Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2023 i The Great Outdoors

“THE OUTDOORS SAVED MY LIFE,” Kate Appleby tells The Great Outdoors. Born in Cumbria, her deep relationship with the fells is “life-affirming”. After an abusive childhood and “a complicated upbringing” that took her away from the Lake District, Kate vowed to return to her happy place. Now, the 30-year-old scientific-consultant-turned-public speaker can be found at home in the fells, climbing, hiking, paddleboarding, biking – to name a few of her preferred outdoor pursuits. Kate, a self-titled jack-of-all-trades, equates her hobbies to friends: “having many is to have different people to hug, support and comfort you,” she says. Indeed, Kate needs variety on her adventures. She was diagnosed with lupus at 16 – a blow that “felt like the final straw.” Back then, Kate explained that after surviving domestic and sexual…

IN 1911, Annie Smith Peck climbed to the 21,000-foot summit of Nevado Coropuna in the Peruvian Andes and unfurled a ‘Votes for Women’ banner. The following year, Fanny Bullock Workman led the first expedition to explore the Siachen Glacier in Baltistan, and was photographed holding aloft a newspaper with a ‘Votes for Women’ headline. I describe in my new book In Her Nature how, from around the mid-1800s, women turned en masse to outdoor activities, because they offered emancipation from ‘the shackles of conventionality’, as Victorian climber Lizzie Le Blond put it. Suffragists such as Mary E Crawford, president of Winnipeg’s Political Equality League, loved mountaineering because it helped women to ‘gain confidence with every step’ and to ‘gaze out upon a new world’: to hope for a brighter feminist…

Total distance: 760km / 472 miles Total ascent: 30,022m / 98,500ft Duration: 23 days Start: Swansea Observatory Finish: Conwy Castle Will’s criterion for a ‘mountain’ on this trip was based on the Nuttall definition – that’s any peak over 2000 feet with a prominence above15 metres. A web search on ‘How many Nuttalls are there in Wales?’ will produce three conflicting results, but the two people who walked the route before him had 190 on their list. Will settled for the 189 listed on a website called Go4awalk, a fantastic resource for Nuttall baggers, though he also made sure to climb some others, just in case – for example, the two cairns along the south-stretching ridge from Hay Bluff in the Black Mountains.…

For this trip, Carey ended up making a five-day loop through and around the central massif of the Picos de Europa. The route totalled 77km (48 miles) with around 5500m (18,000 feet) of ascent, following this itinerary: Day 1: Sotres to Vega d’Urrielu, plus climb up to the short via ferrata of Corona del Rasu Day 2: Vega d’Urrielu to Posada de Valdeon via Cabana Veronica and Tiro Casares Day 3: Day walk from Posada de Valdeon up to Penon de la Iglesia Day 4: Posada de Valdeon to Poncebos via the Cares Gorge Day 5: Poncebos to Sotres via Bulnes Although this route was a change from Carey’s original plan of looping through the western massif of the Picos as well, it would make the basis of a fantastic…

TESTING CONDITIONS Lucy is 171cm tall with narrow shoulders. She sleeps cold, so likes a warm bag. Her bags were tested in winter and spring conditions in Scotland and the Lakes, both wild camping and in a campervan. Weights including stuff sack were measured on Lucy's digital scales. BEST BUY Rab Women’s Neutrino 400 £400 849g light and warm expensive, snug fit for taller women Fill: 400g 800FP Nikwax hydrophobic RDS European goose down Shell: 20D Pertex Quantum recycled nylon ripstop Construction: trapezoidal box wall Zip: ¾-length YKK two-way anti-snag Length: 200cm Rating: comfort -1°C, limit -7°C Sizes: one Men’s version: yes rab.equipment This latest edition of Rab’s classic Neutrino 400 sleeping bag was launched in 2022. The most obvious change is the chevron-shaped baffles, which Rab says help to…

1 Ben Chonzie & Auchnafree Hill South Highlands 2 Crummock Water Lake District 3 Bleaberry Fell/High Seat Lake District 4 Dow Crag/The Old Man of Coniston Lake District 5 Sergeant Man via Steel Fell Lake District 6 Branstree & Selside Pike Lake District 7 Scafell Pike via Esk Hause Lake District 8 Pitch Hill Powys 9 Bleak House dartmoor 10 Hartland to Bude Devon/Cornwall…

