Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2022 i Trail

We love talking about the weather don’t we? Sometimes I wonder what we would ever talk about if we lived in one of those tediously consistent climates where we didn’t wake up every morning wondering what the sky was going to throw at us. At the time of writing, it’s hot. Really hot. By the time you read this, who knows? That headline above could look a bit silly. And in many ways that’s the beauty of hillwalking in British summertime – it’s a time to hope for the best and often prepare for the worst. Too hot, too cold, too wet, too windy – we’ve got it all covered here in the UK. But if you do get one of those perfect summer days, with an empty sky and…

■ HELVELLYN PUBLIC TRANSPORT From Grasmere take the 555 Stagecoach to Stanah (Thirlmere) and walk back. WAINWRIGHTS 9. Watson’s Dodd, Stybarrow Dodd, Raise, White Side, Helvellyn, Catstye Cam, Nethermost Pike, Dollywagon Pike, Seat Sandal. ■ NEWLANDS PUBLIC TRANSPORT Take the 555 Stagecoach to Keswick and hop on the Keswick Launch from Theatre by the Lake across Derwent Water to Hawes End to start. WAINWRIGHTS 6. Cat Bells Maiden Moor, High Spy, Dale Head, Hindscarth, Robinson. ■ SKIDDAW PUBLIC TRANSPORT From Keswick hop on the 554 to Bassenthwaite, Ravenstone Hotel. WAINWRIGHTS 6. Skiddaw, Ullock Pike, Long Side, Carl Side, Skiddaw Little Man, Latrigg.…

Ben Donich The Trossachs “Sunrise from Ben Donich a few weeks ago in the tent.” Kenny Maccormack Devil’s Kitchen Snowdonia “Beautiful day out at Devil’s Kitchen and the Glyderau. Perfect weather – sunny and 11-15°C in the cool breeze.” Simon Sait Roseberry Topping North Yorkshire “Bagged our first peak as a family by climbing Roseberry Topping. Adam (6) and Sam (4) shot up without breaking a sweat and we barely kept up with them!” Anna, Simon, Adam & Sam Race Ben Lawers Highlands “Number 50 of the Trail 100 done! It was a stunning day for Andy (left) and me on Ben Lawers, with breathtaking views in every direction. Schiehallion the following day made it 51!” Colin Dudgeon Lurg Mhor NW Highlands “Judith Smith, Tom Davy and Mike Hart basking…

SEPTEMBER 17 GLARAMARA, LAKE DISTRICT THE MERRICK, GALLOWAY Next month’s Mountains for the Mind group walks both take place on Saturday 17 September, on this issue’s Peak of the Month Glaramara and the historic summit of The Merrick in Scotland’s Southern Uplands. These free events are organised by Mountain Leaders and Mental Health First Aiders from Blackdog Outdoors, and are great places to meet like-minded people at friendly group events. Places are very limited, so get your name down quick! Full info at: mountainsforthemind.co.uk…

Forget for a moment that everything runs like clockwork, or that the immaculately clean and impressive double-decker trains are something we just don’t have in the UK. No, the best thing about travelling to the mountains of Switzerland by train, is the mountains of Switzerland. Between Bern and Interlaken, the green hills of the Gantrisch Nature Park and the Entlebuch Biosphere rise up either side of the tracks. Cup your hands to the glass to peer ahead and you’ll see the white glaciered peaks of the Bernese Oberland Alps towering above and beyond the opaque turquoise waters of Lake Thun. And from Interlaken things ramp up significantly. The Berner Oberland-Bahn carries passengers on a remarkable journey up the Grindelwald Valley to the picturesque mountain village of Grindelwald itself. It’s a…

Our monthly fitness tips from personal trainer and mountain leader Matt Le Voi will help you get ready for any mountain adventure. LMGPERSONALTRAINING.COM RECOVERY MATT SAYS: “There are numerous ways to speed up recovery, reap increased gains from your day out and get ‘match fit’ more quickly. And considering your post-walk recovery process is particularly crucial if you’re doing a multi-day trip. Here are a few tips.” STRETCH A post-walk stretch will help your muscles relax, increasing blood flow and speeding up recovery. Hold each stretch for about 30 seconds, but never stretch through pain or pull on a joint. Key areas to focus on include your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and shoulders. I recommend stopping 5 minutes from the end of your walk to stretch, then use the final 5…

