Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2020 i Trail

“A BEAUTY OF AN IMAGE. BRAVE COMPOSITION, GREAT USE OF BLACK & WHITE, CHALLENGING BUT STILL ACCESSIBLE.”TOM BAILEY, COMPETITION JUDGE ON LAST YEAR’S WINNING IMAGE (LEFT) Last year when Ray Smith’s dreamy image of Buachaille Etive Mor (above) won our annual Mountain Photo of the Year competition, no one could have imagined that for an extended period of time photos of mountains would be our only connection to them. Restricted to our local areas, prohibited from the high and wild places we love, images helped keep us sane during lockdown. It was photographs that rekindled old memories and gave us dreams for future adventures while we paced tarmacked footpaths and counted staircase ascents like caged animals. Thankfully, our freedom to roam the outdoors is returning and we can once again…

I’m not what you would necessarily call ‘fit’, usually I’m exhausted after work, and let’s be honest, I’m a bit heavier than I would like. Me and my partner Rachel are both full-time teachers and while we love to climb mountains and go on trips of a lifetime, the reality for us is that just getting outside in any way possible has a massive benefit to our mental wellbeing. Both of us have suffered from mental health issues over the past three years. For Rach this has meant she’s had to take time off work, and I have had to do something I’ve always said I would never do... take antidepressants. Rachel’s dad passed away and naturally Rachel struggled. I tried to support her and say all the right things,…

Some pretty big stuff was going on around the world back in 1990. Nelson Mandela was released from prison in South Africa, the Hubble Space Telescope sent its first photographs back from outer space, and East and West Germany confirmed their reunification. Closer to home, Margaret Thatcher resigned as British Prime Minister, Gazza became a national hero after England’s teary exit from the World Cup, and a new hillwalking magazine by the name of Trail Walker hit newsagents’ shelves for the first time. With a self-proclaimed ‘action-packed first issue’ transporting readers from UK hillwalking classics including the Pennine Way, Crib Goch and the Isle of Skye, all the way to a paradise trek through the Himalayas, it’s fair to say the adventurous heartbeat of the magazine was alive and thumping…

Aluminium foil (2 sq ft). Super versatile, this can be fashioned into a makeshift pot for cooking or boiling water*. Water purification tablets and coffee filters. Don’t risk drinking dirty lake or river water – always purify it first. Tablets allow you to do this without a stove for boiling, and a coffee filter gets rid of larger pieces of debris. I use Oasis Water Purification Tablets, each of which purifies one litre of water. Kevlar cord (10ft). Great for shelter building. Superglue. Glue items together, repair ripped clothes or seal wounds in a pinch. Small Swiss Army knife. A multi-use tool will be useful in all sorts of scenarios, and is pretty much essential for shelter building. A small LED torch as a back-up for your headtorch. A red…

UV RATING A CE mark (usually on one of the arms) shows that the sunglasses will block at least 95% of ultraviolent light. A UV400 sticker indicates over 99% protection. These can be faked, so always purchase from a reputable brand. LENS TINT The colour of the lens tint determines how it will affect vision. Grey tints give even colour perception and protection from glare without impairing vision. Rose tints offer maximum glare protection and high contrast for improved visual depth. Yellow tints are great for overcast conditions. Brown tints improve both depth perception and contrast. Blue tints reduce glare in hazy sunshine, help define contours and enhance colour. LENS CATEGORY The ‘Cat’ rating indicates how much visual light is transmitted through the lenses. Cat 0 81-100% transmission. For impact…

Hidden in the far-flung south-west corner of Lakeland is a small group of rounded fells with a unique character all of their own. Rarely visited, this maze of grassy paths is dominated by Black Combe, which offers unprecedented views of the Cumbrian coastline. This varied circuit starts at Hallthwaites near Broughton-in-Furness and initially follows field paths to Swinside Stone Circle, one of Britain’s most impressive and least visited Neolithic stone circles, where legend has it that each time you try to count the stones you get a different total. From here the paths disappear, with the route crossing the open and at times remote moorland of Swinside Fell before following the grassy ridge up to the large summit shelter and trig point of Black Combe. Standing in isolation, this moderate…

