BBC Countryfile Sample Issue

WILDLIFE | HERITAGE | WALKS | DAYS OUT

COUNTRYFILE Great

ISSUE 161 MARCH 2020 £4.75

journeys Explore Britain’s most beautiful landscapes by foot, bike and rail

15 EASY

off-road cycle routes

STEAM TRAIN

Relive the Golden Age – in the Pennines RIVER WALK

Roam the leafy dales of Derbyshire Derbyshir

WILD SWIM

Take the plunge in Lakeland

WHALE TRAIL

Scotland’s island odyssey PLUS: ‘MY COLLIE AND ME’ THE LIFE OF A SHEPHERDESS

Photo: Naturepl.com

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MARCH IN THE COUNTRY PICTURES › WILDLIFE › PEOPLE & PLACES › COUNTRY KNOW HOW › FOOD

must-see

MARVEL ARCH Wild Atlantic waves batter Stac a’ Phris Arch on the rugged west coast of the Isle of Lewis. Here, the landscape of this Outer Hebridean island is unforgiving, with settlements few and far between. For the perfect image, photographers must walk a couple of miles to reach this spot, a dizzying 150m above the roaring sea. www.countryfile.com

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Photo: Getty

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KUNG FU COOTS It may be the far edge of winter but waterbirds are getting restless. While many ducks and geese depart for northern climes to breed, resident coots are becoming querulous, scrapping noisily among themselves as the urge to breed rises.

With wings flapping madly, rival males dash at each other brandishing their lobed feet as rather clumsy weapons. The stronger and more determined may win himself a mate.

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BETTING ON HEDGERS Expert hedgelayers compete to lay up to 10m of hedgerow each in the Blackdown Hills ‘Skills of the Hills’ hedgelaying competition in Somerset. Hedgelaying was once common in the countryside, with hundreds of thousands of stock-proof boundaries to maintain. But over the past century, larger field sizes and barbed wire have superseded the need for living barriers. However, a well-laid hedge creates a fantastic linear woodland for wildlife and can benefit farmers, too. A mature hedge’s root system helps drain soil and offers livestock protection from the elements. This year’s event will be held on 7 March at Hemyock. bhha.info

BLACK AND GOLD One of the key hedging shrubs is blackthorn, whose white flowers here have attracted a goldfinch to look for insect prey. Blackthorn blossom is our earliest native tree blossom and creates fizzing displays of brilliant white at a time when the countryside is looking exhausted after winter. Other important trees and shrubs for hedgelayers include hazel, hawthorn and dog rose.

Send us your best countryside photos Share your best photos for the chance to feature as our ‘Photo of the Day’ on social media. Simply tweet your pic, share on Facebook or post on Instagram using the hashtag #photooftheday.

Alternatively, you can email: photos@countryfile.com but please include the subject line ‘Photo of the Day’.

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MONTH IN THE COUNTRY

Photos: Drew Buckley, Alamy

SHAMBLES AMBLES In March, urban exploration can be more appealing than wild wanders. This winding cobbled street with overhanging wood-beamed buildings dating from the 1300s is York’s Shambles. Now a tourist hotspot, it was once the street of butchers. Shambles is thought to come from the Saxon word ‘shammel’, the shelves of the open shopfronts.

FIRST DAY OF SPRING

March equinox

The spring equinox falls on 20 March.

What does it mean and how is it celebrated?

By definition, the spring equinox – also known as the vernal equinox or March equinox – is the time at which the sun sits directly above the equator in spring. It is thus a specific time rather than a date, when day and night are of equal length; in fact, equinox literally means ‘equal night’. The spring equinox marks a tipping point, when the number of hours of daylight edge beyond those of the night.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the spring equinox marks the first day of spring. For centuries it has been seen as a time of rebirth, a moment for discarding negative energies and celebrating new beginnings and fertility. Stone circles – such as Avebury (pictured) and Stonehenge in Wiltshire and Castlerigg in Cumbria – have long been used as places to welcome in the new seasons. This year, the spring equinox will take place at 3:48am on 20 March.

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How to...

SOW SEEDS IN EGGSHELLS You will need: egg shells (cut off at the top); cardboard egg box; drawing pin/thumbtack; potting soil; seeds

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Wash the shells then prick a drainage hole in the bottom using a drawing pin or thumbtack. Place them in the cardboard egg box.

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Half-fill the shells with soil, place a seed in each, then top up with more soil (follow the instructions on the seed packet for specific depths).

