Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2021 i The Great Outdoors

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£6.99 (ebook), £12.99 (paperback) TWENTY-FOUR YEARS AGO Andrew Terrill packed in his job and set out to explore the ‘other’ Europe – the hidden wild Europe – on a 7000-mile walk from the southern tip of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea to Norway’s North Cape on the Arctic Ocean. Now he’s written the story of this exciting and challenging venture. Just published, The Earth Beneath My Feet covers the first eight months of the journey, during which the author walks the length of the Apennine mountains and into winter in the Alps. I’ve known about this book since I met Andrew on my Colorado Rockies walk two years ago. Back then the book wasn’t completely finished and he wasn’t sure whether to look for a publisher or go down the…

THE QUOTE IN THE HEART of this page gives some background to the state of affairs which obtained on the Derbyshire moors prior to the 1932 Mass Trespass. Stanage High Neb’s not the highest of hills, barely exceeding the 1500-foot contour (458m). Some might argue that it’s not a hill at all, being no more than the highest point on what for me is the most appealing and varied of all the millstone grit edges of the Pennines - the four-mile escarpment of Stange Edge. But it’s a huge presence, majestic, brooding, spacious, prominent, and visible for miles around among the Peak’s brown and purple, grey-outcrop-fringed landscapes. We’re on crossover terrain here between rock climbing and hillwalking territory. High Neb, for all its dubious status as independent summit certainly features…

PETER’S ROUTE Distance: 11km / 7 miles Ascent: 1034m / 3400ft Ascent: 4 - 5 hours (excluding time at camp) START / FINISH: Succoth GR: NN294049 DIFFICULTY: Some good paths, some slightly exposed scrambling sections on the approach to Beinn Narnain’s summit and long sections of very rough, trackless terrain. Information: The route starts at the Succoth car park, crosses the busy A83 and follows the zigzag path up through the trees. Leave the trees at 300m and follow the path towards the Narnain Boulders. Before you reach the boulders, strike right onto open ground towards the wide gully that leads to the bealach between Beinn Narnain and Cruach nam Miseag. The terrain here is mixed heather, grass and overgrown boulder field and can be hard going in places –…

START: Meder’s Yurt Camp, Kok Kiya Valley Duration: 4-6 days Difficulty: Challenging walking with some steep attitude climbs. No horse riding experience necessary. Terrain: Generally good with well-maintained paths. No scrambling required. Further information: Maximum altitude: Mountain Mama (4021m). When to go: June to September. Tour operator: nomadsland.ch/en/tours Hiking group: meetup.com/GO-London/ How to get there: Turkish Airlines fly from London Heathrow to Bishkek Manus International (via Istanbul). Pegasus Airlines fly from London Stansted to Bishkek Manus International (via Istanbul).…

1. Thórsmork to Skogar Distance: 25km / 16 miles Time: 12 + hours Difficulty: challenging (if completed in one day) A hike through some of Iceland’s most recently formed volcanic scenery, including the Fimmvörðuháls pass, which takes you past two newly-formed lava flows and two of Iceland’s newest mountains, Magni and Móði. 2. Skaftafjell to Kristínartindar Distance: 18km / 11 miles Time: 6-8 hours Difficulty: Challenging An exciting route that takes in several waterfalls and heads up past the Skerhóll, Nyrðrihnauk and Gimludalur volcanoes. The last section follows a steep slope that runs across a landslide until you reach a gap between the peaks. Some scrambling skills are required (but no technical rope skills needed). 3. Mörsárdalur valley to Kjós Distance: 30km / 19 miles return Time: 8-10 hours. Difficulty:…

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25km/15.5 miles/10-12 hours Ascent 1280m/4170ft 1 Start/Finish Coireshubh ruin on road to Kinloch Hourn GR: NG958054 Park beside ruin, follow road W to its end at farmhouse then continue on to Barrisdale Path alongside loch. 2 Shortly after passing above the lochside house at Skiary, leave path and ascend SW over rough ground to reach top of Allt a’ Chamuis Bhain then head W over rockier terrain to East Top then main summit of Meall nan Eun at 667m. 3 Head S for about 300m then drop ESE on rough but easy slopes to floor of Glen Barrisdale. 4 Cross the river (may be difficult in spate) and head straight up N ridge of Slat Bheinn to the summit at 700m. 5 Drop E through slabby pavements and follow the…