THE LATEST INNOVATIONS IN OUTDOOR KIT A quick story. A friend and I were exploring a remote area of crag. It was above a big drop, so we were roped together for safety. There was a point when I was low down on one end of the rope while he was high up on the other and we needed to communicate. The problem was that due to the wind, the layout of the crags, and our relative positions, neither of us could hear a thing the other was yelling. We even tried texting, but guess what? No phone signal. It all worked out in the end, but it could have been very different, and for the sake of just £30 we could have avoided the situation altogether. You see, £30…

The problem with a humongous 70L backpack is that you’ll inevitably end up filling it to the brim, just because you can. Two pillows for my wild camp – why not? Three sets of spare clothing? Might as well. Another six-pack of Snickers just to be safe? It’d be rude not to. While your comfort levels at night will be luxurious, if not hedonistic, the overall result of such an approach will be a back-achingly heavy load – it will slow you down, cripple your joints and ultimately ruin the hiking experience. Instead a 50L pack size seems to hit a perfect sweet spot – voluminous enough for all of your 3-season backpacking kit and equipment, but small enough to discourage over-packing. A high-quality 50L backpack will be light, supportive,…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 9KM TIME 5 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 900M PEAK BAGGER STATS WAINWRIGHTS 3 TRAIL 100s 1 Great Gable is every bit as great as the name suggests. But with its commanding presence as seen from three different valleys, its superb craggy outlines, and its status as England’s seventh highest hill, it’s unlikely you’ll have the summit to yourself. Which is why I’m suggesting an even finer, and far quieter, sandwich spot just 100m away at Westmorland Cairn. Yes, the stony stairway up from Windy Gap has clean, smooth steps that have been worn down over the years by many pairs of feet. But the path above Seathwaite is quite a bit quieter than the standard Honister startpoint, plus some grand waterfalls to go up beside and even a…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 18KM TIME 6 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 805M Regardless of the weather, a solemness hangs in the dramatic Cwm Eigiau. With some impressive mountain architecture to the south-west and a now abandoned reservoir, Llyn Eigiau, there are stories and history here that command consideration and respect. In November 1925 the first large dam wall finally failed after weeks of heavy rain. In the village of Dolgarrog below 16 people lost their lives when colossal amounts of water, huge rocks and earth thundered down to the valley. Shaking off this ominous and saddening story, the heights and reward of the shapely Pen y Llithrig y Wrach are welcoming. The emerging vistas offer a contrasting scene, as the descent absorbs new angles on rich landscapes. Llyn Cowlyd Reservoir was initially…

DIFFICULTY EASY DISTANCE 11KM TIME 4 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 563M Of all Shropshire’s hills, it’s Caer Caradoc’s ruggedness that screams climb me! This route takes the steep ascent, but the far-reaching views from its summit are worth it – much of the South Shropshire AONB can be spied from here. The 459m summit is volcanic in origin, on the Church Stretton Fault, and was also the site of an ancient hill-fort thought to date back to the Iron Age. The quieter return route along Hope Bowdler’s ridge offers rolling views over Ape Dale and Wenlock Edge. 1 SO453936 From Church Stretton, cross over the A49 at the traffic lights, and take the B4371 towards Much Wenlock. Turn left, after the Catholic Church, into Watling Street North. Crest the hill. Ignore…

FIND YOUR OWN WAY UP THIS SECRET SCRAMBLE TO GLARAMARA, HIGH ABOVE THE SPECTACULAR LANGSTRATH VALLEY. WALK IT Cam Crag Ridge is a hard-earned objective, both in the sense that you have a fairly long walk to reach it, and that when you do reach it the actual start point takes a bit of locating. The easy bit to describe is the walk from Stonethwaite, where you pass the Langstrath Inn and one of England’s best-located campsites, then turn right beneath the steep flanks of Eagle Crag to follow the Cumbria Way into Langstrath. When you reach Blackmoss Pot, look up to your right towards Stonethwaite Fell to spot the rocky outline of Cam Crag Ridge. There’s no obvious start point (for a detailed guide see Cicerone’s Scrambles in the…