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Label the shells with their plant names, then place indoors in a warm and sunny location, keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged.

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Once the seedlings have sprouted, crush each egg gently in your hand, allowing the roots to spread, and plant in freshly tilled soil in your garden. www.countryfile.com

MONTH IN THE COUNTRY

St David’s Day 1 March Four ways to celebrate the patron saint of Wales

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Plants to forage Many edible plants are at their best in March when shoots are young and succulent, says John Wright

WILD GARLIC These broad, ribbed, spear-shaped leaves with white, star-shaped flowers are found in damp wooded areas and shady hedgerows across Britain. With a long season of about five months, the leaves are very good to eat and the immature seed pods are splendidly garlicky, making them superb for a pesto or sprinkled in a salad. Beware: its leaves look similar to the poisonous lily of the valley.

STINGING NETTLE Filling every damp, nitrogen-rich patch of ground in the UK, nettle can be picked in heroic quantities. Its leaves need to be collected when the plant is young – only pick the top 10 or so. They have a mild flavour and are extremely good for you. You can do with nettles whatever you do with spinach – except salad.

REJOICE IN THE MUSIC Revel in a night of stirring Welsh song at your local church or inn, or head to St David’s Hall in Cardiff where Welsh folk group Calan joins BBC NOW with a UK premiere of Cân Cnawd y Pridd: five compositions inspired by traditional Welsh songs. stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

CONQUER A CASTLE The Welsh countryside is home to more than 600 castles – from Cardiff (pictured) in the south to Conwy in the north – each entrenched with tales of the country’s past. Visit one this spring and learn about the fame and fury of Wales’ bastions. wales.com/about/culture/castles

WALK THE COAST PATH

Photos: Getty, Alamy Illustrations: Enya Todd

There are 870 miles of rambling coastline to be explored in Wales.

What better way to refresh the soul than with a walk along a verdant clifftop? walescoastpath.gov.uk

JOIN A PARADE Honour Welsh heritage and culture with a day of music, red dragons, flags and Welsh cakes.

Celebrations range in size from small village processions to Cardiff’s impressive National St David’s Day Parade. www.countryfile.com

COMMON SORREL One of our most common plants, found in pasture and grasslands from the Shetlands to the Scilly Isles. From September to spring it forms a basal rosette of leaves, which are collected. The spear-shaped leaves, with two sharp, backward-pointing lobes, vary enormously in size.

Not to be confused with the poisonous lords-and-ladies.

The Forager’s Calendar by John Wright is published by Profile Books, £16.99.

14–15 March

Marmalade magic Come mid-March, Dalemain Mansion and Historic Gardens south of Penrith in the Lake District will once again play host to the World’s Original Marmalade Awards and Festival.

“Dalemain is a house that needs to be full of people,” says festival founder Jane HasellMcCosh, who lives in the house with her family.

Celebrating its 15th year, there will be marmalade workshops, talks, cookery lessons, games, films, music and children’s activities, plus thousands of marmalades for fruit-preserve connoisseurs to taste in the artisan barn. dalemain.com/ marmalade-festival

3URGXFW RI ëH PRQë Baileys sheep soap Freshen up this spring with these sheep and lamb soaps made from sheep’s milk, £4 each. baileyshome.com/onlinestore/bath-and-body/ sheep-soap/

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G R E AT J O U R N E Y S : W A L K

HIKING ALONG HARD WORKING WATERS Flowing beside grassy pastures, cotton mills, stately homes and glorious peaks, the Derwent is at the heart of Derbyshire’s industry and natural beauty. Ben Lerwill follows the river on the Derwent Valley Heritage Way Photographs: Phil Sproson

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DISCOVER

Author Ben Lerwill walks upstream beside the Derwent, passing imposing St Mary’s Church in Cromford, built by local cotton magnate Sir Richard Arkwright and consecrated in 1797 www.countryfile.com

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G R E AT J O U R N E Y S : T R A I N

WHISTLESTOP ADVENTURES Whatever your age, a trip on a steam train never fails to delight. Daniel Puddicombe travels behind Leander on a thrilling ride through the Pennines that recalls the glorious heyday of steam Photos: Phil Sproson

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STEAM TRAINS

WATCH Men of Steam, a 1962 documentary on the end of the steam train era.