DIFFICULTY HARD DISTANCE 20KM TIME 7 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 1620M PEAK BAGGER STATS WELSH 3000s 1 TRAIL 100s 1 That Yr Wyddfa is the busiest peak in the UK (if not the world) will come as no surprise to regular readers of Trail . There is, however, much more to the magnificent Snowdon massif than its often crowded uppermost inches. Two sprawling ridges which radiate from Snowdon’s neighbouring Garnedd Ugain offer mile upon mile of superb, and relatively undisturbed, hillwalking. An optional detour to the summit station can be enjoyed (or not, according to your particular fancy) but the theme of the day is relative solitude and views at least as good as those from the ‘big one’. Indeed, it’s always better to be on an ugly mountain looking at…

Some things in life come easily; getting excited about this route up High Street in the far eastern Lake District is one of them. I first walked the 3km ridge of Rough Crag above Riggindale many years ago and was hooked from the moment I laid eyes on it. The ridge rises out of Haweswater, continuing in a straight line to the summit of the flat-topped mountain of High Street. Add in Romans, horse racing and golden eagles and you have a nobrainer of a cracking day in the mountains. At the very southern end of Haweswater reservoir is a lonely car park that just begs to be filled up with vehicles and rarely is. Make its day and park here (map point 1, NY469107). Haweswater was a natural lake…

[PHOTO ADVICE] 8 WAYS TO TAKE AN AWESOME SUNSET PIC WITH YOUR PHONE 1 Stay stable to get a really crisp image. Hold your phone close to you, prop it against a rock or, if you’re really committed, get a tripod. 2 Check your exposure Select the area of the picture that you want to be perfectly exposed, somewhere in the mid-range between the brightest and darkest parts of the pic and, if you can, adjust the setting to the perfect point. 3 Stay low Low exposure generally leads to brighter colours and means you’re less likely to bleach out parts of the pic. Lean towards too dark rather than too bright. 4 Get up front Frame up with interesting objects, like a mossy boulder, in the foreground to…

No.10 COMPASS BEARINGS FROM THE MAP You can take a bearing either directly, from something you can see in the landscape, or from a feature on a map. This allows you to walk towards something even if you can’t see it. TAKING THE BEARING 1 Get down on one knee and rest your map on your knee with your back to the wind. This will help keep you, the map and compass stable, so you can take a more accurate bearing. Put your compass on the map over the spot from which you wish to take a bearing, probably where you are (point A). 2 Use the ruler line on the compass to link point A with point B (the feature you’re aiming for). Ensure the arrow on the compass…

Keep a cool head The three hats in Tilley’s ‘Sustainable’ range offer superb sun protection with equally impressive environmental credentials. The Airflo Recycled, Airflo Organic and Tilley Hemp (£75 each) are all certified UPF 50+, have a durable water-repellent finish to protect from the odd shower, and come with a lifetime guarantee against natural wear and tear. tilley.com Summer kit sorted Alpkit has launched a collection of shirts and legwear specifically for summer trekking. The tough but light Teleki are available as trousers (£40), shorts (£35), or convertibles (£45). They’re wicking, quick drying, and offer a comfortable and unrestrictive fit. The Lugo (£55) is a technical shirt that’s wicking and offers UPF 50+ sun protection. It’s remarkably light, cool and comfortable to wear on the hill, and looks smart enough…

Mam Tor is perhaps one of the most easily identifiable hills in England. Known also as the Shivering Mountain, due to its propensity to shake off sections from its sheer east face, the mountain is a popular spot for photo opportunities. It is a wonderful viewpoint, taking in much of the Peak District in a 360° panorama, so if you want photos of sunrise or sunset this is the hill to stand on. It sits at the western end of the classic Peak District walk ‘The Great Ridge’, which stretches for almost 3.5km between the Vale of Edale and the Hope Valley. The ridge separates the gritstone Dark Peak from the limestone White Peak. The walk starts in Castleton and works its way up to the north-east end of the…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 12KM TIME 5 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 710M PEAK BAGGER STATS TRAIL 100s 1 The Mynydd Du or Black Mountain (singular) forms the westernmost massif of the Brecon Beacons. It’s also the most wild, defined by a lofty east-west ridge of old red sandstone, fronted to the north by windswept, rolling grasslands and propped up from the south by a limestone landscape of clints and grikes, complex cave systems and deep river gorges. It’s a hillwalker’s delight. The main ridge rises lazily from the Tawe Valley in the east, reaching the high point of Fan Brycheiniog at 802m before dipping to the Carmarthenshire border and climbing one last time to Bannau Sir Gaer, the county high point. From here it slowly dissolves into the rolling countryside of the…

