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A Note from the Editor…. They say August is the Sunday of Summer. I’d agree, in such a sense that the start of Autumn feels like the start of something new. A time to relax and reflect a bit on the crazy adventures of the longer days while planning and enjoying being outdoors with a down jacket and flask of tea packed for break times. I love getting out and about as the days get shorter and the weather colder. Dreaming of Sunday afternoon cragging, standing on top of mountains for sunrise and warm brews to warm us through after a chilly paddle. I hope this Issue inspires you to continue to put adventure into everyday and encourages you to plan something you’ve always dreamt of doing. I know I’ve been reading the amazing articles that our contributors have put together feeling inspired and a tad bit jealous. Whatever you get upto this Autumn, be sure to tag us in your photos and let us know all about it! We love hearing what you’re getting upto.
IF you’d like to contribute or advertise, send us an email. We’d love to hear from you
Cover Photo: LM-edia Above: Adrian Trendall 3
In This Issue…. 4
An Interview with Fiona Quinn
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The First female to complete a LEJOG triathlon
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Changing the treatment of Kilimanjaro porters.
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How to prevent it, spot it and treat it.
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If Carlsberg did easy, classic climbs then the iconic Dubh Slabs would surely be at the top of the list
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An honest, Insightful review
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Lectures, festivals and movie nights to inspire
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Unknown by many, the population of Brown bears of the Pyrenees is slowly increasing.
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Extolling the virtues of slowing down, of learning to live in the moment and being mindful.
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Travelling the Alps in her Sprinter.
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Everything you need to know to get you on your bike.
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One of Britain's most loved mountains
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An Account of two men’s journey through the Lake District
Hev Lewis
The Porters of Kilimanjaro Three Peaks Africa
Spotlight on: Hypothermia Hev Lewis
Just Dubh it Adrian Trendall
Review: Rab Kinetic Plus Jacket Adrian Trendall
Autumn Events to Inspire Hev Lewis
The Brown Bear of the Pyrenees Penny Walker
Hold the World, I missed a stop Owen Tomkins
#VanLife Jenny Dart
Bike Packing Basics Simon Ablett
The Freedom of Tryfan Alex Langfield
A Weekend in the Wild Adrian Stokes
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All photos LM-edia
After Walking and the Cycling from Lands Ends to John O’Groats in 2017, Fiona Quinn became the first female to complete a length of Britain Triathlon by Stand Up Paddleboarding 800 miles up the coast and waterways of Britain.
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First off, how did you first come up with the idea of your triathlon? It was after I walked and cycled Lands End to John O'Groats (LEJOG) that I started to think about making it into a triathlon. I was inspired by Sean Conway's similar length of Britain triathlon, and it really appealed to me to become the first woman to complete one. From committing to the SUP in December last year, it was just 5 months until I set off.
That’s a pretty big challenge! What was your motivation? A big motivation for adding on the SUP Britain expedition, having already walked and cycled, was my fear of the sea. I'm pretty scared of being in the sea and so the idea of being out there for months, dealing with such a big unknown, felt like a really big challenge. If I could over come this and get to the end, what else could I do? And I'm so glad I did. Nothing's ever as bad as it first seems, and while I'm still scared of the sea, I know I can push that fear aside and tackle something head on to great success. That’s Impressive! How did you go about planning and preparing for such a challenge? The planning for SUP Britain was very different than for my first two adventures. Being on the sea it needed a good understanding of tides and how the weather affects the sea state. Plus I needed a crew, support boat and funding. All this was a huge logistical challenge in itself before I'd even touched the water. As for training, with endurance challenges I've preferred not to train, instead letting my body adapt as I go. And this was a particularly good strategy with the SUP, as I think if I had trained my fear would have gotten in the way and stopped me. In the end, I only went out on the sea on my SUP 3 times before I started.
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Tell us about the route? How did you chose it? The route was based off of Sean Conway's length of Britain swim, which he did as part of his own triathlon, but with a cut through along the Caledonian Canal rather than going round Cape Wrath at the most north western point. This made it less weather dependent and easier/quicker/ safer to complete. It's also a beautiful stretch of the country, so that's a big bonus! I opted to follow Sean's coastal route from Lands End, to Wales and over to Ireland as it's the most direct (rather than going inland from Bristol through canals) and it also meant that I became the first woman in history to SUP across the Irish Sea.
You’ve got to have some pretty decent kit to withstand 81 days of paddling, what kit did you use? For SUP Britain I used an inflatable 13'2" x 30" Red Paddle Co board with a combination of an NRS wetsuit and Finisterre board shorts and rash vest, plus an NRS PFD (Personal Flotation Device). I also used an Aquapac dry bag to keep extra layers, food and tech in, and an insulated SIGG water bottle to keep my water cool while I was out on the water for hours at a time. Most of the time I didn't wear anything on my feet, preferring the grip and control of bare feet on my board.
What was your biggest fear before you started? The sea! Not knowing much about it and relying on my crew to keep me safe, it was pretty daunting to think about what was ahead of me. I remember having dinner with my photographer Liam the night before I started, I could barely eat for the nausea inducing fear that was rising inside of me. Once I got out there though, and Day One had gone ok, I felt much calmer about it.
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Any Kit recommendations for those wanting to get out on a board? I would recommend some NRS clothing. They do a great mix of wetsuits, PFDs, off the water warm gear and on the water semi-dry clothing. A mix will allow you to layer as you need, making sure you don't over heat or get too cold. I'd also always have a SPOT tracker on me with an SOS function. No matter how calm it looks, you never know when you'll get into trouble and need to be able to get help in an emergency. Lets talk food. What kept you fuelled? I ate everything. While I've always loved food and am really keen to learn more about the best way to fuel on an expedition, so far my strategy is just to eat as much as I want to ensure I have enough calories. If I feel really hungry I eat more, if I don't I eat less. So far this has worked. I'm also not precious about it being overly healthy as cake is a big feature on my adventures! Food isn't just about fuel, it also massively affects my mood so it's important for me to enjoy what I'm eating. Do you have any High and Low points that come to mind? The scariest point was coming up to Corryvreckan, the worlds third largest whirlpool, on the west coast of Scotland. It was a gorgeous day, sunny and still. My support boat had left me for just 90 minutes to change crew when I found myself in trouble. Corryvreckan is on record as being able to pull someone down 262 meters to the sea floor, so when I was suddenly unable to fight the current I was terrified of being pulled into this deadly stretch of water. My crew raced back and plucked me from
the water just as smaller whirlpools were starting to form around me. Despite the ordeal I never felt like quitting, it only spurred me on to complete the adventure. The most dreamy day we had was paddling over to Lundy Island. It was unbelievably flat glassy water that almost didn't look real, and with the sun beaming down we saw dolphins, seals and puffins. Lundy is a special place and so beautiful, it was only a shame we didn't have a day off to explore the island. I'd really love to go back! Having dolphins join us on numerous occasions was magical. I felt instantly calmed and happy every time they came over and swam around my board and the boat. This was particularly handy on the paddle over the Irish Sea. It was a grey foggy day, and 14 hours in with around 10 miles to go me and my crew were starting to flag. Then all of a sudden one of us shouted "dolphins!!" and we all scrambled to grab a camera and try to spot them. They really lifted the spirits and helped with that final push over to Rosslare. Tell us about your amazing support crew? Given my fear of the sea and inexperience I needed a support boat, with a skipper to make sure I didn't die and a photographer to capture it in case I did. We also had numerous deck hands join us in the second half from midIreland north. They were an incredible support, enabling me to paddle as far as I could in each tide and then getting us somewhere suitable to anchor and sleep. I couldn't have done it without them.
