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JANUARY 2016
I
START 2016 ON A HIGH! 12 route cards + OS maps
THE UK’S BEST-SELLING HILLWALKING MAGAZINE
SPECIAL EDITION
IRISH GIANTS
7 SUMMITS CHALLENGE!
GO FURTHER CLIMB HIGHER DREAM BIGGER
Peaks you won’t believe exist – in a long weekend!
JANUARY 2016 £4.45
TOWER RIDGE Thrills ’n’ chills on Ben Nevis’s toughest route
Your year of discovery High ambitions
TRYFAN
Breaking new ground on a Snowdonian icon the one that might be the start of something truly great
Winter boots on test
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Mountain heroes reveal the UK peaks on their wish list
Britain’s top 10 bothies l England’s greatest horseshoe in 3D
Contents
WHERE TRAIL WILL TAKE YOU Ten of the best bothies – page 52.
Ben Cruachan: subject of The M Files – page 73.
Ben Nevis’s Tower Ridge gets a LOT tougher than this – see how much on page 62.
BASE CAMP Climb it
ADVENTURES 6
High ambition
Pillar: ‘extraordinary chaos’, but in a good way
Experience it
8
Sparkling ‘hallmark of the cool season’: frost
MI
EN
U 7 S
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Chosen a challenge for 2016? Why not share it with us!
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7 Summits 10
R AIL
TS CHA
LL
The Mountain Inquisition 12
Stuart Maconie: writer, broadcaster, fellwalker and bacon butty fan
The bookshelf
18
SKILLS Expert advice
Tryfan 70
How to avoid becoming a Mountain Rescue statistic; the importance of route plans; all about Ben Cruachan; scrambling through the seasons; ponchos; smaller Scottish hills
YOUR TRAIL In box
36
Trail takes a fresh look at a Welsh favourite
Mini adventure
42
A short walk behind a big Beacons waterfall
Ireland
44
To the wild south-west, for awesome walking
Bothying 20
52
Ten of our best free-to-use upland shelters
The world of hillwalking: your thoughts
Why walk in winter Out there
22
58
Okay; it’s cold. But you don’t have to hibernate!
Your top mountain moments + Face of fatigue
Tower Ridge
Printed products that’ll appeal to hillwalkers
Subscribe to Trail
34
Sign up now and trouser some serious savings
4 TRAIL JANUARY 2016
26
Inspiration (if needed) for your 7 Summits list
62
Or, how to scare the pants off a Yorkshireman
NEIL S PRICE, TOM BAILEY
Thrilling ways to tackle Tryfan – page 36.
‘Patiently’ awaiting that post-Carrauntoohil pint – page 44.
STEPHEN ASHWORTH
“Have I just done the hardest bit?” I ask. A chorus of laughter follows.
GEAR GUIDE Hot new kit
TRAIL ROUTES 76
Box-fresh stuff that’s caught Trail’s eye
Test of the best
78
Winter boots: your friends on chilly hills
Best for your budget
82
Headtorches: absolutely-must-carry gadgets
Gear chooser
86
Ice axes and crampons for a range of users
Kit me out for...
88
...extreme cold: snuggle up with this little lot
First test
90
Heck! A genuine innovation in trekking poles
Used & abused Team Trail appraises its paraphernalia
1 Walla Crag 2 Great Ridge 3 Pumlumon 4 Pen yr Ole Wen 5 Goatfell 6 Beinn a’ Bheithir 7-9 Dartmoor tors 10-12 Oban
101 103 105 107 109 111 113 117
6
10 11 12 5
Oban
Goatfell Walla Crag
1
Map of the month Coniston Old Man 4
Pen yr Ole Wen 3
122 127 129
Ridge guide Aonach Eagach
Walks of a lifetime Ennerdale
PLUS Walks of a lifetime Ridge guide Map of the month
Beinn a’ Bheithir
7
8 9
Great Ridge
Pumlumon Pumlumon
Dartmoor tors
92 ● CHOOSE YOUR ROUTE AND GO HILLWALKING!
JANUARY 2016 TRAIL 5
2
High on the Ring of Steall in the Scottish Highlands: you can't beat that feeling of achievement. Here's how you can make it last all year and knock off some all-time ambitions...
