Trail magazine - June 2016

Julia Bradbury on her very first mountain walk...

LIVE FOR THE OUTDOORS

JUNE 2016

L

THE UK’S BEST-SELLING HILLWALKING MAGAZINE

Hidden Lake District

SPECIAL EDITION

Dramatic Lingmell Coniston scrambles Waterfalls & caves Newlands Round Ullswater ridges

PLUS

JUNE 2016 £4.99

Skye’s fierce north Bothy odyssey Safer wild water

Emergency!

Why first aid = ultimate skill

the one that cannot believe what’s in the bag this month!

Gear up for a night out!

Sleeping bags tents & mats ON TEST

12

Route cards + OS maps

Contents

WHERE TRAIL WILL TAKE YOU

There's an electricity about the Lake District you can’t explain to anyone unless they've been there.

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS BY TOM BAILEY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE

The Newlands Horseshoe proves a total tonic.

– page 24.

Climb it

SKILLS 6

To the Glyders, seeking serenity on Foel-goch

Experience it

8

The freedom of summer’s first wild camp

Your new Lakes Ultramap! 10 Where will this great gift take you walking?

The Mountain Inquisition 12 TV presenter Julia Bradbury spills the beans

SIGN UP! Subscribe to Trail and get a Swiss Army Knife* worth £42 – page 48. * Over 18s only

ADVENTURES

Expert advice

62

Is it okay to drink mountain water?; how to avoid disease-carrying ticks; the dangers of heatstroke; calculating distance walked in a day; the best way to dry out a tent PLUS learning the skills to save a life

YOUR TRAIL

24

‘Everything that’s great about the Lakes’

Lakeland waterfalls

32

Tumbling torrents to tempt the hillwalker

Lingmell

38

Unloved hill is actually amazing: who knew?

In box

18

The world of hillwalking: your thoughts

Out there

20

Subscribe!

48

Sign up today and get a Swiss Army Knife

130

One man, his mountains and a £70 prize

Cathedral Cave

44

A simply stunning subterranean sortie

Your top mountain moments + Summit selfie

Trail 7 Summits

Newlands Valley

Trotternish Ridge

50

‘Special but intimidating’ terrain on Skye

Bothy odyssey

56

Britain’s bothies, seen through a different lens Taking on Trotternish – page 50.

STE RUMBELOW

BASE CAMP

LAKE DISTRICT SPECIAL

Lingmell: unexpectedly excellent – page 38.

Stickle Ghyll: fun for all the family – page 32.

Digging Cathedral Cave – page 44.

NICHOLAS WHITE

Britain's bothies, brought into focus – page 56.

ROUTES

GEAR GUIDE Hot new kit

72

Box-fresh stuff that’s caught Trail’s eye

2-person tents

74

The best hill shelters for you and a mate

3-season sleeping bags

78

Cosy cocoons for a wide range of budgets

Sleeping mats

82

Comfort and warmth, whatever your needs

Kit me out for

84

Gear to help you cope with an emergency

First test

87

Columbia’s groundbreaking new waterproof

Used & abused

1 Ullswater Fells 2 Coniston Fells 3 Leck Fell 4 Foel-goch 5 Stob a’ Choin 6 Beinn na Caillich 7-9 Tawe Valley 10-12 Isle of Man

101 103 105 107 109 111 113 117

PLUS Walks of a lifetime Ridge guide Map of the month

Map of the month Isle of Rum Beinn na Caillich Stob a’ Choin Walks of a lifetime Blencathra 10 11 12

4

122 127 129

6

5

7

Isle of Man

Ridge guide Yr Elen Foel-goch

8 9

Ullswater 1 Leck Fell Coniston

3 2

Tawe Valley

88

Where Team Trail appraises its paraphernalia

● CHOOSE YOUR ROUTE AND GO HILLWALKING!

JUNE 2016 TRAIL 5

DO IT THIS MONTH

FIRST

SUMMER WILD CAMP

W

hat a feeling. What. A. Feeling.

As the mountains empty, you pass the crowds heading down as you head up. The light dims, the landscape quietens and a calm settles that is somehow deeper than at any point during the day.

You find a spot with a view. You pitch up, you dig yourself in, and you watch the night thicken. Cloud sinks and softens the valleys, while the heavens sharpen crisply. And it’s all yours. All. Yours.

