Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2019 i Trail

Record summer heatwaves seem mandatory in the UK these days. Hot weather in the mountains usually means dry rock, dry rock usually means great scrambling conditions, and does anything really beat a good mountain scramble? I’m not talking about the kind of route that shreds your nerves and leaves you clinging by fingertips to an overhanging pinnacle. More about ridges and crags that lift you away from footpaths, providing ample opportunity to dirty your hands on some gritty mountain rock. A quick poll in the Trail office came to a pretty comprehensive conclusion, which is that nowhere in the UK comes close to the mountains of Snowdonia in terms of bang for scrambling buck. As a result, we’re transporting you to a glorious triangle of gnarled peaks (p28), all just…

“I’ve had other dogs before Genghis, but none like him. The bond we have is second to none. I don’t talk about my past, but I was a soldier for 25 years including operational duties, and our mountain challenges and expeditions together have basically kept me upbeat and focused. He keeps me going and just gets on with it. He’s a great companion. “Genghis came to live with me after his owner passed away. He’s developed a complete trust in me and has a lack of fear, but his enjoyment and safety always come first. He’s completely trustworthy in the mountains, and I only need to have him on a rope on very exposed areas.” • Find out if Genghis completes his challenge by tracking his progress on his Facebook…

A while ago I volunteered to be a ‘reward’ for the British Mountaineering Council’s Mend Our Mountains crowdfunding campaign. The target was to raise £1 million for upland footpath repair across the national parks. If anyone wanted to bung a few tenners into the pot in exchange for going for a history walk with me in the Lakes, then great, I thought. Rambling on about interesting archaeology whilst rambling is no hardship for me. Fast-forward a few months and I’m clambering off the Ambleside bus and into the warm welcome of a bunch of Girlguiding leaders. The lovely Alison had pledged for the Hidden Histories walk, and we’d arranged to meet at this training weekend. It’s part social, part skills-development – Girlguiding UK has its own mountain leader qualification scheme,…

I feel very calm in nature – free from everything, without boundaries or restrictions – and this mindset allows me to forget everyday pressures. It also helps me focus on what’s really important in life, like building strong, healthy relationships, finding a work/life balance and not getting too wrapped up in the day to day stresses. I went through years of thinking I had to become a certain type of person, ticking off certain life goals that everyone had, and it took me a while to realise that I didn’t have to want the same things as everyone else. I’m a big advocate for doing what you’re passionate about, and that’s what a love for photography and the outdoors has allowed me to do. I spent years doing jobs I…

For one month only, we are offering 10 lucky winners an #EverestAnywhere gift pack when you sign up to the challenge in August. The pack contains the multi-functional #EverestAnywhere mountain cravat and sew-on patch, and is normally worth £14. Ten winners will be chosen at random from those who sign up to the challenge in the month of August. So what are you waiting for? Get yourself, your friends and your family signed up and set a goal to climb the height of Everest on your hilly walks this summer! • Sign up at everestanywhere.com in August 2019 to be in with a chance of winning – good luck!…

GRADE 1 Generally straightforward with no route-finding problems. Some exposure and simple moves. Routes such as Crib Goch may have Grade 2 exposure, but are actually rated Grade 1 due to easier route-finding and good holds. GRADE 2 More difficult route-finding and less obvious or frequent holds. Some difficult moves and exposure. GRADE 3 Not covered here, as route-finding, exposure and technical difficulty become serious. A harness, rope and related skills are usually advisable.…

Komoot are offering Trail readers a free regional map bundle of their choice. For these regions, routes/maps can be saved for offline use, turn-by-turn voice navigation can be used, hikes can be tracked in flight mode and komoot can be synced with a GPS device. Simply head to komoot.com/g to create a free komoot account, then enter the code: TRAILMAG Offer closes 31/10/19 FREE TO DOWNLOAD The komoot app is free to download from app stores for Android and iOS devices. If you’re a mountain-loving outdoors fanatic, make komoot the next app you download. There’s a whole world of adventure out there, just waiting to be explored……