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How do you recover after such an epic adventure? Recovery for me is usually about sleep. I find it really hard after an adventure to stop and rest, I want to get on with sharing my stories and doing the next thing, but it's important to have some down time, catch up on some good quality rest and process what's happened over the adventure. Usually a good week or two sorts me out and I'm raring to go again! So what’s next? I'm currently writing a book about SUP Britain which will hopefully be
ready to publish early next year and I'm sharing my story via talks at a variety of events and organisations. In terms of adventures, I'm looking at getting in lots of smaller ones during the rest of the year and may be a big one next year - we'll see, it all depends on sorting sponsorship. Do you have any top tips for someone thinking of planning their own endurance challenge? Getting to the start line is often the hardest bit. Just know that you'll never be fully ready so make a start and keep pushing forward. You'll be amazed at how far you can get!
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Words and Photos by Three Peaks Africa
And how one responsible adventure travel entrepreneur is helping a local Tanzanian not-for profit in their efforts to change the treatment of Kilimanjaro porters. On average over 35,000 travellers a year climb Mt Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest freestanding mountain. For many, it’s a once in a lifetime experience where we spend months, even years saving, researching the right kit and training for the opportunity to reach the roof of Africa. Once we are back down and at home living our normal lives, we smile and remember our friends, our motivators and biggest supporters on the mountain, the Kilimanjaro porters. It takes a whole host of porters and other mountain crew to support the climbing team. The porters carry all of the team’s food, equipment, set up the camps, sing and keep us motivated and safe. In the excitement of preparing and being on our trip, we can
sometimes forget that not everyone on the mountain is always as fortunate as us when it comes to health and safety and workers’ rights. In 2018 it is still estimated that 3 out of 4 porters may be paid less than a proper wage, not being fed 3 meals a day and sleeping in inadequate quarters. Based on minimum wage and tipping amounts, on a typical 6 day Kilimanjaro climb, a porter could expect to be paid the equivalent of US$1,090 a year. That’s just £825 to support their entire family. As a result there is sometimes huge pressure for them to accept work at less than minimum wage and substandard working conditions; just so that they can earn some sort of living.
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The Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) is a not-for-profit based in Tanzania. It is a tiny organisation working on a limited budget that has been working hard to improve porters working standards, and raise awareness to travellers about responsible travel choices. Their work on the ground has already impacted over 7,000 porters, however there is still a long way to go.
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Marie Cheng, founder of responsible travel business, Three Peaks Africa, began working closely with KPAP when sourcing local Tanzanian climbing companies to operate her Three Peaks expeditions. She says, “It was really important to me to run my Three Peaks trips with a responsible and ethical provider. The porters do so much for us, it is only right that they should be treated properly on the mountain”. Three Peaks Africa are crowdfunding for the Kilimanjaro Porters, to increase the essential funding for KPAP and to increase the awareness of what they are doing to improve porters working standards. The money raised will be spent on the “Clothes Lending Programme” allowing all porters to borrow mountain gear, free of charge as well as on monitoring activities for the “Partner for Responsible Travel Programme” that determines if climbing companies are meeting proper porter treatment standards. Funding will also go to help reinstate training programmes such as First Aid and Leave No Trace environmental sustainability that will benefit 175 porters. Ezekiel, a porter with a KPAP company says “KPAP and the partner companies have worked together to drive improvements in working conditions for us. It has really helped me and my family. I can now take my kids to school as I was able to save money because I am paid properly”. To support Three Peaks Africa, KPAP and their commitment to making a big change to the treatment of porters on Kilimanjaro, click here to visit their page and pledge.
Hypothermia It’s easy to get caught out going into Autumn, especially after such stunning days outdoors over the summer. Unfortunately, for so many people each year, the lemons all line up and Hypothermia we’ve all heard about becomes a reality. Here’s a quick reminder of what to look out for, what to do if it happens to your adventure buddies and what you can do to prevent it in the first instance.
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Hypothermia occurs when the body dangerously drops below 35ᵒc, instead of maintining the usual 37ᵒc. There are two types of Hypothermia, the most common in the outdoors being ‘Subacute’ or ‘Exposure’ hypothermia. This occurs when the body does not have energy and becomes exhausted, unable to maintain body heat or warm oneself through shivering, the core temperature drops. The second is ‘Hyperacute’ or ‘Immersion’ Hypothermia, caused by sudden immersion in water or snow. The cold overwhelms the bodies heat production, dropping core temperature dramatically. It does not have to be below Zero for Hypothermia to take hold, in fact Llanberis Mountain Resucue Team reported that the common factor in people being rescued with hypothermia was not necessarily the weather but the equipment they were wearing, inparticularly a decent set of waterproofs. Take a mild day, with a slight windchill and a sudden unexpected down pour, throw in a lack of preperation, a slow moving partner and you’ve got a potential for drama.
Shivering is the bodies way of keeping 37ᵒc itself warm, if the casualty can stop themselves shivering they’re suffering from Mild Hyperthermia. High energy food, warm drinks and an extra, dry layer should help them get back to civilisation 35ᵒc unaided.
32ᵒc Unconsciousness, Slow, shallow breathing and an irregular heartbeat can occur when the body falls below 32ᵒc. Emergency assistance is required immediately and all efforts to prevent the casualty getting any colder should be taken eg. Insulation from the ground, sharing body heat (through cloths) and 13.7ᵒc protection from the elements.
As the body temperature lowers the ‘Umbles’ Start— Mumbling, Stumbling and Fumbling. If the casualty becomes disorientated, short of breath, tired, confused and generally unable to function it’s a sign of moderate hypothermia and immediate action is needed. The casualty may also stop shivering and even feel so hot they need to start removing layers. Remove any wet/ damp clothes and replace with warm dry layers, if able to swallow, warm drink and high energy food should be ingested and emergency aid requested should they not begin to recover quickly.
The coldest casualty to survive had a temperature of 13.7ᵒc, no one is ever ‘Cold and Dead’, only once they’re warmed can they be assessed properly.
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You’ve heard it before. Prevention is better than cure. Failure to prepare means you prepare to fail. Prior Preparation and Planning Prevents P*** Poor Performance. Take a few extra moments before heading out to make sure you’re prepared.
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Check the Weather, know your abilities and plan your location accordingly.
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Carry and Map and compass and know how to use them, getting lost and disorientated in poor weather can quickly escalate.
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Make sure your waterproofs, both Jacket and Trousers, are a good quality, fully waterproof and will keep the elements at bay.
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Layer up technical fabrics to wick sweat away from your skin while keeping you warm.
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Invest in an insulated jacket that works well to insulate you from both the wind and cold.
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Nearly 70% of your body heat escapes through your head. Get a good hat and wear it.
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Always carry an emergency shelter or bivvy sack to allow you to escape from the elements if needed.
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Carry enough food and drink for the journey you’re taking, including a warm drink and high energy snacks.
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Keep a small dry bag in the bottom of your sack with spare hat and gloves, thermal layer and high energy gels and food. Consider this as important as your first aid kit and water bottle.
