Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2021 i The Great Outdoors

THE CULL is a new film about red deer in Scotland, and it’s beautifully shot, thought provoking and provocative. It has just picked up an award at Banff Film Festival and it’s well worth catching if you can. Its release is timely, as the Scottish Government is due to respond to the findings of an independent review of deer management shortly. The Deer Working Group addressed issues raised since the dawn of sports shooting estates in the early-mid 1800s, which have grown more urgent as society grapples with a climate and nature emergency. One key problem is that deer eat baby trees, and they are very good at it. It’s not all the deer’s fault, but Scotland has only 4% of its original native woodland cover left. And trees, as…

WHEN WINTER’S SETTLING IN, a mountaineer’s thoughts inevitably turn to The Ben. It’s not the only Ben in Scotland, of course, but if you mention The Ben, everyone knows which one you mean. Not all agree, however, on what the derivation of ‘Nevis” is. The consensus is that it comes from the old Erse neamheis, meaning ‘terrible’. Which prompts me to sound a note of caution. This account appears in a winter edition of The Great Outdoors, which is predominantly a hillwalkers’ magazine. But is The Ben a hillwalkers’ mountain? A good question, and one the answer to which depends both on the season and on the individual hillwalker. This is, after all, Britain’s highest hill. Its hulking mass, rearing above Fort William, is open to every storm wind, depression…

In the first instalment of a three-part series on winter skills, Mountaineering Instructor Rebecca Coles shows how to plan a winter ascent by preparing for a snowy day out on Ben Macdui, highest summit in the Cairngorms THE FIRST SNOWS have already touched down on the mountains, and before we know it winter will be here in its full glory. It’s an exciting time of year, but the shift from summer to winter walking takes adjustment. There is far more to consider than just having the right kit. Crucially, a change in mindset is necessary to deal with – and enjoy – this unforgiving environment. I will use the classic winter outing of Ben Macdui (1309m / 4295ft) across the Cairngorm plateau as an example of the planning considerations needed…

2020 HAS BEEN A STRANGE YEAR for outdoor enthusiasts, with the coronavirus pandemic ruining travel plans, cancelling backpacking trips and limiting our horizons. We’ve all missed the full escapism, freedom and adventure hills and mountains can offer–but this hiatus has, perhaps, served only to strengthen our love for the hills. That’s certainly the impression we’ve got from The Great Outdoors Awards. A record 12,500 of you voted; you passionately sang the praises of your favourite nominees on social media; and you got behind the whole process with fervent enthusiasm. It’s been wonderful to see; passion for the places and people you value is clearly as strong as it has ever been. The Great Outdoors Awards are an annual celebration of everything that makes our outdoor lives better. There are two…

Inov-8 Roclite Pro G 400 GTX Inov-8 has topped our footwear charts for two years in a row now. In 2019 the Inov-8 Roclite G 345 GTX took the Gold award, and this year the brand has scooped the number one spot yet again. New for 2020, the Roclite Pro G 400 GTX is a tougher, more durable evolution of the successful Roclite design, featuring the much-lauded graphene grip outsole. Judge Chris Townsend said: “These boots are superb. They perform really well and the big plus is the durability – they certainly look and feel tough despite being very light.” Scarpa Ribelle Tech 2.0 HD A winter-ready, warm mountaineering boot with an eye-catching sock-like upper, the Scarpa Ribelle Tech 2.0 HD is designed for snowy adventures. There’s mapped Primaloft insulation…

Haglöfs V Series Mimic Hood Filled with synthetic insulation called Mimic Platinum and containing graphene to reflect and retain your body heat, the Haglöfs V Series Mimic Hood provides a superb warmth-toweight ratio for cold mountain activities. “This is the warmest synthetic puffy I’ve tested at anywhere near this low weight, which is impressive – it really does warm up very quickly”, explained our tester Alex Roddie. “Another innovation is the windproof Gore-Tex Infinium layer on the inside. It feels comfortable against the skin and it’s very windproof and breathable. Another positive is that the insulation is highly compressible and lofty, and effectively mimics down, as claimed. Overall it’s very impressive.” Nikwax Hydrophobic Down Nikwax’s hydrophobic down (NHD) has been around for a while – it was launched in 2013.…

