Country Walking April 2021

FREE! Summer Gear Guide 

32-PAGES OF AMAZING KIT TO GET YOU BACK IN THE OUTDOORS! 

April 

2021 

88 NEW 

PRODUCTS 

The UK’s best-selling walking magazine 

BIG 

LAND'S 

THE 

THE MUNROS 

Soaring Scottish 

peaks within reach 

CLIMBERS' 

TRAVERSES 

Spectacular walks 

in the Lake District 

BITESIZE BIG 

ADVENTURES 

● Conquer Surrey’s 

Three Peaks 

● Walk to an island 

● Go ghyll scrambling 

BIG 

LAND'S 

WALKS 

Aim high, think big & get ready 

for the walks of your life! 

END-JOHN 

O'GROATS 

inside story 

of the biggest walk 

BIGThe 

THE LYKE 

WAKE WALK 

40 unforgettable 

miles on the 

North York Moors 

DO YOU 

REMEMBER 

THE FIRST 

TIME? 

What happened 

and what we learned 

coming of age 

as walkers 

+27 ROUTE CARDS WITH MAPS THERE’S ONE NEAR YOU! 

WHEN TO 

TURN BACK 

When prudence isn’t 

just better but braver 

BASE LAYERS 

TESTED 

The layer no-one sees 

makes a big difference 

WALK 

1000 MILES 

You CAN do it – 

and here’s why 

‘FALL IN LOVE 

WITH NATURE’ 

Be inspired by birdgirl 

Mya-Rose Craig

SCARPA.CO.UK

3 

1 

2 

This month I’ve been... 

1 Revelling in my none-too-shy 

#walk1000miles regalia, natch. 

2 Reliving that unforgettable 

summer when I really should have 

been looking for a job and yet 

suddenly remembered I wanted 

to go on a big walk instead (p62). 

3 Recalling the spectacular setting 

of the shoebox-wide path that 

is Bow Fell’s Climbers’ Traverse. 

A privileged spot indeed (p54). 

t’s been a period of our lives 

characterised by the word ‘down’. 

Lockdown, sitting down, feeling 

down, let’s get the numbers down. 

But if there’s one thing that 

characterises human resilience it’s our affnity 

for up-ness – for high vantage points and 

walking tall; lofty ambitions and reaching 

for the next branch; a determination not 

to be crushed cans but coiled springs. 

And boy do I feel ready to badoing! 

There’s something about setting your 

sights high and making big plans which 

is in itself healthy – accelerating you out of 

the doldrums like you’ve attached yourself 

to a passing train with a bungee cord. Plans 

for big walks have pulled me through some 

diffcult times (you can read about the 

biggest of all on page 62), and the time I’ve 

invested in them has repaid me many times 

over – an eternal dividend of daydreams and 

reminiscences. And don’t forget you don’t 

have to be terribly ambitious to have big 

plans. Big is a relative term. You just have to 

set an aim that promises to reverse the trend 

of contracting horizons which restricted 

times – and in the long run, time itself – seek 

to impose. It’s not particularly helpful to say 

‘life is short’, not just because time is a faulty 

measure of life’s value, but because it’s not 

accurate. Time can be mined by experiencing 

more. And there’s no richer seam – nor 

sharper set of tools – than a big walk, 

your two feet and your five senses. 

Guy Procter, Editor 

On the cover 

Cloud inversion 

over Loch Lomond 

viewed from Ben 

Lomond. Feature 

starts page 32. 

PHOTO: MATTHEW WILLIAMS- 

ELLIS/UNIVERSAL IMAGES 

GROUP/SUPERSTOCK 

Talk to us! 

Share your pics, 

questions, have 

a natter – we love 

to hear from you: 

facebook.com/ 

countrywalking 

country.walking 

@lfto.com 

twitter.com/ 

countrywalking 

IN THIS ISSUE... 

PHOTO: OLIVER EDWARDS 

Mya-Rose Craig 

Birdwatcher and breath of 

fresh air 19-year-old Mya- 

Rose wants to lower every 

bar to entry to acquiring 

a love of nature. 

Page 12 

Stuart Maconie 

The beloved broadcaster, 

Ramblers president and CW 

columnist has a refreshing 

take on the role of the human 

in the landscape. 

Page 31 

COVID-19 

This edition was produced 

in strict adherence to the letter 

and spirit of all guidance. Please 

check local restrictions before 

travel. We’re in this together. 

APRIL 2021 COUNTRY WALKING 3

CONTENTS APRIL 2021 

Forbidden sledging 

spot, high atop 

crags: Bow Fell’s 

Great Slab, p54 

FEATURES 

COVER STORIES 

32 

42 

44 

53 

54 

Aim high: the Munros 

Open your account with Scotland’s 

3000-foot aristocracy, and behold 

a vast new horizon. 

The Surrey 3 Peaks 

More manageable, but still epic. 

The Lyke Wake Walk 

Once the most popular challenge 

walk in the country, now it’s a ghost 

trail due for resurrection. 

Walk to an island 

An adventure that fits inside a day. 

Paths in the sky 

Follow in the footsteps of rock 

climbers in the Lake District. 

61 

62 

70 

72 

79 

82 

Wet ’n’ wild 

Ghyll scrambling is awesome! 

The biggest walk 

The summer we walked 1000 miles 

to avoid doing real work. Top idea. 

Short and sweet 

Not all long-distance trails are, um... 

The joy of turning back 

The greatest skill you can learn. 

Roll with it 

Exit your walking rut: randomise! 

Do you remember 

the first time? 

Nutritional nostalgia from team CW. 

32 The Munros 

54 Climbers’ traverses 

62 Land’s End-John o’Groats 

44 The Lyke Wake Walk 

82 Do you remember the first... 

72 When to turn back 

88 Base layers 

14 ‘Fall in love with nature’ 

“But Rannoch 

Moor has a railway 

station, and the 

Grand Canyon 

a tiny ranch...” 

STUART MACONIE p31 

4 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2021

27 NEW ROUTES 

Get out more 

this month! 

Step-by-step directions 

and Ordnance Survey 

maps for 27 walks 

all over the country. 

uTURN OVER FOR MORE… 

The project of a 

happy lifetime begins: 

Ben Lomond p32 

Get ready to ‘cross over’ on 

the Lyke Wake Walk, p44 

REGULARS 

9 

16 

The View 

Brilliant conservationist, equalrights 

campaigner, podcaster 

and ‘birdgirl’ talks to CW. 

Walking Weekend: 

New Alresford 

Two days ready-made amid the 

gin-clear waters of Hampshire. 

18 #walk1000miles 

We’d like to purge you of the seven 

deadly sins of #walk1000miles. 

And oh! T-shirts! 

26 

31 

Your letters, emails & posts 

Why a human guide’s a great 

investment, and so are wellies. 

Column: Stuart Maconie 

Why the human and the natural 

can combine to make the most 

moving scenes to walk in. 