Available on BBC iPlayer

Built in 1938, gleaming locomotive Leander (also catchily known as Jubilee Class No 5690/BR No 45690) is named after the Royal Navy ship and the Greek hero. Withdrawn from service in 1964 and sold to a scrapyard, Leander was rescued in 1972 and restored; it now runs regularly across the country www.countryfile.com

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G R E AT J O U R N E Y S : W I L D L I F E T R A I L

WHALE OF A TIME Leaping dolphins, gentle sharks, enormous humpbacks and killer whales – all in our waters. Jaw-dropping encounters with Britain’s largest mammals await you on the Hebridean Whale Trail, says Mark Sutcliffe

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A humpback whale in Shetland’s waters – some of the first images ever taken of a humpback in British seas. Humpbacks spend much of the year close to the shore but will migrate thousands of miles to breed and feed www.countryfile.com

Photo: Naturepl.com

WHALE TRAIL

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G R E AT J O U R N E Y S : W I L D S W I M M I N G

CONQUER THE LAKES Cross the Lake District in 10 days, swimming the length of 14 of the largest lakes while hiking between them. It’s a daunting challenge and one that pushed Matt Williams to the limits of his endurance Photos: Duncan Elliott

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SWIMMING CHALLENGE As a seasoned wild swimmer and triathlete – with a crossing of the English Channel under his belt – Matt made fast work of Buttermere’s 1.2-mile length, completing it in just 25 minutes

Don’t miss The Windermere Children dramatises the true story of young refugees settling in the Lake District in 1945

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7. Bassenthwaite 8. Loweswater 6. Derwent Water

9. Crummock Water

5. Ullswater

A TEST OF ENDURANCE

4. Brothers Water 2. Grasmere 3. Rydal 11. Wast Water

START 1. Elterwater

12. Devoke Water

FINISH 14. Windermere 13. Coniston Water

or 15 minutes, I’d been fighting my way through flooded forest to reach the shore of Rydal Water. It was raining so hard I could barely tell where the water ended and the air began. Far behind schedule, I was alone, rapidly losing the light and nearly out of phone battery.

Suddenly, I was thrown forward, plunging up to my neck in cold water. Something had tripped me: a branch hidden beneath the floodwaters. Warding off my rising panic, I recovered my balance and pushed on. A few minutes later – to my relief – I was rewarded, as the trees finally opened out to clear water. I waded out and began to swim the third and final lake of the day.

Twenty minutes later, exhausted and in the last of the evening light, I reached the other side. My anxious wife Bryony – by now close to tears – waved me into the beach. “Everything is soaked,” she announced. “We’re going to the pub for dinner.”

So day one ended. It had been tougher than we could have imagined, thanks to non-stop rain, floodwater, ‘killer’ swans, blue-green algae

F ABOVE Matt with his sister Lucy, whose cancer diagnosis in 2018 prompted him to take on the Lakes challenge and raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. Lucy joined Matt to swim the length of Loweswater on day six

That morning in August 2019, I’d started my attempt to become the first person to swim the length of all 13 of the large lowland bodies of water in the Lake District, plus one upland tarn, in one continuous push, walking between them all. The route included diversions over two of Lakeland’s highest fells, Scafell Pike and Helvellyn. In 10 days, I’d have to swim 43 miles and hike 108 miles, camping along the way, with support from Bryony in our campervan, Ruby.

Why take on such a daunting task? I’d been looking for a unique way to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support, at my sister Lucy’s request, after she received help from them following a cancer diagnosis in 2018. But I must add, I’m used to taking on big endurance events; in 2011, I became the fourth person ever to complete the Peak and Pond challenge – successfully reaching the summit of Mount Everest after swimming the English Channel the previous year.

My family are partly to blame for my love of adventure. I was born in the desert in Namibia, and we’d go on family camping trips every weekend; I was always scrambling to see what was over the horizon or round the next bend.

I swam from a young age and played every sport I could, then, after finishing school, I competed in triathlons, reaching British Junior Championship level.

Why do I take on such extreme challenges? I’m not really sure. I suppose they’re a form of escapism, but escapism you have to work really hard for.

“It had been tougher than we could have imagined, thanks to floods, ‘killer’ swans and blue-green algae”

TAKING THE FIRST PLUNGE

Despite these past experiences, it became clear that logistics and weather would make the Lakeland challenge tough. Arranging to meet at the beginning and end of 16 hikes and 14 swims, plus keeping on schedule, fed, clothed, as well as illness- and injury-free for 10 days was a mammoth task for me and my support team of one.

So it had been with a mix of relief and dread that I had pushed out against the flow across the first lake, Elterwater. While protected www.countryfile.com

Illustration : Laura Hallett

10. Buttermere

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and overwhelmingly complicated logistics.