In April I attempted to walk Scotland’s 200-mile Cape Wrath Trail, which has a deservedly tough reputation, with many walkers failing in their first attempt. I didn’t expect to be one of them – least of all just four days in, and because I made an entirely avoidable mistake. Feeling buoyed and confident, having bagged a full day’s walk through the wilds of Knoydart by lunchtime, I felt capable of continuing my hike to Shiel Bridge to bank a rest day, however long it might take. With hindsight, this was an embarrassingly reckless decision, seriously underestimating the terrain and my own fatigue. As my legs grew more tired I found myself paradoxically more determined to push on. Physically and mentally shattered, I stumbled on snow, wrenched my left knee and…

The biggest risk I see in the mountains is bad navigation. People can be too reliant on GPS or phone apps. These are parts of a toolkit, but the main part of that toolkit is being able to use a paper map and compass. There’s no substitute for it. Mountaineers should be able to navigate in poor weather and the dark, but I don’t think these skills are practised often enough. At a bare minimum you should know how many steps you take to cover 100m, how to use a watch to track your distance, and how to walk on a bearing – it’s all basic stuff. And micro-navigation can be great fun to practice. Try taking up orienteering, because those guys can really navigate! Often people underestimate how long…

Keswick Lake District Pitch up at The Camping and Caravanning Club’s Keswick site in the Lake District and you could enjoy a walk up Cat Bells (a great introductory peak for families) one day, while launching your canoe from the campsite’s shore for a paddle around Derwent Water the next. New Forest Hampshire Check out the pitches in the beautiful New Forest National Park at campingintheforest.co.uk. Be sure to try the ranger-led activities – bug-hunting expedition anyone? Achill Island Ireland Don’t forget about all the amazing campsites abroad too. The McGrath family once camped at Keel Sandybanks Caravan and Camping Park, where in the morning we fished for mackerel in the Atlantic and went bodyboarding in the afternoon.…

Trail’s outdoor gear guru Graham Thompson picks out the new releases you really need to know about. World’s most eco-friendly sleeping bag? The Mountain Hardwear Lamina Eco AF -9C sleeping bag is made with recycled fabrics in the shell, lining, insulation, trims, and even the storage and compression sacks. Not only that, it’s also undyed to reduce water footprint. Is this the most eco-friendly sleeping bag in the world? We think it might be. mountainhardwear.com (£210) Comfortable-carry mountain duffels Heading somewhere adventurous on your summer hols and need a suitably robust form of luggage? Montane’s new Transition duffels are large, gear-swallowing bags built from tough, water-resistant, yet lightweight fabric. There are 40, 60 and 95-litre versions in the range, all featuring a brilliant backpack-style shoulder harness for comfortable carriage. montane.co.uk (from £60)…

Exped Seal Sleeve 5.5 £13.50 Low-priced option with all the basics, including two attachment points, a clear rear camera window at one end and a very simple closure. • Protection rating IPX7 Sea to Summit TPU Guide Case £23 An increased level of protection is provided by a secure roll-top closure. There’s a full rear camera window, a durable design, and two attachment points. • Protection rating IPX8 OverBoard Waterproof Case £22 Has a secure, durable locking closure for high water-resistance, plus a karabiner, neck cord, full camera window and single attachment point. • Protection rating IP68 Aquapac Case with Headphone Jack £35 This case has a built-in cable for linking a phone to an earpiece. The closure is secure and durable, and it comes with a neck lanyard and…

Distance 11.2km (7 miles) Total ascent 800m Time 6 hours Start Car park at the end of Cwm Cywarch ( SH852186) Nearest town Dolgellau Terrain Rocky paths and sections of bog where planks provide a dry passage. Most of the route follows linear features but leaving Aran Fawddwy’s summit requires care in poor visibility Map OS Explorer (1:25,000) OL23 Accommodation Bala Backpackers Hostel, 01678 521700, balabackpackers.co.uk Public transport Cwm Cywarch is not served by public transport Guidebook The Southern Peaks by John Gillham Tourist info Bala TIC, 01650 511101 Best pub Y Llew Coch, Dinas Mawddwy, yllewcoch.co.uk GET THIS ROUTE ON YOUR PHONE! LFTO.COM/ TRAILROUTES In association with…

