Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2021 i Trail

We probably don’t shout as loudly about the Peak District as we should in Trail, mostly because our boots and camera lenses are inevitably drawn towards taller and sharper things to the north. But this month it’s going front and centre, with all 12 of the mapped walks in our routes section dedicated to Britain’s original and oldest national park, which turned a whopping 70 years old this year. Because what The Peaks may lack in terms of big mountain landscapes, it more than makes up for with 555 square miles of classic hillwalking country. Dark gritstone edges, deep limestone dales, sinister moors, rolling green hills, over 70 villages, countless pubs and inns, Britain’s only mountain hares outside Scotland, and more than 1600 miles of public rights of way are…

My boots squeaked on the floor as outside turned to inside. It was big, for a bothy: two rooms, one with a table, one with a double deck of conjoined bunks, and both with a window onto the sea, spilling milky light over the floor. I walked through to the sleeping room, swung off my bags and shoved the load onto the bench, my movements filling the room with sudden noise and ringing echoes. I wondered how long the room had lain silent before my interruption. The bothy logbook stood open on a shelf half-full of spent tealights and marked with multiple burns. I’d slept in maybe twenty of these shelters over the years, and it was always fun to look in this special book: to leaf through damp-puckered pages…

THE LATEST INNOVATIONS IN OUTDOOR KIT However little kit you carry, however much gear you have to haul, there’s a suitably sized rucksack for it. Of course, for some trips you only need to pack a little, while others require you to pack a lot. But unless you have some kind of backpack addiction (although plenty of us may say we do) and an unlimited amount of money and storage space, having a different backpack for every potential load size simply isn’t plausible. This is where extendable packs come in. It’s not unusual to see packs given a variable volume, such as 50-60 litres, or 35+ litres. Where these packs gain the extra space is usually vertically; a floating lid and/or an extended drawcord closure on top of the pack…

In summer, even in the UK’s notoriously changeable climate, there’s a fair chance that your waterproof shell will stay stashed in your pack for most of the day. Although you’d be daft to head for the hills without one, it’s largely an insurance policy, a just-in-case jacket designed to deal with sudden showers or short rainy spells. When winter rolls around though, it’s a different matter. Our mountains can become a battleground: walkers vs weather. You’ll typically experience precipitation in all its forms – rain, hail, sleet and snow – and sometimes all in one day. Which means that a waterproof jacket is far more than just an emergency layer. Instead it’s your first line of defence in the battle against the elements, providing essential protection from biting wind, stinging…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 14KM TIME 6 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 705M The airy gritstone crest known as The Roaches forms an imposing bastion on the south-western fringe of the Peak District. Look south from the ridge and you’ll see jigsaws of bright green pasture around Tittesworth Reservoir. Turn north and there are bleak moors, dark valleys and more than a few shady legends. The Staffordshire Moorlands are the forgotten corner of the National Park, and this windblown landscape is scattered with place names which might have grown straight out of the ground: Gradbach, Goldstich Moss and Green Gutter Head; Wincle, Wilson Knowl and Wicken Walls. Under a cover of snow, the outcrops and buttresses on The Roaches are transformed into a wintry sculpture park and, to the north, the perky little…

The walk along Derwent Edge is well known. What is less so is the history that you are walking through. The walk begins at the foot of Derwent Dam, the practice ground of the Dambusters, and if you are lucky, you may see the Lancaster fly over. A little further on and you pass through what remains of Derwent village, the rest now lying below the waters on your right. Grindle Barn dates from at least the 15th century, a time when these lands were run as a sheep station by the monks who had a grange at the foot of Abbey Brook. The walk along Derwent Edge takes you by many fine gritstone outcrops. Look out for the Salt Cellar, and the Cakes of Bread. Back Tor gives superb…

Many long-distance paths are, by nature, very time-consuming! But the Limestone Way’s original section from Matlock to Castleton forms a perfect adventure for the shorter days of a long winter weekend, and the Hope extension eases most return journeys. There’s a natural castle (Robin Hood’s Stride) and a human-made one (Peverill), steepsided (sometimes brutally so) limestone dales, and fabulous views from plateau level. And a few tweaks avoid much of the original route’s tedious road walking, as well as easing sparse accommodation options. The limestone is formed from remains of millions of sea creatures when the region was under a tropical sea (c350m years ago). Obviously, it’s rather higher than sea-level now, but although lower-lying than many Trail routes, the way is rarely flat. CHIZ DAKIN ROUTE 7 Matlock to…