8 TRAIL JUNE 2016

In the morning, there could be a different set of dramatic visuals to greet you, sculpted and lit from a whole new direction.

This time of year is perfect for the first camp – it’s cool enough to produce interesting atmospheric conditions, yet warm enough for those long, lingering tent-side vigils watching the scenery get ever more transcendent. So next time you’re in the hills, why not climb as high as you can get, and stay there.

A solo wild camp near the summit of Snowdon. On a calm, settled evening, what could be better?

FRANCESCO POLITI / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

JUNE 2016 TRAIL 9

YOUR KEY TO UNLOCK

THE LAKES So you’ve got a brand new Lake District Ultramap XT40 with your issue of Trail! The question is... where will it take you?

About your map

Harvey’s new Ultramaps give you detailed 1:40,000 coverage of the UK’s most popular mountain areas, on a map small enough to fit in a normal-sized pocket. They’re tough, they’re waterproof... and we’ve snaffled two for you: Lake District West and Lake District South East – one of which you’ve received with this issue of Trail. They’re usually priced at £9.95... so it’s worth seeing if you can nab both while you have the chance!

WEST MAP Have fun up high on Crinkle Crags This collection of peaks sounds like it’s been named by a bunch of kids, which is appropriate because scrambling over it is childishly joyful.

It also looks just how it sounds, its five ‘Crinkles’ needing to be searched out from the scrumpled heap of sheer and craggy rock. Paths are unclear and there are plenty of crevices to explore, so a long, dry summer’s day is recommended to make the most of it and the surrounding views. Wainwright declared it ‘Lakeland’s best ridge mile’ – which is high praise, and reason enough to check it out.

… or explore mountaineering history on Pillar & Great Gable

The mighty Pillar, above Ennerdale.

Undeniably regal and a cornerstone of the fells around Ennerdale, Great Gable is all solidity and resonance fringed with excitement. History was made here in 1886 when WP Haskett Smith made the first ascent of Napes Needle – a feat that marked the beginning of rock-climbing as a sport in England. Another site of mountaineering note on the Ennerdale horseshoe is Pillar.

Pillar Rock, from which the massif takes its name, juts out of the hill in the midst of terraced crags. And when local man John Atkinson climbed it in 1826, he too made history: this was the earliest recorded recreational rock-climb.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY TOM BAILEY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE

Langdale’s Pike of Blisco, seen from Crinkle Crags.

●

SPECIAL OFFER!

Four Ultramaps cover the Lake District: West and South East (both available on the cover of Trail

10 TRAIL MONTH 2016

Base Camp Made it! On England’s highest point.

SOUTH-EAST MAP

Heading for Side Pike.

Bag a view to make you weak at the knees on Lingmoor Fell

At 978m tall, Scafell Pike is the tippitytoppest bit of the whole country, and an incomparable lure. Thousands make the pilgrimage to its summit every year in rain, gloom, sunshine or snow. And it's no wonder, because as well as being the highest, Scafell Pike is also a dramatic and exciting mountain to climb. On a sunny day – if you're lucky – the views are spectacular; and even if you're not, it has something to offer, surrounded as it is by a fascinating array of outliers and accessible by a multitude of routes – from classic approaches to challenging scrambles. You only need to pick one.

… or witness a nightly transformation from Loughrigg Perched at the northernmost tip of Windermere, 335m Loughrigg is far from being the highest hill in the Lakes, but it might be the most charming. It’s delightful at any time, but witnessing its transformation as day turns to night is particularly special.

Climb through the mixed greenery of Fishgarths Wood in sunlight before emerging onto the rough and tumble of its heathy top, then meander north past quiet pools and disquieted sheep to its true summit in time to watch the golden splash of the sunset over Windermere and on the slopes of Fairfield.

Windermere from lovely Loughrigg.

GRAHAM THOMPSON

… or stand on the highest mountain in England, Scafell Pike

It might not seem much, little ol’ Lingmoor Fell, half-surrounded as it is by higher peaks – but its view of the knotty fins of the Langdale Pikes is without compare. That’s not the only reason to climb it, though. Its full 470m height is jammed with character, its top a rough grassy crest dotted with boulders and marked with a fine stone wall leading directly to Side Pike, a thumb of rock jutting out of the hill and providing a quite pleasurable mini-scramble.

It’s often walked on a rainy day, but that view deserves perfect conditions.

