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Step by step: Bristly Ridge in detail
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6 all-night summer adventures Featuring... Lakes hostel hop Shelter Stone epic Pennine wild camp Welsh ledge sleep Glen Coe bivvy Solo tarp trip! 2-person tents, mats + sleeping bags tested
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GET INTO CLIMBING: 24-PAGE GUIDE INSIDE
ALL-NEW
ROUTE CARDS 12 HILLWALKS PLUS RIDGE GUIDE + MAP OF THE MONTH
THE SADDLE
Could YOU scramble the Forcan Ridge?
Contents
WHERE TRAIL WILL TAKE YOU The sun sets on a memorable Cumbrian wild camp – page 40.
We pitched our tents by the cliff edge, with a spectacular view down the length of the valley BASE CAMP
SKILLS
Climb it
6
The Black Mountain: ‘glowing green with life’
Experience it
8
Discover midnight light in the UK’s far north
Doug Scott: “Please help” 10 How you can assist Nepal’s ’quake victims
The Mountain Inquisition 12 Top fell runner Nicky Spinks spills the beans
ADVENTURES 82
Stay out all night!
The best ways to make drinking water safe; boots vs shoes; how to avoid rockfall; why you should stash gear; storing winter kit; camera-copter rules and regs; fnding reliable rock; should you fold, roll or stuf a tent?
#1 At a YHA hostel #2 On a wild camp #3 Beneath a tarp #4 In a bivvy #5 Under the Shelter Stone #6 On a portaledge
26 40 48 54 58 62
The Forcan Ridge
68
Expert advice
YOUR TRAIL In box
20
The world of walking: your thoughts
Out there
22
Your top mountain moments, on camera
FREE! Fancy climbing but not sure where to start? Turn to page 114...
Subscribe to Trail
46
... and save yourself shedloads of dosh
Win the best new gear!
109
Outdoor kit worth over £595 is up for grabs
..where nonchalance is not an option
Mynydd Mawr
76
You may not know it, but you really should
Behind the picture 80 A truly prodigious record-breaking climber
STAY OUT ALL NIGHT!
Tarping: just you and a sheet of plastic – page 48.
Our Lakes hostel hop: the best 4-dayer EVER? See page 26.
ENJOY A FREE NIGHT IN A YHA HOSTEL! SEE p35 Comfy nights (almost) guaranteed, aranteed, if you buy the rightt sleeping mat: page 94.
Hanging’s too good – as you’ll find out on page 62.
Shiny new kit of all kinds: temptation starts on page 88.
Ever felt like crawling under a rock? Trail did, on page 58.
ALL NEW! ROUTES
GEAR GUIDE 2-person tents
90
Backpacking shelters for you and a friend
Sleeping mats
94
A comfortable kipÕs not possible without one
3-season sleeping bags
98
A small selection for a variety of end users
Kit me out for summer
100
Gear you need if walking in warmer weather
First test
103
RabÕs ridiculously lightweight waterproof top
What’s in your rucksack? 105 Alan Hinkes lets us have a right old rummage
Used & abused
106
Team Trail appraises its most-worn gear
1 Helvellyn Ridge 2 Eagle Crag 3 Moel Ysgyfarnogod 4 Snowdon 5 Sgurr Mor 6 Beinn Achaladair 7-9 Brecon Beacons 10-12 Glen Coe
117 119 121 123 125 127 129 133
PLUS Walks of a lifetime Ridge guide Map of the month
138 143 145
5
5
Sgurr Mor
3 routes in... Glen Coe
Map of the month An Teallach Walks of a Lifetime Ben Alder Beinn Achaladair
10 11 12
2
Eagle Crag
Helvellyn
Ridge Guide Bristly Ridge
3
Moel Ysgyfarnogod
7
8 9
Snowdon
4
3 routes in the... Brecon Beacons
● CHOOSE YOUR ROUTE AND GO HILLWALKING!
JUNE 2015 TRAIL 5
6
1
DO IT THIS MONTH
DISCOVER
MIDNIGHT LIGHT
Y
ou’ve got to love Britain. Winter is dark, but not crushing; colour explodes at either end of it; and in summer the days incrementally lengthen like a cat creeping towards full stretch. They reach a sufficiently supernatural length on 21 June – a time of year in the most northern reaches of Scotland when, if you climb just a little higher than the horizon, you can still feel the sun on your face at 10.35pm, with traces of light often still in the sky after midnight. This part of the country is like Scandinavia-lite, and when the
8 TRAIL JUNE 2015
solstice rolls around and you feel like experiencing that entrancing, late light on high in locations where you can look over Britain’s frayed northern coast, you have two choices. Ben Hope is the obvious option: big, enshrined with Munro status and the last significant thing before Britain falls into the sea. But Ben Loyal – five miles to the east – is a craftily built, sharper jumble of peaks with a comely summit meadow and a fi ne view. It’s an awesome place to experience that special, fleeting northern light on the longest day of the year.
Base Camp Evening glow on Ben Loyal, Sutherland: a fne location for seeing the solstice. Š VINCENT LOWE / ALAMY
JUNE 2015 TRAIL 9
NEPAL HELP TO PICK UP THE
PRESS ASSOCIATION
In the wake of the worst earthquake to hit the mountain kingdom of Nepal in 80 years, and the founder of charity Community Action Nepal – explains why your donations
“The people are battered and terrifed.” Rural Nepal has been devastated, but even a small donation will go a long way.
