, gravy or mayonnaise is going on the chips. “Crib Goch!” some yell. “Carn Mor Dearg Arête!” demand others. “Striding Edge!” claim some. But if we’re talking walks – no proper scrambling required, no head-spinning exposure, just an exhilarating sweep to the summit – then things get a little simpler and a lot more interesting. Because these are top-class mountain trips that anyone can enjoy. Right up there, jostling ahead of all the…

As a UK pastime, recent figures suggest hillwalking is now more popular than football, cricket and rugby combined. This boost in interest in our hills and mountains is wonderful news – more people realising the physical and mental health benefits of outdoor activity can only be a good thing. On the flip side, though, the result of millions more boots pounding mountain paths means these precious and pristine environments are now under more pressure than ever. And the paths are in constant need of maintenance and repair. The problem is a sheer trampling of vegetation causing soil erosion. This can lead to perpetually widening gullies which, exacerbated by bad weather, may result in motorway-wide scars in the landscape. Such devastating erosion requires huge amounts of money and human resources to…

When you think of mountains and the early part of the 20th century, your mind probably drifts towards heroic and tragic tales from iconic peaks in faraway ranges. Mallory and Irvine perishing on Everest, Shackleton crossing South Georgia against all imaginable odds, an almost endless list of tragedies on the fearsome north wall of the Eiger… but what about plucky old British hillwalkers? Before the start of the 1900s, walking as a form of leisure was growing in popularity across England, Wales and Scotland, but mountains were generally considered off-limits for the average rambler. Access to the wider countryside had been limited for centuries as a result of the Enclosure movement, until a group of 400 walkers took matters into their own hands. In 1932 an organised trespass on the…

HILL HACK OF THE MONTH Eight ways to ‘chill out’ on summer summits Q This may be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t enjoy the summer. I wilt on the hills in heat. Got any tips to stay cool on hot mountains? Bob Hoey, via email Trail says Mountains can be hostile in summer, so here are eight tricks to help you chill out: • Soak your headwear Dunk your neck tube, bandana or hat in a river, stream or tarn for a refreshing pick-me-up. The water will conduct body heat away from the skin. • Consider your route direction Will travelling north to south be better in terms of the position of the sun and wind direction? • Drink, drink, drink If you feel thirsty, your body is already…

Waterproofs? Check. Food and water? Check. Spare insulation? Check! And so the list went on until it was confirmed we had all the gear we needed in our daypacks to head into the mountains in classic Lakeland summer weather – of rain and low cloud. From Grasmere myself, hostel manager Tim Butcher and Ange Harker an outdoor writer and countryside access professional, headed for Helm Crag, the first hill of the day on a planned round of Far Easedale. You never quite know what the hills will throw at you, and today the forecast predicted 11°C and 100% likelihood of rain. So we were prepared for the worst! As luck would have it, the weather turned out to be less severe than we’d planned for. We walked through mud, waded…

• Capacity 26 litres • Men’s Adjustable back length (Stratos 26) • Women’s Adjustable back length (Sirrus 26) • Weight 1361g (inc 94g raincover) IT'S GOOD With all the features of a larger rucksack built into a day-walk-friendly 26-litre capacity, this pack is instantly appealing. It comes with a back system more akin to a big capacity pack, so it has airflow, adjustable length and above all is incredibly comfortable, thanks to a mesh trampoline design that holds the pack away from the body. The back system also has the right level of rigidity, so I did not suffer from lumpy items poking into my back. I really liked the ease of access to the main compartment, thanks to a conventional lid. The lid also has two good pockets and…

Welcome to Trail’s long-distance route special, perfect for long summer days. This month we bring you 12 cut-out-and-keep guides to the very best bits of Britain’s long-distance trails, packed into a day walk or an adventurous long weekend! Selected and written by our experts, walked by you. TRAIL ROUTES use OS mapping and gradient profiles, and are available to download at lfto.com/routes WALK HERE THIS WEEKEND Trek hut-to-hut from Keswick to Coniston p105…

