Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2024 i Trail

WELCOME TO TRAIL GET 50% OFF Trail Subscribers get a year of OS Maps, the Ordnance Survey's digital mapping service, for HALF PRICE. That's the equivalent of 607 paper maps in your pocket! PAGE 26 It always feels like a bit of a leap for us at Trail to use a front cover image like the one we've picked this month. Winter can be a tricky time for hillwalkers, because when snow hits our high summits they become a very different challenge – turning what would be a walk or scramble in summer into something very close to alpine mountaineering. So most of us are faced with a choice: we either pack our kit away in the loft until the clocks go forward, or we tool up, learn some new…

WILD SLEEPS THIS MONTH Moel Siabod Tryfan Glyder Fach Cat Bells Scafell Pike TRAIL 100 BIVVY COUNT 65/100 How old were you the first time you spent a night sleeping in a bivvy bag? With stars for a duvet before waking up as the sun rises from behind a mountain, it's one of life's greatest pleasures and an unforgettable experience. If you haven't yet, it's never too late. Family affair On every grandma's favourite mountain, Cat Bells, I'm joined by my Mum, aged 75, for her first ever bivvy experience. Only after setting off does she take the opportunity to tell me her doctor said she had a minor stroke earlier this year. She still wanted to come, as in her words: “The top of a mountain is as good…

STEP ONE ■ DO AN AMNESTY Gather your kit and spread it all out on the floor (you'll probably need to employ all other surfaces in STEP TWO ■ CLEANING Most kit could probably do with a good wash and reproof by the end of the summer season – clothing most obviously – but tents and sleeping bags often go years without the care they deserve. Here's how to tackle these tricky items… SLEEPING BAG PREP: Get out your bag and give it a good fluff up, then check for any escaping insulation, stains or damage. DAB: Clean any stains with a wet sponge and mild washing-up liquid or specialist cleaner. Keep harsh chemicals like bleach far away from your delicate cocoon. This might be all it needs, in which…

FUNCTION & DESIGN Mountaineering packs generally have a slim, long shape, with minimalist external features and a close-to-the-body fit – a no-nonsense design that's ideal for technical activities in winter. Hiking packs tend to be slightly wider, with side pockets, intricate features and high-tech back systems. LID The lid covers the top main opening to the rucksack. Some lids are fixed to the backpack, while others are detachable with a 'floating' design. A current trend is towards lidless backpacks with roll-top closure. WEATHER RESISTANCE Backpacks are usually made from waterproof materials and the fabrics will often withstand a heavy shower or two. But they aren't infallible (particularly when seams aren't sealed or external zippers are exposed). Some packs come with waterproof covers, while others are better paired with a waterproof…

Andy Davies Outdoor photographer and author of numerous Welsh walking guides. 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. Jenna Maryniak Trail's deputy editor has had a love of hillwalking for 20 years. Kate Worthington Professional mountain leader, living and working under Snowdon's shadow. Debbie North Passionate ambassador for accessibility for all in the outdoors. Vivienne Crow Award-winning writer Viv's worked on over 20 walking guides. SUSTAINABLE STEPS Look for our Tread Lightly logo throughout the routes section for tips on how to lessen your environmental impact. ALWAYS CARRY A MAP! Trail routes are written as guides, but for detailed mountain navigation you must carry a printed to-scale map. All…

TRAIL MAGAZINE Lake District LINEAR WALK I think we all have our favourite corners of the Lake District, where we know we can safely escape the crowds. But surely not a walk which includes the honeypots of Bowness-on-Windermere and Ambleside? Well, think again, because the ups and downs to the east of our largest lake are perfect for a quiet day among a few lower fells, and this linear route, starting by the pier at Bowness, initially follows the Dales Way before heading north to top out on Wansfell above Ambleside. Along the way, you'll wander over breezy School Knott and follow quiet lanes and empty tracks to lonely Dubbs Reservoir before descending into the valley at Troutbeck. The route continues up a steep, walled track known as Nanny Lane, which…

TRAIL MAGAZINE Cairngorms STILE-FREE MOUNTAIN TRAIL Scotland is home to some of the most impressive and beautiful landscapes in the world, and one of the best places to explore them is the Cairngorms National Park, in the heart of the Highlands. This park is the largest in the UK, covering over 4528sqkm. Located within the National Park is Cairn Gorm, and the climb to its summit is one of Scotland's most popular hikes. Standing at 1245m above sea-level, the mountain's peak is the highest point in the Cairngorms. The hike to the summit starts off easy enough, but quickly becomes steep and more challenging as you ascend the mountain. The terrain is rugged and can be a bit tricky to traverse in places. The beauty of the landscape is breathtaking…

