24 route cards www.lfto.com compact and tough with
maps
b r i ta i n ’ s b e s t- s e ll i ng walk i ng m aga z i n e
Climb every
mountain
Kick-start your ultimate Lake District tick-list this weekend!
Where spring comes first discover tHE PERFECT DESTINATION TO BANISH WINTER WALKING BLUES
Gorgeous Gower explore THRILLING CLIFFS, WILD HILLS & BRITAIN’S BEST BEACH
NORTHERN LIGHTS THE BEST PLACE IN england TO SEE THE AURORA
WALKING WITH WINNIE-THE-POOH A sentimental journey in hundred aker wood
SLOW train to nowhere march 2014 £3.99
walking from the end of the line in Norfolk
plus: Fleece tops for every budget ◆ Stuart Maconie ◆ A journey around Wales ...with a donkey?
The View
n e w s a n d e v e n t s f r o m t h e w o r l d o f wa l k i n g
see the lights!
H
EAD north this month, to grab a rare chance to see the Northern Lights in England’s first-ever Dark Sky Park. A huge swathe of Northumberland was granted Dark Sky status last month, offering sky-watchers their best chance of spotting the Aurora Borealis before the longer days of spring and summer return. This spectacular natural phenomenon is currently at its peak, with Northumbrian astronomers reporting some outstanding displays over the winter months. Graham Fraser, of the Newcastle Astronomical Society, said: "The next month is your last chance to see the Aurora before levels of electro-
magnetic activity associated with the sun’s 11-year solar max cycle start to diminish. This makes vivid auroral displays so far south of the Arctic Circle less likely, and as the shorter nights of spring arrive, the chances of seeing the Northern Lights recede still further." The best vantage points offer a clear view of the northern horizon where the lights occasionally appear as a faint greenish glow low in the night sky. Dark skies are essential to see the lights properly and Northumberland offers the largest area certified free of light pollution in the whole of Europe. For more information, go to: northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk or http://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/
Here are some of the best places to catch a glimpse of the Aurora: u Cawfields Picnic Site: On the B6318,
opposite The Milecastle Inn. u Walltown Country Park: Off the B6318
near Greenhead on Hadrian’s Wall. u Wooler Common, Wooler: One mile from
Wooler town centre. u Greenhaugh Village: North Tyne Valley,
West of Bellingham. u Ingram, Breamish Valley: Off the A697,
ten miles south of Wooler.
PICTURE: The Aurora Borealis above Dunstanburgh Castle, Northumberland. photo: © Paul Appleby/ facebook.com/ paulapplebyphotography
only on foot: the Dawn Patrol
dumb ass? 1,000 miles with a donkey
postcards from the edge: your pictures
pag e 1 0
pag e 12
pag e 1 6
march 2014 Country Walking 9
bassenthwaite fells page 20
climb every
m o u n ta i n In 1952, Alfred Wainwright identified 214 distinct fells in the Lake District and began to sketch and catalogue every single one. Today, all we have to do is walk them. Turn the page to discover some of our favourite Lakeland walks – guaranteed to get you hooked on Wainwright bagging... words: rachel broomhead
helm crag page 27
yewbarrow page 32 hallin fell page 26
skiddaw page 29 kentmere horseshoe page 30
HIDDEN treasures
p out to sea Like a natural pier, the promontory of Worms Head lets you walk far out above the waves (tides permitting) and look back to the outstandingly beautiful coast and countryside of Gower.
Little
beauty
Gower is a small peninsula with a huge reputation, drawing thousands of holidaymakers to its golden beaches each summer. Go now, though, and you’ll discover its wilder side as you walk windswept sands, wave-lashed cliffs and lonely downs. w o r d s : j e n n y wa lt e r s
photos: tom bailey
u
march 2014 Country Walking 35
p WOOZLE COUNTRY Spinneys like this are common across Ashdown Forest – and with a dusting of fresh snow and a bright sky, it’s easy to imagine Pooh and Piglet tracking Woozles through the spindly alders. photo: Deirdre Huston
d e s ti n ati o n s A sh down Forest
The
enchanted place Ninety years on from the first appearance of Winnie-the-Pooh, take a walk in the forest he called home – because it’s the perfect time to go hunting for Woozles… W O R DS : NI C K H A L L ISSE Y P h o t o S : TO M B AI L E Y
T
p THE HOME OF POOH BEAR? This remarkable sight greets pilgrims on the path to the Poohsticks Bridge. Could it be the home of Pooh? Tiny honeypots outside the door might suggest so.