Staying in Windermere, Grizedale, Kendal or Ambleside? All are located on the south-east map. There are of course any number of places to explore from these bases, but lovers of solitude should head to the little-known outliers. Wainwright dedicated an entire book to mopping them up, discovering quiet charm amid miles of empty fell land. Potter Fell for one example is a silent expanse of almost untouched upland, sprinkled with tarns.

Alternatively, you could take a quick sprint up one of the smaller, nearby hills, ideal for kids or elderly yet determined walkers.

Ulgraves summit cairn on Potter Fell.

this month), North and East. All are £9.95 – but get £1 off per map if you buy two at www.harveymaps.co.uk MONTH 2016 TRAIL 11

© STAN PRITCHARD / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

… or explore outlying fells near Kendal

Go the Lake District Do the Newlands Horseshoe

Lakeland CAT BELLS

DALE HEAD

24 TRAIL JUNE 2016

Following the path from Skelgill Bank towards Cat Bells, with the Derwent Fells’ angles and creases laid out ahead.

goldmine Welcome to the Newlands Valley, where the footpaths are laced with buried treasure, the landscape is one of literary fantasy and the mountains will melt your heart.

WORDS OLI REED PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY

ROBINSON

HINDSCARTH SCOPE END

JUNE 2016 TRAIL 25

Go the Lake District Do waterfall walks

THE LAKE DISTRICT’S

The scrambly one

Hell Gill

© DAVID SPEIGHT / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

Grid ref NY261053 Go for challenge, drama, part of a long walk A number of ghylls (also spelt gills) lead down between the folds of Crinkle Crags to the valley floor and the most prominent north-westerly one – Hell Gill – provides almost a direct line to the summit of Bowfell. It’s a classic route to the top but not well-used, and keen scramblers will relish the journey upwards, past a variety of miniature falls. On the approach, you'll pass the 12m cascade Whorneyside Force. It’s worth pausing here for a snack and to bathe your feet in its icy waters before continuing upwards.

The interest doesn’t end at the top either, so divert southwards over the Crinkles for a full day of hands-on-rock fun.

32 TRAIL JUNE 2016

SPECTACULAR WATERFALLS

MOST

Foss, force, spout or ghyll, the Lake District is full of tumbling water.

Here are nine of the best falls to be found…

WORDS SARAH RYAN

The highest one

Scale Force

Grid ref NY150170 Go for spectacle, height, part of a long walk

JUNE 2016 TRAIL 33

TOM BAILEY

“Scale Force, the white downfall of which glimmered through the trees, that hang before it like the bushy hair over a madman’s eyes,” mused poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge on the Lakes’ highest waterfall. You only have to walk about 2km out of Buttermere to find it, enclosed in a cleft on the flanks of Red Pike, but it makes a spectacular start or end to a high horseshoe walk on the Buttermere fells, well bookended with a climb up Warnscale Beck. But if you skip the long walk and only head out to see this, a 170ft streak of white water hidden behind gently waving fronds of bracken, it’ll be worth it.

Go the Lake District Do Lingmell

OUT OF THE SHADOWS When is a hill not worth climbing? Never.

But some need help to shine – especially when they stand beside a more tempting prize...

WORDS SIMON INGRAM PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY

38 TRAIL JUNE 2016

The amazing vista from Lingmell Crag: Great Gable takes centre stage, with a snowy Crag Hill far left, and Skiddaw and Blencathra to its right.

JUNE 2016 TRAIL 39

MINI ADVENTURE

CATHEDRAL

Leave the daylight behind with a short subterranean sortie in Little Langdale.

WORDS BEN WEEKS PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY

44 TRAIL JUNE 2016

Studying the reassuringly solid-looking central pillar of Cathedral Cave’s main chamber.

JUNE 2016 TRAIL 45

CREATED WITH MEMORY-MAP. ©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2016 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 042/16

LANGDALE

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Go the Isle of Skye Do the Trotternish Ridge

Skye’s limit WORDS ALEX STANIFORTH PHOTOGRAPHS STE RUMBELOW & ALEX STANIFORTH

It’s the ‘other’ ridge of Skye – the one you don‘t need mountaineering skills to crack. But that doesn’t mean the Trotternish Ridge is a pushover...

50 TRAIL JUNE 2016

Looking along the incredible Trotternish Ridge from the Quiraing. A different planet, up there on Skye.

