Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2023 i The Great Outdoors

JUNE in the hills KATE SIELMANN mountaineering & trekking coach DO YOU KNOW how to lace your trail shoes if your big toe won’t stop banging into the end of your boot? How to pee whilst roped in on a ledge? How to deal with a period at 6000m? How to exercise to develop mountain endurance? Well, if the answer to any of these is ‘no’, Kate Sielmann has you covered with her one-to-one training and social media tips and tricks. The 33-year-old mountaineering and trekking coach and author grew up in Zimbabwe. Her first taste of climbing came at the bottom of her garden where untamed tendrils of nature spread. Here, she’d scamper up trees to escape snakes. Between her bases of London and Bad Oldesloe (Germany), her adult explorations…

THE NATIONAL PARK formerly known as the Brecon Beacons has been all over the news recently, after the park authority revealed that it will be reverting to solely using the Welsh name for the region – Bannau Brycheiniog – in the future. It was an announcement that was somewhat predictably seized upon immediately by conservative commentators, including the likes of Nigel Farage, Laurence Fox and David Davis, who were up in arms decrying the decision and blaming it on ‘wokeness’. By and large, those against the move seem to be asking: what’s the point? Many Welsh people, myself included, can very much see the point. Not so long ago, I was exploring the Cambrian Mountains, a wild part of my home country. At the head of a long, narrow valley…

MY LANDS-END-TO-JOHN-O-GROATS (LEJOG) was an adventure that, though I didn’t know it, had been on the cards for a while. My environmental journey began more than six years ago and my walking journey more than eight, but that they would come together in a long walk across the entire length of our country was not something I foresaw. That suggestion came from my husband. Initially, I was resistant. Nature is where I go to escape from the rigours of environmental activism. It felt like I would have to give up the last place where I could find peace. Yet the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. What better way to inspire others to engage with the climate crisis than on foot and in person? Soon I…

BEST BUY Pacerpole Tops £85  398g per pair shaped handles, lever locks, fits variety of pole shafts expensive Material: aluminium alloy 7075 Length: 55cm to top of handle Sizes: 2, for 14mm and 16mm diameter shafts pacerpole.com A complete pair of the popular Pacerpoles trekking poles are currently unavailable, but these separate versions of their unique contoured handles are a good option in the meantime, says Chris Pacerpoles are my favourite trekking poles by far. I’ve used them on every long walk for the last 15 years. They’ve been my tent poles on those walks too. They’re unique because of the contoured handles, which are shaped for your left and right hands. Straps aren’t needed and your hands are at a natural angle. I find the handles very comfortable. It’s…

Stefan Durkacz spends 24 hours in the foothills of the Cairngorms THE FRINGES of the high Cairngorms are easy to overlook. This is a shame because there’s a lot of scope for exploration in the hill country around the main massif. Here the perspectives are often dramatic and unusual, and the twin Corbetts of Carn Liath and Culardoch between Deeside to the south and the high plateaux of Beinn a’ Bhuird and Ben Avon to the north exemplify this. Carn Liath especially is a great vantage point for Ben Avon’s undulating plateau and its weird granite tors. Culardoch’s summit encompasses the eastern hinterlands of the Cairngorms, from Loch Builg to the north around to the outlier of Morven (872m) to the east overlooking the rich farming country of Aberdeenshire. South…

Vivienne Crow enjoys solitude on an overnighter beyond Skiddaw LINGY HUT, sometimes also called Great Lingy Hut, is about as basic as bothies get. Little more than a large wooden shed, it contains a sleeping platform, a spade and a visitors’ book. But it sits in a wonderfully secluded spot, high up in the heart of the Lake District’s quiet Northern Fells. Starting from Keswick, this walk first climbs the busy ‘tourist path’ up Skiddaw before heading for the relative solitude of Great Calva and Knott, two peaks that feel like they’re an awfully long way from anywhere. After an overnight stop at the hut, nearly 19km into the 36km route and 580m above sea level, the second day is easier. It follows the route of the Cumbria Way through…