DOUG SCOTT CBE
“Anyone who has been to Nepal will have fallen under its spell. It’s a tranquil place: very green, very lush in the lowlands, then you step out of the forests into this world of rock and ice. There are so many holy places. There is something so special there. You feel it in your bones as you go through it. And the people are incredibly hospitable to complete strangers. They are naturally caring. And when the 10 TRAIL JUNE 2015
chips are down on the mountain, Sherpas will go the extra mile – further than your own team even. “The only fortunate thing about the earthquake was that it happened at 11.45 on Saturday morning. Everyone would have been in the fields. Had it happened in the middle of the night the death toll would have been far worse. “The worst case is Langtang. It’s under thousands of tons of rock. One hundred houses, a school, everything; 480 inhabitants are dead. The kids from there who were sponsored by passing trekkers and were put into schools in Kathmandu
suddenly not only became orphans; they lost all their relatives too, and their village. “Community Action Nepal [CAN] put over $100,000 into the school there. It’s now all flattened. How do I feel? It is so sad. I got emotional when I spoke to the Community Action Nepal nurses, when they told me they weren’t going to leave, they were going to stay and help. And when I’ve seen the donations come in from the British people. “We will get it back on its feet. Community Action Nepal will be putting money into helping people help themselves. Immediate relief will be trying to get
Base Camp
PIECES
the frst Brit to climb Everest – will go a long way.
People were screaming...
DAVID NIGHTINGALE
Community Action Nepal’s Denise Prior, who was in Kathmandu after returning from the charity‘s rural projects, on the moment the quake hit... “I thought we had met our end. We were in our hotel in Kathmandu, a typical concrete-built building. The shaking was side to side, and all over the shop – you couldn’t stand up. My balance had gone. People were screaming in the street. It was horrendous, but not as horrendous as in older parts of town. The good thing was, there is power saving in Kathmandu during the day, so there weren’t many fres. But the aftershocks were very frightening: everyone thought it was starting up again. “We couldn’t email, we couldn’t phone. I managed to send a text to my sister and my children to say we were fne. The day before I’d been sat laughing with one of the nurses in the CAN ofce. The next day she was homeless, living under a tarp. And our Sherpas wouldn’t go back to their families in the hills, despite what we said. They were extraordinary; they just wanted to look after us. The people there are battered and terrifed. They need our help.”
ACT NOW! Please give the price of a pint, £5 or as much as you can... IF £5 WAS DONATED FOR EVERY COPY OF TRAIL BOUGHT, WE COULD RAISE £100,000.
ONLINE at www.justgiving.com/can BY CHEQUE payable to CAN and sent to: CAN, Stewart Hill Cottage, Hesket Newmarket, Wigton, Cumbria CA7 8HX. Please mark the back of your cheque ‘Earthquake Appeal’.
PRINT and display this poster Find it at: tinyurl.com/help4nepal
NEPAL Earthquake Appeal by Community Action Nepal
www.canepal.org.uk
Patron: Sir Chris Bonington CBE Operations Director: Doug Scott CBE Registered Charity no. 1067772
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED NOW
Melamchigaun: school, health post destroyed
Gorkha and Langtang: villages flattened
Everest area: lives and homes shattered
The people of Nepal have been devastated by a massive earthquake and continuing aftershocks
Thousands of lives lost Homes destroyed, families bereaved and children orphaned
Community Action Nepal can help
people out of there who are injured. The food situation is going to get dire very soon. Then the next thing is to start renovating the schools and the health posts that have collapsed. We’ll help their staff’s dependents so they can concentrate on their jobs. “I am optimistic. The Nepalese people are very resilient and resourceful. But they really need your help. Any money you give to CAN goes straight to bring relief to the villages that are most affected, in the north, where the earthquake was strongest. We’ve got authorisation to get it straight to the coal face. Please help. A fiver goes a long way out there.” T
We have trained Nepali nurses, teachers and staff in Nepal ready to help
We have worked in Nepal for 20 years providing mountain communities with Health Posts, schools and porter rescue shelters
Please make a DONATION
Online: visit our website or www.justgiving.com/can Cheque: Payable to CAN, by post to our office Bank transfer: visit website for details
Community Action Nepal (CAN) Stewart Hill Cottage, Hesket Newmarket, WIGTON, Cumbria CA7 8HX Tel: 01768 484842 email: info@canepal.com www.canepal.org.uk
JUNE 2015 TRAIL 11
Go: the Lake District Do: hostel hopping
4 DAYS 50 MILES 24 MOUNTAINS 4 YOUTH HOSTELS 1 LIGHTWEIGHT RUCKSACK S TAY OUT ALL NIGHT #1
Could this be the greatest backpacking route in the Lakes? WORDS OLI REED PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY
26 TRAIL JUNE 2015
Perched high on Crinkle Crags, looking towards the Scafell range. The deep pass of Mickledore is in the centre of the picture, dividing Scafell (left) from England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike (right).