19.8km/12.3 miles/6-7 hours Ascent.600m/1970ft 1 Start Strumble Head car park/bus stop GR: SM895412 Follow Coast Path (CP) S to Pwll Deri YH. 2 Detour from CP to climb Garn Fawr: cross road opposite YH drive, head up drive to holiday cottages, then follow path that climbs directly to top (trig point). Return same way. Continue along CP eventually descending to Aber Bach. 3 Usually stream trickles through pebble beach here and is easy to cross. But if not, i.e. after heavy rain, there’s an alternative inland route signed along valley path via road bridge. Or just remove footwear and wade across! 4 Just W of Abercastle, short detour to view Careg Sampson is worthwhile. At Aber Draw turn L up lane back to Trefin (or as shortcut turn off CP…

Alex Roddie Regular contributor Alex Roddie has been easing himself back into long-distance walking in the Peak District with a 110km (68 mile) circuit of the White and Dark Peak in excellent summer weather. Later in the summer a return to Scotland is planned – for some hillwalking as well as a book launch (his Cape Wrath Trail book, The Farthest Shore, comes out in September). He’s also been writing a new coffee-table book on trekking in the Alps. In this issue he puts a range of GPS watches to the test (p80), profiles Tryfan (p16) and takes us through map-reading basics (p66). Jessie Leong This month has seen outdoor photographer, filmmaker and writer Jessie Leong roaming the fells of the Lake District in glorious midsummer weather to shoot photography…

PAY TOO MUCH ATTENTION to social media and you might be forgiven for thinking that it’s all over for our uplands and wild places. With the rise of ‘dirty’ camping and fly tipping, inconsiderate and poorly equipped walkers, overcrowded honeypot areas, devastating moorland fires, and threats to wildlife and habitats, what hope is there left for the hills? Our social feeds have been filled by images of trashed, abandoned campsites, rants about how popular places like the Lake District and the west coast of Scotland have been overwhelmed by the wrong sort of visitor. It looks bleak, but what resemblance does this bear to what we actually experience out there? Are things really this bad, or have a relatively small number of incidents in a handful of locations tainted the…

£9.99 LINEAR JOURNEYS across the UK, on foot from A to B, have become a bit of a genre in recent years. Such walks have often tended to follow the lie of the land, but Laurence Mitchell has broken the mould with his (almost) straight-line wander from east to west, cutting across the grain from Great Yarmouth to Aberystwyth. His route slices through ancient geology and historical bedrock, and his narrative blends a geographer’s store of knowledge with perceptive observations of our natural and man-made environments. But this wasn’t a continuous stride through the countryside and the author often shuttled back and forth, on public transport, between home, friends’ houses and a scattering of pubs and B&Bs. His perseverance proves that, with a bit of forward planning, buses and trains…

CONTENT SPONSORED BY “AS SOON AS I SAW YOU, I knew a grand adventure was about to happen.” It’s a saccharine Disney quote from Winnie-the-Pooh, but it’s exactly how it feels as I spot my pals outside the café in Grange. Big smiles and hugs. Cheeky banter and fits of laughter. This is how our Lake District weekender starts. After this isolated year, the buzz of friendship wraps around us like a blanket, and we taste again – almost like a sense of déjà vu – the camaraderie of an expedition shared. A year starved of social contact is behind us, and only the trail lies ahead. We’re four friends off an adventure, and I for one am as excited as Pooh Bear around a pot of honey. “How many…

I think there are two main considerations when planning to take someone on their first wild camp: one is enjoyment and the other is safety. If whatever you plan to do fulfils both of those goals, you can’t go far wrong. Both align surprisingly closely. For instance, is your campsite secure and comfortable? Can you get back from it easily enough? If the answers are yes, then you should be having a good time and be safe while you’re there. This extends to everything you do out there. Cooking by gas should be explained and demonstrated if your pal isn’t used to using similar equipment, because burns and scalds far from home are no laughing matter. Clothing choice is important, as is a first aid kit. Will your friend get…

