Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2025 i Trail

We already know you love a great read when it comes to hills and hiking (clue: it’s in your hands right now). But if you’re yearning for a longer read for hilltop or downtime this summer, these five books explore the joy, struggle and quiet revelations found in Britain’s most iconic and untamed mountain landscapes – and the stories of the people who climb them. A LINE ABOVE THE SKY by Helen Mort Author and poet Helen Mort was (and is) a dedicated climber and hiker, but after giving birth to her son she recognised that her passion now carried a new, deeply personal risk. What does it mean to climb, she wondered, and how do we view women who put themselves in danger – especially if they’re mothers? This…

North Wales is full of holes. Holes dug for copper, holes dug for lead, holes dug for zinc, iron, gold and manganese, and holes dug for slate. In the 19th century Blaenau Ffestiniog was the centre of the Welsh slate mining industry. When Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri (Snowdonia) was established in 1951, the area around Blaenau was excluded to permit industry to continue, creating an enclave within the National Park’s boundaries. In more recent years there were calls to absorb Eryri’s biggest hole into the park. With industry replaced by tourism as the town’s biggest employer, the spoils and scars that might once have been regarded as defacing the landscape are now viewed as an important part of it and, to many, an attraction in their own right. On the outskirts…

One day in 1985 – 10 years after a plan was hatched to help an iconic bird soar in the UK once more – a small, scrawny, bedraggled thing heaved out of an egg and collapsed with exhaustion in a huge stick nest. This was a big moment. Twelve weeks later, when that bird took to the air on untrained wings for the first time, it would make history. The first Scottish white-tailed eagle to fledge for 70 years. Nicknamed the ‘flying barn door’, fully grown white-tailed eagles are gigantic. Seeing them in flight it seems almost impossible something so massive could be airborne. But there it is, soaring away: the first nationally extinct species to be successfully reintroduced to our shores in the 20th century. This was a landmark…

1 SCHIST METAMORPHIC PAST: Silt, mud and sand that was laid down on a seabed 500-700 million years ago. Around 400 million years ago, two tectonic plates collided and these sandy beds were squashed, pressured into folds, and transformed into metamorphic rocks such as mica. This created a characteristic wavy look and mixed mineral composition. LOOKS LIKE: Grey or greenish rock with wavy foliation (banding), fine cracks and flakes. It tends to sparkle with grains of mica and develop large bands of quartz. WHERE? Across Scotland (Ben A’an pictured), Anglesey and Northern Ireland. 2 SLATE METAMORPHIC PAST: Mud and clay laid down on an ancient seabed, and then morphed under great pressure and heat to form slates. Because of the way the minerals align, it fractures easily into plates in one direction…

A Houdini for great escapes Houdini Power Houdi £195 I realised long ago I hate pullovers. Apparently a dislike of the disorientation and discomfort of pulling something over your head is quite common; it’s something about the feeling of enclosure, especially in thick fabric. So I live in zip-up hoodies, and specifically this one: the lightest, stretchiest and most versatile fleece I’ve ever worn. The main ingredient is Polartec Power Stretch Pro, a microfibre fleece insulation which is both durable (it doesn’t scuff, rip easily or start to lose its shape over time) and adaptable (warm or cold climes, and indeed climbs; it loves them all). It’s comfy as an outer layer on the summits in July, but equally so under an insulator in January. It’s also warm enough to…

This is a wonderful linear walk with very rewarding views at the top. You start at the far end of Glen Lyon, which is known as Scotland’s longest and most remote glen. Even just the drive to the start of this walk is worth the trip; the scenery is beautiful. The first part of the track up towards Sron Chona Choirein is very steep over uneven ground, but once you reach some height the walk becomes very easy, almost level, with stunning views all around you. From the summit of Stuc an Lochain (960m) the Ben Lawers Range is visible to the south-east, while you can see the famous Buachaille Etive Mor towards the west and on a clear day even Ben Nevis up in the north-west. It is a…

The vast swathe of moorland at the heart of Dartmoor National Park is one of the few remaining areas of wild land in southern England. This walk makes the most of it, spending three days walking and wild camping on a big loop of the central moor. Once you leave the road at the start, it’ll be 40km before you cross another. The first two days take in some of the highest and most remote points on the moor, including Dartmoor’s only official (higher than 600m) mountains. Day three visits the stone rows, hut circles and standing stones of neolithic and Bronze Age settlers as well as the more recent quarries, stone from which was used for the widening of London Bridge in 1903. CAUTION: This walk crosses the Okehampton,…