F

or most, it’s the chaotic spires of the fearsome Cuillin hills that come to mind when we think of Skye. But once spring weather had sprung in late March, my friend Ste and I set out to discover what else this mysterious northerly island had to offer. We would not be disappointed.

Soon after crossing the bridge from the mainland, there was apprehension in the sea air. Perhaps it was the unforgiving reputation, the isolation, or simply not knowing what to expect. Either way, there was a unique allure that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. It was quite unlike Scotland as I knew it. Even the sheep looked different.

Our eyes were met by a wilderness of monstrous peaks dominating the horizon: dark volcanic rock reflected in peaceful lochs, bleak moorland and weathered relics of sparse villages below.

During the short drive we seemed to encounter the four seasons of Skye’s own microclimate, flipping from horizontal Hebridean rain to glorious sunshine in minutes, and regularly ignoring the forecast. �

JUNE 2016 TRAIL 51

Britain's bothies

56 TRAIL JUNE 2016

EMBERS IN THE DARK

ANDY FORD

Bothies are a cherished part of the British uplands: deserted buildings maintained by the Mountain Bothies Association to offer free, basic shelter in the embrace of the hills.

Photographer Nicholas White has been capturing bothies in the landscape for his atmospheric new project, entitled Black Dots, using large format photography that shows these unique shelters in context with their environment. Here he shares his story so far...

Above: Nicholas White at work with his 5x4in camera.

Left: one of the few English bothies, at Warnscale Head in the Lake District, Haystacks beyond catching first light. “I took this after an incredible night witnessing the Northern Lights above Buttermere.“ JUNE 2016 TRAIL 57

EXPERT ADVICE: PLAIN & SIMPLETM YOUR EXPERTS

Graham Thompson GT – Trail’s technical editor for over 25 years – is our walking gear guru.

CAN I DRINK Rob Johnson MIC Rob is an international expedition leader and mountain instructor.

MOUNTAIN WATER? M

Lyle Brotherton Navigation expert Lyle is one of the world’s leading authorities on search and rescue.

Jeremy Ashcroft

TOM BAILEY

Trail’s mountaineering editor Jeremy has a lifetime of outdoors experience.

any of us turn to mountain streams for quick and convenient rehydration, whether as a matter of course or in a moment of emergency. Lifting that icy water to your lips is a simple pleasure after all – you're part of the landscape and it's a part of you.

Unfortunately, so are its most minuscule organisms, squirming through your gut, multiplying rapidly and sending you sprinting to the nearest clump of heather. Or, if you're unlucky, sometimes much worse.

In one Trail study a few years back, we found E coli, faecal streptococci and high instances of coliform bacteria in water taken from popular drinking spots in the Lake District. Coliform bacteria won’t make you ill, but can indicate the presence of pathogens that will: Giardia and Cryptosporidium can have you loo-bound for a week. But that's not the worst of it; though unlikely, Hepatitis A can also appear in unfiltered water and longterm effects can be grave. You should always treat water found on the hill but if you're out of kit and out of fluid at the very least do this:

62 TRAIL JUNE 2016

Get as close to the source as you can. The longer water travels over ground, the more chance it has to pick up bugs – usually from the faecal matter of warm-blooded animals (and no-one wants that in their mouth).

Check for dead animals in or near the water, and if found get as far upstream of them as possible.

Only drink from fast-flowing streams, and avoid still or stagnant pools where bacteria and other critters are more likely to thrive.

Avoid streams near populated areas or farmland. The nearer you are to human habitation, the higher the likelihood of contamination.

Ways to treat water when camping Pros Boiling A rolling boil for 1 minute should do the trick (3 minutes if you’re over 1900m)

Chemical treatment Chlorine and chlorine dioxide are the most common since iodine was outlawed.

Filtration The most effective systems have a pore size of 1 micron or less.

UV Tools like the SteriPen deactivate bacteria by disrupting the DNA with ultraviolet light.

Cons

l Easy when camping as you’re likely to have the kit. l Works at any altitude. l Relatively low-cost. l Chemical-free. l Kills everything.

l If you’re only out for the day, you may not have the kit.

l Lightweight, compact and doesn’t require specialist equipment. l Relatively low-cost.

l Only chlorine dioxide is effective against Cryptosporidium. l Can leave a strange, unpalatable taste. l Will take at least 10 minutes to work, and can take up to 30.

l Relatively quick and simple (depending on the model). l Very reliable. l Also removes debris.

l Initial outlay can be expensive. l Bulky and/or heavy depending on model. l Filters need cleaning and eventually replacing. l Most won’t remove viruses.

l Free from chemicals. l Sterilises the bacteria so they can’t reproduce and cause harm to humans.

l Doesn't remove pollutants. l Requires battery power, which can be an issue on longer journeys.

