Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2021 i The Great Outdoors

Size: 297x420mm (A3) Medium: digital illustration ARTIST SARA JULIA CAMPBELL specialises in fantasy illustrations, her work leaping off the page and tempting you to worlds unknown. When she decided to start capturing reality in her work, Scotland’s unique landscapes steeped in myth and folklore seemed the logical choice. “Most of my work used to be fantasy-based,” notes Sara, “but lockdown changed that. I started missing the ability to travel in real life, so I travelled through my art instead.” Sara is drawn to the unusual shapes and rock formations that are found across Scotland. “Bow Fiddle Rock in Portknockie always stood out to me,” she explains. “It’s one of those places that has a fairytale quality about it. “This was the first time I captured this location. I sketched, inked…

In last month’s issue, TGO founding editor Roger Smith addressed the expected surge of people flocking to the countryside after lockdown restrictions are lifted, and called for a national effort to protect the environment as we go forward. We asked – what policies would you implement if you were in charge? This is what you had to say: @Spencer745 (Twitter): More ‘park and rides’ where possible. Cars which are illegally parked and causing a danger towed away, or maybe just remove a wheel so they can ring and wait the return of said wheel along with large fine. Ian Price (Facebook): A joined-up policy for the national parks to get traffic (and parking) under control. Ban visitors cars from the overburdened NPs; provide park and ride with good, small, regular…

6.7 MILLION PEOPLE have taken part in the award THE GOLD AWARD requires a four-day outdoors expedition There are approximately 40,000 volunteers INVOLVED IN RUNNING THE AWARD The DofE Charity was formed sixty four YEARS AGO PARTICIPANTS ARE AGED 14➝24 In 2021, 490,000 people are participating in the programme ARCHIVE “One of the finest moments in my life was in the Cairngorms, in the very early morning, on my own. I was impelled by some inner force to stop and I took in, for a few minutes, the very rare experience of total silence.” ROGER SMITH The Great Outdoors, November 2000…

In 2020, Amira Patel set up a group for Muslim women looking to connect with the outdoors. The Wanderlust Women has since attracted more than 2,000 Instagram followers, made the National Diversity Awards’ nominations shortlist, and introduced dozens of women from diverse backgrounds to outdoor adventuring. How did Wanderlust Women get started? I officially started it a year ago. I did set up a casual women’s walking group a few years back, but back then not as may people were interested. I think many felt there wasn’t a community out there or groups they could join. Then we went into lockdown and I noticed there were more people interested because there was nothing else to do! I put a post on Instagram saying we shouldn’t let how we look and…

Published by Unbound, £25, hardback DURING A PERIOD when the outdoor community is doing some soul searching with regard to female safety, this timely new anthology throws light on women’s experiences in the natural world. In an extract from Motherwell: A Girlhood, published posthumously in 2020, “bad men” – including a “wanking skinhead” and a “smartly dressed” attacker – threaten to derail a young Deborah Orr’s growing fascination with the woods near her high-rise childhood home. Thankfully, they fail – and Orr persists with getting to know the trees, plants, dragonflies and beetles of Muirhouse. “Each new find made me feel I was like local boy David Livingstone, charting a jungle unseen by a single soul…” But Women on Nature is not just about female safety or women’s experiences in…

“No amount of snacks were going to get us through the next two hours without a fair amount of sulking. And that was just the adults.” WHAT TO DO, when the school holiday coincides with un-lockdown and a veritable festival of fevered families desperate to escape the mean city streets? Here in the Scottish Highlands it’s a whole new tourist ballgame, post-Covid. With international travel off the cards, there’s been an inevitable influx of visitors every time guidance permits, often without the facilities to cope. In the summer of 2020, the news and social media were awash with images of ‘dirty campers’, which helped no-one and triggered many. Thankfully, we’re all heading into 2021 with a clearer understanding of so-called ‘visitor management’ and more rangers, loos and public information; but…

Getting there: Slovenia has borders with Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. Easyjet flies to Ljubljana, the greenest capital in Europe, from Gatwick and Luton; another option is Ryanair to the quiet airport at Trieste in Italy, close to the border. Travel by train is quite possible – one option, for instance, is a combination of Eurostar to Paris, TGV to Zurich and sleeper train to Ljubljana. With a bit of planning, a one-way combination ticket can be arranged for as little as £150. When to go: May to September is the ideal time for walking and outdoor activities, when daytime temperatures are usually around 25°C. Tourist information: slovenia.info covers travel and transport, accommodation, practical details, publications and more. It also offers plenty of information about hiking trails and outdoor activities. Book: The…

