Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2022 i The Great Outdoors

THE EASTER weather brought lines of cars heading for the hotspots of the Peak District from early morning, and by midday the hills were full of walkers. As my Border Collie (Scout) and I walked onto Derwent Edge I could sense the release people felt, the gritstone and peat easing out people’s anxieties. As the pandemic slowly fades, walking remains. The simple act of putting one foot in front of the other is more popular than ever. It’s hard to argue with the improved physical and mental wellbeing that results, yet more boots on the ground places further pressure on our landscapes. Over nearly 50 years of walking, I have seen visitor numbers explode and the paths around more popular areas paved with stone, going some way to remedy erosion…

BAM RECOMMENDED £120 370g (men’s L) warm, biodegradable, recyclable lower pocket position, chest pocket a little small Fill: 170g Thermore Ecodown recycled polyester Shell: PFC-free recycled polyester Front: zip with inner flap Hem: drawcord Pockets: 2 zipped hand, 1 zipped chest Sizes: men S-XXL, women XS-XL bambooclothing.co.uk This insulated gilet has strong environmental credentials – but it also performs well, says Chris The BAM 73 Zero Insulated Gilet is a conventional-looking lightweight warm top. What makes it different is that not only is it made from recycled polyester from Project Plan B but Project Plan B can also recycle the whole garment at the end of its life. To enable this circle the thread, drawcord, zip tapes and pocket zips are also made from recycled polyester. Only the main zip…

Capacity Daypacks vary in volume from sub-20 to over 35 litres. Choosing the right volume for your activity depends on how much equipment you plan to carry on your day out. In winter or poor weather, a larger volume is useful for the additional kit needed. Pockets External stash pockets add volume to a small pack and are handy for stowing items in a hurry. Zipped pockets are great for safely storing snacks and small essentials. Lid Smaller packs may not have a top lid, but in larger rucksacks they are useful for keeping rain out of the main compartment and providing storage space for one or two zipped pockets. Extendable lids enable an occasional larger load to be carried. Compression straps Useful for cinching down a half-empty pack or…

RECOMMENDED £115 772g good venting, comfortable carry Materials: 100D nylon Features: mesh side pockets, zipped top and hip pocket, raincover, split straps and hip belt, internal hydration pouch Sizes: one size Men’s version: MTN Trainer 25 salewa.com This pack is twice the price of some packs in its class. However, the MTN Trainer compares favourably for comfort and user-friendliness. The most noticeable features are the split shoulder straps and hip belt, designed for extra ventilation. These are perfectly contoured so as not to interfere with natural body shape, and should be great in warmer weather. The pack sits close to the back – best for scrambling, climbing or biking – and is very stable to carry. There’s a wide channel and mesh-covered foam pads designed to allow airflow. For 22…

TESTING CONDITIONS Peter used the packs on his regular 11km deer fence inspection walks all through last winter as a Woodland Trust ranger in the Kilpatrick Hills, as well as taking them into the Southern Highlands for bigger hill days. BEST BUY £55 512g comfortable, light, waterproof stability when fully loaded Materials: 210D ripstop polyamide with 600D reinforcing panel; waterproof taped construction Features: rolltop closure, white lining, stretch side pockets, pole loops, compression straps, daisy chain webbing Sizes: one size Men’s version: unisex trekmates.co.uk The DryPack isn’t a standard daypack. Instead, Trekmates has essentially taken a 30L rolltop waterproof container and attached a back system and harness to make it into a useful and practical rucksack. To really test waterproofness, I filled the DryPack with water and held it up…

£145 1315g accessible storage, comfort, adjustable back weight, price Materials: 210D honeycomb cryptorip HD nylon & 210D high-tenacity nylon Features: zipped main access, raincover, zipped hip fin pockets, stretch side pockets stretch front pocket, pole loop, hydration sleeve, lid flap pockets, adjustable back length, mesh air gap back Sizes: two sizes, adjustable Women’s version: Jade 28 eu.gregorypacks.com The Zulu 30 has an easily adjustable back, with the shoulder straps attached via a large Velcro plate that can be moved up and down to tune the fit. The straps and hip belt were initially very stiff but soon softened and settled into my shape, after which the Zulu became very comfortable and very stable. Wearer-accessible storage is good with large, zipped hip fin pockets and side pockets that I can reach…

