Britain’s best-selling hillwalking mag 13 hill routes LIVE FOR THE OUTDOORS
Cadair Idris HIGH STREET cat bells Quinag
november 2012
fan WALES tlryyde s & THE g r
www.livefortheoutdoors.com
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november 2012 £3.99
SNOWDONIA lake district
A
Scramble two classics
WILD SLEEP
wake up on THE summit
Striding + Swirral edges
...OF buachaille etive mor! skills
descend safely rainproof kit save soggy ELECTRonics
exclusive photos
The one that cleared space on the fridge for a lovely picture on the Cantilever...
22 pages of waterproof SPECIAL! kit to keep you dry
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Capturing 50 years of mountain adventure
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out there Been there, climbed that? Send us a picture!
4 Trail november 2012
Send us your shots, share your adventures
Email your photos to us, along with a description of what was special about your day, and we’ll publish the most inspiring examples! Put ‘Out There’ in the subject box, and send them to trail@bauermedia.co.uk
Cuillin Ridge Isle of Skye Arlene, during a 2-day overnight traverse of the Cuillin Ridge. She says: “Couldn’t have asked for better weather, my guide was fantastic and I was so pleased to have completed all 11 Munros no problem. I had heard about the queues at the Inaccessible Pinnacle but we didn’t see a single soul up there, which made it all the more special.”
november 2012 Trail 5
contents out there skills
Where this month’s issue will take you...
10
Which Scottish mountain has been demoted?
Trail’s Wasdale weekend 12 We’re going for a walk/beer. Come and join us!
Dream peak
14
Sutherland’s Quinag, dramatic sentry of Scotland’s far north. You know you want it...
Behind the picture
A brutal vignette from the Cuillin – and the lengths artist Jamie Hageman went to in order to create it.
16
44
Descending safely How to get down off the hill in one piece
46
Ask Trail
STAY DRY SPECIAL! Saving soggy electronics, making packs rainproof, avoiding damp arms, cleaning gear, drying boots, stashing a jacket
your trail Trail talk
18
The world of hillwalking – according to you lot
Subscribe and get a gift! 32 Quench your hill thirst with a Platypus hydration system, when you subscribe to Trail – page 32.
p34
And so to bed – on Buachaille Etive Mor! tom bailey
p20
Fancy a 2 or 3 litre Platypus hydration system? Sign up for Trail today and we’ll send you one
Why we love...
146
...summits. “Are we nearly there yet?” Erm...
dave newbould
No longer a Munro
adventures
100% pure Snowdonia
20
Buachaille bivvy
34
Images of the edge
52
Walk the very best of north Wales, in a day Join Trail for a wild night on the summit of Britain’s most recognisable peak
Climber, photographer and movie cameraman John Cleare shares the stories behind some of his most iconic mountain shots
p68
gear
Walking jackets that won’t break the bank? We’ll drink to that!
Gear news
64
Petzl Nao
66
Hillwalking jackets
68
Winter jackets
80
Overtrousers
92
The must-have hill kit that’s coming soon A headtorch that’s brighter than any of us
One piece of gear that you can’t do without! For all-year-round foul weather repellence 6 of the best ways to waterproof lower limbs Mat maestro Therm-a-Rest branches out into sleeping bags – page 64.
routes Lake District
107
Lake District
109
Mid Wales
111
Lake District
113
NW Highlands
115
Southern Uplands
117
Route 1 Haweswater Walk a lovely but less visited long, narrow ridge Route 2 Kentmere fells Find space to stretch out in the Far Eastern Fells
Route 3 Drygarn Fawr Head to one of the area’s most remote mountains Route 4 Castle Crag/High Spy Hidden treasures and great views, revealed
Route 5 Quinag One day, one dramatic massif, three Corbetts
Route 6 Rhinns of Kells Savour a feast of fellwalking in the Galloway Hills
Killin
Route 7 Tarmachan Ridge Route 8 Ben Lawers Ridge Route 9 Sron a Chlachain
121
This pretty Scottish hillwalking base brings you six Munros – and six pubs to match!