15.6 km/ 9½ miles 5 hours The area of Assynt in Sutherland has a reputation for rugged, wild and beautiful landscapes, isolated mountains and remote beaches – and this route takes in Sandwood Bay, part of the Cape Wrath Trail. The bay – actually Britain’s remotest mainland beach – lies about as far north and west as it’s possible to get in Scotland, and it makes for a wild day out. The shifting dunes and machair (fertile low-lying grassy plain) contain over 200 species of plant, including eight orchids, while underfoot are Torridonian gritstone and sandstone. The Sandwood estate, run by the John Muir Trust, lies within a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This lochan-strewn route approaches Sandwood Bay from high up…

28 km/ 17½ miles 10-11 hours Rising from the west in a series of whale-backed spurs, the Trotternish Ridge runs the length of the eponymous peninsula, dropping away suddenly over a steep escarpment of craggy cliffs on the eastern side to an outlandish realm of rock stacks, pinnacles and lochans. The Trotternish Ridge traverse is one of the finest ridge walks in the British Isles, yet few walkers are encountered either side of the Storr Sanctuary and the Quiraing, the tourist magnets book-ending the steep eastern escarpment. Though it lacks the fearsome reputation, the technical difficulties and challenges of the infamous Black Cuillin traverse, the Trotternish Ridge traverse is nonetheless an exhilarating hillwalking experience through a magnificent mountain landscape that boasts some of the finest views in Scotland. This route…

If you close your eyes and mentally sketch the ultimate Scottish mountain, what your brain churns out will probably look a lot like Slioch. This is what the Highlands is all about – grand, dramatic, remote, spectacular and more than just a little bit intimidating. Viewed from the shores of Loch Maree, Slioch (981m) looks like a giant clenched fist of rock, with steep and heavily scarred walls exuding an air of impenetrability. But it can be walked, magnificently, from the village of Kinlochewe, taking in over 5km of wild lochside and visiting two muscular summits. The route is long but rewarding, with golden eagles above, waterfalls cascading around you, and views stretching all the way to the Outer Hebrides. So go there this month, when the days are long…

TAKE THE PLUNGE There’s something innate inside all of us that draws us to water. Life-giving, beautiful, cooling, refreshing; it’s in the mountains that you’ll find some of Britain’s most remote, spectacular and wild natural swimming holes, tempting you to take a dip after your summer exertions. And if the coast is clear, don’t fight the urge to strip naked and feel the liberation and excitement of a skinny dip! • For inspiration and safety advice, see our Wild Swimming Masterclass on p70 VIEW WITH A ROOM While Trail prides itself on being rough and ready for adventure, we don’t see anything wrong with a touch of luxury, especially when it’s in the foothills of Snowdonia’s greatest mountains. We recently discovered the fab Ct Curigs Church, where owners Alice and…

Craig y Bera Snowdonia “Here’s my daughter, Emma, above the cliffs of Craig y Bera, with the Nantlle ridge in the background. We enjoyed a perfect May day with the ‘elephant mountain’ all to ourselves.” Mark Salisbury, Colwyn Bay Mount Teide Tenerife Michael Casey from Uddingston climbed Teide this May while on a family holiday. “Me and my brother spent the day climbing to the summit, which at 3718m is Spain’s highest. The weather was fantastic and the views incredible.” Pikey Peak Nepal David and Katie Howarth from Taunton climbed this 4056m peak in April. “We were following in the footsteps of Hilary and Tenzing for five days, just the two of us, and eating and staying in the tea houses.” Muncaster Fell Lake District “Baby Carys and big sister…

■ WALES: DAEAR DDU, SNOWDONIA The café that takes its name is probably more frequently visited than the hill itself, the Gatekeeper to Snowdonia National Park. But the Daear Ddu ridge on Moel Siabod has it all. Beginning gently, heading through mine workings flooded with turquoise water, the path wends around the shore of a quiet llyn before joining the ridge proper, on the south-eastern spur of the mountain. Then you have a choice: scramble easily up the rocks and boulders to your right or take an easier stroll up through the turf. Either way, you’ll soon emerge at the top to a spectacular finale. The whole cast of Snowdonian mountains jump up before you, from Snowdon to the Glyders and the Carneddau and all the way to the sea.…

