Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2025 i The Great Outdoors

In the Autumn of 2024, Trekitt, the outdoor retailer shortlisted by our readers in The Great Outdoors Awards, launched a revolutionary new high-end outdoor gear rental service. Giving you the chance to try before you buy and hire premium equipment at a fraction of its RRP, here’s what our readers thought about the new offerings. Will Lake (@yorkshirewill/Instagram) “I think it’s a great idea and got to be worth a go, at least. Greener as well. Too many of us have kit we too rarely use. It’s all been manufactured and transported.” Naomi Savage (@naomi_savage_ photography/Instagram) “I would definitely use this service. It’s a great idea to enable folks to test out other gear without the burden of a heavy purchase.” Steven Webb/Facebook “I’m the founder of the Outdoor Gear…

“Ah! Well I know my tumultuous days now at their primeWill be brief as the bracken in their stayYet in them as the flowers of the hills ’mid the brackenAll that I treasure is needs hidden away.”Hugh MacDiarmid, Bracken Hills in Autumn IT WAS THE FIRST THING I saw each morning when I parted the curtains in my Cwm Pennant cottage and peered out across the valley. Most guidebooks refer to it as the Nantlle Ridge, but it has an older name that’s seldom used these days, which I prefer: the ‘ridge of the red cairns’ – presumably because its westernmost height is called Mynydd Craig Goch (the mountain of the red crag). Throughout the four years that I lived in Cwm Pennant I walked some part of it every…

Gear News Salewa’s warm vegan boot for cold weather The vegan Puez Winter Mid PTX Boot has a smooth high-resistance ripstop PE upper with a protective PU rand, a PFC-free Powertex waterproof/breathable membrane, a midsole made of upcycled hemp, and a Pomoca Alpine Trekker outsole for grip on slush, snow and ice. There’s PrimaLoft Gold insulation at the ankle and toe box, plus a felt-lined CFF Winter footbed for a customised fit. A thermoplastic frame running the entire length of the boot gives enhanced flex and rebound for comfort and stability. Kevlar cables connect the instep with the sole and heel, ensuring firm ankle and heel support. The boots come in a men’s and a women’s fit. A pair of men’s size 9 weighs 960g; a pair of women’s size…

19.3km/12 miles/5-7 hours Ascent 882m/2697ft Alex Roddie pairs a classic Corbett ascent with a gnarlier descent THE CORBETTS, they say, are often more challenging than the Munros, because they’re often less popular and the paths tend to be a bit more rough and ready. But there are exceptions to every rule, and Ben Vrackie is one of them. As the most prominent mountain visible from the tourist hot spot of Pitlochry, Ben Vrackie is a phenomenally popular walk – and deservedly so, because as Corbetts go it’s a real cracker. The mountain looks rugged and pyramidal as it stands proud above Perthshire’s soft rural folds, and the views north into the Cairngorms are very good indeed. Most people climb this mountain and descend the same way, but an extended and…

Anna Fleming is an award-winning writer and climber. An active traveller and mountaineer, she collects stories of people, nature and mountains from around the world – and in this issue she meets Bolivia’s incredible Indigenous cholita women (page 34). Anna’s nature writing memoir Time on Rock (Canongate, 2022) was shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize and the Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature. She lives in Edinburgh. Corinne Fowler is a Professor of Colonialism and Heritage at the University of Leicester. Her research on National Trust properties’ connections to Empire won the Museums and Heritage Special Recognition Award in 2020. She edited Colonial Countryside on the same subject, and her new book Our Island Stories: Country Walks Through Colonial Britain was published by Penguin in 2024. On page 44 she shares two…

DAVID SOLOMON’S early long-distance walks in Lagos were not for leisure but rather “because I couldn’t afford transport fares,” he tells The Great Outdoors. He now thinks of those walks as “hunger hikes”. When David moved to Scotland to study at the University of Aberdeen, he would pull over in laybys to take photos of mountains. But a first foray into the landscape on foot – a Loch Muick group trip – didn’t leave much of an impression. So, how did David – an IT manager living in Inverness – come to summit all 282 of Scotland’s Munros? As with many of life’s peaks, they came after “intense struggle” mentally. As the pandemic hit, David lost his sister and his relationship broke down. Recalling a walk up Ben Lomond the…

As we look towards the dawn of 2025, the mind inevitably wanders to beginnings. Those mornings that felt like they represented more than the simple start of a new day; times in nature which altered moods, changed perspectives, rewarded our adventurous souls. There are no natural spectacles more capable of shifting our perceived horizons than the sun rising over a topsy-turvey temperature inversion. Here, our readers look back on the early alarms that became entirely worth it as they rubbed disbelieving morning eyes to behold these scenes.…