ONE YEAR
TOM BAILEY
SEVEN SUMMITS
...AND YOU
Kick off 2016 by taking part in Trail’s brand new UK challenge. And guess what? Where you go and what you do is totally up to you – all we ask is that you share it with us!
S
top reading and think: what’s the one UK peak you’ve always wanted to climb but have never set foot on? Quick! Before you forget, write its name at the top of the list opposite. Chances are, once you’ve done that, another will suggest itself… and another and another – which is why we’ve given you space for seven. Seven summits, seven hillwalking trips, seven glorious adventures with pals or alone on hills that you’ve been yearning to tick for ages. Doesn’t matter if they’re big, small, famous, obscure – after all, what draws folk to mountains isn’t always the highest point. Sometimes it’s simply immersion in a landscape, a goal achieved, a long day out and a pint at the end. This is your list, after all; so make sure you put whatever you like on there. And guess what? You get a bonus ball,
10 TRAIL JANUARY 2016
too – an experience, or a route, or an expedition. What would that be? Two weeks of wilderness on the Cape Wrath Trail? A weekend of nervous tension on the Cuillin Traverse? Or an overnight wild camp, waking at dawn to a fast-boiled coffee? There’s only one rule: it’s got to be in the UK hills. Otherwise it’s your call. Do what you like. This little list just gives you a basis from which your best year in the mountains can spring. And if you need extra inspiration, go to page 26, where some of the UK’s mountain experts reveal the ambitions they still want to achieve. Got your list? Now tell us about it! Take a quick snap and share it online – or have a peek at others’ to fatten out your own. Encourage friends to join you if you want
– there’s nothing to say this has to be a solo mission, and there’s little better than a hill day with pals. This list of seven summits is only the beginning. Wet your boots in the heather and moss, and you’ll almost certainly find more to explore. Odds are that while you’re out on one walk, you’ll spot a distant unthought-of peak from afar, ready for the next list. Mountain climbers have a tendency towards the insatiable. In 2016, remind yourself why. ›› PS: Keep us updated! Email us your photos, share with #Trail7summits and you could end up in Trail...
● NEED INSPIRATION? CHECK OUT PAGE 26!
Base Camp
M
Where are you based? Put an X on the map!
MI
EN
U 7 S
M A G A Z I N E #Trail7summits
R AIL GE
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TS CHAL
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My name In 2016 I will climb... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Bonus Route/experience/goal...
Now make it ofďŹ cial: share your ambitions with us, and others like you! Fill in the list above, take a photo of it and share it on your platform of choice using #Trail7summits, email it to trail@bauermedia.co.uk or visit www.lfto.com/7summits. Here’s to a great 2016! livefortheoutdoors.com
facebook /trailmagazine
twitter @trailmagazine
instagram #trailmagazine
JANUARY 2016 TRAIL 11
HAYSTACKS LAKE DISTRICT Tim and Suzanne from Preston, celebrating n their final Wainwright in suitable e style. They said, “We have enjoyed them h all – wind, rain, snow and the odd d day of sunshine!”
ENNERDALE LAKE DISTRICT Rod, The BFG (Paul), Rich, Jim i and Mike from Bishop’s Stortford o outside ‘wonderful‘ YHA Black Sail. a Rod said the weather was near-perfect p for their trekking weekend, which included a wild camp at Styhead t Tarn. A lady staying at the e hostel took the photo.
LADAKH INDIA
CARN NA DROCHAIDE CAIRNGORMS
Phew, made it! Simon Ridout and William Newsom from Cumbria and Somerset at the 6245m summit of Kang Yatze 2. Expedition leader Martin Moran caught the moment.
At 9 months old, Calum Moss from Ballindalloch is already a veteran of 11 Corbetts (though not necessarily under his own steam). Mum and dad Nicola and Darran, who took the pic, tell us Calum enjoys, among other things, “giggling at startled grouse”. Us too, Calum!
THIS COULD BE YOU!
