27 ROUTE CARDS WITH
MAPS INSIDE www.livefortheoutdoors.com
The
DISCI SOVE RY SUE Inspired by
THE MOVIE
CREATE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE!
THE BEST NEW DESTINATIONS TO TRY IN 2O15
WITH WALKS IN: LONDON ◆ DERBYSHIRE ◆ YORKSHIRE ◆ CORNWALL ◆ EAST SUSSEX ◆ ESSEX
INSPIRED BY
When a Rutland book group read Cheryl Strayed’s Wild, it inspired them to tackle their own wilderness adventure, walking and camping in the Lake District… W O R D S : K AT E M A X I M
D I SCOV E R Wild Lakes
The sun sets behind the rugged peaks of Great Gable and Green Gable. u UP IN THE HILLS
TOP Tucking into some Haribo to keep energy levels and morale high. MIDDLE The Lyddington book group climbs up into the Lake District fells. BOTTOM A panorama across Derwent Water from the summit of Glaramara.
PHOTOS: ŠIZEL PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY; KATE MAXIM
t WILD BEAUT Y
D I SCOV E R Th e S e cret Lake Distric t
A road to nowhere, a drowned village, an amphitheatre of mountain drama and a population of one (eagle). Come and discover mysterious, mournful, marvellous Mardale. WORDS: NICK HALLISSEY
30 COUNTRY WALKING FEBRUARY 2015
PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY
D I SCOV E R D efe nce Lan dsc ap es
Britain in the
Within the confines of Britain’s military training grounds hide some of the most pristine wildernesses in Europe. With care, you can walk in them and discover what the country would look like if we weren’t here… WORDS: RACHEL BROOMHEAD
PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY
q FRESH PERSPECTIVE
Looking towards the Brecon Beacons from the southern edge of the Mynydd Epynt plateau in south Wales. PHOTO: GRAHAM LAWRENCE/ALAMY
FEBRUARY 2015 COUNTRY WALKING 41
Off your
B E AT E N T R AC K
It’s easy to get stuck in a walking rut, repeating the same routes and holidaying in the same national parks. Here are 10 ways to find somewhere new to explore in 2015…
1
Discover more of what you like you can discover the geology of a place you like to walk, and then pan across the country to find where else that rock appears. Take a look and you'll see the white chalk that underpins the South Downs also curves through Dorset, passes London through the Chiltern Hills and on up through the Lincolnshire Wolds to the Yorkshire Wolds, giving plenty
of new chalk to explore. Or zoom in on Skye's famously spiky Cuillin Ridge to discover that it's formed of mafic, an igneous rock which also prickles across the Isle of Rum, the Isle of Mull and Ardnamurchan. Above: Looking down Glen Sligachan to the Skye Cuillin. Study a geological map to discover more of the same striking rock formations elsewhere in Britain.
PHOTO: TOM BAILEY
We all relish particular landscapes, whether it's the gentle chalk hills of Sussex or the chiselled basalt of Skye, and to find more of what you like, you need to dig down to the rock that shapes those landscapes. The British Geological Survey has a detailed interactive map at http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/ geologyofbritain/home.html where
D I SCOV E R N ew walks
2
Come walk with me
Ask your closest friends where their all-time favourite walk is, put a date in the diary and walk it together. It doesn’t need to be a classic – it could be a six-mile loop near home that they do every Sunday – but the key thing is to walk somewhere new to you, and with someone whose enthusiasm for that place is infectious.
3
ROLL THE DICE
Instead of heading out your front door and following your usual route, let a random roll of the dice take you to unexpected places. At every footpath junction assign numbers on the dice to each option – say one and two for a left turn, three and four for straight on, five and six for a right turn – and then let the dice decide. Of course, there's no saying where your ‘dice dash’ might take you, so you either need a friend who can pick you up at day's end or the phone number of a local taxi.
4
TRUST TO CHANCE
Let luck lead you somewhere entirely new: put the numbers of all 403 Ordnance Survey Explorer maps in a hat, pull one out and go exploring. There are fascinating footpaths on every last map in Britain, whether it's OL1 for the Dark Peak or 161 for London South, and you'll discover walks, views and welcomes in places you've never heard of. If you live on the Scilly Isles and are worried you might pick a map that covers Shetland, then restrict the numbers in the hat to a selection within easier reach.