Price: £14 (13L) • Weight: 40g (13L) • Materials: Ultra-Sil 30D siliconised Cordura nylon • Features: non-wicking Hypalon roll-top closure, round base, 2,000mm water column rated • Sizes: 1L, 2L, 4L, 8L, 13L, 20L, 35L seatosummit.co.uk BEST BUY Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Dry-sack The Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Is a very lightweight dry-bag made from siliconised nylon. This is a lightweight, flexible and slippery material, which makes it easy to pack in your rucksack – it easily squeezes past other items and doesn’t snag. The material is also translucent and lets in a surprising amount of light. Despite the dark colour of the sample I was sent for testing, I never had any trouble identifying items in the bottom of the bag, which can be an issue with dry-bags made…

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/TGOJULY22 CALL NOW ON: 01959 543747**QUOTE REF: TGOJULY22 Terms & Conditions: Terms and conditions apply. You should receive your copy around May 14 if you order before May 2 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.…

1 Start: Verge parking immediately before Hartside Farm, Breamish Valley GR: NT976162 Continue along private road to Linhope. When road ends, turn R on signed path to join rising gravel track. 2 Turn R signed Hedgehope Hill and stay with climbing/muddy track. Avoid all side tracks. 3 With fence on R, continue upwards to summit-topping trig point. Return to cross fence. Turn R, and with fence on R follow thin path. 4 Climb fence and follow faint quad track over heather moor to Little Standrop. Continue with track through gate and on to Great Standrop. 5 From saddle on Great Standrop descend briefly south, turning R to join downhill fence. At gravel track turn L and, after passing shooter’s hut on R, continue to Point 2 and outward route back…

Hanna Lindon Hanna is a writer and journalist specialising in the outdoors and environmental issues. She’s just got back from a family trip to Snowdonia, where she took her six-year-old daughter scrambling for the first time and also managed to ditch the kids for a solo traverse of the Carneddau. She recently finished walking the South Downs Way, too. In this issue, Hanna contributes to our lead feature on all-time classic walks and their alternatives (p30), and finds out more about Britain’s remotest pub (p18). Rich Hartfield When he’s not on tour with a band, you’ll probably find sound engineer Richard up a mountain somewhere. A passionate walker, fell runner and climber, he has backpacked across the Alps, the Pyrenees and much of Eastern Europe – as well as an…

The Love Trails Festival, which is billed by the organisers as the “world’s first trail running and music festival”, returns this summer to the Gower Peninsula in South Wales, bringing with it a packed programme of adventure activities over four days (June 30 - July 3). During the day runners can take in the stunning scenery on foot, exploring the dramatic coastlines, beaches and trails of Gower with non-competitive runs ranging from 3km to 55km. It’s not all running, however. Guests can also get adventurous and try coasteering, surfing, wild swimming and rock climbing, or simply wind down with unlimited yoga or a session in the wood-fired hot tub. At night, three stages host a cherry-picked selection of DJs and live acts that will keep “festival-goers dancing under the stars…

“We approached the vast dome of Cross Fell from the east across long, narrow gullies of frozen snow as the afternoon faded away in a wild sunset and the first stars began to peep out. From this direction and at this time of day, with huge banks of cloud building up all round and not a sight of trees or sheep or birds, it was easy to understand how the early geographers had thought the mountain the highest in England. For the great bulk of the fell with its plateau ringed with the collar of snow that stamps it as Cross Fell and nowhere else, rose up straight ahead through the swirling mists almost like the final slopes of an Alpine peak. And, indeed, the great barrier of Cross Fell…

SHIFTING DOWN and sinking back in time. That’s the feeling when you turn off the A87 a few miles short of Kyle of Lochalsh and take the winding road inland by Loch Long. Or maybe it was just me. The last time I’d been along here was aged eight on a family holiday. We’d stayed in a cottage by the loch shore. Memories are fitful and fragmentary now – a rocky wooded tidal island, local exhortations not to walk out alone on the mudflats at low tide, and Charles and Diana getting married on a tiny black and white television. The past is a foreign country, no less. But, suddenly, I was right back there. I’d forgotten about the heronry. I nearly drove into in a ditch as I craned…

