CLIMB
YOUR DREAM HILLS!
LIVE FOR THE OUTDOORS
SPRING 2016
A
Make this the year you do it: p44
THE UK’S BEST-SELLING HILLWALKING MAGAZINE
SPRING 2016 £4.45
THE UK’S GREATEST
SUMMITS
From giddy pinnacles to thrilling views: 42 unmissable mountaintops
Living on Blencathra Exclusive Behind the scenes of the stunning new film
Peak District
3 peaks challenge!
Snowdonia cave hunt ...and the wild peak it led to
Steel Edge Superb, silent Lakes scramble for spring
Shapely and surprisingly sharp: climb all three in a day
the the oneone thatthat fondly remembers when Alan Hinkes got his kit pie off eats humble (but splendidly peak-shaped)
AIGR GOE RH H
F RE ADVENTU dget Stoves and bu test waterproofs on
+
3 routes from a remote Lakeland hideaway The Carneddau’s best walk in 3D
Contents
WHERE TRAIL WILL TAKE YOU Caisteal Liath: the highest point on Suilven –page 40.
TOM BAILEY
BRITAIN’S
GREATEST
BASE CAMP Climb it
SKILLS
6
‘Cutting a striking dash’ is Rum’s Trollabhal
Experience it
8
The optical phenomenon that is the sun halo
The BMC needs you!
10
Walkers wanted, to help mend the mountains
The Mountain Inquisition 12 Welsh world record-holder Ash Dykes tells all
WOW!
A Trangia stove set worth £46 is yours when you subscribe – see page 46.
Expert advice
ADVENTURES
70
Britain’s greatest summits 26
Where you are (and aren’t) allowed to walk; crossing a river safely; how to know if terrain is too steep; is it sensible to sleep in a cave?; why you need to wash your waterproofs; using your hand as a navigation tool
Simply, our 42 most stunning mountain tops
YOUR TRAIL In box
20 22 46
Sign up, save cash and get a Trangia stove set
Win the best new gear!
Gallt yr Ogof
54
Wetherlam
60
Steel Edge: an ‘easy-going Lakes ridge-climb’
Your top mountain moments + Face of fatigue
Subscribe to Trail
48
We tackle a delightful new ‘3 Peaks Challenge’
A word on a map leads to a Welsh cave-hunt
The world of hillwalking: your thoughts
Out there
Peak District
92
Outdoor kit worth over £500 is up for grabs
Living on Blencathra
64
Ace images from every angle in every season Shutlingsloe, one of the three Peaks.
The Cobbler: triple-peaked treat – page 30.
Orrest Head: Wainwright’s inspiration – page 35.
Sgurr nan Gillean: room for a small one (or two) – page 36.
SUMMITS
TRAIL’S FAVOURITE UK MOUNTAIN TOPS – STARTING ON PAGE 26
GEAR GUIDE Hot new kit
ROUTES
74
Box-fresh stuff that’s caught Trail’s eye
Stoves
76
For making brews ’n’ hot meals on mountains
Budget waterproofs
80
Affordable jackets for the repelling of rain
Portable power
84
Juice up your gizmos wherever you wander
Kit me out for...
86
...repairing and prolonging the life of gear
First test
88
MSR’s lightweight, unconventional shelter
Used & abused
90
Where Team Trail appraises its paraphernalia
1 Greenup Round 2 Pendle Hill 3 Cadair Berwyn 4 Hatterrall Ridge 5 Rum Cuillin 6 Ben Nevis 7-9 Leek 10-12 YHA Black Sail
101 103 105 107 109 111 113 117
PLUS Walks of a lifetime Ridge guide Map of the month
5
Rum Cuillin
6
Ridge guide Nethermost Pike 1
Greenup Round
10 11 12
Black Sail
Map of the month Ingleborough
Walks of a lifetime Cwm Eigiau 3
122 127 129
Ben Nevis
Pendle Hill
2
Leek 7 8 9
Cadair Berwyn Hatterrall Ridge 4
● CHOOSE YOUR ROUTE AND GO HILLWALKING!
SPRING 2016 TRAIL 5
Looking back at Slioch’s summit, like a closed fist ready to punch a hole in Scotland’s west coast, on the ascent to Sgurr an Tuill Bhain.
THE SUMMIT THAT... is an icon of Scottish wilderness
SLIOCH NW HIGHLANDS 981m
TOM BAILEY
“My ascent of Slioch started badly. My new boots were hurting, the zip on my trousers broke so they kept falling down, and I punctured my fancy waterproof jacket on a gorse bush on the long walk along Loch Maree. But the higher we climbed, the less I cared. With a pair of golden eagles for company, we pulled our hoods tight and attacked a fierce headwind as we inched upwards from the awesome hanging corrie of Coire na Sleaghaich onto that enormous knuckle of a summit. Standing alongside Slioch’s 980m trig point, gazing down Loch Maree towards the Atlantic Ocean with Torridon to our left and An Teallach’s crooked turrets grinning threateningly from the right, we felt like we were on the edge of the world.” Oli Reed, Trail deputy editor Done it ■
JOIN TRAIL’S 7 Now it’s your turn. Feeling inspired to get out there and bag some of these summits? Got ambitions you’d like to share with us, and with others? Want to win cool stuff, and potentially get famous in the process...? Then you need to sign up for the Trail 7 Summits Challenge! It’s very simple: choose any seven UK mountains you’d like to stand on top of in 2016, sign up, download our list, and share your adventures. Everything you need can be found on our special online hub at www.lfto. com/trail7summits Here you can read Team Trail’s 7 Summits blog (because we’re all doing it too), check out the summits on other people’s lists, read the ambitions of outdoor legends like Sir Chris Bonington and Robert Macfarlane – and M A G A Z I N E #Trail7summits
My name
In 2016 I will climb...