James Forrest stays in the dinky-but-delightful Arenig Fawr bothy A NIGHT IN A BOTHY, a quiet hill to climb in the morning, an escape from the mayhem of honeypot areas – this walk has a lot to offer. The Arenigs are a disparate mountain range north and west of Bala, a mix of grassy hills, vast bogs and sudden rocky terrain. They feel quiet and wild, and that is their appeal. Day hike options include a two-peak loop of extinct volcano Rhobell Fawr and its remote neighbour Dduallt, or an ascent of pudding-shaped Arenig Fach from Llyn Celyn; but perhaps the best route is this one up Arenig Fawr. The higher of the two Arenigs, 854m Fawr is the range’s grandest mountain, with a scenic ascent up its eastern ridge…

I OFTEN SAY hiking has done wonders for my mental health. A combination of physical exercise, natural beauty and an appreciation of little things like the placement of a bench atop a particularly strenuous hill… Often, humans interact with the landscape charmingly: desire paths diverging off-trail to a beautiful viewpoint, tyre swings in trees, the remains of a fire pit surrounded by stones marking the perfect camping spot on a Scottish beach. Occasionally, the human impact is disgusting, like a dog poo hanging on a tree branch. This is not good for anyone’s mental health. One sight I find particularly depressing is the amount of junk littering our shores. On one long stretch of coast to Aberdeen I found lobster traps and bottle caps, clothes pegs and Barbie legs, a…

Heather Anderson is a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, three-time Triple Crown thru hiker and professional speaker whose mission is to inspire others to ‘Dream Big, Be Courageous’. She is also the author of two hiking memoirs – Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home and Mud, Rocks, Blazes: Letting Go on the Appalachian Trail – and a preparatory guide to long-distance hiking Adventure Ready. Andrew Terrill is the author of two critically acclaimed books about a 7000-mile walk: The Earth Beneath My Feet and On Sacred Ground. Originally from London, he now lives in Colorado – but still can’t quite believe it. Even after two decades, he pinches himself each morning to confirm that the Rockies really are outside. To demonstrate his appreciation and gratitude for this privilege, he makes daily…

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. A flipping brilliant tip! In our May issue (right), we pulled together some of our best scrambling advice in our special 'Big Rock' guide. One tip really hit home for a reader, Sarah Lea, who suffers from a fear of heights. She wrote to us to explain… It’s not always predictable when vertigo will hit; but narrow ledges, a scree slope descent or even, on occasion, just walking downhill in a muddy field have left me fighting to stay calm and carry on. Over the years I have developed coping strategies, and this can simply involve sitting down! I like to think…

Published by Pesda Press, £19.99, paperback THERE HAS NEVER BEEN a better time to consider walking and camping on Dartmoor – especially if, like me, you’re woefully unfamiliar with the national park. I’ve only spent a couple of all-too-short weekends camping on the moor and – of course – I headed straight for the ‘top’: High Willhays (2039ft). Despite my lack of originality, it only took two days for me to fall in love with the ancient woodlands and windswept moorland. However, life happened and promises to return remain unkept. But now, in case you missed it, the right to backpack camp long cherished by many – from young Ten Tors challengers to Two Moors Way walkers – in parts of Devon’s national park is in jeopardy. A wealthy landowner…

Britain’s original outdoor magazine is packed full of stunning photography, top class writing and brilliant walking and backpacking routes, along with authoritative gear reviews from the country’s most experienced team of testers and essential skills advice from highly qualified outdoor instructors. Subscribe today for only £28.20! Hello THE GREAT OUTDOORS is the UK’s original mountain magazine. We have been inspiring people to explore high places and equipping them with the knowledge they need for almost 45 years. Through compelling writing and beautifully illustrated stories, we convey the joy of adventure, the thrill of mountainous and wild environments, and the wonder of the natural world. We’re here to help you make the most of your time in the outdoors. As well as stunning photography and top-class writing, our gear reviewers are…