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RECOMMENDED £110 1215g comfy, recycled fabric, rear ventilation adjusts, zipped access unnecessarily complex adjustable back system Capacity: 24 + 4 litres Materials: recycled PET polyester Closure: top zip Back system: sprung wire frame, framesheet, mesh backband, adjustable Hipbelt: padded Pockets: 2 zipped lid, 2 mesh side, 1 zipped hipbelt Features: ice axe/trekking pole loops, side straps, detachable rain cover, opening for hydration system, internal hydration bladder pouch Sizes: 1 vaude.com This complex daypack has a large range of features, not all of which Chris feels are necessary; but it works well Unusually for a small pack, the Wizard has a wealth of features and a complex back system. The shoulder strap postitions can be adjusted by moving the framesheet up or down, giving a back length range of 43-52cm. The…

TESTING CONDITIONS Lucy tested her five packs over the course of a very wet and windy winter. Packs were carried on lowland walks and mountain scrambles in the west of Scotland and north of England. BEST BUY £110 930g lots of useful features for year-round walking no rain cover Materials: main = 78% recycled Raptor Eco 100D Robic Nylon Features: floating lid, mesh front pocket, hip belt pockets, side compression straps adjustable back length Sizes: one size Men’s version: Azote 32 montane.com This pack does the basics very well, with no skimping on useful features, and without being heavy or over engineered. At 30 litres, it’s roomy enough to carry plenty of spare gear, layers, waterproofs, emergency shelter and even crampons. The floating lid extends the volume even more and…

£70 780g good value, lots of features not as comfortable as some Materials: ripstop nylon Features: front and side mesh pockets, zipped internal pocket and top pocket, Airzone LT back system, rain cover, walking pole attachments, side compression straps Sizes: one size Men’s version: unisex rab.equipment My review of this pack comes with a proviso. I generally don’t get on with this style of back system, where the pack is arched over a frame, with a mesh back that is bowstring-tight, to create a huge ventilation space. I find that the frame digs into the soft area above my hipbones. I also found that the simple waist strap on this version offered little in the way of stability. But some like this system, and those who do may love this…

RECOMMENDED £210 1320g comfort, adjustability, internal and external storage options weight, price Materials: 210D robic nylon; YKK zips Features: three-way zipped access, ice axe and pole loops, hip fin pockets, stretch side pockets, two lid flap pockets, adjustable back, removable hip belt, hydration sleeve, internal pockets Sizes: two sizes and adjustable Women’s version: yes mysteryranch.com The Scree 32 mixes new and traditional design ideas. The main compartment access is via three chunky zips, two for the lid flap and one that runs down the centre of the main compartment. Initially I was sceptical, but repeated use in rain or snow, where one partially open zip would let me access my kit wherever it was inside the pack, won me over. All the zips have webbing tabs to pull against for…

£110 794g weight, comfort, accessible storage lacks pole or ice axe loops Materials: 70D and 140D diamond ripstop polyamide, bluesign-approved Features: double buckle main closure, zipped stretch hip fin pockets, stretch side pockets, front bungee web, hydration sleeve, lid pocket, mesh air gap back Sizes: one size Women’s version: unisex haglofs.com The LIM 25 comes with a fixed back length that I found fitted me perfectly, and this proved to be the best-fitting, most comfortable and most stable pack in the review. It has an air back system but here there is a little welcome flexibility to it although that internal curve remains. The harness is light but adequately padded, and it seems to have quickly moulded to my shoulders. The hip fins have large, zipped stretch mesh pockets that…

Price: £55.49 for 4-pack of different sizes • Weight: 75g (13L); set of 4 weighs 204g • Materials: 70D taffeta PU-coated nylon, TPU polyether film • Features: transparent window, grab handle, D-ring, 10,000mm water column rated • Sizes: 3L, 5L, 8L, 13L exped.com/uk-ireland/en RECOMMENDED Exped Fold Drybag CS The Fold Drybag CS line aims to solve a simple problem: visibility. Most dry-bags are made of opaque material, which means that you’re forced to squint down through the top of the bag to see what you’re rummaging for – or you’re at the mercy of any light that manages to penetrate the fabric. This is often fine for ultralight bags, but more durable ones are usually opaque, making it a guessing game to fish for that hat or compass. The Fold…

