Spring 2015 £4.20
ALL WITH
MAPS
ISSUE 339 THE LAKE DISTRICT ◆ PEMBROKESHIRE COAST PATH ◆ SCILLY ISLES ◆ CERNE ABBAS GIANT ◆ WALKING HS2 ◆ LIGHTWEIGHT BOOTS
Britain’s best-selling walking magazine
Spring THE JOYS OF
Plan your perfect walking break in the Lakes
www.livefortheoutdoors.com
SPRING 2015
27 easy-to-follow route cards inside
PLUS
GO WILD IN WALES
An epic weekend on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path
GIANT STEPS
Face to face with a monster in Dorset's chalk downland
THE BIG BOOT TEST
Lightweight footwear for spring & summer
Now is the time to explore the SCILLY ISLES
How will HS2 affect England’s long-distance footpaths?
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q DANCE WITH
DAFFODILS
Walk to the perfect spring view on the shore of Ullswater: bright owers, gleaming lake and high fells.
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PHOTO: MARTIN LAWRENCE
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Spring BREAK Celebrate spring with a fantastic week of walks in the Lake District, from famous daffodils to little hills, blossoming dales to the perfect rainy day ramble.
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What if it rains on your perfect week in the Lakes? Should you just give up and hide in the Beatrix Potter Museum? Not a bit of it. Instead seek out a walk that actually looks better when itÕs wetÉ
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Liquid SUNSHINE DISTR
WORDS: NICK HALLISSEY
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ERE AT COUNTRY WALKING, we like to accentuate the positive. We like to show you spectacular views, and sun-kissed walks where blue skies are endless, meadows are sweet and Mother Nature treats you like an honoured guest. But sometimes – brace yourself for this – it rains. Especially in the Lake District. There’s really no getting around it: the place with the highest concentration of epic walks in the nation is also the wettest place in the nation. Sitting out on a big bulbous chunk of west coast, it’s right in the path of pretty much every stormfront that crosses the Atlantic, a juicy target that more or less shouts “land here, I’m lovely!” to every squadron of cumulonimbus that comes its way. It even has a landing strip: the Irish Sea, which acts as a funnel to make the
44 COUNTRY WALKING SPRING 2015
clouds properly wet and whippy by the time they get to England. Then all those towering mountains grab hold of the clouds and hug them tight to their bosom like stony Velcro. And so it goes that places such as Seathwaite, Coniston and Langdale, which are the trailheads for some of the greatest walks in Europe, routinely record some of the continent’s highest rainfall, too. Rain, then: a fact of life if you’re a fan of the Lakes. And particularly at this time of year, for very few places can do spring showers the way Cumbria can. So rather than denying this simple fact of life, we thought we’d find a way to embrace it. Could there be a Lakeland walk that is actually improved by rain?
To find out , we set of in search of a walk that ticks all the following boxes: ● Something that gets better in rain:
a waterfall. Preferably more than one. ● A landscape that provides natural
shelter: woodland. Preferably a lot of it. ● Beautiful things that thrive at low level:
bluebells, dafodils, snowdrops etc. ● Impressive mountains to look at,
just in case the murk lifts. ● Cosy pubs to hide inside if things
get genuinely Biblical. ● The X-Factor. Something that you’ll
remember about this walk forever, rather than the relentless rain.