JUNE 2015 TRAIL 27
Go east Cumbria Do a first wild camp
S TAY OUT ALL NIGHT #2
FREEDOM FOUND Wild camping brings its challenges, but it can give you memories to last a lifetime…. WORDS HANNAH JAMES PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY
40 TRAIL JUNE 2015
Clear blue skies above the Pennine canyon of High Cup Gill promised a wild camp to remember.
JUNE 2015 TRAIL 41
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STEWART SMITH / ALAMY
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Terms and conditions Subscriptions will start with the next available issue. This ofer closes on 17 June 2015 and is available on UK orders only. This ofer cannot be used in conjunction with any other ofer. The minimum term is 13 issues (1 year) when paying by direct debit and will continue at this ofer price every 13 issues thereafter unless you are notifed 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 (approximately) 2p to 10p. Cost from mobiles per minute are (approximately) 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). For overseas prices call phone +44 1858 438888. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes. 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 verifcation will be done on the subscriber’s postcode, which will be done after your application/booking is complete. Discount codes will be included in your confrmation letter/email. For full terms and conditions go to www.great magazines.co.uk/ofer-terms-and-conditions
Go the Lake District Do solo tarping
S TAY OUT ALL NIGHT #3
SLEEPING
UND UNDER UNDER SOLITUDE
STONE NYLON Want to remind yourself what being in the hills is really all about? Spend a night out alone – under a tarp.
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY
MAY 2015 TRAIL 59
Go the Cairngorms Do a rocky retreat
SLEEPING
S TAY OUT ALL NIGHT #5
STONE
Deep beneath Ben Macdui, Scotland's most famous natural shelter has an old and rather dark tale...
WORDS SIMON INGRAM
JUNE 2015 TRAIL 59
Š DUNCAN SHAW / ALAMY
The Cairngorm plateau: looking to Cairn Etchachan and the granite clifs of the Shelter Stone Crag at the head of Glen Avon. The Shelter Stone lies among the rubble down to the left.
Go Snowdonia Do portaledging
62 Trail june 2015
Morning on the portaledge: camping locations don't come weirder than halfway up a 40m Snowdonian crag.
S TAY OUT ALL NIGHT #6
HAnGeR … and now for something completely diferent.
WORDS DaN aSPEl PHOTOGRAPHS DaN aSPEl & SaM FarNSWOrTH
I
f hostelling is fun, wild camping is bold, tarping is rough, cave dwelling is unhinged and bivvying is nuts… then you’d be forgiven for thinking that cliff camping is batshit crazy. To put it in perspective, you hang off a sheer face on a fabric platform roughly wide enough for two adults to lie head-to-toe. This is anchored onto whatever protrusions of rock or tree look unlikely to snap in half in the night. Then you settle down above the chasm below and try to sleep. Sounds improbable. But that’s where Trail’s guide for the night wants to prove you wrong. Sam Farnsworth may be only 26, but he’s been climbing big walls for a decade – and when his teenage self came back from a four-month climbing trip to Yosemite he brought with him pair of portaledges. Last summer he and business partner Will Nicholls started running guided trips on the sea cliffs of Anglesey for those of us with a penchant for the more masochistic
june 2015 Trail 63
Go Glen Shiel, Scotland Do scramble a stunner
ROCKRIDGES GULLIESCHIMNEYS HEIGHTDROPS HEIGHT SWEATSPIKES EXPOSURESLABS EXPOSURE CRESTSTERROR JOYMENACEGLORY ADRENALINE You’ll fnd all of these on the Forcan Ridge. Nonchalance is not an option.
WORDS DAN BAILEY PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY
68 TRAIL JUNE 2015
Traversing the delightful airy knife edge just below the summit of The Saddle.
JUNE 2015 TRAIL 69
BEHIND THE PICTURE
CLIMBING IN THE SHADOW MEET THE ASTONISHING TOM BALLARD, A BRITISH-BORN PRODIGY WHO'S DONE WHAT NO OTHER ALPINIST COULD.
