Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2025 i Trail

GET 50% OFF Ordnance Survey All first-time Trail subscribers get 50% off OS Maps, the Ordnance Survey’s digital mapping service. That’s the equivalent of 607 paper maps in your pocket! PAGE 40 At the time of writing, I’m listening to a BBC news report about an emergency operation to rescue 200 hikers trapped by a blizzard on the Tibetan slopes of Everest. October snowfall this heavy is uncommon on the world’s highest peak, serving as yet another timely reminder that mountains play by their own rules. And that being well prepared for every trip, while also being prepared to turn back when things don’t feel right, are essential requirements whenever you head into high ground. The timing of the Everest story is purely coincidental, yet also fitting, as it touches…

Over land and sea, the view from the Merrick unfolds in many tens of miles, but cast your eyes skyward on a clear, starlit night and they span light years. Galloway Forest Park was the UK’s first Dark Sky Park, designated a Gold Tier park in 2009 by the International Dark-Sky Association for its world-class stargazing conditions. Unbleached by streetlights, the skies above its sparsely populated 774 square kilometres are exceptionally inky. In urban areas just a few hundred stars speckle the night sky, but here you can behold a dazzling array of 7000 stars and planets. The Milky Way - our home galaxy unravels across the sky and you can even glimpse its nearest neighbour Andromeda with the naked eye, 2.54 million light years, or 14,920,760,000,000,000,000 miles away.…

Conscience dictates that I should, in the interests of keeping as many of you alive and well as possible, offer a little advice. The most obvious and shortest route from Deepdale Bridge (where the descent rejoins the A592) back to Patterdale is along the road. However, there are no pavements and the road is tight, with the 508 buses between Penrith and Windermere scraping past each other (most figuratively, but I’ve no doubt sometimes literally) on the barely wide enough tarmac. My advice is to head briefly north over the bridge, then cross over the road and head east over fields, crossing another bridge to join the bridleway north beside the river. Pass through Beckstones and Crookabeck to rejoin a minor road at Rooking, here heading south-west back into Patterdale.…

If you think of the Yorkshire Dales you’ll probably picture a jigsaw of stone walls, tiny barns, glistening rivers and buttercupfilled meadows. Yes, that’s classic Swaledale but, higher up, there are sweeping open moors where men once laboured in search of lead and other minerals. Remnants of the hardy work these men undertook are still dotted across the landscape and you might begin the day as a seasoned hillwalker but end up as a budding industrial archaeologist. Melbecks Moor, above the tiny village of Gunnerside, is a heathery plateau with strange left-over mining craters. One piece of old machinery, a rusting four-wheeled stone crusher, resembles a space buggy left by visiting astronauts, whilst the chimney by the roofless Old Gang smelting mills stands like a rocket set to get them…

DAY 3 9 SK131603 A visit to the Hartington Cheese Factory is derigour. From the centre of Hartington, take the main B5054 road out of the village, ascending east towards the A515 road. The road goes under a stone arched bridge which is the Tissington Trail. Go under the bridge and follow the signs pointing right to join the trail. 10 SK149612 At Tissington Trail signal box turn right (north) and walk along the pleasant trail for 3km until you meet Parsley Hay. Walk past this keeping on the trail, under the bridge for another 200m until you meet a path that descends off the trail to the right and across fields towards Moscar Farm. Once through Moscar Farm continue along the footpath to meet the busy A515. With care…

1 NY321253 The walk begins just like yesterday, next to the church in Threlkeld, and heads up the incised valley of the Glenderaterra Beck before a tough hike over open moors leads to the top of Blencathra. Just west of the church, fork right onto Blease Road and continue past car park (this is a useful starting point too). Continue up past the Blencathra Field Studies Centre, cross cattle grid, walk over rough parking area and join path on east side of valley. 2 NY302256 Keep ahead for 2.5km – the good path stays broadly level and crosses a couple of tumbling streams, with old sheepfolds close to the second of these. The path crosses a third stream, named Sinen Gill, as the path bends right and dips towards a…

■ YOU Now that our team has picked the final shortlist, you have the chance to vote for your favourite image. The public vote will count as one of the five final votes alongside our four expert judges. Just scan the QR code to make your choice! ■ NADIR KHAN Adventure sports photographer and filmmaker who specialises in mountains, Nadir’s photography is widely published. He has written two photography books, Extreme Scotland and Extreme Lakeland, and you can follow him on Instagram at @nadirkhanphotography ■ KAT LAWMAN Winner of our 2022 competition with her shot of stars aligning above Yr Wyddfa and owner of photography business Adventure Nightscapes, Kat is a qualified Mountain Leader and photographer. Follow her on Instagram @adventure.nightscapes ■ TOM BAILEY Trail magazine’s long-serving photographer has probably…