THIS MONTH'S WINNER Manaslu Himalayas (8163m) “I've been a keen mountaineer and adrenaline junkie since time began, as I've always enjoyed pushing myself and challenging myself both physically and mentally. So 12 months ago I decided to push the boat out and test myself in the Himalayas. Most of my weekends were then spent in Snowdonia or Scotland in preparation for the trip, along with cycling and trail running. My expedition for Manaslu began on the 5th September and we arrived at base camp on the 10th. After our rotation climbs were complete we headed for the summit push, and on the 23rd of September, after the biggest physical and mental battle of my life, my guide and I reached the summit at 7.30am. This has been my biggest achievement…

HOT TOPIC “When I found out I was pregnant with twins, I remember asking how it was going to work – to have two babies and still live an adventurous life,” says Majka Burhardt. “So much of what I was told was that you just kind of 'tuck in' and then you come out the other side. And I was like, 'What do you mean? What if you don't make it to the other side?'” Majka is a professional climber, founder of a conservation non-profit, and mother to twins Irenna and Kaz. She lives in New Hampshire, USA, in part because it gives her access, within 10 minutes of home, to one of the world's best ice climbing arenas. Her book, More: Life on the Edge of Adventure and Motherhood,…

■ ASK AN ANIMAL STOAT MUSTELA ERMINEA Q Why does the tip of your tail stay black when the rest of your coat is white? A This is classic hunter-deflection. We're vulnerable to birds of prey in the winter, so while white fur blends in with white snow, the contrast and movement of the tail tip draws the eye, prompting the raptor to attack there and not the body. Or at least, that's the hope. Weasels don't have one, probably because they spend more time underground. ■ ADVICE FROM MOUNTAIN RESCUE BEWARE THE WIND Wind, especially in gusts, is a risk if you're on exposed ground or a narrow ridge. What seems like a gentle breeze in a valley will increase with height, and can be funnelled and accelerated through channels…

Falmouth, Cornwall Hotel Meudon Contact: 01326 250541 www.meudon.co.uk Nearest walk: Meudon walk, 6 miles circular walk, easy to moderate. www.falriver.co.uk/see-and-do/walks/meudon-walk Accommodation: Treatment suite, restaurant, bar, 9 acres of subtropical gardens, Wi-Fi, dog friendly, own beach/Bream Cove, self-catering cottage, access to the South West Coast Path. Mullion, Cornwall Polurrian on the Lizard Hotel Contact: 01326 240421 www.polurrianhotel.com Nearest walk: South West Coast Path, National trail walk - Mullion & Poldhu 4.6 miles (7.4km) Moderate - Mostly easy clifftop walking, with some steep-sided valleys and inland paths. www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/walksdb/133/ Accommodation: Health club, Spa, 2 pools, gym, outdoor tennis court, restaurant, bar, outdoor kids play area, Wi-Fi, dog friendly, own beach/Polurrian Cove, 6 luxury selfcatering villas, access to the South West Coast Path. Truro, Cornwall Higher Trewithen Holiday Cottages Contact: 01209 860614 bookings@trewithen.com www.trewithen.com…

TRAIL MAGAZINE Brecon Beacons WELSH WILDERNESS This route explores the wilderness of Mynydd Du, which really lives up to its name – the Black Mountains. The moonscape of the high moorland has an alien feel, without any sign of human civilisation in any direction once in its centre. There are very few places in Wales and England where you can experience this sense of remoteness and isolation. Consequently, this is certainly not the place to be if the cloud comes down, and this will really provide a test of your navigation skills as well as of your nerve. This is a weird landscape, as water mysteriously disappears underground through the numerous pockmarks, down into a magical subterranean system of limestone caverns. ANDY DAVIES IS IT FOR ME? FITNESS A good level…

TRAIL MAGAZINE Mid Wales HIGH & WILD ROUND This route offers a fine parade amongst the highest summits of the Cambrian Mountains – a large area of upland terrain, moorland and shapely hills, a wild-feeling expanse calling out for further designation as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the process of which is still under review. If unfamiliar, this area of mid Wales sits proudly between two National Parks – namely Eryri (Snowdonia) and Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) – and offers more remote and quieter outings than either of these, amongst heathers and grazing land, rivers, reservoirs, forestry and the higher 'mountain' summits of Pen Pumlumon Fawr and its neighbours. Miss an opportune weather window and these expansive landscapes can be windswept and feel wild. But with a fine forecast ahead,…