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If in doubt you should seek advice form a healthcare professional or the emergency services. To contact mountain rescue, call 999 and ask for the police. There are some amazing resources to learn more about hypothermia in the outdoors. For more information we’d recommend you check out the Llanberis Mountain Rescue website or listen to the Outside Podcast: ‘Science of Survival—Frozen Alive’ .
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Words and Photos By Adrian Trendall
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If Carlsberg did easy, classic climbs then the iconic Dubh Slabs would surely be at the top of the list. Acres of glorious gabbro slabs rise above the beautiful Loch Coruisk, the setting for a perfect adventure. The best approach is by Misty Isle Boat Trips from Elgol, a 45 minute journey passing the notorious “bad step� on the coast path, a seal colony and with ever better views of the Cuillin.
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From the landing steps, follow the River Scavaig inland. Reputed to be the UK’s shortest river this flows out from the magnificent Loch Coruisk. Ahead lie the distinctive silhouette of the Dubh Slabs leading up to the Cuillin peaks.
possible to make an escape here and scuttle back to the boat. Those going well may consider carrying on up the Dubh Ridge to tick the Munro, Sgurr Dubh Mor, scramble up onto the Cuillin Ridge itself then descend via An Garbh-choire but this is a lengthy addition so beware.
Loch Coruisk is well worth a visit in it’s own right. The painter Turner was inspired by the jagged peaks and more recently it has become a top venue for marriages. The loch can be walked round in a couple of hours.
For fast teams, the boat option, out and back in a day is the best. Slower parties may want to wild camp at Loch Coruisk or stay in the Junior Mountaineering Club of Scotland’s Hut near the landing steps. Other possibilities are walking in from Glen Brittle or from Sligachan.
Follow the loch to reach the slabs that stretch down almost to the water’s edge after 1.5 km. Timing is crucial if you wish to avoid a long walk back to Elgol. The slabs extend for well over one kilometre of perfect scrambling with an average angle of perhaps 30 degrees. Lots of ground to cover. The first boat leaves Elgol at 0900 and the last returns at about 1700 (but check times with the skipper of the day) so plan according to your ability, experience and expected speed. The slabs per se end with a steep, scary abseil and it is
Don’t be fooled by the lowly grade of Moderate because although not technically difficult, there is an awful lot of it; it just keeps on and on. Also with steep flanks on both sides of the slabs, escape is not an option so the route has a high degree of commitment the more so given it’s remote location. Parties need to be self sufficient, well able to look after themselves or else hire a local guide.
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A chossy, grassy gully (to the right of a toe of slabs that almost reach down to the loch) leads to a flat platform at 75m. Admire the views over Loch Coruisk, perhaps stop for a bite to eat before confronting the crux of the route. A steep wall bars access to the main slabs. This gets a grade of moderate and should be fine if dry but requires a confident approach. Once this is overcome, the difficulties ease and pleasurable slabs soar above for as far as the eye can see.
The terrain becomes more broken as the summit of Sgur Dubh Beag is approached. A proliferation of slings of varying ages signals the intimidating abseil. A 50m rope doubled will suffice but an intermediate anchor point means a shorter rope will suffice. This is a steep, undercut abseil, a bit intimidating and probably not the place to be learning how to do things. The less experienced may appreciate a safety rope. After the abseil, a scramble leads down to the col at the head of Coire a Chaoruinn and the possibility of escape back down to the boat if time is pressing. The ardent Munro bagger will continue up the ridge to tick Sgurr Dubh Mor but this is a time consuming addition.
Now for the superb slabs proper, acres and acres of high friction gabbro of a go anywhere nature. Take the easiest line or search out difficulties, a proper mix and match for all abilities. Height is gained rapidly but the repetitive padding up slabs may play havoc with leg muscles.
Below: Sunrise from Sgurr na Stri showing the Cuillin Ridge. The Dubh Slabs are readily visible to the left of Loch Coruisk Right: (top) The committing nature of the abseil is readily apparent , (middle) The JCMS Hut by the Landing steps and (bottom) For the confident climber the slabs present a go anywhere smorgasbord of a playground
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Follow path until below slabs that almost reach the loch’s edge. Ascend a grassy gully to a flat shoulder after 75m
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Climbing the steep band above and right of the gully is the crux of the whole route. Ascend a series of blocky steps starting from a leaning block and with a couple of awkward moves before cutting right to the crest of the ridge
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The slabs are now of a go anywhere nature. Pass two small terraces to arrive at a grassy hollow at 470m (possible escape route down to east)
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Continue until a horizontal area at 650m which offers either continue fairly easily to summit of Sgurr Dubh Beag or bypass the summit and avoid the tricky abseil by descending a short south facing gully on scree. Cross broken rocks to a grassy ramp running parallel to the ridge. Follow ramp until just before it narrows and descend onto scree which leads to the down climb below the abseil
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Scramble down from the summit of Sgurr Dubh Beag to a large block usually festooned with abseil slings. The abseil can be done with a 50m rope doubled and is fairly intimidating due to it’s undercut nature. There is an intermediate anchor so a shorter rope could be used to make two abseils.
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Sgurr Dubh Mor. A real contrast to the Dubh Slabs. Easy terrain leads to a rounded pinnacle which can be taken direct. Make an awkward descent then absorbing scrambling on the crest and easy ledges to it’s left lead to the steep summit ridge. It is best to avoid this direct and take grassy ramps to the south and enable you to reach the ridge which is traversed to the summit. Scramble down to the col at the foot of the south west spur
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Head up the ridge to Sgurr to Sgurr Dubh na Da Bheinn with difficulties bypassed to either left or right of crest.
The easiest descent is down to Caisteal a Garbh choire before descending An Garbh choire.
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Gear needed; 50m rope, a small rack of gear, harness, helmet and approach shoes are the best footwear.
Adrian is a local guide who spends his days guiding cients through the beautiful mountains of Skye. For all Cuillin needs, be they guiding or photographic contact Adrian or see his website ’All Things Cuillin’ You can also checkout Adrian’s Facebook Group dedicated to Skye and it’s Cuillin For more information on: Misty Isle Boat Trips
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Review:
Rab Kinetic Plus Jacket
Words and Photos by Adrian Trendall
When I first saw the Kinetic Plus, it seemed too good to be true. Super light weight, waterproof, stretchy and highly breathable. It ticked all the boxes but would it live up to Rab’s billing of it being “the ideal layering piece for a range of mountaineering activities?” Having used the Kinetic Plus for the last six weeks, I feel able to give a few thoughts on it. Six weeks might not sound too long but it included 27 long days in the hill and quite a few nights out. A typical scenario might be catching the Misty Isle from Elgol, climbing the Dubh Ridge, going out to Garsbheinn then a bivi before finishing the rest of the Cuillin Ridge the next day. The Kinetic Plus has had a lot of use and abuse, the Cuillin gabbro being particularly abrasive and unforgiving. It’s also experienced a lot of very poor weather since after a great start to the summer, Skye has experienced a climate that would have been familiar to Noah and his Ark.