1
2 3
4 5
6 7
Bonus Route/experience/goal...
take a peek at the inspiring shots shared by fellow Trail 7 Summiteers who are already out there knocking their lists off. What’s more, if you share your list and a 7 Summits photo of yourself with us, you could be the winner of a Montane Cobra 25 rucksack worth £70 – and get your pic on the back page of the mag! Don’t forget to sign up to receive our newsletter packed with exclusive offers, updates, competitions and inspiration – and to share your photos with us using the hashtag #Trail7Summits on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram... Where are you based? Put an X on the map!
Now make it official: share your ambitions with us, and others like you! Fill in the list above, take a photo of it and share it on your platform of choice using #Trail7summits, email it to trail@bauermedia.co.uk or visit www.lfto.com/7summits. Here’s to a great 2016!
OFFICIAL PARTNER
livefortheoutdoors.com
facebook /trailmagazine
twitter @trailmagazine
instagram #trailmagazine
SIGN UP AT#TRAIL7SUMMITS 44 TRAIL SPRING 2016
WWW.LIVE
THE SUMMIT THAT... feels a lot bigger than it is
BEN A’AN SOUTH HIGHLANDS 461m
On the pointy and popular pinnacle of Ben A'an, looking down Loch Katrine.
SUMMITS CHALLENGE! completed!
Get involved! Log on to lfto.com/ trail7summits
Just before we went to press we heard that April’s winner of a Montane Cobra 25 rucksack – Ben James – has completed his 7 Summits list. He was at number five when his shot from the summit of Braeriach was printed on our back page – and his achievement is all the more impressive given that Ben lives in Cornwall, and his list was entirely Scottish!
FORTHEOUTDOORS.COM/TRAIL7SUMMITS SPRING 2016 TRAIL 45
ROBERT HAMILTON / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
If you were to guess the height of Ben A’an – ‘small pointed peak’ – having been dropped straight onto its rocky summit, it’d be understandable for you to aim high: perhaps 800m or more. That it’s actually half that is only to its benefit. We won’t talk about its wooded, waterfalled path up – though you should explore that – but simply the summit that awaits: a rocky pyramid with a nifty, simple scramble to its tiny highest point. Loch Katrine sweeps away below; Munros surround it. Folk regularly fall in love with Ben A’an. It’s worth going to the Trossachs to find out why. Done it ■
SIGN UP, SAVE £££ AND GET A MINI TRANGIA!
A legendary Swedish stove plus four fuel gel pouches!
+
FREE ACCESS TO 1,000 ROUTES AND UNLIMITED PRINTABLE OS MAPPING FOR A YEAR*! * A TrailZilla subscription is only available with a digital subscription if you purchase it through Great Magazines.
”The Trangia stove is a true classic – and the Mini Trangia gets round the biggest drawback, which is the weight! Compact and hard-wearing, this miniaturised bit of Swedish outdoor history is superb quality. Effortlessly practical and light, it makes outdoor cooking easy in all conditions, even high winds and severe cold. It comes with a gel burner – a small aluminium tin to hold gel fuel so you can cook easily on the go. The gift also includes four gel fuel pouches. I love mine: it’s not just a great traditional stove, it’s a wonderful thing to own!“ Simon Ingram, editor
GET TRAIL JUST HOW YOU LIKE IT... PRINT ONLY FROM JUST £46** DIGITAL ONLY FROM JUST £31** PRINT+ DIGITAL FROM JUST £56** ** when you pay by direct debit
Terms & Conditions Subscriptions will start with the next available issue. Minimum subscription is 13 issues. Payments made by direct debit payments will continue to be taken unless you tell us otherwise. Gifts are for UK subscribers only and we reserve the right to replace the gift of one of similar type or value. This offer closes on 20 April 2016 and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Cost from landlines for 01 numbers per minute are (approximately) 2p to 10p. Cost from mobiles per minute (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). UK orders only. Overseas? Please phone +44 1858 438828 for further details. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes. For full terms and conditions please visit www.greatmagazines.co.uk/offer-terms-and-conditions
Subscribe! GIFT WORTH
£46!