The challenge of completing nine more days like this – including 11 more lakes to swim – seemed impossible.

SWIMMING CHALLENGE

A thin swimming wetsuit protected Matt from the worst of the cold in the lakes; the water is bone-chilling even in the height of summer

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Collie champion Over 10 years, shepherd Emma Gray has revived an isolated upland farm in Northumberland, won numerous dog trials and herded thousands of sheep – all thanks to her beloved border collies Words: Susie White Photographs: Neil Denham

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SHEEP DOGS

he five-mile track to Fallowlees Farm runs through dark plantations of sitka spruce. I stop the car to watch a red squirrel dart up a tree, its tail flicking in annoyance. Past an abandoned farmstead, two roe deer bound away through ochre grasses. Finally, above the trees, there’s the reassuring sight of a wind turbine.

It’s in this remote part of Northumberland that shepherd and border collie breeder Emma Gray runs a small upland farm. At 1,000 feet up, the old stone farmhouse of Fallowlees faces south-east in an open-fronted clearing in the trees.

“It’s always raw up here, but I can sometimes see the sea,” gestures Emma, taking in the wide landscape. “I’m aware people have always lived here; there’s a prehistoric cup-marked rock and a medieval bastle house,” she says, referring to the fortified homes built here in the days when reivers would launch raids over the Scottish border a few miles to the north.

We sit in Emma’s beamed kitchen, drinking tea by the Rayburn. On its stone mantle, the many shields and cups are evidence of her success in dog breeding and trialling. On Emma’s lap is her much-loved black poodle Purdy. “She’s a sweetheart,” Emma smiles.

“She was my treat when I was lonely and she lords it over the collies.” There are usually three or four puppies in the house, so they learn to be around people.

Emma grew up on a sheep farm near Hawick in the Scottish Borders, one of three girls, all of whom now work with dogs. “My mum was really influential on the farm,’ she says, “as my dad

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LEFT Emma with her border collies Jamie (right) and Larry (left) BELOW Emma won tenancy of the National Trust’s remote Northumberland farm Fallowlees in 2010 and tends its 100 acres with her prize-winning sheepdogs

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A finely woven tale Between the Mountains of Mourne and the waters of Carlingford Lough, three generations of weavers have used handlooms to make exquisite fabrics beloved by British designers, says Mark Hooper Photographs: Tara Fisher

riving down the Warrenpoint Road as it hugs the Newry River in County Down, the stunning, mist-wrapped Mourne Mountains rise to our left and the sun glints off Carlingford Lough ahead.

Mario Sierra, who is behind the wheel, turns into a hedgerow-lined driveway and pulls up outside a plain, brickfronted building. Eagerly, he takes a bag from the boot to show one of the staff: wool from Frida, a local farmer.

This is the design workshop of Mourne Textiles, the same building established by Mario’s grandmother, Gerd Hay-Edie, when she settled here from her native Norway after the Second World War. Under her maiden name of Bergersen, Gerd was an established weaver and textile designer when she moved to County

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Down. She had lived in England in the early 1930s and moved there before the war, working as head designer at Dartington Hall Trust in Devon.

There, Gerd was involved in the regeneration of the Welsh woollen mills through the Trust’s charity arm, which specialises in the arts, social justice and sustainability.

In 1937, she returned to Norway, becoming the youngest-ever director of Rural Industries in Norway (a government body overseeing the promotion of Norwegian craft) at the age of just 27. In 1938, Gerd married Englishman Archie Hay-Edie, after which the couple travelled through Shanghai, Calcutta and Hong Kong.

There she took the opportunity to weave on local looms with handtwisted yarns and research Chinese designs, which informed her later work.

It was more accident than design that Gerd came to settle in Mourne, according to Mario. In 1947, she chanced upon the beautiful setting of Carlingford Lough – Mario wonders whether it reminded her of the fjords of her native Norway – and made it her

permanent home. Gerd purpose-built her modern version of a cottage industry from scratch. Unable to source the appropriate manpower or equipment, she trained some of the farmers’ children to hand-weave her designs in her own workshop, importing looms and textile machinery from Norway – and even having one loom made to her own specifications by the local coffin maker.

MID CENTURY STYLE Gerd’s hard work soon found success.

She developed a longstanding working relationship with Robin Day, one of Britain’s most brilliant and influential product designers, producing upholstery fabric for some of his most iconic pieces. Their collaboration began when he wrote to her, saying: “Of all the rugs I have seen, only yours have character enough as a background for my new designs of furniture to be exhibited at La Triennale de Milano 1951.”