Cnicht is a rather wonderfully-shaped lump of a hill in the Moelwynion range. Standing at only 689m, its impressiveness is not in height but in character. Viewed from the village of Croesor its triangular profile rears up among more rolling and rounded neighbours – earning it the nickname ‘The Welsh Matterhorn’. With a National Park so full of exquisite mountains to climb, this diminutive hill has somehow earned a place as one of my all-time favourites, and as the views unfolded before us I felt excited to be back. The route from Croesor wound its way up a track and soon shed all signs of human settlement. As our ascent began, Cnicht seemed to grow in stature and steepness. The variety of landscapes opened up, as the volcanic crust of…

Historically, the British Army has been involved in expeditions all over the world – from team members on Captain Scott’s crossings of the Antarctic in the early 1900s, to the first ascent by Hillary and Tenzing of Everest in 1953, through to more recently the Ice Maidens’ first all-female crossing of the South Pole. There are opportunities for everyone. So when I was asked to organise an expedition, I jumped at the chance and settled (after much deliberation) on Mera Peak (6476m) in the remote Hinku Valley of Nepal. I’m lucky to work for an employer who values mountaineering and the experiences that come with it. The British Army has conducted Adventurous Training as a means of developing leadership and coping strategies for over 100 years. Putting soldiers in controlled,…

8 tips for beginners 1 BEWARE THE CHILL The main risk for a wild swimmer is getting too cold, and open water may be colder than you anticipate. Water temperatures can vary with season and altitude, while a recent rainfall can also bring temperatures down. 2 GET IN GRADUALLY Avoid the initial cold shock and ‘gasp reflex’ by entering the water slowly and increasing your exposure to the open water gradually. 3 DON’T STAY IN TOO LONG Avoid becoming dangerously cold by not lingering in the water for too long. Remember, you don’t have to stay in the water for a long time to have a lovely time. 4 DON’T BE TOO AMBITIOUS Refrain from attempting a full lake or tarn crossing. As you get cold,…

■ Capacity 30 litres ■ Men’s One size ■ Women’s n/a ■ Weight 827g IT'S GOOD Like all Alpkit products, this rucksack challenges value-for-money norms by offering top quality design at a very competitive price. The Ledge is designed with the mountain walker and scrambler in mind, so it is a slim and lightweight yet functional design. It is built around the traditional needs of a mountaineer, with a simple single compartment with top-entry via a single buckle lid that can be extended for more capacity, while the lid gets an internal and external zipped pocket. Side compression straps and stretch side pockets are provided too. The back system is lightly stiffened, with raised padded zones to provide comfort and airflow. The hipbelt gets wide fins for more comfort and…

25 km/ 15½ miles 8 hours The 46-mile Limestone Way crosses the White Peak from Castleton to Rocester, much of it lying within the Peak District National Park. The section described here is perhaps the most beautiful. The route starts in Matlock, which boasts a huge range of accommodation, and ends at Ilam with its Youth Hostel and nearby selection of B&Bs. The walk crosses several beautiful dales as it traverses the limestone plateau. Among the big attractions of this stretch are the wonderful vistas and the beautiful villages, which include medieval Tissington. (Here a choice can be made to divert to Ashbourne, if preferred, rather than continue on to Ilam.) Many villages have churches dating from Norman times and beautiful country pubs offering a welcome rest. This gentle walk…

40 km/ 24¾ miles 14 hours From 1085m above sea-level to the welcoming sea itself: this logical but lengthy route takes in many familiar faces, but with an alternative objective. It’s a high-level journey forever moving you northwards, over changing and sometimes challenging terrain, with northern Snowdonia’s enigmatic peaks beckoning you on. A linear route north will make sense on foot, promising the lure of cooling water lapping around ankles at sunset. From a quiet, early morning visit to Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon to a late evening of fish and chips on the pebbles, with every step along the way uncovering something new. Sunrise on Snowdon, solitude by Llyn Caseg-fraith (lake of the speckled mare), the heathers of Cwm Tryfan, the Carneddau’s precious montane heath vegetation, and ancient and Roman steps from…