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t POT OF GOLD
A rainbow pierces the gloom of a rainy day in Great Langdale, where we think we’ve found the best wetday walk in the Lake District. PHOTO: © DAVID ROBINSON/ SNAP2000 IMAGES / ALAMY
S P E C I A L F E AT U R E Walking High Sp e e d 2
LOW SPEED ON
HS2
As politicians debate the details of High Speed 2, Tom Jeffreys walks the proposed route from London to Birmingham to consider its impact on both land and people. PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY
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URAL FOOTPATHS MAKE unlikely sites for political activism, but tied to a wooden gate somewhere near the border between Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire is a sign that makes you stop and take notice. ‘Stop HS2,’ it reads in bright red and black. HS2 is the Government’s proposal to link London with the Midlands and the North via high-speed train. It will be the largest transport infrastructure project in the UK since the construction of the motorways. Chancellor George Osborne has argued that HS2 will transform the UK’s ‘economic geography’. Opponents are concerned by the impact on local communities, historic buildings, agriculture, the environment and, of course, footpaths. Phase 1 cuts a straight line from London to Birmingham through 119 miles of diverse landscapes. It also provides an unusual challenge for walkers. Beginning at Euston station, the route runs north through the smart streets of Primrose Hill before dipping west under Kensal Rise Cemetery, and heading out of the capital through the suburb of Park Royal. Once out into Ruislip, it’s time to put the A-Z away, get out the OS maps, and slowly feel the transition from suburbia to countryside. After a pair of golf courses comes Colne Valley Park, a haven for wildlife in the
t PATHS OF urban fringe between Uxbridge and the Chilterns. PROTEST Although still inside the M25, London suddenly An anti High feels far behind. At this point the route becomes Speed 2 placard much more walker-friendly. Unfortunately, this at Thorpe is likely to be one of the worst afected areas on HS2. Mandeville, Founded in 1965, Colne Valley’s 27,500 acres include one of many protest signs on gentle chalk hills, ancient woodlands and sunken paths along the lanes. Running through the park is a string of over 60 proposed route. lakes, many formed by gravel extraction. Broadwater Lake is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest: p GREEN & PLEASANT significant for breeding wetland birds and wintering Walking through water birds such as tufted ducks and gadwall. On the tranquil views in borders of three counties, the area is also popular for Northants (centre outdoor activities such as walking, fishing, horseand right). By riding and waterskiing. 2026, you could Current plans for HS2 would see one of the longest be looking at them from a high viaducts in the country slice the park in two. The speed train at impact on both humans and wildlife would be 225mph. significant. Hillingdon Outdoor Activities Centre, used by thousands of children, would close completely. “We will be left with a lake that doesn’t have a use and is cut in half by a viaduct,” says Stewart Pomeroy, Colne Valley and Green Spaces Team Manager. Twenty circular walks will also be afected: in particular, Old Shire Lane – thought to have been part of the boundary separating the Saxon kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex. u
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D E S TI N ATI O N S Pe mbrokeshire C oast q WESTERN EXPOSURE
Enjoy wild ocean views to Pen yr Afr, the highest point on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, on day one of your Welsh weekender.
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DEEP END Celebrate the end of winter with an epic two-day walk at the northern tip of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. WORDS: RACHEL BROOMHEAD
PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY
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D E S TI N ATI O N S S cilly Isles
I N S EA R CH O F T HE
lost land of Lyonesse
The Isles of Scilly are all that remain of a legendary kingdom which now lies beneath the sea. Explore the peaks of a drowned landscape among this enchanting archipelago... WORDS (AND SOME PICTURES): MARK SUTCLIFFE
p SUNRISE ON THE SAND
Dawn on a deserted Par Beach, St Martin’s. PHOTO: NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY / ALAMY
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GEAR
OUR TESTERS
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 Lake District, the South Downs and a very blowy, breezy Snowdon.
No-nonsense reviews for real walkers
YOUR COMPLETE BUYING GUIDE TO
LIGHTWEIGHT BOOTS
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N PREVIOUS YEARS we have run separate tests for fabric and leather boots, but recently we’ve found that the lines are getting more and more blurry. Hybrids of the two are now much more common, and
they allow the same boot to tackle multiple terrains and conditions with ease. So in this test we’re looking at lighter-weight boots which are perfect for spring and summer walks. Some are fabric, some are leather,
FEATURES TO LOOK FOR
most are a mix. All of them are nimble and flexible, yet sturdy enough to take on everything from muddy farm tracks to high mountains. We have tested a range of options to give a clear idea of what’s on the market.
ANKLE HEIGHT In this test you will see boots with high ankle cuffs which offer maximum support (especially if you’re boulder-hopping) and lower-cut ‘mid’ boots which prioritise comfort and flexibility, but with less protection for your ankle.
OUTSOLE A flatter outsole maximises comfort by allowing your foot to roll naturally; a more pronounced arch and aggressive heel will bite harder into the ground for firmer traction. The tread pattern affects how the boot grips the terrain: shallower lugs are good on dry rock; deep cleats are better on muddy soil. LACING Higher-cut boots usually have a locking eyelet, placed further down the side than the rest, which pulls the laces firmly down over the upper. Just be careful that the eyelets, and the pressure-points where the bow sits, do not sit on top of a tender bone or tendon.
