Trail
May 10, £1.50
our &
Great walking, great cycling, and great touring
TOLKEIN’S INSPIRATION SHROPSHIRE’S FIVE BEST SCENIC TRAILS TO WALK OR CYCLE
Inter-trail 2010: Wales to Vietnam
SKILLS:
A quick guide to walks on Access Land: Your rights and theirs, 10 of the best Bushcraft tips to take away with you, PLUS Your pictures,: out & about in Europe and beyond.
ON TEST:
West to East: Aberdovey to Vietnam on two wheels
Primus Omnifuel Marmot Asgard 2p
Buell XB12XT
Cover image: The Stiperstones, by Ben Glossop
HELLO YOU!
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It never ceases to amaze me, how easy it is to get about these days: we don’t even need to leave where we’re sitting or standing now that we have the internet we can go, through the lenses of cameras or the words of our intrepid explorers, to see, feel, and even smell. So it’s easy to forget that the world is actually still this enormous place, and that so much of it is left unnoticed. Worse yet; most of it is on our own doorstep. We people have a nasty tendency towards habit; that of ignoring what’s around us, as we go through each day almost as the last: We take the same route to work, or to college, and we even pick the same spots to go back to when we’re away from it all. Is it fear of disappointment? Who knows but anyone who went out and bought the DVD of Avatar, will know how important it feels to get back in touch with nature, now. This issue will look towards, hopefully, getting you back in the trend of looking around you, at what’s right in front, before you go galavanting off to Majorca or St. Lucia, with your portable DVD player and what have you. There’s walking and cycling in the five top-rated trails of the Shropshire peaks, along with getting back to nature; ten simple Bushcraft tips that can take you literally anywhere, and an exclusive preview on my post-study trip from West Wales to East Vietnam. Let’s hope I can get lost along the way; we all know how fantastic that can be. Now, take this and get lost :p Bye for now,
Ben Glossop (Editor)
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Tour & Trail May 10
Pages 6-7:
Get to grips with the trails all around Shropshire this Spring/Summer!
Pages 8-9:
Where to start planning for a cross-continental moto-tour!
Some of the best 2010 gear reviewed, including the new Buell Ulysses!
Pages 6-7:
Get to grips with the trails all around Shropshire this Spring/Summer!
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Photo: Cardingmill Velley, by Ben Glossop
Contents
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Pages 10-11:
Tour & Trail May 10
Walk
Photo: The Longmynd, by Ben Glossop
Walk #1 THE LONGMYND When he wrote The Lord of the Rings; Tolkein was undoubtably here, watching the world breathing on such an epic scale that even the most drastic event in it’s respiratory cycle could go completely unnoticed by the comparatively insignificanct author. It’s really not difficult to see how he could have dreamt-up something as vast and dark as Middle Earth, if he was sat atop this lustrous and breath-taking valley: Being sat here reminds a person of perspective. The Longmynd takes its name from the Anglo-Saxons, literally meaning ‘Long Mountain’, and with good reason: The range is seven miles, from North to South, and three
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miles, from East to West. At the highest point; you would be stood 1,693ft, which is nothing to be sniffed at. The best place to start is down in the town of Church Stretton, to the East of the range, as after walking it; you’ll most likely need a cool, refreshing beverage, and something to eat, somewhere slightly more comfortable to sit then the seat of your car, or your bike. From there you can either follow the path directly up the valley, as shown, or across the top; along the ridge. As it is central to most of the best Shropshire trails; Caer Caradoc, The Wrekin, and The Stiperstones can all be seen from the top.
Shropshire’s Five Finest...
52.543073, -2.826447
The hill isn’t just home to the television broadcasting mast that you can see in this picture but also a host of wonderful trails that go as far as Ironbridge; seven miles East, and with views as far West as Rodney’s Pillar in Wales. The Wrekin Hill stands at 1,335ft. high, with views as far North as Winter Hill, Lancs, and Beetham Tower, Manc.
52.672245, -2.546360 Tour & Trail May 10
There are several stories surrounding the origins of the stones, but Stiperstones mound itself is the next long trail along from the Longmynd, touching on the border with Wales. The GPS coordinates we used, as printed, will take you to the car park at the beginning of the trail, which actually joins up with the Longmynd range, via a quick trip to the country pub along the road that separates the two ranges.