Gregory has a new range of daypacks made from 100% postconsumer recycled fibres: in other words, from plastic waste. Gregory says the carbon footprint of the new Resin packs is 58% lower than using conventional nylon, and the packs save 49% energy and 39% water during production. The range comprises 24, 26 and 30 litre sizes costing £80, £90 and £100 respectively; and all have extra-wide openings, zipped outside pockets, side bottle holders, airmesh backs and airmesh shoulder harnesses. eu.gregorypacks.com…

The North Face has made a new commitment to the environment with its ‘Exploration Without Compromise’ programme. The company has set an ambitious goal to ensure all its clothing is made with recycled, regenerative, organic or responsibly sourced renewable fabrics by 2025, and all its footwear and equipment by 2030. Another goal is to eliminate single-use packaging by 2025. The North Face is also launching a scheme called Renewed, initially in Germany, that turns its linear business model into a circular one where clothing can be resold, repaired and recycled to keep it out of landfill. Renewed will offer a collection of refurbished products. thenorthface.co.uk/innovation/sustainability.html…

Our walks this month 1 Central Highlands Beinn a’ Chlachair 2 Lake District Lank Rigg 3 North York Moors Two Howes & Hazel Head 4 Black Mountains Mynydd Llysiau 5 Somerset Selworthy Beacon & Porlock Bay CONTRIBUTORS…

13km/8 miles/4-5 hours Ascent 520m/1700ft 1 Start/Finish Roadside parking for a few cars near cattle grid on the Cold Fell road, about 6.5km south of Ennerdale Bridge GR: NY055100 Walk N along Cold Fell road for 3.2km. 2 At sharp left bend, leave road by turning R along rough track. Keep R at faint fork. When track disappears, continue E, following River Calder upstream. 3 After fording second tributary beck, head roughly NE up Whoap’s western slopes. When gradient eases, faint path gradually swings SE. 4 Beyond flat summit area, path drops slightly. Now take faint trail SSW – into saddle and then up to Lank Rigg. 5 From trig pillar, follow faint path SW. When this vanishes, head SSW towards Boat How. 6 About 1km beyond trig pillar, head…

Rebecca Coles Rebecca is an International Mountain Leader, and a Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor, based in north Wales. Recently, she has been enjoying getting back to work in the mountains and talking to more people than her partner, neighbours, and the dog! Although there is still snow on the summits in Snowdonia, the apple blossom is out and she’s looking forward to a summer of exploring the quiet hills and crags of north Wales. Check out her story of walking the Snowdonia Slate Trail after emerging from last year’s lockdown on p40. Helen Teasdale Helen works as a Senior Instructor at Plas y Brenin, the National Outdoor Centre in Snowdonia, and is fortunate enough to live in north Wales. As a keen climber and mountaineer, Helen’s climbing career has led…

With travel restrictions gradually lifting across the UK, our inbox has been filled with an influx of joy as people get reacquainted with their favourite hills, woodlands, coastlines and trails. Here are our pick of the images shared with us this past month… Mel Garside (@melgarside, Instagram): “Never old, just gold… No matter how many times I’ve seen this view it’s always such a stop-you-in-your-tracks and ‘look at me’ moment… Definitely one of Snowdonia’s top 10 views.” Jessica Mather (image shared by @jessicamather_, image take by @adrianconchie Instagram): “There are very few days like this in the Lake District. I’ll remember this one for sure. Brill day grabbing two new Wainwrights, catching up with friends, epic scenery, beautiful weather finished with a few pints and a pizza… Saturdays done right!?”…

THE WOMEN IN ADVENTURE FILM COMPETITION from the BMC is entering its seventh year, and all entries are available to watch online. The competition, which runs in joint partnership with Sheffield Adventure Film Festival and competition sponsor Montane, aims to have more women in front of and behind the camera. The competition features the new ‘Make A Difference Award’ category, aimed at encouraging narratives that highlight the women and their projects that are promoting the important issues – whether that be combating the climate crisis, promoting sustainability, amplifying diversity, or uniting society behind a valuable cause through the outdoor community. One film will also scoop the ‘Most Watched’ award, determined by how many viewers at home watch the films on the BMC’s YouTube channel. The winners will be announced and…