Jenny Walters, deputy head of content It’s 10 years this summer since I walked the Cambrian Way across Wales from Cardiff to Conwy. In 2015 it was yet to be marked on OS Maps, had a single waymarker in all 298 miles, and the only guidebook was a pamphlet with pencil sketches of the route, first written by trail creator Tony Drake in the 1980s. There are two things I remember most about the trek, other than sinking through a rotting sheep into a peat bog somewhere just south of Wales’ remotest phone box. The first thing is how quickly it got good on leaving Cardiff: south Wales may be known for its mining heritage, but its long and lofty ridgeways were a spectacular revelation. The second is how much I…

LAKE DISTRICT Hopegill Head Our mountains are home to many ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ peaks, those that present avuncular approachability with one face and foreboding hostility with another. Nestled among the Lakeland’s north-western fells, Hopegill Head’s neighbourhood is an unthreatening one. Certainly, were you to stroll towards its top from the multi-junctioned knot of paths at Coledale Hause, all would seem well. The ground grows unchallengingly towards the lumpen rise of Sand Hill – a peak so closely bonded to Hopegill Head that, were it not so wholly different from its neighbour, their twinning would be conjoined. Then a mere hop, skip and jump away is the summit of Hopegill Head itself. But, for the love of God, don’t hop, skip or jump too far. Hopegill Head disappears even quicker than…

Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), Eryri (Snowdonia) “After losing 4 stone over the last couple of years, I decided that this year I was going to push myself out of my comfort zone and get fit. Four of us decided to climb Snowdon but I chose the Watkin Path, not quite realising it was the most difficult path. I was ok doing the incline but was really out of my comfort zone on the scramble parts. I really wanted to turn back but pushed through, and we did it in 1 hour 52 minutes. I’m also doing Scafell Pike and Trek26 [for the Alzheimer’s Society] this summer. In September we are hiking in Austria, and next year we are planning Ben Nevis! Pictured from left are Tarnya Seagrave, my brother Paul Lyon,…

The route described in this story is a 7.5-mile (11.5km) traverse which includes 1150m of ascent. There are steep and pathless sections, Grade 2 scrambles at Am Fasarinen and the Western Pinnacles, and exposed ridgelines at Meall Dearg and Spidean a’ Choire Leith. There is a bypass path around the pinnacles, but that’s no picnic either – it’s narrow, loose, and still mightily exposed. Allow a full day for this adventure, and be prepared for a lack of phone signal on the ascent and descent, although 4G coverage abounds on the tops.…

THE LATEST INNOVATIONS IN OUTDOOR KIT Please don’t get cross and start writing complaint emails, but we’re about to say something that a good many of you will object to: over the past years, it feels like coffee has replaced tea as the hot beverage of choice for hikers. Yes, even Brits. The British Empire may have been built on tea, but it seems mountains are conquered on coffee. Besides, empire building is very much frowned upon these days… Now, people who care about coffee really care about coffee, but while it’s easy enough to use more quality alternatives to instant at home, it can be harder when you’re out and about – say, on the summit of a mountain, or a remote wild camp. But AeroPress offers a solution…

YOUR TESTERS A key piece of Mountain Rescue advice is that, whenever you head into the hills, at least one of your group should have a reliable means of telling the time. Why? Because knowing exactly what time it is allows you to adjust your plans based on weather conditions, daylight, or other factors that could impact your safety. And in an emergency situation, a watch will help you remember exactly when you first spoke to emergency services or even monitor a casualty’s pulse. Now, a £12 bargain will do the job, but modern GPS watches go far beyond timekeeping. They also offer detailed navigation features, route recording, weather alerts, altitude data, health and fitness tracking and more. Having access to this information on your wrist adds valuable tools to…

BRS Stove 3000T £19 25 grams. £19. Surely, there must be a catch? Not really (and don’t call me Shirley). You see, while you might raise an eyebrow at these specs, then roll your eyes when you find out that this “cheap” Chinese-made stove is often bought from Amazon rather than a ‘reputable outdoor gear shop’, the wild camping and backpacking forums and Facebook groups have been full of love for this little stove for some time. No, it doesn’t come with a pot – or even an igniter – but at this weight and this price, who cares? SOTO Amicus with Igniter £43 For a stove of its weight (81g) and packed size (4.3x4x7.5cm) this little stove packs quite a punch. With an output of 3260W, it rivals significantly…