LAKE DISTRICT GLARAMARA Less a mountain and more the high point of a long, wide, undulating ridge, Glaramara is nonetheless a special fell. You could be forgiven for thinking that it’s what’s around the fell, rather than what’s on it, that makes it special. And you might have a point. It sits, with beautiful Borrowdale on one side and the idyllic Langstrath valley on the other, almost in the centre of the Lake District National Park, and as a result the views of the surrounding peaks from its summit are, indeed, a bit special. Just take a look at this photo. But all of this ignores that actually Glaramara also deserves attention for its own character. A sprawled, rambling lump, speckled with small tarns and lumpen outcrops, it’s a fun…

KRISTIN RIVALS NIMS PURJA’S 8000ER RECORD We’re keeping a close eye on the hard-as-nails Kristin Harila who is challenging Nims Purja’s record for the fastest time to climb the world’s 14 highest mountains above 8000m. In 2021 Nims amazed the world by completing them in 6 months and 6 days, taking more than 7 years off the existing record – but Kristin, with 7 summits bagged at the time of writing, is already around a week faster than Nims at the halfway stage, including Everest and Lhotse which she summited faster than any other woman previously. With plenty of challenges and logistics yet to overcome and the infamous K2 up next, you can keep up to date with the Nor wegian adventurer’s challenge on Instagram@kristin.harila WALKING FOR WELLBEING We asked…

Helo build the wall DUNCAN MCCALLUM (right) is on a mission to share his passion for mountains, climbing and adventure with a new generation of outdoor enthusiasts. His goal is to build a new climbing gym alongside a new mental and physical health charity in Inverness, aka the ‘Capital of the Scottish Highlands’. As a youth struggling with dyslexia, Duncan was inspired by the head of his school hillwalking club, and is now hoping to give back in a similar way with The Ledge Charity and Climbing Gym. Duncan’s vision is to create Scotland’s only Olympic-standard bouldering wall, alongside a charity with the mission to offer hope and support to individuals of all ages struggling to face adversity. The Ledge’s social impact program, ‘Vertical Living’, will be delivered across a…

“Remember that it doesn’t matter what makes you happy – the mountains, caves, sea, camping, swimming, scrambling… No matterwhat it is, if it puts a smile on your face then it’s worth doing. Because life is for living now, not waiting for the right time. Enjoy!” Agnieszka Matyjaszek “Special in the early hours.”NOSH MARSHALL “Finally made it to Moraine Lake in Canada! Should have gone two years ago but Covid put paid to that. Covid also changed me for the worse, and made me a lot more anxious about things that normally wouldn’t bother me, but now do. This trip meant so much to me, as my grandparents came from Canada and I’ve always wanted to go to see the places they always talked about when I was growing up.…

GRINDELWALD FIRST The peak north of Grindelwald is reached by a cable car which takes you from the village to the summit station at 2168m while providing incredible views over the Grindelwald valley and the remarkable profile of the Schwarzhoren and Gemschberg ridge. Here you’ll find several high adrenaline activities including zipwires (good), Trottibike mountain scooters (better) and three-wheeled mountain carts (the best). Or if you prefer a quieter time, the out-and-back hike to the stunning Bachsee lake is awash with spectacular viewpoints, while the cliff-side walk offers up some airy exposure and views of the Eiger that are unsurpassed. jungfrau.ch/grindelwaldfirst HARDER KULM Set high above Interlaken and reached by a fascinatingly steep funicular railway, from here it’s clear to see where Interlaken gets its name. It means ‘between lakes’…

SKILLS, TIPS & TRICKS TO GET YOU HIKING LIKE A PRO 1 Be realistic. If they’ve never been up a hill before, a mountain summit might be asking a bit much. For a first outing, a route that you’re familiar with is probably best – you’ll have enough to focus on without having to factor in tricky navigation. But if you are bagging a peak, remember that the summit is only the halfway point. 2 Choose a walk with plenty of interest along the way. A lake to skim stones, a cave to explore, a tree to climb, a boulder that looks like Shrek – it helps keep kids motivated if there’s always something exciting just around the next corner. 3 Allow loads of time. Like, more time than you…

1 CHECK WIND DIRECTION Stand still and feel which way the wind is blowing on your face. This can vary, even within a few minutes, so check the weather forecast to find out the predicted wind direction for the day and the prevailing wind. Remember that mountain areas can create their own weather systems, funnelling wind down valleys, over peaks or eddying around corries. 2 NOTE WIND SPEED This tends to rise as you climb but can change suddenly in the mountains when you climb out of a sheltered valley or up onto an exposed summit. 3 HAVE A SNIFF Can you smell anything in the air? Maybe scents such as those of field fertilisers, pollen, pinewood or the sea? If you know that there are agricultural fields to the…