Good camp hygiene The pathogens that make you ill often come from the intestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals, like sheep and walkers.

Always follow these rules when camping:

Ensure your toilet site is at least 50m from any stream or lake, and ideally downhill.

Bugs that digest faeces live 6in below the surface, so dig your hole at least this deep.

Carry out all used loo paper, tampons and sanitary towels in a plastic bag.

After you’ve ‘been’, always use hand sanitising gel.

The Gut-Rot Three The most likely pathogens to cause major bellyache are...

Who? Giardia intestinalis What? Protozoan parasite that settles and reproduces in the small intestine, causing diarrhoea, stomach cramps and foul-smelling gassiness.

Illness can last months.

Avoid! Wash your hands; boil, filter or disinfect water.

Who? Cryptosporidium What? Protozoa covered by a hard shell, which protects it from disinfectants like chlorine. Infections symptoms include watery stools, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting.

Avoid! Boiling is best, but UV and chlorine dioxide will also inactivate it.

Who? Escherichia coli (E coli) What? Bacteria found in the lower intestine.

Some occur naturally and others can cause poisoning characterised by diarrhoea that can turn bloody, stomach cramps and fever.

Avoid! Boil, filter or disinfect water.

JUNE 2016 TRAIL 63

Go north Wales Do a first aid course

HOW TO

SAVE A LIFE There are plenty of courses outdoor enthusiasts can take – but emergency first aid might just be the most rewarding set of skills you’ll ever learn.

WORDS BEN WEEKS PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY

T

wo hours. That’s how long Katherine Wills tells us it could take Mountain Rescue to reach you in Snowdonia.

If yours isn’t the only call they’re responding to, it could be longer.

And she should know; Kath is a veteran member of the Llanberis team. So, here’s the question: if you were on scene when somebody suffered a serious injury or illness in the mountains, would you have the skills to keep them alive until medical help arrive? Today Kath isn’t on mountain rescue duty but doing her day job at Active First Aid Training; and I’m on their two-day emergency first aid course in Beddgelert – because my answer to the above question was, quite simply, “No.”

DAY 1 Keep them breathing, stop them bleeding, keep them warm. That’s Kath’s mantra. She says the course won’t train us to replace the role of a doctor or paramedic, but will give us the skills and confidence to administer basic emergency first aid. Our group of 12 consists of a mix of people who regularly work or play in the outdoors: a couple who run cycling tours, a DofE leader, the Snowdonia National Park Authority’s resident archaeologist, a mountain bike instructor, an outdoor journalist, and so on.

For all of us, the first aid we’ll be trained to provide will have one of three goals in mind: (1) treat the casualty so they can carry on with their activity; (2) treat the casualty so that they are able to return to their car/home/hospital; (3) treat the casualty in situ until further help arrives. �

68 TRAIL JUNE 2016

Don't worry, this isn't real.

But if it was, would you know what to do?

JUNE 2016 TRAIL 69

TEST OF THE BEST TOP HILL KIT GOES HEAD TO HEAD

TESTER PROFILE Graham Thompson Technical editor Height 5ft 11½in

TWO-PERSON TENTS Sharing camping adventures with a friend requires a wise investment in a great two-person tent. Here we test six of the very best under 2kg.

HEADROOM

FLYSHEET

This provides the protection against the rain and is made from nylon or polyester 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 long-term performance. A flysheet that reaches the ground around the edges will keep more rain out, but a fly with a big air gap around the base will help reduce condensation.

INNER TENT

You sleep inside the inner. It protects the occupant from the condensation that will inevitably form on the underside of the flysheet, as well as midges that will get under it. Some inner tents have large mesh panels to improve airflow while also reducing weight, but they can be colder and draughtier.

74 TRAIL JUNE 2016

PORCH

This space outside the inner but under the flysheet is ideal for storing rucksacks and wet gear, and as a cooking area. If it’s too small you’ll have to think carefully where you’re going to store wet gear overnight.