Hurry – offer closes on 20 April 2016
WWW.GREATMAGAZINES.CO.UK/TRAIL Or call 01858 438884, quote DCAA
Lines open 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-4pm (Sat). Overseas readers please call +44 1858 438828
Go Cheshire & Derbyshire Do be open-minded
PEAKPEAK PE
48 TRAIL SPRING 2016
Ascending Chrome Hill with the striking Parkhouse Hill beyond. Do these (ahem) pique your interest? Read on…
EAKDISTRICT Think the Peak District lacks pointy bits? Think again! It even has its own Three Peaks Challenge now... WORDS SIMON INGRAM PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY
S
o, yes: it’s very important in outdoor history. I know lots of angry climbers live there and grumble about gritstone, which apparently is much more ‘proper’ than any other rock. I even know a guy who lives there, and he’s quite nice. But I’ll be honest: until recently, when it came to the Peak District and hillwalking, I’d rather have gone somewhere else. ‘Dislike’ is too strong a word. Instead I’ll use two: ‘confused’ and ‘underwhelmed’. First word first. Say ‘Peak District’ to an alien (or a Norwegian) and they’ll picture something a bit like a topographical bayonet shop. The cruel truth is, most of it isn’t a bit like that because, as it turns out, ‘Peak’ doesn’t mean ‘peak’ in the way you might imagine. But we’ll get to that. In terms of the second word, I’ll cite a conversation
I had, which started all of this off. I took a phone call from a chap who identified himself as living just outside Buxton. He enquired – in a very affable way – why Trail didn’t spend as much time in the Peak District as we did in the Lake District. Caught on the spot, I attempted to compose a response. “Thing is, it’s just a bit…” I grasped for the right word, my mouth forming a variety of shapes like a fish gasping for air. “You know, sort of…” I could feel the silence thickening on the end of the line as I hesitated. In the end, I chose probably the worst word I could have picked, complete with that irritating, flickedup accent that implies I’m not even that sure about my casually damning conviction. “Bleak?” Instantly panicking, I added: “By that I mean, I’d just rather go to the Lakes. Or Scotland.” Pause. Panic. �
SPRING 2016 TRAIL 49
Go north Wales Do explore!
C AV E O F C U R I O S I T I E S Trail forgoes the lure of larger mountains to investigate the cave an entire hill is named for – and finds adventure on the way. WORDS SARAH RYAN PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY
54 TRAIL SPRING 2016
The source of an adventure in sight: Gallt yr Ogof cave, tucked into the cliffs.
SPRING 2016 TRAIL 55
Go the Lake District Do Steel Edge
EASY If you like an easy-going ridge-climb in the midst of idyllic Lakeland scenery
60 TRAIL SPRING 2016
Long shadows and longer views: looking north from the upper reaches of Steel Edge.
RISER and unfettered by crowds, this could be the one for you.
WORDS BEN WEEKS PHOTOGRAPHS TOM BAILEY
SPRING 2016 TRAIL 61
A year in the Lakes
PHOTOGRAPHS TERRY ABRAHAM INTERVIEW OLI REED
LIVING ON
Film-maker Terry Abraham has followed up his hit 2014 movie Life of a Mountain: Scafell Pike by spending the past year shooting a sequel on Blencathra. Capturing the mountain from every angle in all seasons, he camped on its slopes for weeks on end. Here he gives Trail a sneak preview of his favourite images from the past 12 months... 64 TRAIL SPRING 2016
What made you pick Blencathra for this documentary? I was coerced! I originally planned to film Helvellyn, but broadcaster and friend to the late Alfred Wainwright Eric Robson persuaded me to take up Blencathra as it’s currently for sale, which would make a good angle. I’m now planning to use Helvellyn as the finale to the trilogy.
BLENCATHRA’S FINEST VIEWPOINT
“Many guides say the view of Blencathra from Clough Head is the best, but I beg to differ. It’s too far away! This aspect from the little-visited Threlkeld Knotts is a hundred times more exciting because Blencathra looms right in your face. And to that end, I knew this would be the very last shot in the documentary.”
BLENCATHRA What’s the mountain been like to film? Aesthetically it’s a challenging massif to capture on camera. Round the back it’s smooth, rounded and featureless. The southern face is where it’s at for drama, which makes it tough to maintain visual interest through the seasons. But as time’s passed I’ve fallen in love! Blencathra is one of the finest humps of rock in Lakeland.
What did you learn about Blencathra over the 12 months? Within a few weeks I became acutely aware of how much love the fell has from locals and visitors. I discovered how place names have evolved in just the last few decades, such as Gategill Fell formerly being known as ‘Dan Fell’ after a local shepherd who once worked its slopes. Finally, I discovered there’s more to Blencathra than meets the eye: get away from the popular routes and you’ll find places of solitude and inspiration.
If you could pick one season to walk in, what would it be? The onset of winter and the first snows. This past winter has been a strange one, so I had to be ready to pounce when the snows came, and only recently I was on Blencathra’s summit crawling through 5 foot deep snow. It was awful! So just from that experience alone, I prefer a general dusting on the high fells.
�
SPRING 2016 TRAIL 65
EXPERT ADVICE: PLAIN & SIMPLETM YOUR EXPERTS
WHERE CAN I Not everywhere in Britain is free to walk over or camp on! Here, we
Graham Thompson GT – Trail’s technical editor for over 25 years – is our walking gear guru.