■ IMPRESSIVE RANGE Despite their compact size, these petite walkie talkies have a range of up to 5km. This relies on a clear line of sight, and does decrease in more complicated terrain, but even then two people should still be able to remain in clear communication up to 300m apart. ■ EASY TO USE With minimal buttons and intuitive operation, you don’t need to memorise a complicated instruction manual in order to use these. Once set to matching channels, a simple ‘push to talk’ button is the main control. ■ LIGHT BUT TOUGH Each device weighs just 145g – even if you’re carrying both in your pack you’ll barely notice them. They’re fairly small too, only marginally larger than a pack of playing cards due to their antenna. But…

FABRICS There are three different types of base layer fabrics: natural (such as merino wool or bamboo), man-made (polyester and nylon materials), and hybrid (mixtures of natural and synthetic fibres). Different fabrics offer different benefits and should be chosen based on the levels of insulation, moisture wicking and comfort required. WARMTH For winter wear it used to be the case that merino wool offered the best warmth-to-weight ratio, but some modern synthetic constructions are now able to offer even greater heat retention. ODOUR CONTROL Natural fibres tend to remain pong-free for longer, although synthetic fabrics are often given an anti-odour treatment to help them stay fresh. WICKING Merino wool and synthetic fibres are both excellent ‘wickers’ but in general man-made materials are better at moving moisture and faster drying, meaning…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM SCRAMBLE GRADE 1 DISTANCE 5KM TIME 3 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 410M PEAK BAGGER STATS TRAIL 100s 1 Nestling between the cities of Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield, the Peak District is one of the busiest National Parks in the UK, and Kinder Scout is probably its most popular hill. But this sprawling behemoth still has its secrets. The northern slopes, rising from the A57 Snake Road, are undeveloped, overlooked and enchanting. This route begins from a scrappy lay-by but within minutes carries you into a tapering valley of waterfalls, plunge pools bronze with peat, and branching, wooded ravines. With a tantalising variety of scrambling options at the top. It begins as a streamside ramble, hopping across as the mood takes you and water levels dictate. But as the path…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 34KM TIME 10-12 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 1700M This fine walk takes in some or all of the principle peaks of the Isle of Rum’s often overlooked northwest – Bloodstone Hill, Orval, Ard Nev and Fionchra. Each of these hills has splendid views across Rum and the neighbouring islands: the views of Canna from Bloodstone Hill and the Rum Cuillin from Ard Nev are particularly grand. These whale-backed granite and lavacapped hills are a less demanding proposition than their loftier cousins dominating the island’s southern skyline, although the terrain is rough in places. Unless you can get a lift or cycle along the Kinloch Glen track to Malcolm’s Bridge, walking in and out from Kinloch as well as walking the horseshoe would make for a very long, arduous…

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Lewis started his challenge 5 years ago, when he set off to the Lake District by train and bus. He didn’t own a car at the time, so it was his only option, but he found that it opened up a whole new way of experiencing the fells, and even added an extra level of adventure. “It allowed me to plan walks that started and ended in different places, so I could enjoy more of the landscape rather than looping back down to the car park,” says Lewis. “It also gave me the flexibility to impulsively change plans midwalk, knowing that there is a whole network of buses around the park that link together. Many times I’ve found myself looking down into the valleys and been drawn towards a completely…

Let me tell you a little story about one of the most memorable 24-hour periods I’ve ever spent in the mountains. One of those rare occasions when circumstances, scenery and sunshine combine to create the kind of unforgettable adventure you’ll be boring people in pubs (or magazines) with for years. It all started, as many good stories do, in a Borrowdale pub. We’d already enjoyed two very good days in the Lakes, climbing a few hills in great weather then wild camping somewhere high and impressive, and were cooling off on a scorching summer evening in the Riverside Bar of the Scafell Hotel. And this wasn’t just any summer evening, it was one of those infrequent yet hugely satisfying occasions (55 years of waiting, to be precise) when England beat…