To be sure you can sit up, get a friend to measure your height when sitting, then compare this to the maximum internal height of the inner tent (but note that many tents taper down so you may not be able to sit up throughout the inner tent).

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 they are mechanically stronger due to clever design.

WEIGHT

Manufacturers supply weights but it is not always clear what these weights include. All weights in this test are for the tent inner and outer, poles and pegs as well as any stuffsacks and guy lines provided.

PITCHING

Inner-pitched-first designs save weight, are more stable and are ideal for pitching in dry conditions.

Outer-pitched-first designs are better if pitching in the rain, as the inner can be protected more easily.

However, if the inner is made of nylon it can often be shaken dry and won’t absorb too much water, so this may be a worthwhile compromise in some situations.

BEST BUDGET

FOR YOURYOUR

TESTER PROFILE Graham Thompson Technical editor Height 5ft 11½in

3-SEASON SLEEPING BAGS Planning on camping in spring, summer or autumn? Read on!

TEMPERATURE RATING

The bags featured here are designed to be warm enough for men at around -5 deg C, which is ideal for spring, summer and autumn (3-season) use in the UK. Manufacturers’ temperature ratings provide a good estimate of how warm a bag will feel, but as numerous factors are involved these ratings are only a rough guide.

Also bear in mind that women tend to feel the cold more than men, so on average women may prefer a bag that is up to 5 deg C warmer than a man, meaning they may want to look at bags rated as -8 to -10 deg C for 3-season use. We have provided the lowest comfort temperature rating for men stated by manufacturers.

SHELL & LINING INSULATION

The bags featured here use synthetic or down insulation.

Down is more efficient at trapping air than synthetic insulation, and thus can produce lighter and less bulky sleeping bags. But it does not maintain its performance when damp as well as synthetic materials. It is also higher in price than synthetic insulation.

To protect the insulation, the shell and lining benefit from some water resistance and in some cases this may be enhanced at the base, foot and hood areas. Nylon is often used for the shell and lining but polyester is lower in price. Low-cost cotton materials are slow-drying and heavy so they are often avoided on higher-performance designs.

PACKED SIZE & WEIGHT

A small packed size and low weight are essential when backpacking so you can easily store the bag in a rucksack and carry it over the hills. Sizes stated are those obtained when the bag is stuffed into its stuffsack and this is compressed as small as possible.

Weights stated include the stuffsack.

SIZE

In the shop, check a bag for fit. If it’s too big you’ll have more air to heat up and this will tend to escape from the bag. If it’s too small you’ll be uncomfortable as you’ll be restricted in movement and the insulation will become compressed so it won’t trap air to keep you warm. Some bags are available in a choice of lengths and there are also women’s models.

Sizes stated are for a standard bag.

CONSTRUCTION

Most down insulated bags here use ‘box wall’ construction, where down is trapped by box-shaped baffles within the bag, rather like bricks in a wall. To reduce cold spots some bags use trapezoid and slant-wall-shaped boxes. Synthetic bags are easier to construct, but if the insulation is stitched directly to the inside and outside of the bag it can create cold spots at these seams.

78 TRAIL JUNE 2016

ZIP

Designs vary from halflength to full-length side zips, the former offering a weight saving and the latter making a more versatile bag for hot nights. To prevent the zip from jamming it may have an antisnag strip behind, while a wide insulation-filled baffle is important to prevent cold spots along the length of the zip.

SHOULDER BAFFLE

A good shoulder baffle keeps the air in the bag, which increases its insulating abilities. The best can be fastened to make a complete loop and have easyto-adjust drawcords. Lower-priced bags often don’t have a shoulder baffle.

HOOD

A good hood is often the difference between a good bag and a bad one.

Check for one that’s easy to pull tight and is a good fit so the fabric doesn’t bunch up around your face but still keeps you comfortable and cosy.

Lake District

ROUTE 1 JUNE 2016

12.7km/7ž miles 3 hours ROUTE STATS

Ullswater Fells

The view along Patterdale to Ullswater from Place Fell.

Partly closed off by the recent floods, the ridges between Ullswater and High Street are worth seeking out, recommends Richard Down.

T

here are an almost limitless number of ways that you can link the many sinuous ridgelines around Ullswater into satisfying hilltop rounds.

