Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2021 i The Great Outdoors

by Polly Pullar Published by Birline £14.99 (paperback) THESE DAYS, it can seem that nature writing takes itself quite seriously, from lyrical personal narratives to more academic (and sometimes alarming) tomes on climate change and rewilding. It’s refreshing, therefore, to find a book that steers a smooth course down the middle, avoiding the choppier waters to either side. Polly Pullar has devoted her life to caring for wildlife, and this engaging book about the red squirrel is an important part of her mission to help people foster a connection with nature. Throughout much of history red squirrels have been under threat, driven from former strongholds by aggressive new forms of land use, deforestation, the grey squirrel, and direct persecution. These fragile and beautiful creatures need to be protected, and Polly…

“I walked through the hills from Loch Quoich and climbed Ladhar Bheinn from Barrisdale, the most westerly peak over 3,000 feet on the Scottish mainland. I had climbed its neighbours first, Meall Buidhe and Luinne Bhein, so the sun was westering as I topped the twin buttresses and looked on a world ablaze from Ardnamurchan to Torridon, and from Skye to the Outer Hebrides.” Tom Weir, The Western Highlands (1973) JAMES JOYCE, walking with a friend by the River Ill near Zürich in 1933, turned to his companion and commented of mountains and rivers that “they are the phenomena that will remain when all the peoples and their governments will have vanished.” There are few places where that statement has more force than when you look across to Knoydart from…

1. Head to higher summits. It is quite common for only the highest summits to poke above the clouds, so the higher you climb, the greater your chances. 2. Choose prominent summits overlooking deep glens and or/large bodies of water. Low cloud and mist often forms readily above lochs, bogs and rivers. Sheltered areas surrounded by prominent summits are ideal locations for inversions to form. 3. Wild camp on a summit. Cloud inversions are most common at dawn, but can form before dusk as well. The more time you spend on the tops, the higher your chances of success. 4. Research cloud inversion ‘hot spots’. Certain locations are quite reliable – for example, the hills overlooking Rannoch Moor, or the Munros above Loch Lochy. 5. If at first you don’t…

START / FINISH: Roadside car park on B5289 near Grange in Borrowdale GR: NY256176 Distance: 14km/8.5 miles  Ascent: 860m/2820ft 1 Walk through Troutdale and take path uphill through woods to top of King’s How. 2 Go south from summit and fork L to stile over fence. Veer R, cross ladder stile at wall and continue to top of Brund Fell. 3 Walk east to ladder stile at wall, turn R to meet bridleway at Puddingstone Bank. Turn L to Watendlath. 4 Cross packhorse bridge and take zig-zag bridleway climbing east to High Tove. Turn north to High Seat.  5 Fork north-west from trig point to descend path on west side of Ashness Gill. 6 Turn L at lane to Surprise View; then take path on R through woods, cross footbridge…

JUST SIX years after Edward Whymper first summited the Matterhorn, Lucy Walker – a model Victorian hostess from Liverpool with a penchant for croquet, sponge cake and champagne – became the first woman to follow in his footsteps. Wearing hobnail boots and a long flannel skirt (probably scandalously hitched up to tackle the trickier sections), she made the ascent from Zermatt with her father in tow. Unlike Whymper, Lucy didn’t go on to pen a book about her experiences. In fact, despite going on to summit 28 4000m peaks over a 21-year climbing career, she seems never to have written a word about her achievements as a mountaineer. That record-breaking ascent of the Matterhorn in 1871 was met with a mixture of derision, incredulity and indifference by the press. “Mountain-climbing…

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/TGONOV21 CALL NOW ON: 01959 543747** QUOTE REF: TGONOV21 Terms & Conditions: Terms and conditions apply. You should receive your copy around November 6 if you order before October 21 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.…

First Look RECOMMENDED Motorola Defy £279 235g tough, waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, battery life, cost basic camera Size: 170x78x11mm Weight: 235 grams Operating system: Android 10 Battery: 5000mAh Cameras: 48Mp f1.8 main, 8Mp front motorola.com This is a tough smartphone that should work well outdoors –and it comes at a good price Rugged smartphones are ones with a tough protective case built in. Some are designed to look big and burly; others just look like a standard phone. The new Motorola Defy is one of the latter. It is a little bigger and heavier than most smartphones, but that difference is mostly cancelled out if you add a tough case, which is wise for outdoor use. One reason I like rugged smartphones like the Defy is that you don’t need any…