WORDS DAN ASPEL PHOTOGRAPH TOM BALLARD
I
magine you’re alone on an Alpine face. There’s nothing but air above and below you for hundreds, perhaps thousands of metres. The rock under your fingertips is dark and very cold. There’s nowhere to go but up; and if you keep your focus and avoid accidents you’ll eventually feel the warmth of the light breaking over the mountain’s summit and be done. For Tom Ballard this was the winter of 2014. “The timeframe is very short,” the 26-year-old alpinist tells Trail. “If I’d had a different set of conditions it just wouldn’t have been possible. I picked the right year to try.” He’s explaining how between December 2014 and March 2015 he became the first to solo the six ‘great north faces’ of the Alps in one winter season. The project, named ‘Starlight and Storm’, saw him climb the north faces of (in order) Cima Grande di Lavaredo, Piz Badile, the Matterhorn, Grandes Jorasses, Petit Dru and the Eiger. The success of the project, which British-born Tom points out “you’d think would have been done a long time ago”, was dependent not just upon ideal conditions, but also on extreme levels of fitness and skill. The former was provided by a season of unusually strong winds, leaving the snow that wasn’t stripped away “firm and well in place”; the latter came from years of dedicated climbing and – seemingly – a natural pedigree. Tom is the son of the late Alison Hargreaves, herself the first person to climb the six Alpine north faces in a single summer season. Tom already bears the odd record of possibly being the only person to have ascended the Eiger’s north face before being born: Hargreaves did it in 1988 while six months pregnant. She died on K2 in 1995. But if Alison provided the unconscious inspiration (Tom insists he is not following in her footsteps) it was his other parent, Jim, who facilitated this challenge, driving his son from peak to peak and acting as a one-man support team. Meanwhile, Tom got on with the climbing: “Eighty per cent of the metres I climbed were without a rope – that makes it quite dangerous,” he explains. “The slightest slip, one stone hits you… you’re always a little bit on the edge.” And, of course, “within the six [north faces] you have different elements and aspects; they’re not all the same”. His ascents saw him variously experience near-frostbitten feet, “peaceful” bivouacs in ledge-supported snowholes, novel routes, wind, snowstorms, illness and – eventually, on the Eiger – victory. Tom had only climbed on three of the six peaks before. Next year he’s planning a first-ever trip to the Himalayas and the mighty Gasherbrum IV. He’s used to setting records. Watch this space. T 80 TRAIL JUNE 2015
Tom Ballard, high on the north face of Cima Grande. Typically in shadow, it's cold in summer, bitterly cold in winter. “A friend asked me why I wasn’t climbing the six south faces,” says Tom. “It was a good point!”
Tom Ballard
JUNE 2015 TRAIL 81
Gear
BUYING KIT? THIS IS YOUR GUIDE...
HOT NEW KIT
This month's spanking new objects of outdoor desire
MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR SCRAMBLER 30 £85 Hot because: Bombproof: that’s how the Scrambler 30 feels. The fabric is tough and abrasion-resistant, the lid is fastened with a solid metal buckle, and the whole sack is protected by OutDry waterproofng, negating the need for separate dry-bags. The shoulder strap padding is a little thin, but this is typical of a more scrambling-/ climbing-orientated pack. The webbing waistbelt can be stowed away altogether for use with a harness, there’s a rope strap under the lid and there are reinforced gear loops on either side for attaching karabiners and the like, clearly demonstrating the Scrambler’s target use (in case its name wasn’t enough of a clue). We say: It may not ofer the comfort or capacity for long treks or heavy loads, but as a no-nonsense scrambling pack it’s damn near perfect. www.mountainhardwear.eu
88 TRAIL JUNE 2015
SNUGPAK MOUNTAIN LEADER 3 SOFTIE SMOCK £160 Hot because: The ML3 has been created with the mountain pro in mind. This has both advantages and disadvantages. It’s a functional piece of kit, ofering plenty of useful storage in the form of a large front pocket, D-rings for tethering navigation tools, and hook-and-loop patches for attaching badges or personal identifcation devices. It’s warm too, and the ML6 (£180) and ML9 (£200) versions ofer even more insulation. However, this focus on function has come at the cost of aesthetics; the Softie is a somewhat shapeless, untailored sack of a smock. But for the kind of people it’s been created for, how it looks will be a long way down the list of what’s important, with how it performs being right at the top. And here, the ML3 excels. We say: It’s the kind of completely functional mountain kit that professionals go for – just don’t expect it to fatter your fgure. www.snugpak.com
SEA TO SUMMIT COMFORT LIGHT £115-140
Inside BEST 2-PERSON TENTS P90
SLEEPING MATS BY BUDGET P94
Hot because: When weight and comfort are crucial considerations, the Comfort Light is the choice from Sea to Summit’s updated range of o sleeping mats. The Ultralights weigh less still, and the Comfort Co for Plus and Insulated versions provide more warmth, b butt for or walkers ker wanting a light pack and a good night’s sleep p when backpacking b c p cking during the warmer months, the Comfort fort Lightt str strikess tthe p perfect r ct b balance.. We say: If you don’t do t need tthe insulation s to o of warmer r rm models, the Comfort Lightt iss an ideal general-purpose r p rpos mat. t www.seatosummit.com
BERGHAUS ECO WOVENS £45-60 Hot because: ECO Wovens is i Berghaus’s g ss new line of eco-conscious outdoor do r summerr c lothing. The manufacturing clothing. g proc process ss reduces r c s water use and the generation no of po pollutants, t ts and results in improved colour fastness. stn ss The range includes men’s and women’s shirts, irts trousers and shorts, all of which are made from fabrics that wick moisture, dry quickly and ofer high levels of UPF protection. We say: Perfect casual wear for summer days spent outside, either on the trail, relaxing in the sun, or travelling light. www.berghaus.com
3-SEASON SLEEPING BAGS P98
SEALSKINZ FAIRFIELD GLOVES £28 Hot because: Nanosealz N might i sound nd like i miniature marine mammals, but it’s actually the technology y by which the Fairfeld glove miraculously sheds h water: the fabric is coated with millions off microscopic particles that cause water droplets o to simply bead up and roll of the surface. a Plus you get touch-screen compatibility and a silicone palm grip, making the Fairfelds a pretty promising pair of hillwalking handwarmers. n We say: A lightweight glove that’ll shed precipitation and n keep your f ngers warm from spring to a autumn. www.sealskinz.com n
Kit for summer walking 100 First test: Rab jacket
103
What's in your rucksack? 105 Team Trail's kit rated
106
Win great outdoor gear
109
JUNE 2015 TRAIL 89
TEST OF THE BEST
TESTER PROFILE
TOP HILL KIT GOES HEAD TO HEAD
Graham Thompson Technical editor Height 5ft 11½in
TWO-PERSON BACKPACKING TENTS There is little better than camping in the hills, so here’s our pick of the top two-person backpacking tents priced under £250.