320-340 million years ago, this part of the Peak District sat below a shallow tropical sea. Fossilised sea creatures formed spiky limestone atolls within a coral reef – and the remnants of this form the spiky ridgeline of Chrome and Parkhouse Hills. It’s often called ‘The Dragon’s Back’ because the limestone pinnacles punctuating the ridge can be reminiscent of a series of raised ‘teeth’ of a stegosaurus’s scaly spine. Until Access Land came into being in 2000, both Parkhouse and Chrome were inaccessible private land; but the fabulous full circuit of all three Ethel hills (including Hollins) only became possible relatively recently with a new concession path to access land on Hollins. In dry conditions this ridge gives an exhilarating scrambly walk over one of the Peak District’s true mini…

THE VIDEO WE CAN'T STOP WATCHING Distracting the Trail team this month has been this incredible 4½-minute film in which Chinese mountaineer and photographer Ma Chunlin sends a drone to the summit of Everest in one take. The crystal-clear 8k video begins at Advanced Base Camp on the north side of the mountain (6500m) and tracks right up the north ridge, passing several climbing teams, before reaching the 8849m summit, where a lone climber waves while watching the sunrise. Ma has attempted the shot several times over the past few years but was stymied by weather or technical problems. This time it worked perfectly, and it might be the most beautiful thing you see this month. bit.ly/everestchunlin From neck to toe Known for its ubiquitous neck tubes, Buff has branched…

AONACH EAGACH This ridge corrects any misconceptions you may have had about the word ‘narrow’. A dragon-like spine of quartzite running high above Glen Coe, the Aonach will gnash at your nerves and gnobble your knees, but in return you’ll feel more than alive while up in the clouds. It’s classed as a Grade 2 scramble by the BMC, but its sheer exposure makes it seem even harder. Book a guide if you’re in any doubt. BEINN ALLIGIN Like a stag stuck in traffic, Beinn Alligin is all about its horns. A trio of Torridonian sandstone pinnacles punctuate this stunning horseshoe of a day, with a short but satisfying scramble going at between Grade 1 and 2. Expect views of Torridon in full cinematic glory: rust-brown ramparts, plunging corries, and…

GRADE 1 An adventurous mountain walk with some moments of easy rock grappling. Scrambles are typically graded on two things – exposure and technicality – and a Grade 1 usually has only one at any one time. This is the realm of the exposed and airy ridge walk, with perhaps some use of the hands for balance; or an easy upwards clamber with plenty of hand and foot holds. Examples include Striding Edge on Helvellyn, Crib Goch on Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and the Carn Mor Dearg Arête on Ben Nevis. GRADE 2 This is the favoured scrambling grade for many – with a kick up in technicality and the likelihood of some head-spinning exposure at the same time. Prior scrambling or climbing experience is to be highly advised before tackling…

YOUR TESTER My editor thinks I’m some kind of gram-counting, minimalism-obsessed, psychologically-deranged ‘ultralighter’ – the kind of camper who’d happily sleep in a muddy ditch if it saved 50g off his base weight. That’s why he can’t understand my approach to backpacking backpacks. I always hike with a frameless, ultralight pack from niche brands like Gossamer Gear or Z Packs. I absolutely love them – they’re so light, streamlined and practical. But, alas, they’re clearly not for everyone (they lack support, can’t cope with heavier loads and offer absolutely zero ventilation) and I need to cater to the ‘average Trail reader’. Rein yourself in, James. However, while my approach is at the extreme end of the spectrum, the market seems to be shifting towards lighter backpacks, influenced by the ‘thruhiking’…

Keswick has everything you could want from a base for adventure: loads of accommodation, plenty of places to eat, and more outdoor gear shops than you can shake a carbon fibre trekking pole at. It’s also surrounded on almost all sides by classic hiking routes. We’ll start away from the headliners to check out some of the quieter yet equally talented acts out west of Keswick. Causey Pike is just one of many, but it’s one that provides a lot of bang for its buck. Skiddaw is Keswick’s guardian peak, and one of the Lake District’s busier fells, but a sneaking route up the back via Longside Edge gives you the best of the fell without having to share too much of it. And finally, while you’re in the north…

KEY FACTS Yr Wyddfa is a mountain of ridges. It’s one of the factors that makes it such a handsome massif. The rocky arêtes spoking out from its centre offer elevated routes to the summit and cup delightfully varied cwms within their outstretched arms. The notorious Crib Goch is certainly its most famous, but even Yr Wyddfa’s least thrilling ascent route makes use of a ridge to reach the summit; the Llanberis Path climbs onto the mountain’s northern spur alongside the Snowdon Railway track. But for those of us looking for something in between those two examples, a route that provides some sense of walking in the sky, but with ‘walking’ very much being the operative word, there’s an alternative – and it’s a corker. Yr Wyddfa’s South Ridge is…