WHEN A NEW WINDFARM comes along, our natural reaction as walkers is to say something like: “Well, we’re all in favour of renewable energy. But this particular windfarm is in the wrong place.” And the next windfarm proposal? Also in the wrong place. One of the first windfarms in Scotland was on Windy Standard, in Galloway between Carsphairn and Sanquhar. In case you can’t place Windy Standard, it’s about five miles north of the Southern Upland Way. I could place Windy Standard, all right. It was six miles from where I lived at the time, right on my high-level hillwalk to Glentrool. And there wasn’t any argument about it. Windy Standard (despite the name) was absolutely the wrong place for a windfarm. But after every windfarm ever proposed turns out…

“Even on coloured paper [i.e. of the map] that country around Ben Alder bore the unmistakable stamp of the wild and the wilderness, recessed by corries great enough to have at their backs still greater fastnesses, where secret things awaited inquiry.” W.H. Murray Ben Alder might not be the prettiest mountain in Britain – it’s a huge, undulating sprawl of a plateau lying north-east of Loch Ericht, and for a mile or more it tops the thousand-metre contour – but what it is, beyond dispute, is one of the major and most isolated hill massifs in the Scottish Highlands. Which of course brings its problems. There have been notable tragedies here. In January, 1951 for example, a fit party of four men and one woman, all five experienced mountaineers and…

David shares a few tips on how to go ‘bikepacking’ – multi-day lightweight camping journeys by mountain bike – with a family. Is there a definitive difference between bike touring and bikepacking? I seriously doubt it. People have been going on pedal-powered multi-day trips for the purposes of recreation almost as long they have been backpacking for the same reason. Bikes have diversified and then come back full circle (the modern cow-bar ‘gravel bike’ is pretty much a 90s mountain bike with better brakes) and panniers and racks now compete with bar, frame and saddle packs. But, just like backpacking, the kit may have changed yet the activity itself remains pretty much the same. Bike touring tends to be seen as something that happens on tarmac, moving from town to…

START: Bangor, GR SH580722 FINISH: Bethesda, GR SH622668 Distance: 134km / 83 miles Ascent: 4450m / 14,600ft Duration: 4-7 days Difficulty: Moderate. Not as challenging or remote as the Cape Wrath Trail but more challenging than Hadrian’s Wall. A shorter Pennine Way. Hill fitness is required for the ascents, as well as the ability to navigate. Accommodation: There is a good selection of accommodation (including campsites), especially in the northern section. Some more planning is required in the south of the route, which is less visited and therefore has fewer accommodation options. Transport: Public transport can be taken to the start and from the finish. The closest train station is at Bangor. Buses are available close to other sections. Supplies: Food can be bought at towns and villages along the…

Gordale Scar This limestone chasm may have been caused by underground cave collapse or by meltwater from the Ice Age. Look out for the orange flowstone where the stream dumps out dissolved minerals. Jurassic Coast Path Travel through 200 million years of history (three full geological periods) over 100 miles of coast. There are plenty of ammonites to admire, not to mention the impressive Durdle Door sea arch. Conic Hill Islands across Loch Lomond mark the ‘Highland Line’ fault plane. Underfoot the path runs on cobblestones washed out of a long-lost mountain range. Coire Lagan The crystalline gabbro rock here is cut by basalt dykes. Glacier scratches and smoothed boilerplate slabs provide even more geological interest. Back of Beinn Eighe Quartzite is the key to this weird ‘lunar landscape’. Fossil…

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/TGOJUL21 CALL NOW ON: 01959 543747** Terms & Conditions: Terms and conditions apply. You should receive your copy around June 19 if you order before June 3 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.…

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Hanwag has launched a low-cut version of its Banks GTX boots for warm-weather walking. The shoes are made from leather and suede, and come with either a Gore-Tex or leather lining. Underfoot there’s a PU midsole with heel stabiliser and an outsole with 10% recycled rubber. The Banks Low is available in both a standard version and Hanwag’s specialist Bunion Fit. The former costs £170, the latter £180, and both come in men’s and women’s fit. hanwag.com…