52.577654, -2.937663
Photo: Caer Caradoc, by Ben Glossop
Photo: The Wrekin, by Ben Glossop
Stiperstones
Photo: Maesbury Waterway, by Ben Glossop
Photo: The Stiperstones, by Ben Glossop
The Wrekin
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Caer Caradoc
Maesbury Waterway
At the very top of the hill; ancient ruins are slowly crumbling away, but looking out to some of the most spectacular views that I’ve ever seen, short of being 2,000ft. up. Caer Caradoc gives you a full view of the Brecon Beacons from it’s summit, thanks to the clear line of sight it enjoys over it’s neighbouring ranges.
As a change of pace, if the ups and downs of fellwalking are getting a bit too much; why not take this beautiful, scenic, canal walk from Maesbury to Welshpool. The trail starts at The Queen’s Head pub, doing it’s best to follow the A483 between Oswestry and Welshpool itself, as it meanders around and often through the pretty villages along the way.
52.551828, -2.774048
52.834834, -2.981157 Tour & Trail May 10
Adventure Tour
Adventure Tour
From West Wales to East VIETNAM (Aberdovey to Quy Nohn) Every so often; the world offers you an opporunity, of sorts, so grand that it takes your breath away. But how do you grab the Bull by the horns and pull it all together? The idyllic scenes at Quy Nohn might not seem far away to travel - a few stops on a plane journey - but there’s no fun in that. In this Adventure Tour section; we cover the preparation that needs to be done to complete a motorcycle tour of this journey, and to make it interesting; why not use Bushcraft?
have all told of how much closer and connected you feel with the places that you’re travelling through when you’re sat on a motorbike. However, each one has also mentioned, at some point, the issue of security on their journeys. As it stands; several countries on this trail are considered to be highly dangerous to moto-campers, due to criminal activity as well as there being less awareness of motorcyclists in other countries. Taking a security training course may save your life, if you’re approached by the wrong people: Knowing how to react, what to say, and what to do, sometimes will mean the difference between life and death. Researching the areas you’ll travel through is about the best thing you can do, in the mean-time: Understanding the climate, the vegetation, the politics, and the cultural rules, will only make certain the likelihood that you could pass through relatively untouched and unscathed. As we begin the countdown, in days, to the beginning of this journey; we can only hope that it has left you feeling inspired to try something like this for yourself.
Although it seems like an idyllic concept, to ride a motorbike from ‘here’ to ‘there’; there is a mountain of preparation to climb before you might ever see the ground beneath your feet again. There are a number of different ways to approach the planning of a big trip like this but it simply cannot be undertaken in a ‘rush to the finish line’ fashion: You cannot rely on foreign offices to complete your paperwork in time, and if you don’t have that; you’re going nowhere. This is generally where most people tend to lose sight of the envisaged dream, and the motivation, but hold on to it because making something like this happen is worth all the aggravation and more. The easiest place to start planning a journey like this is with the mapping stage: You can purchase custom-printed maps from numerous places on the internet but make sure you get a number of large-scale maps, in order to get the bigger picture of what you’re trying to accomplish. This should allow you to see political environments, which will aid you in choosing what countries to go through. The next step, generally, would be to contact the embassies for those countries, to get information on what you’ll need.
