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MARCH 2015
A
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WINTER SUMMITS y a w y s a ...the e 8 thrill-packed hillwalks made for shorter days ROUTES + OS MAPS
▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲
Snowdonia Highlands Yorkshire Isle of Skye Brecon Beacons
EXPERIENCE...
the one that’s hoping for a crispy and aromatic end to the winter
HELVELLYN IN A HAILSTORM DOLOMITES IN A WEEKEND WALKING IN THE DARK!
Lakeland’s Lost World Discovering the secret depths of Borrowdale
69 HILLS
TO CLIMB INSIDE
+
GEAR UP!
Daysacks and fleeces tested 2015 SORTED
A year of adventure – planned for you
CONTENTS ‘PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE IN THE DOLOMITES LOOKS LIKE THIS – OR EVEN BETTER’
Helvellyn: one place you DO need a weatherman.
p24
Eight winter hills made for walkers.
p50
BASECAMP
SKILLS
Climb... Ben Lui
6
Experience this!
8
Introducing a Scottish peak packed with surprises
That most magical of sights: a cloud inversion
2015 outdoor calendar 10
Mountain Guide
ADVENTURES 72
What to do if you find yourself benighted; rucksack liners vs. covers; know the Bothy Code; the importance of dry feet; contact lenses on the hill; build your own first aid kit PLUS the best filters for DSLRs; why winter boots need to be stiff; the nearest thing the UK has to Alps
New year, new plans for your hillwalking life
Mountain Inquisition
14 16
A month of outdoorsy doings to bob in your diary
YOUR TRAIL In Box
24
A day in the life of...
36
Mamores in winter
44
Skiddaw by night
50
Borrowdale
54
ML assessment
58
Dolomites
64
Behind the picture
70
A selection of stunning hills for snowy scenarios
...a bloke with a bonkers job: felltop assessor
A familiar mountain tackled during darkness
18
The world of hillwalking, according to you lot
Out There
20
Your top mountain moments, caught on camera
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8 great winter days
To mighty Stob Ban, for an excitement overload
Ex-miner and top-class mountaineer Andy Cave
High lights
On Skiddaw, while the world sleeps.
OLI REED
TOM BAILEY
p36
Trail sees the point of Europe’s spikiest summits.
BEN WINSTON
p64
42
...and snaffle yourself a big fat cash saving today!
A most pleasing place to escape to if it’s raining
Trail’s aspirant guide gets tested: does he pass?
Italy boasts some utterly amazing upland: fact
The first woman to climb all fourteen 8000ers
WHERE THIS MONTH’S ISSUE WILL TAKE YOU
p44 TOM BAILEY
‘BY ALL ACCOUNTS STOB BAN IS A DELIGHT’
A LESSER-KNOWN PEAK THAT CAN DELIVER A TRULY EPIC OUTING
Fleece jackets and 30-35 litre rucksacks.
Route 2: a back-door approach to Crinkle Crags.
RONALD TURNBULL
p103
GEAR GUIDE
ROUTES
30-35 litre packs
80
Fleece jackets
84
Medium-sized rucksacks to take UK hill-bagging
Cosy long-sleeved tops for outdoors action
Mapping
88
1 2 3 4
Foldy sheets and digital data: three kinds of each
5
Kit for Mountain Leaders 90
6
The gear you need if you’re in charge of a group
First Test
92
A new Osprey pack that loves lugging heavy loads
What’s in your rucksack? 93
7-9 10-12 CLASSIC ROUTE
Sleddale Crinkle Crags Caldbeck Fells Tryfan in winter Loch Coruisk Ben Lui Conwy to Betws Glen Lyon Pen-y-ghent
101 103 105 107 109 111 113 117 122
Felltop assessor Jon Bennett shows us his stuff
Used & Abused
Team Trail appraises its most-worn gear
94
Choose your route and go hillwalking!
5 6 10-12
3 2
4 7-9
1 CLASSIC ROUTE
Go: hills all over the UK Do: what winter was made for
8
READY-MADE
Š JEFF TUCKER / ALAMY
The forecast is perfect, your back pocket has a few basic cold-weather skills tucked nothing too necky... just a cracking day out with a pub and bed for the night at the end.
The incomparable view to Cribyn from Pen y Fan on a glorious winter's day. Read on to make this and seven more stunners yours this winter...
24 TRAIL MARCH 2015
WINTER DAYS
inside and your pack’s primed for a winter-spec walk. Nothing too heavy, Here are eight of Trail’s top mountain walks that were made for winter... WORDS SIMON INGRAM ILLUSTRATIONS JEREMY ASHCROFT
MARCH 2015 TRAIL 25
Go: Lake District Do: weather watching
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF...
