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LAKE DISTRICT
SILENT HILLS EXPLORE STUNNING LAKELAND PEAKS – BY THE BACK DOOR
ON TEST SLEEPING MATS+ TREKKING POLES SNOWDONIA
The one that wishes there really was a mountaineer named Munchies Irwin
WILD WEEKEND ADVENTURES!
Tailor-made three-walk mountain missions from Betws-y-Coed and Eskdale
HOW TO...
GOLD DofE EXPEDITION Trail tackles it! SOUTH HIGHLANDS
BEN CRUACHAN
They thought it was Britain’s highest. Find out why...
MAKE AN EMERGENCY KIT BEAT SNOW BLINDNESS NEVER GET BLISTERS AGAIN!
OUT THERE
Been there, climbed that? Send us a picture!
Ben Klibreck north Highlands
Nicki, Pete and Iain, in -17 deg C temperatures, wishing Rob would hurry up and take the photo (the stunning views made it all worthwhile though).
Crib Goch Snowdonia
Ian, back in May, about to walk the Snowdon Horseshoe with his mate Dash.
Arches National Park Utah USA Derren, exploring the maze of fins, canyons and arches that make up the Fiery Furnace hike. Helen took the pic.
The Old Man of Coniston Lake District Catherine and Matt, having the previous day got married halfway up The Old Man. 25 guests just out of shot! 6 TRAIL APRIL 2013
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
Beinn Dorain south Highlands John, on a three-day walking trip with brother Andrew (behind the lens). Andrew tells us they had “excellent weather and lots of snow”. No kidding...!
Meall a’ Bhuachaille Cairngorms RAF Lossiemouth ladies Lou (with Ralph), Jennifer, Sarah, Suzanne, Steph and Alice, enjoying a taste of hillwalking (and hot chocolate).
contents out there skills
Where this month’s issue will take you...
Bring your photos to life 10
Create mountain art with the click of a button
Battle for Cape Wrath
12
One of Britain’s four corners is under threat
Dream peak
16
Behind the picture
18
The Snowdonian giant that is Moel Siabod Dr Kellas, pioneer of Himalayan adventure
p32
Subscribe and get a Jetboil!
adventures 57
Trail Skills
Say goodbye to blisters; emergency gear (including a DIY first aid kit, and comms & navigation back-up) PLUS save your sight; snow know-how; hot drink heaven
your trail
Out there
Ben Cruachan
22
Lakeland solitude
34
Scotland’s ‘hollow mountain’: blighted man-scape or fascinating landscape?
We tread the quietest corner of our busiest National Park: a pleasing, unpeopled place
Tackling the Gold DofE 46 4
Trail heads to Snowdonia to discover how gruelling this teenage rite of passage really is
Your best mountain moments, on camera
20
Trail talk
p34
The world of hillwalking, according to you lot
32
Subscribe and save! Last gasp
138
A ridiculously spectacular photograph of Ben Nevis, as you’ve never seen it before
p22
“I understood what I found so unsettling about the landscape – it was possessed.” disconcerted by ben cruachan: find out why...
tom bailey
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FREE WITH THIS ISSUE! 100 PAGES PACKED WITH THE HOTTEST HILL KIT FOR 2013!
ROUTES
GEAR Gear news
70
Gregory Contour 60
72
The must-have hill kit that’s coming soon A rucksack rammed with innovation
Hill trousers
Comfy kecks for mountain adventures
74
Sleeping mats
84
Trekking poles
92
Warmth + support = good camp kip Protect your knees with a pair of these
p84
Sleeping mats matter!
A Gold DofE lapel badge is earned. See page 46.
Lake District
107
Snowdonia
109
Dartmoor
111
Cairngorms
113
Route 1 Ennerdale A transatlantic-style hike over High Stile
Route 2 Craig Cwm Silyn Explore the western end of the Nantlle Ridge
Route 3 Kestor Rock What better place for a spot of wild camping?