Tour & Trail May 10
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Next; it’s time to start thinking about what you want to take. You might want to rush out and buy yourself the perfect Adventure Tourer but hold on a second: Why couldn’t you complete your adventure on the bike you have? Tour & Trail is the very proud owner of a Suzuki GS500E - the most basic of the big Suzuki bikes - which is still more than capable of carrying off this kind of journey: It can take the weight, and do the approximate 9,000 miles it’ll take to get there. Motorcycle engines are relatively cheap to work on and repair too, so it’s worth looking into the cost of a complete overhaul by a registered dealer, which should include any treatment necessary to the frame of the bike. So now you’re wondering; should I accessorise my bike with hard panniers and touring kit? If you consider the extra weight that would create, and the fuel economy that you’ll lose along the way; you might reconsider. Soft, stiffened shape, and fully waterproof throwover panniers are a fraction of the price, and hassle: They’ll do you just as well, especially when you’re stuck in the deep mud
and the bike’s too heavy to pick up again. The best part of being able to rely on Bushcraft, rather than resigning to the idea of a tent and expedition stove right away, is that you have those things as a backup if it all goes wrong. But if it all goes right; you will find yourself living at only the cost of the occasional bottle of water, and the fuel that your bike needs. A good multi-fuel stove and 4+ Season tent are a good idea to take along, just in case, which is why we have reviewed the best of both further along in the magazine. Further along than that; you will find a checklist of essential day-to-day Bushcraft tools and prerequisities, which may even make up most of your packing. (Please see page 12) Even now, as you glance up at the map above; you might be able to see a journey unfold, in a dotted line form as if you were watching a cutaway scene out of an Indiana Jones movie, and just think about the people you stand to meet along the way. Motorcycle adventurers, across the globe - Emilio Scotto, Ted Simon and, more recently, Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor,
Tour & Trail May 10
Photo: Quy Nohn, Panaramio
Photo: Aberdovey sand dunes, by Ben Glossop
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Bushcraft, for those of you who aren’t familiar, is Ray Mears territory; existing as part of the fine balance of nature, rather than as the antonym for it. This is a subject that we’ll cover in more detail on page 12, as we meet an expert in the field. But just, for now, imagine the possibilities that open up if you didn’t need to constantly carry a food store, rely on hotels, or even civilisation? In the next issue of Tour & Trail; we will be covering this route as we take it. But until then; here’s how we’re planning it. (Continues Page 8)
Primus Omnifuel Contrary to popular belief; the Multifuel is now defunkt and this is it’s replacement but what can the latest Primus Expedition cooking stove offer us that the Multifuel couldn’t? The Omnifuel is the latest multifuel expedition stove carrying the Primus label, and the multifuel reputation, which in our opinion is quite a hard act to follow. On first glance; it looks absolutely no different whatsoever: It comes with less in the box than
10 Here’s what you get
the other models but it does have a slightly different valve attachment. Have you guessed what it is yet? In a nutshell; the Omnifuel does gas, too. Where the Multifuel only burned liquid fuels; the Omnifuel has an additional special jet that is for the exlicit use of Primus Butane cannisters. So that’s what the extra £30+ is paying for, in case you wondered. But Primus have generally improved this model in terms of liquid fuel efficiency too: The documented output is much higher on the same fuels as it’s predecessor, and thanks to the heat distribution bases on the pots; that brings boiling 1Ltr water down to about 1 minute, give or take a few seconds because of the breeze. The entire kit includes the burner, assembled, with a choice of three jets: one for Butane, one for propane and petrol, and
Priming the stove with Coleman liquid fuel, and ready... another for Kerosene and Diesel, along with the proper tool for the job of changing them round. In terms of use; this is easier and quicker to prime than the old model, and where it doesn’t have pots included, it does have a windshield and the 600ml fuel bottle. When we tested it; we used Coleman liquid fuel and petrol, as listed alternatives to the more expensive Primus liquid fuel, but both showed around the same results in cooking time and power.
Other than it sounding like a Harrier jet taking off; it is the best we’ve seen so far, and we look forward to using it more.
Working in seconds!
Marmot Asgard
All pitched; the ‘bombproof’ Asgard 2P looks fairly standard, until you look underneath at the pole structure...
: D E T RA 4/5
‘Bathtub’ groundsheet
Tour & Trail May 10
We eagerly awaited its arrival, like children on Christmas Eve. That is until the delivery man handed it over to us and we felt the weight. The new Asgard expedition tent, by Marmot (not to be confused with Mammut), has been on our list of things to do for a long time. In the beginning we had the Mountain Hardware
RAT ED: 5/5
EV-2, and several others, until we decided that we’d left it long enough. To our surprise; the only words we had were “Wow” and “Yep.” Being the two=person (2P) version; we were expecting it to be cramped but thanks to the 50,000ml column-rated, edge-to-edge bathtub, and vertical inner wall design, it actually feels as roomy as a standard three-person. None of this can really do justice to its superior pole structure though: A standard Geodesic with addition cross pieces, making it a 4-way Geodesic, gives this tent more stability than you could probably believe. What seems like a surprise perfection though can quite easily mislead you, as we discovered a couple of flaws: the vertical inner wall means that the manufacturer has had to fit
a quick-fix solution in the shape of two black foam padded spacers, to stop the two skins from touching, and that doesn’t even touch the problem of weight. The 2P isn’t too bad, at just under 4Kg but if you were thinking about taking the 3P anywhere; you might as well stick to car camping because at nearly 5Kg, thanks to even more poles; you won’t be able to carry the extra weight for too long before your back buckles. Overall; this is a fantastic tourer tent for two people, plus kit.