Distance 21km (13 miles) Ascent 950m Time 6 hours Start/finish Kentmere Church ( NY456041) Nearest town Kendal Terrain Remote, high, rocky and grassy mountains with narrow, rocky ridges and steep cliff-edge drops, but good clear paths all the way round Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) OL5 & OL7, OS Landranger (1:50,000) 90, Harvey BMM (1:40,000) Lake District Accommodation Maggs Howe B&B, Camping Barn and Camping, 01539 821689 Pout Howe cottage, pouthowe.co.uk Public transport Train to Windermere, bus 555 to Staveley, but no public transport to Kentmere Guidebook Lake District High Level and Fell Walks by Vivienne Crow GET THIS ROUTE ON YOUR PHONE! LFTO.COM/ TRAILROUTES In association with…

• HEAR PATAGONIAN TALES Spend an evening with mountaineering filmmaker Leo Dickinson at the Buxton Adventure Film Festival. Leo will share stories about his adventures in South America where, alongside British climber Eric Jones, he embarked on a 55-day expedition across the giant Patagonian Ice Cap. Buy tickets for the show, held at Buxton’s Pavilion Arts Centre on 17 September, at buxtonoperahouse.org.uk • DONATE YOUR OLD HIKING KIT TO CHARITY Do you own an old pair of walking trousers that haven’t been used for years, or a sleeping bag that’s only gathering dust? If so, outdoor retailer Ellis Brigham wants them for its newly-launched ‘2nd Life’ initiative, which donates people’s unwanted outdoor gear to homeless charities. There are several gear drop-off points or collections can be arranged. For more details,…

ALL ENTRANTS RECEIVE A 50% DISCOUNT ON AFFINITY PHOTO SOFTWARE Enhance your photos with Affinity Photo This editing suite and app helps you get the best from your images, by helping you bring your pictures to life in the way you envisaged them. From processing RAW files from a pro DSLR, to precision editing of JPEGs on a phone, Affinity Photo can lift a great photo into the realms of a masterpiece. For our user guide go to lfto.com/affinity-tips. Find out more at affinity.serif.com…

September nights out in the mountains are noticeably longer and cooler. In nature, this is the start of a great time of seasonal movement, particularly among bird populations the world over. The mountains are host to several summer migrant bird species, and the best places to see what I think is one of Britain’s true mountain spectacles. Have you ever heard the distant, raucous din of a flock (or skien) of geese flying in V formation? If you have, you’ll know how spectacular it is, but what’s more spectacular is the sight of those same geese high above the mountains during their autumn migration. There are several species of geese and two species of swans that migrate to our country in the autumn. They come here to escape the raw,…

One in four people in Britain experience mental health problems each year, and yet there is a powerful tool available to everyone for free. The mountains! It’s been scientifically proven that spending time in the great outdoors is a powerful natural antidepressant, and regular exercise can reduce the risk of depression by 30%. That’s why in 2019 Trail magazine launched Mountains for the Mind – a campaign to finally get mental health out in the open. We believe in the power of the mountains to change lives for the better, and we need your help to spread the word. Find out more and sign up at mountainsforthemind.co.uk And join the Facebook community ‘Mountains for the Mind’…

Summer is well and truly here, and it’s brought scrambling season with it. This is the time of year when mountains bask beneath warm sun for long, lazy hours each day, drying the rock, and teasing hillwalkers up ridges, crags and spurs that otherwise seem out of reach. If the concept of scrambling is new to you, the basic requirement is the use of your hands on rock, but the difficulty levels of each route vary wildly. From rubbly hillsides to exposed knife-edged arêtes, it’s an activity that offers something for every kind of adventure seeker. And Snowdonia, unquestionably, is the place to do it in Britain. With an almost indecent amount of rock on show and a glorious collection of routes located just a short drive from each other…