1. Go onto the website and use their search engine to see what hiking groups are available in your local area. 2. See how often events take place and how many members typically turn up for hikes. It’s best if this number is relatively high, or events could be cancelled. 3. Some groups have niches or themes. These could be things like walks by the water, endurance hillwalking and hikes for people who don’t like early starts. 4. A few groups work nationally. For example, AAA, Outdooraholics and Backabush specialise in weekends away up and down the UK. You can meet these groups at an agreed location. 5. Joining a Meetup hiking group is generally free and signing up takes a few moments. 6. The day hikes start at around…

Maps: Hornstrandir - Iceland 1:100,000 topographic hiking map, £16.99 Getting there: From Reykjavík, fly to Ísafjörður (about 1 hour). We chartered a boat from Ísafjörður to Hornstrandrir. There’s a regular ferry too: boreaadventures.com/boat_tours/ Guidebook: Our itinerary was self-planned, but a useful guide is Walking and Trekking in Iceland by Paddy Dillon (£17.95, Cicerone Press) Information: www.westfjords.is ITINERARY Day one: Hesteyri to Hloduvik (15km) Day two: Hloduvik to Hornvik (12km) Day three: Hornvik to Horn (15km, circular) Day four: Hornvik to Fljotavatn (16km) Day five: Hloduvik to Latravik (20km)…

Gear News New shoes for active summer days from Hanwag Hanwag has launched two new shoes for this summer. The Cliffside GTX (£155) is made from oiled and waxed split leather and premium Perwanger suede, and have a Gore-Tex inner. There is underfoot cushioning and a sole with hexagonal rubber studs for good grip. The Arnside (£145), described as a ‘mountain sneaker’, has a ventilated nubuck leather upper with a mesh lining for optimum breathability and the same sole as the Cliffside. Both models can be resoled to extend their lifespan. hanwag.com Columbia adds jacket to its unique OutDry range Columbia has a new addition to its unique OutDry Extreme range, which has the waterproof membrane on the outside so there’s no need for a DWR. The NanoLite has an…

1 Comfort and fit Some watches are big and chunky. If you have a small wrist, a smaller case size may be better. Look for a comfortable strap too. 2 Durability A watch for mountain use must be waterproof and built to take knocks and scrapes. 3 Battery life Two figures are usually quoted for battery life: time in ‘smartwatch mode’, and time with GPS active. Look for at least 12 hours with GPS, or more for multi-day walking. Some devices have battery-saving modes that will extend battery life at the cost of accuracy. 4 Screen Bigger watches tend to have bigger screens, but screen tech is important too. AMOLED looks fine indoors but is less good outside. Look for an always-on, transflective, sunlight-readable display that can be used without…

14km/8.7 miles/4-5 hours Ascent 465m/1525ft 1 Start/Finish Garrigill GR: NY745416 From village green head NE over Garrigill Bridge. Path climbs SE to Pasture Houses then contours SSE through field. Path goes SW then S to Windshaw Bridge. 2 Follow River South Tyne SE to Ashgill, then climb ENE, crossing beck via footbridge to reach Ashgill Force. Zigzag, climbing SW then E to road. 3 Take B6277 NW for 250m. Indistinct path climbs NE then contours E above Ashburnside Plantation to a stone hut. Climb NE to reach the last of the walls at 580m near Flinty Quarry. Divert NNW to reach summit and return SE to path at the track. 4 Track ENE to Old Carr’s Burn, then follow stream as it turns NW to Nenthead. 5 Follow road SW,…

14km/8.7 miles/5 hours Ascent 50m/160ft 1 Start Emsworth GR: SU749058 From centre of Emsworth walk E on Queen Street and turn R at Chequer’s Quay after Lord Raglan pub. Go through gate and follow path on W side of Slipper Mill Pond. Cross dam and turn R to follow right of way through marina to Mill Quay. Go L at the end and immediately R past deckhouses. 2 Look for stile on L after 150m, cross field to another stile, cross lane and take narrow path. Join track after 600m and continue ahead to meet the shore by end of a lane. 3 Keep ahead, with sea on R, and follow path around head of Nutbourne Channel to Chidham Point. Continue S towards Cobnor Point (note: some high tides around…

