Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2021 i The Great Outdoors

1. Ski touring in Verbier, Switzerland Verbier is best-known for its fusion of glamorous après-ski with high-octane, sporty adventure. But, in recent years, a new discipline has experienced a popularity boom – ski touring. It involves strapping grippy ‘skins’ to your skis and slowly travelling uphill, step-by-step, into the wild backcountry. The Swiss resort has numerous hut-to-hut itineraries and day routes, including the popular Les Ruinettes to Cabane Mont-Fort trail. More information: verbier.ch 2. Hiking in the Austrian Tirol New for 2022, the Austrian village of Kartitsch in East Tirol is hosting a new festival: the European Winter Walking Days from March 10-13. Guests can sign up to a selection of walks, such as the Dorfberg mountain, which will be led by official hiking guides. The tours are offered in…

Many participants in the TGO Challenge (TGOC) came to know Andy Howell through that event, but he was a keen outdoors person and an avid outdoor blogger with a sizeable following long before he first undertook the TGOC in 2006. I first met him at Tarfside that same year, sitting exhausted, weighed down by his beloved Nikon DSLR, and vowing, like many first-timers, never to do it again. We hit it off immediately and from that point on he became a regular contributor on my podcasts at The Outdoors Station. His sudden death in October from an undiagnosed cancer has come as a huge shock to everyone who knew his name. He was a large figure, not only in the outdoors community but also in the political arena in Birmingham…

‘ADVENTURE’ is a loaded term. Does it mean the actual outdoor activities that make our heart beat faster, or is it all the other stuff so often surrounding it: the corporate speaking events, the book deals, the Instagram posts, the brand sponsorships? Ask an Adventurer by Alastair Humphreys is an unusually (perhaps even uniquely) candid look into what the life of a working adventurer is really like. The author earns his living by giving talks, working with brands and writing books. He’s known for both big, grand adventures and closer-to-home microadventures. The book, he writes, began from an awareness that the ‘Instagram glossiness’ of his online life was only the tip of the iceberg. It’s structured around a series of questions posed by readers (questions such as ‘how do you…

START/FINISH: Corryhully bothy, Glenfinnan. This is easily accessible from Glenfinnan visitor centre and is 4.3km (2.7 miles) from the road. Distance: 14.2km / 8.9 miles  Ascent: 1241mm / 4072ft Duration: 7 to 8 hours (add at least 2 hours if starting from the road) Maps: OS 1:50,000 Landranger 40 (Mallaig & Glenfinnan) or 1:25,000 Explorer 398 (Loch Morar & Mallaig) Transport: regular buses and trains to Glenfinnan from Fort William Time of year: a superb route at all times of year. In summer the ascent ridge is delightfully scrambly in places (difficulties avoidable); in winter it becomes a serious hillwalking challenge requiring ice axe and crampons, but is not technical Munros: Sgurr nan Coireachan (956m / 3136ft) and Sgurr Thuilm (963m / 3159ft) Route notes: The circuit can be done…

CONTENT SPONSORED BY CRAGHOPPERS SILENCE FEELS DIFFERENT when you are in the Caledonian pine forest. It is loaded with expectation. Will the quiet be broken by the call of a tawny owl, or the scurrying of a red squirrel? Will you be stopped in your tracks by a strutting capercaillie, or a pine marten as it dashes up a tree? Though you may not see the elusive residents of the woods around you, just knowing they are there enriches your experience. It adds a layer of wildness. We may not like to admit it, but the vast majority of the UK, including the Scottish Highlands, has been squeezed dry of most of its nature. Centuries of intensive agriculture, forest clearance and urban development have put humans first almost everywhere. This…

MEN’S DYNAMIC 12000 JACKET – £120 An award-winning technical jacket, the Dynamic Winter Jacket proved to be a comfortable choice on a damp day in the Cairngorms. It has a hydrostatic head rating of 10,000mm and a breathability grade of 10,000g/m 2/24hrs. Its green credentials are impressive – approximately 70 bottles are recycled to make each jacket, and it features Craghopper’s own Ecoshield plant-based water-resistant finish. The Dynamic 12000 mesh lining is intended to “reflect the body’s infrared rays, resulting in improved stamina and enhanced recovery levels.” This jacket won Craghoppers an ISPO award in 2021. MEN’S TURO HALF ZIP FLEECE – £50 A lightweight but wonderfully cosy fleece, this proved to be great for when the temperature dropped as we were setting up camp. Approximately 10 plastic bottles are…