The word ‘great’ is versatile. It can show genuine excitement: “These Frosties are grrreat!” It can be mildly optimistic: “I’m sure we’ll have a great time at salsa class.” And it can be sarcastically dismissive: “Another series of Love Island? Great.” But perhaps its best use is to describe something of size or stature or importance; think the Great Wall of China, the Great Pyramid of Giza, or the Great Barrier Reef. Sat on the ‘Spectrum of Greatness’, somewhere between Alexander the Great and The Great British Bake Off is Great Moss. Scafell base camp This flat(ish), wide-open patch of Lake District is nestled below England’s highest peaks in the Scafell Massif. Many walkers on an ascent of Scafell Pike from Eskdale pass along the edge of Great Moss as…

As anyone who’s visited the United States knows, everything seems to be bigger over there: the steaks, the cars, the houses, and quite often, the people. But even a Brit accustomed to the super-sized culture of modern America can’t be truly prepared for the epic, jaw-dropping scale of Yosemite National Park. And within its 1200 square miles lies a rich tapestry of natural wonders. Tumbling falls? Check. Soaring peaks? Of course. Otherworldly rock formations and towering vertical cliffs? Both present, not to mention its deep-hewn valleys, ancient groves of mighty sequoia trees and verdant wildflower meadows. There is also an awful lot of remote, untamed wilderness – so much of it, in fact, that the US National Parks Service has an entire folder of cold cases on missing hikers who…

Until Friday 2 February 2018 I was a confident mountaineer, happy scrambling about over precipitous drops. That’s why I never expected to find myself clinging, petrified, to Ben Nevis’s snow-bound Tower Ridge. It’s one of Scotland’s longest and finest climbs: an 800m, exposed Grade 3 scramble with crux climbing moves of IV, depending on snow conditions. And it saves the most terrifying moves until the end. As my more experienced climbing partner and I climbed higher, I grew uncharacteristically more frightened as the drops became more foreboding. As we approached the Great Tower, I was climbing sideways along the Eastern Traverse with a lot of slack rope; a slip would have meant a big drop and a swing into thin air, before slamming back into the cliff. I could feel…

Statistically, there are some very common themes in mountaineering accidents and near misses. In Scotland, around a quarter of all Mountain Rescue call-outs are due to a navigation error. There’s anecdotal evidence to suggest there are more people heading into the hills using written route details from websites instead of maps, or using alternative forms of navigation other than a map and compass. Although the technology we have now is brilliant when used in the right context, it has all sorts of limitations, including user error, battery life and even being unable to operate the technology when wearing gloves. I use a lot of these tools myself, but only in conjunction with map and compass skills. Learning to navigate is not a short, easy hit – it needs you to…

For years mum and I talked about doing a long-distance walk – something with a sense of journey, a destination to arrive at and say, ‘we’ve done it’. It mustn’t put her off as a non-walker, and needed to satisfy me, as a keen walker. And then I got pregnant. In the thickest fog of post-natal chaos the idea that now three of us – me, mum and baby Cole – might still go on a long walk together filled me with hope. It would mean I was still up to it, mum and her new grandson could bond, and Cole could have a week of clean air and nature. St Cuthbert’s Way sounded perfect. 100km long, it starts in Melrose and meanders east along and across the Scottish-English border.…

KEY FEATURES MAIN ENTRY Entry to the main compartment is usually protected by a buckle lid. This will either be attached directly to the pack, or have webbing buckles that allow it to float and be raised when the main compartment is overstuffed. SHOULDER STRAPS The shoulder straps need to take a decent amount of weight, and should be carefully contoured and padded for comfort. VENTILATED BACK SYSTEM Many rucksacks have mesh back panels, which hold the sack away from the body to increase airflow and reduce that horrible clammy sensation. STRETCHY SIDE POCKETS Side pockets are often made of stretchy mesh fabrics and are ideal for stashing things like water bottles, maps, poles, and snacks while walking. HIPBELT Designed to absorb most of the weight if the pack is…