Our walks this month 1 Cairngorms Abernethy Forest 2 Central Highlands Beinn Mhic Mhonaidh 3 Cheviot Hills Windy Gyle 4 Lake District Red Screes circuit 5 Brecon Beacons Fan y Big Horseshoe CONTRIBUTORS…

1 Start/Finish 6 Wedder Leap car park, upper Coquetdale GR: NT866104 Follow road up-valley 1.2km to cross bridge. Bear R up green track beside fences onto Hindside Knowe. 2 Track continues along gentle ridge 3.5km to signpost on flank of Mozie Law. 3 Follow Pennine Way NE to border ridge, then E along ridgeline to large cairn on Windy Gyle. 4 Descend SE to gate and wide path downhill. It bends L across stream, then down to L of it. Pass R of plantation corner to gate and gravel track in trees. 5 Turn R 250m, then L through gate. Wide green path runs S, just E of Barrow Law, and down to farm. 6 Cross footbridge to track up to Barrowburn. At stile, back R along broken wall and…

Mikaela Toczek Mikaela is an outdoor instructor, expedition leader and media-maker based in South Wales. She works with young people and adults to facilitate opportunities for adventure and engagement with our incredible natural environment. Mikaela spends much of her work and play in the Brecon Beacons, which never cease to amaze and challenge. Check out her feature on trying to make the most of the region’s fleeting winter conditions on p36. Rebecca Coles Rebecca is a Winter Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor, and an International Mountain Leader. Travel restrictions have stopped her making any overseas expeditions this year, but post-lockdown she enjoyed a solo trip through her local national park by walking the Snowdonia Slate Trail. This winter she will be heading to the West Coast of Scotland to instruct winter…

Clothing ■ Carry more insulating layers. Active layers should be synthetic or woollen, which can still perform in damp conditions. A puffy down or synthetic jacket is worth carrying for rest stops. ■ A good set of waterproofs (jacket and trousers) is needed year-round. In winter these are critical to keep out wind chill. ■ Multiple pairs of gloves or mitts enable adaptation to the conditions, as well as spares if they get wet. ■ Gaiters help to keep snow out of boots. ■ Don’t forget spare layers, including an extra warm hat. Footwear: boots and crampons ■ Boots need to be compatible with the crampons being used. A summer boot (B0) is too flexible. B1 boots are suitable for walking and will take a C1 crampon, but no other.…

Equipment editor FOR THE TGO GEAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2020 we tested gear in different places across Britain, from the Cairngorms to deepest Lincolnshire. My testing was mostly done in the Cairngorms with occasional ventures into other areas of the Highlands. Some of the items I’d already reviewed for The Great Outdoors and knew pretty well. Others were new and were tested in the autumn, sometimes in rather more severe conditions than they were really designed for. Happily for me, nothing failed. I took gear on several wild camps and into the first snowstorms of the season high in the mountains as well as locally. The corner of the Cairngorms National Park where I live has woods, rough pastures, a steep rocky ravine and heather moorland for trying out…

Klättermusen Vale Judge Alex Roddie was extremely positive about this mid-layer, technical jacket from Swedish mountaineering brand Klättermusen. “It’s very impressive”, he said. “It’s lightweight, fits really well under a waterproof jacket, and is extremely warm for the weight thanks to high-quality, Primaloft Gold Active+ synthetic insulation. It’s incredibly breathable too. I can see it being ideal for winter backpacking in gnarly conditions. Sustainability is also top-notch – it’s 100% recycled polyamide, bluesignapproved and PFC-free.” Berghaus Women’s Hyper 140 A featherlight rain jacket with premium waterproofing and breathability stats, the Berghaus Women’s Hyper 140 jacket is constructed from a three-layered Hydroshell Elite fabric with a tough, ripstop exterior. You get a peaked hood, fully waterproof zip, two hand pockets, and it packs away very compactly into its own stuff sack.…

Sierra Designs Cloud 800 The Sierra Designs Cloud 800 is most notable for its zipless design and toprated technical performance. Instead of a zip, which can add weight and restrict movement, the Cloud 800 features an oversized integrated comforter that works with an insulated shoulder pocket and crescent-shaped opening to keep the comforter wrapped around the body whilst asleep and prevent heat loss. This effectively seals out draughts and delivers a new level of comfort without a feeling of being confined. There’s also a clever sleeve on the underside, which your sleeping mat slides into. The insulation has a high-quality 800 fill power and, for a minimum weight of 880g, you get a -3C comfort rating. Judge Chris Townsend said: “The Cloud 800 is great. The wrap-over style top is…