James Forrest takes in four Wainwrights on a high-level loop CRUMMOCK WATER has always lived in the shadow of its neighbour Buttermere. Buttermere is forever lavished with praise and attention, whilte poor old Crummock Water goes somewhat unnoticed and unloved. But this is an injustice. Flanked by the shapely outline of Mellbreak to the west and the domineering bulk of Grasmoor to the east, Crummock Water is a place of beauty and intriguing dichotomy. With typical wordsmith flair, Alfred Wainwright described Crummock Water as “gay with life and colour” on its eastern shore, but “where loneliness, solitude and silence prevail” to the west. In the absence of an established high-level horseshoe route around Crummock Water, I’ve created one. From Loweswater, climb the dramatic north ridge of Mellbreak before looping along…

Surround yourself with fells, recommends Vivienne Crow A LAKELAND ‘hug’ rewards those prepared for complicated route-finding on this hike to the hub of fell country. Stand on Sergeant Man, near the centre of the Lake District’s ‘wheel’ of mountains, and perform a 360-degree turn. All around, as far as the eye can see, hills march off into the distance. There are few summits that provide such a palpable sense of being enfolded. To reach the 736m (2414ft) summit of Sergeant Man, this route first climbs Steel Fell’s southern ridge – a satisfying approach, mostly on grass but with the occasional rock outcrop to add interest and adrenaline – before heading out across lonely, boggy country enlivened by the presence of small, sparkling tarns. For Wainwright-baggers, Calf Crag is the next…

David Lintern, in a break from huffing and puffing up pointy mountains, has just returned from a week’s walk around the coast of Jura, a geological wonderland replete with many ticks, adders, feral goats and sea eagles. The Great Outdoors’ commissioning editor was shocked by the amount of plastic washed up on the shores of this wild and remote island. In this issue, he returns to the hills after a period of illness and shares shifting perspectives on open access. Nicola Hardy, a Komoot ambassador, worked in IT project management in South Yorkshire for a decade before diving into life as an adventurer and outdoor writer in 2019. She now lives in Cumbria and enjoys planning quirky adventures such as walking all 214 Wainwrights in seven long weekends, starting and…

Share your views, your experiences and your favourite photos tgo.ed@kelsey.co.uk 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. Can apps do better for people with disablities? The Great Outdoors is still receiving many responses from hillwalkers after we published an article earlier this year investigating the crowdsourced data used by popular hiking apps. Mike Beaumont is among them, but he has another perspective to add… Walking and mountaineering have always suffered from poor access to information. The information is there, along with many superb courses; but it’s not openly obvious to the many newcomers to the great outdoors. Access and routes for people with disabilities are even more obscure. More…

1. Buy Wainwright’s guidebooks The originals are the best. Invest in a seven-book set of Wainwright’s guides and you can wonder at his poetic turn of phrase, sharp wit, charming linescape drawings and summit-identifying diagrams. 2. Learn about mountain safety Staying safe whilst Wainwright-bagging is priority number one. Improve your mountain know how by completing a hills skills course, learning first aid and practising your navigation. adventuresmart.uk 3. Get kitted out correctly Correct gear is essential if you’re going to survive the unpredictable Cumbrian weather. You’ll need comfy and grippy footwear, warm layers and – most importantly – reliable waterproofs. 4. Be tech-savvy with your route planning Paper maps are essential, but modern technology is incredibly useful too. With navigation apps you can plot and download routes, and pinpoint your…

Duration: 1-2 days Distance: The circular hillwalk from the informal car park at Mhullie Greens, just past Deanie power station, is 23.9km / 14.9 miles. Take the well-kept singletrack road from Inchmore car park, around 12km / 7 miles, each way. A bike is highly recommended for this section. Ascent: 1672m / 5485ft ACCESS AT STRATHFARRAR Access for walkers and cyclists (and powered transport for disabled users) is allowed day and night (providing one can negotiate the walkers’ gate) but for motor transport, there’s effectively a summer permit system. Summer Between April and October, up to 25 vehicles are allowed in during daylight hours. Access is controlled by the gatekeeper at Inchmore, where there is a car park, but you are not permitted to park in the glen overnight. Opening…