FLYSHEET
HEADROOM
INNER TENT
This part of the tent provides protection against the rain and is made from ripstop nylon for maximum durability or polyester to reduce costs. The material is treated with polyurethane or silicone to make it waterproof. Broadly speaking the heavier the fabric the longer it will last, but lightweight nylons are often treated with ultraviolet (UV) light inhibitors to improve their longterm performance. Ripstop constructions will limit the chance of small holes becoming long tears. A fysheet that reaches the ground will keep more rain out, while one with a big air gap around the base will help reduce condensation.
To be sure you can sit up in the tent, get a friend to measure your height when sitting, then compare this to the maximum internal height of the inner. Do note however that many tent heights taper, so you may not be able to sit up throughout the inner tent.
You sleep inside the inner, and it protects the occupant from the condensation that will inevitably form on the underside of the fysheet, as well as any midges that get underneath it. Some inner tents have large mesh panels to improve airfow while also reducing weight, but they can be colder and draughtier.
PORCH PITCHING Inner-pitched-frst designs save weight, are more stable and are ideal for pitching in dry conditions. Outer-pitched-frst designs are better if camping in the rain, as the inner can be more easily protected from the wet during pitching and striking of the tent. 90 TRAIL JUNE 2015
GUY LINES A set of cords are sometimes provided to help stabilise a tent in high winds. Some tents need fewer guy lines than others, as some models are mechanically stronger due to clever design.
This space outside the inner but under the fysheet is ideal for storing rucksacks and wet gear, and to act as a cooking area. If this is too small you’ll have to think carefully where you are going to store wet gear overnight.
WEIGHT Manufacturers state weights, but it is not always clear what these weights include. All weights in this test are for the tent’s inner and outer, poles and pegs, plus any stufsacks and guy lines provided.
Test of the best MAGAZINE
BEST VALUE
£150/1810g
£200/1998g
Wild Country Zephyros 2
Alpkit Jaran 2
www.terra-nova.co.uk
www.alpkit.com
packed size; outer pitches frst; entry from both sides; + weight; ripstop material
outstanding inner space; two entrances; two large porches; + weight; ripstop nylon fysheet
–
–
inner pitches frst; lots of mesh so quite chilly; only single zip on outer doors
FEATURES The Wild Country Zephyros 2 is a really popular tent for backpacking due to its tiny weight of just 1810g. It is pitched outer-frst with a long porch down one side that also provides entry to the tent, while a second door at the back provides entry from the opposite side. The fysheet is made from PU-coated polyester ripstop material, which is impressive at this price. 5/5
With the Jaran 2 you are getting an outstanding amount of foor space, plus two porches and good headroom; furthermore it weighs only 1998g, which is remarkable for the size and price of £200. It pitches inner-frst, and the outer is made from a ripstop nylon rather than polyester, with a PU coating. Outstanding at any price. 5/5
The tent is pitched with just one main pole sliding through the sleeve on the outer while a pair of vertical poles at each end ft inside the outer to give extra head- and footroom. The pegging points are simple elastic bungees rather than heavier but more useful ladder-lock webbing buckles. Pitching needs more practice than other tents. Also the porch is quite narrow. 3/5
It pitches inner-frst with two main poles and a third cross pole being used to create extra headroom. The poles are ftted to clips from which the inner is suspended and then the fysheet is draped over the top. Ladder-lock adjustment helps tension the fysheet. The outer doors don’t get double zip pulls, which is a pity, while all the mesh on the inner means it is a bit draughty. 4/5
The narrow porch does mean that rucksack space is more limited once you take into account the need to be able to get in and out of the tent and the fact that there is only one porch. But there is that second entry on the opposite side, which is really useful. Headroom is 95cm, but it drops in all directions quite rapidly and is very low at each end of the 230cm long inner. The width of 112cm is also ‘cosy’ for two people. 3/5
The living space is extremely impressive here with a porch and entry on each side plus good headroom throughout, and with no tapering of the foor footprint toward the ends. So the headroom of 99cm, the length of 220cm and the width of 106m feels luxurious and is ideal for two campers. 5/5
The tent’s weight of 1810g and packed size of 54x14cm are superb. But pitching takes more work, it is less stable than others and there is less space for two inside, too. For one night these drawbacks are probably overruled by the weight advantage; however for multiple nights – particularly in wild weather – you may prefer something bigger and sturdier. 4/5
This is pitched inner-frst, plus the fysheet has a larger gap between it and the ground than others, and these two features are not ideal for the wettest and wildest of weather. You do get good condensation control from that large gap around the fysheet and this combined with a lot of mesh on the inner makes the tent cool in warm weather, but it’s chilly in the cold or in breezy conditions. 4/5
A tent weighing just 1810g for £150 is superb value; and while the space is tight, this is an outstanding option in the right conditions. 5/5
Once again Alpkit has shredded the rule book regarding good value, as the design, spec and performance here far outweigh the price tag. 5/5
For single-night use this is an excellent lightweight option at an extremely competitive price, but for multiple nights or more varied weather others have advantages.