REVIEWS 

PLUS… 

8 Special subscription offer 

29 Where’s Kes? 

94 Quizzes and prize crossword 

95 In next month’s issue 

95 Contact Country Walking 

96 Classified directory 

129 Our 

routes, your walks 

130 Footnotes 

The never-ending path: 

Land’s End or bust, p62 

88 

Base layers 

The layer next to your skin has 

the least glamorous yet in some 

ways most important job of all 

to do. Choose wisely. 

Your second 

skin: Base 

layers p88 

JOIN 

COUNTRY 

WALKING+ 

TODAY 

PAGE 8 

THIS ISSUE WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY… 

A heady cocktail of nostalgia and optimism: things we did back then (and 

what we learned) and things we might soon be able to do again, and can’t 

flippin’ wait for! Can you even remember what people look like in three 

dimensions? Brace yourself wonderful world. We’re coming for you! 


Find a great 

walk near you! 

Highlights from the 27 fantastic walks in this issue… 

CUT-OUT 

AND-KEEP 

ROUTES 

OUR POCKET-SIZED 

ROUTE CARDS 

START ON 

PAGE 99 

✁ 

SOUTH WEST SOUTH EAST MIDLANDS 

Exford, Somerset 

Take a riverside path downstream to a 

wooded cleave in the heart of Exmoor, 

climbing to deer-nibbled higher ground. 

TURN TO WALK 2 

Bexleyheath, Greater London 

Thread a course between pockets 

of greenery in outer London, getting 

pleasantly sidetracked along the way. 


Ludlow, Shropshire 

Sally out from an imposing medieval 

stronghold guarding the Teme Valley to 

a mecca for foodies two miles upriver. 


EAST NORTH WEST NORTH EAST 

Cherry Willingham, Lincs 

Lincoln Cathedral graces the horizon 

throughout this 6¼-mile loop down 

to the fenlands of the River Witham. 


Scholar Green, Cheshire 

Make your way by towpath and trail to 

a higgledy-piggledy Tudor manor house 

in rippling countryside under Mow Cop. 


Cunyan Crags, Northumb 

Venture up into the Cheviot Hills 

for riverside calm, expansive upland 

vistas and solitude money can’t buy. 


WALES SCOTLAND CLASSIC 

Carregwastad Point, Pembs 

Walk the Pembrokeshire Coast Path 

from Fishguard Harbour to a headland 

that hosted the last invasion of Britain. 


Coire Lagan, Highland 

Scramble up into Skye’s Cuillin Hills to 

a mountain pool cradled in a hanging 

valley under the island’s spikiest peaks. 


Mosedale & Pillar, Cumbria 

Set aside a full day to walk high, hard 

and far, and relish some of the ‘finest 

rock architecture’ in the Lake District. 



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TFBUPTVNNJUDPVL

PHOTO: ROBERT MCGOUEY/WILDLIFE/ALAMY- 

SIGHTS SOUNDS WONDERS IDEAS COOL STUFF 

WILD WONDERS 

EAGER BEAVERS! 

IT’S A BIG year for nature’s smartest 

engineer, with the Wildlife Trusts set to 

release a record number of beavers in 2021. 

Around 20 of the industrious dam-building 

herbivores will be released across five English 

and Welsh counties – the largest number of 

releases since beavers were reintroduced to 

Britain in 2001, in a landmark project by Kent 

Wildlife Trust. One pair is already settling in 

at an enclosed wetland site in Devon. Other 

projects to come include: 

The first-ever reintroduction for Wales, at the 

Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve near Machynlleth 

The first-ever reintroduction for the Isle of 

Wight, on the Eastern Yar river 

Two couples and their kits at Willington 

Wetlands in Derbyshire 

At least four beavers for the Idle Valley 

Nature Reserve in Nottinghamshire 

Plus a first ever urban beaver project: plans 

for a pair to be introduced to a 12-hectare site 

in central Shrewsbury, Shropshire, in 2022. 

The trusts say beavers bring a huge range 

of environmental benefits. They create new 

wetland habitats that allow other species 

to thrive, including otters, water voles and 

kingfishers. Their dams act as natural water 

filters which reduce pollution downstream, 

and they also slow down surge rates, which 

in turn prevents soil erosion and flooding. 

They have thrived following reintroduction 

in 2001, with over 400 animals now thought to 

reside here. They became a legally protected 

native species in Scotland in 2019. 

The Wildlife Trusts are now calling for 

a nationwide protection strategy from 

environment agency Defra, to outlaw culling 

and help fund future reintroductions. 

Says Wildlife Trusts chief executive Craig 

Bennett: “Beavers are a fantastic keystone 

species that have a hugely important role 

to play in restoring nature to Britain.” 

* 

DID YOU KNOW? 

Beavers are native 

to Britain but 

were hunted to 

extinction in the 

16th century for 

their fur, meat and 

sweat glands, 

which produce 

castoreum, 

a substance 

that was used 

in perfumery 

to replicate the 

scent of leather. 

THE SAINT OF SPRING! ST WALPURGA WAS BORN IN DEVON AROUND 710AD AND TRAVELLED ACROSS NORTHERN EUROPE, BECOMING FAMOUS FOR BATTLING EVIL SPIRITS. TODAY, WALPURGIS NIGHT (APRIL 30TH) IS A HUGE 

PART OF SPRINGTIME CELEBRATIONS IN EUROPE, BUT IN ENGLAND SHE IS BARELY REMEMBERED AT ALL – ALTHOUGH IN LINCOLNSHIRE PEOPLE USED TO MARK WALPURGIS NIGHT BY HANGING COWSLIPS TO WARD OFF EVIL. 

* 


THE WALKING WORLD 

WANTED: 

TALES FROM 

OFFA’S DYKE 

PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY 

CAN YOU CANOE? 

ONE PRE-LOCKDOWN story we’re aching 

to tell is the time we met The Canoe Man, 

whose canoes and kayaks provide a fantastic way 

to explore the Norfolk Broads with a walky twist: 

walk out, canoe back. We’ll tell the full story of 

our self-guided journey along the River Bure 

in a forthcoming issue, but in the meantime we 

wanted to let you know The Canoe Man is now 

open for post-lockdown bookings, including a 

brand new walk-and-paddle package between 

Wroxham and Buxton. It’s a wonderful way to get 

close to the waterscape of the Broads, and see it 

from the very different perspectives of land and 

liquid. (Plus you get to moor up at some beautiful 

waterside pubs too). Check out the options at 

thecanoeman.com 

THE WILD ISLES 

Patrick 

Barkham 

(editor), £25, 

Head of Zeus 

TOP LINE: 

A beautiful 

anthology of 

British nature 

writing, 

featuring 

wise words 

from Dorothy 

Wordsworth, 

Nan Shepherd, Chris Packham, Robert 

Macfarlane, George Monbiot, Laurie 

Lee, Virginia Woolf and many more. 

A GEM FROM WITHIN: Rocksavage 

was a fine place for a dream-wanderer. 

