Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2024 i The Great Outdoors

WHEN SHE LEFT Devon – where she’d spent her childhood “tearing about” the countryside, climbing trees and reading Enid Blyton books – to go to university to study film, Emma Crome became homesick. And yet, summers in Fairbourne tucked between sea and mountain with her great uncle and aunt in North Wales offered “unbridled freedom”. Introduced to Dartmoorian hillwalking by her parents, nine-year-old Emma was happy hiking miles of the Mawddach Estuary learning about local history. Cadair Idris was her first mountain. She pinned a map of it next to her bed back home. “When I returned to school, I’d be so depressed – I just wanted to be back in Wales.” Her twenties ushered in a “contained lifestyle” working in outdoor retail and marketing. Emma wanted a “wild life”…

The 2023/4 winter season – which starts annually on the shortest day – saw alpinist Anna Wells, 34, become the fourth person ever to summit all of Scotland’s 282 Munros before the Spring Equinox. The International Mountain Leader based in Inverness is the first woman to do so, matching the record held by Martin Moran since 1985. In this long, gruelling race to tick off all the peaks, Anna once summited 10 Munros in a single day, as well as walking through two serious foot and knee niggles. Here is a summary of her mammoth effort and this historical achievement… start date: 22/12 2023 end date: 13/3 2024 TOTAL DAYS (67 hill days and 16 rest days) 83 DAYS THIRTEEN DAYS BY BIKE NUMBER OF CAR DROPS/LIFTS 24 28 DAYS WITH…

I’M AT PEN-Y-GWRYD, a pass in the southern foothills of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), and I can’t see a thing. The winter cloud hangs so close that I feel I’m ducking under it as I plod the wet tarmac towards the hotel – a refuge for climbers since 1810, when someone knocked on the door of John Roberts’ farmhouse and asked for something to eat. A rescue helicopter throbs overhead, appearing briefly before heading towards Nant Gwryd below me. I can barely see to cross the road, let alone admire the peaks above. I know Yr Wyddfa’s near, but it doesn’t matter: I’m not here to see her. I’m here about a book. The Pen-y-Gwryd visitor book is under safekeeping behind the bar nowadays: a hefty leather tome, worn smooth and…

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 the country’s most experienced team – and we always ensure clothing and equipment is put through its paces in the right places. Our essential skills advice is reinforced by top outdoor instructors and guides. Our roster of contributors ranges from world-renowned outdoor experts and authors to…

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Berghaus 3D Freeflow 30+5L £180 1510g effective back system, recycled fabric weight, cost Capacity: 30-35 litres Materials: recycled nylon with PFC-free PU membrane Closure: zipped front Back: flexible recycled polypropylene frame, 3D-printed space pads in lumbar area, stretched mesh panel Hipbelt: padded Pockets: zipped top, front stash, 2 adjustable side, 2 zipped hipbelt, two stretch mesh shoulder strap Features: zipped expansion gusset, side compression cords, trekking pole loops, rain cover in base Sizes: 1 Women’s version: no www.berghaus.com The Freeflow has been a popular staple of Berghaus’s pack range since it was launched in 1996, and it was one of the first packs with a ventilated back system. There have been several updates over the years but this 2024 version is a much bigger change than any previous…

Outsole Outsoles should offer a suitable level of traction for your chosen terrain, with deeper and more densely packed lugs needed for better grip on wet, muddy and steep ground. Heel lugs help when descending more severe gradients, and on looser ground. Stiffness Walking, compared to running, requires less flexibility in the shoes. If you want to use yours for both activities, ensure they are flexible enough to complement your natural running gait. This needs to be balanced with stiffness and cushioning for longer distances. Rock plate Some shoes have a rock plate, embedded between the outsole and the midsole for underfoot protection. It can add stability and stiffness to the shoe, helping to protect the feet from sharp stones. Stack height Sometimes called 'midsole', this refers to how much…

19km/11.8 miles/6-7 hours Ascent 908m/2979ft Alex Roddie goes in search of sparkling mountain water on a hot day DID YOU KNOW that Lochnagar was not originally the name for the mountain? Lochnagar is actually the name of the jewel-like loch held in the Corrie of Lochnagar. It’s thought that the mountain itself was originally called Beinn Chiochan or Beinn nan Cìochan, but the name Lochnagar eventually stuck. As mountain walks based around water go, this one has several points of interest. You’ve got the River Muick on the first stage. There are the bewitching deep waters of Lochnagar. Then, on the descent, you’ll come to the Falls of the Glasallt – one of the most attractive waterfalls in the area, and a lovely spot on a hot day. Finally there is…