Nick Livesey Acclaimed Snowdoniabased photographer and rarely off the hill. Claire Maxted Former editor of Trail Running & Trail writer, Claire’s a mountain pro. Roger Butler Roger likes to tick off remote Hebridean islands as well as mountains. Jen & Sim Benson Writers of adventure guides, and passionate about our wild places. Ronald Turnbull Creator of a whopping 30 guidebooks and 18 unique coast-to-coasts. Chiz Dakin Award-winning writer, photographer and film-maker. Avid traveller. STRENUOUSNESS How tired will this route make me? The times quoted for Trail Routes are based on estimates of 4km per hour, plus 30 minutes for every 300m of ascent, with another hour for rests every 8 hours. The blocks give you an at-a-glance guide: • Quickie •• Short day ••• Full day •••• Very full day…

Distance 12km (7½ miles) Total ascent 830m Time 6 hours Start/finish Sadgill ( NY483056) Nearest town Kendal Terrain Typical undulating fells with a few crags and marshy areas, some paths indistinct but good track through Longsleddale, a number of upland fences can act as useful guides in misty weather Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) OL7, OS Landranger (1:50,000) 90 Accommodation Kendal Hostel, 01539 724066 Dacres Stable Camping Barn, 01539 823208 Hollin Root Farm B&B, 01539 823638 Public transport Nearest stations are at Kendal or Burneside, but there are no transport links into Longsleddale Guidebook A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells: Book 2, The Far Eastern Fells by Alfred Wainwright Information See longsleddale.co.uk Also Kendal Tourist Information Centre, 01539 735891 Best pub Jolly Anglers, Burneside, 01539 732552, jollyanglersinn.co.uk GET THIS ROUTE…

Distance 30km (18½ miles) Total ascent 900m Time 10 hours Start/finish Car park behind the Dartmoor Inn ( SX525853) Nearest town Tavistock Terrain Trails and 4x4 tracks until Whitehorse Hill, then pathless tussocky open moor and bog (NB Live firing times at gov.uk/government/publications/dartmoorfiring-programme) Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) OL28, OS Landranger (1:50,000) 191, Harvey Superwalker (1:25,000) Dartmoor North Accommodation B&B at The Dartmoor Inn, 01822 820221, dartmoorinn.com Camping at Langstone Manor, 01822 613371, langstonemanor.co.uk Public transport Trains to Plymouth, then bus to Tavistock, then the 118 bus passes Lydford Guidebook Day Walks in Devon by Jen and Sim Benson Tourist info Tavistock TIC, 01822 612938 Best pub The Dartmoor Inn, 01822 820221 GET THIS ROUTE ON YOUR PHONE! LFTO.COM/ TRAILROUTES In association with…

1 HEALTH “Ensure your dog is ‘hill’ fit and that you have food and water for them. We carry a collapsible bowl.” 2 PROTECTION “Consider dog boots for some snow conditions and on sharp rock. Dogs may also benefit from weather protection in the form of a coat.” 3 CONTROL “Even if your dog walks to the heel and will stay put when instructed, if the wind is strong, he may not hear a command, so use a harness and rope in those conditions.”…

Harvey’s Ultramap XT40 maps (£9.95) are bona fide little gems for walkers. Double-sided to provide the biggest area on the smallest sheet, the 1:40,000 scale provides all the detail you need without irrelevant distractions. The Ultramap XT40s are tough, light, 100% waterproof, and have an ingenious folding pattern that allows you to open them directly to any part – and either side – of the sheet. These handy maps are now available for four new key walking areas: North York Moors East, North York Moors West, Trossachs North, and Loch Lomond & The Trossachs. harveymaps.co.uk…