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The Holy Grail of an outer layer for me would be waterproof, windproof and stretchy. It would be breathable, a good fit and functional. Oh, and it wouldn’t hurt if it was brightly coloured and looked good about town as well as on the hills. In theory, the Kinetic Plus looks perfect but it would take some serious use to convince me. After all it was so light and packed down so small. Surely it was all hype. The jacket comes with a small stuff sack with a webbing attachment point so it can easily be clipped to a harness for those days when the weather could go either way. It weighs in at less than 275g (medium) on our kitchen scales although Rab quote 320g as an “estimate” on their website. In conversation with Rab, I’d asked for bright colours and they duly obliged with an orange jacket (“Dark Horizon”) which looks great in photos. Rab asked to “hold the review until you've had a chance to test it in bad weather. It won't stand up to a full hoolie, but it will shrug off most British weather.” Well, now it’s experienced a lot of the worst weather Skye can throw up; heavy rain, light rain, damp and misty days, windy days and yes, a few warmer, drier times as well.
waterproofs.
The inner flexible membrane is given a hydrostatic head of 10,000mm and is definitely more than adequate for light rain, prolonged showers and more. A full on hard shell might have double the hydrostatic head but has the associated disadvantages of weight, bulk, and is less breathable. The Proflex shrugs off water and even heavy rain didn’t seem to wet it out or penetrate the fabric. I had worried damp might penetrate where pack straps or a climbing harness caused pressure but so far all is good. It would take really heavy, prolonged rain to need an additional waterproof over the top of the Kinetic. If conditions were that bad then you may well be glad of a more traditional hardshell. One thing I couldn’t make up my mind on was the hood design. A stretchy rim makes for a snug fit and an additional stiff brim keeps water off the face. At a stretch, it will fit over a climbing helmet but feels a bit restrictive. It’s more comfortable worn under a helmet. The stretchy fabric allows for a good range of head movement.
The magic material that allows for such a light weight yet waterproof and stretchy construction is called Proflex. Basically, this has a waterproof PU membrane sandwiched between two layers; the outer layer is treated to repel water and the inner layer wicks to move moisture rapidly through the system. The jacket is extremely well made with neat, narrow taped seams. It beads really well with water droplets running off the surface even after six weeks use and it getting a bit grubby. These figures mean little to me but it is meant to be highly breathable (measured at 35,000mm/sqm/24 hours) which is much better than your average hardshell waterproof.
It certainly feels comfortable and the light weight and stretchiness means that it is easy to keep it on as conditions change. Even working really hard, struggling uphill with a large pack it seems very breathable and avoids the sauna like clamminess of traditional 29
In keeping with the simple design, there is no draw cord on the hood, just a velcro volume adjuster on the rear. Personally, the less is more design philosophy works really well and I’m always eager to save weight and carry less but not at the cost of practicality. Usually, (outside of winter) on the Cuillin Ridge, I’d take some kind of fleece, a light windproof and a light waterproof. Recently I have lived in the Kinetic Plus and for much of the time it has replaced both the wind and waterproofs. Depending on temperatures and wind speeds, I have usually worn it over either a Rab long sleeved tee or Rab Nucleus fleece. The stretch material did allow me to get a surprising number of layers under the jacket and on a cold bivi I also had on a light synthetic insulated jacket. The stretch allows for impressive freedom of movement and it has been used for climbing and bouldering in cooler, windy conditions. The jacket is very minimalist and well cut for climbing and other activities. The longish hem stays put and doesn’t ride up or ruck up under a harness or hip belt of a pack. The Velcro cuffs allow a wide range of adjustment. The outer material is a very close knit fabric which doesn’t snag, scuff to tear on the sharp gabbro and is remarkably robust especially for it’s weight. “This piece will transform the way you dress for the mountains.” To a certain degree marketing hype, but to a large extent true. Initially I took a full on waterproof with me just in case the Kinetic Plus couldn’t cope but increasingly I was happy to rely on it unless the forecast was especially bad. To sum up, the Kinetic Plus is an amazingly light outer layer for changeable weather conditions. The stretch, comfort and breathability make it a jacket that can be kept on through a variety of conditions. It combines the lightness of the most minimal softshell with an impressive level of waterproofness and breathability. Light weight protection from all but the worst weather, the Kinetic Plus provides a hybrid of hard and softshells.
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Plus Points •
Light and packs down small
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Stretchy and amazingly comfortable
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Breathable
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Superbly windproof
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Able to cope with a wide range of weather conditions
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Robust
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Kinetic Plus is available in Men and Women’s versions.
Negatives •
Cost of £180 seems a lot but seems more reasonable once it becomes apparent how versatile the jacket is
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The jury is out on long term durability but seems great so far
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Hood will not comfortably fit over a helmet
My parting thoughts are that I’d happily buy one of these given the amount of use I’d get out of it. For full bore bad weather something like Rab’s Firewall jacket would be more suitable but I love the fact that, like the Kinetic, it is made of stretchy fabric.
Click here to check out the Rab Website for more info and to order your size.
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Adven ture In spiration Talks, evenings and festivals to leave you feeling inspired to take on your next adventure
An Evening With Alan Hinkes OBE
Ellis Brigham. Multiple Dates
Women’s Adventure Expo
Bristol,. 5th—7th October
An Evening with Sir Ranulph Fiennes
Lyric Theatre, London. 12th November
Richard Parks, Horizon Lectures
Abingdon Theatre, Oxford. 11th September
Tales of Endurance
Ellis Brigham, Multiple Dates
Anna McNuff, Riding high in South America
Chemistry Theatre, Bristol. 3rd October
The Hard Road to Everest, Community Action Nepal
Multiple Locations and Dates
Brit Rock Film Tour
Multiple Locations and Dates
Buxton Adventure Festival
Pavilion Arts centre, 11th September
Best of ShAFF—Ocean Epics
Sheffield, 8th November
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Photo: Ieltxu Azkarate
Words by Penny Walker, The Adventure Creators
Their numbers are growing steadily following a successful reintroduction over 20 years ago, yet few foreigners know of their existence. Today, the Pyrenees are home to close to 50 brown bears, a population that is mainly concentrated in the wilder mountains of the central Pyrenees. However, it hasn't been all plain sailing for this fascinating wild animal.
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History of the brown bear in the Pyrenees There have always been Eurasian brown bears (Latin name Ursus arctos) in the Pyrenees mountains which form the natural border between France and Spain. In the late 1800s, it is thought that around 150 of the pure bred Pyrenean sub-species inhabited this rugged landscape. The start of the bears' problems can be traced back to the early years of the 20th century when individuals in the Couserans area of the Ariege Pyrenees took to capturing young bears and training them to perform for a paying public. These people were known as 'les montreurs d'ours' and travelled far and wide with their performing bears. They made a good living from their trade which would fill us with horror today! This practice naturally had a profound effect on the bear population as the mother bears were
killed in order to take the cub which was then raised to perform. Following the first World War, the number of 'montreur d'ours' saw a dramatic reduction, but it wasn't until the early 21st C that the practice thankfully died out completely. In the course of the 20th century the bear population in the Pyrenees came under further threat both from prolific hunting and also the destruction of its habitat by the creation of roads in the area. Increased mining up in the mountains also disrupted their breeding patterns. By the mid 1950s, only 70 of the native Pyrenean sub species of brown bear were scattered along the Pyrenees chain and by the 1990s their numbers were at dangerously low levels.