THE HELVELLYN WORDS SIMON INGRAM PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY
Did you know someone gets paid to climb the same hill every day all winter? This guy did: it's him. Trail gets the low-down on his high life...
36 TRAIL MARCH 2015
B
it of honesty here, please – and you might have to do some soul searching. You love climbing hills; we all do. But what if you climbed the same hill every day? And not in the balmy air of summer, but in the always cold, frequently crispy and occasionally lethal days of winter? And this isn’t a choice: it’s your job. Even if the weather is bad. Even if your clothes are still damp from the previous day. Even if really all you fancy doing is having an easy wander to the shops, a nice cake and a read of the paper. C’mon, admit it: after a while, you’d get a bit fed up, wouldn’t you? Well, there is one job for which this scenario is a reality. The mountain is Helvellyn; the role is that of felltop assessor. And one man who has been doing this job ❯ considers himself one of the luckiest folks around.
Felltop assessor Jon Bennett communes with the weather (device) on Helvellyn summit.
WEATHERMAN
MARCH 2015 TRAIL 37
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Go: west Highlands Do: an ignored winter epic Neither Antarctica nor the Himalayas, but an oft-ignored mountain a stone’s throw from the west Highlands’ busiest summit.
OUT IN THE COLD
Stob Ban is regularly overlooked, but it shouldn't be. In the depths of winter an ascent of this Mamores peak can only be described as... epic. WORDS BEN WEEKS PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY 44 TRAIL MARCH 2015
H
eadline acts will always get the attention. Who’s going to go and see your mate Pete’s Showaddywaddy tribute band play the Dog and Ferret when The Rolling Stones are in concert next door? It’s easy to let popularity be your guide; if someone or something has a huge number of fans, surely it’s reasonable to assume that it must be good? Two words for you: One Direction. Suddenly, Pete’s covers band doesn’t seem like such a terrible option... Of course it’s equally wrong to assume the opposite – that if something is less well known it can’t be worth checking out. But sometimes it requires a last-minute change of plans, a quirk of fate and a spark of spontaneity to discover these quiet gems. And sometimes they turn out to be a bit special. We had plans, you see – exciting, headlining, Glen Nevis plans. But avalanche forecasts and the threat of waist-deep ❯ snow put paid to those, and we needed an alternative...
MARCH 2015 TRAIL 45
Go: northern Lakes Do: night walking
DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK
… because it turns out the night-time is the right time to walk on the hills you love. WORDS DAN ASPEL PHOTOGRAPHS BEN WINSTON
50 TRAIL MARCH 2015
SKIDDAW, LAKE DISTRICT
Above 800m and still climbing as the sun sets on the Skiddaw massif.
MARCH 2015 TRAIL 51
MINI ADVENTURE
BBB
Heading for Millican Dalton's cave, with Borrowdale doing its best impression of a Bolivian rainforest.
54 TRAIL MARCH 2015
LAKE DISTRICT
IN A NUTSHELL the Lake District’s most exciting valley DISTANCE 5km (3 miles) TIME 2 hours START/FINISH car park at Rosthwaite (NY257148) NEAREST TOWN Keswick
BORROWDALE
It’s officially the wettest valley in England, but also the perfect place to escape to on a rainy Lake District day. Trail delves deep into the hidden treasures of Borrowdale. WORDS OLI REED PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY
MARCH 2015 TRAIL 55
Go: north Wales Do: your ML assessment
MAKE ME A
MOUNTAIN LEADER
It’s UK hillwalking’s most revered badge of achievement, but just how tough is the Mountain Leader assessment? Trail followed a direct bearing to Snowdonia and found out. WORDS DAN ASPEL PHOTOGRAPHS DAN ASPEL & TOM BAILEY
Want to lead newbie walkers on your favourite hills? Qualifying as a Mountain Leader is a great place to start!