■ NADIR KHAN An acclaimed adventure sports photographer and filmmaker who specialises in mountains, Nadir is inspired by “great light, dramatic clouds, landscape, and cool action”. ■ MARK GILLIGAN Having spent the past four decades photographing the Lake District fells, Mark is an award-winning landscape photographer and Official Fujifilm X-Photographer. ■ TOM BAILEY Trail’s long-serving photographer has probably photographed every mountain in Britain, and specialises in documenting people’s experiences in the outdoors. ■ BEN HAWKINS Editor of Practical Photography magazine and an experienced picture editor, Ben assesses hundreds of images each month and looks for ‘instant impact’. ■ LOUISE PARKER After more than 20 years as Trail’s designer, Lou has plenty of opinions on what makes a great mountain photo and – trust us – she’s never afraid to share…

Loads of people get horrible diagnoses all the time, so really it isn’t anything special or extraordinary that I found myself with membership to the cancer club. To be honest, I’d been expecting it, but the news was still received like a swift kick to the balls. For me, the hardest thing to get my head around was the fact that 20 years earlier I’d held my own mum’s hand when breast cancer stole her life from mine. It had taken me most of my adulthood to recover from her loss. Faced with my diagnosis, there was only one thing I could do, the thing I’d come to rely on so much these last few years. I had to put one foot in front of the other, and walk. Out…

JAMIE ROOKE Mountain Leader based in Snowdonia who teaches navigation and basic scrambling skills to walkers. exploringsnowdonia.co.uk NICK LIVESEY Award-winning mountain photographer, who recently released a superb photo-location and guidebook to the mountains of Snowdonia. nickliveseymountainimages.com KATE WORTHINGTON Mountain Leader Kate runs mountain activity company RAW Adventures with husband Ross, based in Llanberis. raw-adventures.co.uk TOM HUTTON Tom has spent a lifetime walking, climbing and biking in Wales, and is a prolific outdoor guidebook author. mtbguiding.co.uk…

NORTH DOME VIA INDIAN ROCK (10¾ miles out-and-back, 5-8hrs, 580ft of ascent) This exhilarating hike to the rounded granite hump that marks the summit of North Dome (7313ft) also visits Indian Rock, an incredible natural rock arch that sees relatively few hikers. EL CAPITAN (17 miles out-and-back, 8-10hrs, 3677ft of ascent) Even if climbing the sheer 3000ft face of El Cap is a pursuit reserved for serious big wall climbers, it’s still possible to reach the 7573ft summit of this granite monolith by hiking up the back face on the northern side. MONO PASS (8 miles out-and-back, 4-6hrs, 1000ft of ascent) This historic trans-Sierra trail explores a quieter and more tranquil area of the national park. The route climbs past rushing creeks and lush meadows to reach a high mountain…

Risky behaviour is valued in our society in lots of ways – including within the climbing community. Every mountaineer has different risks they’re willing to take, and what kind of risk they value when they look at other people. Our research found that risk has a credibility value in the climbing community – but it has to be the right kind of risk, with the right skill level to do it. I think younger people are more likely to be motivated by ‘credibility’ to do risky things. If you’re older and you’ve climbed a lot, you’re likely to be confident in yourself and won’t feel bad about turning back. Everyone should examine their motivations before doing anything. Take a step back and look at what you hope to achieve. This…

Locals simply call it ‘the Hill’. Apparently this is all the name it needs, even though there are two other hills right next to it, one of which is actually bigger. Doesn’t matter. To the person who says it, it’s obvious. It’s Ingleborough. Wainwright says: “Good Yorkshiremen do this climb as a duty to their inheritance”. But this is no onerous trudge. Some do their morning jog up it, for others it’s the standard dog walk. And I’m willing to bet there’s a crinkly-eyed veteran somewhere who’s gone up and down this hill daily for years. For visitors, though, it is often smushed in at the knackered end of a 12-hour mission, as part of the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, when you’re already dreaming of pulling off your boots and…