ROUTE 7 Green Crag to Hard Knott ROUTE 8 Bowfell to Sca Fell ROUTE 9 Burnmoor Tarn to Eskdale Alfred Wainwright described Eskdale as ‘walkers’ territory par excellence’, praising the ‘lovely valley’ for being quiet, unfrequented and less disturbed by traffic than other valleys such as Borrowdale and Langdale. The tranquillity Wainwright experienced is probably no longer on offer, but Eskdale still feels quieter than other parts of the Lakes. This two-night backpacking adventure takes in the best of Eskdale, ticking off 10 Wainwrights along the way. Day 1 bags Green Crag and Harter Fell before a wild camp on Hard Knott; Day 2 explores the high fells of the Scafell Massif, including a dramatic scramble up Lord’s Rake and a wild camp at Burnmoor Tarn; and Day 3 concludes…

Tryfan SNOWDONIA ED KENYON writer 1997-1999, deputy editor 2000, editor 2001-2003 There is one hill which has quickened my pulse more than any other. When its shark fin silhouette peels into view on the A5, I always feel a genuine ‘Call of the Wild’ to tackle the rugged Tryfan. It’s spring 1998 and my first feature for Trail on this famous scrambling haven in Snowdonia. Why so memorable? Well, we had camped overnight in the valley, and a night on location under canvas always raises the anticipation. And we were following the mountain’s famous spine, the North Ridge, as closely as we could. The weather was glorious and the scrambling fun and involving; and we had the mountain all to ourselves. Leaping across Adam and Eve with the Glyders in…

“IT HAS A PREHISTORIC PRESENCE, AND THE ROUTE UP THE NORTH RIDGE IS ONE OF THE FINEST DAYS OUT IN WALES”BEN JAMES TRAIL ROUTES WRITER 1 TRYFAN When we asked you to vote for your favourite Trail 100 mountain, we probably could have guessed the answer. Back in 2014 Tryfan was crowned Trail readers’ favourite peak, with the North Ridge as the best UK route. And now, for our 30th anniversary, you lot have voted Tryfan as the finest Trail 100 mountain, confirming its status as the undisputed champion of UK peaks. With all the subtlety of a Mike Tyson uppercut, Tryfan socks it to you right from the roadside. For anyone with a fear of heights, just one glance at its grey, shadowy fin rising steep and sharp from…

There’s been a lot of time to reflect lately. Mountains have filled many of my thoughts. In over 20 years as Trail’s primary photographer I’ve collected quite a few memories. Some are always near the forefront of my mind. Others take the kind of deep introspection that this year has brought to the surface. This, combined with the fact that the magazine has reached the ripe old age of 30, seems like a good excuse to get a few down on paper.… Latecomer to mountains Mountains got hold of me. I didn’t have any interest in them. After all, they were all on the other side of the country to where I grew up. But my job as a photographer took me to the lumpy bits. Over the course of…

Eager to publicise their green credentials, there is a growing trend among outdoor brands for eco-friendly products and innovations. Whether it’s reducing carbon footprint, tackling the problem of single-use plastic, or investing in more sustainable manufacturing processes, brands are pouring time, energy and money into reducing their negative impact on the planet. There is still a long way to go, but there does seem to be a lot of good stuff going on: trail shoes made from recycled plastic collected from remote beaches, compostable packaging for expedition meals and PFC-free manufacturing of waterproof jackets, to name but a few exciting developments. Mountain Hardwear is at the forefront of this eco-conscious movement. And its new Ghost Shadow hoody, a recycled reinvention of its popular Ghost Whisperer jacket, is no exception. Winner…