Montane Prism £130 440g (L) recycled insulation, hood, windproof, light weight no women’s version Fill: 40g/m2 PrimaLoft Silver recycled insulation Shell: 30D Pertex Quantum Hood: adjustable, wired peak Cuffs: elastic Hem: shockcord Pockets: 2 mid-level handwarmer, 1 chest Sizes: men S-XXL montane.com The latest version of Montane’s staple insulated jacket is an excellent choice for those biting winter days, reckons Chris. The Prism has been a key item in Montane’s range of insulated garments for many years now. The latest version features recycled PrimaLoft Silver insulation. This fill is soft, flexible, and warm. It’s covered by a windproof Pertex shell that’s shower-resistant but not waterproof. Overall, the warmth is that of a thick fleece with a windproof shell over it. I find it too warm to wear while walking unless…

Fabric By far the most important single factor in comfort and durability is the material used. Stretchy synthetics tend to manage a wider range of temperatures and dry faster than natural fabrics but can wear more quickly. As a result, some brands use mixes or panels of different materials that aim to combine the best of all worlds. Treatment Fabrics are often treated with water- or insect-repellent coatings, depending on their intended use. You should expect these to deteriorate over time or with heavy wear. Tailoring Whilst we’re all different shapes and sizes, we (mostly) all bend in certain places – so in technical outdoor trousers, articulated knees or stretchy fabric in the seat or hips can be useful. Pay particular attention to leg length – too much fabric at…

1 Start/Finish Car park in Alstonefield GR: SK130556 Leave the car park, turn right up to the crossroads, then go left. Follow road and take the second footpath on the left; follow towards footbridge at the bottom of the dale. Cross bridge. 2 Left into Biggin Dale; follow to the road. Walk up the road and take second footpath on the right to Biggin pub. 3 Turn right at pub; walk along road until joining Tissington Trail from path left of road. Follow trail until car park near Alsop en le Dale. Then, after just over 500m, turn off the trail into the fields. 4 Keeping left, follow footpath through fields until you cross under the Tissington Trail again. Continue along the path until it turns into a road in…

The only predictable thing about autumn is its unpredictability, and the weather recently has been typical of the season: dynamic, volatile, and oscillating between the sort of warm October sunshine that can convince you the summer won't ever end after all, and the bitter windy weather that definitely heralds winter. That’s what makes it an exciting time to be in the hills, and if our overflowing inbox this month is anything to go by, many of you agree.…

FOR YEARS, Iain Cameron has been recording snow patches in the Scottish hills that last into summer and sometimes right through the year. From noting patches for his own interest he has become an expert researcher, writing regular reports for the Royal Meteorological Society and co-ordinating other snow researchers. The Vanishing Ice is an extraordinary book about an extraordinary subject. Why would someone take a tape measure on a risky walk into remote mountains to measure a shrinking patch of old snow? This book gives the answer, and will I’m sure inspire many others to join the author’s band of snow patch aficionados, of which I confess I am one – though without his dedication or expertise. A book on snow patches might appear to have a narrow focus, but…

START/FINISH: the car park at Auchlean, Glen Feshie NN852981 Distance: 26km/16 miles Ascent: 1098m/3602 feet Duration: 8 to 10 hours (or 2 days, staying at Ruigh Aiteachain bothy orwith a wild camp) Time of year: A wonderful route in any season. In winter the two Munros offer relatively straightforward winter walking, though navigation will be tricky with low cloud. This route is perhaps best in autumn, in order to enjoy the forest colours in the glen Munros: Mullach Chlach a’ Bhlair (1019m), Sgorr Gaoith (1118m) Route notes: The route works well either done anticlockwise or clockwise. There are at least two small river crossings that may become impassable after sustained heavy rain. Ruigh Aiteachain bothy is often very busy/full, so plan for this accordingly if intending to stay overnight in…

