Country Walking magazine January 2014

january 2014

20

GREAT WALKS FOR NEW YEAR’S DAY*

THERE’S ONE NEAR YOU!

ALL WITH POCKET-SIZED ROUTE CARDS & MAPS

issue 323 iona ◆ lindisfarne ◆ bradwell ◆ the camino ◆ base-layers ◆ isle of wight ◆ ambleside ◆ the brontËs' yorkshire

www.livefortheoutdoors.com

b ritai n ’ s b est- selli n g walki n g ma g azi n e

Amazing walks you can do in a day

follow ancient pathways to: iona ◆ lindisfarne ◆ bardsey ◆ bradwell

Walking with Dinosaurs STEP BACK IN TIME ON BRITAIN’S JURASSIC ISLE

48 Hours in Ambleside PLAN A BRILLIANT WEEKEND IN THE LakeS

gear

The best base-layers for winter walking

Literary Landscapes T he Bront Ë s ’ Yorksh i re M O O R s

january 2014 £3.99

*or any other day this year!

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

events

Hogmanay on high!

Climb Arthur’s Seat to welcome in a big year for Scotland…

W

ith our Routes section this month brimming with walks for New Year’s Day, there was no way we were going to leave out perhaps the greatest of them all.

Arthur’s Seat, hovering like a sphinx above Holyrood and the wider city of Edinburgh, is an intriguing and splendid climb at any time of year, but over the 24 hours of December 31st into January 1st, it really comes into its own.

Many climb it by torchlight on New Year’s Eve, to watch the Hogmanay parties converging around the city and the midnight fireworks erupting above Edinburgh Castle. Even for those unused to walking at night, there’s usually enough glow from the city to ensure the welltrodden paths stay illuminated, with your torch as added reassurance – particularly if you’re anywhere near the steep and spectacular drops of Salisbury Crags.

Then on New Year’s Day, those revellers not lying comatose on a floor or sofa have a tendency to set out for that alluring volcanic summit to clear their heads and welcome a fresh new year (you just have to watch out for the runners – a popular triathlon takes place the same day!).

And it’s a big year to be seeing in, of course. For anyone who lives in or loves Scotland (which we do), the approach of the independence referendum – September 18th – is likely to turn the whole world’s attention on the nation.

Could this be the last time Edinburgh is the focal point of New Year celebrations throughout a truly United Kingdom?

Whatever happens in September, we still struggle to think of a better place to see in 2014 – but consult our Routes section (which starts on Page 91), for 23 more walks that are ideal for New Year’s Day... or any other day for that matter!

only on foot: THE langdale VALLEY

walk through a forest of light

the nile from source to sea

pag e 1 0

pag e 12

pag e 14

The view across the city of Edinburgh to the Firth of Forth from Salisbury Crags, part of the extinct volcano that makes up Arthur’s Seat.

january 2014 Country Walking 9

Amazing walks on

ancient pathways

S

What is it that turns a walk into a journey? What gives a walk that special significance?

We’ve followed some of Britain’s oldest pathways in a bid to find out...

ome of the OLDEST walks in Britain are ultimately underpinned by something spiritual. They are usually linear routes with a clear objective.

These ancient pathways have been walked for centuries and often have a deeper significance for those who walk them. Unlike a circular walk, where the participant returns to their starting point, these walks are journeys as opposed to circuits; the implication being that by not going back to the start, the walker isn’t quite the same person who left that point. Something inside them changes.

Yet a journey doesn’t necessarily need to be an epic voyage extending over days or weeks – all of the walks we’ve picked can comfortably be completed in a weekend or even a single day.

The places we visit on the following pages can trace their lineage direct to the first millennium, when a wilder, Celtic form of spirituality rooted deeply in the natural world prevailed.

Walk them all and you will visit some of the most spiritual places in Britain, where the Iona ‘veil is thin’ and thousands of Lindisfarne pilgrims have sought solace, redemption or inspiration down the centuries.

Simply following in their footsteps connects everyone who walks along Bardsey Island a pilgrimage route to the deeper well of human consciousness and Bradwell takes them to places they’ll remember forever.

Follow our walks along ANCIENT PATHWAYS 24 M u ll to Iona An enchanting journey from the spectacular island of Mull to the cradle of Scottish Christianity.

30 bardse y isl an d This mysterious isle off the tip of North Wales’ Llyn Peninsula lies almost halfway to Ireland.

3 3 br adwe ll Discover an amazing sense of peace and solitude less than 90 minutes from London.

3 4 lin disfarn e A stroll across the sands to the Holy Island of Lindsfarne is one of Britain’s seminal walks.

plus : EU ROPE'S U LTIMATE WALK Photo: tom bailey

37 the camino de santiago An epic journey over the Pyrenees and across the rugged plains of northern Spain to the Atlantic.

january 2014 Country Walking 23

u

Ancient Pathways: Iona

Piercing

t h e ve i l Iona’s pivotal place in the establishment of Christianity in Britain makes this sceptred isle one of our most popular places of pilgrimage – and its remote, ethereal beauty is said to offer glimpses through the veil between this world and the next… words: mark sutcliffe; photos: tom bailey

24 Country Walking january 2014

q at the summit

of Dun I

Modest though it may be at just 332ft, the craggy lump of Dun I offers jaw-dropping views of the abbey and the rest of Iona.

d e s ti n ati o n s B rontĂŤ C o untr y

up where

the moors In a Yorkshire parsonage 165 years ago, three sisters wrote novels that are now revered around the world. Walk at Haworth this winter to discover the landscape that inspired Charlotte, Emily and Anne BrontĂŤ at its wildest and best.