(hardback, £25, Penguin Books) THE MILEAGE of this book goes far beyond the rambles through rural Britain undertaken by author Corinne Fowler – a Professor of Colonialism and Heritage in Museum Studies at the University of Leicester who co-authored the 2021 National Trust report on its country houses’ historical links to the British Empire – and her 10 walking companions. From Grasmere to Eryri by way of Jura, Islay, Norfolk and the Cotswolds, you’ll recognise the scenes of modern idyll described within these pages: waiting for a train at a sleepy station, stopping for an ice cream, a crisp wind, the smell of wildflowers. A lifelong walker who hiked LEJOG as a student, Fowler lovingly collects these moments of tranquillity synonymous with British landscapes. But the draw of nature is…

Hello THE GREAT OUTDOORS has been inspiring hillwalkers and adventurers to explore trails and high places for more than four decades. It’s the magazine that speaks to and about the very soul of Britain’s outdoors community. Powerful stories and outstanding photography have always been at the heart of our journalism. From hidden histories to everyday adventurers, by way of summits and trails in Britain and around the world, we share brilliant stories about people and places sure to inspire you. And we don’t stop at big stories: we’ve made it our mission to get more people into the outdoors, with exclusive walking routes from experienced guides and professional skills advice. All of this, plus gear news and reviews written by Britain’s most experienced and diverse reviews team. Inspirational stories, essential…

OUR SPECTACULAR mountain walks provide unexpected glimpses into British colonial history. One such route – the Opium Walk – starts and ends in Grasmere in Cumbria’s Lake District. Another sits in the mountains of Snowdonia – Eryri in Welsh. If we are alive to the signs and traces left behind, it reveals the hidden story of another industry of Empire: wool. THE OPIUM WALK Much beloved, Grasmere nestles beneath plunging fells, an unassuming cluster of cottages at the heart of English Romanticism, whose characteristic emotional sensitivity to the natural world found cultural expression in art, music and lyrical verse during the late 18th and 19th Centuries. We begin our journey in the most tranquil of lanes, at the modest dwelling of Dove Cottage. Winter robins visit its mossy garden; and…

£135 389g complete (burner & pot w/out accessories 328g) fast boil time, regulated burner, pot design tall & narrow pot, not that light Fuel: isobutane/propane Dimensions: stove 9.4x8.4cm, pot 17.7x11cm Burner diameter: 2.8cm Power: 7100 BTU, 2100W Boil time: 2 minutes 45 seconds (for 600ml) Fuel used: 10 grams msrgear.com/ie Chris Townsend reviews a new and innovative stove-and-pot system The latest combined stove-and-pot system from MSR has a unique design, and it really is unlike anything I’ve seen before. It’s different to the brand’s other stove systems – the well-established Reactor and Windburner – which have radiant burners and can only be used with compatible heat exchanger MSR pots. The lighter-weight Switch has a standard burner and can be used with any pots. The cost is also lower. The hard anodised…

10 varied routes in Scotland, England and Wales Winter walking can be as exhilarating as it is exhausting. When each step saps energy reserves perhaps better saved for keeping us warm, we can often find ourselves cutting routes short or resorting to our Plan Bs halfway through ambitious days. But no one could accuse these summits of being second-best. For those days on which you know only a short ramble will do, our experts have mapped out their favourite ‘half-day hills’, from intros to ridge-walking in Scotland to encounters with Dartmoorian ponies clad in winter coats. Our walks this month 1 A’ Chailleach Central Highlands 2 Ben Vrackie Perthshire 3 Tarmachan Ridge South Highlands 4 Hay Stacks Lake District 5 Helm Crag Lake District 6 Roseberry Topping North York Moors 7 Great…

12.7km/7.9 miles/5-7 hours Ascent 800m/2625ft Alex Roddie gets a straightforward intro to Scottish ridgewalking THERE’S SOMETHING to be said for the lesser-known gems, but if you want a guaranteed great day on the hill then the classics are classics for good reason. A route fitting this description is the Tarmachan Ridge, which has an enviable list of qualities. Munro summit: check. Amazing ridge walking: check. Nice bit of easy scrambling: check. Accessible: check. Not massive, but big enough to feel like a challenge: check. The Tarmachan Ridge – which links the Munro summit of Meall nan Tarmachan with Meall Garbh and Beinn nan Eachan – is easily reachable from the A827 within reach of the Central Belt. The spacious car park lies at 410m above sea level (which cuts out a…