KIT BASICS FOOD We used shop-bought pouches for lunch, with spares in case we couldn’t find suitable food for Cole’s tea, supplemented by fresh fruit, nibbles of our sandwiches and breadsticks. During the day, we used a ready-made milk carton, and kept it and Cole’s water bottle inside my base layer so he could drink them at body temperature. STERILISATION Carry a ‘wash kit’ for your baby bottles – sponge, washing up liquid and steriliser bag. B&Bs will let you microwave the contents. COLE’S CLOTHING Babies aren’t moving, are much smaller and are exposed to the wind, so it’s easy for them to get dangerously cold. Equally, they need to be protected from the sun and overheating. We used an all-in-one rainsuit from Muddy Puddles as a windproof and waterproof…

■ FULLY WATERPROOF There’s no waterproof lining, instead high-quality, breathable, silicone-impregnated leather with minimal stitching that performs well in even the wettest conditions. Keep treating the leather, and these should stay waterproof for a long time. ■ GREAT GRIP ON ROCK The Vibram sole is stiff and precise, which is great for scrambling on technical rock routes. However, the lack of a rolling action, sole flex or ultra-cushioning means they can feel slightly clumpy on more regular terrain. ■ PRECISE FIT The lacing mechanism is smooth and quick, extending towards the toe for great adjustment. The fit is quite narrow though, so it’s best to have them professionally fitted. The cut-out area around the Achilles prevents digging in, especially downhill. ■ COMFY AND STURDY The combination of quality sole, fit…

Fast & light backpack Montane Trailblazer 30 £85 A little work sabbatical recently found me Stateside, where I needed a pack to see me through the varied weather conditions of Yellowstone, Utah and a couple more national parks. I hate not having the right kit, so took Montane’s Trailblazer as I knew it would happily accommodate extra layers, waterproofs, food, water and some spares for me and my travelling buddy. This super-light and stretchy pack is made from tough material, with an adjustable back that ensures good fit. And it got a thorough workout on our travels, where it was on and off my back regularly as conditions changed. I really like the side straps above the wand pockets which are great for securing poles and water bottle. The pockets…

Distance 9km (5½ miles) Total ascent 550m Time 3 hours Start/finish Dobgill car park ( NY315140) Nearest town Ambleside/Keswick Terrain Mainly undulating, grassy mountains with avoidable rocky outcrops, some steep slopes, pathless for much of the way Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) OL4 & OL5, OS Landranger (1:50,000) 90, Harvey BMM (1:40,000) Lake District Accommodation Raise Cottage, 015394 35357, raisecottage grasmere.co.uk The Lodge in the Vale 017687 73331, lakedistrictinns.co.uk Public transport Train to Windermere, Bus 555 to Wythburn Church at NY324135 Guidebook Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells: Book 3, The Central Fells by Alfred Wainwright GET THIS ROUTE ON YOUR PHONE! LFTO.COM/ TRAILROUTES In association with…

Distance 12km (8 miles) Total ascent 1200m Time 6 hours (NB This is more than Naismith’s rule, but the terrain is slow going on the tops!) Start/finish Lay-by just north of “occasionally flooded section of road” ( NN008451) Nearest town Oban Terrain Steep crags, rough blocky undulating terrain on ridgeline, descent into Glen Usk inadvisable, navigation very challenging in low visibility Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) 377 & 384, OS Landranger (1:50,000) 50, Harvey’s BMM (1:40,000) Ben Nevis and Glencoe Accommodation Rhugarbh Croft, Appin, 07881 818308 Oban Camping and Carvanning Club Site, Argyll, 01631 720348, campingand caravanningclub.co.uk Public transport Train to Oban station, bus 918 or 405 to Creagan Bridge. Beyond this you have to walk up the old road by Loch Creran to Druimavuic Guidebook Ben Nevis and Glencoe –100…