BOIL TIMES 500ml of tap-cold water on max power, at 150m altitude in warm temperatures, using a titanium pan with lid (230g, to compare with the Jetboil all-in-one Stash), timed from a cold start (gas stoves become more efficient as they warm up). Water will boil faster at lower altitudes and in warmer temperatures. GAS USED In grams (canister weighed before and after the boil) to bring 500ml water to boil on maximum power. SIMMER Tested with a non-stick Primus camping fry pan, with oil. DIMENSIONS Height from base of standard 230g canister to top edge of pan supports / radius of pan supports extended for use, from centre of burner to outside edge of support (double this for diameter, to match pan base) WEIGHTS From my digital scales for the…

After several days of torrential downpours, the River Inver is in magnificent form. The water roars and spits as it makes its brutal way down to the sea loch, glinting under the weak sun. The myriad autumn shades of the trees cloaking its banks defy description; even a Dulux colour chart designer would struggle to find names for its many auburns, golds and ochres. It’s the final day of our short break in Assynt; but, if this is typical of what it’s like in late October – post-deluge – we’ll be back. As we make our way upstream, the drama takes on a new dimension. The river is wider and slower here, but the hills have now appeared. Quinag, to the north-east, is the first, its pale-grey quartzite caps spectral…

12.5km/7.8 miles/6 hours Ascent 490m/1610ft 1 Start/Finish Parking by junction at Foggy Hill, above Rawthey Bridge GR: SD722984 From junction of minor lanes by Foggy Hill, take bridleway through gate and walk downhill to footbridge with stile. Turn L on road for 50m and take path on R. Go uphill on grass zig-zags between two small gorges to stile. Go through small gate and continue to track with fingerpost. 2 Turn R and then veer L at wall on good track, signed to Stonely Gill, with Harter Fell rising on R. Leave track after 700m to fork R up steep grass slopes and continue NE to reach summit. 3 Continue ENE, over boggy ground at High Stoups, and descend towards wall on R. Follow wall, with new woodland planting on lower…

THE HERMITAGE, near the start of this walk, was a hunting lodge built by Victorian landowner John Macnamara. I like the story that he built it for his mistress, but this is disputed. At any rate, as I set off I muse on the fact that a family could have so much money as to simply let a fine, if inaccessible, house become a ruin. Perhaps Macnamara, with or without mistress, rode up this track I now tread, and enjoyed these views. After I leave the woods, they are already imposing. The walk starts well into the hills, and I enjoy the sense of pushing further in with every step. My first map stop is where the track veers right by a plantation that sighs in the breeze. There’s a…

WINCHESTER marks the western end of the South Downs Way (as well as the South Downs National Park), but the city is soon escaped as you head east along the trail. Before long you reach the first of many fine viewpoints, Cheesefoot Head, which overlooks a large natural amphitheatre known as the Matterley Bowl. The long-established, family-owned Matterley Estate where the bowl is situated is primarily a dairy and arable farm, but has diversified in recent years, hosting a number of events, notably big open-air music festivals, in the bowl. Fortunately – at least if, like me, you prefer peace and quiet in the countryside – these are only held occasionally; and every time I’ve walked here it’s been a tranquil experience. In fact, the site has seen large gatherings…

Alec Forss Originally from the outskirts of Birmingham, Alec has lived in Sweden for the past ten years where he works as a writer, editor and researcher. Covid-19 and the birth of his son have seen him mainly confined to walks and paddles near to his home in Stockholm’s inner archipelago. He is looking forward, however, to exploring the landscapes of Ireland, where he is moving with his family for nine months. Check out his feature on Sweden’s forests on p42 and follow him on Twitter: @alec_forss James Roddie James is a professional photographer based near Inverness, and a regular contributor to The Great Outdoors. He has been trying to make the most of the recent spell of fine weather in the Highlands, with some memorable days out in Torridon…