16.6km/10.3 miles/6 hours Ascent 800m/2630ft These screes are one of England’s finest mountain spectacles says Norman Hadley THIS IS AN UNMATCHED display of ruggedness, plunging into deep water. When gentle light plays upon the stilled surface of the lake, the contrast between savage and soft is breathtaking. It’s well worth getting to grips with both the ridge above and the shore path beneath, even if the latter has its detractors. You’ll have seen many photos of the Wast Water Screes, and they form the right-hand frame for one of the Lake District’s most celebrated views. Yet the two summits that crown the screes are relatively little-visited, and the shore path, wending its absurd way through a vast, tilted rubble field, ensures a lot of visitors stay safely on the north shore…

16.3km/10.1 miles/6.5 hours Ascent 1015m/3330ft Ian Battersby finds a tour of the Cadair Idris lakes covers most of its cliffs too THIS WALK was born from a yearning to call on Cadair Idris – so named for the seat of a giant called Idris – by a more unfamiliar route. Thus, an itinerary linking all its llyns with the summit became a tantalising tease. It’s made possible by vast tracts of open access land that cover the lesser slopes. Cadair Idris is colossal and stands on three flanks of cliffs. Coupled with its isolated, stand-out position, it draws in mountain devotees from far and wide. There are no rights of way that traverse beneath its northern crags; and tussocks, with an awkward fence crossing, will deter all but the most foolhardy.…

MAY 2024 COVER STORY Misunderstood UK mountains INSIDE Solo GB coast walk, backpacking packs, 3-season boots, foot care, Jura, Nepal Himalayas APRIL 2024 COVER STORY See nature at home in the wild INSIDE TGO Reader Awards, fleeces & daypacks, Aonach Eagach, Cambrian Mountains, The Yukon MARCH 2024 COVER STORY Escape the city, head for the hills INSIDE Explore Dartmoor, avoid fatigue, Napes Needle, down jackets, Cairngorms, Saudi Arabia FEBRUARY 2024 COVER STORY Make 2024 your best year ever INSIDE Keep your health & spirits high, walk the Galmadale Round, kit that won't quit, Eryri, Nepal JANUARY 2024 COVER STORY Make your winter hiking heaven INSIDE Discover Britain’s bothies, cook better backpacking grub, sleeping bags & gloves, Malham DECEMBER 2023 COVER STORY Winter Skills & Gear Guide INSIDE Avalanche avoidance, crampons…

Phillipa Cherryson has been a magazine, newspaper and television journalist for more than 30 years and has lived in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park for almost as long. She is Vice Chair of the park’s Local Access Forum, an OS Champion, South Wales organiser for Adventure Queens and a trainee Mountain Leader. Her first long-distance walk was the 99-mile Beacons Way and it’s still her favourite. In this issue she shares her local knowledge on Crickhowell (page 28). Lena Drapella is a North Wales-based climber and outdoor photographer, specialising in adventure sports and climbing events. She trains her lens on the emotions of success, fear, struggle and joy. Lena works with international athletes and has been published worldwide. When not working, she can be found skiing, climbing, sailing or advocating for environmental…

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. Keeping it local After reading the thoughts of Sarah Irving – otherwise known as the The Urban Wanderer and our March issue’s Creator of the Month – on finding joy outdoors close to home, a reader was inspired to write in with an account of a recent trip to the Channel Island of Guernsey from her nearby home in Jersey. Reading your interview with Sarah Irving, I was reminded of a trip to Guernsey. Venturing beyond the main streets of St Peter Port, the island’s capital, I came across a small labyrinth of narrow cobbled streets flanked by granite walls. It was…

Published by Wild Things Publishing, £14.99, paperback THIS GUIDEBOOK, a beautiful and practical manual to swimming spots in Eryri/Snowdonia, will lead you to many an hour of joyful dipping in North Wales – and just in time for summer. Emma Marshall, Head of Development and Alumni Relations at Bangor University, grew up in Eryri and felt a deep sense of hiraeth – a longing for home – when she moved away to London for university. Since her return, she has delighted in the landscape, often taking her three kids and dog for a dip in the mountains. Emma is well placed to offer insight into Eryri’s cultural, mythological and geographical history – and at least a handful of swimming spots you won’t have already seen on social media! She explains…