FLEX The more flexible a boot is, the more comfortable it is. This is a real strength of fabric and hybrid boots, which are more flexible than pure leather. But a softer boot offers less support on rough ground. The higher you go, the stiffer your boot should be.
RAND This is the hard bumper that covers the toe-box and often runs all the way round the side of the boot. A sturdy rand will protect the boot from bumps and scuffs, and reduce wear and tear on the upper.
WATERPROOFING All the boots we tested use a waterproof/breathable membrane. It may be one of the big ‘external’ marques like Gore-Tex, OutDry and eVent. Or the bootmaker may use their own membrane, usually to save weight, reduce cost or improve breathability.
FIT Fit is personal, so we don’t usually review boots based on how they happened to fit us. We might love a boot, but if it isn’t right for you, try again. The areas to consider are the toe, the Achilles tendon and the upper. If the boot rubs or pinches any of these areas early on, be cautious.
NB: In all reviews we specify the Recommended Retail Price (RRP) for consistency. Discounts may be available online and in stores.
INSOLE A soft, squidgy insole is very comfortable and perfect for low-level walking. A harder insole works better on rock and is less likely to make your foot overheat. Some use Memory Foam, which mixes softness and support in equal measure – but at a price.
TURN OVER TO READ THE TESTS...
27 ROUTES WITH ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPS
Britain’s best
ON
E TH NE ER AR E ’ S YO U
WALKS
SOUTH WEST
SOUTH EAST
MIDLANDS
EAST
NORTH WEST NORTH EAST
Weekend wonders
SPRING 2015
WALES
SCOTLAND
IRELAND
I N SI DE TH I S MONTH . . . u Rugged Pennine crags u The beautiful Gwynedd coast u An Argyll loch edge adventure
and more of Britain’s best walks...
The majestic Bodiam Castle peers through the East Sussex treetops (Walk 7). PHOTO: © DAVID NEWHAM / ALAMY
WE PROMISE MORE WALKS IN MORE PLACES THAN ANY OTHER MAGAZINE
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Britain’s Best Walks FIND A GREAT WALK NEAR YOU...
SOUTH WEST SOUTH EAST MIDLANDS 26
01 Scilly Isles St Agnes
EAST
02 Scilly Isles Tresco
NORTH WEST
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03 Dorset Cerne Abbas
NORTH EAST
04 Devon Easdon Tor
FAMILY WALK
WALES
05 Somerset Beacon Batch
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06 Surrey Thursley Common
SCOTLAND IRELAND
07 East Sussex Bodiam Castle 08 Essex Terling 09 Oxfordshire Shiplake & Sonning 10 Northamptonshire Eydon & Edgcote 11 Shropshire Clun Forest
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CHALLENGE WALK
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12 Worcestershire Upton upon Severn 13 West Midlands Meriden 14 Derbyshire Windgather Rocks
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15 Cambridgeshire Ely & Queen Adelaide
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16 Cambridgeshire Ely & Little Downham 17 Cheshire Malpas
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18 Cumbria Great Dodd 19 Cumbria Elterwater
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20 North Yorkshire Forge Valley
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21 Durham Whorlton
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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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TERRAIN: Min 2,000ft ascent, sustained steepness and rocky or boggy ground. W
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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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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GRADIENT PROFILE Check the ascent and descent (hilliness) of the route with a quick glance at this profile.
CLASSIC ROUTE
CHALLENGING
26 Highland Kernary & Inverewe
ABBREVIATIONS We have abbreviated left to L and right to R.
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uYarrowford & Minchmoor, Scottish Borders, November 2014, Walk 24 Broadmeadows Youth Hostel is now a private residence. Point 3 should now read ‘keep on for 100m to Southern Upland Way sign’. Point 5 should refer to Broadmeadows as a ‘former youth hostel’ If you spot a route which needs updating, email cwroutes@bauermedia.co.uk
EXTREME
25 Argyll & Bute Ardgartan Forest
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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ROUTE UPDATES
24 Gwynedd Trefor to Nefyn
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.