The three black-and-grey rugs she exhibited with him resulted in a silver medal for both designers and led to

FAR LEFT Gerd Hay-Edie (then Bergersen) assesses some fabric samples at Dartington Hall, 1931 LEFT Gerd works on her loom, 1931 OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP The wool in Mourne Textile’s wall hangings and rugs comes from a local rare-breed sheep farm; beautiful Mourne Mist is a signature handwoven fabric, designed by Gerd and used

by Robin Day in 1951; Gerd’s original looms are still in operation at the workshop; wool from local sheep is used as much as possible 66

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OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Mario Sierra works on a vintage Hattersley powerloom in the workshop; a wooden boat shuttle is used to make the classic Mourne Check fabric; yarn is wound on to a warping mill; highly skilled staff are essential to the company’s success RIGHT Robin Day’s cutting-edge designs and Gerd Hay-Edie’s rugs showcased in the 1951 La Triennale de Milano FAR RIGHT Princess Margaret and her husband Lord Snowdon inspect fabric on a visit to the Mourne Textiles workshop in 1963 a high-profile collaboration with 1951 Festival of Britain furniture manufacturer S Hille & Co. She went on to work with the celebrated interior designer and retailer Terence Conran, as well as with London department store Liberty and fashion designers Sybil Connolly and Hardy Amies – the Queen’s favourite.

Gerd’s daughter Karen – Mario’s mother – helped in the workshop from an early age, but recession, exacerbated by the Troubles in Northern Ireland in the 1970s, made it impossible to sustain the business. By the mid-1980s, it was forced to close. With Gerd’s passing in 1997, the story seemed to be over, but Karen was determined to revive the company.

“My mother had been trying to get things restarted from about 2000,” Mario says. “But of course, that was pre-internet. She did some work with [London furniture company] SCP – she walked in off the street and the owner, Sheridan Coakley, said, ‘If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?’ –

she was 60 at the time – and then added, ‘Why are you doing this?’”

But Mario and his mother refused to give up on their legacy. “It’s the responsibility of feeling it can’t die on our watch: it has to carry on,” he says.

“My one root is here: it’s my anchor on the earth. For the local farmers next door to know that wool from their sheep is being used here is so

In 2013, he relaunched the family business, carving a new, modern identity for the brand, collaborating on homeware ranges with pioneering design-focused companies, such as Margaret Howell and Pinch.

HOMELY COTTAGE INDUSTRY The back half of the Mourne Textiles building is a cosy family home, complete with the smell of woodsmoke from an open log fire; Mario lives there with his partner and teenage children.

The front half, meanwhile, is filled with clattering vintage looms and spooling machines.

There is a relaxed, convivial atmosphere – the few staff smiling and chatting as they settle into the easy rhythm of their work.

Mario leads us out of the kitchen towards the old wooden summer house in the garden. This now homes his archive of Gerd’s handwritten pattern books. These archive designs provide an important connection with the relaunched company’s roots, he says.

Sure enough, his grandmother’s

“There is a convivial atmosphere – the staff smiling and chatting”

VALUING MOUNTAIN WOOL Sheep farming has been common in Northern Ireland for centuries – there is evidence dating back to 1600 BC. Chris Weiniger, general manager of Donegal Yarns (donegalyarns.com), can trace his own firm’s history back to the early 1900s, when the tradition of spinning, weaving and knitting in the cottages of Donegal became more professional. Donegal Yarns now supplies yarn to spinners and knitters across Ireland from its traditional vertical mill – including spinning all the wool for Mourne Textiles’

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blankets and supplying some of the fleece for its rugs. “Irish wool is typically coarser and more durable than merino, so it’s particularly suitable for interior design and wall hangings,” says Weiniger. While Irish sheep were traditionally bred for meat, its wool industry is beginning to find new markets – in China and America as well as domestically. “The way forward as I see it is in educating farmers about how they can add value to the product through care of the sheep and sorting and grading the wool,” he adds.

Photo: Alamy

Yarn reeling in Donegal, circa 1890

important. I was talking to a neighbour and he remembers when Princess Margaret came to visit the workshop in the 1960s and he was a primary school kid – this is part of their upbringing, too. Even the electricians went to the primary school next door and learned to weave from my grandmother.”

The lure of the looms inspired Mario to quit a promising career as a sound engineer for TV and film in London.