“The following summer Owain rose with 120 reckless men and robbers and he brought them in warlike fashion to the uplands of Ceredigion: and 1,500 men of the lowlands of Ceredigion and of Rhos and Penfro assembled there and came to the mountain with the intent to seize Owain. The encounter was on Hyddgen Mountain, and no sooner did the English troops turn their backs in light than 200 of them were slain.” MS. Peniarth 135 PEN PUMLUMON Fawr is a considerable hill, lofty and remote, but its neighbour, the lesser-known Pen Pumlumon Arwystli, is much the finer summit of this remote and appealing range. The problem with Pumlumon is that magazine writers and guidebook scribes invariably direct you to it from the wrong direction. There is no profit or…

Maps It’s essential that mapping apps have detailed topo maps of the country you’ll be walking in. With other apps a simpler map is fine as long as you can see your location clearly. Offline use Check if apps can be used offline. With mapping apps it’s essential that maps can downloaded for offline use. Route planning Some mapping or walk planning apps let you ‘snap to path’, automatically tracing the lines of paths on the map. This can save a lot of time but on some apps can interfere with route planning. Website A companion website can be better for planning, if viewed on a bigger screen than a phone. With mapping apps it’s useful if you can plan routes on your computer and print maps to scale. Recording…

10 varied routes in Scotland, England and Wales When the hillwalking gets hot, there’s no finer tonic than the sound of water running through the landscape or the chance to remove your shoes and cool off your tired feet. Luckily, Mother Nature provides in our high places. From flowing falls to tucked-away tarns and long, expansive lochs, our Wild Walks team has been hunting out the best places in Britain to enjoy some waterside relaxation. In this, our Welsh mountain special, you’ll also notice special attention paid to its beloved waterfall country both north and south. Just don’t forget to take your swimsuit! Our walks this month 1 Muckle Roe Shetland 8 Cadair Idris Eryri/Snowdonia 2 Lochnagar Cairngorms 3 Holme Force Lake District 4 Sprinkling and Styhead Tarns Lake District 5 Wast Water…

13km/8.1 miles/4 hours Ascent 713m/2339ft Vivienne Crow finds a hidden waterfall in Lakeland’s western fells SECRETED AWAY in the woods above Loweswater is a succession of small waterfalls that culminates in a narrow ribbon of water running down a smooth-sided chute before tumbling off down the boulder strewn bed of Holme Beck. Higher still are other cascades, including one that shoots over the lip of the bedrock and forms a graceful arc in mid air. With only deer and red squirrels for company at first, this walk calls at Holme Force before visiting the gently rounded tops of the Loweswater Fells. Gavel Fell (526m), Blake Fell (573m) and Burnbank Fell (475m) are close to the coastal edge of the National Park, enjoying views out across the Irish Sea as well as…

19.8km/12.3 miles/5 hours Ascent 626m/2050ft In Gwydir Forest Andrew Galloway finds water wherever he goes WHETHER in the stillness of Llyn Crafnant and Llyn Geirionydd, crashing through the Llugwy river gorge, or tumbling over the leafy crags of Coed Felin Blwm, water forms an integral part of the Gwydir Forest landscape. The ample supply of this natural resource made these wooded foothills of the Carneddau attractive to the 19th-Century mining industry. The area is dotted with reservoirs and criss-crossed with meandering leats built to feed the water wheels that powered the machinery of the metal mines, from which lead and zinc were extracted. Llyn Geirionydd is popular with water sports enthusiasts. The village of Llanrhychwyn is less than a mile away. In Welsh, llan often refers to the location of a…

17.6km/10.9 miles/8 hours Ascent 1165m/3820ft Roger Butler combines moorland summits with a lake and a waterfall THE UNFREQUENTED Berwyn range, where heathery ribs rise to a long moorland ridge, is the perfect antidote to those busy paths in Eryri/Snowdonia. These quiet hills, east of Bala and just outside the National Park, sweep down to the sheer 80-metre cascade of Pistyll Rhaeadr, which comes with a bucket full of legends. Ghostly apparitions are said to include a white lady, a fully cloaked monk and, of course, a troupe of dancing fairies. And, once up in the mountains, you must then keep an eye out for the winged serpent that lives below the dark waters of Llyn Lluncaws. Local stories say it used to fly down the valley to scare villagers and their…

RED KITE ONCE VOTED the favourite bird of Wales, the story of the red kite (Milvus milvus) is considered one of Britain’s greatest conservation successes. Previously regarded as vermin and persecuted throughout the 18th Century, populations were wiped out in England and Scotland, leaving just a handful of these classically elegant raptors confined to upland mid-Wales. Here, concerned locals initiated an unofficial nest protection programme. Efforts were later formalised by organisations such as the RSPB and Welsh Kite Trust, and the fragile breeding population was maintained. Nowadays, resident populations can be seen soaring on warm, sunny days, wheeling high in the air on angular wings that span almost two metres, ending in a flourish with dark fingered tips. The bird’s name comes from its reddish-brown body; it also boasts a…