Rob Johnson MIC
CREATED WITH MEMORY-MAP. ©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2016 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 042/16
Rob is an international expedition leader and mountain instructor.
O
‘
pen access’ land in England and Wales can be walked over without the need to stick to paths: legally, in those areas, you can go wherever your boots take you. It includes most mountain areas, moors, heaths and downs in private and public ownership – but not all of them. Open access land is marked on OS 1:25,000 maps as a brownish boundary with a pale yellow interior (see left-hand map) and generally – but not always – sits above the 200m contour. Public access forestry land is pale green and bordered with the
Open access land.
Public access forestry land.
same brownish boundary (right). There, you can walk, climb and run to your heart’s content. In England and Wales, roaming rights are more restricted than they
are in Scotland – and unless an area is marked as open access, you shouldn’t assume that you’re allowed to be there. Even within open access territory, there are areas of land that
On Dartmoor, where wild camping is largely allowed. TOM BAILEY
Lyle Brotherton Navigation expert Lyle is one of the world’s leading authorities on search and rescue.
Jeremy Ashcroft Trail’s mountaineering editor Jeremy has a lifetime of outdoors experience.
CAN I WILD CAMP? You need permission from the landowner to camp anywhere in England and Wales, except for Dartmoor. Here, wild camping is allowed in most areas, though it’s a fallacy that you can camp anywhere in the National Park. You can find a map of camping areas at tinyurl.com/dartcamp In Scotland, wild camping is currently allowed anywhere (but see above re: Loch Lomond) as long as you pitch your tent a reasonable distance from any road
70 TRAIL SPRING 2016
or dwelling. In addition, you’re expected to camp responsibly. That means: l Leave no trace l Light no fires l Take nothing from the site l Keep campsites small: one or two tents only l Carry out everything you carried in l Perform any toilet duties at least 30m from any water sources, and bury the evidence Although strictly speaking it’s not
allowed, wild camping in upland areas of England and Wales is largely tolerated as long as you follow the same guidelines.
FORGET FIRES!
Nothing is more ruggedly outdoorsy than lighting your own camp fire. But even so – don’t do it. In dry weather peat and vegetation can become tinder-dry –and if it catches alight it can spread alarmingly quickly, destroying delicate flora and harming wild creatures. Stick to stoves!
POLITE NOTICES Though you have the right to walk anywhere on open access land, you may be requested to stick to paths in order to prevent erosion and protect hillside flora – particularly in wellwalked areas. It’s ultimately up to you what you do, but we’d recommend always being considerate and protecting the landscape.
WALK?
Someone needs access to literacy classes... TOM BAILEY
demystify the laws of access… you can’t walk over, including buildings and their yards, crop land, developed land, parks, race courses, railways and working quarries. Public rights of way are – as you would expect – open to all. These include footpaths, bridleways and byways. They’re marked on OS and Harvey maps, and they criss-cross most of the country. Footpaths are for walkers, runners and mobility vehicles only – no other wheels allowed. Access to private land is sometimes granted; this is known as ‘permissive access’, and as it’s not
permanent it may or may not be marked on maps but will likely be signposted. Keep a sharp eye. In Scotland, things are a little different. In fact, they’re really rather good. Almost all land is open access, and wild camping is allowed pretty much anywhere. But there are exceptions – and responsibility is the crux. The laws that allow camping and walking across most Scottish land exist on the basis that the land is used responsibly – which can be loosely summed up in the old traveller’s adage: take nothing but
pictures, leave nothing but footprints. Bylaws preventing wild camping in areas of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park have just been introduced – in direct response to littering, fire building and campers abandoning tents. The laws come into effect in March 2017 and will apply from 1 March to 30 September every year. Check the finer details at tinyurl. com/scotaccess; find up-to-date access information on England at tinyurl.com/engaccess and for Wales see tinyurl.com/waccess
SPRING 2016 TRAIL 71
Gear
BUYING KIT? THIS IS YOUR GUIDE... HARVEY ULTRAMAPS XT40 £9.95 Hot because: What we have here is all the detailed 1:40,000 mapping and tough, weatherproof paper of a regular Harvey map, but in a size that will easily slip into a pocket. And not just a cavernous, specifically designed map pocket on a hard shell jacket. Folded up, an Ultramap measures roughly 150x70mm – petite enough to fit into almost any pocket. Unfurled, the map is 300mm high by 870mm wide. This is slimmer than a usual Harvey British Mountain Map; but by making the Ultramap XT doublesided and removing some of the non-essential geological diagrams and infographics, Harvey has been able to maximise the coverage and, most importantly, maintain the same 1:40,000 scale. The idea for Ultramaps was born following an off-the-cuff comment about a reduced-size production proof of a regular Harvey map. There will be 16 titles in the first batch, but hopefully more areas will follow if Ultramaps prove popular. And, frankly, we can see no reason why they won’t. We say: Quality Harvey mapping in a more convenient size. Such an obviously brilliant idea, we wonder why it’s not been done before? www.harveymaps.co.uk