ALL illustrationS: © the shepard trust, reproduced with permissiOn of curtis brown limited, london
his isn’t just a walk. It’s an Expotition. If we’re lucky, we shall see Woozles, and Heffalumps, and a Gloomy Place and the Wrong Sort of Bees. We might even discover the North Pole, or invent a new game. For this is Ashdown Forest, and as Christopher Robin Milne wrote in later life: “Ashdown Forest and Pooh’s Forest are identical.” And, as Pooh himself would helpfully add, it’s where people have Expotitions. Even without the “expeditions” of the world’s best-loved bear, Ashdown Forest would be a beautiful place for a walk. It occupies a swathe of upland in East Sussex, in the heart of a triangle formed by East Grinstead, Uckfield and Tunbridge Wells. It began life as a Norman hunting forest, its high heathland and scattered woods affording great sport for the Conqueror and his cronies. Today, although much of the land has been coppiced, cultivated or grazed, enough remains of its wildness to offer an infinite lucky dip of walking options, from easy trails through copses of alder to big adventures on high, sandy hilltops. But the stories of Winnie-the-Pooh, Christopher Robin, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo and Rabbit have brought true magic to the forest. Ashdown was home to the father and son who created them – Alan Alexander (AA) Milne and Christopher Robin Milne – and they transposed their adventures in the woods onto Christopher Robin’s favourite toys. Today, ninety years on from Pooh’s first appearance in the poem Teddy Bear (in which he appears under his formal name of Edward Bear), you can walk the forest and connect the landscape of the stories with real-life scenery. The Poohsticks Bridge really exists, as does the enchanted place at the top of the forest, likewise the Sandy Pit where Roo plays, the Heffalump Trap and Eeyore’s Gloomy Place. Our seven-mile walk from the fringe of the forest to its upland heart visits all of them. And best of all, if you should get a snowy day, as we did here, you can recreate the grand adventure of the Woozle-hunt. Setting out from Hartfield, it isn’t hard to see how the forest ignited the imagination of the Milnes. The wooded dells around their home of Cotchford Farm suddenly give way to vast meadows dipping into a shallow valley, with the hulk of the forest rising ahead. To have that as your horizon, and the promise of an adventure along every footpath, would be enough to turn the surliest child into a dreamer. u
march 2014 Country Walking 51
pictorial guide
q wetland park The waterways and marshland of Norfolk and Suffolk’s Broads are home to some of Britain’s rarest plants and animals. In 1989, 117 square miles received special protection similar to national park designation, and they now form Britain’s largest safeguarded wetland.
s l o w
t r a i n
t o
n ow h e r e Berney Arms in Norfolk’s Broadland is England’s remotest railway station and the perfect place to begin a walk by water and windmills, beneath skies full of wintering birds. W o r d s : j e n n y wa lt e r s
photos: tom bailey
march 2014 Country Walking 63
The islands where spring comes early‌ When snow flurries continue through March and the frost refuses to relinquish its icy grip, head south to find the first flowers of spring on this surprisingly sub-tropical archipelago just across the Channel. words: mark sutcliffe
ov e rs e a s wa lk ing G ue rnsey
p SPRING GLOW The last rays of a balmy spring evening warm the pink granite outcrop of Les Grandes Rocques at the northern end of Cobo Bay on Guernsey’s wild west coast. photo: © james osmond/alamy
march 2014 Country Walking 71
b u y i n g g u i d e FLEEC E TO P S buying advice
Warm and fuzzy feelings
features to look for...
Soft, warm and exceptionally breathable, fleece remains a versatile fabric that works either as a comfy mid-layer in winter or a reliable outer layer in spring and summer. When it comes to adaptable mid-cum-outer layers, your choice is usually between fleece and soft shell. Fleece is the traditional favourite – warm, cosy and breathable – while soft shell is the modern challenger; less focused on warmth and cosiness but offering a degree of robustness and water-repellency that fleece just can’t match. But plenty of walkers still wouldn’t set foot out of doors without a fleece pullover or jacket. As technically clever as soft shell is, when it’s cold out, very little compares to the snug feel of warm, fluffy fabric over your base-layer. And fleece can be more adaptable: a good half-zip pullover makes the perfect throw-on at higher levels in summer, and generally their sleeves roll up more easily than soft shell sleeves, making it easier to vent heat when you need to. Fleece is also enjoying a resurgence indoors thanks to the all-conquering aberation that is the “onesie” – but don’t dismiss it as a fashionable folly; outdoors it’s still a godsend.
HOW WE DID OUR TEST The tops we’ve chosen are a mix of half-zip pullovers and full-zip jackets. We’ve aimed to show a mix of approaches across a broad price range so you get a clear understanding of what you should get for your money, from simple one-fabric pulls to complex hybrid blends. None of them have hoods; hooded fleeces are available but as we don’t recommend relying on a fleece in the rain, we think other layers should provide the hood for you. We wore them as mid-layers under waterproof and insulated jackets, and as an outer on milder days.
our testers Gear editor Nick Hallissey and feature writer Rachel Broomhead have notched up thousands of miles on foot and understand the importance of good kit at the right price. This test took them to the wilds of the Lake District, the Peak District, the Lincolnshire coast and even the Alps.
ZIP Full or half? A half-zip pullover is more compact in your rucksack if you’re using it as a throw-on layer; a full-zip jacket feels more substantial and more ready to work as an outer layer. Just be sure that the zip is windproof; taped seams aren’t common on fleeces but an internal stormflap underneath the zip will help it keep out the draughts. A good, elasticated pull-tab helps you use the zip with gloves on.