The whins grew ten feet high, and in 

between them were magical countries 

where cowslips and banshees’ thimbles 

grew. The banshee’s thimble was a wild 

foxglove. I once put the thimbles on my 

fingers and was told that the Banshee 

would call for me before a year. (From 

The Green Fool by Patrick Kavanagh) 

PARK RANGERS’ 

FAVOURITE WALKS 

Various 

authors, 

£7, Collins 

(15th April) 

TOP LINE: 

Three 

guidebooks 

(South 

Downs, 

Yorkshire 

Dales and 

Snowdonia) 

in which national park rangers have 

clubbed together to choose the 20 

finest walks in each national park. 

They’re part of a range of books 

released in partnership with National 

Parks UK, which also includes pocket 

map books of those three parks and 

five more too (£4 each). 

A GEM FROM WITHIN: The landscape 

painter John Constable described the 

panorama from Devil’s Dyke as ‘the 

grandest view in the world’. 

(From The South Downs) 

UP THE CREEK, WITH PADDLES 

CW deputy editor Nick and daughter Molly exploring 

the Broads with a bit of help from The Canoe Man. 

THE WALKER’S BOOKSHELF 

Three fine reads for your bedside table or rucksack this month… 

100 GREAT WALKS 

WITH KIDS 

Jen and Sim 

Benson, £17 

TOP LINE: 

Written by CW 

route writers 

Jen and Sim, 

this book 

features 

family-friendly 

walks of all 

kinds, from 

buggy-friendly routes to little mountain 

adventures. It’s also packed with 

practical tips on how to turn every 

walk into an adventure. 

A GEM FROM WITHIN: Forcing kids to 

go on walks does little besides creating 

tension, and you’ll end up never wanting 

to do it again. It’s all about how you pitch 

it to them. Is there anywhere they’d 

really like to go? What are they learning 

about at school that could be enhanced 

by seeing it in real life? And is there a 

café at the finish where you can all 

enjoy a hot chocolate together? 

The Offa’s Dyke Path 

marks its 70th birthday in 

July. Founded in 1971, the 

177-mile National Trail 

runs a rollercoaster 

course through the green 

hills of the Anglo-Welsh 

border from Sedbury 

Cliffs on the River Severn 

to Prestatyn on Liverpool 

Bay, and in its five 

decades, the trail has 

gathered thousands of 

affectionate fans. 

Celebrations to mark the 

milestone include a 

walking festival (fingers 

crossed), an art 

exhibition, a state-of-theart 

makeover for the 

Offa’s Dyke Centre 

in Knighton – and 

a compendium of 

memories and photos 

submitted by those 

who’ve walked it. 

National Trail Offcer Rob 

Dingle said: “It will be 

great to see a collection 

of walkers’ memories 

from the last 50 years, 

and hopefully that will 

inspire another 50 years 

of walkers to enjoy 

our breathtaking 

borderlands.” 

And because he knows 

you all love a bit of 

merch, Rob adds: 

“For all those that do 

submit a photo and 

memory, they will receive 

one of our special 50th 

Anniversary keyrings.” 

You can contribute on 

social media using 

#OffasDykePath50 and 

tagging the offcial Offa’s 

Dyke accounts on each 

platform. Alternatively, 

you can send messages 

and images directly by 

emailing Rob Dingle via 

the trail website: 

nationaltrail.co.uk/ 

offasdyke 


SINKHOLE. DATES. GOAT. 

…and other wonderful locations, 

courtesy of what3words 

As a practical measure of pinpointing and sharing 

locations, the what3words app is already a triumph, 

thanks to its neat idea of breaking the planet down into 

tiny grid squares, each with a unique three-word code. 

But now it has a new feature: Shared Lists, in which 

users can store and share lists of their favourite walking 

routes. So instead of having to navigate to a grid 

reference or an unnamed street or layby, you can just 

aim for the what3words tag. Here are their five most 

popular walks in the New Forest National Park, as 

compiled from users’ Shared Lists… 

Buckland Rings Trail (6.8 miles/11km) 

1 START: ///fulfilled.gladiator.corkscrew 

Beaulieu Food Trail (4.4 miles/7km) 

2 START: ///cheetahs.swerving.mammoth 

Boldre Village Walk (4.3 miles/7km) 

3 START: ///sinkhole.dates.goat 

Brook to Minstead (7.2 miles/11.6km) 

4 START: ///reframe.sweetener.buzzards 

Lymington Marshes Trail (3.7 miles/9km) 

5 START: ///lives.notion.calendars 

You can download the what3words app from your 

usual app platform (it’s free), and start a list by going 

to ‘Saved Locations’ on the menu icon. 

I WANT SOME OF THOSE… 

Keen already excel at comfy boots, 

but their latest innovation is 

something special. The new Ridge 

Flex boot (£155) and shoe (£145) 

include panels of tough but flexible 

TPU above the forefoot and behind the 

heel. Dubbed Keen.Bellows.Flex, these 

panels work like an accordion, giving 

extra flex to the boot (and to your 

foot) which will boost your stride, 

while also reinforcing the areas of 

fabric that are the most likely 

to crack. Look out for a 

full review in our 

Walking Boot Test 

next issue. 

keenfootwear. 

com 

...HEAR SKYLARKS 

Immortalised in the poetry of 

Wordsworth, Shelley and Meredith, 

but to an uncultured mind such 

as mine reminiscent of a mid-90s 

techno track, the Eurasian Skylark’s 

unmistakable song will be heard in 

greater numbers and volume this 

month. The song is of course the 

male’s way of advertising his availability 

to lady larks – and announcing a no-go zone 

for prospective love rivals. Found in a variety of insect-rich 

habitats, from open grassland to clifftop meadows – anywhere 

that’s free from farm machinery and fertilisers, essentially – this 

ground-nesting, mohawk-sporting bird will spellbind you with its 

energetic flight and song. A sure sign that spring is upon us and 

good times are to be had – for bird and human alike. 

Tim Unwin, Production Editor 

...SMELL BLUEBELLS 

These flowers may be one of the most 

familiar signs of spring in Britain, but 

for me the show never gets old. I’m 

already monitoring progress in my 

local woods: the narrow leaves are 

coming up, the buds can’t be far 

behind, and by mid-April the trees 

should look as if they’re paddling in a 

shimmering pool of blue. I don’t just love 

the delicate beauty of these granfer griggles 

(one of the plant’s many pet-names) but their fragrance. An 

individual bell gives off barely a wisp, but in crowds they turn the 

woodland air to a heady floral haze. Scent is one way to tell the 

native English bluebell from the fragrance-free Spanish variety, and 

as this aroma has yet to be convincingly chemically synthesised, the 

only way to experience it is to walk in a bluebell wood in spring. 