Nature has little need for memories, the last two weeks of endless rain registering as nothing more than lakes brim full. Tonight the stars, and much more, shine afresh in the immediacy of now. Out in the wild, it’s the only time that matters. Who knew stars called down to the Earth? But on still, clear autumn nights like this, it seems they do. Thin, seeping sounds fall from the star-studded blackness, teasing the ear and eye. Redwings complete much of their migration here, under the cover of darkness. Nature has a gift for clandestine movement, using the oldest form of navigation; when the lights go out and the stars turn on. High on the shoulder of the tallest peak’s west ridge, a flock of dark shadows, moving too fast…

0-20mph A breeze in every way. Will have little effect other than perhaps cooling you down. 20-30mph Shouldn’t trouble your movement much, but wind chill becomes more of a factor. Keep hat and gloves handy and make sure you’ve got windproof layers. For some, this is the upper limit when considering an exposed ridge walk. 30-40mph May start to affect your balance when walking, with your foot not landing quite where you intended it to and the potential for stronger gusts to knock you sideways. It’s wise at this point to avoid edges. If you’re struggling, adopt a wide, low stance to improve stability and take smaller, stamping steps. Make sure your map and compass are secure and keep warm items in easy reach. 40-50mph Walking becomes difficult and in…

■ GORE-TEX WATER PROOFING The Skychasers have been designed to have a trainer-like feel, paired with trekking shoe performance. To that end, the ripstop upper ensures weight is kept down to keep the Skychaser feeling nimble on your feet, while abrasion-resistant overlays add durability. But, as is often the case, it’s the waterproof Gore-Tex EPE membrane that truly heralds these as proper hiking footwear, sealing out wet conditions while regulating temperature and letting your feet breathe. ■ CONTINENTAL GRIP The tread on the Skychaser is courtesy of the all-conditions grip of Continental Rubber. As you might expect from a name more associated with vehicle tyres, the grip from the Continental outsole is excellent, offering reliable traction across a range of wet and dry surfaces. This sense of security is boosted…

Ask any woman if they’re happy with the range of hillwalking kit available to them and the chances are you’ll hear a grumble. It’s rare and special to find something that fits perfectly and suits our individual needs. And when it comes to size, fit, fabrics, range of colours and suitability for purpose, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that we’re still under-represented compared with what’s on offer for men. But it used to be a lot worse, and the journey we’ve been through to get to this point is quite extraordinary. Ever since women started having the temerity to seek adventure in the outdoors, the textile industry has struggled to keep up with us. Here’s the story so far, and a plea for the future. CHAPTER 1 Pioneers in…

DAY 1 1 SK220686 From Bakewell car park, head north-east onto Station Road and follow this until you reach the old Bakewell train station (now business units). Just before the station, take the right-hand back road which crosses over the Monsal Trail. After 100m take the righthand path up through the golf course and then north-east through woods to meet the same road you left at Ball Cross Farm. Now continue on this back road for 1km to meet a track on the right which descends into the chocolate box village of Edensor (lovely café and church here). Cross the main road outside Edensor’s gated entrance and take the Limestone path north-east over the hill to a cute sandstone bridge just outside Chatsworth House. 2 SK257701 The perfect time to…

1 NY321253 Once again, the walk begins right in the centre of Threlkeld so if you have come by car it might have been parked up for a few days. Head east through the village, fork left just before the A66 and after 400m fork left again onto the track to Gategill. Walk straight ahead through the farm and past wood on the right to a gate leading out to the open slopes at the foot of Blencathra. 2 NY324262 Turn sharp right, with wall on your right, and cross Doddick Gill after 1km. Continue above Doddick Farm and keep ahead to cross Scaley Beck in a small ravine. After 300m a path forks left rising steeply but gradually above the buildings at Scales. Continue past a junction, walk along…

Meteorologist and mountain-lover David Marsh walks us through the science behind seeing far. “For big views you need great visibility – and for that you need dry air containing few aerosol particles. These particles can arise from natural sources, like sea salt or dust storms, or man-made air pollution. They reduce visibility by absorbing and scattering light, making less light reach us and reducing the clarity and colour of what we see. They also attract moisture. When the humidity is higher, water collects on the particles, enlarging them, which in turn produces more scatter and decreased clarity. Consequently visibility is usually better later in the day, when relative humidity is lower. “The type and origin of the air over us – known as the air mass – best determines how…