58 TRAIL MARCH 2015
L
MARCH 2015 TRAIL 59
TOM BAILEY
ook at this. This is what you could call perfect weather. But perfect Mountain Leader assessment weather is not perfect weather. In fact it’s the opposite. It’s driving rain that soaks your boots and blurs your map case, and it’s tearing wind that knocks you sideways and steals your voice away. Then if it really lives up to the billing it gets dark quickly and stays dark for a long time. It’s grim. Well, if you’re reading this sentence that means you haven’t dropped the magazine like it’s on fire or flicked on to our sunny Dolomites feature. High five. That means that you’re not put off by a bit of wild weather (and like many of us you might secretly enjoy it just a little bit). If you’re also the kind of person who likes to do what they do right, wants to make sure they and others around them stay safe in the hills, and hopes to spend as much of their life as possible out there enjoying them, then the Mountain Leader course could be for you. �
Go: northern Italy Do: the Dolomites
64 TRAIL MARCH 2015
Above the Passo Vaiolon (2550m) in the heart of the Dolomites' Rosengarten group. Exposed, exciting – and perfect for adventurous walkers.
WALKING IN WONDERLAND In a mountain range overrun by climbers and BASE jumpers, Trail discovers there’s still plenty of excitement left over in the Dolomites for the rest of us. WORDS OLI REED PHOTOGRAPHS BEN WEEKS
S
pend enough time tramping around the high peaks of the world and people will keep asking you the same question: “What’s the best mountain range you’ve ever visited?” For me the answer is simple. It’s tucked away in the topright corner of Italy, and it’s known as the Dolomites. I could ramble on for dozens of pages about how ridiculously spectacular and unique these mountains are, but all you really need to do is look at the picture on this page. Pretty much everywhere in the Dolomites looks like this – or even better. ❯ MARCH 2015 TRAIL 65
TEST OF THE BEST Where top hill kit goes head to head
A 30 to 35 litre rucksack is perfect for most hillwalking trips , so here we test the best for those heading out to bag our highest British mountains.
30-35 LITRE RUCKSACKS TESTER PROFILE Graham Thompson Technical editor Height 5ft 11½in Back length medium/large
HIPBELT This is designed to carry most of the load if the pack is heavy, but when carrying lighter loads it may only be used to ensure stability of the pack. Either way, it should fit snugly around your hips while being comfortable and easy to adjust. Look for some foam padding for maximum comfort.
WAND POCKETS Originally designed for avalanche probes or ‘wands’, these pockets on the side of a rucksack are often made of stretchy mesh fabrics and are ideal for stashing the ends of trekking poles, as well as smaller items including water bottles or snacks.
COMPRESSION STRAPS Found on the sides of some packs, these allow you to compress the body of the sack to help stabilise the load. They are also useful for attaching items to the rucksack, such as trekking poles and waterproof jackets.
SHOULDER STRAPS Shoulder straps take some of the weight, but they need to be carefully contoured and padded to make them comfy. As we’re all different shapes it is important to try them for size, fit and comfort before buying.
GEAR
TEST OF THE BEST
VENTILATED BACK SYSTEM
MAGAZINE
BEST VALUE
Many rucksacks have mesh panels that hold the sack away from the body to increase airflow and thereby reduce the horrid sweaty sensation that some rucksacks produce. The greater the airflow across the back, the less clammy you will feel.
£75/1218g/35 litres
£70/913g/30 litres
Berghaus Trail Speed 30 Lowe Alpine Airzone Trail POCKETS At least one external zipped pocket is useful for things like guidebooks, maps and GPS receivers, but some people like more while others can tolerate less. Stretch pockets without zips are common on the front of a rucksack, and they’re ideal for stowing waterproof jackets between showers. Pockets on the hipbelt are ideal for snacks and GPS receivers. Lid pockets are great for guidebooks, sunglasses or sunscreen.
FEATURES
FIT
MAIN COMPARTMENT ENTRY The entry to the main compartment may be a conventional lid with a buckle, or a ziparound closure. There are pros and cons of both designs, with lids having the advantages that there are no zips to break, you can overstuff the bag, and the lid often has an excellent pocket for smaller items like maps and guidebooks.
COMFORT
HYDRATION POCKET If you like to drink from a hydration bladder with a feeder pipe rather than a water bottle, look for a rucksack with a pocket for the bladder inside the pack. All the sacks featured here can accommodate such a system.