The secluded Mounthooly Bunkhouse at the southern end of the peaceful College Valley lies within kissing distance of the English/Scottish border and is dominated by Northumberland’s mightiest hill, The Cheviot. A volcano by birth, this brute of a hill is, to many passing Pennine Way walkers, nothing more than a huge expanse of boot-sucking bog. But for those prepared to look beyond the obvious, there is another more interesting side to this often-maligned hill. Wander along these three undulating routes, never more than a curlew’s call from the Pennine Way and the county’s highest point, and you will find yourself being slowly seduced by the wily northern charms of the wild and lonely Cheviot Hills. Prepare to be surprised. TRANSPORT None other than buses to Wooler (12 miles) or mainline…

14km TOTAL DISTANCE 1085m OF ASCENT GRADE 1 SCRAMBLE RATING Epic walk-ins through remote valleys are part and parcel of scrambling in Scotland, but a more unusual experience in Wales. The Carneddau massif of Snowdonia feels like it’s been borrowed from the Highlands, and nowhere is this more keenly felt than when walking into Cwm Llafar to tackle the Llech Ddu Spur. Also known as Crib Lem (and misprinted, deliberately or otherwise, on OS maps as Grib Lem), its position at the head of Cwm Llafar overlooking the dark wall of Ysgolion Duon (the Black Ladders) is enough to make this narrow ascending ridge special among north Wales’ wealth of scrambles. That it is such a joy to climb, with drama and delight swelling as you rise, is the reason…

Whether it’s for exploring, climbing, hiking, a day at the beach, or simply playing outside, it’s long been recognised that it’s important for kids to have the right outdoor kit. Jack Wolfskin’s summer collection includes a vast range of fun and colourful but also quality and performance-focused outdoor gear. From caps and beanies to jackets and packs, all of the kit has been designed specifically for adventurous children, and at a price that won’t break the bank (or your heart when they grow out of it by this time next year). jack-wolfskin.co.uk/kids…

How do you make wool suitable for wearing in summer? Blend it with polyester, weave it into high-wicking lightweight t-shirts (£55) and print a fun pattern or logo on the front. Job done – smart wool indeed. smartwool.com SMARTWOOL’S SUSTAINABILITY STORY: • 94% of farm greenhouse gas emissions are methane outputs from enteric fermentation. Put more simply – sheep farts, burps and digestive waste. • On farms, the biggest use of water is helping thirsty sheep stay hydrated as they roam the hills of New Zealand. • Carbon is captured in wool during the growing process and released at the end of life of the product, setting it apart from synthetics.…

At 04:50 on 21 May 2019, after an incredibly difficult journey, I reached the very top of the world. The summit of Mount Everest. What’s remarkable about my journey isn’t the climb or even attaining the summit, it’s that just two years prior I’d been diagnosed with acute Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), among the most serious psychological injuries of war. I’d endured an extraordinary amount of trauma, experienced frequently and repeatedly for almost a decade, which seriously damaged my brain and my body. At its worst, it totally destroyed me and everything about my world. It was as if I was trapped in a hideous amalgamation of the worst moments of my life, and nothing could ease the pain or alleviate the fear. I was overwhelmed, confused, angry,…

It was the perfect Friday night out. No beer, dancing or drunken antics. No Netflix and chill. No date night and bottle of wine. Just me and my tent, alone in the Lakeland fells, sipping a mug of hot chocolate while soup gently bubbled on my camp stove. Wind ruffling my hair as a golden sun warmed my neck, and views that made my soul sing. It was hard to believe that just three hours ago I was at my desk, hunched over my laptop, feeling stressed about a burgeoning to-do list and fatigued from a tough Monday to Friday grind. But now I was atop Low Fell, in the Western Fells, at the start of a weekend of wild camping adventures. The tranquillity and isolation washed over me. It…

The ground beneath our boots is hard, dry. The soft, damp earth that would be grasping, clinging, sucking has been baked firm by the sun. Spaghetti Western dust rises with every step and loose, gravelly stones skitter along the track. The air feels less arid. It’s heavy and close, weighted with the earthy scent of bracken. Winged dots flutter and bother, disappearing in the rare wisps of breeze, save for those stuck to sun-creamed arms. The churn of water can be heard, but not yet seen, accompanied by distant birdsong. The fells are green and, although yellowing, a long way from the barren orange of Sergio Leone’s gunslinger backdrops. But a weary pack mule or ponchoed outlaw wouldn’t seem out of place. As the ascent begins the heat grows, warmth…