WALK IT Positioned not far from Keswick, Blencathra, Skiddaw, Helvellyn and High Seat all bear down on the 38 ancient rocks that form Castlerigg Stone Circle (well, it’s more of an oval actually). While the exact reasons the monument was built are not fully understood, some archaeologists surmise that the circle was an important meeting place for communities that moved their settlements seasonally. Travelling east from the coast and west from the Eden valley, they would have met here before travelling to the summer pastures and axe factories in the central fells. The valley bottoms would have been heavily forested in that period, making the ridgelines the easiest way to get around. Another theory is that careful alignment of stones mark important solar or lunar events. Whatever the reason, the…

ALEX TROWSKI Welcome to Glen Coe “The light this morning in Glen Coe really took me by surprise. As the sun came up over the horizon, the clearing rain clouds provided just enough moisture in the air for this amazing rainbow to form. It was the biggest/highest rainbow I’ve ever seen, having to look up in the sky above to see the top of it. I was originally at the other side of this small body of water and had to run like crazy to get to this spot. Seconds after I fired off a few shots, it was all over.” LAURA MCQUADE The Cuillin “We broke through the sea of cloud and headed for the summit of Sgurr Dearg to find we were the first climbers attempting the notorious…

The outdoors has been a constant throughout my life. But it’s only over the last few years, through my mental health struggles, I have realised how important it is to be outside. To be immersed in nature and feel connected to it. I was lucky enough to grow up, quite literally, on the edge of Grizedale Forest in the Lake District. I think this is what sparked my love of the outdoors; being surrounded by nature with the mountains on my doorstep. From the age of 7, I was competing in swimming galas. Aged 10, every weekend was spent trawling round the weirdest, wildest, forgotten, back-end-of-nowhere pockets of Cumbria and Yorkshire, taking part in fell races. This is where the competitive part of my personality took firm roots, along with…

Blabheinn Skye “Sixty and too heavy, I thought my days of going up mountains were over. Until my nephew Ross (pictured here) invited me to join him going up Blabheinn. What a day! Great views and memories that will live forever – couldn’t have done it without him.” Billy McKinlay, Edinburgh Tryfan Snowdonia “We did the Grade 2 scramble Milestone Gully on Tryfan with our good friends Helen and Philip Wilson. Suitable for a drizzly afternoon, this was the perfect family adventure. Tryfan did not disappoint!” Paul, Nicky, Ben (18) and Amalie Gray (15), Sherston Snowdon Snowdonia “Here’s me and hubby Cam on the top of Snowdon. Six months pregnant and loved every minute of it… Even the bits where Cam had to give me a push!” Clare Smith, Bristol…

PACKABILITY On drier trips your waterproof trousers will spend a lot of time in your rucksack. Lightweight trousers that pack down into a neat, small bundle are perfect for the summer months. ZIPS Zips along the outside of the leg provide convenient venting in changeable temperatures, and can make it easier to pull on over trousers. Full-length zips that go from hip to ankle are the easiest to pull on over chunky boots, while shorter zips that only go from knee to ankle may still require some wrestling to get them on over footwear. BREATHABILITY Hard-working legs can generate a lot of perspiration. If the fabric of your trousers isn’t breathable enough to let vapour escape, you can end up as wet from sweat as you would from the rain.…

Tough trainers Adidas Terrex Swift R3 Gore-Tex hiking shoes £130 I’m quite high-maintenance with hillwalking footwear. I generally prefer a lightweight low-ankle shoe to a clumpy boot, but I also want it to be as robust and protective as possible without having the rigid feel of traditional approach shoes. The Swift R3 is one of the best I’ve found so far. As you’d expect from Adidas, it looks cool and modern, and has trainer-like levels of comfort. But what sets it apart from others I’ve tested is the grippy outsole (made from fancy Continental Rubber), the fairly sturdy toe cap that runs around the front, and the Gore-Tex lining that keeps your feet dry (unless water comes in over the top, of course). I’ve given them some good thrashings on…

DIFFICULTY HARD DISTANCE 28.5KM TIME 9 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 1100M The sting on this route is at the beginning. The walk to Win Hill is a lung-busting 330m of ascent in 1000m. The record with full winter gear stands below 19 minutes. Once you have got your breath at the trig you can take in the stunning views across the Dark Peak. This is a walk of views. After Win Hill and some self-congratulation, a Roman road delivers you to Alport, and on to the aweinspiring geological feature of the Castles and the stunning Alport Dale. Heading back down the valley across open moorland gives a sense of the isolation these high moors offer. Pick up the packhorse route and cross the A57 to enter Bamford Moor and on to…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 24KM TIME 8 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 790M Charles Dickens used the dales of the White Peak as the setting for one of his lesser-known novels. The Miner’s Daughters had a sad ending but there’s no doubt the scenery left a strong impression on the famous writer: “With what a wild variety do the grey rocks soar up amid their woods and copses. How airily stand in the clear heavens the lofty limestone precipices.” It sounds like he would have enjoyed this long circular walk, which starts in the attractive village of Monyash and dips in and out of three deep dales. And he would no doubt have been impressed by the gaunt workings at Magpie Mine, where rich veins of lead were extracted from beneath the breezy…