12.3km/7.6 miles/4.5 hours Ascent 613m/2011ft James Forrest tackles what might be the Lakes’ best half-day hike ALFRED WAINWRIGHT rated Helm Crag’s summit as better than Scafell, Helvellyn and Skiddaw. He waxed lyrical about its “remarkable array of rocks” that “yield a quality of reward out of all proportion to the short and simple climb”. This walk explores all of these rocky wonders – and they don’t disappoint. But getting to the top of them is not for the faint-hearted or unprepared, especially in Winter. First comes The Lion and The Lamb, a dramatic excrescence on the south-east end of the Helm Crag ridge. It does resembles a lion and a lamb (from some angles!) – and it’s a relatively easy scramble to the top. But this isn’t the true summit. Beyond…

12.3km/7.6 miles/4.5 hours Ascent 550m/1804ft Ian Battersby takes a tranquil winter line up a Dales favourite GREAT WHERNSIDE surges like a wave over the tiny limestone village of Kettlewell. It’s cut by incising gills housing waterfalls, pot holes and caves, but they can be left for longer days, when daylight hours can more easily be squandered on such whimsical escapades. This walk takes a composed line, and though the climb follows a slightly circuitous route via Cam Head, there is no height lost on the way to the summit. The descent for shelter before nightfall couldn’t be more direct. Yet there is no excuse for missing considerable rewards along the way. All of Wharfedale is laid out below, with countless limestone walls and barns, and the steep-sided hills that enclose it,…

14.2km/8.8 miles/4.5 hours Ascent 464m/1523ft Fiona Barltrop suggests a crowd-(and hopefully cloud-) free summit STANDING AT 629m/2064ft, Fan Frynych is a good choice for those days when the higher Brecon Beacons summits (notably Pen y Fan, the most popular peak in the National Park and its neighbours on the other side of the A470 to the east) are under cloud, whilst it remains clear. It’s also a relatively easy summit to attain, clearly visible on the approach from the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Visitor Centre (also known as the Mountain Centre), which is located a few miles south-west of Brecon. Furthermore, Fan Frynych forms part of a National Nature Reserve, together with the cliffs of Craig Cerrig Gleisiad. The visitor centre is surrounded by the common land of Mynydd Illtud,…

LOOKING AHEAD MoonWalk Iceland 2025 29 May - 3 June • Iceland Event Walk the Walk – a cancer charity dedicated to encouraging folks to take control of their own wellbeing – has released dates for its 2025 Moonwalk Challenges, including The MoonWalk Iceland 2025. Don a signature-decorated bra and step into the ‘Land of ice and fire’ for an overnight walking marathon challenge like no other, around the ancient lava fields and volcanic craters of Lake Mývatn, all whilst raising funds for breast and other cancers. This six-day trip offers an all-inclusive Icelandic experience including lagoon hopping, whale watching, waterfall hunting and hiking a volcanic crater rim. For something a little closer to home, on Saturday 17 May, flagship overnighter The MoonWalk London 2025 will take you on a…

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. The folly of Mow Cop Jim Perrin recently recollected an epic childhood journey from Manchester to Mow Cop, overlooking the Cheshire Plain, in his monthly column. It reminded one reader – the General Secretary of the Open Spaces Society, no less – of the hard work required to enable us all to enjoy this humble summit and its surrounding landscape to this day… I much enjoyed Jim Perrin’s musings on the amazing Mow Cop in the November issue of The Great Outdoors. However, there might have been no Mow Cop were it…

The Great Outdoors Reader Awards are the UK’s biggest democratic celebration of the best of outdoor culture. Thirteen years ago, we launched our first annual awards and you – our readers – have been championing the people, places and businesses that make our outdoor lives better ever since. What makes these awards different – and gives extra kudos to the winners – is that it’s you, the outdoor-going public, who decide the results, and only your nominees have made it onto this shortlist. The nominee with the most votes in each of the 15 categories receives a Winner award, whilst those with the second and third most votes are Commended. Let’s celebrate this year’s nominees. Walkers’ pub of the year Your favourite place for a post-walk pint or quality pub…

THE FIRST PUBLIC SIGN that all was not well within the John Muir Trust came in June 2023. The conservation charity – which owns and manages upland properties including parts of Ben Nevis, Knoydart and land close to Helvellyn – announced that it had suspended its chief executive, David Balharry, following allegations of misconduct. Mr Balharry denied the allegations, and was exonerated by the Trust’s board of trustees, who reinstated him. But the rumblings continued. In March 2024, the Trust then announced a raft of redundancies it claimed were needed to address a large financial deficit. It also suspended the John Muir Award, an education initiative well known for its role in helping people of all backgrounds to connect with the natural world. (The Trust has since announced it will…