Send your shots, marked ‘Summit selfie’ to trail@ bauermedia.co.uk
SUMMIT SELFIE JACK’S RAKE LAKE DISTRICT Gary Robson (taking the pic), Russ Blythe and Annabel Wood from York, high on life above Stickle Tarn. Gary said they introduced Russ to hillwalking by taking him up Jack’s Rake and doing all the Langdales!
Each issue we’ll be giving away the new Summit 25/38 mattress from Multimat’s Expedition range. New materials make this self-inflating sleeping mat tougher and lighter for durability on unsupported expeditions. Tested to -35 deg C, its wedge profile maximises comfort and minimises weight, while a warm zone improves tog value under the torso.
24 TRAIL JANUARY 2016
In association with
www.multimat.uk.com
Out there Post Trail editorial, Bauer, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA Email trail@bauermedia.co.uk Prefix all 6-digit numbers with 01733
MONT BLANC DU TACUL FRENCH ALPS This is Jackson Griffith from Epping Forest, climbing the shoulders of the mountain at around 6am, with dawn breaking across Col du Midi. The photo was taken by guide Miha Habjan.
EDITORIAL Editor Simon Ingram (468205) Deputy editor Oli Reed (468369) Art editor Louise Parker (468292) Production editor Sally Walters (468165) News and features writer Ben Weeks (468363) Staff writer Sarah Ryan (468698) Editorial assistant Hannah James (468205) Photographer Tom Bailey Technical editor Graham Thompson Mountaineering editor Jeremy Ashcroft Map illustrator Steve Hall (468235) Head of publishing Shane Collins (468236) ADVERTISING Commercial manager Angelo Gentile (366417) angelo.gentile@bauermedia.co.uk Commercial director Iain Grundy (366414) Key account manager Stephen Tanner (366402) Classified sales Lucy Dempsey (363203) MARKETING Marketing manager Charlotte Walsh (468163) Product Manager Lynne Fairburn (468111) Direct marketing manager Susie Rogers (468565) Direct marketing executive Rebecca Lambert (468804) Head of newstrade marketing Leon Benoiton (468129) PRODUCTION Print production Colin Robinson (468072) Ad production leisureads@bauermedia.co.uk (468772) Printers Polestar Bicester Distribution Frontline (555161) SUBSCRIPTIONS AND BACK ISSUES To ensure that you don’t miss an issue and for the best subscription offers visit www.greatmagazines.co.uk For subscription or back issue enquiries, please contact CDS Global at bauer@subscription.co.uk Phone +44 (0)1858 438884 (UK and overseas) Head of e-publishing Jim Foster Digital edition queries? Email digitalmagazinesupport@bauermedia.co.uk BAUER CONSUMER MEDIA MD, Leisure & Technology Kim Slaney Editorial director June Smith-Sheppard Head of digital Charlie Calton-Watson Group direct marketing director Chris Gadsby Finance director Lisa Hayden Group finance director Sarah Vickery Group managing director Rob Munro-Hall CEO Paul Keenan
SNOWDON SNOWDONIA This happy band is Rob Fox, Cat Lowe, Jamie Devine and Jess Busuttil from Northampton, completing the Welsh 3000s Challenge (in 28 hours) on Wales’ highest peak. They’ve been up to all sorts of adventures to raise funds for charity and have no plans to stop yet! Guide Paul Edwards from Adventurous Ewe took the photo.