TEST NOTES: All the overtrousers except the Páramo Velez Adventure have taped seams. All sizes are Large unless otherwise stated. WATERPROOF TROUSERS are often regarded as something to be worn only when getting soaked is the alternative. Traditionally they are uncomfortable, shapeless, baggy items that rustle when you walk, and feel clammy and hot. Some are still like this. However, the best overtrousers are shaped to overcome the bagginess and are comfortable enough to wear for hours at a time. Indeed, some have features like pockets and are designed to be worn all day. These are particularly useful in winter when stopping to put on or take off overtrousers can be inconvenient. Waterproof trousers come in different weights and thicknesses. If you really don’t want to wear them unless absolutely…

1 Start/Finish Forest Lodge, Nethy Bridge GR: NJ019161 Head NE downhill towards the river. Cross a bridge and continue into the forest. 2 Turn right at a T-junction just before a fork in the track. Follow for just under 2km. 3 Go straight on at a cross-track and start climbing. The forest gradually becomes more open. 4 After the track reaches open ground, it soon becomes indistinct. Head SW towards the River Nethy, and use it as a handrail to reach the bridge. The best terrain is slightly above the lowest ground. 5 Cross the bridge and turn W on a good track to Ryvoan bothy. 6 Turn NE at a T-junction, pass Ryvoan, and continue N back towards Abernethy Forest. 7 At a junction, pass through a gate and…

1 Start/Finish Kirkstone Pass car park GR: NY401081 Go through small gate at far end of car park. Walk beside wall on R, heading gently downhill. 2 Beyond gate, signposted path veers L and follows Kirkstone Beck downstream. After wall gap, path vanishes on wet ground. Head WNW to reach another wall gap. Faint trail heads NW to bridge over Caiston Beck. 3 Having crossed, the route heads up through Caiston Glen to S. 4 Cross ladder stile in wall at Scandale Pass. Path leads down into Scandale. 5 When wall swings L, keep straight ahead, soon crossing two fords. Follow track down valley. 6 Track becomes surfaced (Sweden Bridge Lane) on edge of Ambleside. Keep straight ahead to T-junction. Turn R, then L along North Road. At next T-junction,…

A SCIENTIFIC PAPER has concluded that there is no evidence of anyone becoming infected with Covid-19 during outdoor mountain sports. This suggests “infection risk is low while pursuing these activities,” according to the research conducted by three members of Mountaineering Scotland. Henning Wackerhage, Roger Everett and Simon Richardson worked together with an international team of researchers and mountaineers from Europe and North America to review the impact of the virus on outdoor mountain sports. Their paper is currently awaiting peer review and publication, but it has been made available in draft form because of the immediacy of the current situation, both to help mountaineers and politicians. Stuart Younie, CEO of Mountaineering Scotland, said: “This draft paper is the first comprehensive study into Covid-19 as it impacts on mountain sports and…

DON’T MISS OUT! PAY THE NORMAL SHOP PRICE* AND GET THE NEXT ISSUE DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR. ORDER TODAY! ORDER ONLINE AT: SHOP.KELSEY.CO.UK/TGOFEB21 CALL NOW ON: 01959 543747** QUOTE REF: TGOFEB21 Terms & Conditions: Terms and conditions apply. You should receive your copy around December 25 if you order before December 11 and as soon as is possible if you order after that date. *Delivery is included in the cover price for UK customers only. An additional £1 will be added to any overseas addresses. **Lines are open Mon-Fri 8.30am - 5.30pm. Calls charged at your standard network rate. Front cover is for illustration purposes and subject to change.…

HOW IT WORKS The TGO Gear of the Year Awards work slightly differently to the public voting of the Reader Awards. Instead, in our gear categories, brands are invited to submit entries detailing new and innovative products they feel are most deserving of recognition. Samples are submitted for testing and our panel of judges give them a good old thrashing out in the mountains. Judges then assess the products’ relative merits, with a particular focus on innovation, and decide on awards.…