There is something satisfying about the White Peak. These three walks offer stunning views, the occasional heart-stopping thrill, and pubs to savour the days in a grand tour of limestone dales and tors. The route along Giddy Edge is short but exposed, and gives a tremendous sense of achievement for those unused to such traverses. The walk along the stepping-stones in Chee Dale with the thundering River Wye below your feet and the towering limestone crags above your head moves the senses. Finally, after all the excitement a pastoral wander through limestone dales and gritstone tors brings a weekend of walking to a satisfying close. Add country pubs, and what could be better for a weekend break? ROUTE 10 Giddy Edge Traverse ROUTE 11 Chee Dale Gorge ROUTE 12 The…

Lorna Joy Hodgkinson +517m “735m left to go to my first Everest, as a whopping 1696ft added today walking Whernside with a friend. What better way to spend a day and such good weather too. Boy is it good to be back out there!” Nik Beard +8862m Have managed my #AugustEverest – 8862m done this month. Tricky fitting it in around work... quite a slog on some days!” Glyn Jones +957m “Walk 95 from home to the Plague Stone today. Bringing me up to 800 miles and 35,713m of ascent, the equivalent of 4 Everests and 446 hours out and about! A celebratory drink at The Hanging Gate before heading home to more blackberry pie. So good for the soul. Amazing to think this has all been achieved walking from…

[CANINE ADVICE] 9 WAYS TO WALK WITH A HAPPY DOG 1 Make sure the route is suitable for your dog. Check for river or bog crossings, and challenging scrambles or boulder fields that might be possible for you but dangerous for your dog. 2 Know their limits. Take age and breed into account. Some dogs will tire more easily than others. Be prepared to shorten the route if they’re flagging. 3 Build up their fitness. Just like a human, dogs need to develop their strength, stamina and agility. If they’re not used to long walks, start them off with shorter routes or smaller hills. 4 Bring water, food and/or snacks. Have enough to keep their energy levels up throughout the day, and a collapsible bowl to drink from. 5 Be…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 17KM TIME 5 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 460M If it wasn’t so well known, the Goyt Valley would be a very remote hidden-away moorland clough (as they call moorland dales here) on the border of Derbyshire and Cheshire. But this route avoids many of the crowds! Early on, there’s a little-known section of the former Cromford and High Peak railway line. This ‘difficult’ section from Hindlow to Shaley Bridge was abandoned in 1892 and the former Bunsal incline became a country lane, with an ongoing contouring track above taking the former railway line above the headwaters of the Wildmoorstone Brook. Now the challenge really begins! There’s some rough off-piste moorland up to the ‘other’ Burbage Edge. Peaty boggy footpaths then lead south over this little-known edge to a…

DIFFICULTY EASY DISTANCE 10KM TIME 3 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 305M The Peak District is known more for its fine, rocky edges and sweeping summit plateau than super-sharp, pointy peaks. So that’s why the 506m summit of Shutlingsloe, one of the area’s highest tops, stands out for miles as such a super climb. It’s so pointy it’s also known as the ‘Matterhorn of the Peak District’, and from this lesser walked direction via Macclesfield Forest, the view on the approach is the best angle and nicest climb. From this direction Shutlingsloe looks a little like a squashed witch’s hat, its flagstone path gently then more steeply climbing the north-western flanks, with some nice opportunities to scramble over the grippy gritstone rocks beside the path as it nears the summit. This ascent…

This is a walk of two halves. The first half on a path that makes its way up to the Merrick. From that point on, it’s off-path, wild and free range. It’s like light and dark, chalk and cheese, good and bad… If it’s been wet, then while gearing up at the starting point of map point 1 (NX414803) consider putting gaiters in your rucksack. You won’t need them yet, but you will later on. The car park sits near Bruce’s Stone, which I like to visit at the end of the walk in homage to the area and its history. So ignoring it for now, you need to take the well-worn and signed path north-east out of the car park, before swinging cavalierly to the north, following the tumbling…

From the back, Pavey Ark is hardly there at all, just a bump on the side of Thunacar Knott. But from the front it’s all mountain, with the most impressive cliff in the Langdale valley falling from its 700m summit down to the waters of Stickle Tarn in a tangle of shattered crags and precipices. The most popular approach to the fell is from Langdale via Stickle Ghyll (above), where you weave through woodland and waterfalls before emerging at the edge of the tarn. From there the choice is yours, with everything from simple hillwalks to the notorious Jack’s Rake scramble that arrows upwards via a thin, rocky trench in that vast southern wall. We’ve also added two quieter and longer routes from the north, approaching from Borrowdale and the…