CRAGHOPPERS Jasper £35
MONTANE Chukchi £60
FJALLRAVEN Sten £85
MAMMUT Aconcagua £125
HEM
REGATTA Sweethart £16
KARRIMOR Zipped £30
helly hansen zera £60
LOWE ALPINE Explorer £80
NB: We specify the Recommended Retail Price (RRP) for consistency. Discounts may be available online and in stores.
80 Country Walking march 2014
Photos: tom bailey
wome n’s f leeces
men’ s fleeces
tested in the f ie l d this month...
Some tops have drawcordadjustable hems which can be tightened and loosened to retain or vent heat, but most are designed to keep their shape and stay snug around your waist anyway. Check that the fleece covers your lower back and upper bottom (there’s quite a fashion for shorter-cut tops which don’t; we’re not big fans).
FIT Your fleece needs to be snug: too tight and it may restrict your movements and impede you from slipping another layer on underneath it; too baggy and it won’t lock out icy winds.
POCKETS These are more important on full-zip jackets as they are more likely to be working as your outer layer. Some offer small chest pockets, some waist, some internal, or a mix. Just be sure they have zips and can be accessed relatively easily when wearing a rucksack.
CUFFS
FABRIC These fleeces either use a single fabric or a blend. The basic fabric is polyester but the warmth of the top will depend on the density of the knit. Many tops employ proprietorial fabrics like Polartec or Gore to provide warmth, breathability and stretch. Look at the weight (in grams); a heavier fleece should offer greater insulation against the wind.
Some tops employ elasticated cinch cuffs to close the sleeve down over your wrist and prevent draughts, others have no elastic which makes it easy to roll the sleeves up to help you vent heat on warmer days. Some offer thumb loops which help secure the sleeves to your arms.
turn over to read the tests...
Britain’s Best Walks
Welcome...
south west south east
to Britain’s Best Walks, Country Walking’s fantastic routes section. Packed into the next 30 pages you’ll find 24 day-walks all over Britain, complete with OS maps, step-by-step directions and all the info you need to plan your next adventure outdoors. They’re sorted into nine geographical regions for easy filing: cut them out, collect them and enjoy brilliant walks for years to come.
midlands east North west North east
24
wales 23
Scotland ireland 22
18
14
Chosen by experts
routes you can
15 16 17
12
trust
All of our routes are written by local experts with an intimate knowledge of their area. To ensure they’re as easy to follow as possible, we print detailed step-by-step directions as well as an OS map with the route and waypoints marked on it.
13
08 21 11
20
09
10
07 06 19
channel islands
04
01 02
05
03
There’s a great walk near you... 01 Guernsey Jerbourg Point to St Peter Port 02 Guernsey Le Gouffre & Forest 03 Cornwall Lostwithiel 04 Wiltshire Great Wishford 05 East Sussex Ashdown Forest 06 Hertfordshire Flaunden 07 Worcestershire Pershore 08 Derbyshire Castle Naze 09 Leicestershire/Rutland Eyebrook Reservoir 10 Cambridgeshire Waterbeach 11 Norfolk Berney Arms to Reedham family 12 Isle of Man Castletown walk 100 Country Walking march 2014
13 Lancashire Gisburn Forest 14 Cumbria Barf to Graystones 15 Cumbria Skiddaw 16 North Yorkshire/Cumbria Hellgill Force 17 North Yorkshire Sutton Bank 18 Northumberland Bull Crag Peninsula 19 Swansea Rhossili Bay 20 Powys Caersws 21 Gwynedd Moel Lefn & Moel Yr Ogof 22 South Lanarkshire Watermeetings 23 Stirling Strathblane 24 Perth & Kinross Glen Banvie
HOW TO USE YOUR ROUTES
double-sided format
Grade
One route on one card, front and back. Find all the planning information on the front and the map on the back.
Our routes are graded easy, moderate, or challenging, depending on distance, terrain, elevation and ease of navigation. Easy walks are usually short and contour-free. Challenging or extreme routes require fitness and map-reading skills.
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.
Maps
our experts
The red route marked is the one to follow. Maps are based on Ordnance Survey Landranger (1:50,000) and Explorer (1:25,000) maps and each square represents 1km x 1km. It’s essential to take the relevant Ordnance Survey map with you (we recommend the Explorer series) in case you get lost and leave the area covered by our map.
All of our routes are written by experienced and knowledgeable walkers who are experts at finding the best walks possible, and describing them clearly and accurately.
gradient profile You can check the ascent and descent (hilliness) of the route with a quick glance at this new gradient profile.
✁
cut-out and-keep Cut out your routes and file by region, building your own collection month-bymonth.
route updates Please check here every month to keep up to date with our published walks. We’ll print any rights of way issues, path closures or corrections. If you’ve encountered a problem with any Country Walking routes, please send your updates to us at: cwroutes@bauermedia.co.uk
trailzilla id Country Walking uses Memory-Map digitalmapping software to create our routes. You can use this unique number code to download and print the route.
Abbreviations We have abbreviated left to L and right to R.
more great routes online! Download and print this month’s walks and many more at trailzilla.com uRead how to do this at the end of the routes section on page 129.
subscribe & get a healthy back bag worth £45 turn to page 68 for full details
march 2014 Country Walking 101