W o r d s : j e n n y wa lt e r s ; p h o t o s : t o m b a i l e y

spread...

p rugged moors The outcrop of Ponden Kirk looks out across the lonely uplands where the BrontĂŤs once walked. A song in Jane Eyre describes a place 'Up where the moors spread and the grey rocks pile', and these wild hills are a constant presence and inspiration in Wuthering Heights and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall too.

january 2014 Country Walking 41

d e s ti n ati o n s Loc ation nam e

Eastern

Promise This quiet corner of Essex inspired one of the first great wildlife writers of our time and helped shape our modern understanding of nature. Come for a walk and you’ll discover why‌ W O R DS : P ETE R A Y L M E R

48 Country Walking january 2014

Photo: Š John Carter/Alamy

d e s ti n ati o n s Loc ation nam e

January 2014 Country Walking 49

d e s ti n ati o n s Loc ation nam e

t the footsteps

of dinosaurs The beach near Hanover Point is rich with footsteps and footcasts, thought to have been made by iguanodons. The size of the three-toed print is slightly alarming, but this species of dinosaur was herbivorous.

Photo: Š Patrick Eden/Alamy

62 Country Walking january 2014

Wa l k i n g w i t h

Dinosaurs Following in the footsteps of velociraptors, tyrannosaurus and iguanodons, we explore a petrified forest in search of prehistoric fossils on Britain’s very own Dinosaur Isle.

Words: Julian Rollins

I

bits of mammoth to hazelnuts that dropped to the ground millennia ago.

As we leave Freshwater Bay, the path runs close to the top of vertical chalk faces that tower over the chilly waters of the English Channel. Steve’s narrative has a 130-million-year scope and we journey from the Cretaceous Period to the mid19th-century ‘fossiling clergyman’, William Fox, who established the island’s status as a palaeontologist’s playground.

When the curate searched for what he called his “old dragons” he had beaches to himself; now they are scrutinised by an army of fossil-hunters.

“In the summer it’s swarming with kids,” says Steve. “They have good eyes and are closer to the ground. It’s a wonder that there’s anything left for anyone else.”

Steve was once one of those junior palaeontologists. “I was the boy on the beach who had fossils in his bucket instead of crabs,” he recalls. u

Photo: julian rollins

f you really want to walk with dinosaurs, there’s only one place to go. While computer-animated films like BBC Earth’s new blockbuster Walking with Dinosaurs have brought the prehistoric world to threedimensional life, according to the Natural History Museum, if you want the real deal, head to the Isle of Wight – dinosaur capital of the UK. I’m here at Freshwater Bay on the island’s south coast to walk and fossil-hunt with the palaeontologist Dr Steve Sweetman. Conditions could not be better; the sun is shining and a low tide means we can beach-walk much of our chosen route east to Brighstone.

And winter is the best time to go fossilhunting, thanks to the erosive power of storms and tides which loosen rocks from the cliff. Each fall can contain anything from fragments of the bones of giant iguanodons to the shells of ancient oysters,

p shellfish speckles Not all fossil finds are on the scale of large dinosaurs – the bubble-wrap pockmarks on these rocks were formed by small molluscs that lived millions of years ago.

playground

Winter storms jostle rocks from the fragile cliffs of Compton Bay, making this a fantastic time of year for fossil-hunting. Dr Steve Sweetman, a palaeontology expert from the University of Portsmouth, scans the shore for new finds.

january 2014 Country Walking 63

Photo: julian rollins

p palAeontologist’s

b u y i n g g u i d e wi nter ba s e- l ay er to p s buying advice

Your first & last line of defence

features to look for...

The warmest and most waterproof outer layers in the world will only work if the item right next to your skin is doing the job it's designed for. Choose a base-layer wisely and you’ll stay warm and dry this winter…

Poor old base-layers. They have a reputation as something you need rather than want; we’ll spend ages agonising over the right boots or jacket, but while we accept that having a breathable layer next to our skin is important, it tends to be a bit of an afterthought. They also have a tendency to look like they are designed for athletes rather than walkers. But let’s look a little bit harder at the humble baselayer. When chosen properly, after your boots, it could turn out to be the comfiest, hardest-working item in your kit cupboard. It will also be useful in regulating your body temperature all year round – without looking like something only Mo Farah would wear. We’ve chosen a series of tops to illustrate the best options for walkers at various price points. Pick the right one for you and it will become a real gear essential.

WARMTH

our testers

Look for a top that will keep you lukewarm rather than toasty – it’s the job of a mid or outer layer to do the insulating; an over-hot layer next to your skin helps no one. A good base-layer will act like a thermostat, responding to changes in the temperature around you and your own level of exertion, and regulating your heat level accordingly.