5
Or for something completely different
PHOTO: MATT ROBERTS
To really appreciate the mind-boggling diversity of Britain's landscapes, try deliberately seeking out the opposite of what normally tempts you. If you love the Highlands, spend a weekend walking through the big-sky Fens. If you adore the cosy villages and valleys of the Cotswolds, try a day exploring the lonely, wind-battered uplands of Dartmoor. As they say, variety is the spice of life...
Swap the sweet valleys of the Cotswolds for the wild tors of Dartmoor.
MORE IDEAS FOR NEW WALKS OVER THE PAGE...
FEBRUARY 2015 COUNTRY WALKING 47
DI SCOVE R Tube station walks
END OF THE LINE
PHOTOS: SARAH AWAN; © PETER LANE/ALAMY; © JULIA GAVIN/ALAMY; © GREGORY WRONA/ALAMY
Want to walk more in 2015? There’s no need to flee the Capital. At the end of London’s commuter-crammed Underground lines you’ll discover some gorgeous and tranquil country walks… WORDS: EDOARDO ALBERT
D I SCOV E R Creswe ll Crags
I C E AG E
L E G ACY What is the special significance of this secluded gorge that has attracted our ancestors to seek shelter for the last 50,000 years? WORDS: MARK SUTCLIFFE
PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY
p GOING UNDERGROUND
Creswell’s numerous caves extend back for dozens of metres through the soft magnesian limestone and provided shelter to both Neanderthal and Modern Man. FEBRUARY 2015 COUNTRY WALKING 63
q JEWEL OF
THE DESERT
Iceland’s volcanic ‘black sands’ are pierced by the emerald peak of Smáfjallarani on day three of the Laugavegur Trail.
D I SCOV E R I ce lan d
Iceland is a spectacular playground of mountains, glaciers and volcanoes, and on the four-day Laugavegur Trail, you can walk to its ďŹ ery heart. WORDS AND PHOTOS:
RACHEL BROOMHEAD
FEBRUARY 2015 COUNTRY WALKING 69
GEAR
OUR TESTERS Gear editor Nick Hallissey and writer Rachel Broomhead have notched up thousands of miles on foot, and know the value of good gear at the right price. This review took them to the Lake District, the Cairngorms, the Norfolk Coast and the Southern Uplands – in everything from winter sunshine to full-on hail.
No-nonsense reviews for real walkers
Your complete buying guide to
WINTER TROUSERS I
n this test we are looking at trousers that can laugh in the face of fierce winds, driving rain and biting cold. Well, if not laugh, then certainly grin amiably at them. Most of them use soft shell fabric to keep rain off while remaining agile and stretchy. Some also have a winter lining to keep the chill out. Others are reinforced to cope with wet
rock. They reflect the whole market of winter trousers, so whatever kind of walking you do in the colder months, there should be an option for you here.
WATER-RESISTANCE Most of these pairs will hold off light rain thanks to a ‘DWR’ (Durable Water Repellent) finish. Not a full stand-in for full-on waterproof overtrousers, they should stop your legs from getting too cold and wet, and they'll dry quickly when the rain stops.
REINFORCEMENT More basic pairs consist of one reasonably tough face fabric, while more technical options reinforce the knees, seat and ankles with a tougher fabric to take rocky or abrasive surfaces in their stride.
ABOUT OUR TESTS Our reviews aren’t comparative tests. Instead this is a buyer’s guide to a wide range of products found on the high
street and online. We explain what you can expect for your money at each price-point, without using jargon. We don’t pick an overall winner, as it can be like comparing apples and oranges and no single option suits every walker. Instead we focus on the kind of walking that each product suits best. We always test products for both men and women.
WARMTH Trousers that are lined with a warm internal fabric will help keep you warm on the coldest days. Just make sure they can also cool down when you need them to – a zipped vent down the side can be a great help with that.
FIT Standard walking trousers have quite a loose, casual fit but these winter pairs are sharper, leaner and more fitted. This means that trying them first is very important before you buy.
SIZING We have specified the waist sizes for each item, but each also comes in the usual range of leg lengths too. POCKETS Most soft shell trousers skimp on pockets to minimise the chance of water getting in. Most have simple, shallow hip pockets; a few offer cargo pockets, but be sure you can seal them effectively in a downpour.
ANKLE CUFF Trousers for winter are usually designed to close tightly over the tops of your boots, so they are often fairly tapered and use a fastener (either a Velcro strap or buttons) to seal out water, mud and wind.