Route 4 Ben Macdui Overnight epic on the UK’s second highest
South Highlands
115
Isle of Mull
117
Route 5 Ben Donich The accessible Arrochar Alps reveal secrets
Route 6 Ben More A ‘big mountain’ not for the faint-hearted
Betws-y-Coed
Route 7 Llyn Elsi Route 8 Y Glyderau Route 9 Moel Siabod
119
Snowdonia’s tourist hub proves a great base for a weekend of Welsh walking
Eskdale
123
Peak District
127
Route 10 The Scafells Route 11 Bowfell Route 12 Muncaster Fell This Lakeland valley mixes lonely grandeur with rhododendrons and railway tracks
Route 13 Edale Round Our Classic Route takes you on a long, challenging, circular walk around the skyline of Edale’s enclosing ridge
Classic Route
with 3D maps APRIL 2013 TRAIL 9
out there dream peak
moel siabod snowdonia If it’s summit views we’re talking, then Moel Siabod is a fine one to mull over. From the 872m ceiling of this Welsh giant you can see straight into Snowdon’s tendrilous maw. In fact, you’ve got a frontrow seat: there are only nine grid squares, and nothing over 600m, between it and Snowdonia’s highest. But how to reach it? If you’re just after the spectacular vista, the logical walker would climb Siabod’s gentle northern slopes and think little of it. But that, naturally, would be to miss the point. Look beyond its mild side and you’ll discover a landscape guaranteed to set the pulse racing. A boisterous Grade 1 scramble sits on its south-east ridge, and its eastern face houses a rough and rugged glacial cirque to rival any in the range. Overlook it at your peril.
do it this month! ›› turn to page 122
16 Trail april 2013
dream it, do it!
Moel Siabod’s soft western slopes under an illuminating coat of snow. A frozen Llyn Teyrn sits in the foreground. Š PearlBucknall / Alamy
april 2013 Trail 17
Where? South Highlands What? Taming Ben Cruachan
A MOUNTAIN Enslaved by men and bent to their will, is there anything wild left of Ben Cruachan? WORDS BEN WEEKS PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY
22 TRAIL APRIL 2013
Ben Cruachan looms above a spectacular temperature inversion. © ANDREW SCOTT-MARTIN / ALAMY
POSSESSED S omewhere between knowing your exact location and being completely lost is a place that many of us visit on occasion. It’s not that you don’t know where you are. It’s more a case of not being where you’d expected. The night before, we’d been huddled in the bar of the Brander Lodge. With a pint in one hand, photographer Tom Bailey quoted from the Munros guidebook he held in the other. “The ascent,” he told us, “starts with a short scramble through the left railway arch.” The following morning we parked in a layby the book had said would be there and, a matter of yards away, we’d found the group of three arches that marks the start of the climb. But passing under the left arch brought us face to face with a near-vertical wall of wet rock, sodden earth and exposed tree routes. None of us much fancied the look of it. The other arches were checked, just in case we or ❯
APRIL 2013 TRAIL 23
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Where? Lake District What? Avoiding the crowds
The sound of silence Ice-bound in winter, inaccessible, but with a secret way in... Trail’s man explores the quietest corner of our busiest National Park. Words Paul Rees Photographs Tom Bailey
34 Trail april 2013
All alone on Little Stand, looking to Slight Side and Scafell.
t
here are two undeniable truths about Lakeland. One is that the pick of it has a grandeur that steals the breath away, no matter how many times you feast upon it. The other is that it can feel as if you’re being trampled underfoot in the rush to experience as much. Personally, I still shiver at the memory of waiting in line to head up Scafell Pike – and this at dawn, deep into October. Not this time. Into the afternoon of our second day in the hills, photographer Tom and I pass two fellow walkers on a rocky path winding up Great Carrs. There would normally be nothing notable about such an encounter; but on this lovely, crisp day we are in the heart of the Lakes and these are the first people we have seen, let alone met, in the past 24 hours. �
april 2013 Trail 35
Where? Glyders, Snowdonia What? A UK rite of passage The spiky arms of Snowdon (Y Lliwedd and Crib Goch) seen from the southern slopes of Glyder Fach.