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The reintroduction programme If the population was to be saved, drastic action would be required. In 1996, France applied to the EU for financial support to introduce a small number of Eurasian brown bears from Slovenia to the Pyrenees that would hopefully mate with the last remaining pure bred females and thereby preserve the breed.
were attributable to the bears' actions. Grants were also offered to help farmers install appropriate fencing and to invest in the fearsome Patou breed of dog which has a legendary reputation for protecting livestock in the mountains.
The release of 3 Eurasian brown bears into the mountains of the central Pyrenees went ahead. One of these was Pyros who has dominated the population of brown bears in the Pyrenees for the past 20 years. He is thought to have fathered around 3/4 of the current Pyrenean bear population. The last of the pure Pyrenean brown bear sub species, a female called Cannelle, was shot by a hunter in 2004. That was a sad day indeed.
Farmers in the proposed release area in the central Pyrenees were outraged at the programme which they saw as a direct threat to their livestock. They were ignorant of the fact that the brown bear is an omnivore who prefers wild fruit, nuts and fresh grass shoots to fresh meat! But in order to appease them, a generous financial package was put in place to compensate them if it could be proved that any livestock losses
The brown bear in the Pyrenees today Pyros is now 27 years old and should be starting to lose some of his virility. In addition, the inevitable inbreeding is bound to cause health issues further down the line. For the brown bear population to thrive it is essential to dilute the gene pool. So in 2016, as part of the EU funded PirosLIFE+ project, a 10-year old male, named Goiat (meaning 'bachelor' or 'young man' in the local Catalan dialect) was captured in the wild woods of Slovenia and brought to the Pyrenees. He was released in the Alt Pirineu Natural Park on the Spanish side of the
central Pyrenees, an expansive, wild and diverse protected environment where he appears to be thriving. As of the end of 2017, there were 41 brown bears in the central Pyrenees with 2 males further west in the Bearn area of the Pyrenees Atlantiques. It is expected that between 6 and 10 cubs were born over the winter of 2017/18 thereby swelling the bear population in the Pyrenees to around 50 animals. Plans are also afoot to introduce a couple of female bears to the western Pyrenees in the autumn of 2018 who will hopefully mate with the solitary males there, hence further reinforcing
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Photo: ONCFS
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Bear Tracking and Sustainable Wildlife Tourism On both the Spanish and the French sides of the central Pyrenees there are dedicated teams who are responsible for monitoring the bears' movements using various methods. In an effort to educate the general public and to raise awareness of the life of the brown bear, the French 'Pays de l'Ours - ADET' association have launched an initiative in which members of the public may accompany one of their experts up into the bears' territory to collect scientific data. This includes collecting fur from bear rubbing spots, checking video footage and photos recorded by motion detection cameras and identifying bear tracks on the ground. The analysis of the DNA from the fur along with the video footage then enables the experts to identify which bears are in the area. On the Spanish side of the Pyrenees mountains however, they have taken the bear tracking experience to a different level. A specially licensed guide accompanies those who have an interest in learning about the bear on a thoughtprovoking immersion into the environment of
this shy animal. The experience includes 5 nights under canvas high up in the mountains in a carefully chosen upwind spot which affords a good view of the mountain sides on which the bears are known to graze. Thanks to the local expert's knowledge and experience of the bears' movements, there is no better chance of spotting the brown bear in its natural environment. But the most exciting new is that due to the expanding population of bears in the central Pyrenees, the chances of spotting evidence of the bears' presence when out on a mountain hike in the area are far greater than ever before. The bears are at their most active in the autumn and through into early winter as they prepare for a few months of hibernation, and then again in the springtime/early summer mating season. Seeing their prints in the snow or spotting their fur on the bark of a tree is a thrill like no other! One thing is for sure, the brown bears in the Pyrenees are here to stay and we look forward to following their expanding population.
Mountain Camp Tracking Bears Photo: Ieltxu Azkarate
Penny Walker is the business owner of The Adventure Creators, an adventure tour operator specialising in creating custom trips to the central French Pyrenees. She works closely with both the French and Spanish authorities and bear experts to offer sustainable bear tracking adventures to anybody interested in wildlife and conservation in this beautiful part of the world. See more here Facebook: @adventurecreators Twitter: @adventurecrtrs Instagram: @adventure_creators 38
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Words and Photos by Owen Tomkins
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Photo: Owen taking time to take it all in. Watching the sun set from the beautifully secluded GuggihĂźtte on the Monch.
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Sitting on the chopper, work bound, my mind wanders to the adventures of the past few weeks. From the huge tick-list at the start of the trip to the harsh reality of trying to fit alpine goals into a rigid schedule.
Fortunate enough to be able to take four weeks out of work to try and cross off some long-term alpine goals, I reached Chamonix full of anticipation and, unfortunately, a bout of conjunctivitis. No matter I thought, it’d pass in a day or two. It didn’t. It manifested into something more sinister. Nothing serious, just a chest and throat infection and a bout of low blood pressure resulting in no energy. Fast forward two weeks and only two routes ticked off the list and indeed two completed in total.
Right: Fiona Hutmacher walking in to one of the many stunning crags in the Nufenen Pass, Switzerland. Cow bells, marmots, crystal clear springs and lush colours make for a beautiful alpine landscape. Below: The vast playground of the Mont Blanc Massif as seen from Brevent. Climbers, Paragliders, speedfliers, BASE jumpers, skiers, ultra runners all flock here to enjoy the quick access to altitude and the adventure it affords.
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Chamonix is a beautiful town. In summer, the sun beats down on the valley floor and the brilliant white of the Mont Blanc Massif dazzles whilst the sun kissed rock of the Aiguille Rouges begs to be climbed. I begged to climb it, alas my body said no. Sixteen days in and I could take no more. Everyday, friends would leave early in the morning for single or multiple day trips, returning in the evenings with stories of golden granite adventures and long corniced ridges at dawn. Yes, Chamonix is beautiful but it is a very hectic place and can be a little like ‘let’s have a look at what you could have won’ if you can’t play out. We packed up the van and headed for Italy in the hope of finding less people and some easy angled, short approach, multi-pitch climbs allowing us to get out but also letting me continue to recover. In the 3 years since my anxiety diagnosis, I have learned a lot about myself. For the most part triggers are managed, stress levels are kept to a minimum and looking after my mind and body has become paramount. I am, however, as fallible as the next person and in retrospect, realized that two weeks of working night shift, whilst not stressful in itself, does put undue strain on the mind and body. Coupled with an increasing exercise routine, a hectic couple of months juggling decorating my house, trying to make the most of any alpine opportunities I had and the high expectations I had put on myself for our summer trip, my body had clearly decided that enough was enough.
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Left: Fiona Hutmacher crosses the exposed slab on pitch 7 of the sublime Kundalini E1 5b, Val Di Mello
We drove to the Val Di Mello. A nature reserve close to the picturesque San Martino, it is easily one of the most beautiful valleys that I have ever visited. We drank cheap, good coffee, ate pizza, climbed on roadside granite, parked by a beautiful river and made a bath with a view to die for. We purposefully slowed down, enjoyed where we were, climbed when I had the energy and filled the other time with restful activities. During our time in the Val di Mello, I think I was far more present than in the whole of our time in Chamonix. I let go of my expectations and simply enjoyed my time in the mountains. We left the Val Di Mello after five brilliant days, where we managed to climb on three days and tick one huge classic.
Below: The stunning backdrop to the climbing at Hintisberg. Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau tower over the alpine pastures below.