Machynlleth
127
Lake District
133
Route 10 Pistyll y Llyn Route 11 Cadair Idris Route 12 Waun-oer Fancy a long weekend walking in mid Wales? Then why not head to this ‘attractive and quirky’ market town for three very different routes...
Route 13 Helvellyn via the Edges Our Classic Route brings you a hands-on challenge that includes the famous ridges of Striding Edge (‘the best-looking scramble in Britain’) and Swirral Edge
Classic Route
with 3D maps NOVEMBer 2012 Trail 9
Where? North Wales What? Seeking the postcard spots
100% pure Snowdonia You might have seen it before, but when it’s all that’s best about north Wales, maybe you should see it again…
Words Ben Weeks Photographs Matthew Roberts
20 Trail november 2012
Up and over Bristly Ridge, leaving the perfect mountain form of Tryfan behind.
november 2012 Trail 21
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trail skills Ask us a question! So you’ve got a problem that needs solving, but don’t want to lose face with your mountain mates? Don’t worry, Trail’s expert team is here to help… Graham thompson
GT has been Trail’s technical editor for over 20 years, and he’s a fountain of knowledge on all aspects of walking kit.
Simon ingram Trail’s editor is a Mountain Leader trainee, and he’s been on more mountains than most of us could dream about.
jeremy ashcroft
Stay dry What can I do if my phone
Q
I recently ruined an iPod when I left it in the top pocket of my rucksack during a rainstorm. Try as I will, my stuff always seems to end up wet. What’s the best tactic for trying to save wet electronics? Jackie Markham, Worcestershire
A
Obviously a waterproof case or pouch – or even a freezer bag – is the preferred avoidance tactic. But Team Trail has lost enough phones (and cameras, and iPods) to the rain to know that accidents do happen. Whatever your device, this is a good way of limiting damage…
keeps you dry
A condom is great protection – for your phone! It keeps it dry and safe.
Mountaineering editor Jeremy has a wealth of experience in the UK and overseas, and he’s here to solve your problems.
LYLE BROTHERTON
1
DON’T turn it on. It’s tempting to panic and check that your gadget is okay – but water and electric currents don’t really mix, and you can end up doing far more damage by way of a catastrophic short circuit. For this reason, you must remove the battery if possible (this will help the drying process too). Also remove the SIM card if applicable; the contents of this card are often irreplaceable, and if wiped dry quickly enough it will probably be fine.
Lyle is one of the world’s leading navigation experts and the author of The Ultimate Navigation Manual, pb Collins.
PeteR mAcfarlane Peter’s our lightweight expert, and he can give you all the advice you need about saving weight on the hill.
If you’ve got a question about hill-walking. Get in touch and ask our team. Post your queries to: Ask Trail, Trail, Bauer, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA. Even better, email us: trail@bauermedia.co.uk and put ‘Ask Trail’ in the subject box. (Sorry, but we can only answer the questions that appear in the magazine.)
46 Trail november 2012
3
Once most of the water has been removed, the trick is to use something hydrophilic (water-attracting) to draw the moisture out of the phone. There are some specialist products for this, like the Bheestie Bag (www.bheestie.com). Desiccant like silica is ideal, but it’s hard to get hold of; so stop at a supermarket and buy a bag of uncooked rice to use instead. The more components you can separate before doing this, the better.
4
The longer you can leave it to dry, the better. Keep turning the components – as if cooking a sausage on a barbie – every hour, then leave it overnight. Then, when you think it’s dry, leave it for another few hours.
ASK
special gets wet?
keeps you dry Keep those little packets of silica gel that come in the box with new purchases. Put them in your drybags to help absorb moisture.
Can I use waterproofing treatment on my rucksack?
Q
For years I’ve struggled with waterproof liners and bin bags to try to keep the contents of my rucksack dry – and while it works fine, what I really want is a bag that’s waterproof. Given the amount of sprayin waterproofing treatments available, is there any reason why I can’t just use them on my rucksack? Chris Short, Leeds
2
The phone now needs to be dried off. Blowing is bad; sucking is good – hence a lot of people (carefully!) use a vacuum cleaner and avoid hairdryers when dealing with seriously waterlogged devices. But neither may be available, so you may have to do this by lightly patting with an absorbent cloth.