Gold DofE HOW HARD CAN IT BE?
Done it? Not done it? Don't know what it is? Well, classroom legend says it is a notoriously gruelling outdoor rite of passage for young people. But what is the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition really like? Trail finds out… WORDS DAN ASPEL PHOTOGRAPHS MATTHEW ROBERTS 46 TRAIL APRIL 2013
APRIL 2013 TRAIL 47
GEAR
NEWS PRODUCT OF THE MONTH
A quick round-up of the new kit Trail has been playing with on and off the hill this month...
Keela Cumulus Pro Mountain Jacket £140 When you buy a new piece of gear, you like to think it’s been created by experts who know and use the stuff. Keela’s Cumulus waterproof was developed in partnership with mountain rescue teams, so straight away we’re off to a good start. And actually, when you start to examine the jacket, its MRT heritage is clear. There are multiple usefully-sized pockets with stormflaps and D-ring retainers that will swallow maps, gloves or whatever you need to stow away. There’s also a small pocket on the left wrist, which (we’re told) MRT members use for latex gloves when treating injuries on the hill, although its application for the average walker is less clear. Nonetheless, for a very reasonable £140 you get a solid, well-made hard shell that’s been specifically designed for tough days on British hills with input from some of the UK’s finest hillgoers. Naturally, it’s also available in Mountain Rescue Red. ❯❯ www.keela.co.uk
Platypus Sprinter XT 25/35 £120/130 Think Platypus and you think hydration bladders. Well, those and a duck-billed egg-laying mammal. But as of this year you can also buy rucksacks emblazoned with the Platypus name. For hikers like us are the Sprinter XT 25 and 35 packs, both available in two torso lengths. They have most of the things you’d expect from day packs of this size: wand pockets, axe/ pole attachments, belt pockets and, of course, a hydration pouch. They’re sleek and streamlined, but the price may be a deterrent unless you’re really sold on their styling. ❯❯ cascadedesigns.com/platypus 70 TRAIL APRIL 2013
A Platypus pack: nice styling, and quite a prominent bill...
WIN PRIZES WORTH £539! Lifesystems Intensity 560 £45 A torch: an essential tool in a hillwalker’s pack – and most of us opt for a headtorch. But this hand-held effort is an effective, ruggedly built illumination-giving device. The downside? Well, it takes two CR123a lithium batteries, which, while offering great reliability and longevity (20 hours), are unlikely to be found in any of your other hill-going electricals so you’ll need to carry a set of spares just for this. But it is small (132mm long) and intensely bright (560 lumens). It also has a lower-power option and a full-power flash setting for attracting attention. ❯❯ www.lifesystems.co.uk
Win 1 x Therm-aRest Neoair X-Lite sleeping mat worth £120 reviewed on page 92
We want one of those! Alpkit Battling the Elements mugs £35 Yes, that does seem rather a lot for a set of four mugs. Nearly nine quid each is pricy when you can pick a bog-standard plain mug from a pound shop for, well, a pound. But these are not bog-standard plain mugs. These are Andy Smith-designed Alpkit mugs, celebrating the conflict of man against the elements in vivid, technicolour form. Be taken back to your hardiest hill battles with the weather as you sup your choice of hot beverage from one of the four works of art, smug in the knowledge that you’ve earned the right. ❯❯ www.alpkit.com
EDZ Merino Wool Touchscreen Gloves £14.99 In last month’s Q&A we addressed the issue of using touchscreen GPS receivers while wearing gloves. Lo and behold, no sooner had that issue gone to press than we received these gloves from Keswick-based EDZ. Made from soft, wicking merino wool, they’re ideal liner gloves, but with the added benefit of silver strands woven into the wool to make them touch-screen-conductive. Although you’ll need to whip off your thick outer gloves to use your touchscreen device, you will at least be able to keep these liners on to retain some warmth in your pinkies while navigating on a cold day. ❯❯ www.edzlayering.com
Win 1 x Karrimor X-Lite FL sleeping mat worth £70 reviewed on page 87
Win 1 x Vaude Norrsken sleeping mat worth £100 reviewed on page 91
Win 1 x MSR Surelock UL-3 poles worth £70 reviewed on page 94 Win 1 x Fizan Compact poles worth £60 reviewed on page 93
Win 1 x Black Diamond Ultra Mountain FL poles worth £119 reviewed on page 95 To be in with a chance of winning one of these fab prizes go to: www. greatcompetitions.co.uk/trail