The Great Outdoors GREAT REASONS TO SUBSCRIBE: Gift 13 issues for just £39.99 Save 35% on the cover price Have each issue delivered directly to their door Receive a subscriber e-newsletter** Every issue includes walking routes, skills and technique advice plus gear and equipment reviews Offer ends 31 December 2021 SUBSCRIBE TO THE DIGITAL VERSION Pay just £34.99 every 13 issues VISIT shop.kelsey.co.uk/TGOIM1021 All of our digital magazine subscriptions and issues can be downloaded from anywhere in the world and read on PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android devices, Kindle Fire, Windows 8 devices and any HTML5-compatible device. *Discount calculated from print issue price of £4.75. TERMS AND CONDITIONS Offer valid for UK subscribers only. Savings are based on the cover price of £4.75. Offer ends 31st December 2021. Your subscription…

IT’S SOMETIMES SAID that there is no such thing as winter mountain ‘walking’, because in heavy winter conditions – even on built paths – the presence of ice or deep snow means that some element of mountaineering skill will be required. A single ice axe helps to manage these hazards – it provides a third point of contact on ice, or with the shaft plunged into deep snow for anchoring and stability, whilst the adze can be used to cut steps into firm snow or ice. With these skills, the ice axe also allows you to journey into steeper terrain and can even be deployed as an emergency brake to prevent or halt a slide. Part walking stick, part handy cutting tool, part life-saving emergency device, the trusty walking axe…

1 PETZL Irvis £115 • Type C2 with leverlock • Points 10 • Materials steel • Weight 790g petzl.co.uk Petzl Irvis The Irvis is fairly minimalist, with simple components that keep the weight down but still provide plenty of traction. Each crampon is subtly labelled for foot and size, although I’d like to see this made clearer. On the most recent version of the Irvis, the brand has removed the dial for fine-tuning the heel ‘snap’ and included a 3-way adjustable bracket, which changes the angle and therefore the tension on the leverlock as a whole. My concerns about this change proved unfounded in practice – it was one less thing to get clogged up with mud and ice. The 10 points are aggressive and of a slightly thinner profile,…

1 Start/Finish Parking at Glencalvie Lodge junction, reached by minor road from Ardgay GR: NH464892 Walk N along A837 through Lochinver village. 2 Cross Allt Riabhach just beyond holiday lodges then head uphill, first on grassy ATV track then open ground to summit of Carn Alladale. 3 Descend NW then continue along wide ridge over several tops for some 3km, at one point crossing high deer fence, then pass small lochan to reach trig point on Carn a’ Choin Deirg. 4 Descend SW past lochan to spur of Leathad nan Con Dearga and drop down on W side of Allt Easan Dubh to reach stalkers’ path running SE by Allt a’ Chlaiginn. 5 Follow path round into Glen Alladale and then continue E on estate track back to lodges and…

1 Start/Finish Bleach Green car park, near Ennerdale Water GR: NY085153 Take path at far end of car park. Bear left along broad track. Nearing Ennerdale Water, keep right, picking up lakeside path. 2 About 210m after kissing-gate, bear right along easy-to-miss trail. 3 Arriving in grassy saddle above Anglers’ Crag, turn sharp right (S) for 45m and then bear right (SW) at faint fork. After negotiating rough ground, trail swings SSW. 4 Turn left along ridge path. 5 From summit, take grassy path SW. This swings west at fence and climbs Grike. 6 From summit shelter, continue down other side of fell, cross stile and drop WSW to gate and stile. Cross and turn right along track. At track junction, turn right. Stay on broad forest road. 7 Cross…

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. The Vanishing Ice: a missed opportunity I am writing to share my profound disappointment that our foremost expert on Scottish snow patches, Iain Cameron, seems unable to ascribe their demise to anthropogenic climate change in his memoir The Vanishing Ice. In the next ten years, we face our final opportunity to respond positively to the momentous changes our activities have unleashed. The science is no longer a matter of debate; the IPCC recently published an unequivocal report confirming, once and for all, that climate change is caused by human activity. Every government in the UN has accepted this finding, meeting in Glasgow…