• Avoid carrying two identical power packs and not labelling them!• Letting your lighter rattle around in your pot is not only annoying, but can also lead to a broken lighter and cold noodles for dinner.• Don’t be afraid to approach others for help. Matthew and Mike were happy to oblige when asked for their Welsh 2000s GPX files.• Will tried to avoid setting daily targets before the trip as a way of keeping relaxed about the endeavour. He let his body dictate daily distances and assessed his progress and schedule each evening. Taith Galed, the film that documents Will’s Hard Journey, is set for public release soon. You’ll find it at youtube.com/@willrenwick…

TESTING CONDITIONS James is 180cm tall with average-width shoulders. He tends to be a ‘cold sleeper’, and he has taken this into consideration. He tested the sleeping bags in a variety of conditions in the Scottish Highlands during the spring – in overnight temperatures ranging from around +2°C to +9°C. He weighed the sleeping bags (including stuff sacks) using his own digital scales. BEST BUY Sea to Summit Ascent Acl -4 £320 926g (regular) warm, packs down very small, hydrophobic down fill. expensive Fill: 330g 750FP Ultra-Dry down Shell: 20D ripstop nylon Construction: side block baffle Zip: 2-way, full-length on left, 2-way, 1/3-length on right Length: 205cm (regular) Rating: comfort +2°C, limit -4°C Sizes: regular, long Women’s version: no seatosummit.co.uk This is shaped something like a mid point between a…

BEST BUY Atom Packs The Mo VX60 £285 935g (M) ultralight, pockets, tough fabric, comfort expensive Capacity: 60 litres Materials: body: EPX200 200g/m2 recycled 200 denier face fabric, 45-degree cross-ply, recycled 70 denier backing fabric; back: 500D textured nylon; side pockets: 210D Robic Extreema; front pocket Dyneema mesh Closure: rollover with stud and buckle fastenings Back system: framesheet with 12mm alloy bar, shaped 8mm closed cell foam panel Hipbelt: padded, adjustable Pockets: 2 open side, front mesh, base mesh, 2 mesh shoulder strap Features: front and side elastic Sizes: 4 length, 5 hipbelt Load capacity: 19kg atompacks.co.uk The Mo 60 is the larger version of the Mo 50, which I gave Best Buy to in 2021. The extra capacity is the only difference between the two packs. For this spring…

In this Lakeland-themed special, our contributors have shared some of their favourite walks in the Cumbrian fells – from a long route up the highest peak in England to quiet spots celebrating rewilding successes. Of course, we’ve also included some walks from elsewhere in the UK: Scottish Munros; hills in Mid Wales; Dartmoorian day trips; and moments of coastal magic to enjoy during the long, light summertime hours.…

Alex Roddie takes in some of the Lakes’ finest viewpoints THE LAKE DISTRICT is a place of huge variety, encompassing fells, moorland, woods, lakes and a long history of human habitation – and some of the finest walks embrace this variety. Keswick is one of the most popular centres for walking in the Lakes. Whilst Skiddaw and Blencathra are there to scratch the itch for big, impressive mountains, lower fells to the east of Derwent Water still have plenty to offer – including, arguably, views that are just as good but require less effort. This circuit takes in Walla Crag, with its superb views out over the lake, then heads for the moors before reaching Bleaberry Fell and continuing to High Seat. The return journey is just as interesting. After…

Ian Battersby pans for gold in lesser spotted Swindale SWINDALE is a dinky dale hiding in the far east of the Lake District. Famed peaks are absent, so you’ll likely be wearing a greedy grin at not having to share the towering crags that lead up to forgotten fells such as Branstree and Selside Pike. They are ideal stages for viewing the grandeur of Mardale Head, High Street and Swindale. Yet the dale itself steals much of the limelight. Swindale Beck was uncurled over 200 years ago to aid farming efficiency; but the resulting amplified flow led to downstream flooding, whilst scoured banks lost vital niches for invertebrates, bird life and fish. Now the river has been re-wiggled thanks to the RSPB et al. In return it delivers gold better…