WHEN Pre-monsoon (March to May) or post-monsoon (Sept to Nov) HEIGHT 6476m – the highest ‘trekking peak’ in the world ROUTE Two routes are available. Walking out from Lukla provides the shortest route but is more physically challenging. Trekking in from Phaplu provides a more gradual ascent and allows for acclimatisation. TIME 19-24 days COST British trekking companies charge around £2800 excluding flights. Nepalese companies are generally around £1000 cheaper. We used local company Makalu Adventure. makaluadventure. com FITNESS Average. The ability to take three or four days of strenuous hillwalking in your stride would pay dividends. SKILLS Experience of high altitude is desirable, as is knowledge of crampons, ice axes and how to put on a harness – although no technical climbing skills are required. KIT Most items can…

■ Capacity 28/30 litres ■ Women’s One size (Trail 28 SL) ■ Men’s One size (Trail 30) ■ Weight 1130g (inc 67g raincover) IT'S GOOD Designed with those who may be heading over rockier terrain in mind, such as the scrambler and more adventurous mountain walker, this pack features a close-fitting, clean style that is clutter-free and yet still offers added ventilation over conventional packs. The Air Comfort back system sits close to the back for extra stability but has a wide air chimney up the centre between the padding. I found this provided plenty of ventilation and stopped me from getting too sweaty. The main body is clean cut, without too many bits hanging around waiting to snag. There’s a simple single buckle lid, which I loved for its…

TENTREE ELEVATION HAT £30 USED BY Jake Kendall-Ashton, staff writer USED FOR one summer and counting… Whenever I put on this cap, it makes me smile. Mostly because of the good things it has done, and is doing, for the planet. In becoming this trucker hat’s proud owner, I received a small copper token that let me plant 10 trees in Madagascar. How cool is that? In fact, for every item purchased from this eco-conscious clothing brand, 10 trees are planted somewhere in the world (the clue is in the name). While the seeds of my 10 trees were sown in the land of the lemurs, tentree also runs projects in Senegal, Haiti, Nepal, Cambodia, Indonesia, Canada and the US. At the time of writing, tentree’s website says it has…

24 km/ 15 miles 8 hours One of the geographical spines of the Lake District, the broad ridgeline of High Street holds a high-level road of ancient origins. Given its mostly straight line, and the forts of Brocavum (Penrith) and Galava (Ambleside) near both ends, it’s assumed to be of Roman origin. It does form a high-level route between the two forts that largely avoided the marshy and ambush-prone valleys. Some experts, however, now suggest that because much of the evidence has been trampled away over time by walkers and packhorses, and that some parts appear to be more ‘packhorse holloway than Roman road, the Roman sections may not have gone between the forts. That said, packhorse holloways could, of course, overlie the path of an earlier road of Roman…

27.5 km/ 17 miles 10 hours When King Offa, the 8th century ruler of the Kingdom of Mercia, decided to build a large-scale ditch to divide his lands from those of the so-called savages further west, he could have had no idea that his digging project would one day end up as the defining line of a celebrated coast-to-coast crossing of Wales. The trail, now known as the Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail, crosses the eastern reaches of the country in a line that runs roughly south to north. It loosely follows the line of the original earthworks, and in doing so also loosely follows the England-Wales border. The highest and most mountainous section of the path traces the lofty Hatterrall Ridge in the Black Mountains, topping out at 703m…

Hut-to-hut: it’s an Alpine way of walking with mountains all the way and not ever descending into the lowlands. No heavy rucksack to carry, a hot meal waiting at the end of the day, and an overnight up on the edge of the glacier (only slightly spoiled by the snoring Frenchman in the bottom bunk). And you can reproduce the Alpine experience, sort of, in Lakeland. Just choose the YHA hostels with the atmosphere of proper Alpine huts – one of them doesn’t even have Wi-Fi. Ok, there’s a distinct lack of glaciers, but this three-day tour has high passes like a proper hut-to-hut tour, and as it’s Lakeland there are lakes, plus you can bag some summits as you go by. TRANSPORT Getting to Keswick – train to Penrith…