The north star Ronas Hill (450m) at the top of the Shetland Isles is closer to Oslo than London, and its name comes from the Old Norse for stony ground. Rare Arctic plants eke life from its slopes; a Neolithic chambered cairn crowns its summit. The big smoke At 22m, High Holborn in the City of London isn’t much to shout about climbing-wise. But it is a reason to head to England’s capital city, and a chance to walk the surprisingly sprawling London parks. My legs always ache more after a day of pavement pounding than hill climbing. BOGOF Ben Macdui, the second highest mountain in the UK at 1309m, has the distinction of being a Top for two historic counties: Banffshire and Aberdeenshire. If you haven’t climbed the most…

1 SCOTS PINE Pinus sylvestris STATS: Usually around 35m (29ft) tall, though some can grow higher, and 2.5m (8ft) around. ID: Unmistakable when mature, growing from a traditional Christmas tree-type shape to a tree that is wider or rounder at the top, with thick branches curling outwards. Bark is a grey colour with orange/red undertones. On mature tress the bark has large, flaky plates but also deep fissures. Needles are blue-green, always growing in pairs. HERE’S A FACT: Scots pine is the only pine native to the UK. 2 BIRCH Betula STATS: Silver birch gets up to 30m (98ft), while downy birch rarely gets above 20m (65ft) with a girth of 1-2m (3-6ft). ID: Both birches are rapid growers, evolved to take root quickly in freshly disturbed soil. They have papery…

Merrell Moab Speed 2 Gore-Tex £150 We’ve been using the non-waterproof Moab Speed 2 quite a bit over the summer, but in the damper months of autumn into winter, even a shoe benefits from a Gore-Tex lining. The Moab Speed 2 is a classic quick-hiker, sharing more in common with a trainer than many walking shoes, but where it really excels is in comfort, which is almost slipper-like. AKU Rocket DFS GTX £175 We could hardly have a round-up of hiking shoes without our 2025 Shoe of the Year winner! Designed for fast hiking, the Rocket DFS GTX provides excellent support while remaining lightweight, thanks to the adjustable fit of their clever dual lacing system. They offer reliable grip on diverse terrains, making them a standout option for demanding mountain…

Beyond the grey streets of Blaenau Ffestiniog, a range of shapely hills tower above and completely dominate the town. In parts, they have been nibbled at by slate quarrying, while, in others, whole hillsides have been decimated. If that wasn’t bad enough, then the concrete teeth of the Stwlan dam can be seen from many miles away, grimacing down on what once must have been a scene of exquisite beauty and grandeur. As above, so below! The brave men of the slate have also left their mark, excavating a maze of subterranean levels and huge caverns, a couple of which collapsed around the turn of the 20th century. If that sounds like the antithesis of what you look for in a day on the mountains, then take heart, for the…

DAY 2 5 SK210642 From the YHA go left along the main road to reach Hollywell Lane which descends back into Bradford Dale. When you meet the river Bradford there is a fine ‘official’ wild swimming spot here. Cross the bridge and continue up this pretty dale on the left (south and east) side of the river until you reach the end of the dale. Ignore the obvious path up a track to the right and continue left on a path winding adjacent a stream. This comes to a path junction – take the right-hand path (south) across fields to meet a road. Cross the road and continue on the middle path of three heading south and south-east across fields until you reach Gratton Grange Farm. From the farm turn…

1 NY321253 Take the track on the west side of the churchyard, go through gate and bear left over field to stile and steps at A66. Take care when crossing, go slightly left and take steps and stile behind highway barrier. Walk ahead to river, turn left over small footbridges and cross stile onto narrow lane. Turn right over bridge and follow track over line of old railway to gates leading onto open access land. 2 NY330247 Walk south alongside Birkett Beck, initially on a path with walled enclosures on the left. Leave path and head uphill (no path) with fence on right and broad sweep of Threlkeld Common on left. The rough ground continues for 700m up to a track known as the Old Coach Road – this connects…

KEY FACTS Not too far from where the Llyn Peninsula joins the main body of Wales, three mini mountains rise out of the coastal landscape to dramatic effect. Crucially, they sit far enough away from the inland massifs of Eryri (Snowdonia) to often escape the worst of the weather. A high car park to the west of the range allows efficient access. The first peak, the smallest and most northerly: Garn For (444m), is nearly half missing, such is the intensity of quarrying it’s been exposed to. But rest assured, its rocky cone provides a few exciting hands-on rock moments. But it’s the sea views that inspire, particularly north-east towards the nearby village of Trefor and its beach. The middle and highest peak of the three: Garn Ganol (564m), is…