Roger Butler wriggles his way through the Welsh Borders NO MATTER how many times you might have walked in the Welsh Marches, there’s always more to explore amongst the steeply rolling contours that hug the Heart of Wales line. The railway enables fine linear walks and this energetic route, partly following breezy Glyndwr’s Way, snakes its way between the border town of Knighton and the toy-town station at Llanbister Road. It is the ideal route upon which to wriggle your way through the Welsh borders. AE Housman famously wrote about these blue remembered hills, where drovers once crossed these whaleback ridges, and their old tracks encourage swift progress. A green bridleway twists up Pitch Hill, where an exultation of skylarks provides a musical score to wide panoramic views into Mid…

Fiona Barltrop relishes one of the best coastal walks in the country ARDUOUS it may be, but the 15.3-mile stretch of coast path between Hartland Quay and Bude is one of the most spectacular sections of the South West Coast Path National Trail. The SWCP Association’s annual guide grades it ‘severe’ with an overall ascent of some 4000ft. Indeed, there are ten steep, deep river valleys to cross along the way. Nonetheless, any suitably fit person with plenty of stamina who takes it in their stride should enjoy a great day of coastal walking here. Fine settled weather makes all the difference, with the long days of late spring and summer being the best time for it. There are buses between Bude and Hartland village, but no public transport to…

THE CAMBRIAN WAY AT A GLANCE DISTANCE: 479km / 298 miles ASCENT: 22,460m / 73,700ft START: Cardiff FINISH: Conwy DURATION: 15-20 days The Cambrian Way was conceived by Tony Drake in 1971. Having played a large role in establishing the Offa’s Dyke Path and Cotswold Way, he turned his attention to creating what he dubbed the ‘mountain connoisseur’s walk’, a route that would take in Wales’ mountainous spine in one south-to-north journey from coast to coast. But Drake’s idea didn’t quite get off the ground in the way he’d wanted. The British Mountaineering Council’s North Wales committee was concerned about the proposed section through the tricky terrain of the Rhinogydd, and subsequent resistance from the National Farmers Union –, and even Snowdonia National Park – ultimately led to funding for…

“To many Cairntoul [sic] is the most imposing mountain of the Cairngorm range. Whereas Braeriach, Ben Muich Dhui, and, to a lesser extent, Cairngorm, have had their summits worn comparatively flat and insignificant by countless storms, Cairntoul, as seen from Lairig Ghru pass, is a mountain in the real sense of the word, its summit rising sharp and distinct, and presenting a true Alpine appearance…”Seton Gordon, The Charm of the Hills WHENEVER I PASS the Linn of Dee, I always think with a shudder of Menlove Edwards, the major Welsh rock-climbing pioneer of the 1930s, swimming down when it was swollen with snow-melt at Easter 1933. To reassure his companions, he agreed to tie on to a climbing rope so that they could drag him out if necessary. In the…

THE DAY HAD BEEN HARD, the hardest of the two weeks so far. From 7am until 8pm I spent the entire time with my chin tucked into my chest and my eyes fixed on the ground whilst the wind blasted rain straight at me. The section through Cwmorthin, the abandoned slate quarry, had been particularly difficult, with all the paths through the slate tips drowned in cascading white water and low cloud making me work hard to locate the 13 mountains of the Moelwynion that I needed to climb throughout the course of the day. Still, I’d made it to Beddgelert, and that tough day was behind me. I was about to enjoy my first hotel so far on my attempt to climb all 189 of Wales’ mountains in one…

“IF I ATTEMPT THAT I THINK I COULD DIE,” said my friend, looking at what lay ahead of us. It didn’t feel like an exaggeration. The safety of the valley floor was tantalisingly close, just a hundred or so metres below, but to get there we would have to negotiate a final ordeal which at that moment looked impossible: a narrow traverse whittled out of the face of a sheer limestone cliff, with an unambiguously lethal drop below. The ‘path’ was protected by cables, and in normal circumstances would have been no problem for either of us. But several hours ago, near the start of a long and wickedly steep descent, my friend’s knee had started hurting. We pushed on; but after a succession of plunging scree slopes, wildly exposed…