5
Once it’s out of the rice, leave it for a few hours at room temperature on some absorbent material like loo roll. Then, after examining it, try reassembling the phone and turning it on.
A
This depends. Broadly speaking, you can waterproof the fabric of most rucksacks using a spray-on waterproofing treatment such as Granger’s Superpruf (www.grangers.co.uk). This is a silicone-based waterproofing spray which air-dries, making tumble-drying unnecessary, and with most outdoor rucksacks being made of robust, tightly woven fabric, that’s that. But while this will greatly reduce the ingress of water into your rucksack, it will probably still leak. Why? The seams. High-quality stitching found in good rucksacks will limit the amount of water that can penetrate the seams, but – as a seam is basically a break in the fabric full of many little holes – you can’t expect any seam to be infallible. Seam sealer such as McNett SilNet (www.mcnetteurope.com) can help solve this, but you’ll be doing well if you can access and proof all the seams on your sack as there are loads of them, and they’re in awkward places – which is the reason rucksacks generally aren’t made to be waterproof in the first place. This fact, combined with the presence of pockets, lids, and other entry points, means you’ll probably end up with a rucksack that is more waterproof than it was, but still isn’t completely stormproof. Trail recommends investing in a waterproof pack liner or, if that’s too cumbersome, individual fold dry-bags for various aspects of your kit – which has the benefit of making your rucksack an organised, modular affair. Pack liners and dry-bags are made by Exped, and can be found at www.exped.de november 2012 Trail 47
group test
hillwalking jackets When crossing the UK’s moors and mountains a general-purpose hillwalking jacket is essential. In this test we look at examples costing £150-220. test graham thompson Photographs Tom Bailey
what we tested Sprayway Odyssey/AZARIA £160 Vaude Ortler £165 Berghaus Hurricane £180 Kathmandu Breccia £200 Mountain Equipment Firefox £200 Patagonia Stor £220 Páramo Vista £220 Rab Bergen/Vidda £220
68 Trail NOVEMBER 2012
g
hillwalking jackets Whether or not you’re befuddled by features and fabrics, our test will help you choose a walking jacket.
NOVEMBER 2012 Trail 69
mountain leGENDS part 3
IMAGES OF THE EDGE Photographer John Cleare captured British mountaineering in bloom – and the pictures he has amassed rank among history’s most enduring images of adventure. Here he exclusively shares the stories behind his most iconic shots. words and interview simon ingram ALL photographs john cleare
Grand cathedral karakorAm An incredible view of the avenue of pinnacles lining Pakistan’s Baltoro Glacier, including the Lobsang Spires, which are the most arresting part of this image. Many of these remain unclimbed. John Cleare: “The Karakoram is a very exciting range to photograph. Distances are huge, but the mountains are so spectacular... peaks like the Grand Cathedral and the Muztagh Tower. They often get mixed in with the Himalaya, but they are not. They are Trans-Himalayan – desert country.” �
52 Trail november 2012
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november october 2012 Trail 53 63
clockwise from top: dan bailey, ronald turnbull, paul richardson, chiz dakin
the best hillwalks written by experts
routes p115
p107
There’s a mixture of the alternative and the classic in this selection of routes. While traditionalists can head up the ever popular Helvellyn, those in search of something different can enjoy long-lost Quinag in Sutherland, the Galloway Hills or one of our spectacular routes in mid Wales or the Lakes. As ever, happy walking! Trail Routes 1-12 use OS mapping and gradient profiles, and are available to download at lfto.com/routes