DID YOU KNOW? Adding just one extra layer can increase your insulation by 20-30%, depending on the material and fit. DON’T SWEAT IT Your feet have over 250,000 sweat glands, which is why moisture-wicking socks are so crucial for keeping them warm and dry. Mountaineering Scotland is the representative organisation for hill walkers, climbers, mountaineers and ski tourers in Scotland. Get more skills and safety tips for hillwalking, climbing and snow sports touring in Scotland here: mountaineering.scot…

11.1km/6.9 miles/3-6 hours Ascent 2123m/647ft James Roddie ignores the neighbours on a short winter hill fix A’ CHAILLEACH is often climbed alongside its neighbouring Munros, Carn Sgulain and Carn Dearg. However, for a short hill fix on a winter day, it makes a worthy objective in itself. The Monadhliath is the sprawling, boggy plateau sandwiched between the Spey valley and the Great Glen. Whilst it may lack the obvious beauty of the Cairngorm plateau, the Monadhliath very much has its own appeal. This is especially true during the winter months, when these hills offer superb hillwalking and backcountry skiing. This route starts from Glen Banchor. It is an interesting glen, with attractive birch woodlands plus numerous derelict houses and buildings. The glen soon gives way to boggy moorland, which can…

8.8km/5.5 miles/4 hours Ascent 633m/2076ft Vivienne Crow gets a leg-up for a short wander on the Lakeland fells WHEN THE HILLS are calling on short winter days, I don’t always want to spend ages walking in through a valley that sees the sun’s rays for only a brief spell around the middle of the day; I want to be high on the sunlit uplands, walking with the unicorns. So, the top of Honister Pass proved a great starting point for a hike up on to Grey Knotts, Brandreth and Hay Stacks last Winter. Climbing above the damp, grey clag, I was soon in a sparkling world, striding out under an azure sky. From Grey Knotts’ summit, Buttermere and Crummock Water sprang into view for the first (but not the last)…

12.4km/7.7 miles/4.5 hours Ascent 440m/1440ft Ian Battersby nabs two petite peaks in a sprint between blizzards THERE ARE MANY grey days in Winter that hover too far above freezing, dumping rain on saturated sludge, keeping outdoor enthusiasts indoors. Then the temperature tumbles. We hope first for snowfall, then for cerulean skies to paint the snowdrifts blue. When those wishes are granted you’d better be ready. Grab that pack and follow your plan – there’s no time to devise one now with the next Atlantic front looming. Here’s an ideal route: a walk with good transport links for that rushed arrival; and though the peaks be lowly, they are packed with character that stands out from their usual surroundings, though less so when they too are coated with revitalising snow. Roseberry Topping,…

14.5km/9 miles/5 hours Ascent 564m/1850ft Andrew Galloway embarks on a Derbyshire walk in black and white WHEN WALKING the Pennine Way from south to north, the traditional first night’s stop is the hamlet of Crowden in the valley of Longdendale in Derbyshire. Not two kilometres north of Crowden, the Pennine Way passes over Laddow Rocks. In the mid-20th Century these lofty crags were popular with the climbing fraternity from the Lancashire and Yorkshire conurbations, including, as a youth, the infamous Don Whillans. The top of Black Hill is a less dramatic affair, comprising a slightly wonky triangulation pillar raised above a sea of peat hags on a plinth of stone. Leaving the Pennine Way behind and turning south through sedge and purple moor grass to return to Crowden, the only…

9.8km/6.0 miles/3-4 hours Ascent 250m/820ft Tim Gent says few Dartmoor corners hold as many riches as White Tor FOR A SHORT WINTER WALK, this route certainly packs things in: five Dartmoor tors, prehistoric enclosures, standing stones and a stone circle, medieval tracks and historic tinworks. Even so, White Tor still manages to stand out. On a good day, the views from this particular tor are extraordinary. Bodmin Moor sits off to the west, a wavy horizon beyond a broad sea of green farmland. Know where to look, and you’ll be able to pick out Brown Willy, Cornwall’s highest point. Dartmoor fills the outlook in the other direction: Great Links Tor, Tavy Cleave, Fur and Great Mis Tors, each easy to identify. Look again, and you’ll spot High Willhays and Hangingstone Hill,…