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 Peak District, the Dorset coast, the Lakes and North Wales – in all winds and weathers.

BREATHABILIT Y

How we did our test We chose eight tops across a range of budgets.

These are all long-sleeved, which is really what you need in winter unless you’re prone to exceptional overheating (and anyway, you can always roll a sleeve up if you need to vent a bit). There’s a mix of styles and fabrics, both man-made and natural. We wore them as an outer layer on milder autumn days, and under just one outer layer, and at the bottom of a whole deep-winter layering system.

In tandem with the heating and cooling, you must consider how effectively it will carry heat and moisture (sweat) away from your skin.

Some tops do this by sticking together two fabrics (inner and outer) to work in tandem, others can do the same job with just one intelligent layer.

Outdoor Research Echo £35

Paramo Grid Classic £50

Mammut GoWarm £60

Smartwool NTS MID £75

COLOUR

The North Face Warm £45

Sherpa Dikila £50

Montane Bionic £65

Icebreaker Oasis £70

NB: All tops tested have equivalent versions for the opposite sex. We always specify the Recommended Retail Price (RRP) for consistency; discounts may be available online and in stores.

74 Country Walking January 2014

Photos: tom bailey

wo m e n ’ s to p s

men’s tops

t e st ed in the fie l d thi s month...

This is more of a factor if you want a top you can use all year round. In summer, a dark top worn as your only layer is likely to retain heat, while lighter colours will cool more quickly. But in winter, with the top buried beneath other layers, there’s no noticeable difference.

CHIN PROTECTION

EASE OF WASHING

If trying a zip-neck top, it’s worth seeing if it has a chinguard: a triangular flap of fabric which forms a ‘garage’ for the zip so it doesn’t catch your skin (or – yeowch – beard) if you’re having to zip it up in a hurry, and stops the zip from rubbing against your chin thereafter.

We all know we’re supposed to look after our kit, but we can feel put-upon when care labels demand that you wash this one product by itself in an unusual way. “Wash separately, cold”, “do not use fabric softener” and “wool detergent only” often appear on base-layers, so you may be drawn to any which can just be washed at 40 degrees with everything else. But while it’s a pain, the right treatment will keep you happy on your walks – and protect your investment.

ST YLE These are longsleeved tops which keep their heat nicely. Most of them are zip-neck, which is well-suited to winter as it retains warmth right up to your neck, but also allows good ventilation when unzipped. They do look a bit specialised, though – crew-necks will always look more casual and tend to be cheaper.

FABRIC

FIT A tight fit is ideal if you really want to ensure warmth on a cold day at high altitude, although tight tops can feel irritatingly clingy. A looser fit is more adaptable, and can make you feel less self-conscious if you plan to wear it as your single layer in warmer months. The hem should cover the whole of your lower back, even when bent forward; you don’t want your skin exposed on a hard ascent or scramble.

These tops are either made from natural merino wool, a synthetic fabric (usually polyester) or a mix of both.

Synthetic fabrics wick well, dry out efficiently and are usually cheaper; but they can trap odours and may require specialist washing. Some synthetic tops use additives to reduce odour, but this tends to hike the price up. Merino wool is usually pricier but feels great, regulates temperature well and seldom gets smelly.

turn over to read the tests...

24 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

JANUARY 2014

Wales

Wonderlands

Discover Britain at its wintry best with our 20 walks for New Year’s Day. Plan your day out now! i n si de th i s month . . .

Edinburgh’s mountain view u Dale-hopping in the Peak District u Classic Cornish coastline and many more superb walks...

Photo: © Archwhite / Alamy

we promise More walks, in more places, than any other magazine!

Scotland

Ireland

new format!

doublesided A5 cards

!

Britain’s Best Walks

Welcome... 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.

south west south east midlands 24

east North west North east wales

23

Scotland 22

ireland

18

Chosen by experts

15

routes you can

17

14

trust

13

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.

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21

16

07

20

11 09

08

10

03 06

19 02 05 04

There’s a great walk near you...

01 Cornwall Men-an-tol family 02 Somerset Brean Down walk 03 Gloucestershire Moreton-in-Marsh 04 Isle of Wight Freshwater Bay to Brighstone 05 West Sussex Hassocks 06 Essex Danbury 07 Derbyshire Cressbrook Dale 08 Shropshire Titterstone Clee Hill 09 Northamptonshire Welford & Sulby 10 Suffolk West Stow 11 Lincolnshire Woolsthorpe 12 Merseyside Thurstaston Hill 92 Country Walking january 2014

01

13 Lancashire Sunderland Point 14 Cumbria Crosby Garrett Fell 15 Cumbria Castle Crag Fort challenge 16 West Yorkshire Haworth walk 17 North Yorkshire Robin Hood’s Bay 18 Northumberland Cawfields/Vindolanda 19 Blaenau Gwent Brynmawr to Gilwern 20 Gwynedd Whistling Sands 21 Isle of Anglesey Beaumaris 22 Edinbrugh Arthur’s Seat 23 Argyll & Bute Iona Circular 24 Highland Dornoch