RECOMMENDED Black Diamond Highline Stretch Shell £280 375g (L) durable DWR, lightweight hood adjustment and size Materials: 3-layer BD.dry stretch nylon with GTT DWR Hood: helmet-compatible, rear drawcord, stiffened peak Front closure: YKK Aquaguard zip with inner flap Length: front 72cm, rear 76cm Underarm zips: YKK Aquaguard Pockets: 1 chest, 2 YKK Aquaguard hand Hem: drawcord Cuffs: Velcro Sizes: men S-XL, women XS-XL Back in December the Black Diamond Highline Stretch Shell won Silver in the clothing category of the TGO Gear of the Year Awards. I said then “The jacket works perfectly well, but it’s the durability of the DWR (durable water repellency) that’s the big plus point. It’s significant because at present most PFC-free DWRs are less durable than PFC ones.” I’ve since worn the jacket many times…

21km/13 miles/6-7 hours Ascent 860m/2820ft 1 Start/Finish Layby on A86 near Luiblea GR: NN434830 Leave parking to cross road bridge on left over River Laggan and take track heading SE then E to Lochan na h’Earba. 2 Follow track along southern shore, crossing small wooden bridge and picking up path which swings right to ascend E by Allt Coire Pitridh to Bhealaich Leamhain. 3 Turn right and tackle boulder slopes head on, climbing S to reach plateau, then follow line SW over 972m top and curve round edge of Coire Mor a’ Chlachair to summit. 4 Return NE from summit for short distance before turning NW to descend along right shoulder of corrie, and further down aim for stream crossing point. 5 Once over stream, follow path to Lochan na…

14km/8.7 miles/5 hours Ascent 440m/1450ft 1 Start/Finish Goathland car park GR: NZ833013 From the car park, head southwards down the village main street and at the road junction with a mini-roundabout continue ahead on the grass moorland of Moss Rigg. As the track splits, take the L path leading S, bringing you to the L of The Tarn on Old Kit Bield. 2 Keep to the main path as it skirts to the R of Two Howes before veering R to the pile of stones at Simon Howe. 3 Turn R at Simon Howe along the Lyke Wake Walk footpath. Go straight across the main path above Wheeldale Lodge and continue W downhill to the valley bottom. Cross Wheeldale Beck at the stepping-stones, then veer L to ascend Skivick Crag.…

9.3km/5.8 miles/3 hours Ascent 490m/1585ft 1 Start/Finish Lane near drive to Rhyd-fawr GR: SO190264 Park at tiny layby (two cars) 100m S of drive to Rhyd-fawr, or on verge nearby. Walk up tarmac drive from FP sign, and through farm gate – or cross stile. Cross yard to gate opposite and enter field. Turn R along field edge. Cross stile and continue to next fence. Turn uphill to corner of field and pass metal gate. Pass small gate into enclosure with barn and head 50m uphill to broken stile. Climb over onto moor. (Ignore FP marked on map.) 2 Follow path by wall uphill along edge of moor, then follow wall up. Where wall and fence turn sharp R by gate, leave and continue straight ahead up shoulder of high…

18km/11.2 miles/6-7 hours Ascent 790m/2590ft 1 Start/Finish Car park at Whitstone Post on A39 west of Porlock GR: SS856462 Cross A39 and take path SE above Shillett Combe to enter Hawkcombe Woods National Nature Reserve and continue ahead to track. Turn sharp R, walk downhill for 350m and turn L by stream in wooded valley. 2 Follow broad path through valley and keep ahead in Hawk Combe via gate and two footbridges. Continue to join lane into Porlock. 3 Turn R by church at junction with A39, pass through village and fork L on lane to Bossington. Continue ahead for 1km, fork R and go R at junction by green. 4 Turn L at West Lynch after 300m and take lane, then track, to gate in wood. Walk uphill through…

Published by Sandstone Press, £8.99 Available as e-book and paperback SURELY MOST of us who roam the hills have been drawn into a spot of hill-bagging at some stage, whilst many have taken the bait completely and become completely obsessed with ticking peaks off their list. Although Craig Weldon’s book (re-released after its first publication in 2009) primarily covers bagging Munros with some Marilyns and Corbetts thrown in for good measure, it is more concerned with the pros and cons of catching the bagging bug than with the associated experiences, and it doesn’t attempt to act as a route guide for any of the hills climbed. Both sides of the bagging divide are covered. The frustration of your head telling you to crack on to climb a cluster of peaks…