But Place Fell boasts the most spectacular mid point to any of them. It plunges into the lake, while the rest of the fells maintain a respectful distance from the shores. Its sheer sides help make the Glenridding end of Ullswater one of the most eye-catching scenes in the National Park. From the summit you get a grandstand view of the Helvellyn massif and the lake itself. And the long fingers of fells that creep up the landlocked valley behind are equally fascinating.

Climbing the lengthy ridge that makes up Beda Head and Beda Fell, or its cousin Steel Knotts, which runs parallel along Martindale, affords views at every step.

Before clambering up the wild zigs and zags to Place Fell summit, Angletarn Pikes make a great picnic spot.

In the wake of the recent floods, Beda Fell and its neighbours are even quieter than usual. The access via Pooley Bridge has been washed away and there is a detour from Eamont Bridge. But this should put no-one off. These lonely valleys and ridges are a delight that you might only need to share with a few sheep even on a perfect, early summer’s day.

Angletarn Pikes, seen from Place Fell.

F From the summit you get a grandstand view of Helvellyn.

JUNE 2016 TRAIL 101

RICHARD DOWN

Strenuousness l l l l l Navigation lllll Technicality lllll Wainwrights 3

Lake District

ROUTE 1 JUNE 2016

Always take a map out with you on the hill

12.7km/7¾ miles 3 hours ROUTE INFO art

Carlisle Keswick

Penrith

Windermere Kendal Inglet Ben Lancaster

Distance 12.7km (7¾ miles) Total ascent 610m Time 3 hours Start/finish layby at NY434184 Nearest town Penrith Terrain steep, grassy tracks and ridgelines; broad, stony paths and open moorland Maps OS Landranger (1:50,000) 90; OS Explorer (1:25,000) OL5; Harvey British Mountain Map (1:40,000) Lake District; Harvey Superwalker Lakeland West (1:50,000)

CREATED WITH MEMORY-MAP. ©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2016 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 042/16

Accommodation Gillside Farm campsite (01768) 482346 www.gillsidecaravan andcampingsite.co.uk; Glenridding Hotel (01768) 482228 www. theglenriddinghotel. com; Patterdale YHA 0845 371 9337 Public transport trains to Penrith, with limited buses to Glenridding 0870 608 2608; National Rail Enquiries 08457 484950

NY434184 Start in a layby outside the ‘old’ church of St Martin.

Take the road towards Winter Crag farm over a picturesque stone bridge.

Follow a bridleway behind the farm then a path to the nose of the ridge.

NY414179 There is no path to High Dodd summit, so forge up the open fellside then bear north-east, picking up a path again 30m below the hilltop.

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NY422188 At a cairn beside a broken wall, descend roughly north and circle back towards the road.

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NY430185 As the fell climbs up to your left, follow a clear but narrow path. This heads along the ridgeline all the way to Beda Head.

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NY427170 From Beda Head summit continue along the ridgeline, bearing left towards Angletarn Pikes.

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NY414149 Take in the view from a promontory above Angle tarn and bear right on a broad path towards the col between Angletarn Pikes and Place Fell. The path is joined by several others. Head up the main broad, stony path to the summit of Place Fell.

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NY405169 Catch your breath at the summit by taking in the views of Ullswater and the surrounding mountains. Head towards High Dodd along paths through open hillside.

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NY426193 Take a series of green lanes and small country roads back to Winter Crag farm, the old church and the car.

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Beda Fell and Martindale.

Guidebooks Pictorial Guide to The Far Eastern Fells by A Wainwright, pb Frances Lincoln Tourist info Penrith (01768) 867466 www.golakes.co.uk Best pub Sun Inn, Pooley Bridge

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GRADIENT PROFILE

METRES ABOVE SEA LEVEL

www.viewranger. com/trail

102 TRAIL JUNE 2016

Start 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200

MILES KILOMETRES

1 0 0

Beda Head

2

Angletarn Pikes

4

3 2

Place Fell

2

4

High Dodd

5 6

4

Sleet Fell

6 8

7 6

10

Finish

8 12

WALKS OF A LIFETIME

Blencathra

by the ridges

Scrambling two of the Lakes’ finest ridges will test your head for heights and reward you with an unforgettable experience, says Jeremy Ashcroft.

122 TRAIL JUNE 2016

Lake District 9km/5½ miles 4 hours

You can show off and opt to scramble over the top blocks, but the more normal route along Sharp Edge is over the slabby steps just below. © TOM BAILEY

JUNE 2016 TRAIL 123