Tent bag hangs for storage
Starting where all good stories start; my back was ruined, and my leg cramping, but I’d stopped to delve into the stash of sandwiches that I’d made earlier, like a good Blue Peter fan, and to think about the 2010 version of Buell’s XB12XT, codenamed Ulysses. Imagine hearing that classic roar of the famed American cruiser but then opening your eyes to something that looks like it could have been Aprilla. That was my first reaction to it, as it came out of the dealership. Thirty minutes later; I was rumbling up the Longmynd valley, with children bursting into tears at my noisy approach, sheep moving quicker than any I’ve
ever seen before, and the wind in my helmet. I have to admit; it looks like the kind of naked sport-tourer that I’d always dreamed of; BMW and Honda might have the long-distance touring records but I think this 1200cc thunder-bringer could well be a contender. The bike sits a whole 9mm higher than the 2008 model, and the hard luggage comes ‘as standard’ on the Ulysses, unlike any other adventure tourer that I’ve ever known. Decent kit too; solid, abrasive, lockable, and quick-release. Packing more torque from the 1.2Ltr main belt drive engine, too; it’s additional stiffer suspension makes it feel even
ON TEST
more confidence-inspiring around corners but it does leave much to be desired when considering what to do about the numbness and/or soreness you might feel as a result. Interestingly enough; Buell report to have sold almost as many of the Ulysses in the US, as the BMW R1200 Adventure, at this point in 2010. The cost is definitely less, and more positive reviews keep coming in from happy owners. So what’s wrong with it? Well the fuel range is still much to be desired: That was the biggest let-down to the older model and so its disappointing to see it still unresolved, not to mention the fact that only a fistful of places actually sells them in the UK. But is showroom availability as important? The bikes come with Harley Davidson’s standard 5-year/20,000 mile Warranty but you might struggle to find a decent service operative outside of London, as they are even more rare than the dealers. Putting aside those grievances
Buell XB12XT
though; I can see the point to this. Harley Davidson have been trying to tap into other markets for years but couldn’t see a place for them in racing. But this is a perfect bike for offroad, adventure, long-distance motorcycling. It’s the kind of bike that dreams can come true on. After spending a bit of time back on my behind, on the bike; I went for a short excursion down the valley to test the suspension and ABS some more, but I was surprised when I got to the bottom and my legs weren’t battered by the experience. How could it be better on the joints being stood up than sitting down? Either way; this was an excellent ride, and a pleasure to nip about on, although nip isn’t the right word: “Zoom!”
Photo: Buell XB12XT at The Longmynd, by Ben Glossop
RAT ED: 5/5
Photo: Buell XB12XT, Buell Motorcycles
ON TEST
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Tour & Trail May 10
Expert Advice Why shy away from the expense of a holiday this Spring/Summer when you can go wild for free? Photo: Julian Harris, by Ben Glossop
Following the election, and the growing depth of our economic ‘situation’, can feel like a full time job but Tour & Trail have the perfect solution to getting away from the terrible backlash of it all in this issue: Bushcraft. Julian Harris is a prominent, semi-professional, wildlife photographer with the secret alter ego of being Ray Mears’ nemesis. So T&T asked him for a few tips on where to get started this Spring/ Summer.