CONTENT SPONSORED BY IT’S NOT ALWAYS EASY planning an outdoors-centric family holiday. Even kids who love being outside (and most do, once you’ve wrestled the iPad off them and ‘lost’ the batteries for the TV remote) tend to tire quickly, complain like the world’s ending about rain / cold toes / lack of snacks, and get through at least ten pairs of socks per day. Not ideal qualities in a backpacking companion. The solution is compromise. Fun, treats and a spot of extra comfort for them; adventure, isolation and plenty of hillwalking potential for you. From semi-wild camping to self-powered island hopping, these top trips should keep everybody happy… COASTS AND CAVES, EIGG All the best family adventures begin with a boat trip. Hop on a ferry from Mallaig to…

THUNDER CRASHED and echoed around a huge limestone amphitheatre. The sultry weather had been closing in since lunchtime, and splashes of rain now peppered the pools below an unusual wire footbridge. A rusty lever eased the cage – with room for just one person at a time – across the gorge and the obligatory family photo was taken once everyone was safely on the far bank. Dank mist drifted along the cliffs but, despite the torrential downpour, bright smiles beamed into the camera. An hour later, we sought shelter under the leaking canopy of a shepherd’s hut. The deluge wouldn’t stop – but compared to Slovenia’s great military thunderstorms during World War One, these rocky reverberations were nothing more than tinkles from a child’s xylophone. Around 300,000 soldiers lost their…

CONTENT SPONSORED BY PART FOUR: HOW TO MASTER ‘SMARTPACKING’ TO ENJOY BACKPACKING you need to be as comfortable as possible both when walking and when camping. This means compromises are necessary when selecting your gear. With a minimum of ultralight gear you may be very comfortable on the trail, but not so happy in camp. But if you take heavy gear for camp, walking may be painful due to the weight of your pack. The former may be acceptable if you’re going for fast times and high mileage, the latter if you’re only a walking a short distance to a camp where you’ll stay a few days; but for most backpacking a middle way is best so you can be reasonably comfortable all the time. It’s all too easy to…

This year’s version of Primus’s stove system, the Lite+, has been updated – and now has a pot with an integrated pouring spout, plus a moulded lid made from 95% bioplastic that can also be used as a mug. The G-1000 Eco outer sleeve has a new cork lining that offers excellent insulation and protects your hands. The pot sleeve also features an integrated pocket for a long-handled spoon. In addition, the burner has a new gas valve with a large control know for easier use with cold hands or when wearing gloves. primus.eu…

NEMO’s Dagger Ridge Porch 2-person tent has a 3.9m2 square metre porch – big enough for two camp chairs or even bicycles. The porch has a wide doorway too, so you can sit under shelter while watching the outdoors, plus loops for string lights and a lantern. There’s a smaller rear vestibule. The flysheet is made from silicone/PU-coated nylon, the inner from nylon ripstop and No-See-Um mesh. The inner is roomy, with a floor area of 2.9m2. It weighs 2.99kg and costs £550. If you want even more room there’s a 3-person version with the same size porch but an inner floor area of 4.1m2. This weighs 3.32kg and costs £650. Dagger Ridge Porch tents are available from Trekitt: trekitt.co.uk nemoequipment.com…

Closed cell foam ADVANTAGES Durable Inexpensive Can't be punctured DISADVANTAGES Bulky Not as comfortable as inflatable mats Self-inflating foam ADVANTAGES Less effort to inflate Warm Comfortable Reasonable cost DISADVANTAGES Can be punctured Above-freezing temperatures only Insulated airbed ADVANTAGES Warm Very comfortable DISADVANTAGES Can be punctured Expensive Features 1. Size Most mats come in two or more lengths. Shorter mats are lighter and lower-bulk but in cold conditions other insulation such as spare clothing will be needed under the lower legs. Most mats are around 51cm wide. Some are tapered to save weight. Women’s specific shapes exist that are shorter and designed around an average women’s body shape. Back sleepers with broad shoulders may prefer wider mats. 2. Thickness Comfort is related to thickness with mats. Thin ones can be quite…