STRETCH The stretchier the face fabric, the more it will move with your legs, allowing them to flex more freely on steep ascents – or even the odd scramble. Stretch tends to add cost, but is usually worth the investment.
TURN OVER TO READ THE TESTS... NB: In all reviews we specify the Recommended Retail Price (RRP) for consistency. Discounts may be available online and in stores.
27 ROUTES WITH ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPS
Britain’s best
ON
E TH E NE R AR E ’ S YO U
WALKS
SOUTH WEST SOUTH EAST
MIDLANDS
EAST
NORTH WEST NORTH EAST
FEBRUARY 2015
WALES
SCOTLAND
IRELAND
History lessons I N SI DE TH I S MONTH . . . u Follow in the footsteps
of Neanderthal man u Discover man-made
beauty in the Lake District u Find a gilded industrial
legacy in the Welsh valleys and more of Britain’s best walks...
One of the wind-sculpted Bridestones above Dalby Forest, N. Yorks (Walk 18). PHOTO: © AGE FOTOSTOCK/ALAMY
WE PROMISE MORE WALKS, IN MORE PLACES, THAN ANY OTHER MAGAZIN
READY TO USE!
POCKETSIZED A5 CARDS
!
Britain’s Best Walks SOUTH WEST
FIND A GREAT WALK NEAR YOU...
SOUTH EAST MIDLANDS
01 Devon Yar Tor
EAST
02 Devon/Somerset Malmsmead
NORTH WEST
03 Bath & NE Somerset Bathford
NORTH EAST
04 East Sussex Fletching
26
WALES
05 Oxfordshire Burford
SCOTLAND
06 Greater London Windsor
25
07 Greater London Cockfosters 08 Essex Wrabness
IRELAND 20
FAMILY WALK
09 Herefordshire Peterstow
19
16 17
10 Worcestershire Wyre Forest 11 Staffordshire Flash
18
15
12 Derbyshire/Notts Creswell Crags 13 Cambridgeshire Peterborough 23
14 Lincolnshire Fotherby 15 Lancashire Boulsworth Hill 17 Cumbria Haweswater
09
21
18 North Yorkshire The Bridestones 19 Durham Mickleton
02
20 Northumberland Shill Moor
23 Gwynedd Ffestiniog Valley
ROUTE UPDATES
24 Wrexham Erdigg & Sontley
u New Alresford, Hampshire, June 2014, Walk 4 There is an error on the map: the route should leave town via Broad Street rather than via The Dean. The directions are correct.
25 Isle of Arran Pirnmill Hills
WALK INFORMATION An estimate of how long the route will take, based on a pace of about two miles per hour, with allowances made for slower, hilly routes. OUR EXPERTS All our routes are written by experienced and knowledgeable walkers who are experts at finding the best walks in their area and describing them clearly. ABBREVIATIONS We have abbreviated left to L and right to R.
TRAILZILLA ID (on reverse of card) We upload all our walks to Trailzilla.com so subscribers can use the unique code displayed on the back of each route card to download and print the route.
92 COUNTRY WALKING FEBRUARY 2015
07
08
06 04
27
22 Ceredigion Bwlch Nant yr Arian
How to use your routes...
05
01
21 Carmarthenshire Towy Estuary
27 Cornwall Mousehole
03
14
12
13
10
22
16 Cumbria Glaramara
26 Stirlingshire Ben Challum
11
24
CHALLENGE WALK CLASSIC ROUTE
u Burgh le Marsh, Lincolnshire, Jan 2015, Walk 13 Gunby Hall & Gardens are closed until February 14, 2015. Visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/gunby-hall for more details on opening times.
If you spot a route which needs updating, email us with the details at cwroutes@bauermedia.co.uk
GRADE Our routes are graded easy, moderate, challenging or occasionally extreme, depending on distance, terrain, elevation and ease of navigation. Easy walks are usually short and flat. For an explanation of the tougher grades, see page 7. DOUBLE-SIDED FORMAT One route on one card, front and back. Find all the planning information on the front and the map on the back. GRADIENT PROFILE Check the ascent and descent (hilliness) of the route with a quick glance at this profile. MAPS (on reverse of route card) Follow the red route marked clearly on the map. Maps are based on Ordnance Survey Landranger (1:50,000) and Explorer (1:25,000) maps, where each square represents 1km x 1km. It’s essential to take the relevant Ordnance Survey map with you in case you get lost and inadvertently leave the area covered by our map.