P110 P118
1 2 3 4 5 6
10.9km 15.4km 15km 17.7km 13km 34km
p107 p109 p111 p113 p115 p117
12km 15.5km 6.8km
p122 p123 p124
ultimate weekend – Machynlleth 10 pistyll y Llyn 6.6km 11 cadair idris 8.1km 12 waun-oer 14.5km
p128 p129 p130
classic route 13 helvellyn via the edges
p133
Haweswater Kentmere Drygarn Fawr Castle Crag/high spy Quinag rhinns of kells
ultimate weekend – Killin 7 tarmachan ridge 8 ben lawers ridge 9 sron a chlachain
13.5km
Lairg
HARRIS
Ullapool
ISLE OF SKYE Portree
Inverness
10 route mid wales Shiel Bridge
Aviemore
Inverie
Invergarry
Mallaig
Aberdeen
Braemar
Fort William
MULL
JURA ISLAY
6.6km/4 miles
Oban
Glasgow
Edinburgh Berwick-upon-Tweed
Pistyll y Llyn ISLE OF ARRAN
Ayr
Jedburgh
Ballantrae
Dumfries
Newton Stewart Stranraer
ondonderry Belfast
always take a map out with you on the hill
Newcastle -upon-Tyne
Carlisle
Keswick
Penrith
Middlesbrough
SN756962 Continue up Northallerton 1Ingleton the lane around to the Bentham right to enter the farmyard. York Lancaster STRENUOUSNESS ■ ■■■■ Skipton Pass a barn on the right and Leeds NAVIGATION ■ ■■■■ then swing left, signed to the TECHNICALITY ■ ■■■■ Liverpool Manchester Falls. Follow this track until it Rhyl Conway forks and take the top (left) Sheffield Bodelwyddan branch to continue in the Betws-y-Coed same direction. Stay on this Llangollen until a Derby stile, beneath a gate, Barmouth leads onto rough ground. Peterborough Aberystwyth Birmingham Keep straight ahead, with a fence to your left, and you’ll Hay-on-Wye Cardigan eventually reach a gate on Brecon Gloucester the left that leads into a small Oxford plantation. Continue to a gate Pembroke Distance 6.6km (4 miles) that leads onto open ground Swansea Cardiff Bristol and keep ahead again to Total ascent 400m Windermere Kendal
facts
Dublin
Waterford
Time 3 hours
Sho rt water fall wa lk
1
the mill ruins of Llechwedd Melyn, where you’ll see the rusty remains of a turbine. SN755949 Pass the fenced-off shaft and cross the stream then bear half left to follow the path of least resistance uphill, roughly parallel to the tributary stream, until you reach a coppice at the top. Here join a good path and bear right to start the final climb above the falls. The path becomes incredibly airy as it ascends, eventually tracking above some huge crags
2
2 4 3
Minehead
Start/finish small car park, road end, Exeter south-west of Glaspwll Bodmin (SN756962) Plymouth
Southampton
Brighton
Poole
© Crown copyright in association with BAUER’s media licence no. AM105/09
Terrain rough and boggy pastures and good forest tracks; one very exposed path Maps OS Explorer: (1:25,000) 215; OS Landranger (1:50,000) 135
before topping out on a tussocky plateau.
Public transport buses south from Machynlleth only as far as the A487 0871 200 2233; www. traveline-cymru.info
SN753941 Bear southsouth-west to a kind of stile in the fence ahead and cross this to enter the wood. Now follow the vague path through the wood, gradually climbing to join a forest track. Turn left onto this and follow it until it eventually leaves the forest at a gate. Turn left and follow the broad track left and right and then, as it tracks across the head of the valley, pass a huge water pipe. Next bear left, off the track, to follow a narrow path along the ridge top.
3
Guidebook Walking Around the Plynlimon Hills by Roger Handley, pb Kittiwake
in association with
To get this route and maps on your phone now, go to www.viewranger.com/trail Route code TRL0308
GRADIENT PROFILE
Start
1400 1200 METRES 1000 ABOVE 800 SEA 600 LEVEL 400 200 MILES KILOMETRES
Pistyll y Llyn
1 0 0
128 Trail november 2012
2
Hafodwnog
Finish
3
4
1 1
SN762945 Continue along the ridge top
4
Pistyll y Llyn seen from above, on the descent.