APRIL 2013 TRAIL 71
group test What you need to know Quality trousers are a much underrated piece of kit for the UK hillwalker, backpacker and scrambler – although mountaineers certainly do take more care when choosing a pair, as they will need them to perform well in more challenging situations. For many years there were few options in legwear but today the choice is vast, meaning there is something for virtually every personal preference. There are some features that most hillwalkers would agree are worth having in a pair of trousers, such as a good fit that’s not too baggy and yet not too tight and restrictive. Some water resistance is
helpful, as is a scattering of suitable pockets. But the exact combination of features is very personal, with some walkers rating pockets as essential for OS maps and a GPS receiver, while scramblers and mountaineers may rank a close fit, durability and freedom of movement most highly. In this test we’ve focused on what we think hillwalkers will find ideal when, for instance, bagging Munros or backpacking across Dartmoor – so these trousers all offer stretch fabric, great pockets and a good cut. We received examples costing from £45 to £200 and have picked the best across the price range.
features
What to look for
How Trail did the test Manufacturers were asked to send in technical hillwalking trousers for scramblers and mountaineers for use in spring, summer and autumn while hillwalking, scrambling and backpacking in the Peak District, Lakes, Snowdonia and Scotland. We received 25 pairs and whittled them down to the eight finalists shown here after using them in the Lake District.
Waist design
Fly opening
A stretchy waist, either with a belt, or the option to fit a belt, gives all-round adjustability. Some waistbands are lined with soft fabric for more comfort and others sit higher at the back to prevent cold spots when bending over.
Not all trousers have a fly opening while some have a fly with a double zip so you can open them from either the bottom or top, for easier use when wearing a jacket, a rucksack or a harness.
Pockets If you want to store anything in the pockets while walking then a zip is essential to prevent items from falling out. If you like to keep a map or guidebook to hand when not wearing a waterproof or other pocketed jacket, then a large, map-sized thigh pocket is ideal; but not all trousers have them.
Stretch panels Stretch fabrics are commonly used to improve freedom of movement in the knees and seat. Some trousers are made from stretch material throughout for even greater comfort.
Ankle cuff The ankles of trousers can be too wide, so they flap about and potentially snag or get torn. Conversely a very narrow, close-fitting ankle is not very fashionable, and so many walkers prefer a medium relaxed fit. A zipped gusset allows some control over the fit in this area on some trousers, while others have a small drawcord or Velcro tab to give some adjustment.
76 Trail April 2013
Durability Heavier fabrics are often more durable, but lighter trousers may have reinforced panels on the ankle cuff, seat and knees to improve longterm wear – and this may be particularly of benefit for those scrambling over rock regularly.
HILL TROUSERS CRAGHOPPERS KIWI PRO BEST VALUE STRETCH ACTIVE TROUSER £45 MAGAZINE
Kiwi clothing from Craghoppers is an extremely popular range with walkers and travellers – and the addition of the Pro Stretch Active Trouser provides something for the more demanding user at an excellent price. For just £45 you’re getting a two-way stretch fabric that’s also guaranteed to provide UPF 40 protection against UV rays from the sun. The cut of the trouser is ideal for walkers and backpackers as it is reasonably close without being restrictive. The waist is elasticated and has belt loops. You don’t get a diamond crotch panel, but the stretch fabric provides plenty of movement here. There is some articulation in the knee and the calf area is not too baggy, which is good as there is no adjustment in this area. The pockets are all
MAGAZINE
BEST VALUE
zipped and the leg pocket is wide enough for an OS map, but it isn’t deep enough to fully accommodate it. These trousers aren’t perfect, but at this price they’re more than good enough for most walkers heading up the valley, across the moors or into the mountains; but you will get a better product if you pay more.
