FEBRUARY 2016
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TENB ◆ SWALEDALE’S MINING PAST ◆ INSULATED JACKETS ISSUE 350 WAINWRIGHT & WALKING’S GREATEST STORIES ◆ EXMOOR SNOWDROPS ◆ WEEKEND IN TENBY
Britain’s best-selling walking magazine
The
20 most
35 PAGES OF AMAZING VIEWS & MAGICAL MOMENTS IN:
INSPIRING walks ever!
THE LAKE DISTRICT THE QUANTOCKS THE HIGHLANDS THE PENNINES SURREY HILLS THE DALES & BEYOND
27 ROUTE CARDS 180 miles of brilliant local walks
Walk Exmoor: where spring arrives first Swaledale: the inside story Pembrokeshire’s perfect weekend
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The
20 most
inspiring g walks ever!
A good walk will change your day; an amazing one can change your life. These walks did just that. What will they do for you?
THE SIX WALKS THAT INSPIRED A LAKES LEGEND
THE INNER EXPERIENCE
1000 MILES IN EAST ANGLIA
LONG WALK TO FREEDOM
A LONG GREEN TRAIL
The fells that would turn the Kendal borough treasurer into a national treasure himself – and make Wainwright, Wainwright PAGE 30
What’s essential to a great walk? This man will change your mind PAGE 38
The bet that made a walker the country’s biggest celebrity PAGE 40
The walks that would not be chained; how we got the hills back PAGE 42
How walkers were led down the most splendid garden path PAGE 47
FIELD OF DREAMS I will lift up mine eyes from Buttermere to Haystacks and High Crag, whence cometh my inspiration.
PHOTO: TOM BAILEY; ILLUSTRATIONS: STEVEN HALL
HITTING THE HIGH NOTES
QUANTOCKS OF SOLACE
BRITAIN IS GREAT AGAIN
ALONE ON THE ROOF
'HANG ON, I'VE HAD AN IDEA'
COLD FEET, WARM HEART
How walking fuelled the Lark Ascending composer’s creativity PAGE 50
An unlikely spy drama surrounds the Lakes poets down south PAGE 56
The walk that turned Britain into a continent of discovery again PAGE 57
Ben Nevis daily: the toughest failed job application ever PAGE 58
Swaledale brothers struck by a bizarre but brilliant idea PAGE 59
A 500-mile walk though winter for love – recreated PAGE 60
T H E M O S T I N S P I R I N G WA L K S E V E R
Inspired by
Wainwright Discover the six exquisite walks that turned a Blackburn lad into a Lake District legend WORDS: NICK HALLISSEY
SHORE THING Watching the sunrise over Buttermere on our journey in the footsteps of Alfred Wa w g t Wainwright.
PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY
DISCOVER The Lake District
IF THERE IS one name above all others that is famous for inspiring walkers, it’s that of Alfred Wainwright. Arguably Britain’s most famous walker, Wainwright is the man who, between 1955 and 1966, painstakingly explored and noted down every route of ascent for each of the 214 summits of the Lake District. And he committed them to paper in a fashion never seen before or since: an extraordinary guidebook format blending meticulously observed drawings with handwritten text that could slide from whimsical wit to scientific detail in the whistle of a paragraph. Every pencil-bobbled scree slope; every detailed viewfinder diagram; every odd little point of interest – his 11-year labour of love resulted in a package that said “come here and see this for yourself”. We’ve compiled six walks that tell his story: from his first moment of inspiration, to the hills that beguiled him more than others, to the entries which show how he grew and flourished as a walker and a writer. They are not necessarily the most famous walks in the Lake District. But they are the walks that made Wainwright Wainwright. Do these, and you’ll get the measure of the man, and find inspiration in every step. u
FEBRUARY 2016 COUNTRY WALKING 31
PHOTO: Š SHOULTS/ALAMY
FEAST YOUR EYES Centuries of heroic campaigning means you can explore once forbidden views, like here on Chrome Hill in the t e Peak ea District. st ct
DISCOVER Paths to freedom
T H E M O S T I N S P I R I N G WA L K S E V E R
Into the Great Wide Open Grab your boots for a walk along the wild, winding path to freedom.
