Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2026 i The Great Outdoors

“…to present all custard, or all tart, And have no other meats, to bear a part, Or to want bread, and salt, were but coarse art.” Ben Jonson, Epicoene, or The Quiet Woman (1609) WHY DID The Quiet Woman pub in Earl Sterndale shut down? There’s a vexed question for you! It could be that the licensees were getting old and infirm, and wanted to sell up and retire. It might be that too many of the TripAdvising hordes were shocked into online complaints by the muddy floors (what else to expect? It’s surrounded by some of England’s finest walking country). Admittedly, the name, alongside the inn sign depicting a headless woman, might have been a bit much for today’s more enlightened visitor. It reminds me of Ben Jonson’s Jacobean comedy Epicoene,…

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PEATLANDS ARE an iconic feature of Scotland’s landscape, covering around two million hectares. They might not have the allure of rugged mountain tops or the charm of sun-dappled woodland, but our peatlands still have a lot to offer! Internationally important habitats, they provide crucial services in the face of a changing climate, slowing the flow of heavy rain off the hills, helping to maintain water quality, and reducing the risks of flash flooding and wildfire spread. They are places of employment and a stage for farming activity and recreation, plus they play a vital role supporting our rural economy. Despite their value, Scotland hasn’t always treated these habitats well. In fact, three-quarters of Scottish peatlands are damaged. As the largest natural store of carbon on land, keeping…

7 varied routes in England, Scotland and Wales Good news! Our experts have mapped their favourite routes on which to watch the sun set – and rise, if you’re up for an overnighter and get lucky with a weather window! From mountain icons to coastal hills, there’s something here for every ability and interest. Even during the shorter days, we hope they save you some time on planning in order to carve out a few hours to absorb the remains of the day and take in the ephemeral winter light. Our walks this month 1 Fuar Tholl & Sgorr Ruadh North-West Highlands 2 Dale Head from Buttermere Lake District 3 Glaramara & Allen Crags Lake District 4 Great Gable Lake District 5 Whitestone Cliff & Gormire Lake North York Moors 6 Cwm Tryfan & the Glyderau Eryri/Snowdonia…

IN THIS ISSUE Ishtayaq Rasool is an independent journalist from the Dard-Shin community of Kashmir. His work explores Indigenous identity and cultural life through travel and documentary reporting. He contributes to national and international platforms, focusing on underreported stories from Kashmir’s remote borderlands. He previously worked as a visual producer at Hindustan Times in New Delhi. Read about the journey he made through his mountainous birthplace in Tulail, Kashmir on page 68. Julia Clarke is a Glasgow-born journalist and hiker. She spent 20 years in the US including over a decade in the Colorado Rockies before realising that Scotland is the most beautiful place on Earth. She returned home in 2020 and her recent adventures include walking several long distance trails (she’s our guide to St Cuthbert’s Way on page 24)…

PEOPLE SOMETIMES ask me what my favourite bird is – or, why birds? It’s a funny question because I don’t understand where it comes from. Such is my fascination for them, my awe of them, my curiosity and reverence, that I don’t know where to begin answering. With each bird that comes to mind, there is an unfurling of a whole world of stories; of the bird itself and the relationship I have to it. As with so many experiences outdoors, it becomes part of who we are. Profound, maybe. However, I usually sputter out something along the lines of: “They’re just great”. If I had to pin one down, the great crested grebe is right at the top of the list of birds that make you instantaneously recognise the…

A place for bold views or interviews, outdoor arts and culture or the latest in access or environmental stories, this column is a newsroom, forum and soapbox (though perhaps not all at the same time!) for the outdoor community. This time, it’s over to… A FEW YEARS AGO, I found myself walking alone in the Monadhliath in thick cloud and driving snow. My world had shrunk to a handful of metres: my boots, the sting of wind on my face, and a dim, ghostly line of fence posts guiding me along the ridge. It was that fence, a quiet human-made claim staked across the mountain, which brought the thought to my mind. Someone owns this. The idea felt almost comical out there in the elements. And then, as if to…

Hello The Great Outdoors is Britain’s original outdoors magazine, inspiring exploration from sea to summit, valley to mountain top for more than four decades. We’re here to help you make the most of your time outside. Be it with skills advice, ideas for new walks or activities, fresh points of view on nature or breathtaking adventure stories near and far, our focus is on you – the outdoors community. It is a family affair. Our small team works with emerging writers and photographers alongside those with many decades of experience, allowing all to speak in their own voice and share the ups and downs of real, life-enhancing tales from the trail. Making room for everyone remains the heart and soul of The Great Outdoors. We are also proud to host…