TRAIL VERDICT
A superb price for a very good trouser that provides most of what people will need when moorland, hill or mountain walking and backpacking. RATINGS FEATURES DESIGN COMFORT PERFORMANCE VALUE
✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱✱
OVERALL
✱✱✱✱
RAB SAWTOOTH PANT £70 The Sawtooth is a thinner trouser than some of the higher-priced examples, and this thinner fabric makes it better for slightly milder conditions than the heavier, warmer materials. The Sawtooth is very stretchy in four directions, which makes it instantly comfortable, but it doesn’t come in the range of leg lengths of other trousers. I needed an XL in this trouser, while in others the size L fitted me – and this may be because there is no stretch in the waist. The waist is comfortable though, with a tricot lining and belt loops if needed. There is a diamond crotch panel too for extra comfort. The knees are articulated and there is some additional reinforcement at the ankle cuff to prevent scuffing from damaging the trouser. The lower leg isn’t too wide, which is good as
there isn’t a zipped gusset to manage it, but you do get a hem drawcord. All that is pretty good, but what sets the Sawtooth apart from other similar trousers is that it gets an OS map-sized thigh pocket on each leg, so it’s ideal for left-handed or right-handed people to stash a map or guidebook on the move.
MAGAZINE
BEST VALUE TRAIL VERDICT
Mild-weather trouser with great pockets, good general comfort and features for walking and backpacking.
RATINGS FEATURES DESIGN COMFORT PERFORMANCE VALUE
✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱
OVERALL
✱✱✱✱
APRIL 2013 TRAIL 77
GROUP TEST
SLEEPING MATS Warmth and comfort: two absolute necessities if you’re camping out at any time of year, and it’s your sleeping mat that will make or break a night’s kip. Here Trail tests eight of the best... TEST SIMON INGRAM PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY
84 TRAIL APRIL 2013
Sleeping mats
what we tested ALPKIT Airo KARRIMOR X-lite FL MULTIMAT Adventure 38 HYALITE Peak AC Regular KLYMIT Inertia X-Frame VAUDE Norrsken THERM-A-REST Neoair X-Lite EXPED Downmat UL 7 M
£40 £70 £79 £80 £85 £100 £120 £150
april 2013 Trail 85
Inverness
idge
13 route peak district
Aviemore
rgarry
Aberdeen
Braemar
classic route
gow
Edinburgh Berwick-upon-Tweed
Ayr
Jedburgh
Newcastle -upon-Tyne
Carlisle
STRENUOUSNESS ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Penrith Keswick NAVIGATION ■■■■■ Middlesbrough TECHNICALITY ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Northallerton
Ingleton Bentham Lancaster
Kinder Low
Pennine Way
Windermere Kendal
York
Skipton
Edale Rocks
Leeds
Conway
Liverpool Rhyl
Manchester
Swine’s Back
Sheffield
Bodelwyddan
etws-y-Coed
Llangollen Derby
5
Barmouth
wyth
Edale Head
Pym
Noe Stool The Cloughs
4
’s Ladder ob Ja c Way ine n n e P
Peterborough
Birmingham
Distance 24.1km (15 miles) Hay-on-Wye 950m BreconTotal ascent Gloucester Time 7-8 hours
oke Swansea
Oxford
Start/finish Edale, Cardiff SK123852 Bristol
Brown Knoll
Nearest town Glossop Minehead
Terrain valley roads, Southampton steep-sided clough, Exeter Poole moorland plateau, packhorse tracks, Plymouth exposed moorland summits, boggy ground, col and long narrow crest
Brighton
6
Maps OS Landranger (1:50,000) 110; OS Explorer (1:25,000) OL1; British Mountain Maps (1:40,000) Dark Peak
Public transport Traveline (buses) 0871 200 2233; National Rail Enquiries 08457 484950 Guidebooks High Peak Walks by Mark Richards, pb Cicerone; Pennine Way Companion by A Wainwright, pb Frances Lincoln; Freedom to Roam, High Peak, Kinder Scout and Edale by Roly Smith, pb Frances Lincoln
128 Trail april 2013
tom bailey
Tourist info (01433) 670207; www. visitpeakdistrict.com
Leaving the top of Mam Tor.