If you or someone you know are aged between 16 and 24 and are interested in work experience opportunities at Bauer Media go to: www.gothinkbig.co.uk Trail magazine is published 13 times of year by Bauer Consumer Media Ltd, registered address 1 Lincoln Court, Lincoln Road, Peterborough PE1 2RF. Registered number 01176085. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in any form in whole or in part, without the prior permission of Bauer. All material published remains the copyright of Bauer and we reserve the right to copy or edit, any material submitted to the magazine without further consent. The submission of material (manuscripts or images etc) to Bauer Media, whether unsolicited or requested, is taken as permission to publish that material in the magazine, on the associated website, any apps or social media pages affiliated to the magazine, and any editions of the magazine published by our licensees elsewhere in the world. By submitting any material to us you are confirming that the material is your own original work or that you have permission from the copyright owner to use the material and to authorise Bauer to use it as described in this paragraph. You also promise that you have permission from anyone featured or referred to in the submitted material to it being used by Bauer. If Bauer receives a claim from a copyright owner or a person featured in any material you have sent us, we will inform that person that you have granted us permission to use the relevant material and you will be responsible for paying any amounts due to the copyright owner or featured person and / or for reimbursing Bauer for any losses it has suffered as a result. Please note, we accept no responsibility for unsolicited material which is lost or damaged in the post and we do not promise that we will be able to return any material to you. Finally, while we try to ensure accuracy of your material when we publish it, we cannot promise to do so. We do not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage, however caused, resulting from use of the material as described in this paragraph. Competition terms and conditions, and winners’ details, are available from the editorial address above; please enclose an SAE. Letters / photos sent without an SAE cannot be answered / returned. Emails cannot always be replied to personally; sorry. COMPLAINTS: Bauer Consumer Media Limited is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (www.ipso.co.uk) and endeavours to respond to and resolve your concerns quickly. Our Editorial Complaints Policy (including full details of how to contact us about editorial complaints and IPSO’s contact details) can be found at www. bauermediacomplaints.co.uk. Our email address for editorial complaints covered by the Editorial Complaints Policy is complaints@bauermedia.co.uk © Bauer 2015
HIGH AM Need inspiration to fill your 7 Summits Challenge list*? Here Team Trail (plus a few big names
* See page 10
BRITAIN’S GNARLIEST RIDGE Bonita Norris TV presenter and Himalayan mountaineer
© SHOULTS / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
“I definitely have a very long wish-list and am fortunate to be able to think that hopefully none of it will ‘get away’ from me. I’ve always wanted to do the Cuillin Ridge – but have never found a willing partner. I had a few interested, but none wanting to commit fully. So, it’s gotten away from me so far, despite being on the cards for so long. And now you’ve just put it in my head again!”
26 TRAIL JANUARY 2016
Looking north on the Black Cuillin ridge from the Inaccessible Pinnacle, with a Brocken spectre in the foreground.
BITIONS and the odd outdoor legend) share the UK mountain experiences they dream of having...
JANUARY 2016 TRAIL 27
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CLICK WWW.GREATMAGAZINES.CO.UK/TRAIL Terms & conditions Subscriptions will start with the next available issue. This offer closes on 30 December 2015 and is available on UK orders only. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. The minimum term is 13 issues (1 year) when paying by direct debit and will continue at this offer price every 13 issues thereafter unless you are notified otherwise. You will not receive a renewal reminder and the direct debit payments will continue to be taken unless you tell us otherwise. Cost from landlines for 01 numbers per minute are (approximate) 2p to 10p. Cost from mobiles per minute (approximate) 10p to 40p. Costs vary depending on the geographical location in the UK. You may get free calls to some numbers as part of your call package – please check with your phone provider. Order lines open 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-4pm (Sat). UK orders only. For overseas prices call phone +44 1858 438888. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes. For full terms and conditions please visit www.greatmagazines.co.uk/offer-terms-and-conditions. YHA discount can be redeemed online only, for non-direct debit purchases and new members only. Expiry date is 29 February 2016. Membership is for a 12 month period and any renewals will be at full price. Valid at all hostels excluding Enterprise. Subscriber verification will be done on the subscribers’ postcode, which will be done after your application/booking is complete. Discount codes will be included in your confirmation letter/email.
Go Tryfan, north Wales Do take a fresh look
36 TRAIL JANUARY 2016
T
ryfan and I go way back. We have history. We have... a relationship. Not a monogamous one; I’m free to climb other mountains. And Tryfan? Let’s just say there’s a reason it topped a poll of the UK’s most loved peaks. As happens in relationships of any length, though, ours had been allowed to slip into the realms of familiarity. Don’t get me wrong – a scramble up the north ridge is as fine today as it was the first time. An ascent via the Heather Terrace or Cwm Bochlwyd remains a perfectly satisfying way to reach the summit, and leaping Adam and Eve once up there is still every bit as provocative as it’s always been. But we’re at that stage where it would be nice to try something… different. Drive along the A5 from Capel Curig to Llyn Ogwen and you’re treated to what must be the most famous mountain profile in Wales, if not the UK.