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Right: Fiona Hutmacher eyes up the crux move on the penultimate pitch of La Coda Del Dinosauro 6a+ at El Schenun, Val di Bagni.
Looking out of the window, I am reminded of a blog post I penned around two years ago extolling the virtues of slowing down, of learning to live in the moment and being mindful. It is not something that comes overnight, as I have found. It takes time and work, it is a continual process, but it a worthwhile one because you can’t stop the world and you really don’t want to miss a stop.
Owen Tomkins is an active skier, alpinist, BASE jumper and photographer based in Chamonix. Born in the heart of Yorkshire, he felt the pull of the great outdoors from a young age. He currently works offshore as a rope access technician but is working hard to gain the necessary experience to make an application to the BMG guide training scheme. You view the mindfulness blog post he mentions at www.naked-mountain.com or visit his photography website at www.owentomkinsphotography.com
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All Photos and Words by Jenny Dart
#VANLIFE We Caught up with Jenny Dart to find out more about her Van and the highs and lows of exploring the Alps while living in it full time.
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T
he unsettling realisation that we had been in the same place for 3 years and our life was starting to very much look like a ‘proper’ adults’ led us to bring forward our vague plans to travel around the Alps and start making them a reality this year. Our original plan was to buy a reasonably priced van and convert it ourselves, however between 2 full time jobs and our staggering inability to manage time it became clear that this would not be achievable in the 2 months we left ourselves. Plus, I decided it would be a much better use of my time to go to New Zealand! Therefore, we looked at other options and found ourselves looking at vans way out of our price range at Atlas Bespoke near Bristol. Very quickly realising we were wasting our time and their time we made excuses to leave. However John helped us budget a van in our price range (“the cheapest of everything please!”) and worked to a very short timescale. Somehow, despite us being rather poor at organising, things started falling into place surprisingly quickly.
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THE VAN Our brief was to have a van big enough to have storage for bikes, skis, climbing equipment and clothing plus a living area where we don’t have to put the bed away each day. We already have a VW Caddy and use this for weekend warrior trips and some weeks away and have previously had Transporters upon which we have carried out a basic conversion ourselves. We also wanted to have water storage (100L tank) and options for a wet room/ shower so we can stay away from campsites as much as possible, saving money and allowing us to get away from civilisation when we wanted. The van itself was also very important as we wanted something with resale potential and that would be reliable. Having had good experiences with selling on VWs in the past we decided on a Crafter rather than a Sprinter. The van we ended up getting was a 6.9m long (L4) and 2.8m (H3) 2011 Crafter with a 2.0l TDi 136 bhp engine. The mileage on purchase was 96,000 and this was a difficult compromise between mileage, age and price. Atlas Bespoke found the van for us and completed the conversion within 6 weeks. We chose to have a 65L electric fridge and an all in one double burner and sink unit. We have a 10l combi boiler/heater which runs on electric and/or gas. A solar system was fitted which has meant we have only had to hook up to electric once in our 4-month trip so far. At the recommendation of the converter we had two larger (70x40cm) vented skylights fitted above the bed and the living area. These have been brilliant. We have a L-shaped sofa in the living area which slides out into an additional (short!!) bed which works well when Robin has to work at his laptop as it means I can still potter about. We have a removable table system to maximise space. After much deliberation we decide on a combined shower/toilet cubicle at the recommendations of the converter to maximise resale value – actually this has proved very useful for living off grid and we also use it to dry clothes and hang up wet kit as well. 48
Due to the length of our trip and variety of activities we prioritised a large storage area, opting for a layout that is usually used to store motorcross bikes. This resulted in a large fixed double bed above the garage with limited head room. We have a ‘hobbit door’ between the garage and the living area, much to our converter’s amusement. There is then as much cupboard storage as is possible.
release fork mounts for this and then fixed the wooden frame outwards for stability to have a boot rack and shelf for clothes boxes.
Having a larger van with options for wild camping/ being off grid for extended periods of time has given us lots of flexibility to stay in areas we have enjoyed for longer than planned and meant we have taken advantage of the many different types To arrange our garage and equipment we built (in of activities on offer. It can be difficult manoeuvring the one afternoon we had with the van before the van through small villages and finding parking leaving!) a freestanding wooden frame (so as not to at crags and supermarkets but we have coped. The damage the lining plastic) which was based around height hasn’t really been an issue, more the length how the bikes would be stored. We used quick as we need 1.5 regular parking spaces!
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The Journey Our trip so far has taken us from single pitching in Finale to an extended stay in the Ecrins (enjoying the fine early season multi-pitching at Ailefroide), to alpine excursions and cragging in Courmayeur and Chamonix. I am writing this from Chamonix, baking in the afternoon heat planning adventures for the next week, hoping conditions up high don’t deteriorate too much. The plan for the next couple of months is to head into Switzerland to explore more of the Bernina/Bregaglia area before heading back to Ailefroide in early September, and finishing off in the Picos du Europa with a triumphant return to Plymouth using the ferry from Santander.
Every day I reflect on how lucky I am to be able to experience all the amazing sights and climbs rather than pacing the stuffy wards of my old hospital and am so grateful that we have had the opportunity to take this time and see what the Alps have to offer.
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Top Tips
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Be flexible.
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Be very sure of your van height and length and bear these in mind, get good at planning ahead and manoeuvring in small spaces.
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Think about how you'll stop things from getting damp and how things will dry properly.
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Learn to love card games.
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Take a look at apps like park4night.
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Stay Organised! Always put things back where they came from! Have hanging pockets etc for small bits and pieces.
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We couldn't do without: our inverter to charge AC electrical items such as laptops, the solar panel system, ramps for levelling out and emergency patisserie fund!
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Learnt: we didn't need- as many clothes as you think you will for 6 months!
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Having bikes has been great so we can leave camp set up and not have to navigate small streets,
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A Bug net over the door is essential!
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Words and Photos by Simon Ablett My bike handles impressively well considering the amount of kit strapped onto it and my legs haven’t yet protested too much about the extra weight they are hauling up the hill. I credit the extra zip in my pedal stroke to my growing sense of adventure because, although I am cycling familiar trails, tonight I have no intention of returning home...
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Bikepacking is the perfect blend of a number of fine ingredients; take a love of riding off road, add in the wanderlust of the backpacker along with the freedom of the wild camper and finish things with the ‘fast and light’ attitude to equipment of the alpine climber. The concept has evolved over a number of years and is now firmly established as a popular niche within cycling, but at its heart it remains the simple act of loading your bike up with overnight kit and riding off into the hills. Although the extra weight is a small burden, adding in an overnight stop can liberate your route planning and loops not readily achievable in a single day can be broken down and ridden. Trails just beyond your ‘local riding’ can be explored and you can head further into the wilderness without worrying about looping back before dark. Taking off the shackles leads to a greater willingness to explore and less urgency in your riding, encouraging you to enjoy the trail fully and take in the sights. The camping itself is an equal part of the experience, with your knobbly tyres able to whisk you quickly away from the trappings of modern living and take you back to a simpler existence, even if just for a night...
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So, how to get started? Well, as bikepacking has grown in popularity it has gained the attention of the cycle industry who are now producing ever greater numbers of bespoke kit. However, most outdoorsy people probably already have what they need for a first foray into bikepacking‌.