Our walks this month 1 West Highlands Fuar Bheinn & Creach Bheinn 2 Northumberland The Cheviot Hills 3 Lake District Dale Head & Hindscarth 4 Lake District Dovedale & Deepdale 5 Snowdonia The Carneddau CONTRIBUTORS…

1 Start/Finish Parking area beside Chapel Bridge, 320m southwest of Little Town in the Newlands Valley GR NY231193 Walk NE up road for 140m. Cross stile in fence up to R and ascend path to wide track. Turn R. 2 Almost 1km beyond climbing hut, bear L (SE) when path splits. In few more strides, bear L (SE) again at easy-to-miss fork. 3 After another 1.1km, reach bouldery area where way ahead becomes unclear. Walk SSW for few metres to join clearer path continuing upstream. 4 Follow main beck until path leads to water’s edge. Cross beck, take path up to Dalehead Tarn and keep water on L to join route climbing Dale Head. 5 From summit cairn, walk roughly W along ridge. 6 As path begins to climb from…

1 Start/Finish The westernmost parking layby off the A5 next to Llyn Ogwen GR: SH656602 Head W along A5. Pass Ogwen Cottage and turn R. The ascent of Pen yr Ole Wen is steep with some easy scrambling, bearing NNE. Emerge to gentler terrain at 750m contour line. Pick a line over boulder fields, pass a wind shelter at 960m and veer R over grassier slopes to arrive at summit. 2 Veer NE and climb over boulders to Carnedd Fach and beyond to Carnedd Dafydd summit. Bear E following series of cairns and descend gently to R of the Ysgolion Duon cliffs. Aim NE over boulder-strewn slopes for narrow ridge to Bwlch Cyfrywdrum. A clear path guides way over crest of undulating ridge, which merges into bulk of mountain, and…

If you only do one walk in the Peak District, this is the walk you should choose. It is a Peak rite of passage – an iconic hike that’s suitable for the whole family. This route strikes a perfect balance, delivering just enough drama to make you feel like you’re on a ‘real’ adventure, but in a bite-sized package that won’t take all day or leave you exhausted. Instead you get maximum excitement for minimal effort, and that’s something to be cherished. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better ridge walk you can fit into half a day anywhere in the UK. At just 12.5km with slightly over 600 metres of ascent, the Great Ridge is far from a tough outing for the competent hill-walker; but it packs a similar…

Ultra-runner and inov-8 ambassador James Gibson completed a continuous round of all 214 Wainwright fells in just over six days this April. After achieving the first ever winter round of the Lake District peaks in 2021, the 30-year-old built on his success to record the second fastest ever time for the challenge – after Sabrina Verjee – whilst battling appalling conditions along the way. 6 DAYS & 5 HOURS James Gibson’s time 8 DAYS & 6 HOURS AND 43 MINS James Gibson’s winter record 36,000m of ascent climbed …that’s Everasts from sea level to summit Three hundred & eighteen MILES completed by James during his fell running challenge FIVE DAYS 23 hours and 49 mins Sabrina Verjee’s Wainwrights record ARCHIVE “I think whole industries based on killing things for fun have…

Danner releases new PCT-inspired trail shoe Named for the start point (Campo) and length (2650 miles) of the Pacific Crest Trail, Danner’s new Trail Campo 2650 shoe is available in versions with and without Gore-Tex at £190 and £160. respectively. The shoe has a leather and textile upper, ultra-lightweight EVA midsole and Vibram Megagrip outsole. The Gore-Tex version features Invisible Fit technology, which bonds the Gore-Tex membrane to the upper to provide the same fit, flexibility and feel as shoes without Gore-Tex. globaldanner.com New Ventile jacket from Alpkit The latest jacket from Alpkit is made from Ventile organic cotton with a PFC-free DWR treatment. Ventile is durable, very breathable and weatherproof. The Ranger Jacket has a detachable adjustable wired hood, zipped handwarmer pockets, zipped internal and external chest pockets, adjustable…