HOT NEW KIT This month’s spanking new objects of outdoor desire MAMMUT ALTO GUIDE HIGH GTX £190 Hot because: For scrambling in the UK hills, via ferrata in the Dolomites or summer adventures in the Alps, the Alto Guide High GTX boots are well worth consideration. Their mid-depth but extra-grippy sole, reasonably stiff flex, high ankle coverage and secure lacing system all hint at footwear that’s at its happiest on tougher routes. Add in compatibility with flexible crampons (although there’s no heel-clip facility), and it’s clear that these boots are dreaming of a life in high and exciting places: we see them as being more at home on the rocky scrambles of Snowdonia rather than the gentler greenery of the Brecons, for example. However, the 3-zone lacing, memo-foam cushioning and full rubber rand should be appreciated by anyone, particularly walkers who prefer a more rigid boot. We say: Sturdy boots that will be at their best on the steep, rocky stuff. www.mammut.ch
74 TRAIL SPRING 2016
BERGHAUS HYPER JACKET £120 Hot because: Let’s cut to the chase. This is a fully waterproof, breathable jacket that packs down to the size of a cricket ball and weighs less than 100g (which, incidentally, is significantly lighter than a cricket ball). It achieves these frankly miraculous statistics through the use of Berghaus’s own Hydroshell Hyper fabric and by reducing the jacket’s features to the bare minimum: there are no pockets, the hood and cuffs are simply elasticated, and the zip is of the too-fiddly-forgloves variety. Mind you, this isn’t really a jacket for gloves weather. It’s so thin that it’ll offer little insulation or protection from wind, but that’s not really the Hyper’s purpose. For fast-paced activities, or those rare summer days where there’s only a 1 per cent chance of rain on the hill but you can’t quite bring yourself to not pack a waterproof, the Berghaus Hyper is the perfect companion. We say: Almost as light (but not quite as see-through) as the Emperor’s new clothes, with the added benefit of being waterproof (and real). www.berghaus.com
COLEMAN CXS+ 250 £40
Inside
STOVES 76
BUDGET WATERPROOFS
80
Hot because: This might just be one of the cleverest torches money can buy – and with not a lot of money at that. Firstly, you can operate this lamp by simply waving a hand in front of the lens. Smart. Secondly, it can automatically adjust its intensity according to ambient light levels and the proximity of the subject being illuminated. Smarter still. And finally, to stop the batteries draining or leaking when not in use and to ensure that the torch is still fully functioning when you come to use it next, the new CXS+ range features the BatteryLock system, which disengages the power cells from the contacts. Very smart. We say: A clever torch at a good price. Coleman seems to have thought of everything. www.coleman.eu/uk
PORTABLE POWER 84
WATER-TO-GO GO! 50CL £12.99 Hot because: When water is readily available, if a little questionable in quality, a small bottle with a built-in filter may be all that you need. Whether that’s on trekking trips in the wilds of the UK, or travels abroad in exotic places, knowing you can always get access to drinkable water gives you one less thing to worry about. The filter needs replacing after roughly two months, but with a built-in indicator showing you when to do it, even that’s made as easy as possible. We say: Portable, potable water that makes staying hydrated simple. www.watertogo.eu
Kit for fixing my gear
86
First test: MSR tarp
88
Team Trail’s kit rated
90
Win great outdoor gear
92
What’s in your rucksack? 93
SPRING 2016 TRAIL 75
TEST OF THE BEST TOP HILL KIT GOES HEAD TO HEAD
STOVES
The best stove for you will depend on your needs – so here are the best from each popular fuel and design concept to help you make your choice. TEST AND PHOTOGRAPHS GRAHAM THOMPSON
FUEL TYPES
The type of fuel used in a stove dictates its ease of use, performance and suitability for backpacking and hillwalking. Gas stoves burn pressurised propane/ butane mixes. These are widely available and easy to use, but the power of the flame reduces as the pressure reduces. Inverted gas canisters maintain performance better, particularly in colder conditions. Methylated spirits (meths) doesn’t need to be pressurised, so it’s easy and safe to use. But boil times are much slower than with gas or petrol.
FLAME CONTROL
The amount of fuel reaching the burner is governed by a flame control valve, which may be located close to the burner or at the end of a hose that remotely links the burner to the gas canister. As pans tend to wobble when their contents are boiling and as the burner is quite hot, a remote flame control valve is often easier and safer to use; but such designs are heavier.
Petrol is widely available, but you should only use unleaded petrol or refined petrol such as Coleman Fuel. Petrol has to be pressurised, which makes it more difficult to use, but the boil times remain shorter than gas and are maintained throughout the life of the fuel supply. Paraffin is widely available and needs to be pressurised to burn, but it is smelly to use and less popular than petrol. Diesel is cheap and easy to get hold of, but it’s smelly and dirty to use. Wood is popular in some parts of the world, but needs to be dry and easily available.
WINDSHIELD
If it’s blowy, some form of windshield is essential. Some stoves come with a windshield and others don’t. You may have to improvise a windshield if your stove doesn’t have one.
IGNITION
Some stoves need lighting with matches or a lighter, while others have easy-to-use piezo ignition. Some are supplied with hand-held piezo igniters.