Tackling Tryfan from a fresh angle: Little Gully (left) and the Eastern Traverse Path.
WORDS BEN WEEKS PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY
HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT
If you’re starting to feel you’ve experienced all that Tryfan has, you’re not looking hard enough. This mountain’s a gift that just keeps giving.
JANUARY 2016 TRAIL 37
Go Ireland Do Atlantic mountains
EXPLORING THE
EMERALD Trail grabs a fistful of euros and jumps on a plane to Ireland, where the mountains are jagged, the weather is wild and the walking is wonderful. WORDS OLI REED PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY
44 TRAIL JANUARY 2016
Limerick
Brandon ▲ Mountain
Beaufort Killarney
▲▲
ISLE
Carrauntoohil Purple Mountain
Cork
Approaching the summit of Purple Mountain, with the dramatic peaks of the Macgillycuddy's Reeks to the right.
JANUARY 2016 TRAIL 45
Go the wild places Do spend the night
BEST OF THE
BOTHIES
Free to use, stunningly located and atmospheric to boot, bothies are a gift to hillwalking. In an ideal world we’d visit them all – but what if you wanted the full experience in 10? WORDS W WORDS ORD PHOEBE DS P PHOEBE HOEBE SMITH SMITH S M TH PHOTOGRAPHS H PH PHOTOS HOTOS N NEIL EILNEIL S PRICE PRS IC CPRICE E
W
hat do you get when you cross a note penned in a visitors’ book over 50 years ago with a rough-and-ready cyclist touring Scotland? The answer may surprise you. In fact when these two previously unrelated things met, a powerful association was forged – one that made it its mission to maintain a network of about 100 mountain shelters, each unlocked for hillwalkers to use, free of charge. The note was written by a man called Alan Murdoch, who had just spent the night in an old cottage in Galloway, which was left open by the Forestry Commission for outdoor 52 TRAIL JANUARY 2016
enthusiasts to sleep in. He remarked how a club should be formed to protect buildings like this one for walkers. Quite by chance it was read by the aforementioned cyclist – Bernard Heath – in 1963. Two years later he and some friends had renovated their first bothy and, on 28 December 1965, they met with 30 other like-minded folk and the Mountain Bothies Association (MBA) was officially formed. Now five decades on the MBA is still going strong and has just received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Here we take a stroll back through its history and look to the future, in 10 bothies…
The approach to Tunskeen bothy in the Galloway Forest. MATTHEW ROBERTS
Go above the snowline Do watch a world transform
WARMI
58 TRAIL JANUARY 2016
Winter’s soft dawn light falls on Rannoch Moor and Black Mount. Who wouldn’t want to witness this? © CHRIS HERRING / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
ING TO WINTER Scared of snowy mountains? Hate the cold? Don’t go into hibernation. WORDS SIMON INGRAM Learn to love this magical time of year.
inter officially begins on 21 December. This is, according to the astronomical calendar, the winter solstice. Solstice comes from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still). For those who dwell at ground level, these are the months when warm coats and wellies start appearing by the door, the windows steam up and everyone starts moaning about the dark. But for those who love the outdoors – more specifically the mountains – winter is far less easy to pin down. It's also a lot easier to fall in love with.
JANUARY 2016 TRAIL 59
Go Ben Nevis Do Tower Ridge
NO TURNING WORDS OLI REED PHOTOGRAPHS STEPHEN ASHWORTH
62 TRAIL JANUARY 2016
Roped together on one of the lower sections of Tower Ridge, heading for the summit of Ben Nevis with Carn Mor Dearg behind. The ground would get much steeper, and the terrain more technical, before the day was out...
BACK
What happens when you take a nervy winter walker and plonk him right in the middle of Britain’s greatest alpine route? Turn the page to find out‌
JANUARY 2016 TRAIL 63
Gear
BUYING KIT? THIS IS YOUR GUIDE...