Jenny Walters, Features Editor 

...SEE BATS 

I find the sight of bats swooping in the 

back garden at dusk a really hopeful 

sign – one that confirms the hard line 

between day and night has become 

porous again, for bats on the wing 

and walkers on the trail. Come out in 

this fragrant spring gloaming they 

seem to say: look how much fun we’re 

having. They’re pipistrelles (our most 

common) and they’re swooping not for joy 

but for supper. They can eat thousands of insects a night, flying 

with an airshow-worthy combination of stealth, speed and 

echo-located agility. Each pipistrelle might weigh only as much as a 

20p coin – but what a blow they strike against our common enemy 

the midge! Look for them peeling out from the edges of woodland 

and making murderous runs across waterways. Go, friends, go! 

Guy Procter, Editor 

PHOTOS: FLPA/ALAMY-; ORGANICS IMAGE LIBRARY/ALAMY-; BLICKWINKEL/ALAMY- 


INTERVIEW 

‘There are kids 

in Britain who’ve 

never seen a real 

sheep before.’ 

Conservationist, equal rights campaigner and 

devoted birdwatcher: Mya-Rose Craig is on 

a mission to bring nature to everyone… 

MYA-ROSE CRAIG is many 

things. Avid walker. Acclaimed 

podcaster. Dedicated 

conservationist. Respected equal rights 

campaigner. Youth mentor. Doctor of 

science. Average teenager. 

But underlying all that is one particular 

passion: birdwatching. 

“I always say I didn’t have any choice but 

to become a birder,” she says with a grin. 

“My parents took me birdwatching 

when I was nine days old. It was like ‘life’ 

and ‘listening to birds’ were pretty much 

the same thing.” 

Now 18, Mya-Rose has become a 

globally respected voice in birdwatching, 

via her online nom de plume of Birdgirl. 

She has travelled the globe, seen half the 

world’s bird species, and shared magic 

moments with birdwatchers of all ages. 

But her latest project is much closer to 

home: an acclaimed podcast with the 

primary aim of “making birdwatching 

easy and accessible for everyone”. 

Get Birding makes it clear you don’t 

need any prior knowledge to listen in 

and enjoy the same things as Mya-Rose 

does: the simple bliss of hearing 

birdsong and, once you’ve got into it, 

the joy of discovering more about who’s 

singing it. She’s helped by a stellar range 

of guests including presenter Chris 

Packham, comedian Susan Calman 

(who discusses how her obsession with 

her garden feeder changed her life), 

GP Dr Amir Khan, actor Samuel West 

and ‘nature beatboxer’ Jason Singh. 

She says the podcast is partly a 

response to the world of lockdown. 

‘I realised I was enjoying 

something that other 

people couldn’t, and 

I thought that was unfair.’ 

PHOTO: OLIVER EDWARDS 

“I think a lot of people who wouldn’t 

really call themselves nature lovers have 

found themselves missing a connection 

to nature. It has made people think 

about how important nature is to their 

mental health,” she explains. 

“The podcast began as a way to 

help people access nature even if they 

couldn’t travel miles to open spaces. It’s 

about nature near you, especially in urban 

areas where people might not realise that 

nature is as active and thriving as it is.” 

She is especially passionate about 

bringing the natural world to people 

who statistically are less likely to be able 

to access it, particularly black and Asian 

youth communities within cities.

PHOTO: BLACK2NATURE/DR MYA-ROSE CRAIG 

CHANGING VIEWPOINTS 

Black and Asian teens discovering the wilder 

world at one of Black2Nature’s camps. 

A BIRDER FROM BIRTH 

Wherever she goes walking, Mya-Rose 

is inspired by the birdlife around her. 

Growing up in the picturesque Chew 

Valley in Somerset, Mya-Rose quickly 

became aware that not everyone was 

able to enjoy the kind of green spaces 

she treasured. 

“I’m half Bangladeshi, and I couldn’t 

see a lot of people who looked like me,” 

she explains. 

“I realised I was enjoying something 

that a lot of people couldn’t, and I 

thought that was unfair.” 

In 2015 – aged 14 – she founded 

Black2Nature, a non-profit organisation 

which campaigns for equal access to 

nature and runs Nature Camps for black 

and Asian teens, led by Mya-Rose herself. 

“The first time we did it I was pretty 

scared,” she admits. 

“People told me there was no point. 

Young people from the city wouldn’t 

want to come on something like that. 

But my parents were massively 

supportive, and we just went for it. We 

set up a camp by a nature reserve in the 

Somerset Levels, got some kids from 

Bristol, and took them for walks. 

“And it worked. Anyone who thinks 

teenagers can’t fall in love with nature 

should take a look at what happens 

when you give them the chance.” 

Such has been the acclaim for 

Black2Nature’s work that last year, the 

University of Bristol awarded Mya-Rose 

an honorary doctorate in science. She is 

believed to be the youngest Briton ever 

to receive such an award. She is also a 

committed conservationist, and has 

shared platforms with Greta Thunberg, 

Sir David Attenborough and other voices 

in the fight against climate change. 

And when it comes to the inequality of 

access to nature, she speaks bluntly. 

“We have to recognise it has become 

a privilege for those who have the time 

and money,” she says. 

“And in most urban VME 

communities, that leisure time 

and disposable money may not 

be there. Genuinely, a lot of the 

kids we work with have never 

seen a cow or a sheep or a 

horse in real life before. The 

countryside can feel like a place they 

aren’t meant to be. Those are the 

barriers we need to break down.” 

Walking, she adds, is one of the ways 

those barriers can be dismantled, 

because it’s a joy anyone can share, 

regardless of culture or ethnicity. An avid 

walker herself, she says she will go for a 

walk anywhere, but her favourite places 

include the Scilly Isles (“especially in the 

autumn, for all the storms”), the Lake 

District and the Shetlands. 

Visible Minority 

Ethnic, as 

distinct from 

BAME, which 

includes white 

minorities 

A FAVOURITE BIRD? 

In much the same way as walkers hate being asked 

for their favourite walk, Mya-Rose finds it almost 

impossible to name a favourite bird. 

“It changes all the time,” she says. 

“I’m a big defender of the garden birds that people 

sometimes think are a bit boring, like wrens and 

dunnocks. They can be so funny and so charming, 

and I don’t think that’s boring at all. In fact, there’s 

no such thing as a boring bird.” 

And does she keep a bucket list? 

“I used to, and the top item was 

the harpy eagle,” she replies. 

“I’ve walked in pretty much 

every part of the UK but there is 

something super-special about 

the Scottish Islands that makes 

me fall in love with them every 

time,” she says. “But I also love 

walking in cities. Some people 

think nature is only found deep in the 

countryside and the city somehow 

doesn’t count, but it’s not like that. 

“If lockdown taught us anything, it’s 

how to reassess our view of what 

engaging with nature means. Nature 

isn’t just ‘over there’ or ‘somewhere else’. 

It’s right where you are, right now.” 

You can download Get Birding from 

podcast platforms now. And check out 

Mya-Rose’s blog at birdgirluk.com 

The dunnock (above) and 

harpy eagle (left) are both full 

of magic, says Mya-Rose. 