Andrew Galloway reaches the highest point in south Scotland DESPITE the ostensible ancestral connections (my father’s family actually came from the north-east of England), I don’t visit Galloway nearly as much as I should. More often than not the rolling hills of the Southern Uplands are passed in the blink of an eye as I speed along the M74 on my way to big Highland names. More fool me. For, as I was recently reminded, the forests of Dumfries & Galloway have much to offer, not least some rugged wilderness with remarkably low footfall. At 843m, Merrick is the highest point on the mainland south of the Central Belt. The walk to the summit via the Culsharg bothy makes for a fair challenge, particularly in the winter months. For added…

Ian Battersby visits a tarn and is gifted a novel approach to the fells above THE RIVER CALDEW runs through level, verdant pastures beneath contrasting fellsides, and the valley faces dawn sunlight that warms its attendant golden grasses and fragrant ferns. Carrock Fell opposite is steep and scarred, with dark heather holding sway in sketchy niches. Our path traverses the milder southern slopes, culminating in unexpected rewards. Bowscale Tarn’s tranquil waters reside in a hollow beneath sudden, verdant crags, all hidden by a sizeable ramp, the top of which gifts flat ground for wild campers with an open view of hill, dale and tarn. Lingering here reveals an uncertain path along a natural green shelf, camouflaged amongst Tarn Crags, making an audacious route to Bowscale Fell. From the summit, Skiddaw’s…

Francesca Donovan makes a night of it on a Kinder traverse THE KINDER plateau comprises some of the highest points and most rugged views in the Peak District (Kinder Scout sits 2,087ft above sea level). You can’t help but admire the natural forces that created the formations of gritstone, akin to a monsters’ graveyard, and the cloughs carved into the side of the landscape. Yet the walkways that cling to its edge between the Win Hill honeypot and the mouth of Grindsbrook Clough are relatively quiet. We shared hellos with perhaps ten other walkers here even on this (very) Good Friday bank holiday. Best of all, this linear train-to-train route allows you to skip descending into Edale to face the perils of parking. Kinder’s wide plateaus also provide plentiful space…

TURN TO PAGE 90 FOR THE LATEST SUBSCRIPTION OFFER Ullswater Valley, Lake District “I woke to the pre-dawn light about 4.20am. It was a still, windless morning in May and I knew the sun would be up in about 10 minutes. “I got in position as Carey and Harrison emerged from their tents too. I took some shots, including this one, as we watched the sun appear in the east from our wild campsite above Ullswater. “The sun was a burning red coin at first, but it gradually brightened until its rays flooded the landscape. Wild camping is all about these kinds of beautiful scenes.” danieltoal.com…

PINE MARTENS THE ELUSIVE PINE MARTEN (Martes martes) might be more easily heard than seen in summer, when these solo dwellers come together to mate, making shrill, cat-like calls. They are named for their treetop habitat, where they commandeer tree holes, old squirrel dreys or disused bird nests. Despite being the largest of the Mustelidae family, pine martens are agile climbers that use bushy tails for balance and furry feet for grip – handy for hunting a winter diet that includes small rodents, birds and insects. Should their claws let them down on the climb, they twist in the air to land safely on four feet. On the ground they forage for berries, which colour their ‘scats’ (droppings) blue or red in summer. Whilst they are mostly nocturnal, pine martens…

OUR WILD PLACES are suffering because of our collective ignorance. We are, as a nation, ecologically illiterate. Most of us can point to a run-down urban landscape and identify the flaws. But far fewer look at a rural scene and see industrial-scale exploitation or monocrop deserts, or spot where the fertiliser runoff pours into the river. National treasures like the Lake District aren’t usually denounced as ravaged, denuded hills bitten to the quick. We hillwalkers are guilty too – we flick through these pages for inspiration and ideas, a route that might appeal for its beauty or challenge. We don’t – well, I don’t – usually stop to examine just how dreadfully unwell these glossy double-page landscapes are. They’re green; but, in truth, that’s sometimes all that can be said…