Tents are the standard shelter for most wild campers, but their major drawback is that they shut you away from the outside world and deny you a sense of closeness to nature. Bivvies and tarps, however, leave you far more open to the elements, offering a more intimate interaction with the wild. The sounds of night creatures are unmuffled, the stars dazzle above you, and the changing light is unfiltered. For the true adventure connoisseur, it’s the best way to sleep outdoors. But how do you choose between a bivvy or a tarp? A bivvy bag is a lightweight, waterproof sack that slides over your sleeping bag to provide a rudimentary weatherproof shelter. It’s a super-simple product, requiring virtually no set-up, and is ideal for fast, light adventures. You can…

A well-known advert used to tell you to go to work on an egg, but those who know the Hebrides might choose to say “Go to walk on Eigg”. This kidney-shaped island, floating between the mountains of Rum and the high peaks of Knoydart has dramatic scenery, fascinating geology and a thriving community which promotes a range of sustainable initiatives. The geology hits you straight in the face as the ferry chugs and gurgles up to the slipway at Galmisdale. The unmistakable peak known as An Sgurr towers over the sandy harbour and its sheer battlements could easily be mistaken for that great igneous column which starred in Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Its summit is just 393m but few small peaks have such an immediate visual impact.…

DIFFICULTY HARD DISTANCE 15.75KM TIME 5½ HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 990M PEAK BAGGER STATS WAINWRIGHTS 5 TRAIL 100s 2 Most walkers reach Fairfield’s summit (873m) as part of the busy Fairfield Horseshoe. But here’s a rough and rugged high-level horseshoe that avoids a lot of the crowds for much of the day, as it works a stunning way around the awesome valley of Deepdale. And as well as Fairfield you’ll take in the summits of Hartsop above How, Hart Crag, Cofa Pike, St Sunday Crag and Birks and enjoy some magnificent views of wild mountain scenery. The walk is described in a clockwise direction, as this avoids some of the steeper ascents encountered if done the opposite way and also gives the best views of the surrounding Lakeland fells and finishes…

ROUTE 10 Doethie Valley ROUTE 11 Cwm Gwesyn & Drygarn Fawr ROUTE 12 Irfon Valley In 1780, a traveller who visited the empty hills of Elenydd wrote a little summary of his journey through the wild heart of Wales: “It is necessary to be furnished with useful legs and sound lungs; to suppose that Wales can be seen from a carriage is a grand mistake; for everyone knows that the most curious things are the most conceal’d and inaccessible.” Not much has changed since then. The high windswept moors and lonely twisting valleys north of the A483 between Builth Wells and Llandovery are still best explored on foot, and long ago the area was nicknamed the Green Desert of Wales. Cynics might say this refers to the plantations of the…

The mountains of Torridon are iconic, awe inspiring, and just a little bit intimidating. Their terraced fortress-like sides appear impregnable from many angles and the thought of scrambling up them an act of lunacy. We know, though, that there are classic scrambles to be found here amongst these hills. Liathach, for example, has the reputation of being one of the finest ridgelines on mainland Britain. But it also has the reputation of being fierce, unwelcoming and wholly unsuited to the novice scrambler. Where, then, among the scoured Torridonian peaks might a scrambler – one who has cut their teeth on the Grade 1 lines of the Lake District and Snowdonia, and is looking to up their game and explore a magnificent corner of north-west Scotland – find a route suited…

WALK IT In the far north-west of the island of Britain, where the mountains are sleeping giants and the landscape ancient and wise, is a beautiful, expansive loch. Not in itself uncommon in this part of the world, within that loch is an island. But here’s where things get interesting. Cupped within the rolling terra firma of that island is a lochan, and in that lochan is yet another island. An island, in a lochan, on an island, in a loch, on an island. If that sentence makes you scratch your head and reach for a copy of Celebrity Gossip Weekly, you’ve probably picked up Trail in error. If it makes you think ‘well that’s interesting’ then feel free to drop it into your next “Did you know...” trivia-exchange down…