BURNER SIZE
The bigger the diameter of a burner, the wider the heat distribution and the better the performance, leading to a good, even cooking process. A solo camper who just wants to boil water and warm up packet food will be happy with a small burner, but groups or those wishing to be more ‘creative’ with their cooking may benefit from a wider burner.
BURN TIMES
A gas stove’s burn time depends on how much fuel is in the canister, the propane/butane mix, the canister temperature, the air temperature, the wind speed, the size of windbreak, the pan design, the fit of the pan lid and how open the burner’s flame control is. There is some increase in performance with an upturned gas canister, but note that only stoves designed to have their canister inverted should be used in this way. Due to the above variables, no burn times are provided here.
SIZE AND WEIGHT
When backpacking it makes sense to carry the lightest and most compact stove possible. However, lighter stoves may not offer the most stable design and may lack features such as piezo ignition, wide pan supports, wide burner heads, windshields or dedicated pan sets. 76 TRAIL SPRING 2016
STABILITY
If a pan is placed on a burner that screws directly to the top of a gas canister, the resulting structure can be quite unstable, particularly when the pan’s contents boil. To improve stability some burners connect to the canister via a hose; this lowers the pan’s centre of gravity. Supports can also be attached to the canister’s base to make it more stable.
PAN SUPPORTS
The wider the pan supports, the larger the pan you can use. Some supports are serrated and slope down to help keep the pan stable.
BEST BUDGET FOR YOUR
TESTER PROFILE Graham Thompson Technical editor Height 5ft 11½in Size M/L
WATERPROOF JACKETS You can stay warm, dry and comfy in the hills if you choose the right waterproof – and you don’t have to break the bank.
HOOD
The hood should fit snugly and not blow off, and it must also move with your head so you can see where you’re going. The peak may become bent when the jacket is stashed in a rucksack, so look for a wired one that can be easily reshaped to allow good vision even in the wind. Lower-priced jackets generally have hoods that don’t fit or move so well with the head, and they often lack wired or stiffened peaks.
VENTILATION
Even the best waterproof and breathable fabrics allow condensation to form, so it’s important that you can increase ventilation in a jacket. A front zip can be used for this, as can underarm zips (pit zips), while mesh linings in pockets can also increase airflow through the jacket. However, while mesh pockets save weight, they may also allow water to pass through the jacket – so they aren’t the best option in terms of staying dry.
POCKETS
Big pockets are great for storing maps, guidebooks and gloves, and they can also be used to protect your hands. Rucksack belts obscure access to some pockets, so make sure they’re well-positioned to avoid this problem. Lower-priced jackets often have pockets that aren’t easily accessed while wearing a rucksack. 80 TRAIL SPRING 2016
FABRICS
On high-priced jackets you can expect to find that the fabrics used are the most waterproof and breathable available, and while there may be small differences between these materials this will be difficult to notice on the hill – and so your comfort will often be dictated by features such as hood, pocket and sleeve design. In contrast, lower-priced jackets generally have fabrics that are less breathable and they may be less durably waterproof in the long term too.
ZIPS
Normal zips used on jackets aren’t waterproof so they’re normally covered by an external single or double stormflap. Water-resistant zips are commonly used on high-priced jackets but these aren’t waterproof either. As these zips may leak, they’re often fitted with an internal flap that’s designed to channel away any water than enters this area.
North Wales
ROUTE 3 SPRING 2016
9.3km/5¾ miles 3½ hours
ROUTE STATS
Cadair Berwyn
Near Cadair Berwyn, with Cadair Bronwen behind.
They’re remote, they’re spectacular and they’re the highest mountains in Wales outside the National Parks. What’s not to like, asks Tom Hutton...
T
he Berwyn Hills are the true unsung heroes of Welsh mountains – taller than any of the celebrated peaks of mid Wales and nudging close to the scale and grandeur of the Brecon Beacons. They also feel far more remote than the honeypot hills of nearby Snowdonia. The king of the range – the south top of Cadair Berwyn – is actually the highest mountain in Wales outside of the National Parks – a real accolade – although it wasn’t always recognised as such. In the first series of OS maps, its neighbour, Moel Sych, visited
Looking south towards the start from point 3: Llyn Lluncaws from Cadair Berwyn south top.
on this walk, was given this honour by just 1ft (0.3m). Later they were both granted 827m (2,713ft), although this actually referred to Cadair Berwyn’s north top, rather than the south one. Eventually the south top was measured properly and leapfrogged from number 3 to number 1 – at 830m, some 3m taller than either the north top or Moel Sych. This is a cracking walk that explores both the high summits and the valleys that soar above, ending with a close-up view of the imposing falls of Pistyll Rhaeadr.
