Country Walking magazine February 2016

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FEBRUARY 2016

FREE SUPPLEMENT Take the challenge, feel fantastic, enjoy the view! February 2016 £4.20

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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3 5 - PA G E S P E C I A L

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

26

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

19

12 Suffolk Gazeley 13 Norfolk Felbrigg

14

24

14 Greater Manchester Twa Lads Moor

11 13

15 Cumbria Orrest Head

27 09

16 Cumbria Grange Fell 17 Cumbria The High Stile Range

CHALLENGE WALK

18 South Yorkshire Wharncliffe Wood & Crags

22

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.

W

N

S

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:

E

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

S

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

N

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.

08

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

02

01

10

04

23

19 North Yorkshire Swaledale Mines

27 Shropshire Wenlock Edge

18

A B

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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