START/FINISH Milestone Buttress car park on the A5 between Capel Curig and Bethesda GR: SH663603 Distance: 4.6km/2.9 miles Ascent: 577m/1893ft Illustration: Jeremy Ashcroft. For personalised prints see jeremyashcroftmaps.etsy.com IF YOU’VE REACHED that point as a hillwalker when you feel the urge to tackle steeper and rockier terrain, then there can be no better way to start scrambling than on the ultra-classic North Ridge of Tryfan. This blade-shaped fin of rock guards the entrance of the Ogwen Valley in Snowdonia, laying down a challenge that ambitious hillwalkers find impossible to ignore. Its North Ridge may look fearsome, but this is a Grade 1 (easy) scramble within the abilities of most fit walkers, and it’s less extreme than it looks. Expect sustained hands-on-rock clambering and thrilling situations on a dramatic ridge. ROUTE…

THE FAMILY OF MOUNTAINEER Martin Moran have set up a charitable foundation in his memory. The Martin Moran Foundation, with the assistance of teachers and leaders from schools and organisations across the UK, will offer fully funded places on outdoor activity programmes to any young adult aged 16-18 who has a passion for the mountains but may not have the support and financial resources to access them. The Foundation will provide everything from travel and accommodation to clothing, boots and gear required for a safe and enjoyable day of climbing. These items are gifted to the participants at the end of the programme to encourage them to continue pursuing an active outdoors lifestyle and hone their passion for the mountain. The seven-day programmes will be held in the Scottish Highlands…

Postal address The Editor, The Great Outdoors, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent ME18 6AL. Please include a phone number and postal address. In tribute to Roger Smith I wonder if I may say a few words in tribute to the founding editor of The Great Outdoors, Roger Smith, as he makes way for other voices 30 years on from being appointed as a columnist by then editor Cameron McNeish. I was lucky enough to train on The Great Outdoors as a magazine editor and writer, joining in February 1979 and leaving Glasgow for the bright lights of London in December 1982. Working for Roger when he was editor was a brilliant experience – never a cross word, ideas always buzzing around. I can’t remember…

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Columbia Zero Ice Cirro-Cool T-Shirt £45 145g (men‘s L) fast-wicking, quick-drying, soft fabric none Fabric: 57% recycled polyester/43% polyester, side panels 94% polyester/6% elastane Sizes: men S-XXL, women XS-XL columbiasportswear.co.uk The recent hot weather has been great for trying lighter-weight summer clothing. One item that’s impressed is this new t-shirt from Columbia, which the company says is “ideal for intense activity in the sun”. It’s made from polyester (57% recycled) with elastane added to the side panels for extra stretch. The fabric is moisturewicking and has “Omni-Freeze Zero Ice advanced cooling properties”. Columbia also says “Omni-Wick blue rings in the fabric react with your sweat to provide next-to-skin cooling”. Turn the ‘-shirt inside out and you can see a pattern of blue snowflake shapes and tiny blue rings. How these…

Our walks this month 1 North-west Highlands Meall nan Eun & Slat Bheinn 2 North Pennines Flinty Fell 3 Lake District Base Brown 4 Pembrokeshire Strumble Head to Trefin 5 West Sussex Cobnor Point CONTRIBUTORS…

12km/7.5 miles/4-5 hours Ascent 780m/2560ft 1 Start/Finish National Trust pay-and-display car park at Seatoller GR: NY245137 Turn L along B5289 and take lane on R. Immediately before bridge over River Derwent, join path on R towards Seathwaite. 2 After footbridge over Sourmilk Gill, turn R to begin ascent beside gill. 3 About 300m after gate in wall, leave path by heading SSE for roughly 140m to largest boulder at foot of Hanging Stone crags. Head up distinct line of stones towards base of crag. Follow faint trail SE for further 130m, bypassing crags, and then climb steep, pathless ground on R. On reaching ridge just above Hanging Stone, continue uphill on faint path. 4 From Base Brown’s summit cairn, walk SW along path, later joining clearer route from R. 5…