SPRING 2016 TRAIL 105
TOM HUTTON
Strenuousness l l l l l Navigation lllll Technicality lllll Trail 100s 1
North Wales
ROUTE 3 SPRING 2016
Always take a map out with you on the hill
9.3km/5¾ miles 3½ hours ROUTE INFO Conway
Liverpool Rhyl Bodelwyddan
Betws-y-Coed
Llangollen
Barmouth Aberystwyth
Distance 9.3km (5¾ miles) Total ascent 650m Time 3½ hours Start/finish Pistyll Rhaeadr (SJ076293) Nearest village Llanrhaeadr-ymMochnant Terrain mainly good paths over high mountains but one short, trackless section that might be difficult in poor visibility Maps OS Landranger (1:50,000) 125; OS Explorer (1:25,000) 255
CREATED WITH MEMORY-MAP. ©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2016 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 042/16
Accommodation no nearby YHA hostel any more, but Llanrhaeadrym-Mochnant has excellent B&B at Bron Heulog (01691) 780521, www. bronheulog.co.uk; Tan-y-Pistyll, right beneath the falls, does B&B and camping, as well as good food (01691) 780392, www. pistyllrhaeadr.co.uk Public transport buses to Llanrhaeadrym-mochnant
SJ076293 Walk back up the lane and pass a gateway up to the left – not a footpath. Continue, eventually climbing slightly, to a stile on the left, next to a gate. Cross this and follow the broad track around the hillside into Cwm Nant y Llyn, where you’ll see the main peaks above you. Keep right at a fork and continue up through bracken to a stile that leads out onto the open hillside.
1
SJ078303 The views open up all the time now, so continue easily as the path dips to cross the stream in the valley floor. Follow it away, and as the bracken and heather thin out, turn right to cross the stream again, and now follow a faint path directly uphill into a broad col. Bear left here and enjoy easy going on a boggy path that leads towards the rocky arête that crowns Cadair Berwyn. You’ll be deflected leftwards beneath this, and a narrow path then crosses the steep hillside and leads to the top. Bear right and cross a ladder stile to reach the rocky summit of the south top
2
of Cadair Berwyn – the day’s true high point. SJ071323 Continue north to a large cairn, now sculpted into a circular windbreak. From here, drop into the next saddle, which retains a small pond, then climb easily onto Cadair Berwyn’s rather bland north top – now relegated to number 2 – which is crowned by a trig point. Retrace your steps back into the col and back over the south top, and then continue easily towards Moel Sych – the original pretender. This section offers vertiginous views down over Llyn Lluncaws. The summit is marked by a cairn that’s crowded in by sheep fences and stiles.
3
3
4
2
5 1
SJ066318 From the cairn, turn sharp left and follow the fence downhill (south-southeast), keeping it on your left. The going steepens as you drop into a broad col. Cross this and clamber over a small summit (691m), before dropping again and
4
continuing to a stile. Cross this and continue easily until you meet a broad track, a few metres short of a wall and a gate.
5
good track that leads easily into the valley. Now follow waymarks around to the right to drop onto another track close to the valley floor. Follow this for a few paces to a fork, by a tall fingerpost, and take the right fork, through a gate and into a beech wood. Continue through the wood until you reach the viewing area at the foot of Pistyll Rhaeadr. From here, locate the car park and walk through it, stopping for an optional cuppa in the café, onto the road. Your car is a few hundred metres up the road on the right.
SJ073296 Bear left here to drop down a
Taking it all in from Cadair Berwyn’s south top.
Guidebooks Hillwalking in Wales Vol 1 by Peter Hermon, pb Cicerone Tourist info Llangollen TIC (01978) 860828
GET THIS ROUTE ON YOUR PHONE!
In association with
GRADIENT PROFILE
METRES ABOVE SEA LEVEL
www.viewranger. com/trail
Start 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200
MILES KILOMETRES
106 TRAIL SPRING 2016
Cadair Berwyn Moel Sych
2
1 0 0
1
1
4
3 2
3
2
4
Finish
3
5
6
5 4
7
5 8
9
3 Black Sail ROUTES FROM
Ronald Turnbull’s Tour d’Ennerdale means three days in this car-free valley, with two nights in England’s wildest hostel...
E
nnerdale is the biggest bit of Lakeland without a car park. Its skyline circuit means three shortish days (or two stonkers) without ever touching tarmac. Rewilding Ennerdale starts here, as you roam a dozen big hills and sleep in one rather small hut. The YHA’s Black Sail Hostel lurks among the egg-shaped drumlins in the great grass hollow of the valley head. So walk till you’re tired, let someone else cook dinner, and revive the lost art of conversation. Then spend the evening staring at Great Gable while the stone walls reflect the late sunshine onto your back. And if you do need the facilities in the night, they’re just outside – so you get to enjoy starlight twinkling in the stream.
ewart
Route 10
Carlisle Penrith
Keswick
Ennerdale
Great Borne & High Stile M
Kendal Ingleton Bentham
Lancaster
Skipton
Route 11
Haystacks, Great Gable, Kirk Fell
Route 12
Pillar to Grike Liverpool Rhyl
Manche
On Pillar, looking down Ennerdale.