SK123852 With easy access via both train and car, Edale provides the best place to start this walk. Parking is limited in Grindsbrook Booth so make use of the big car park near the railway station. The main ascent of the day is right at the very start with a fairly sharp slog to the rocks of Ringing Roger. From Grindsbook Booth, just up the road from Edale, a path crosses Grinds Brook and then zigzags north-east up the blunt spur of The Nab to gain the base of the rocks. The path then makes a bypass and swings around the western flank of Ringing Roger onto
1
the plateau edge. If you fancy doing some scrambling, the crest of Ringing Roger provides a bit of excitement. SK125875 Once on the plateau take the path that heads west along the edge. It provides easy walking with lofty views over Grinds Brook. Grindslow Knoll is out on a limb, set slightly apart from the Kinder Scout plateau, and can be bypassed. However it’s worth taking the time to reach it as from its large and rather chaotic cairn you can either stand and peer out across the great expanses of peat and heather, or turn and
At Noe Stool, looking towards Pym Chair. © Neil Dangerfield / Alamy
Accommodation Edale Youth Hostel 0845 371 9514, www. yha.org.uk; Fieldhead Camp Site (01433) 670386; Coopers Camp and Caravan Site (01433) 670372
An early morning view towards Horsehill Tor, Vale of Edale.
© eli pascall-willis / Alamy
n
facts
Dumfries
ewton Stewart
2
peer past the ring of gritstone crags down into the verdant valley below. This contrast of views is what goes to make this desolate moorland such a special place.
SK109868 From Grindslow Knoll the plateau edge path is followed west around the head of Crowden Clough to the impressive gritstone tors of Crowden Tower, and just a
3
�
C
always take a map out with you on the hill
S
Nether Tor
R
N D E
2 Grind s Br o ok
Cro
Crowden Tower
wd en
B
Fox Holes Grindslow Knoll
ok
ro
m Chair
Hartshorn
deG nolCd leonu g
I
T
the high points
Ringing Roger
h
Crowden Tower 619m/2,031ft Hartshorn 609m/1,998ft Grindslow Knoll 601m/1,972ft
ol
K
C O U
G
3
Brown Knoll 569m/1867ft
The Nab
Lord’s Seat 546m/1,791ft Colborne 521m/1,709ft
1 Kilometre
N
1 Mile
NORTH
Mam Tor 517m/1,696ft
Grindsbrook Booth
Lose Hill 476m/1,562ft
Ollerbrook Booth
Edale START/ FINISH
Lose Hill
1
10 Ward’s Piece
Black Tor Horsehill Tor
Cold Side Hollins Cross
Colborne
9
Mam Farm Mam Tor el ap Ch
te Ga
H
P
O
V
E
A
E L L
Y
8 Lord’s Seat p shu Ru
Grindslow Knoll from Grindsbrook Clough.
e Edg
Windy Knoll
7
GRADIENT PROFILE
METRES ABOVE SEA LEVEL
Grindslow Knoll
Edale 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200
MILES KILOMETRES
© Vincent Lowe / Alamy
‘This contrast of views is what goes to make this desolate moorland such a special place’ Edale Cross
Ringing Roger
1 0 0
1 2
3 2 3
Mam Tor
Edale
Lose Hill
Brown Knoll
2 1
Rushup Edge
4
3 5
4 4
6
7
5 8
5 6
9
10
6 7 11
12
7 8 13
8
9 14
15
10 16
17
11 18
9
10
12 19 20
13 21
14 22
23
15 24
april 2013 Trail 129