“I waited ten years to see one, then I got the chance in Brazil 

a few years ago. It was the greatest day of my life.” 

She hasn’t restarted the list since. 

“Now I’m a lot more about going with the flow 

and enjoying what I can see wherever I am,” 

she explains. 

“Some people like to have a birdwatching 

challenge and that’s great; it’s a 

wonderful motivation. But it’s just 

as good to go for a quiet walk and 

see what’s happening out there.” 

PHOTO: OLIVER EDWARDS PHOTOS: SAVERIO GATTO/ALAMY-; NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY/ALAMY- 


Walking Weekend 

NEW 

ALRESFORD 

Walk from the ‘watercress capital’ of Britain: down 

by the gin-clear waters of the Itchen and Alre, 

and up into Hampshire’s South Downs. 

New Alresford 

WORDS: FIONA BARLTROP 

PHOTO: JAMES OSMOND/ALAMY 

LIQUID TRANQUILLITY 

Having bubbled into life from 

the chalk folds of the South 

Downs, the River Itchen flows 

cool and crystalline under the 

footbridge downstream from 

New Alresford at Ovington.

Situated on the south side of the River Alre, New 

Alresford, commonly referred to as just Alresford 

(pronounced Allsford), is older than it sounds, 

dating to the 12th century. Fires in the 17th 

century destroyed the original timber-framed 

houses, so much of the architecture seen today is Georgian. 

The original settlement, the quiet village of Old Alresford, 

lies to the north. Alresford is known as the UK’s capital of 

watercress farming, and is the terminus for the Watercress 

Line heritage railway, which formerly transported 

watercress to London. The town is surrounded by some 

lovely countryside, with a good network of footpaths 

and bridleways providing scope for a variety of walks. 

Around the town itself there is a short circuit called the 

Millennium Trail with display boards about the local 

history along the way, and a longer version, the Alre Valley 

Trail. Our first day’s walk explores the countryside to the 

north, taking in a picturesque riverside stretch, rolling 

downland and a magnificent neoclassical mansion, The 

Grange at Northington, set in a beautiful grounds. Day 

two’s walk, a circuit around the Itchen Valley from the 

village of Cheriton to the south of the town, also includes an 

impressive residence, the National Trust’s Hinton Ampner. 

The word is… 

New Alresford’s 

Watercress Festival 

usually takes place in May 

each year. It’s set to be 

a virtual event this spring, 

but will be back on the 

streets in 2022: 

watercressfestival.org 

Try Heidi’s Swiss 

Patisserie for a coffee 

(and wonderful cakes) 

before a walk by the river 

through the watercress 

beds. One of my favourite 

places to visit. 

@Westcountrykate 

Peacefully situated 

next to Ropley Station, 

Watercress Lodges & 

Campsite is an ideal base 

for a stay. Lodges, safari 

tents and tipi tents start 

from £70pn, with camping 

pitches (for 2 adults) from 

£25pn (07907 335236; 

watercresslodges.co.uk). 

Nearby Cheesefoot Head 

has great views. West 

Meon is beautiful too and 

you can stop for an ice 

cream on the bridge 

from the Trout Farm. 

Amanda Phillips 

A circular from Ovington 

via Itchen Abbas, Easton 

and Avington Park is 

gorgeous. The Bush Inn 

(01962 732764) at 

Ovington is literally on the 

banks of the river, with a 

garden and good menu. 

Anne England 

For the latest travel advice 

head to visit-hampshire. 

co.uk or call Winchester 

TIC: 01962 840500. Check 

out alresford.org for more 

eateries and places to stay. 

NOW DO 

THE WALKS! 

Turn to the back of the 

magazine and look for 

Routes 4 & 5 for OS maps and 

turn-by-turn walk directions. 


Walk 

1000 

miles 


BROUGHT TO YOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 

2.74 x 365 = 

walk1000miles.co.uk 

The 7 deadly sins of 

#walk1000miles 

Your brain isn’t always as great a partner as it might be when it comes 

to the big challenges. Do you recognise any of these? Time to get them 

out in the open – and give them a good walking-to. 

1 

“I don’t feel like it” 

That’s natural, because your 

brain is an energy-preserving device 

that hasn’t fully twigged we don’t live 

in a world of food scarcity any more 

– and it’s aided and abetted by that 

primadonna ‘motivation’. Don’t pander 

to it. Practise discipline instead. Because 

though one part of you doesn’t feel like 

it, a better part knows just how glad 

you’ll be you walked today. When we 

consult our motivation, it’s a riffe 

2 

“I’m falling 

behind!” 

One of the most common and 

insidious questions your brain puts 

to you, especially when you’re seeing 

other people’s mileages. It does it 

because it’s a sofa-loving, nervous 

spaniel of a thing, and it would much 

rather stay in the warm being 

stroked by you than go out there 

in the cold for an uncertain reward. 

In fact your brain has very little to 

do with your challenge, and nor does 

its flaky alter-ego ‘motivation’. Stop 

listening to those two, because... 

It’s totally irrelevant what other 

people are doing. The challenge 

pits you against only ONE other 

competitor – the alternative you who 

said ‘No’ to being bothered to do it. 

Every time you decide to walk 

anywhere, even 20 minutes round 

the block in an ill-tempered march 

through the excuse book (‘Let’s see if it 

brightens up’, ‘We’re too busy’,‘What’s 

the point?’ ad infinitum). When you let 

discipline take over, it’s an easy 

autopilot: off the sofa, hit the 

pavements and paths for 45 minutes’ 

or an hour’s walk, KNOW you’ll feel 

great you did. And filling in those little 

windows on your 1000-mile progress 

chart builds capital you can’t lose and 

momentum you won’t want to. 

in the rain before bed, you’re kicking 

the ass of that other competitor. 

Time is NOT ‘running out’. 12 

months is a huge amount of time, 

and the clock only started the day 

you did – not 1 Jan (unless that’s 

when you did). 

2.74 miles is not a daily-rotating 

scythe you must jump or be cut 

down by. It’s simply the average 

you’ll have hit when you reach 1000 

miles using every day of 12 months. 

“I’m too 

busy today” 

Walking even a short distance 

lowers stress, boosts perspective 

and problem-solving – and every 20 

minutes is a mile toward one huge goal. 

You can get more done with less sense 

of pressure after a walk. So when 

your brain looks to this as 

a get-out, ask yourself, aren’t 

I actually too busy not to 

go for a walk? 

4 

3 

“It’s not for 

folk like me” 

The truth is it’s not for people like 

anything. Walking 1000 miles isn’t 

like an Olympic event where all 

the competitors need a common 

baseline of fitness and physique. 

Instead it takes you from a 

start-line marked ‘Where you are’ 

to a finish marked ‘Closer to 

where you want to be’. And your 

fellow challengers aren’t ranked 

alongside you, but filling the 

stands, cheering for you. Which 

is what makes #walk1000miles 

such a unique event: it’s a team 

game AND an individual quest, 

where we can all win gold, and 

(as you’ll see from the Facebook 

group) when one wins we all win. 