June (@PaisleyBuddie1) I guess not everyone gets to see this in their lifetime, and appreciates seeing a video or photo. When I first seen it, it was fascinating and still felt nice to see and photograph many times after. Lucinda Dixon (@Lucinda_Dixon) Give the people what they want, Carey. Baby rabbits and sunsets is what fuels Twitter… I’ll keep an eye out for your next piece. Higgy (@Higgybhoy123) Upside down clouds are f****** awesome tbf, it’s a heavenly view. Caora Dhubh (@CDhubh) I like the idea of walking in the clouds or being above them, and am not alone in that idea. Magic.…

by Jim Crumley Published by Saraband £12.99 (hardback) THE ACCLAIMED nature writer Jim Crumley has written more than 40 books about wildlife and landscape in his native Scotland; but now, for the first time, he has travelled south to discover wild places in the Lake District. And, to be a bit more specific, it’s the north-east corner of the national park that forms the focus of Lakeland Wild. Perhaps this was the easiest part to get to on his forays across the border; but, certainly east of Ullswater, it’s also an area that still remains relatively quiet. The author admits he was pretty much new to Cumbria and had to quickly come to terms with the marked differences between the sweeping panoramas of the Highlands and the well-known clusters of…

When Paula Williams became the curator of maps and polar collections at the National Library of Scotland, it wasn’t long before she began wondering why women were so frequently absent from the history books. “The Library has extensive collections of material documenting pioneering mountaineers, and I found that, historically, women’s achievements were at best ignored, at worst vilified,” she says. Paula began a quest to rediscover Scotland’s first female mountaineers and to tell their stories. The result is a new free exhibition – Petticoats and Pinnacles: Scotland’s Pioneering Mountain Women – currently showing at the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh. “This exhibition is the result of considerable research into Scotland’s first known women mountaineers,” she says. “These women defied social convention and overcame considerable obstacles in their quest for…

Gear News Jack Wolfskin launches ‘amazingly packable’ lightweight gear range Jack Wolfskin has unveiled a range of lightweight gear that is ‘packable to amazingly small dimensions’. The collection includes baselayers, midlayers, insulated jackets and waterproof shells. Looking good for this winter is the warm Atmos Jacket, made entirely from recycled synthetic fibres. It weighs 410 grams in men’s size M and 340 grams in women’s size S, and costs £160. For rain the two-layer Shell is also made from 100% recycled material. Costing £130, it weighs 360 grams in women’s size S and 435 grams in men’s size M. jack-wolfskin.co.uk Komperdell introduces new poles The latest trekking poles from Komperdell, the Trekmaster Powerlock, are very robust three-section poles made from aluminium with comfortable rubber grips and tungsten carbide flex tips…

Our walks this month 1 A Lochinver Loop Assynt 2 Cruach Ardrain & Beinn Tulaichean Southern Highlands 3 Harter Fell & Stennerskeugh Clouds The Howgills 4 Waun Fach & Pen y Gadair Fawr Black Mountains 5 Cheesefoot Head South Downs…

15.3km/9.5 miles 6 hours Ascent 1035m/3400ft 1 Start/Finish Large lay-by, S side of A82, 2.5km SW of Crianlarich GR: NN369239 From lay-by climb stile, to follow path underneath railway bridge onto track. Cross bridge over River Falloch. Gradual climb of 1.25km passes conifer plantation. Here bear left, and cross River Falloch again via footbridge. 2 Keeping to right of plantation and deer fence, ascend grassy slopes E for just under 1km to pronounced path. 3 Bear right, and ascend SE over Grey Height. Path extends up broad ridge to gain Meall Dhamh. 4 Path crosses series of rocky lumps to shallow col then base of Cruach Ardrain’s SW ridge. Continue over steep, grassy slopes, in E direction, onto SW top, marked with two cairns. Shallow dip then short climb gains summit.…

THERE ARE TWO well-known Harter Fells in Cumbria: one rises prominently over Eskdale and the other forms part of the glorious Kentmere Horseshoe. But there’s a third one, too – unsung and farthest flung – on the northern flanks of the Howgills. Hang on, though, I’d better just check the map because half of these hills are in Yorkshire. Yes, ok, it’s in Cumbria and within the recently extended National Park. Ah, which one? The Yorkshire Dales, of course. Confused? Never mind, arise, Harter Fell the third! The A483 from Sedbergh hugs the steep eastern slopes of Knott and Great Dummacks as it heads north towards the great scoop of Cautley Crag and the long sweep of Ravenstonedale Common. It also marks the divide between the flowing tops of the…