Gear News Montane crafts a lighter-weight fleece jacket The latest member of Montane’s Fury family offers the same performance and durability with 20% less weight. The Fury Lite Hoodie uses high-stretch fleece that pulls moisture away from the body during high-energy activities. The fabric has a smooth nylon face for durability and abrasion resistance, plus a soft recycled polyester brushed back for warmth. The jacket features a snug-fitting hooded and hand pockets. The men’s Fury Lite weighs 310 grams, the women’s 280 grams. ■ RRP: £100 montane.com Merrell launches new shoe in the Moab range Merrell’s popular Moab footwear range is joined this year by the Speed 2, available in mid and low styles. The Speed 2 has a new Vibram outsole, made from rubber formulated exclusively for Merrell, for…

Fabric To get the best balance of a genuinely waterproof (rather than just showerproof) fabric with good levels of breathability that packs down small and light can drive the price up. Arguably, in this category, breathability and pack size/weight are as important as waterproofing, as it’ll hopefully be riding in your pack much of the time but when in use will need to be able to move moisture away from the skin quickly and effectively to avoid sweat build-up. Many newer waterproof fabrics use recycled content to help improve the environmental impact and also use a non-PFC based water repellent finish. Fit Fit is supremely personal, driven both by body shape but also by likely usage. Those wishing to use a jacket all year round might want a bit of…

17.5km/10.9 miles/6 hours Ascent 635m/2080ft Ian Battersby finds a trail with a twist along crimson coastal cliffs THE SHETLANDS have their roots in both Scotland and Norway, and both traditions have influenced this ‘Big Red Island’ (translation of the more lyrical Muckle Roe). Yet, big it is not at only 172m high and 5.5km wide. Muckle Roe is also so close to Mainland – even connected by a short bridge – that it hardly feels like an island. But its named is earned somehow. Muckle Roe is remarkably red, with its shade of granite laid bare amongst cliffs exposed to Atlantic afflictions. It is these flushed rock faces that attract walkers, and this route makes as much of them as it’s possible to do in a day. If you explore every…

14km/8.7 miles/4 hours Ascent 579m/1900ft It’s wet, wet, wet in the Lakes, as Vivienne Crow discovers IS IT AN UNDERSTATEMENT to say that water is an important feature of the Lake District? Maybe it’s stating the obvious; after all, the name of England’s largest National Park is the first clue. Then there are the becks, the rivers, the waterfalls… We’ve got a lot of it coming out of the sky too, and keeping the peatlands boggy, and just generally lying about in puddles on the ground. For me, the best ‘puddles’ are the tarns: from tiny pools sparkling like wet jewels on high, lonely ridge tops to small lakes sitting cold and moody (and wet) at the base of sombre cliffs. For the drama and grandeur of their settings, Styhead and…

15.5km/9.6 miles/5 hours Ascent 600m/1968ft Andrew Galloway crosses a river in Snowdonia, then crosses it again LLYN BODLYN, a lake at the head of the valley of Dyffryn Ardudwy, was enlarged in 1894 to supply the seaside town of Barmouth with water. It is the source of the Afon Ysgethin. In its short journey to the sea the river passes beneath two bridges of historical significance – as well as taking in the grassy top of Moelfre. The first bridge is Pont Scethin, a stone packhorse bridge dating from the 18th Century. The second is Pont Fadog, a single-arch road bridge of masonry construction. A slab of stone on the parapet of the single-arch bridge is notably inscribed with the year 1762 and the initials WV, standing for William Vaughan, the…

10.7km/6.7 miles/4 hours Ascent 383m/1257ft Fiona Barltrop enjoys a walk in Waterfall Country SITUATED IN THE SOUTH of the Brecon Beacons National Park (or Bannau Brycheiniog, to use the new name), Waterfall Country, as it is popularly known, is a relatively small area through which several rivers, including the Mellte and Hepste, flow down deep wooded gorges, cascading over a series of dramatic waterfalls, before joining to form the River Neath. Not far from the village of Ystradfellte (where this walk starts) at Cwm Porth is Porth yr Ogof, the largest cave entrance in Wales, where the River Mellte disappears underground before reappearing further downstream. There are several waymarked trails, notably the Four Falls trail (incorporated in this route), which takes in the four most popular waterfalls. The trail is marked…