Get your Progress Chart: 

www.walk1000miles.co.uk/s h o p 

“I’m too late to start” 

It’s impossible to be! You have 12 months from the 

day you start – and today is ALWAYS the perfect 

time to begin. Our double-sided card progress 

chart has no start-date on it and it’s addictive 

fun to fill in. Load it with ideas for 100- 

mile rewards and off you go! You can 

get yours now for just £2 from 

www.walk1000miles. 

co.uk/shop. 

“It’s just a number” 

Yes, it is! But what a number! And we don’t 

believe in reducing walking to a mechanical march 

to reach an arbitrary number either. But however 

pleasurable and beneficial, and however those 

benefits compound when you walk daily, there are 

times when inertia wins. THAT’s when the friendly 

spur of #walk1000miles comes into play – 

propelling you toward action you know you’ll come 

back feeling great from. How many other people 

in the world can say they’ve done 1000 miles? Feel 

this purposeful? Have this compass which points 

the way ahead in even the foggiest of times? 

7 

6 

5 

“Walking can’t make 

much difference” 

Walking is astonishingly effective at improving health 

and wellbeing. “The difference it makes is huge” says 

doctor and author Peter Davies. Against Type 2 diabetes, 

ischaemic heart disease, hypertension, stroke, obesity, 

depression, osteoporosis, glaucoma, arthritis and more – 

study after study reveals walking an hour a day is the most 

potent defence. “It’s a better preventive drug than any 

prescription I can give” says Dr Davies. “It really is the best 

medicine” says Alison Sabine, Consultant Rheumatologist. 

“Patients who walk regularly fare so much better. If 

everyone walked daily I believe it would save the NHS.” 

THANKS FOR THE INSPIRATION! 

'#walk1000miles 

is one of the best 

decisions I've 

ever made' 

How lockdown inspired Lisa Hussain to transform 

her life – and lose nine stone in the process. 

“Growing up as a bigger child I got bullied and was 

always having adults tell me to lose weight. In adulthood 

I got married, had three children and I’ve just eaten 

my way through my emotions. When my nephew was 

christened in 2016, I felt so uncomfortable at a whopping 

23 stone 4lb that I kept my coat on the whole time. 

I eventually plucked up the courage to go to my local 

slimming group. But the looks of disappointment on 

the faces of people around me when I didn’t lose 

enough weight was soul destroying. 

When we went into lockdown I couldn’t climb the 

stairs without being out of breath. But I started walking 

for 30 minutes a day and the difference was amazing. 

I lost three stone in three months by counting calories 

and walking more. Since I stumbled across Country 

Walking and joined the challenge on 10th January 

I haven’t looked back. I’ve lost nine stone so far! 

I’ve still got another two, maybe three to go and 

will hopefully have lost it by the end of the year. 

Doing #walk1000miles has been one of the best 

decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve made some wonderful 

friends and it makes me so determined to keep walking 

every day. Everyone is so positive and encouraging, 

it’s really lovely to be part of it. I also took part in the 

500,000 Steps in March Challenge for CLIC Sargent, 

and now I’m also training to climb Snowdon in July, 

raising money for Children with Cancer UK. I wouldn’t 

have done any of this had I not lost weight and found my 

love for walking! If you’re anything like me, believe in 

yourself and don’t give up. Perseverance is the key.” 

Now listen 

Be kind to yourself, always. But be firm with that 

fretfulness, self-doubt and silliness that is trying to 

hold you back from (A) doing it and (B) enjoying it. 

Every itty-bitty weekday mile (and every wonderful 

weekend mile of wider horizons and boundless 

optimism that awaits). 


#WALK1000MILES UPDATE 

It’s going global! 

#walk1000miles is stretching ever further into the four corners of the 

globe! So what's it like to take on the challenge in a far off land? 

PHOTOS: JO ANN SNOVER / ALAMY 

On a tropical island 

Karen Deveaux, 51, Turks and Caicos Islands, Caribbean 

I was born in the 

beautiful Bahamas and 

relocated here in 2007. 

It's a beautiful place to 

walk, mostly flat, but with 

a few small hills. It's sunny all the time 

except for our rainy season which 

goes from June to November. We 

have hurricane season every year, 

too, which is usually the worst time 

for us – lots of rains, depending 

on where the storm is. 

Sun, sea, sand... alligators! 

Kristin Royleen Barton, 39, Florida, USA 

I live in a beachside 

community, where the 

climate is considered 

subtropical. It’s usually 

sunny, though the wind 

can be rather intense if a front is moving 

through during the winter months. In 

the summer, it typically thunderstorms 

every afternoon. 

I love walking on the beach at sunrise 

or sunset. There are a lot of birds right 

now, like sandpipers, seagulls, and 

pelicans. I sometimes see alligators – 

I became aware of #walk1000miles 

during the global lockdown in 2020. 

It was so exciting coming across this 

challenge as it kept me motivated 

and gave me something to look 

forward to daily. It has helped me 

to be consistent in my walking. It’s 

a great feeling being an overseas 

member of the group, especially 

when I’m recognised, coming from 

a much smaller country. Everyone 

seems to know everyone – it’s like 

a walking family! 

in the water or sunning on the banks of 

springs and ponds. They say if there’s a 

puddle of water, it likely has a gator in it. 

I’m not brave enough to investigate! 

The #walk1000miles group is 

extremely motivating! I love to take 

pictures, and sharing them helps keep 

me moving. I also appreciate the 

struggles others share, like anxiety. 

I typically stay close to home because 

of it. Now I know I’m not alone in that 

battle, and that’s encouraging. 

I love learning about the cultural 

differences between here and the UK 

– the different names for things and 

such. Even some of the jokes take a bit 

of time to grasp, but I thoroughly enjoy 

it. I’m amazed at how the UK is really 

engineered for walking, with paths 

everywhere. It’s very foreign compared 

to here. Since learning about my 1000 

mile goal, my aunt has joined the group 

and a few co-workers and I spend our 

lunch breaks walking. It’s catching on! 

PHOTOS: STUART C. CLARKE / ALAMY 

Welcome to 

the jungle 

Gail Gibson, 51, 

Johor Bahru, Malaysia 

We moved here 

from the UK in 2018. 

My husband and 

I travelled through 

South East Asia for 

more than 20 years. We love the 

culture, climate, people and food 

of Malaysia. We have jungle, parks 

and streets for walking here, but 

we miss the countless footpaths 

in the UK. 

My favourite walk is a jungle 

and quarry walk. There are 

good paths across streams, along 

lakes and under tree canopies. 

It’s a popular place for weekend 

hiking and mountain-biking and 

there are great views across 

Johor Bahru. 