“Almost the whole community worked on the estate, and in the little hamlet the telephone box was painted the Westminster black and white instead of normal red. The stalkers all wore the same brand of tweed, like a uniform. It was a relic of the feudal age…”Derek Ratcliffe, In Search of Nature THE FAR NORTH OF SCOTLAND – little between you and the barrenlands of the High Arctic when you visit there! You can expect to see the phantasmal swirl of the Aurora Borealis on clear summer or winter nights. You can experience a sense of emptiness and isolation seldom encountered amongst British hills. And if you’re a Munro-bagger, you’ll be adding two fine and memorable hills to your expanding collection in one unforgettable circular excursion – Ben More Assynt…

Our walks this month 1 Carn Liath & Culardoch Cairngorms 2 Merrick Dumfries & Galloway 6 Cwm Caseg Snowdonia/Eryri 3 Martindale Horseshoe Lake District 4 Lingy Hut Lake District 5 Bowscale Tarn Lake District 7 Arenig Fawr Snowdonia/Eryri 8 Kinder Low Peak District 9 The Two Moors Way Devon 10 Wild Tor & Cranmere Pool Dartmoor 10 varied routes in Scotland, England and Wales ’Tis the season to go walking! The days are getting longer and the nights warmer (hopefully) so as a bit of a departure from the norm in this, our backpacking-themed issue, our contributors bring you some of their favourite two-day – or longer – walks, as well as a selection of routes that are eminently doable in a day, but which make for a fine night…

Fiona Barltrop enjoys a variation on a quiet theme TO THE SOUTH-EAST of Ullswater, accessible by car only along a narrow no through road from Pooley Bridge, is the quiet area of Martindale, home to the oldest native red deer herd in England. It is a sanctuary for them, and walkers are asked to respect this and keep their distance at all times. There is some excellent crowd-free walking along the high ridges that surround the beautiful, steep-sided valleys of Martindale. The horseshoe route that starts from the Old Church taking in High Raise, Angle Tarn and Beda Fell is particularly fine. This walk, whose starting point is the much more accessible hamlet of Hartsop (just off the A592), is an unusual variation on that horseshoe providing splendid views throughout,…

Andrew Galloway camps beside a mountain lake formed by a glacier THE WELSH WORD caseg translates into English as ‘mare’, as in a female horse. The etymology of the name Cwm Caseg no doubt originates in the families of wild ponies that have made their home in this post-glacial valley for many hundreds of years. It feels like many hundreds of years since I studied glacial geomorphology. At the risk of leaping to conclusions I think it’s fair to say that there are a number of phases of glacial erosion visible at Cwm Caseg. The secluded mountain lake of Ffynnon Caseg marks the location of a cirque glacier that 12,000 years ago would have carved into the volcanic rocks below the summit of the Carneddau peak of Yr Elen. This…

Emily Woodhouse shows us the moorland way from coast to coast DEVON IS A SURPRISINGLY big county, and one of very few in the UK that has coastline on two sides. Connecting these north and south coasts via the Two Moors Way is a true journey of discovery. Starting on the beach at Wembury, the route climbs up and onto Dartmoor, skirting the right-hand edge then descending back into countryside. Crossing mid-Devon, it passes through Exmoor and finishes straight off the moors to the cliffs of Lynton and the shingle beach at Lynmouth Bay. It is possible to complete the route in several shorter sections or one continuous walk. It can also be done at any time of year, but early summer or early autumn would probably be the most…

Tim Gent suggests a ‘lightning camping sortie’ on Dartmoor THERE ARE COUNTLESS multi-day camping opportunities spread out across the rugged uplands of Dartmoor. The place is almost purpose-built for the job, offering the chance to string a sequence of hillwalking days together with a few restorative wilderness nights under canvas. All very enticing, but perhaps you don’t have a week to spare for a visit with a tent, or even a weekend. That’s when a lightning camping sortie comes into its own. Even a relatively short walk on the moor can be utilised, simply by stopping for the night at some pleasant spot along the way. In summer, when the days are long, you can even set off after work on a Friday, walking into the moor for a few…