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BIKE RIDE: 5.3 MILES 8.5KM Aviemore to Boat of Garten

THE MAJESTY OF CALEDONIA Fergal MacErlean jumps in the saddle for an invigorating off-road adventure through the pine-scented air of Cairngorms National Park t this time of year, the backdrop to the Highland town of Aviemore is one of impressive snow-clad mountains. Revel in this majestic scenery and more on a much-loved Sustrans cycle route.

This excellent, mainly off-road cycleway is ideal for older children who will relish the freedom that cycling on a wide track brings. It is rough in parts with frequent small hills, and quiet road sections link the start and finish of the ride. You can hire bicycles, child seats and other accessories from Bothy Bikes, with helmets and repair kits included.

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LIFE ON THE TRAIL Just north of Aviemore railway station, access a subway and follow National Cycle Network Route 7 to the left. Keep straight to wind through a residential estate before joining the off-road section. This

RETURN BY TRAIN

Photo: Alamy

The Strathspey Railway runs steam and vintage diesels from Boat of Garten to Aviemore, with space onboard for bicycles. See strathspeyrailway.co.uk

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crosses heather-covered moorland with the chance to see roe deer, red squirrels and even pine martens.

The peaceful cycle path soon runs by a beautiful stand of birch. In a more sheltered part, these elegant trees are draped with lichen – testament to the clean air that encourages juniper and bilberry to thrive below. There are good views of the Cairngorms’ ice-gouged northern faces. Below, on the lower slopes, dense stands of forests can be seen spreading into a deep green mass. This is an important remnant of the Caledonian Forest, which once covered Scotland in a mosaic of Scots pine, birch, rowan, aspen and juniper; the Scots pine descended directly from the first pines that colonised Scotland following the end of the last Ice Age. So vast was this coverage that the Romans called the country ‘Caledonia’, meaning wooded heights.

Continue ahead on an easy trail for the final stretch to Boat of Garten. This small community is known as the ‘Osprey Village’, thanks to the conservation success story that has seen ospreys breed by Loch Garten since the 1950s.

Milton Loch also has a heronry with a dozen breeding pairs.

Fergal MacErlean is an outdoors writer who loves exploring Scotland on foot.

This family-friendly cycle route runs parallel to the River Spey, one of three significant rivers to pass through the Cairngorms National Park; the other two are the Dee and the Don

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GREAT DAYS OUT

“ THE BIRCH TREES ARE DRAPED WITH

LICHEN TESTAMENT TO THE CLEAN AIR THAT ENCOURAGES JUNIPER AND BILBERRY TO THRIVE BELOW”

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TOP 7 EPIC BIKE RIDES

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ABERDEEN TO INVERNESS

National Cycle Network (NCN) 1 journeys through Aberdeenshire countryside and along the Moray Firth coast before winding its way past Elgin Cathedral (pictured) towards Inverness.

The 150-mile cycleway is 17.3% traffic-free and includes a mix of lanes, tracks and a few main roads.

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GREAT GLEN WAY

Mountain bikes and fitness are recommended for the NCN 78 route, which includes some steep ascents and descents.

Running for 66 miles through a series of glens between Fort William and Inverness, it forms part of The Caledonia Way. Combining tracks, towpaths and roads, it is 42% traffic-free, skirts Loch Ness and offers views of Ben Nevis.

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HADRIAN’S CYCLEWAY

Incorporating much of NCN 72, Hadrian’s Cycleway spans 170 miles, from Ravenglass in the Lakes to South Shields and the North Sea. This popular coast-to-coast route is 32% traffic-free and has some climbs as it crosses the North Pennines.

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BELFAST TO BALLYSHANNON

Taking in the historic city of Belfast, Lough Neagh and the Sperrin Mountains, this coast-to-coast cycle route (NCN 9, 91, 93, 94 and 95) offers a combination of Irish history and countryside.

It covers 242 miles, is 18%

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Hold on to your handlebars as Fi Darby reveals some of the UK’s most exhilarating long-distance cycle routes

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traffic-free and winds along quiet roads and towpaths before climbing the Sperrins and descending into the lakelands of Fermanagh, finishing at the Atlantic Ocean.

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GARDEN OF ENGLAND ROUTE

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CELTIC TRAIL

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WEST MIDLANDS CYCLE ROUTE

Starting in the heart of London at Greenwich, this 180-mile route (NCN 1, 2) follows the Thames to Dartford then climbs into Canterbury before traversing the south-east coast to Dover.