AS YOU CLIMB Winter Hill, trek the Pennine Way or explore Snowdonia, imagine the long line of devoted crusaders who have trodden there before you. These men and women lobbied governments, battled gamekeepers and went to prison to give walkers the freedom of Britain’s hills and dales. Read on to discover the turbulent and curious history of the right to roam, a tale rich with peasant poets, mass trespasses, wanted posters, wooden liars and Kozy Kafes on Scafell Pike. And then celebrate these heroes’ achievements in the best way possible – with a spectacular walk in the landscapes they cherished. u FEBRUARY 2016 COUNTRY WALKING 43
T H E M O S T I N S P I R I N G WA L K S E V E R
Hitting the high notes
Walk to the highest point in the south east and discover the rural rhythms that inspired the music of England’s favourite composer WORDS: PHILIP THOMAS
PHOTOS TOM BAILEY
THERE CAN’T BE many people u HITTING THE HIGH NOTES who can coax a burly publican The top of Leith into song. Come to that, very few Hill Tower is the could turn up at a pub after a long highest point in day’s walk, see a vacant piano in the south east. the corner, and strike up a merry q IN TUNE tune that has all the locals WITH A TR AIL singing and dancing along (much to the delight Leith Hill’s musical of the landlord). But Ralph Vaughan Williams did. connections can The man behind The Lark Ascending is the most even be found on English of English composers, yet there’s much the National Trust’s woodland trails. more to him than first meets the ear. Vaughan Williams was a walker and he pursued his passion all over Britain. But there’s one place he returned to again and again – and that was his childhood home at Leith Hill Place in Surrey, where his story begins. It’s here he learned to play the piano, composed his first music at the age of six, and while listening to the songs of the estate workers, kindled a lifelong passion for English folk music. Fast-forward 140 years to 2015, and for the sixth time, the listeners of Classic FM have voted Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending into the number one spot of the station’s Hall of Fame. It’s also the all-time favourite track of Desert Island Discs listeners. But why does the music of Vaughan Williams strike a chord with the British public? For many, it transports them to the countryside. Through music, he evokes hills and pastures, the atmospheric rhythms of nature and a way of life which often seems just out of reach. As a wandering collector of songs, his creative inspiration can’t be confined to any one place, but you could say Leith Hill was the cradle of his genius. Born in 1872 at Down Ampney in the Cotswolds, Vaughan Williams moved to Surrey as an infant u 50 COUNTRY WALKING FEBRUARY 2016
DISCOVER Surrey Hills
PHOTO: Š ROBERTHARDING/ALAMY
SNOW DRIFTS The precise mix of light and shade, moist soil and isolation makes this a paradise for snowdrops... and and d for o walkers. wa e s
DISCOVER Exmoor
Walk
e aley
here
spring begins Just as winter feels endless, thousands of pale flowers in one Exmoor valley pierce the frozen ground to whisper to walkers of the coming season W O R D S : J E N N Y WA LT E R S
PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY
MONUMENTS TO THE MINES Much of Swaledale’s industrial heritage survives – its legacy is etched into the landscape. a dscape
DISCOVER Swaledale
A andscape
REBORN As Swaledale’s winter snows melt away the hills are exposed in vivid colour, revealing how nature is slowly healing the scars of its past. WORDS: PHILIP THOMAS
PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY
FEBRUARY 2016 COUNTRY WALKING 75
Expert advice on the kit that makes a difference YOUR COMPLETE BUYING GUIDE TO
OUR TESTERS
S
JACKETS
O IT’S TIME for the big guns. Going into the teeth of winter, you’ll want more than a soft shell and more than a waterproof. Something super-warm yet cleverly breathable, so you only keep the heat you need without sweltering. And something that might just hold off a bit of rain too. Step forward the insulated jacket – the warmest and cleverest weapon in your winter walking wardrobe. There are three main approaches when it comes to insulators. The simplest is the two-in-one fleece/waterproof combo, which has a warm-and-fuzzy fleece interior, overlaid with a waterproof face fabric. Then there are down jackets, which split into the two categories of synthetic or natural filling (or often a hybrid of both). These options can vary mightily depending on how much heat you need, from lightweight throw-ons to serious highmountain puffas. In this review we’re looking at examples across all these styles, to help you decide what kind of insulator you need and the kind of adventures it could take you on.
80 COUNTRY WALKING FEBRUARY 2016
About our reviews Nick and Sarah have looked at a range of insulators with different styles and features, ranging in price from £80 to £240. It’s not intended to be a comparative test but a buyer’s guide as to what you should expect for your money at each price-point. We don’t pick an overall winner as no single option will suit every walker; instead we focus on matching each product to the kind of walking it suits best.
qCENTRAL HEATING Insulated jackets focus on retaining warmth, but they still have to be breathable too, otherwise you can overheat.
NB: WE ALWAY SPECIFY THE RECOMMENDED RETAIL PRICE (RRP) FOR CONSISTENCY. YOU MAY SEE THESE ITEMS SOLD FOR CONSIDERABLY LESS IN STORES AND ONLINE.
Country Walking always tests products for both men and women. Our reviewers Nick Hallissey and Sarah Ryan have notched up thousands of miles on foot, so they know the value of good kit at the right price. This test took them to the Buttermere fells, the Five Sisters of Kintail and the bitingly cold Lincolnshire coast.
INSULATED
Buying Guide Insulated Jackets INSULATION
WATERPROOFING
HOOD
The usual choice of filling is between natural down (i.e feathers, usually from goose or duck) and synthetic fibres. You can also find hybrids which incorporate both. Also see ‘warm when wet’ over page.