The industry might want to sell you a cycle optimised for bikepacking, but the best bike to start with is almost certainly the one you already own. The beauty of the sport is that the bike needs no special features, so provided your machine is capable of heading offroad you are in business and, although front and rear suspension cycles do work as bikepacking rigs, the fewer complications the better for carrying a load into the wild.
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The more weight you can carry on the bike the less you have on your back so finding ways to load the cycle without ruining the way it handles is the way forward. Panniers may be popular with bicycle tourers but away from the road they can rattle, catch on trailside obstacles and ruin the handling of the bike. More suitable for bikepacking are soft bags that can be quickly attached to the frame, handlebars and seat post, spreading the weight without impacting the bike’s profile. At their simplest these can be a pair of dry bags tightly bungeed onto the handlebar and seat post, but if you get the bug then tailored bags are more secure and can be quite cavernous (Alpkit do an excellent range). What you cannot fit on the bike simply goes on your back; my first adventures were very rucksack dependent, but now I often don’t wear a rucksack at all.
Bikepacking definitely sits at the fast and light end of the camping spectrum. Many bikepackers choose a bivvy bag and small tarp which are generally lighter and smaller than a tent, but equally I personally often use my lightweight tent. Sleeping bag and mat are picked to be on the svelte side and only essential cooking kit and food are taken this is not the time to break out the 4 piece pan set! Finally, pack warm and/or waterproof layers but be sparing with the spare clothes; when you are riding along it is very difficult for anybody to detect what you smell like anyway!
It is really important to remember that you still need to take the repair essentials that you normally carry on a trail ride, possibly even more if you are heading further off the grid. If anything, the extra weight on the bike makes mechanical failure more likely and the fact you may be further into the wilds makes any walk back even longer. So don’t forget the basics to fix a flat, a pump and a cycling multitool that includes a chain breaker, just in case... . 56
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With your steed loaded up it is time to head off. A great first adventure is to keep things really simple and ride out after dinner for a night in the wild with a plan to return home for breakfast, reducing the need to cook at camp and so keeping your kit load light. This is a perfect way to test your gear choices and bike loading whilst having a fun microadventure. The ‘where to sleep’ question is a big one, and there are lots of rules and regulations governing where you can legally wild camp, but my experience has been that if you approach the problem with an open mind and plan to arrive late, stay discreet, depart early and leave no trace then there is an abundance of places to sleep for the night, even close to population centres. When you are happy with your set up the world is your oyster and it is relatively straightforward to build adventures that cover significant distances between any number of nights in the wild. Equally, just keeping things simple and completing more micro adventures may be just perfect for you. Either way, be warned the combination of covering ground easily whilst carrying all you need for a night under the stars is quite addictive and once you discover the joys of bikepacking you’ll be looking for every opportunity to head out on another adventure. Simon Ablett is an Outdoor Sports Professional and Adventure Writer who runs Live2Flow, a small company dedicated to inspiring adventure and providing high quality coaching and leadership. 59
Photos and Words by Alex Langfield
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ryfan is a special mountain. At 918 metres high, it is by no means the highest mountain in Wales, but it is arguably the most dramatic. It is nonconformist in appearance. A shameless lens hogger. Idiosyncratic yet inviting. However, what is does conform to is that classic image of a mountain that we all imagined as children. Angular. Rocky. Intimidating. When seen from the A5 out of Capel Curig, its rocky crest rises from the valley floor like the back of a stegosaurus, its plates huge rocky battlements. When viewed from neighbouring Pen Yr Ole Wen, it takes on the visage of a monumental shark's fin. It simply must be climbed. At once, it has a come hither look that is curiously coupled with a hint of warning. It has a devilish attraction. Topping its immense ramparts are three distinct summits - hence Try-fan, which means three peaks.
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But Tryfan is more than just good looks, much more. If you could design a mountain to be a scrambler’s dream, this is it. After all, the following is frequently stated. Tryfan is not a walk. To gain the prize of the summit, you are going to need your hands. But it is the sheer multitude of options as to how to attain the summit that makes Tryfan so special. There is every grade of scramble here and more serious rock climbs to boot. Many are routes of great sustained length and superb entertainment. There is something here for everyone. One thing is for sure, when you finally top out, you will have
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climbed a mountain and you will feel as though you have climbed a mountain. You will feel an exhileration that far outstrips the usual summit satisfaction. But more on Tryfan’s summit later. I am no rock climber. I have no idea what to do with ropes. A pitch is something I play football on. What I am though, is a hiker who has developed a passion for ridges, scrambling and the freedom of going fast and light. From what I want from a mountain day, Tryfan is nigh on perfection. One route in particular has me planning repeated visits and spouting superlatives to like minded friends. Along with The Snowdon Horseshoe, this is one of the two absolute classic mountain routes in Wales, especially when combined with Glyder Fach’s Bristly Ridge. It is a mountain adventure that thrills and liberates quite unlike any other. It is Tryfan’s North Ridge.
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The ascent begins next to Little Tryfan, an steeply angled slab of rock that acts as a good testing ground for wannabe rock climbers. Soon an ascent up a gully brings you to the beginning of the ridge. From here there is no path really. There are a plethora of lines to take. And this is the genius of Tryfan. The freedom to choose your route is exhilarating. You can push yourself just as much as is comfortable. If things get a little bit too ‘epic’ one way, you can usually find a more accommodating path elsewhere. It is a glorious labyrinth of wonderful Snowdonian rock. Though in truth the best of the drama is yet to come, after one of Tryfan’s most famous features. About a third of the way up stands The Cannon, a large flat slab of rock protruding outwards over the Ogwen Valley at a preposterous 45 degree angle. It’s an obvious photo opportunity, an Instagrammer’s dream. Some nervously crawl along it, whilst an obviously unhinged minority precariously hang off the end of it. Anything for those likes, right? The backdrop is equally photogenic. Y Garn, ’the Armchair Mountain’, stands proud and tall in the distance, with Llyn Idwal sparkling under its regal throne. North Welsh scenery at its best. From The Cannon onwards, it is the best part of an hour of solid, sustained scrambling bliss to the summit. They say you will never do Tryfan North Ridge the same way twice. It is grade one scrambling at a minimum but the permutations up here are almost limitless. A head for heights is certainly required. The A5 and Llyn Ogwen feel as though they are directly below. These are the kind of views that only eagles and hawks should be privy to. It is all so thrilling. As each crest of rock is surmounted, another rears up ahead. Often, on a British mountain, this can feel disheartening, as one realises the summit is still out of reach. On Tryfan, all it means is that more great times await. Relentless good fun. It’s also relentless hard work, but the effort goes unnoticed due to a combination of awe and adrenaline. Precarious ledges, sublime pinnacles and challenging gullies are climbed with a real sense of adventure. Then towards the first of the three main peaks, things get that little bit more airy and the summit comes into view like an island in the sky. It is at this point that Adam and Eve make themselves known. 65