BACK IN 1996 I was looking for a strong, light tent for a continuous walk over the Munros and Tops. Four years earlier I’d used a Hilleberg Nallo 2 in the mountains of Scandinavia, and been impressed with its quality and performance. For this walk with hills to climb every day I wanted a lighter tent, but also one that would stand up to stormy Scottish weather. I found it in the then-new Akto, launched the year before. As well as being capable of dealing with storms, the tent needed to be durable, roomy enough to live in night after night with a porch big enough for cooking when it was stormy, and as light as possible. The Akto was all of these. The total weight including stuffsacks is 1.6kg.…

19.6km/12.2 miles/7-10 hours Ascent 1340m/4396ft James Roddie seeks sundown on a North-West Highlands classic EVEN WHEN compared to the top-tier, ‘A-list’ Munros of neighbouring Torridon, the hills of Achnashellach easily hold their own. This is classic North-West Highlands territory, offering some of the most enjoyable hillwalks in Scotland, and arguably some of the finest views. Sgorr Ruadh is a justifiably popular Munro, but its ascent is made all the more memorable when combined with Fuar Tholl. This is perhaps one of the most impressive of Corbetts when seen from the north, with the unique crag of Mainreachan Buttress striking an improbable figure. In the winter this route is a fine choice for getting up high to watch the sunset. Sgorr Ruadh offers a relatively unobstructed view towards the distant western…

14.3km/8.9 miles/5.5-6 hours Ascent 907m/2975ft Vivienne Crow visits a pair of peaks too good to be forgotten THE FIRST TIME I scrambled up onto Glaramara’s summit rocks, I was greeted by a sea of clouds to the south with just a few peaks floating on its surface as if severed from their foundations. The experience left an indelible impression on me, and the fell has been a firm favourite ever since. Likewise, uplifting moments on Allen Crags will never be forgotten, including watching the sun set over Lakeland’s gnarliest mountains. Uniting the two is a broad but rugged ridge that is sprinkled with tiny tarns and enjoys constantly changing perspectives on distinctive neighbours such as Pike of Stickle, Bow Fell and Great Gable. This walk approaches the pair from Borrowdale,…

17km/10.6 miles/5.5 hours Ascent 500m/1640ft Ian Battersby finds a setting for idle idolers of subtle suns SUTTON BANK sweeps up from the vales of Mowbray and York. It crafts a spectacular outlook over expansive lowlands ranging east to distant Pennines and south into infinity. Standing here you sense you could rule the realm; but though the plateau offers an advantage, weaknesses in the wall feed faith to a shrewd enemy. Robert the Bruce solved the problem in 1322’s Battle of Byland. Where the sheer slopes veer east he uncovered a route to the plateau, perhaps via Hell Hole to Scotch Corner, and outflanked Edward II’s field commander, forcing a retreat. This dog-leg in the cliff can also be exploited by cunning sunset and sunrise idolers. While the main edge faces west…

9.1km/5.6 miles/4 hours Ascent 510m/1673ft Andrew Galloway takes an evening stroll in the footsteps of saints ST BEUNO WAS a 7th-century abbot credited with having performed numerous miracles, not least bringing back to life his niece Gwenffrewi (known in English as Winefride), who had been beheaded by a rejected suitor. When not performing reconstructive surgery on family members, Beuno found time to establish a monastic clas, or theological college, at Clynnog Fawr on the coast of Caernarfon Bay. The beautiful Grade 1-listed 15th-century church in the centre of the village is testament to the legacy of St Beuno. After his death his tomb and associated well, Ffynnon Beuno, became an important stopping place on the medieval pilgrimage route to the monastic community at Ynys Enlli, or Bardsey, once known as ‘the…

Sheffield Adventure Film Festival 2026 20-22 March Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (ShAFF) has a reputation for being a friendly festival, welcoming everyone – whether you’re an outdoors enthusiast or an armchair adventurer who just loves a good story. Celebrating its 20th year, ShAFF is about showcasing the best adventure films from around the world, hosted at the UK’s biggest independent cinema. With speakers, panels, exhibitions and exhibitors, night runs, walks, litter picks, repair stations, a kit swap, music, a totally off-the-wall quiz, and plenty more besides, it’s a weekend to aim for.  Cost: varies ■ shaff.co.uk Crickhowell Walking Festival 7-15 March Bannau Brycheiniog/Brecon Beacons Crickhowell’s popular 18th annual Walking Festival takes place over nine days from 7-15 March in the stunning Bannau Brycheiniog and includes more than 80 walks of…