The elusive Brocken spectre, ‘Brocken bow’ or ‘mountain spectre’ is a shadow cast onto clouds or mist, creating a halo-like ring of shimmering light. Not many are lucky enough to catch this sight when on the hills, but many of you were eager to share your stories and sightings over on Twitter: Phil (@BBMountClub, Twitter): [Experienced this] twice. Once in the 1980s on Y Lliwedd, but I didn't have a camera, and once on Pico Ruivo on Maderia a few years ago, which wasn't such a good one and the photos I took on my phone didn't do it justice. Russell Jackson (@russj1975, Twitter): I’ve seen a fair few of them. People say they’re rare though I guess that depends on how often you’re in the hills. Chris Sweetman (@ChrisAFRIN,…

IT’S A ‘MARILYN’, which means its summit is between 1500 feet and 2000 feet. So it’s not high. But it is prominent for miles around, and there’s something about this fine hill that captures my heart. A couple of weeks ago I went to the funeral, held on a perfect August day with blue sky clear and bright as childhood memory, at Trelystan church, an 11th-Century foundation on the Long Mountain, of a dear and lifelong friend of mine from my Manchester youth. Trelystan is set amongst fields. The timber-framed church squats in submissive magpie posture within its ancient enclosure. A half-dozen venerable yews add gravitas to a lovely rural scene. The Stiperstones, with the Devil’s Chair rocky knoll so beloved of Mary Webb prominent on its long ridge, defines…

For the past 10 years or so, whenever I’ve ventured above the snow line on relatively gentle slopes, I’ve always carried a pair of micro spikes with me. The model I use, Kahtoola Microspikes, consists of a series of small metal spikes and chains secured to the sole of my boots using an elastomer harness. This makes them easier to slip on and off than full crampons. Also, unlike crampons, they can be attached to most types of footwear, so you’ll even see fell-runners using them on lightweight shoes with little lateral support. The important thing to remember is that they’re no substitute for full crampons on steep or technical ground. Although I’ve always found they provide good grip on snow on moderate slopes and even ice on fairly level…

Spike When used in ‘walking stick’ mode the spike grips rock and ice, anchoring the axe in place. It also helps plunge the shaft into deep snow. Shaft Usually made from aluminium, straight shafts plunge most easily into snow. A slight curve facilitates use in ‘overhead’ mode, around bulges of snow or rock, on steeper terrain and small steps. Length The longer it is, the easier it is to use as a walking stick; the shorter it is, the better for use overhead or self-arrest. Ideally, choose a length that leaves the spike dangling near the top of your boot when holding the axe by your side. Grip A rubber or textured grip on the shaft helps you keep hold of it when wearing gloves. Rubber is particularly good as…

1 Start/Finish Akeld, parking area on left-hand track into settlement GR: NT957296 Return towards the road, and take the farm track (bridleway) uphill to the right of the wooded hollow of Akeld Burn. Before Gleadscleugh house fork right. Track continues SW 2km to corner of plantation. 2 Bend left, track marked St Cuthbert’s Way. In 200m cross stream and fork off left on peaty path, aiming for gate on skyline. Before gate, turn left on peaty track, NE to col at head of incised stream. 3 Track continues on S flank of Gains Law. At large grouse butt take track forking L. In 500m, turn R, marked permissive path, over stile to Humbleton Hill summit. 4 Descend S of E on wide path. At slope foot, path L to gate…

1 Start/Finish Amberley station car park GR: TQ026118 From station access road turn L along B2139, crossing Houghton Bridge partway to footpath sign on L. Cross stile and follow riverbank, turning L further on along enclosed path (can be very muddy in winter – Stoke Road from Amberley better option then). Turn R along Stoke Road to North Stoke; detour R to visit church. Then turn L and R along footpath down field to and across suspension bridge. Continue to River Arun, and R across bridge to South Stoke, heading up track, church on L. 2 Continue up lane and soon go R along South Stoke Farm drive and L along bridleway. Follow this above Arun, initially hidden by trees, then alongside river, now on waymarked Monarch’s Way (MW). Continue…