adventure, Glyder Fach’s Bristly Ridge is a superb option that ups the technical ante slightly and keeps the adrenaline pumping. For those quite satisfied with their day, there are a number of descent options, some quick and steep, others long and pleasingly aesthetic. I would recommend exploring verdant Cwm Bochlwyd and its lovely llyn, where the grassy pastures and the harsh mountaintops create a gorgeous juxtaposition. That is one way to climb this special mountain. A way that is never the same twice and grants you the There is no cairn or trig point on Tryfan’s summit. As freedom to find your own unique version of I said, it is a nonconformist. A special mountain. scrambling heaven. Next? Well you could climb the Instead there is Adam and there is Eve. They are North Ridge again and again. Alternatively, you twin stone monoliths, three metres high and just could ascend the shorter South Ridge, which is over a metre apart. And to truly say you have similar in character. Or you could pick one of gullies conquered Tryfan, the famous leap between them or buttresses that rise more steeply from the east is a must. In truth, the “leap” is just an extended and west. Whatever you decide to do, Tryfan will and very carefully considered step but the sheer not disappoint. You will be back time and time exposure and the consequences of a fall make it again, seeking the sublime freedom of one of the serious business. Like Helm Crag in the Lakes or The great mountains of the British Isles. Cobbler in the Southern Highlands, this mountain will not let you attain the true summit lightly. It is said that those who make the leap between Adam and Eve gain the ‘freedom of Tryfan’, which is apt Alex is passionate about the mountains of Britain. You because freedom is precisely Tryfan’s greatest can follow his adventures at quality. alexrambles.com, on Descent is by way of the shorter South Ridge to the Instagram @alexrambles bwlch between Tryfan and its illustrious neighbour and on his YouTube channel Glyder Fach. For those seeking more scrambling Alex Rambles. 66
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An Account of two men’s journey through the Lake District Words and Photos by Adrian Stokes
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Sometimes you have to push through the pain to feel the gain! At least that’s what they tell me in the world of sporting endurance… I say, sometimes you need to listen to your screaming legs, take heed, and stop while the going's good. My latest outdoor adventure would see us hiking more than 35 miles over two days and climbing the 950 meters of Helvellyn on the first and then a further 776 meters of Red Screes the next. How would it end? We set off on the Friday morning after parking just up from Aira Force Waterfall in Glencoe bay, Ulswater. Thanks National Trust for free parking to members! The sun was already beating down and we were in good spirits as we strolled into Glenridding. The cares of everyday life and the outside world dripping away, partnered with the beads of sweat quickly accumulating on my forehead. We caught the ferry up the lake and enjoyed the strange looks we were getting from other passengers... who in their right mind would be carrying all that kit around in this heat? Disembarking in How Town, we decided to warm the legs up by taking the west shoreline route back down to Paterdale before starting the big ascent. This is where the fun really began. Anyone who visits the lakes will understand the majesty of the views. This is magnified many times over when you climb. We chose the pathway along the top of Grysdale valley and continued up to the Hole in the Wall with Red Tarn on our right. Reaching this point alone is achievement enough for most. However, nothing could prepare me for how breathtaking Helvellyn would be. After Red Tarn we came around the corner and Striding Edge was revealed in all its glory. Its knife edge danger plain to see. We were feeling brave and adventurous so decided to take the high route rather than the side pathways. This, we decided was acceptable
because of the near absence of a breeze and clear views, however it’s a given that this should be undertaken with great care and consideration if the weather is anything but. You may feel this is the last push towards the summit but there is one final scramble after Striding Edge. It’s steep but full of solid boulders for hand grips. Climbing, I felt like Frodo Baggins on his last climb toward Mount Doom in Mordor. After the last scramble we were there. No one else apart from sheep and two mates. It was 6pm, we were alone and we felt very small. The Lakes are huge, however, with views from the top of Helvellyn, you realise how small you are. It put things into perspective. Whatever problem you have in life, climbing a mountain certainly acts as therapy.
After photos and a bite of reflection we set off down towards Grysdale Tarn, stopping periodically to enjoy the views; spanning all the way to Morecambe Bay on the east coast and the wind farm out to sea in the distance. Plodding on towards High Crag, we dropped down to Grysdale Tarn and set up camp on the water’s edge. It was at this point that we thought it would be a good idea for a bit of skinny dipping. It might have been a scorching hot day but the water certainly didn’t reflect such excellence. We stripped, dipped our toes which resulted in a sensation similar to an electric shock. At mid-thigh level I felt like Leonardo DiCaprio’s stunt double in Titanic! The thought of dunking my unmentionables was out of the question. There's adventure and then there's adventure. A quick splash of the face would be more than sufficient. We wrapped up in warm clothing, ate a hearty meal of dehydrated spaghetti bolognaise and went to bed. Tomorrow was begging for more adventure.
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I woke early and realised that my shoes had failed me miserably. I had blisters covering my heels and a lovely cluster blister on my left sole. Compeed was the way forward with two pairs of socks. We packed away and set off down the side of the Great Tongue aiming towards Grasmere. Twenty minutes down the valley the sense of wilderness is almost instantly washed away with the introduction of neatly arranged farmers’ fields. A strange circle stone bulls eye with sheep laying as if they'd been used as target practice made us chuckle and before we knew it we had reached Grasmere for a full cooked breakfast. As standard practice dictates, we visited the famous gingerbread shop and stocked up on supplies for the family before setting off again, this time at a considerably slower pace. My legs were absolutely fine but my feet were starting to cause me major issues. Our next destination was Ambleside near Windermere. We took a sedate route through Penny Rock Woods, a lovely destination for family with younger and older generations. With clearly defined pathways and slowly undulating terrain, it’s perfect for the less adventurous groups that want to get lost in nature without straying too far from the car. We arrived at Ambleside and had a quick pasty before preparing ourselves for the next big climb. It was at this point that I realised I may be in a bit of trouble. We started the initial climb out of Ambleside passing High Sweden Bridge. Having already struggled with my feet throughout the morning now they were not only throbbing but they were starting to affect my legs too. Careful foot placement was making my lower legs complain. Scandal Beck gently slopes to the foot of Red Screes at which point the climbing becomes apparent. Although not as tall as Helvellyn, Red Screes has a very different challenge. The path is not as well-trodden from this end. Under foot is extremely uneven which proved energy sapping after the last day's climb, added to a morning's hike on damaged feet. 70
Many stops and a slow pace later we reached the top. Like everything in the Lake District, the views are stunning. You can see Ullswater, Windermere and down far below... the Kirkstone Pass Inn, our next stop. Getting there, however proved almost too much. Half a mile with a descent of three hundred meters... It's STEEP! For a fit and able body this would be no trouble if you tread carefully but I had reached my limits.
up camp if we saw a good spot. Half an hour later we realised we were only six miles from the car. Back home tonight and a lay in tomorrow sounded good. We accepted the challenge. It was painful but it wasn't at the top of a mountain and the end line was in sight. We stepped on the gas and made it to the car by nine that night. And that was that... What a weekend! Truly memorable for several reasons. Yes, we had deviated from the original plans but we didn't view that as a failure. Merely a sensible decision. We all accept that there is an element of danger and excitement when we step out into the great outdoors but being able to see things clearly is key. If something doesn't feel right, don't do it. If you're not feeling up to the next climb, be safe rather than sorry.
My legs were giving up and my feet were shredded. The going was slower than before and by the time we reached the inn I collapsed on the bench. I was done. Liam had planned a further nine miles back up the next ascent towards Stony Cove Pike but we decided this would be too much. I had pushed through the good pain and was now having to listen to the bad. Sometimes you have to understand when enough is enough. We turned down Kirkstone pass heading toward Ullswater with the intention of setting
Great weather, clear views, new adventures and good company. I'd say that was a win!
Now, let’s see about getting some new boots‌
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