As well as birds, we can spot 

macaque monkeys, wild dogs 

and snakes on our walks. The 

climate is tropical, humid and hot, 

and one thing I love about being 

part of #walk1000miles is seeing 

the seasonal photos from the UK 

and other countries. We don’t get 

seasons here! It feels great to be 

part of a global community. 


Get your Facebook profile frame: www.walk1000miles.co.uk /f ra m es 

Niagara Falls on 

your doorstep 

Mary Nikisher, 64, 

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada 

I never grow tired of the 

thunder of the falls! There’s 

a beautiful area near the 

Horseshoe Falls called 

Dufferin Islands. It’s a cluster 

of small man-made islands surrounded 

by beautiful scenery and wildlife. 

In winter most animals are still in 

hibernation. I might see coyotes and 

white-tail deer but in summer the forest 

comes alive with squirrels, chipmunks, 

rabbits and raccoons. Native birds 

include yellow warblers, terns, egrets, 

sandpipers, gulls, and great blue herons. 

Previously, during winter months, 

I’ve experienced seasonal affective 

disorder. With the pandemic travel 

restrictions I was deeply concerned 

as to how I would cope with a long 

Enjoying New Zealand's freedom 

Duncan Smith, 75, Whakatane, New Zealand 

I was born in Croydon 

and I loved doing longdistance 

walks in the UK, 

mainly to recharge my 

batteries from the very 

stressful job. I’ve done the Pennine 

Way, the fabulous Coast to Coast 

(my personal favourite) twice, and 

three years ago I came over to 

walked the South West Coast 

Path just nine weeks after bowel 

cancer surgery! Mad! 

I met Judy, my Kiwi wife to be, on 

the West Highland Way. It was lifechanging. 

On the day I was going to 

quit my job, I got made redundant! 

So I sold my house and belongings, 

slapped on my backpack and joined 

Judy in New Zealand. We have two 

sons, Jack 30 and Tim 28. 

Canadian winter. But this challenge has 

been a game changer. I’m inspired to 

get out each day and love tracking my 

progress. Having a set goal is very 

motivating. For the first time ever 

I actually loved winter. 

I’m proud to be part of this challenge! 

Everyone has been so inspiring and 

welcoming. Each day I record my 

distance and check my location on 

the app. I then Google the destination 

I’ve arrived at. I’m blown away by 

the gorgeous towns, seasides and 

landscapes I’ve discovered. Hopefully, 

one day I can visit the UK and enjoy 

walking in these places. 

I began my challenge at Island Bay, 

Wellington, heading northbound. 

I wanted to see if I could do the 

length of the North Island this year 

(only 900 miles to go... phew!), then 

maybe the South Island next year 

to complete the Te Araroa Trail. The 

section I’ve completed included 

a nine-day tramp in the Tararua 

mountain range. It was rugged and 

tough. The tracks are pretty easy to 

follow, but there are many tree roots 

and boulders to negotiate, and a river 

and streams to cross. One day it took 

me over eight hours to travel just 

three miles! Thankfully New Zealand 

doesn't have any ‘nasties’ to worry 

about in the forests (unlike Australia 

where everything is out to get you). 

PHOTOS: EMMEPI TRAVEL / ALAMY 

NEW MERCH! 

New 

T-shirts 

out now! 

‘Experiences are worth more 

than things’ – ‘Walk more, 

worry less’ – ‘Going the 

distance’: our new-for-2021 

T-shirts say it all! 

Pronounce your epic quest and 

determination, look great and – 

who knows? – trigger a chance 

encounter with one of our new 

T-shirts. Choose from a 

lightweight, wicking, baselayertype, 

a casual cotton tee, or a 

v-neck in soft tri-blend fabric. All 

designs available in all styles. 

Wide range of colours – 

see website for more. 

From 

£14.50 

PHOTOS: STEWART WATSON / ALAMY 

Shipping now via: 

walk1000miles.co.uk/shop 


#WALK1000MILES UPDATE 

#MINICHALLENGES 

1000-milers 

strike gold! 

SEEN 

YOU’VE 

WON? 

Email sara.mattick 

@bauermedia.co.uk 

your address and a pic 

of you holding this 

edition to claim 

your precious! 

Every month our #minichallenges are here to add zing to your mile-munching 

– and give you the chance to win a money-can’t-buy Golden Badge! Here are 

the latest winners – next time it could be you walking off with the gold! 

#minichallenge6 

ID a deer 

Donna Brett saw a Muntjac on a 

Norfolk walk. 

Samantha 

Noury: ‘The most 

magnificent red 

stag came over to 

pose for photos 

on my walk. Such 

a character.’ 


Donate a week’s walking to charity 

Peter Fraser 

walked 105.5 miles 

overall for the 7 

days. ‘Rounded 

mileage up to 110 

and donated 

£137.50 including 

Gift Aid to 

Macmillan Cancer 

Support. 

Slinky Baloo turned this 

mini challenge into a personal 

challenge and charity event 

supported by family and friends. 

She set up a local giving page 

and documented daily walks. 

‘There was a real sense of 

purpose for each and every walk 

and altogether over £500 has 

been raised for the charity.’ 

Hazel McMurtrie walked 

34.7 miles and donated £35.00 

to Maggie’s, Manchester dedicated 

to dear friend and fellow walk1000- 

miler Dr. Bex Lewis who sadly and 

suddenly passed away on Thursday 

18/2/21. ‘The photo was taken the 

last time I walked with Bex and our 

other friend and colleague Aspa on 

a Manchester Ramblers walk around 

Godley, Peak District (2019)’. 

Sue Bosworth made a donation 

to RNID (Royal National Institute for 

Deaf People) who support people 

like her who are deaf, have hearing 

loss or tinnitus. 


Julia Dixon spotted some fallow deer 

on her morning walk at a chilly 

Chatsworth House. 

Lizzie Huckle saw these smart 

‘Sika deer bums at Knole!’ 

Start a walking scrapbook 

Ashleigh Hembrow used an old 

map, chopped up a bit that covered 

the local area and fitted in her frame, 

then printed 13 photos from the last 

12 months of local walks. ‘Finally 

added the #walk1000miles stickers I 

purchased even though I didn’t know 

what to do with them at the time’. 

Marie Derry has long 

had resolutions to 

begin a journal or 

scrapbook and every 

year success has 

escaped her. That is 

until now! ‘I thank the 

1000 mile challenge 

for helping me achieve 

a life-long ambition! 

Kathryn Kenworthy 

has been keeping 

motivated by recording 

all walks in a mini 

journal, is new to the 

group and currently on 

walk #22 of the year. 


Sign up & get th e newsletter: 

www.walk1000miles.co.uk 


Find an interesting grave 

Renata Spinardi Guilger discovered 

Sir Richard Burton’s mausoleum. He was 

an explorer, translator, writer, soldier, 

among other things, and was famous for his 

explorations in Asia, Africa and the Americas. 

One of the things he did was journey to 

Mecca in disguise so he could study and 

document it, at a time when Europeans 

could face death for trying to get there. 