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CONTOURS’ OWN Twin Centre Holidays offer a unique take on thru-hiking adventures designed to maximise your time outdoors. These twin-centre breaks involve staying in one place for the first half of your adventure, experiencing the surrounding area on invigorating circular day walks. Then you’ll ramble to new accommodation further afield: your new base for exploration. In short, twin-centre holidays are a great way to see more of an area with much less of the upheaval of a traditional point-to-point wander. These tours have all the fun and exploration of a linear, self-guided walking break, but with less packing and repacking. Contours holidays also involve less spent on luggage transfers and single-night accommodation fees, making these tours really great value. All the features you’ve come to expect from…

WHETHER YOU’RE a nature lover looking for a hassle-free long-distance hike, a spiritual seeker on a divine quest, or a history buff, this memorable trail is sure to delight you. With a gentle feel that lends itself more to wandering with wonder than relentless marching, this scenic route follows St Cuthbert’s religious journey from Melrose in the Scottish borders to Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island, off the Northumberland coast, and delivers what is best described as quiet adventure. The trail showcases quintessential British countryside, from lush native woodland to the North Sea, taking in the lovely Cheviot Hills and expansive moorlands of remote Northumberland in the country’s most tranquil national park. Culminating in one of the most distinctive grand finales of any long-distance walk, the only way to reach…

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FINDING ONESELF WADING ankle-deep in water can sometimes feel like the norm in Scotland, so much so that a friend and I have taken to texting each other photos of especially soggy stretches, alongside a designated ‘bog factor’. More than once, our scale has gone up to 11 and we’ve sworn off boggy walks, but it’s impossible to avoid forever. A humble pair of gaiters and walking poles are essential. When you consider that peatlands form 20% of Scotland’s landscape this is hardly surprising, but what lies beneath the much-maligned bog? OUR HOME-GROWN AMAZON ‘Bogs’ are wetland where partially decomposed plant matter forms into a deep brown substance known as peat. A healthy peatland has a water table close to the surface, which keeps the peat moist,…

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9km/5.6 miles/4 hours Ascent 921m/3022ft James Forrest walks a short linear route to last light on Dale Head IF YOU’RE looking for a short but spectacular evening outing in the Lake District, this walk from Buttermere village to Honister Slate Mine is a real gem. At just 9km, it’s a compact adventure that can be completed in 4 hours – perfect for a cheeky late jaunt in the hills. It’s a linear route, so you’ll need to either check the bus timetables carefully or shuttle two cars between the start and finish. Along the way, you’ll tick off three Wainwright fells – Robinson, Hindscarth and Dale Head – beginning with an ascent of the often-overlooked High Snockrigg before finishing with a steady descent to Honister. During daylight, a welcome café awaits…

9.3km/5.8 miles/4 hours Ascent 818m/2684ft Norman Hadley hangs around a true mountain for a Lakeland sunrise GREAT GABLE is one of Lakeland’s most inspired fell names, and the underlying reality does not disappoint. It may fall shy of the 3000-foot mark, it may even miss the 900-metre mark by a technicality, but it is one of those select fells that project a gravitas beyond their numerical stature. To anyone who has laboured over those final stony steps to the memorial plaque on the summit, this is unambiguously a mountain. It is also a fine spot for sunrise or sunset because the only hills that could eclipse it, the Scafells, sit courteously to the south. In the east, a wintry sunup will be behind distant Ingleborough, with a midsummer sunrise over the…

12.5 km/8 miles/7 hours Ascent 840m/2690ft Roger Butler has a sparkling day amid spiky Glyderau architecture WINTER IS PROBABLY the best time to enjoy the serrated skylines to the south of Llyn Ogwen – particularly when the summits are decorated in full snowy garb under a crisp blue sky. The striking rocky sculptures on the crest of the Glyderau, which include the jagged ‘Castle of the Winds’, become a fantasy of icy towers and frozen pinnacles, while a few steps onto the gravity-defying Cantilever Rock on Glyder Fach make a perfect seasonal memory. But by mid-afternoon the western slopes of Y Garn and Foel-goch, to the north and beyond the shimmer of Llyn y Cŵn, will have turned a deep burnished brass as the sun sets behind the sharp profile…

The night before an early-morning hike, one reader confesses to lying awake with anticipation-coming home only to find himself unable to sleep, endorphins rambling around his brain. Juls Stodel, who has overnighted in every MBA bothy in Britain, has a jammy solution Dear Juls, I go walking once a week, and on that day I like to get up early. But I always struggle to sleep the night before, conscious of the need to drop off quickly, ready for an early start. What’s worse, I can never sleep properly after a walk either, despite having been up really early! When I do nod off, it feels as if only half of my brain is asleep, due to endorphins still whirling round inside my head. I therefore have two poor nights'…