£50 629g bargain price basic design, broad should straps may not fit everyone Materials: main = 210D mini ripstop nylon with PU coating Features: mesh front and side pockets, zipped hip pockets and top pocket, hydration pouch, side compression straps Sizes: one size Men’s version: unisex alpkit.com Impressively priced, the Presta 25 is functional and well thought out. The materials and build quality are good; it’s inexpensive rather than cheaply made. At 25 litres, it’s best suited to three-season use, with space for some lightweight spare gear, food and waterproofs. The top pocket is a bit on the small side, but it’s roomy enough for a compass, keys and wallet. The stretchy mesh pockets on the back and sides are very useful and extend the volume of the pack a…

£95 1030g adjustable back, huge front pocket reversed entry point for main compartment Materials: PFC-free nylon and polyester with a water-resistant PU membrane Features: external and internal lid pockets, side mesh pockets and large front pocket, zipped mesh hip pockets, size access zip, ice axe loops, side compression straps Sizes: one size Men’s version: yes berghaus.com This is an all-round mountain pack, suitable for winter or summer walking. A lot of thought has been put into the design. I can sing the praises of the sturdy reinforced base, and especially the hook and loop adjustable back system, which is easy to adjust. The pack is very stable to carry. I love the enormous stash pocket on the front, which is supremely useful and tougher than the usual mesh pouch. I…

£120 1220g storage options, comfort weight Materials: 71% polyamide, 29% polyester 300D PU-coated Features: double-buckled main closure, mesh air gap back, one hip fin pocket, two side stretch pockets, pole attachment, hydration sleeve, front part mesh pocket, partial front zipped access adjustable back length, raincover Sizes: adjustable Women’s version: unisex vaude.com The Brenta has a very eclectic array of features. There’s a double-buckled lid as the main access, as well as a U-shaped zip around the edge of the front stretch pocket, which gives very useful access to the middle and bottom of the pack’s main compartment. The shoulder straps are quite narrow and lightweight, but padded and comfortable in use, whilst the hips fins are large and wide, similar to those found on a larger capacity backpacking rucksack. It…

Price: £22 (12L) • Weight: 70g (12L) • Materials: abrasion-resistant PS21 (PU-coated nylon) • Features: grab handle, reinforced circular base, IP64 rated against water and dust ingress • Sizes: 1.5L, 3L, 7L, 12L, 22L ortlieb.com/uk_en/ RECOMMENDED Ortlieb PS10 Ultra Light Waterproof Dry-bag Ortlieb is often associated with waterproof map cases, but the company also makes a wide range of dry-bags, including immersion-proof ones designed for use in boats. The PS10 Ultra Light Waterproof Dry-bag is designed for hiking use and is not as burly as some of the others in the range, although it’s still well made and possibly more durable than lighter competitors. The PU-coated nylon fabric is marketed as being abrasion-resistant, and I’ve noticed no wear whatsoever despite a few months of deliberately cavalier use in and out…

1 Start/Finish Small car parking area at Glengalmadale Bridge GR: NM866531 From the car park, head N along the track on the W side of Glengalmadale River. Continue for 2.4km past a small reservoir. 2 Cross the Allt Coire an t-Seasglaich and climb NW up grassy, increasingly steep slopes to reach Fuar Bheinn’s short east ridge. Continue W along the crest to Fuar Bheinn’s summit (766m), marked by granite outcrops and a cairn. 3 From Fuar Bheinn’s summit, descend N then NE to reach Cul Mham and the foot of the climb to Creach Bheinn. Climb E up broad, boulder-strewn slopes to the rocky, cairned summit of Creach Bheinn (853m). 4 Follow the ridge NE for just over 0.5km, passing the stone walls marking the remains of the old survey…

1 Start/Finish Cow Bridge car park, west of Hartsop GR: NY402133 Wide path leads S along slope foot. Keep ahead SW to side stream, footbridge just upstream. Head up R of main stream, then cross it just below wooded ravine. 2 Cross steep slopes up SW, staying close above stream. In upper hollow, follow old fence S to join ridge path. Follow it up to wall on plateau. 3 Wide ridge path leads over Dove Crag and Hart Crag to Fairfield’s clump of cairns. 4 Return keeping L of approach path along tops of drops. Where path for Link Hause turns R, head down grassy ridge NE, to tiny summit above Hutaple Crag. 5 Descend ridgeline to its end above crags. Turn back sharp R, slanting S down grass into…