TRANSPORT Bus 217 once a week (Wed) from Cockermouth to Ennerdale Bridge. Better bus is Honister Rambler 77 to Gatesgarth, Buttermere and walk to Black Sail via Scarth Gap. Timetables www.cumbria.gov.uk; 0871 200 2233, www.traveline.info PUBS/GRUB Black Sail serves evening meals 7pm. Breakfast from 7am, cooked breakfast 8am, packed lunches. Shepherds Arms at Ennerdale Bridge, good food until 9pm, www.shepherdsarms.com (01946) 861249 ACCOMMODATION YHA Black Sail is open from mid-March: book at www.yha. org.uk/hostel/black-sail Last-minute bookings 0845 371
9680 or blacksail@yha.org.uk If you book and don’t turn up, phone the hostel, or they may call Mountain Rescue PRACTICALITIES Hostel lacks car access, WiFi, public phone, mobile reception, and is unlit at night (bring a torch). Small shop, and beer is available. Bedding supplied, towels for hire. Ennerdale Bridge has pubs and a small shop; all facilities at Whitehaven. LOCAL INFO Whitehaven TIC (01946) 598914, tic@copelandbc.gov. uk; www.visit-whitehaven. co.uk; www.visitcumbria.com; accommmodation listing at Sherpa Van website www.coast2coast.co.uk
SPRING 2016 TRAIL 117
STEWART SMITH
Lake District
SPRING 2016
Lake District
ROUTE 10 SPRING 2016
Always take a map out with you on the hill
12km/7½ miles 5½ hours
Great Borne & High Stile On Great Borne summit, looking towards Starling Dodd and Red Pike.
3
1
5
2
NY109153 Return along the tarmac road under the crags and woods of Bowness Knott. After the end of the forest, take a stile on the right with Access Land roundel. A bracken path runs up to the right of a stream. At about the 250m contour, fork right, up to a stile on the right
1
ROUTE INFO Strenuousness l l l l l Navigation lllll Technicality lllll Wainwrights 5 Trail 100s 1 ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPPING © CROWN COPYRIGHT. CREATED WITH MEMORY-MAP. LICENCE MEDIA042/16
4
Distance 12km (7½ miles) Total ascent 1100m Time 5½ hours Start Bowness Knott car park (NY109153); finish Black Sail Hut (NY195123)
6 7
into clear-felled ground. A path runs up ahead to Bowness Knott summit. NY112155 Return across the stile. Head directly up Brown How’s knoll of grass and small outcrops. From its uncairned rocky top, drop slightly north to a col. Ahead, a path runs up to the right of Rake Beck, quite steep and eroded. At the slope top the path is much fainter, up north to the stony summit with trig point of Great Borne.
2
NY123163 A fence runs across just north of the summit. Turn right alongside it. After 400m, at a fence bend, the path keeps ahead, wandering through a wide col and up Starling Dodd.
3
NY141157 The grassy flat top shows no path. Head east, and soon pick up a path that contours just to the left of Little Dodd, then up the slope of Red Pike. Divert left for a smaller path along the brink of granite crags, to the steeper final slope to Red Pike summit.
4
NY160154 The ridgeline runs south to start with (take care in mist) then a path develops, following occasional metal posts of an old fence southeast. Keep near the Buttermere drops on the left. The main cairn of High Stile is on a slight northward spur.
5
8
NY170147 In mist, don’t follow further cairns ahead. Return south, to rejoin the metal posts running south-east. The path is clear again to the final cairn, High Crag.
drops quite steeply, rebuilt in places, to arrive in the pass of Scarth Gap.
NY180140 The path descends south-east, becoming a scree zigzag. Below, the good path re-emerges, down beside grass to the levelling and slight rise of Seat – the path runs just left of the crest. It then
NY189132 Take a path down right (south). It runs down to the left of a fence and former plantations, to a valley floor track. Turn left through a gate, on a smaller track to Black Sail Hut.
6
7
8
Terrain hill paths; quite rough to start onto Great Borne Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) OL4; OS Landranger (1:50,000) 89; Harvey Superwalker XTC (1:25,000) Lake District North and Lake District West Black Sail Hut, and Great Gable
GET THIS ROUTE ON YOUR PHONE!
In association with
GRADIENT PROFILE
METRES ABOVE SEA LEVEL
www.viewranger. com/trail
Start 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200
MILES KILOMETRES
118 TRAIL SPRING 2016
1 0 0
Great Borne
2
Starling Dodd
4
3 2
Red Pike
2
4
5 6
4
High Stile
6 8
High Crag
8
7 6
Finish
10
12
WALKS OF A LIFETIME
Cwm Eigiau Horseshoe This magical ridgetop adventure takes in the highest and the best on offer in the Carneddau, recommends Jeremy Ashcroft.
122 TRAIL SPRING 2016
Snowdonia
17km/10½ miles 7 hours Heading for Carnedd Llewelyn, with Moel Eilio in the distance. TOM BAILEY
SPRING 2016 TRAIL 123
FREE NEXT MONTH 100-PAGE KIT BIBLE!
2 16 201 GEAR GUIDE IT’S HERE! TRAIL’S EXPERT GUIDE TO BUYING OUTDOOR KIT FEATURING... BOOTS RUCKSACKS WATERPROOFS FLEECES DOWN JACKETS BASE LAYERS GLOVES TREKKING POLES HYDRATION TENTS SLEEPING BAGS STOVES ICE AXES AND MUCH MORE!
MAY ISSUE + FREE GEAR GUIDE ON SALE APRIL 21