1. Pack right, and light
Julian says: “Before you think about packing; don’t get carried away with long lists of things you don’t need. Overloading your pack will see you suffering more from exhaustion than experiencing the world you’re travelling through. Aim for no more than 500600g per 1kg of your body’s weight, depending on your current level of physical fitness.” Julian recommends packing: 1. 60-100L Bergan Back-pack 2. 3-4” carbon-steel blade knife 3. Hatchet/Axe 4. Parang/Machete 5. Whetstone: Keep your tools sharp 6. Compact/collapsable shovel 7. High-end water filter 8. Nylon Paracord: Cordage has several uses 9. 12-16cm Billy can 10. Compass and mapping 11. Iodine drops: Use for sterilising water and anti-septic 12. ‘Food for Free’ by Richard Mabey: Wild food book 13. Wax-coated paper and pencil 14. At least FOUR different sets of clothes: (Keep two sets as dry as possible at all times) 15. Emergency food rations: High in calories and sugars. 16. Emergency GPS SOS beacon device Packing light will save your energy and reduce the amount of time you spend setting and dismantling your camp, which is time you could better. If journeying on a cycle or motorbike; aim for a slightly higher volume, to accommodate for a few specific tools and spare fuel. Go for soft, removable, and waterproof.
Any Bushcraft journey, by any means, is better measured by hours rather than miles because of the issues surrounding it. Julian says: “Try not to travel for more than SIX hours per day, or
Tour & Trail May 10
4. Choose your camp carefully
Julian says: “Scope out the area for several miles before settling on somewhere: Not ‘any old place’ will do, and if there is anything that you can use as shelter, already in place, that will save you time and energy at the end of the day.” He recommends sticking to the forest and trees for shelter, unless the weather seems stormy; in which case seek to build a trench shelter in less wooded surroundings.
5. Collect fire wood first
Lighting a fire, first, will ensure that you can work in the dark and multitask. “Cook takes a long time, outdoors, so it’s best that you’re doing other things - building your shelter, drying your clothes - and if you need to leave your base camp; you can find it again by the smoke. “Another reason for making the fire first, escpecially when in wet weather, is because it could take a lot longer to light. Sometimes; it might even need you to fashion a feather stick to get things going.”
6. Read the sky, right
“Remember that a clear sky is a cold sky, and if you need extra insulation; you can use certain vegetation to line your bed and sleeping bag.
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3. Budget your hours
else you won’t be leaving enough time to find the right place to set up your base camp. But it is also important to remember that this is the pleasure of Bushcraft; it manages to reconnect you with nature thanks to the snail’s pace that it limits you to.” Julian recommends travelling between first/early light until low-afternoon light and put your watches away otherwise you’ll be tempted to keep going until it’s too dark to do anything you will need to.
7. Try to stay coastal
“A coastal route will ensure that you always have a fresh supply of food: Moluscs and fish can provide a nutritious meal at any time of day, depending on the tide. But remember to always seek fresh water for drinking and cooking.”
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8. Make the most of it
“Bushcraft provides you with a lot of time, which I like to use making additional tools: Spears for fishing and small-game hunting, for example. Not to mention the inexhaustible need for cordage, which you can made from nettles and certain tree barks.”
2. Be patient with yourself, your path, and your progress
Julian says: “Patience if not only a virtue but a necessity. Bushcraft requires years of practice before you can expect to perform at lighting speed. The result of being a relative beginner means that setting up camp using Bushcraft can take up to 10 times longer than any normal base camp, especially if a shelter is needed. “Your best bet is to gather kindling fire wood along the way, so that you can concentrate on building a shelter when you finally manage to find the perfect place to weigh anchor for the night.”
9. Play it by ear: Don’t over-plan
“If you find yourself in a situation with an ever-changing direction of wind, and rain, without the threat of lightning; it may do you better to abandon where you are, and go further into woodlands. Conditions and circumstances are always changing in nature, and you need to change your direction with them.”
10. Communicate often
“Communication with others is the most important thing to remember to do: If you can come into contact with other people, do. The reasons for this are simple: Locals will have information about land rights, and advice on wild foods, and being recognised will only help you in a rescue situation. “But the most important aspect to communicating is to keep your mind sharp, and sane: It is easy to feel sanity slipping away, if you spend too much time on your own, as we are not naturally solitary creatures. Above all; appreciate all that you can.”
Tour & Trail May 10
Paul Kerrison’s Suzuki GS500R, fully loaded, around Tuscany
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Tour & Trail May 10 Dennis Waites’s BMW, ready to roll, in Berkshire
Marla Ventos’s Yamaha YZ250 in Kazakstahn
Tom Payne’s trusty GS500E at Plitvice Lake, Croatia
Your Photos Classifieds
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Tour & Trail May 10
Photo: Climbers at Nesscliffe Edge, by Ben Glossop
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