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23 Powys Allt Dolanog
How to use your routes
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22 Carmarthenshire Cenarth Falls
27 Highland Cairn Gorm
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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.
ISLES OF SCILLY AGNES 01 ST The view from the Turk's Head beer garden.
the most westerly hostelry in the UK, whose beer garden also boasts one of the best views of any in Britain. Continue past the pub Heading SW to the bar – a narrow strip of sand connecting St Agnes to Gugh, its wild, uninhabited sibling which is separated at high tide. Standing guard over the bar is Obadiah’s Barrow – a Bronze Age burial chamber and one of the dozens of prehistoric sites found across the archipelago.
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Scilly Isles
PLAN YOUR WALK
ROUTE Start/parking Conger Slipway, St Agnes, grid ref SV884085 Is it for me? Easy stroll on well-defined paths with some rocky sections Stiles 2
PLANNING Nearest town Hugh Town Refreshments Troy Town Farm Shop, or The Turk’s Head Public House Public toilets None Public transport St Mary’s Boatmen’s Association; Tel 01720 423999 Maps OS Explorer 101; Landranger 203
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1.3km/¾ mile Ignore the track that heads R back north and the path that forks L and continue W towards the spectacular formations that line the island’s western coast.
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0.5km/¼ mile From the bar, head S, skirting the perfect little bay of The Cove, then strike W through the gorse over Wingletang Down towards the wild western coast.
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GRADIENT PROFILE
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ISLES OF SCILLY 02 TRESCO
Cromwell's Castle with Bryher behind.
2.6km/1½ miles From the Block House, head inland to join track heading W behind beach into Old Grimsby. At path, turn R and continue W to road and continue W along road into village.
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3km/2 miles In Old Grimsby, follow signs for The Ruin Beach café,
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following road round towards the beach to find the cafe. Then bear left heading NW SP to Norrard and Gimble. At top
Nearest town New Grimsby Refreshments Tresco Abbey Gardens, The Ruin Cafe, Old Grimsby; The New Inn, New Grimsby Public toilets Quayside, New Grimsby Public transport St Mary’s Boatmen’s Association, Tel 01720 423999 Maps OS Explorer 101 Landranger 203
PLANNING
Start Tresco Abbey Gardens Entrance, grid ref SV894141. Finish New Grimsby SV889152 or Carn Near SV893134 Is it for me? Quite a challenging half-day hike with some short but steep climbs and scrambly parts. Stiles 3
ROUTE
PLAN YOUR WALK
uDistance: 6km/3.7 miles-8km/5 miles uTime: 2-2½ hours uGrade: Moderate
E E SE TUR E 74 A G FE PA ON
Continue NE with beaches to R and glorious views N to St Martin’s and across to the Eastern Islands.
1.5km/1 mile At Lizard Point, follow coast path NW towards the 16th Century Block House on the hill above Old Grimsby.
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CHOSEN BYÉ MARK SUTCLIFFE An exhilarating ramble across the wilder northern half of Tresco, traversing ancient burial grounds and passing Medieval fortifications and a moving memorial to the bravery of Special Forces during WWII.
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Start From the entrance to Tresco Abbey gardens, turn L heading E towards coast along concrete road. Pass Abbey Pool on the R and then the house on L and turn R towards Pentle Bay.
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0.5km/¼ miles Leave concrete heading straight on towards coast. At dunes, take path L along coast.
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uDistance: 4.5km/2.8 miles uTime: 1½ hours uGrade: Easy
E E SE TUR E 74 A G FE PA ON
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CHOSEN BYÉ MARK SUTCLIFFE One of the most popular of the ‘off islands’, St Agnes’ tiny population huddles around the sheltered east coast, but it’s utterly wild in the west, with striking views out over the western rocks – site of many a ship wreck – and onwards to the Bishop Rock lighthouse. This short walk can easily be completed in an afternoon – leaving plenty of time for a drink at the Turk’s Head before the last boat back to Hugh Town.
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Start From the quay, walk up to the top of the slipway and turn L towards Turks Head pub –
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PHOTO: MARK SUTCLIFFE
PHOTO: MARK SUTCLIFFE