MAMMUT EIGERJOCH PRO IS £200 Hot because: Not all mountaineers want their insulation to be a big, warm duvet-hug. Some prefer something more minimal, particularly those for whom harnesses, backpacks and fast-paced movement are part of the mix. The Eigerjoch is a synthetically insulated jacket that packs down small in a rucksack but provides excellent warmth in a tailored fit when needed. The cosiness comes
courtesy of Primaloft Gold Insulation, while the Pertex Quantum outer fabric is coated with aluminium on the inside to reflect body warmth for additional heat retention. Ice-climbs may be its natural territory, but any active mountain-goers will appreciate the more streamlined approach. We say: Great for insulation on the go without reducing freedom of movement. www.mammut.ch
HOT NEW KIT This month’s spanking new objects of outdoor desire
ALPKIT SKYEHIGH 900 £170 Hot because: Versatility, warmth, low weight, low price. Those are the aims of Alpkit with the SkyeHigh 900 4-season sleeping bag. Warm? With a comfort rating of - 6 deg C (-13 deg C limit), we’d say so. Low weight? 1.7kg for this sort of bag is really not bad. Low price? A 4-season goose down sleeping bag for under £200 is the very definition of good
76 TRAIL JANUARY 2016
value. And versatile? Whether you’re e on a Scottish winter bivvy or a high mountain wild camp, or you just tend to feel the cold during the shoulder seasons, the SkyeHigh will have you covered. Literally. We say: A serious sleeping bag for a seriously good price. Winter kit is rarely this affordable. www.alpkit.com
SUUNTO TRAVERSE £285 Hot because: The Traverse is a wrist-mounted GPS watch that can be used to pinpoint your location, track your walk, navigate a route, determine your elevation, get a compass bearing, indicate sunset and sunrise times, and monitor weather conditions. In short, it does everything a hillwalker is likely ikely to need it to do without any of the extra faff that can over-complicate devices like this. Granted, it’s fairly big as watches go, and if you’re skinnywristed it may feel like you’ve got a plate strapped to your arm. But this is the he price you pay for having so much technology so conveniently to hand. Of course the other price you pay is the price. Basic GPS units are available for or less, but few of them can offer the same level of performance and convenience onvenience in one neat, easily transported package. We say: A clever and convenient slice of technology that earns its price tag. www.suunto.com
THERM-A-REST HONCHO PONCHO £85 Hot because: Not all campers want their insulation to be streamlined and minimal. Some prefer a more luxurious approach. The Honcho Poncho is, as the name suggests, a poncho. But rather than being of the typical water-shedding variety, this is a thick, puffy, insulated version that’ll keep you toasty on cool campouts. Side-closure poppers and a drawstring hood mean it can be closed up for a little more windproofing, while a big, zipped front pocket keeps the essentials of life close to hand. All that’s missing is a matching sombrero… We say: Rough, tough mountain wear? Hardly; but for cosier camping this could be your new best amigo. www.thermarest.com
Inside
WINTER BOOTS
78
HEADTORCHES 82
SPOTTY OTTER EXPLORER DOWN PARKA £150 Hot because: This is an out-and-out winter jacket for kids who like to keep on exploring regardless of the weather. The OtterTex outer fabric (which we’re pretty sure doesn’t actually use real otter) has a hydrostatic y head of 10,000mm, so it’s a proper, full-on waterproof shell. The insulation is quality duck down (responsibly sourced from real ducks), so keeping the wearer warm is taken care of too. And if you’re the sort of person who watches the Queen’s speech at Christmas and knows all the words to every verse of our national anthem, you might like to know that Spotty Otter gear has been seen protecting some of the younger royals from the elements We say: A great jacket for any little explorer, prince/princess or paperboy/girl. www.spotty-otter.co.uk
ICE AXES & CRAMPONS
86
Kit for keeping warm
88
First test: walking poles 90 What’s in your rucksack? 91 Team Trail’s kit rated
92
JANUARY 2016 TRAIL 77
WALKS OF A LIFETIME
The Ennerdale Horseshoe Fancy an epic two-day winter backpack around the wildest skyline in the Lakes? Jeremy Ashcroft shows you the way...