Petzl IKO Core This innovative headtorch is lightweight (79g) with premium stats (500 lumens and 100 hours of burn time) and a versatile battery set-up too – re-charge via USB or switch out for three AAAs. But it’s the wacky design that made this headtorch a firm favourite of judge James Forrest. He said: “Petzl has totally re-imagined the headtorch with this eye-catching, modern design. There is no fabric headband. Instead you get the so-called AIRFIT headband, a sleek, semi-rigid band with a sunglasses-like fit and shape. It’s super-comfy, with weight balanced evenly between the rear battery pack and front lamp plate. The frame also folds away compactly into a carry case, which doubles as a nifty tent lantern when the torch is on – ingenious stuff.” Coros Apex Pro…

Polartec Creator of the original synthetic fleece in 1981, this year (2021) Polartec is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its first breakthrough innovation. But the brand is not resting on its laurels and has spent the past four decades focusing on continual innovation and development: inventing high-loft fleece, pioneering post-consumer recycling, developing grid construction with Polartec Power Grid, reinventing stretch fabric and revolutionising the softshell category with Polartec Power Shield. 2020 saw another key breakthrough too – the Polartec Power Air lightweight version, an ingenious new knit construction that not only reduces microfibre shedding (saving millions of micro-plastics from polluting the environment) but also encapsulates air to retain warmth. Judge James Forrest said: “Considering it is 40 years since Polartec invented the fleece, it seems only right to recognise its…

PrimaLoft Bio PrimaLoft Bio is a biodegradable, 100% recycled synthetic insulation and performance fabric. It’s made from 100% recycled plastic bottles that biodegrade in specific environments. When PrimaLoft Bio is exposed to oceanwater, wastewater or landfill environments, naturally occurring microbes break down the fibres to their natural elements, without leaving behind any harmful waste – and they do so at a dramatically faster rate than standard polyester. But what does this all mean? Well, it means a drastic reduction in micro-plastics polluting our land and oceans, improved soils for plant growth, and a circularly sustainable process (PrimaLoft Bio can be repeatedly repurposed into a high-performance material). Judge Chris Townsend said: “I’ve found PrimaLoft Bio insulation to be soft, warm and highperforming. It’s an important innovation because it’ll be used by…

I LOVE TESTING down jackets: there’s nothing like that feeling of puffy warmth around my body, while my cold face and fingers twitch with winter-shock. Plus, women’s down garments keep improving, with lighter and more innovative face fabrics, plus an increasing awareness of recycling and down tracing. In the past I’ve talked about both down and outer fabrics becoming more resilient against damage from moisture. Sometimes it’s courtesy of a durable water-repellent (DWR) finish, or because the down clusters have been treated (usually with a Nikwax product) to become hydrophobic (water-repelling). Treating the down helps it retain ‘loft’ (fluffiness) and absorb less moisture from inside (sweat) or outside, leading to faster drying times and better durability. DWR also protects the fill from snow, mist or general dampness; but do remember…

1 Start/Finish At the roadside near Eas Urchaidh GR: NN243320 There is usually space near the bridge over the beautiful falls of the Eas Urchaidh. (It is worth looking at the Easan Dubha further up the river as well.) 2 Follow the forest road uphill, turning R to cross the Allt Broighleachan at a clearing deep in the forest, and continue to the forest edge. 3 Beinn Mhic Mhonaidh stands high above on steep grassy slopes. Take your preferred line to the top. The most popular line follows the left bank of the mountain burns, which cut surprisingly deep into the hillside. 4 Return the way you came, or follow the ridge SW for a kilometre to prolong the day before dropping steeply back down into Coire Chailleach. 2 Craig…

1 Start/Finish Blaen y Glyn Uchaf car park GR: SO056175 Take the well-marked path next to the cattle grid at the entrance to the car park, heading uphill in a northerly direction. 2 As the gradient levels off, continue northerly, skirting the edge of the plateau with valley on R. Cross stream and continue NE to head of valley. 3 At saddle take path on L, heading SW. Follow edge of escarpment with the ground falling away sharply on your R. 4 Resist temptation to follow main path downhill. Instead, continue N to summit of Fan y Big, then descend steeply W towards Cribyn. 5 At saddle take wide path S, descending gently down the valley. 6 Go into and out of gully, through gate and follow wide track skirting…