Passing the Thames Barrier and Canterbury Cathedral, it is mainly traffic-free in London and 50% traffic-free overall.

This coast-to-coast route (NCN 4) crosses Wales from Chepstow to Fishguard on the Pembrokeshire Coast. It offers 43% traffic-free riding and covers 358 miles of the 431 miles available on the NCN 4 London-to-Fishguard route.

Right in the heart of England, this 164-mile cycle trail (NCN 5) travels through industry, history and culture. Starting in Oxford, the 38% traffic-free route passes Stratford-upon-Avon, Birmingham and Burton upon Trent on its way to Derby. sustrans.org.uk

Fi Darby is a Devon author, blogger and OS Outdoors Champion.

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GREAT DAYS OUT

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Photos: Alamy, Getty

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READER IMAGES

YOUR GREAT DAYS OUT… IN PHOTOS Share your best photos of the British countryside with us and you could see your image in print or online and win a great prize. Send your images to Your Photos, BBC Countryfile Magazine, Eagle House, Colston Avenue, Bristol BS1 4ST or email photos@countryfile.com photo of the month

DOMESTIC BUZZ By: John Cobham Where: Euxton, Lancashire “This photo was taken at a wasp nest site in a friend’s garden. It was fascinating watching the wasps bring in more wood to build up their nest. I took more than 500 images in order to get just 10 decent photos!”

FIRST LIGHT By: Mike White Where: Polperro, south Cornwall “An orange-streaked wintry sunrise taken from the pretty fishing harbour at Polperro on a quiet January morning.”

THE PRIZE This month’s winner receives a pair of Ariat Skyline Summit GTX® boots, worth £170. The boots are mesh-lined and made with a waterproof, breathable membrane, plus a shock-absorbing EVA midsole and full-grain leather upper. A dual-density Duratread™ outsole provides extra traction for sure footing on rough terrain. Sizes: women’s 3–8.5; men’s 7–12.

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GREAT DAYS OUT

OVER THE RAINBOW

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MIRROR IMAGE

By: Ray Cabrera Where: Angle Tarn, Lake District National Park “We were lucky to see this beautiful sight on an October walk to Angle Tarn from Patterdale. The hill behind the rainbow is Place Fell.”

By: James Tebbs Where: Uath Lochans, Cairngorms “On a beautiful morning walk at Uath Lochans in the Cairngorms, we enjoyed the absolutely perfect mirrored reflection of this stunning forest.”

GATHERING WINTER STORES

LUNCH IS SERVED

By: Barry Miller Where: Stanton Country Park, Wiltshire “It took a bit of stalking to get this image of a little nuthatch collecting seeds at Stanton Country Park.”

By: Jillian Fardon Where: River Droitwich, West Midlands “I managed to capture this stunning kingfisher at the perfect moment of fishing success.”

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Kit for epic hikes Planning a big trek? Here’s our pick of essential gear to max on comfort as the miles go by Reviews Daniel Graham and Joe Pontin (JP) Photography Steve Sayers

THREE OF THE BEST: WATERPROOF TROUSERS Keep dry and warm – and your morale high – on those inevitable wet and windy stretches

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TRAILHEAD RAIN PANTS V2 Kathmandu, £109.99

MINIMUS PANTS Montane, £100

KUNDE 2.5 LAYER PANT Sherpa, £75

kathmandu.co.uk

montane.co.uk

ospreyeurope.com

A hardy pair of waterproof trousers perfect for cold, wet days out in the British countryside. At almost 300g, these pants are not ultra-light, but they make up for this bulk with impressive durability, warmth and waterproofing. Extra-thick pads on the inside of the lower leg protect the Pertex Quantum Eco fabric (made from recycled polyester) from ripping, and adjustable toggles allow the ankles to be tightened, keeping you warmer and drier.

The lower-leg zips and loose fit of the trousers means they can be pulled easily over hiking boots, or simply unzipped for extra ventilation when rain ceases.

Best suited to autumn, winter and spring. Unisex fit and sizing, available in midnight blue. DG Verdict: Durable, warm and dry, perfect for cool, wet days out. � � � � �

At an incredibly light 147g, these are perfect for trail runners and fast-moving, minimalist hikers. The Pertex Shield fabric (with PFC-free durable water repellent) makes them windproof, as well as extremely breathable. The waist has an adjustable, lockable drawcord.