2
until you are running parallel with the track again and cross a stile before bearing half left to start losing height. Drop until you pass above a fence corner and follow the contour lines to cross a patch of marshy, reedy ground. Now bear half right to follow the edge of this up to a gap in the fence. Go through and follow the ridge top until you verge with a fence on the left by a gate. Keep the fence to your left and continue to the end, where you turn left. Cross the field, parallel to the fence above, and then bear right to drop steeply to a gate. Go through and follow a good track down into the farmyard. Turn right to return to the car park.
3
2
3 4
5
6
4
mid wales 8.1km/5 miles
always take a map out with you on the hill
Cadair Idris SH732115 Leave the car park through the gate next to the toilets and turn right to head up the broad tree-lined lane that leads up to Dôl-y-Cae. Go through the kissing gate in front of this and turn left to walk beneath the house and over a bridge. Now turn right through a clearly signed gate and follow the steep, purpose-built Minffordd Path up into the trees. The flagstone steps make reasonably easy work of the gradient and soon you’ll emerge through a gap in a wall onto the open hillside
1
Goo d pat hs, eas y scram ble
facts STRENUOUSNESS NAVIGATION TECHNICALITY trail 100 COUNT
Total ascent 930m Time 5-6 hours Start/finish Dôl Idris car park (SH732115) Terrain good paths and a steep but easy scramble Maps OS Landranger (1:50,000) 124; OS Explorer (1:25,000) OL23
along the retaining moraine bank to the outlet in the north-east corner. SH717125 Cross the outlet – it can normally
4
SH711124 The way ahead is obvious: follow the path into the ever narrowing gulley. It steepens near the top and is definitely hands-on, although never difficult. There are a few different lines but all end up in the same place. A steep final pull gains a deeply cut niche in the ridge that leads between Craig Cau and the main summit of Penygadair. Turn right to follow the main cairned path steeply up to the summit, where there’s a trig point and a bothy that can be very welcome on a bad day.
4
3 2 1
in association with
To get this route and maps on your phone now, go to www.viewranger.com/trail Route code TRL0309
MILES KILOMETRES
Start
0 0
be jumped at its narrowest point – and follow a good path along the northern shores of the lake. You’ll hurdle a couple of awkward rock ribs and then climb a little to arrive at the broad foot of a gulley, directly above the north-west corner of the lake. This is the Stone Shoot; but don’t worry – its bark is much worse than its bite.
Public transport buses between Machynlleth and Dolgellau. Traveline Cymru 0870 608 2608 www.travelinecymru.org Guidebooks Day Walks in Snowdonia by Tom Hutton, pb Vertebrate Graphics; Mountain & Hillwalking in Snowdonia Vol 2 by Carl Rogers, pb Mara Books
SH711130 To descend, retrace your steps back to the top of the Stone Shoot, and keep straight ahead to clamber up onto the summit of Craig Cau. Keep straight ahead, over a stile, and keep following the obvious, rocky path as it traces the edge of Cwm Cau, eventually veering south-east. Now follow it all the way to a gap in the shoulder, where a cairn marks the main path dropping left to descend into Cwm Cau. Stay with the path as it tracks right to rejoin the path you walked in on. Now simply retrace your steps back down to the car park.
5
Cadair Idris
2
3
4
1 1
54 3
2 2
3
Finish
4
4 5
6
7
8
5
november 2012 Trail 129
© Crown copyright in association with BAUER’s media licence no. AM105/09
path splits again. Keep right to walk past a large rocky rib to the shores of Llyn Cau. Once there, bear right to walk
5
1
■■■■■ ■■■■■ ■■■■■ 1
Distance 8.1km (5 miles)
3
1400 1200 METRES 1000 ABOVE 800 SEA 600 LEVEL 400 200
11
scramble
Leaving point 5, Cadair Idris summit.
Keep ahead 2 SH727120 for a few steps and then bear left when the path splits by a bridge. Now continue around the hillside and climb easily into the mouth of Cwm Cau, where the
GRADIENT GRADIENT PROFILE PROFILE
route