Some drawbacks but this is still an outstanding tent for hillgoers who want maximum space at a good weight and a very good price; however you can only buy the Jaran 2 online.
DESIGN
LIVING SPACE
IN USE
VALUE
VERDICT
4.0/5
4.6/5
This tent will be cool in warmer conditions.
JUNE 2015 TRAIL 91
PHOTOGRAPHS GRAHAM THOMPSON
living space and stability not ideal; only one small porch
NW Highlands
ROUTE 5 JUNE 2015
36.5km/22¾ miles 14½ hours ROUTE STATS
2-DAYER
Sgurr Mor
The best view of Sgurr Mor (right) might just be from Sgurr a’ Mhaoraich across Loch Quoich.
This hard-to-get-to Munro is worth all the efort. Peter Macfarlane backpacks to Sgurr Mor, spending a night in a tent on the way.
T
he north-west Highlands have a lifetime’s-worth of mountain days waiting to be claimed. Some of the best days have laybys at the bottom so you can start climbing at the roadside, but a lot of the time you’ll have to plan ahead and head out into the hills for a day or two to bag that summit. The road we take to the start of this route hits a dead end, but after that dead end lies the Rough Bounds of Knoydart. Before you get there though peaks just as fne rise on both sides of the road; to the north they are accessible but to the south it’s a diferent matter. The views across Loch Quoich make the hills seem close – indeed if you’ve brought a kayak you can knock hours of your ascent time by paddling across the loch – but on foot, there’s some work to be done. Gairich is the closest to our start point: a fne hill and one well seen all the way
Sunrise hits Sgurr Mor from the north side of the loch.
down the road when you cut of the main A87 road. Finer still is the shapely bulk of Sgurr Mor with its satellite Sgurr an Fhuarain. This is a remote hill, and it’s hard to get to whatever way you go. From the
south the way is shorter, but our way gets the best views, the best ascent line and the trek up lonely Glen Kingie. We’re taking a tent, taking our time and making the most of this fantastic hill.
JUNE 2015 TRAIL 125
PETER MACFARLANE
Strenuousness ●●●●● Navigation ●●● ●●●●● Technicality ●●●● ● Munros 1
NW Highlands
ROUTE 5 JUNE 2015
Wast Water, seen from Kirk Fell.
Always take a map out with you on the hill
36.5km/22¾ miles 14½ hours ROUTE INFO ISLE OF LEWIS Lai
HARRIS
Ullapool
ISLE OF SKYE rtree
In Shiel Bri
Distance day one 12km (7½ miles); day two 24.5km (15¼ miles) Total ascent day one 360m; day two 1281m Time day one 4½ hours; day two 10 hours Start/fnish dam at NH070024 Nearest town Fort Augustus Terrain tracks and stalkers’ paths with remote and steep mountain terrain Maps Harvey British Mountain Map (1:40,000) Knoydart and Glen Afric; OS Landranger (1:50,000) 33; OS Explorer (1:25,000) 398, 399
ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPPING © CROWN COPYRIGHT. CREATED WITH MEMORY-MAP. LICENCE MEDIA089/12
NH070024 The adventure really does start when you leave the main road and head down Glen Garry into wonderful mountain country. There are parking areas around the dam where we start walking and the epic views start as we cross the dam. Loch Quoich (spelled Cuaich on some maps) stretches out to your right with Gairich’s huge wedge profle above it. Over the dam a track takes you by the water’s edge and then inland through heathery terrain where it can be wet underfoot at times.
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Accommodation Kinlochhourn Farm B&B (01432) 761016; Curlew Cottage, Invergarry B&B and self-catering (01809) 511275 (Tomdoun Hotel, the accommodation nearest to the route, is currently closed) Public transport Invergarry is the nearest bus stop: City Link Buses 0870 550 5050, www. travelinescotland.com; Spean Bridge Station, www.scotrail.co.uk Guidebook The Munros, pb SMC; The North-West Highlands pb SMC
In association with
www.viewranger. com/trail Route code TRL0704
(again the ground is often wet) and you’ll soon fnd yourself at a high point looking down on Loch Quoich. This is where we stop for the night; there are plenty of places to camp and a pleasant evening by the lochside is only a few hundred metres away. Do note that the building by the loch on the maps is not a bothy but an estate hut.
NN066996 The path splits here with the ascent route to Gairich to the right; head straight on and forestry replaces the open heathery terrain. The track can be boggy and descends to a ruined farmhouse before following the River Kingie towards the edge of the forestry plantation. Sgurr an Fhuarain lies dead ahead, its eastern ridge a shapely and tempting feature while Gairich rises surprisingly steeply to your right. The glen widens and fattens as you contour to the right away from the river around Gairich Beag.