START/FINISH Car park opposite Armitt Museum, Ambleside. GR: NY376047 Maps: OS 1:25,000 Explorer sheet OL5 & OL7 (this route straddles the fold between the two); Harvey British Mountain Map 1:40,000 (Lake District) Distance: 17.5km/10.8 miles Ascent: 1090m/3576ft Duration: 6-7 hours Illustration: Jeremy Ashcroft. For personalised prints see jeremyashcroftmaps.etsy.com ONE OF the great things about the Lake District is its accessibility. Although you’ll find plenty of comparatively remote corners of the national park to explore, there are also big, impressive – and, yes, classic – fells within walking distance of towns and villages. One such route is the Fairfield Horseshoe. This circular walk begins and ends in Ambleside, climbing a long ridge to Fairfield with splendid views in all directions. Fairfield feels like a real mountain, but paths are good throughout…

Simon Walkden (@simon_walkden, Instagram) My first Curbar Edge inversion of the season. Colette McGonigle (@comcg) Feeling the wind at Ben Vorlich! Pablo and Liam (@father_and_son_adventures, Instagram) A chill night at Loch Morlich! Hugh Clarkson (@hkc67, Instagram) Bit of drama on the Cuillin. Will Lake (@yorkshirewill, Instagram) Holme Fell, Lake District.…

Active living The ultimate Christmas treat Why not give your loved one a real boost this year? Psychologies is the UK’s No.1 emotional well-being magazine that focuses on the mind, heart, body and soul. Every issue will be wrapped in a little hug from you! Our Christmas offer also includes a candle from Scentered worth £16.95. Visit Shop.kelsey.co.uk/PSYGIFT Every horse rider needs a little boost in winter Dark winter days can challenge even the most dedicated rider. Why not give your favourite rider a boost this Christmas with a pair of warm winter riding socks and a subscription to Your Horse, the magazine that inspires its readers to enjoy every single second that they spend in the saddle. Visit Shop.kelsey.co.uk/YHGIFT Got a fisherman friend? Sea Angler is the perfect companion…

Cloud inversions tend to form during periods of stable high pressure – in other words still, calm conditions. In normal circumstances, temperature generally decreases with altitude. However, during stable high pressure, that pattern is often reversed. In these situations, cold air becomes trapped in valleys and glens beneath a layer of warmer air at higher altitudes. This is a temperature inversion, but what about the cloud? Autumn and winter are the peak cloud inversion seasons, when nights are often cold and clear. As the air cools it sinks into the valleys and glens. If there is a sufficient level of moisture in the air, a cloud layer may form as the air cools and condenses. This cloud layer will then be trapped beneath the layer of warmer air above. Therefore,…

The pine marten (Martes martes) is a member of the mustelid family – its relatives include the otter, weasel and stoat – and when fully grown is similar in size to a small domestic cat. It has a slim body with rich brown fur, a distinctive cream bib on the throat and a long bushy tail. Food includes small mammals, birds, eggs, fruit and carrion; and they live and breed in sites above ground such as cavities in trees. Pine martens are agile climbers and were once widespread throughout the trees and crags of Cumbria. Woodland clearance and the work of gamekeepers meant numbers sharply declined in the 19th Century; and, whilst they have survived in Scotland, there are still only intermittent records in England and Wales. Reintroductions have recently…

Whilst lying to the east of the main mountain chain, Muddus National Park protects one of Sweden’s most significant swathes of old-growth boreal forest along with mires, low hills and tumbling rivers. A marked trail traverses the southern half of the park. Count on 3-4 days. Overnight huts are available if you don’t want to camp. Paddling a canoe or kayak is a good way to explore Pärlälven ancient mountain forest reserve, which is centred around the large lake of Karats. It’s particularly beautiful in autumn when the distant, snow-dusted peaks form a spectacular backdrop. Whilst more famous for its mountain scenery, the Kungsleden or King’s Trail crosses a number of protected forest areas. The relatively little-frequented section of the trail south of Kvikkjokk offers an attractive blend of deep…