Elastic in the hem around the ankle reduces heat loss, while straps around the calf can be tightened to stop material flapping in the wind. Onequarter-length zips on the legs allow trousers to be quickly put on over light footwear (but not my size 11 boots, which I had to remove first). Available in men’s and women’s versions, the pants have a tiny pack size no larger than an apple, perfect for lightweight adventures. DG Verdict: Super light and breathable, ideal for minimalist adventurers. � � � � �

Price-wise, these fall somewhere between the cheap-and-cheerful and the highspec. Yet their performance far excels the £75 price tag. First, they are extremely waterproof, thanks to Sherpa’s own Sukatec fabric (made of 100% nylon).

They are also lightweight at 290g and breathable, making them a good option for short, brisk walks as well as long days out in the hills. The elastic waist is comfortable. My favourite feature is the two-way zip that runs from the ankle to the hip on both legs. Not only does this allow the trousers to be put on and taken off quickly and easily over boots, but it provides ventilation when the skies clear and the temperature warms. Available in men’s and women’s versions. DG Verdict: Excellent. Waterproof, light and very practical. � � � � � www.countryfile.com

LAZY DAYS

WISE BUYS FOR OUTDOOR LOVERS

Big backpacks Camping on a multi-day hike? You’ll need a pack size of at least 65 litres...

Makalu Jacket, Sherpa, £280, sherpaadventuregear.co.uk

STOUT 65, Gregory, £155

Thanks to its three-layer shell fabric, the Makalu excels in breathability, windresistance and waterproofing, keeping you warm and dry even in cold, driving rain. The watertight zip pulls up to your nose and the hood fits securely. Under-arm zips provide ventilation. There are three external pockets, of which two are big enough for OS maps.

Men’s and women’s versions versiions available. avaiilable. DG

UltraLight Insulated Mat (small), Sea to Summit, £120, seatosummit.co.uk Se Stay warm war and comfortable at night with this iinflatable nflatable sleeping mat. With a tiny pack size of jjust ust 10cm x 23cm and weight of only 430g, it’s no trouble trou to carry. Inflate quickly using the supplied suppli ied ‘p ‘pumpsack’ to a pleasingly thick 5cm.

Like many ultralight mats, the fabric can sound a bi bitit ccreaky. Available in various sizes. DG

Ultimate Lightweight Walking Sock, 1000 Mile, £13.99, 1000mile.co.uk These lightweight socks are ideal for spring, summer and autumn days on the trail.

The inner layer is made from dry-feeling Tactel and holds closely to the foot as the soft outer layer (63% merino wool) moves with the boot – reducing the friction that causes blisters. DG

Alpha Direct Jacket, Rab, £200, rab.equipment/uk/ This has become my go-to walking jacket. It’s highly versatile year-round as an outer layer or a midlayer.

The outer fabric is showerproof and the low-profile Polartec Alpha Direct insulation, a kind of fluffy fleece, is remarkably warm and breathable, and feels pleasantly dry even when you’re perspiring. JP

Trail Pro Shock Poles, Black Diamond, £110, eu.blackdiamondequipment.com/en A quick-release system allows these poles to telescope easily. They reduce to a length of 68cm – longer than other poles but still manageable. They are durable enough for tough mountain terrains, which helps explain their relatively heavy weight of just under 300g each.

The soft-foam grip is comfortable and absorbs impact; hand straps are adjustable but not removable. DG

www.countryfile.com countryfile.com

A bold and simple design with loads of all-round wins, including a neat appearance and modest dest weight of 1.73kg. An adjustable back improves fit. There are re big, stretchy pockets,, a rain cover, ventilated ed back panel and a roomy zipped pocket in the lid. It’s robustlyy made, too. JP eu.gregorypacks.com m Verdict: � � � � �

AIRCONTACT LITE 65+10 Deuter, £155 This 75-litre pack, weighing 1.99kg, is an excellent option if you don’t want to compromise on comfort. The back can be adjusted for fit, andd the shape is tall and narrow, w, which helps to keep weight down the centre re of your body. Multiple features include large side pockets – but no rain cover. DG deutergb.co.uk Verdict: � � � � �

KESTREL 68, Osprey, £160 Perfect for heavy loads on the trail, the Kestrel (for men) is extremely comfortable, durable and practical. Relatively light at 1.78kg, it’s full of useful features – including big mesh sidee pockets and a huge stretchy front pocket.

The backpanel has foam m ridges to let in cool air.

Rain cover included. DG • The women’s version is the Kyte 66. ospreyeurope.com Verdict: � � � � �

Go online See much more detailed reviews on our website! countryfile.com/country-kit

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