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NG996000 On day two the work really starts with a climb up Meall a’ Choire Bhuidhe where with height the ground fnally gets drier. The stalkers’ track misses the top and takes you to the foot of the nicely defned and rocky north ridge of Sgurr an Fhuarain. It’s a pleasant climb with rocky corries
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NN008982 Climb northwest where the path splits
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tumbling away on both sides to the slabby cairn on the summit. NM987980 Enjoy the views, which are now spectacular, ranging from Ben Nevis to Skye as well as the closer gems of Knoydart and across Loch Quoich. The route is straightforward down the well-defned west ridge to the lip of Coire Buidhe where the ridge curves to the right and climbs at an even angle to the summit ridge of Sgurr Mor. Take the short walk to the large cairn.
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only so remote these days due to the building of the Quoich dam, which fooded the glen and took away the easy access to the north. I think we might forgive that for giving us this mini epic route. It’s a long way back so descend to a col, then over the hump of Sgurr Beag and down to a bealach (saddle) on the ridge below. NM951964 Follow the path as it contours around Sgurr Mor to meet the outward route.
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NM965980 The mountain chaos of Knoydart is now almost next door – rows of ridges punctuated by summits, with Sgurr na Ciche’s pointed top particularly prominent and very close. It’s a fantastic spot and
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Tourist info www.glengarry heritagecentre.com; www.knoydartfoundation.com
GET THIS ROUTE ON YOUR PHONE!
It’s behind you! Sgurr Mor is a hidden gem of the north-west Highlands.
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GRADIENT PROFILE
METRES ABOVE SEA LEVEL
Start 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200
MILES KILOMETRES
126 TRAIL JUNE 2015
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Sgurr an Fhuarain Sgurr Mor
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3 5
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10
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5 15
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Finish
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Snowdonia
RIDGE GUIDE
Bristly Ridge
Exposed, steep and undulating, this is one ridge that truly lives up to its name. WE SAY... Even among the Glyders’ jaggedness, Bristly Ridge stands out as a route of unique character and appeal. For a start there’s its design. Its serrated back is impressive and intimidating, with gaps and drops that seem far too sheer for a walker to approach without the use of ropes and other climbing paraphernalia. Then there’s its location: rising from Bwlch Tryfan to the
Sinister Gully at the route's start, with Tryfan's south slopes partly visible behind.
summit of Glyder Fach, its 300-odd metres of ascent takes you on a superb mountain traverse onto some of the roughest high ground in the UK. Then there are its neighbours. Thanks to the proximity of Tryfan, a dual scramble from the valley foor up that mountain’s iconic north ridge, onto Bristly Ridge and beyond, is not only logical, but entirely possible – adding up to perhaps the fnest consistent scrambling line in Wales. If these superlatives make it seem like a top-end afair, there’s good
news. Common consensus is that the route does not rise above a Grade 1 scramble in difculty, and if you are comfortable on entry-level scrambles you should be able to complete this route from a technical point of view. But beware: while the individual moves may not be severe in nature, the exposure can be unsettling – particularly at the Great Pinnacle Gap near the route’s fnale. This is a ridge for the adventurous, and it will thrill and reward accordingly. Dan Aspel, features editor
THEY SAY... “You will begin to enjoy the scrambling and exposure on the higher reaches as you weave around the pinnacles and clamber up short grooves and walls, all at an amenable grade.” Ben Winston, outdoor photographer “… worthwhile in its own right, an ascent of this remotely situated and exhilarating scramble makes a natural and logical continuation to a traverse of Tryfan by its north and south ridges”. Steve Ashton, guidebook writer “… the spectacular coxcomb of Bristly Ridge, a pulse-quickening ascent among tottering towers, where you can indulge those alpine fantasies without recourse to ropes and jangly bits”. Dan Bailey, guidebook writer
YOU SAY... One of the fnest scrambles you could wish for and a must do with satisfying rewards. I’ve done it in many moods, and will be doing it again. Michael Kent
TOM BAILEY
I loves it up Bristly Ridge. Stick as close to the crest as much as possible for the bestest bits. Julian Cartwright
Easier than it looks but far more technical than other Grade 1s! Richard Platt
I fnd the worst bit is descending into Great Pinnacle Gap. Good holds though, just very exposed. Matthew Williamson Tryfan North Face, Sinister Gully, Bristly Ridge and down Y Gribin… is there a better day out? Norman Ord
JUNE 2015 TRAIL 143
Snowdonia Conway
Liv v Rhyl Bodelwy
Betws-y-Coed
JUNE 2015
Bristly Ridge
Llangollen
Barmouth Aberystwyth
Region Snowdonia Mountain Glyder Fach Position north Location SH660586
TOM BAILEY
Map OS Explorer (1:25,000) OL17 Technicality Grade 1 scrambling
Shattered rock near Great Pinnacle Gap.
Great Pinnacle Gap is undoubtedly the most dramatic and troublesome part of the route, and involves a downclimb that can prove an unsettling stretch for some. The holds, however, are good – and once beyond this a pleasing niche to the right of the next pinnacle leads onto some clearer scrambling ground and the route’s fnale.
Bris tly R idge
ILLUSTRATION JEREMY ASHCROFT
Sinister Gully
The route crest consists of a Glyder d Fach a series of towers that, with due respect to the growing exposure either side, can be traversed without great technical difculty. Steep ground and encroaching gullies sit to the left and right of the ridge, adding to the sense of alpine complexity.
ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPPING © CROWN COPYRIGHT. CREATED WITH MEMORY-MAP. LICENCE MEDIA089/12
RIDGE INFO
Wast Water, seen from Kirk Fell.
Bwlch Tryfan Navigation isn’t straightforward on terrain this intricate, and it is possible to be confused when searching for the easiest start to the route. To do so follow the west side of the drystone wall until it fnishes, where you’ll fnd the beginning of the scrappy and rather dark-looking Sinister Gully.
144 TRAIL JUNE 2015
Sinister Gully itself is steep and occasionally loose, but shouldn’t present too many difculties in ascent. Once you reach the top of the gully the terrain becomes easier and narrows into an obvious ridge.
Great Pinnacle Gap is the most dramatic part of the route
Get into FOR LK WA E RS AN OW WH OG TT ET V
24 PAGES OF SKILLS, GEAR AND EXPERT TIPS
ERT L ICA
MAGAZINE
Get into climbing
HEAD INDOORS For frst-time climbers an indoor wall is a great place to start. So what’s on ofer at these undercover crags?
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Kelsey Kerridge climbing wall in Cambridge is full of bouldering routes that are perfect for beginner rock-climbers. TOM BAILEY
Location
Equipment
Due to climbing’s increasing popularity, indoor walls are popping up all over the UK. This means that even if you live somewhere with no access to outdoor crags, you will probably be able to climb at a nearby indoor facility.
To get started you need little more than a comfy pair of trousers that allow plenty of movement, plus a T-shirt you don’t mind getting sweaty. Specifc gear like shoes and harnesses can often be hired and may be included in the session cost.
A warm welcome
Facilities
Because climbing walls are so often a newbie’s frst port of call, they’re used to dealing with complete novices. You’ll be welcomed, you won’t be made to feel like an outsider, and the staf will be more than happy to, quite literally, show you the ropes.
Climbing centres ofer a range of routes for all abilities, including roped climbs and low-level bouldering routes, so you don’t have to worry about being out of your depth. Many also provide additional facilities – such as showers and cafés – that you won’t get at an outdoor crag!
Learning
Atmosphere
There will be a range of options available at most walls, from simple ‘have a go’ sessions to more structured courses that teach the basics of climbing and bouldering in a safe environment. One-to-one coaching is often available if you prefer to learn this way.
Climbers are, in general, pretty laid-back people, and thus the environment at a climbing centre is likely to be equally chilled out. For this reason many nonclimbers are taking up the sport simply as a more interesting and relaxed alternative to gym membership.
TRAIL'S TOP TIPS FOR YOUR FIRST TIME AT THE WALL ● Warm up before you begin. ● Start by traversing (moving sideways) rather than climbing. ● Focus on the bigger holds. ● Keep your arms straight where possible. ● Use your legs for power.
To fnd a wall near you, visit www.thebmc.co.uk/ fnd-a-climbing-wall
See page 18 for ten of the best indoor climbing walls. 5
Get into climbing
HEAD OUTDOORS At some point beginner climbers will feel the urge to try their new skills on proper rock. What will outdoor climbing have in store?
To fnd a qualifed climbing instructor visit www.ami.org.uk See page 20 for ten of the best outdoor climbing locations.
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The crags of north Wales are perfect for beginner rock-climbers. BEN WINSTON
Learning
Atmosphere
At the crags there’s a whole new set of skills to learn. Route-fnding has to be worked out and the diferent types of holds identifed (they won’t be colour-coded like indoors!), and diferent rock types will require diferent movement techniques.
Popular climbing crags can have a festival atmosphere, with climbers drawn in from all around to enjoy challenges set by the natural landscape. Like-minded people gather to ofer advice and encouragement, chat about gear and routes, or simply to share in the enjoyment of their sport.
Equipment Climbing outside will introduce you to gear you won’t have come across indoors. Specialised equipment is used to create belays and add protection to the wall as you climb. Learning what this gear is, and how and when it should be used, is a key part of the transition to outdoor climbing.
Fresh air Being outside is widely regarded as being benefcial to health and wellbeing; while discovering how the gentlest breeze or the slightest bit of damp, vegetation, dirt or polished rock can change the feel of a climb are things you can’t learn indoors.
Exposure Although there are plenty of indoor centres with high walls, if you really want to get the heart pumping with vertigo-induced adrenaline, it’s hard to beat an outdoor location where the sight of trees far below and birds fying past will add to the thrill.
Location Probably the greatest gift outdoor climbing ofers is the locations it takes you to. Whether it’s a secluded hidden crag in Glen Coe, a famous wall on the shoulders of Snowdon, or one of the Peaks District’s monumental gritstone escarpments, indoor walls will never be able to compete.
TRAIL'S TIPS FOR YOUR FIRST TIME AT THE CRAG ● Make sure you go with experienced friends or hire a qualifed instructor. ● Put on your helmet as soon as you reach the crag. ● Take warm and waterproof clothing. ● Pack plenty of water and food. ● Wear comfortable, sturdy footwear to approach the crag and make sure you pack your rock shoes. ● Be aware of your surroundings and other crag users.
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