DEVON TOR 01 YAR
2
1.3km/¾ mile Turn R on widest path to Cordon Tor, on horizon. Leave L; go to R of massive cairn. Keep forward then R on fire-break toward wall; go L along another. After reaching wall edge, fork L to R of another large cairn. Keep forward on vague path toward conifer stand 1.5km ahead. Once over remains of wall, path options are clearer – it’s best to descend gradually, swinging L roughly parallel to road R. Arrive opposite wood.
3
DEVON
Exeter S
PLAN YOUR WALK Okehampton
tock
be
Kingsbridge
18
20
Te Newton Ashburton Buckfastleigh Torquay Paign Totnes Br Dartm
l
Plymouth Plympton
16
Nearest towns Ashburton & Princetown Refreshments Badger’s Holt, Dartmeet, (01364 631213) offers good value ice creams, cream teas and a licensed restaurant Public toilets Dartmeet Public transport None to start Maps OS Explorer OL28; Landranger 191
PLANNING
Start/parking There is a small, free car park 1 mile east of Dartmeet on the B3357, grid ref SX681733 Is it for me? Choose a fine day for finding routes during stages 2 & 4. It’s best to wear long trousers in the bracken (to protect from ticks), and take a pole to test for holes and boggy ground. Stiles 2
ROUTE
d sh point
14
➥
SOUTH WEST
12
3.3km/2 miles Go L on path parallel with road. Arrive at stony crosstrack. Go L 20m from road; fork L at yellow waymarker along grassy track. At first major junction,
10
GRADIENT PROFILE
8
MALMSMEAD 02 DEVON/SOMERSET
4
6
3
The ancient woodland by Badgworthy Water
10
GRADIENT PROFILE
8
12
3.7km/2¼ miles Go L down bank to gate, cross plank bridge. Go L with river again L. Cross bridge L Follow track to fingerpost.
1.2km/¾ mile The path divides and rejoins, keep river on your L, later crossing tributary of Badgworthy Water by footbridge and continuing to the fingerpost indicating Tom’s Hill.
2
Start Go L along road, forward at junction, paying 50p for riverside path (or keep to road going L later on footpath). Go through gate with public footpath joining R, pass bridge to Cloud Farm.
1
14
16
S
W
E
N
Wellington
Bur Minehe Watche
West
VALE OF GLAMORGAN
Cowbridge
Lynmouth
South Molton
18
20
5.2km/3¼ miles Cross boundary, follow fence L to second fingerpost. Go L across moor following track. Once in sight of
4
Nearest towns Lynton/Lynmouth Refreshments Cafés at Cloud Farm (01598 741 278) near start; Café Deli (01598 741422) behind car park in Malmsmead Public toilets At start Public transport None Maps OS Explorer OL9; Landranger 180 & 181
PLANNING
Start/parking Pay & Display car park Malmsmead, grid ref SS792478 Is it for me? The first part is level and easily followed but can be wet. The second part requires map and compass and not for times of poor visibility. Stiles 2
ROUTE
Great Torrington
deford
Barnstaple
Lynton
PLAN YOUR WALK
uDistance: 12.3km/7¾ miles uTime: 4 hours uGrade: Challenging
2
CHOSEN BY… LEN BANISTER Many areas in Britain have become linked with literary creations; none more so than the Doone Valley. Richard Blackmore, the creator of the romance, featuring the Doone Clan and the tribulations of the heroine Lorna, is commemorated by an engraved stone early in this walk. It is difficult to imagine a more delightful setting for the story than the valley of Badgworthy Water as it meanders its way between ancient woodland and moss and fern covered walls. This can be an easy ‘there-andback’ walk to the end of stage 2 or a tougher venture which climbs up over moorland.
600 400 200 0 km 0
➥
SOUTH WEST
6
uDistance: 10.2km/6½ miles uTime: 4 hours uGrade: Moderate
The Cave-Penney memorial stone.
4
metres
CHOSEN BY… LEN BANISTER This energetic little route takes in two high Tors and still manages some enjoyable, off-piste, authentic moorland walking. Towards the end we visit the honey-pot tourist village of Dartmeet with its partial clapper bridge and rocky stream where generations of children have played whilst their parents rest on the banks.
1
600 400 200 0 km 0
2
Start Turn R along road, use pathways to R of verge. Go L at junction, past cross. Keep L at next junction. Just before lay-by, follow faint path uphill R. Soon memorial cross comes into view diagonally L – go to it.
metres
✁
PHOTO: LEN BANISTER
PHOTO: LEN BANISTER