Shape and size A smaller bag weighs less, but it needs to be big enough for the user. The mummy shape keeps cold spots to a minimum and hugs the body. Bags are often available in different sizes and/or genders to achieve best fit. Fill Synthetic insulation costs less and ‘lofts’ (fluffs up) when wet, but it is heavier and less compressible than down. Synthetic bags are also easier to clean. Down insulation is very light and warm, with superb compressibility, but it’s expensive and has reduced lofting when wet. Down may be treated to improve water resistance. Shell The shell should be durable yet lightweight enough to allow the insulation to loft. For down bags, the shell should be leakproof to prevent feathers escaping through the weave. The outer…

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 £10 every 3 months! 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…

Stefan Durkacz tackles the round of Loch Turret BEN CHONZIE, or Ben-y-Hone, isn’t quite the most southerly Munro but it’s certainly one of the most popular and accessible. Situated near the genteel Perthshire town of Crieff, it’s less than two hours from Edinburgh and Glasgow. It’s also one of the easiest Munros, a rather humdrum half-day wander up and down the featureless broad back of the hill from Glen Lednock. This hardly does it justice though. The approach from further east in Glen Turret shows Ben Chonzie in a far more flattering light: a proud, mysterious and inviting presence away at the head of the glen, often sporting snow around the summit escarpment well into spring. It’s also less busy. The classic expedition is a round of upper Glen Turret,…

Coniston Old Man is a classic for good reason, says Norman Hadley WITH A MODICUM of deviousness, you can sneak up on The Old Man of Coniston from the back, avoiding the busy, stony zigzags coming from Low Water. Better yet, you can include Dow Crag (nominated by Wainwright as one of his six finest summits) as a preamble, approached from the delightful valley of Torver Beck. This short loop has it all: a shy valley full of gorse flower and birdsong, interesting quarry workings, a surprising (and illicit) waterfall, a curious beehive shelter, a mildly scrambly summit, a bird’s-eye circuit of Goat’s Water and an almost certainly deserted descent of one of Lakeland’s most frequently-climbed fells. And if you’re wondering what constitutes an “illicit” waterfall, this rather pretty example…

Emily Woodhouse takes a long – and more interesting – route up England’s highest mountain SO YOU WANT to go up Scafell Pike to stand on the highest point in England, but you want to make a day of it on a full mountain outing that takes in more of the Lake District’s beautiful fells. You’re not scared of doubling the amount of distance you must walk uphill to get there – in fact, that sounds like your idea of fun. I have heard this route described as a monster. Personally, I find it a very pleasant day out – albeit long – that happens to take in Scafell Pike. If your only objective is to stand on the highest summit in England then there are far more straightforward ways…

Tim Gent visits a remote ruin where a German spy may have hidden DARTMOOR has experienced various attempts to strip it of its assets over the years. Swathes of peat have been dug up and hauled away. The remains of these endeavours are still visible, and one of the most enigmatic is Bleak House. A license to extract peat near Great Links Tor was granted in 1878. A year later, The Rattlebrook Peat Works had installed a railway and drying kilns, and built a home for the manager. Early photos show an imposing dwelling, built using local granite. Despite the investment in time and money, the works never flourished. The rails for the railway were lifted in 1932, and the army soon demolished the drying buildings. At some point, the…

AFTER A COLD, dark winter, springtime could not be more welcome. The thrift is thriving and the bluebells are blooming. Spring is a time of growth and change. The supermarket prices are doing particularly well this year; I’ve never seen them grow so high so quickly. The weather is all over the place and keeps me on my toes, from toasty to toe-tally soaked. I’ve had my pasty legs out in shorts on cloudless mornings, only to be bundled up in two coats, freezing as the rain lashes down from dark skies hours later. Ticks are appearing again. Spiders and slugs venture up my tent. Bumblebees buzz past. Luckily, I’ll be back in England before midge season kicks off again in Scotland. Call me a soft southerner, but one summer…