122 TRAIL JANUARY 2016
Lake District
40km/25 miles 14 hours
L
ocated far to the west of the main Lakeland transport axis, Ennerdale is fairly tricky for visitors to reach and it’s therefore more peaceful than other valleys. In addition to this existing tranquillity, the current ‘rewilding’ project is gradually removing the valley’s agricultural and human scars and allowing it to re-establish itself as a true mountain environment. The walk around its long and diverse skyline has always attracted walkers, particularly those who want to immerse themselves in a big adventure. As a day-long undertaking, during the summer, it is a magnificent trip; but if you really want to experience its finest attributes, then it’s in the clear crisp air of winter that you’ll witness it at its best.
To complete the whole Ennerdale Horseshoe in a day in summer with long daylight hours is a bit of a push, so in winter when light is at a premium a different strategy is needed – and the best approach is to tackle it over two days. It can be done in two parts by dipping out into Ennerdale to overnight at the YHA’s superb Black Sail Hut or to Honister Pass (YHA), or by diverting to Buttermere for its Youth Hostel and hotels – though this breaks the rhythm of the walk. It also removes a big part of the adventure: being independent and staying up high for the night. The experience will call for strong winter skills; but for those who have them, at roughly the halfway point there are a couple of bothies – and, for the really hardy, some relatively sheltered wild camp pitches.
The Ennerdale Horseshoe can be completed in either direction, but by doing it clockwise you tend to get the bulk of the technical ground out of the way on the first day and during the first half of the second. However the last section west from Haycock, although mostly easy, does carry a sting in the tail with a tricky descent to Anglers’ Crag. Also, the chance of being overtaken by bad weather is high so it’s worth making a note of the many escape options. They mostly involve bailing out to the relative security of Ennerdale. Along the way you’ll summit on a long list of Lakeland classics; but what makes this adventure is the work involved, the need for self-reliance and from the start the notion that it’s not a given that you’ll necessarily complete it!
Winter view from Great Gable towards Kirk Fell, Pillar (left), Ennerdale and Haystacks (right). © STEWART SMITH / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
JANUARY 2016 TRAIL 123
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Vaude Terraquattro 3P tent
Enter at www.lfto.com/xmascomp www.lfto.com/xma comp
The three-person Terraquattro features Vaude’s unique external sus suspension system – first launched over 20 years ago – making it one of the quickestpitching tents availa available. The four-footed structure provides great stab stability in strong winds, while the roomy porches loca located at each end are perfect for storing gear and cooking meals. The fly and inner sheets pit pitch simultaneously so the inside of the tent ten won’t get wet if it rains when you’re putting it up; the seam-taped ripstop fabrics offer tough, lightweight, waterproof protection; and the excellent ventilation system m means you you u won’t overheat on warm summer ummer nights. Perfect P ect for overnight adventures and d backpack ng trips backpacking trips. www.vaude.com www.vaude.com vau e.com
Photo: Harald Tauderer Location: Lofoten
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Mark L 3P Light weight, stable, loaded with technical features – from wild camps to mountain epics VAUDE tents ensure that for you, the journey is the reward. vaude.com
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KEEN Durand Dura d Polar
KEEN’s KEEN’s EN’s n new European pean Made Durand Polar is a state-o he- rt winter state-of-the-art w ter hiking boot. Built for the harshest conditions, con itions, the Durand Polar is packed with features that will ensure comfort and performance from the first step to the millionth during your outdoor adventures this winter. winter
Key features
WORTH
£169.99
l KEEN’s direct inject PU midsole delivers incredible durability and cushioning. l KEEN.DRY membrane ensures your feet stay warm and dry. l The 400g KEEN.WARM insulation keeps your feet warm in sub-zero temperatures. l Dual compound snow and ice grip outsole provides traction in all conditions. l TPU shank in the midsole gives great underfoot stability on unpredictable terrain. l The thermal heat shield footbed traps heat and repels cold. www.keenfootwear.com
Durand Mid The Durand’s signature versatility makes it the ultimate off-roader of our European Made Performance Series. Featuring a waterproof nubuck & breathable mesh upper, our trademark Million Step Comfort™ midsole, 3/4 length stability shank and a rugged dual compound outsole, we designed the Durand to be your dependable solution for the broadest mix of hiking conditions possible.