Whet your whistle The Fox 40 Sharx whistle (£8.90) is one of the loudest (initiate Jeremy Clarkson voice) in the world. More importantly, it has no moving parts so can’t freeze or seize up. In the UK six short blasts followed by a minute pause is the standard signal for ‘help’. If you hear someone else signalling, you should respond with three short blasts and continue until you find each other. Space-age messaging The Zoleo Global Satellite Communicator (£209 plus subscription charges) takes phone signal availability out of the equation, allowing you to use the Iridium satellite network to send messages, share GPS location, and fire off an SOS alert from anywhere in the world. It’s rugged, tough, and pairs with an app on your smartphone for easy operation. Hear…

DIFFICULTY MEDIUM DISTANCE 14KM TIME 4 HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 440M PEAK BAGGER STATS TRAIL 100s 1 Plynlimon (Pumlumon Fawr) in the Cambrian Mountains is the highest mountain in mid-Wales and is situated in the heart of a superb wilderness region of grassy tops and hidden valleys. Rising to 752m, its ascent from Nant-y-moch Reservoir provides a remote way up and a grand high-level traverse of the surrounding area. Although the paths are fair throughout this route, the terrain can be confusing in mist and careful navigation is required in such conditions. As well as being the highest mountain in mid-Wales, Plynlimon is also famous for being the source of three major rivers – the Wye, the Severn and the Rheidol – although none of them are visited on this walk.…

DIFFICULTY HARD DISTANCE 17.9KM TIME 6½ HOURS TOTAL ASCENT 950M PEAK BAGGER STATS WAINWRIGHTS 2 TRAIL 100s 1 Glaramara (783m) and Allen Crags (785m) provide us hillwalkers with a wonderful sense of being totally immersed in the grandeur of the fells. Here, in the heart of Lakeland, lie two rocky summits linked by an arc of high ground that is chock-full of charm: from the ridge itself, constantly undulating and with glittering pools hidden among rocky basins, to the near views of dramatic summits such as Great End and Great Gable. In fact, it’d be hard to single out just one highlight of this walk – it’s a joy from start to finish. It starts in Borrowdale, already taking on the autumn hues that’ll turn it into the most glorious…

ULTIMATE WEEKEND ▲ 3 ROUTES A butcher, a baker and perhaps a candlestick maker… as you wander the narrow streets of Broughton-in-Furness you can’t help but feel that old-fashioned shops still thrive here at the south end of Cumbria. But when you look beyond the attractive tree-lined square it’s the nearby tops which will be demanding your attention. Wainwright classified the hills which sweep south to the Furness Peninsula as ‘Outlying Fells’ but there is some proper wild walking here. Wander across Whitfell on a busy bank holiday and you’ll probably have it all to yourself. Stride towards Stickle Pike and anyone else at the top will have most likely come up from the road over to the Duddon Valley. You might have to share a few paths in the…

ULTIMATE WEEKEND ▲ 3-DAY ROUTE This route is southern Scotland’s answer to the iconic Ramsay Round. Originally designed as an ultra-running challenge – 30 summits, 45 miles and 13,000ft, all to be completed in 24 hours – the Galloway Ring of Fire is a hardcore undertaking across remote, pathless backcountry. This Ultimate Weekender is a hiking and wild camping version of the running challenge, ticking of all 30 summits over an epic three-day adventure – perhaps the best way to experience Galloway Forest Park. The terrain is utterly energy-sapping and ankle-jarring, and the miles are hard-won. But the reward easily justifies the effort, for Galloway delivers a palpable sense of far-flung, cut-off isolation and wilderness now lacking in many of the UK’s national parks. Along the way, you’ll tick off…

KEY FACTS START/FINISH RUBHA HUNISH / BROADFORD DISTANCE 128KM / 80 MILES DURATION 7 DAYS TOTAL ASCENT 3985M REGION ISLE OF SKYE The Isle of Skye holds a special place in many people’s hearts. Its romantic history, majestic mountains, stunning coastline and the Gaelic language and culture all draw people back time and time again. Many rush around the best-known sights of the island in a few days, but for those who wish to experience Skye properly, there can be few better ways than by tackling a long-distance walk. A multi-day trek forces us to see the landscapes we pass through in a more complete way. The long-distance walker soon gets into a rhythm, and has time to discover the people, wildlife and history in a landscape, as well as…