DISTANCE: 794km/492 miles ASCENT: 11,011m/36,116ft DURATION: 16 days, 15 hours and 39 minutes PREVIOUS RECORD: Tina Page: 19 days, 18 hours and 35 minutes set in 2017 Accommodation: 5 wild camps, 3 campsites, 19 hotels/hostels Fastest Known Time (FKT): James set an FKT for the fastest ‘self-supported’ completion of the National Three Peaks. Self-supported means you can benefit from as much support as you can manage to find along the way (e.g. buying supplies in a shop or sleeping in a hostel), but you cannot benefit from a support crew or any other form of pre-arranged help (e.g. a friend cooking you dinner).…

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Gas Brands will specify their stoves should only be used with their own-brand gas canisters. In reality they will work with any canister with a compatible connection (in Britain, the most common type is the screwon). Virtually all compact cartridges contain a mix of butane, isobutane and propane. Isobutane is far superior in terms of vapour pressure, and high vapour pressure translates to better performance, especially in low temperatures. Isobutane is more expensive to source than butane, so you’ll usually find it in higher-quality canisters. Normal butane is the cheapest and poorest-performing fuel in the mix. Burning efficiency is also reduced by cold temperatures, high altitude and wind. Windshield This increases a stove’s efficiency by shielding the flame against wind (it can double as a heat reflector). Windshields can be…

7.4km/4.6 miles/2-2.5 hours Ascent 190m/620ft 1 Start/Finish Lochside car park, beside church in Lochinver GR: NC093226 Walk N along A837 through Lochinver village. 2 Just before road crosses bridge over River Inver, go through pedestrian gate on R. Path heads upstream through woods beside River Inver. Ignore all paths heading L. 3 After following river for 2km – and having reached more open area – turn R along potentially muddy trail through heather. 4 After steady climb, go through gate and turn R along clearer path. Ascent continues, but not for long; path soon begins descending. 5 On reaching Glencanisp, pass to R of first substantial building and drop onto clear track. Turn R. Pass to R of old lodge and then head out of glen along access lane. 6 Turn…

THE RUGGED PEAKS of Cruach Ardrain and Beinn Tulaichean form part of a chain of hills above Crianlarich. A circuit of both offers a superb hill day, particularly when there is a dusting of snow on the ground. Yet, due to it only requiring around 120 metres or so of ascent from the bealach linking it with Cruach Ardrain, Beinn Tulaichean is seen, somewhat disparagingly by many, as just another ‘tick’ off the Munro list. In fact it offers cracking views of the surrounding peaks and is a fine mountain in its own right. Ominous clouds, heavy with potential snow showers, gathered above as my mate Alec and I wandered through Glen Falloch at around 8am, although shafts of weak sunshine offered some hope. Glen Falloch itself (which is cut…

14km/8.7 miles/4-5 hours Ascent 619m/2030ft 1 Start/Finish Layby on track opposite Hermitage GR: SO228251 Park at layby (2–3 cars) before bridge over Grwyne Fechan. Take uphill track forking L. Keep on till it veers R towards Tal-y-maes (unnamed) by pine plantation. Take grassy track/bridleway to L through gate, following fence on level ground, then dipping downhill through a gate. Pass another gate onto Tal-y-maes bridge over Grwyne Fechan onto moor. 2 Follow good path along eastern side of Mynydd Llysiau, soon passing path joining from L. Where path becomes steeper below Pen Trumau, zig-zag up to join path from ridge of Mynydd Llysiau, near stone shelter (marked ‘Cairn’ on some maps). Turn R. 3 Climb short but steep southern slope of Pen Trumau and follow reinforced path to small cairn…

11km/6.8 miles/5-6 hours Ascent 340m/1100ft 1 Start/finish Cheesefoot Head car park off the A272 east of Winchester GR: SU52927 At car park entrance facing road, turn R along path parallel to road then R along South Downs Way (SDW). Down to L is Matterley Bowl. Continue past avenue of beech trees and keep ahead along gravel tracks to Keeper’s Cottage on R. 2 Still following SDW turn R along bridleway, which runs parallel to track (on other side of hedge to L). Rejoin track at junction and keep ahead to lane. 3 Leaving SDW, turn right along lane to cross A272 and continue along track (public footpath) opposite. Initially fairly level, it then heads downhill. Turn R at junction and follow bridleway/track down to corner of woodland (Oakclose Plantation) at…