I remember my first time like it was yesterday. I am, of course, talking about my first golden eagle sighting. The sun was shining and I was in a canoe on a loch up in the far north-west of Scotland, with Suilvan as a backdrop. The setting couldn't have been more epic. Then, as if it had been there for all time, with its huge, outspread wings, was, unmistakably, a golden eagle. I seem to remember it passing in front of the sun and putting the world in shadow for a week as it glided by, but that might just be my overactive imagination… If you want to see one, then you have to travel to Scotland or the north-west of Northern Ireland. They favour the upland habitat of which…

■ COMFORT THROUGHOUT Cramming so much cushioning into something so thin isn't easy, and requires a not insignificant amount of clever technology and engineering. An 'Aerolyte Dual Comfort Layer' (which provides optimal cushioning to help your foot relax in the shoe) sits over a 'Responsive Forefoot Zone' at the front and an 'Energizing Heel Cushion' at the rear to maximize energy transfer, disperse impact, reduce excess vibration, and fight fatigue. And throughout the insoles Superfeet's patented 'Adaptive Comfort Technology' helps your feet move the way they're supposed to. ■ MULTIPLE ARCH HEIGHTS The Active Cushioning insoles are available in three arch heights – low, medium and high. So whatever shape your feet are, you can benefit from the new insoles' cushioning on your hikes. ■ KEEPS FEET FRESH The upper…

Grivel Ghost £95 This is an unusual looking ice axe, and not just because it's pink (tamer blue, green and white versions are also available). Its unique design with the cutshaft end reduces weight – its just 269g for the 45cm length (there's also a 50cm length) – which, in combination with its ergonomically shaped head makes it easy and comfortable to carry in the hand, and barely noticeable when stowed on your pack. A great option for 'just-in-case' use. Salewa Alpine-X £105 Despite its vicious looking pick, the straight shaft and Type 1 strength rating indicates that this is very much an axe for walkers, albeit ones that perhaps occasionally dabble in mountaineering. It's fairly light, at 350g for the 53cm length, but if it's purely for walking use…

Versatile mid layer Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket £190 It's taken me a while, but I've come to appreciate what others have known for some time: Patagonia's Nano Puff is an exceptionally versatile layer. In warmer seasons it can be thrown on over a base layer or thin fleece for lunch breaks or campsites, and it takes up very little space in a pack when not required. But it's during winter when it really comes into its own, functioning immaculately as an insulated mid layer, but with enough windproofing, waterresistance and toughness to be worn as an outer on days that don't require a shell. And, being from Patagonia, it has excellent environmental credentials; the PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco is made from 100% recycled polyester with P.U.R.E. (Produced Using Reduced Emissions)…

TRAIL MAGAZINE Yorkshire Dales CLASSIC HILLWALK Pen-y-ghent gets plenty of boot traffic over its summit, as it's located on the popular Pennine Way and is also one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks. It is more than worthy of consideration on its own merits though. Now don't tell Ingleborough, but this might just be the most exciting of the Three Peaks. With its impressive profile and short, sharp, rocky ascent, it's a great mini-mountain that will make you feel on top of the world. Continue onto Plover Hill and you'll quickly escape the Three-Peakers and Pennine Way walkers to find quiet solitude that tops out on a grassy summit before taking a short, steep descent to the tranquil Foxup Moor where you can take a glorious stroll back to Horton. Perhaps best…

TRAIL MAGAZINE Mendip Hills MOORLAND WALK “Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee,” begins the hymn which, legend has it, was hastily scribbled on the back of a playing card by the Rev. Augustus Montague Toplady as he sheltered from a storm in Burrington Combe. The Reverend returned home to nearby Blagdon to complete the hymn, which became one of the best-known in the Anglican church. Exploring a peaceful stretch of the Mendip Hills, this walk sets out from the Rock of Ages. There's a good climb to reach the Limestone Link and the Iron Age hill-fort at Dolebury Warren, a superb spot for butterflies and wildflowers in summer. Another climb visits Rowberrow Warren, a newly wooded nature reserve managed by the Woodland Trust. Emerging from…

While the summit of this remarkable mountain is usually the ultimate goal, there's loads to explore on the way up Arkle. “IT'S A LONG CLIMB WITH LOTS TO EXPLORE AND LOOK AT – YOU WON'T WANT TO RUSH THE ARKLE EXPERIENCE” CLIMB A STAR OF THIS ISSUE P28 WALK IT It may be a long way to Tipperary, but that could equally have been written about Sutherland, with its mountains the objects of affection, rather than an Irish sweetheart. But having made the journey, climbing Arkle – navigation-wise at least – is relatively straightforward. Follow the track to the southern tip of the mountain, turn left, and keep going up (keeping the steep cliffs to your left), over the first top and an entertaining ridge, to arrive at the summit.…