IN USE
VALUE
VERDICT
www.berghaus.com
www.lowealpine.com
+ single-buckle lid; compression straps deep snow-lock extension; only one – no compression strap each side; poor hipbelt price; no-contact back system; weight;
+ lid; compression straps; wand/side pocket little heavy; no snow-lock extension; – acompression straps lack quick-release
This 30 litre rucksack has a main compartment with a conventional lid that benefits from a huge external pocket and a smaller pocket underneath. The main compartment doesn’t have the deep snow-lock extension of some designs though. Also, you only get one side compression strap but you can use the lid straps and ice axe/pole elastic loops to attach trekking poles to the side. 4/5
The 35 litre capacity is provided by a single main compartment with a fixed lid that has a single buckle. There is no snow-lock extension on the main compartment opening but you do get a raincover to help keep water out. You also get side compression straps without quick-release buckles and stretch side pockets. There is a very large zipped front pocket and the lid has an external and internal pocket. 4/5
This comes in a men’s version, plus a women’s version that has a shorter back length. The back system has padding at the shoulders and hips with none between, but the back is precurved away from the body so there’s an air gap with no body contact. The shoulder straps have top tensioning straps but there are no side stabilising straps on the hipbelt. 5/5
The men’s Airzone Trail 35 and women’s Airzone Trail ND 35 have a back system that holds the pack away from the wearer’s body with a mesh panel. The Adaptive Fit shoulder straps are designed to fit a wide range of shoulder widths while the hipbelt also adapts easily to the body. The fit of this pack is good, being close and stable. 5/5
The back system is quite firm around the lower back and hip area, while the hipbelt itself isn’t stiff enough to take any weight. There’s good airflow across the back but designs with more padding or a tensioned mesh panel are more comfortable. But at only 913g the weight is appealing and as there’s good stiffness in the back you can be quite relaxed when packing gear. 3/5
The back system allows extra airflow, which instantly makes it more comfortable. The gap is not so large between the pack and the wearer’s back as to make the sack unstable, but closer-fitting designs are even more stable and better for mountaineering. There is good stiffness here too, so you can be quite relaxed when packing gear without impacting on comfort too drastically. 5/5
Packing this sack is easy thanks to the stiff back. I managed to fit trekking poles on the sides, but I’d prefer a top compression strap. There’s no front stash pocket, but the lid pocket is ideal for maps/guidebooks. A deep snow-lock extension would be good but the lid fits well enough to prevent water ingress. 4/5
The weight (1218g) is a bit high but not of major concern, and the front zipped pocket is good for waterproofs. The side compression straps don’t get quick-release buckles, a little annoying when strapping trekking poles to the sides. The lid fits well but a small snow-lock extension would ensure the main compartment was sealed.4/5
The Trail Speed has a low price, but you get fewer benefits as it’s a slightly stripped-back design compared with other models. 5/5
Very well-priced for what you get as this is a 35 litre pack with a back system that increases airflow, plus a lot of other great features. 5/5
Low-priced and light with a fair set of features, but the back isn’t as comfy as others.
Very good for hillwalking if you like more airflow, but some details could be slightly better.
4.2/5
price; airflow back system; single-buckle
4.6/5
MARCH 2015 TRAIL 81
CLASSIC ROUTE
The best ine enn of the P y Wa
Pen-y-ghent A distillation in a one-day walk of all of the things that make the Pennine Way great, courtesy of Jeremy Ashcroft.
DARRYL GILL/ALAMY
T
he Pennine Way winds along the length of England’s hilly spine for 267 miles from Edale in Derbyshire to the border with Scotland. Along the way it traverses some of Britain’s finest landscapes and is widely regarded as one of the most rewarding (and toughest) long distance paths going. Such strong credentials make it impossible to choose a best bit. In fact the effect the route has on individuals is so personal that if you sat 100 Pennine Way completers down in a room and asked them to pitch for the best bit you would end up with 100 different choices. If you’re a walker who loves the heights then Kinder Scout or
122 TRAIL MARCH 2015
Cross Fell would most likely be your first choice. Or if drama is your thing then Malham Cove, Cauldron Snout or High Cup Nick would be your preference. Most completers, however, will agree with one thing; namely that the overriding joy of doing the Pennine Way is that it’s a cumulative experience. The joy of the journey, of taking the rough with the smooth, the changes between the pastoral and the wild, the hard days of wind, the rain interspersed with blue skies and skylarks. To distil this into one experience there can be few better sections to sample than the bit that crosses Pen-y-ghent. This iconic peak
can be as majestic as the Matterhorn when painted by the hues of low evening light. Its roaring potholes when fed by a day’s rain can be deafening with the sheer volume of noise. The bleached limestone pavements and stacked crags that buttress its flanks are as impressive as any you’ll see in our hills. To round things off this fine peak is set against the languid beauty of the River Ribble and its lush valley-bottom pasture. A walk over Pen-y-ghent and back along the banks of the Ribble has a taste of almost every element of the Pennine Way – and once completed it will have you wanting to do the whole route. ❯
YORKSHIRE DALES The wild east face of Pen-y-ghent, viewed from Dawson Close.
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