Several brands now make water-resistant down (Berghaus being a good example). But although they may dry out fast after drizzle or squalls, a hydrophobic insulator isn’t really a replacement for a full waterproof hard-shell in heavy or persistent rain.
Some have them, some don’t (figuring that you’ll wear a hat). They are usually so well designed that they do the same job as a good warm hat. Just make sure it’s fully adjustable so it fits neatly around your head and covers your chin as well.
BAFFLES
PRICE
These are the chambers containing the filling. Depending on the type of filling they can be large and shallow (giving the jacket the appearance of a soft shell), or smaller and ridged, giving the more usual ‘puffy’ look.
PACKABILITY
WEIGHT
Serious mountain jackets are usually made to be worn from the off rather than packed away, so they tend to be absolutely massive. Less specialised insulators are lighter and more compact, meaning it feels less like you’re wrestling a cloud when you want to pack it in your rucksack.
Don’t just go for the heaviest and warmest. Yes it might be great in midwinter, but some lighter jackets will also work happily into the shoulder seasons of spring and autumn, if you skip a mid-layer. Versatility is key when it’s such a big purchase.
Because of the technology and materials involved, insulators are among the priciest items on the walking market, so it’s really important to shop carefully. Use our guide to work out what type you need, then try on as many as you can – there’s a huge variety in styles, shapes and features.
Turn over to read the tests… FEBRUARY 2016 COUNTRY WALKING 81
27 ROUTES with Ordnance Survey Maps
Britain’s est
FEBRUARY 2016
WALKS SOUTH WEST
SOUTH EAST
PHOTO: © THE PHOTOLIBRARY WALES / ALAMY
MIDLANDS
EAST
NORTH WEST
A FROZEN FORTRESS Squint and you’d be forgiven for thinking this fairytale castle is in Bavaria or the Black Forest. Discover scove its ts location ocat o o on Wa Walk 23. 3
Winter wonders Find quiet beauty in the Pennines l Wander in the heart of Hardy country l Explore a hill with history in Worcestershire... and more great walks
NORTH EAST
WALES
SCOTLAND
IRELAND
Britain’s est
WALKS
SOUTH WEST SOUTH EAST
Find a great walk near you...
MIDLANDS EAST
01 Cornwall Trevose Head
NORTH WEST
02 Somerset Wheddon Cross 03 Dorset Higher Bockhampton
NORTH EAST
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04 Gloucestershire Coombe Hill
WALES
05 Hampshire Preston Candover
SCOTLAND
06 Surrey Leith Hill
IRELAND
07 Kent Lamberhurst
FAMILY WALK
08 Bedfordshire Woburn & Ridgmont
25
09 Worcestershire Great Witley 10 Leicestershire The Fosse Way
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11 Derbyshire Chesterfield
20 16 15
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12 Suffolk Gazeley 13 Norfolk Felbrigg
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14 Greater Manchester Twa Lads Moor
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15 Cumbria Orrest Head
27 09
16 Cumbria Grange Fell 17 Cumbria The High Stile Range
CHALLENGE WALK
18 South Yorkshire Wharncliffe Wood & Crags
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21
20 Northumberland Tarset 21 Pembrokeshire Tenby to Lamphey 22 Pembrokeshire Amroth to Tenby
26 Aberdeenshire Glen Tanar
TERRAIN: Min 2,000ft ascent, sustained steepness and rocky or boggy ground.
A B
NAVIGATION: Good map-reading and compass skills required in places. DISTANCE: Route is between 8-12 miles from start to finish. TERRAIN: 3,000ft+ with sustained steep ascent/descent; possible scrambling.
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N
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E
92 COUNTRY WALKING FEBRUARY 2016
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GRADE Our routes are graded easy, moderate, challenging or occasionally extreme, depending on distance, terrain, elevation and ease of navigation. Easy and moderate walks are usually less than 8 miles with relatively gentle gradients. The table below shows how we grade our more challenging walks:
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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.
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If you spot a route which needs updating, email cwroutes@bauermedia.co.uk
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GRADIENT PROFILE Check the ascent and descent (hilliness) of the route with a quick glance at this profile.
CLASSIC ROUTE
W
ABBREVIATIONS We have abbreviated left to L and right to R.
05 03
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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.
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u Flintshire, Wepre Park, May 2015, Walk 23 – Point 3 Round the castle anti-clockwise. Flintshire Council have been carrying out repair work to Old Hall Gardens and there may be no admittance through the gap in the wall.
challenging
25 Dumfries & Galloway Ward Law
extreme
24 Anglesey Benllech
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.
12
Route updates
23 Glamorgan Castell Coch
How to use your routes
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01
10
04
23
19 North Yorkshire Swaledale Mines
27 Shropshire Wenlock Edge
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NAVIGATION: Sound navigation skills required; route may be trackless. DISTANCE: Route is more than 12 miles from start to finish.
MAPS (on reverse of route card) Follow the red route marked clearly on the map. 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.
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