Julie Johnson found the grave of the 

famous and beautiful Lillie Langtry, daughter 

of a vicar, from Jersey. Known as the Jersey 

Lillie, she was the mistress of Edward Prince 

of Wales, later Edward VII. 

Samantha Hambling found this 

memorial for Janusz Korczak, best 

known as a champion of children’s rights 

at a time when that idea was unheard of. 

He ran an orphanage in Warsaw and 

was well respected. When the Nazis 

came to liquidate the orphanage he was 

offered his freedom but refused to leave 

his young charges. Consequently he met 

his death along with all those children in 

the death camp of Treblinka, in 1942, 

about an hour’s drive from Warsaw. 


Tell us 

a joke! 

‘Yesterday I had an 

argument with someone 

in the biscuit aisle in Aldi. I 

threw a packet of biscuits at 

him but he ducked and they 

just missed him. Jammy 

Dodger.’ Jeff Sparkes 

Dougie Dingwall 

found the 1903 grave 

of Kiyoshi Hata, who 

was one of a group of 

Japanese acrobats 

hired by the Gilbert 

circus, which toured 

Norwich at the time. 

Kiyoshi died on 14 

March 1903 aged 

just 12 years of brain 

fever (meningitis). 

‘Instead of a swear jar, I have 

a negativity jar. Every time 

I have a pessimistic thought, 

I put a penny in. It’s currently 

half empty’ Julie Johnson 

‘I was disappointed when 

I found out my dad was 

stealing from his job as a 

lollippop man. All the signs 

were there.’ Peter Rae 

Do more on your 

miles & win 

treasure! 

Spice up your miles with one of our quests this month, post 

the result in the Facebook group with the relevant hashtag 

(check your spelling!) and our favourite 20 #minichallenge 

completers will win a Golden Badge! You have until 29 April 

for this crop. Good luck and happy hunting! 

PHOTOGRAPH FOUR 

16 WOODLAND FLOWERS 

Delicate, beautiful, hopeful, 

wonderful! Collect four pics of ones 

that catch your eye, and ID them. 

Are they cowslips, dog violets, lesser 

celandines, ramsons, anemone? 

WEAR SHORTS 

17 IN THE RAIN 

It’s freeing, it’s fun and hey – skin is 

waterproof. And what’s more British 

than dressing for the weather you 

want rather than the weather you 

have? Knobbly-kneed optimists: go! 

MAKE BRAMBLE 

18 LEAF TEA 

Used as a medicinal aid for centuries, 

young bramble leaves are packed 

with vitamin C and antioxidants. 

Steep a handful in boiling water 

for 5 minutes. Sweeten with honey. 

SHARE YOUR PERFECT 

19 GRID SQUARE 

What ONE square kilometre of map 

contains as much as possible of 

what you consider walking Heaven? 

Tell us why and if we ever get the 

power we’ll make you its new owner. 

FIND A SHAPE 

20IN THE CLOUDS 

The sky in spring is a sketch-pad: 

what doodles and lookie-likies can 

you spot on your walks this month? 

It doesn’t have to be obvious to us – 

but make your case persuasively! 






How to enter 

Upload photo evidence including the relevant hashtag in the 

#walk1000miles Facebook group or on Instagram by 29 

April! New challenges next issue and every issue. Got an idea 

for a challenge? Email walk1000miles@countrywalking.co.uk 

BROUGHT TO YOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 


#WALK1000MILES PARTNER FOCUS 

Boot up for 

a big world! 

It’s a big, beautiful world out there – make sure your feet 

are equipped to take in as much of it as you can this summer. 

AFTER SUCH A long period of 

lockdown our feet are itching to 

head for the horizon – to big 

views, high vantage points and glorious 

freedom. Can’t you just hear those 

distant sheep in the valley, the cry of 

curlew and the busy babble of a 

mountain stream already? 

Walk1000miles’ longstanding footwear 

partner Scarpa knows just how you feel. 

Headquartered in Asolo in the Italian 

Dolomites – the ‘city of a hundred 

horizons’ – the firm has been 

manufacturing the most capable boots 

and shoes for every adventurous 

environment for over 90 years. Today, 

from lifestyle to high altitude, Scarpa 

offers a 360° collection under the motto 

‘no place too far’ and the firm is so proud 

to partner #walk1000miles – offering 

every boot and shoe to help people 

become, fitter, healthier and happier; 

whatever the weather and whatever 

the route. As we emerge from the small 

worlds of our local walks and finally 

think bigger – treat yourself to a pair 

of boots which share your aspirations 

to discover more of this big, beautiful 

world, in safety, confidence and comfort. 

www.scarpa.co.uk 

Scarpa SL Active £260 

The SL is the 9th generation of this classic, 

really tough trekking boot, now even more 

luxurious and comfortable, and built from the 

toughest, most water-resistant premium 

leather Scarpa uses. 

Built on the latest TM last shape, 

giving an improved heel fit 

and closer fit across 

the forefoot, the 

redesigned upper 

uses a soft nubuck 

leather cuff with 

a cut out at the 

Achilles, as well as a redesigned flex zone, giving 

greater comfort on long descents and ascents in 

the mountains. The revised speed lacing system 

gives a sure hold across the instep, and the plush 

leather lining inside the boot is instantly luxurious 

and comfortable. And when the tread eventually 

wears there’s years more life in the SL thanks 

to being fully resolable (see panel right). 

Year-round mountain walks 

Sherpa HS12 2.8mm full-grain leather 

Crampon-compatible 

Vibram Biometric sole 


Advertising feature 

Scarpa R-Evo GTX £200 

The R-Evo GTX is designed for maximum comfort on technical hikes or 

multi-day backpacking trips. Built around a new re-designed softshell sock- 

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shapes, it also gives great security across the middle of the 

foot. Its Flex Point design gives great ankle freedom of 

movement without sacrificing support while a tough 

suede and Gore-Tex upper keep the world at bay. 

The comfort flex midsole gives just the right 

amount of torsional support, and the Vibram 

Biometric Trek sole unit offers great traction on 

challenging terrain. And like the SL Active, the 

R-Evo is fully resolable. 

Scarpa Maverick £160 

Perfect for fell-walking 

GORE-TEX waterproofing 

Just 1120g per pair 

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Suede Water 

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An agile and athletic mid-cut trail walking boot, the Maverick GTX provides a fresh, 

modern design that is purpose-built for light and fast adventures. Quality features 

such as a GORE-TEX Extended Comfort Footwear lining 

and their own outsole come together in this rugged 

yet nimble package that will handle any lightweight 

mission you dream up. 

The SHT last feels dynamic yet supportive, perfect 

for a variety of outdoor adventures, from easy day 

hikes to moving fast and light on the trail while 

the confidence-inspiring, SCARPA-designed 

Crossover sole with SuperGum Rubber 

helps keep you firmly planted. 

Boots for life 

Scarpa shoes and boots are built 

to the highest standard and 

should serve you for many years 

of use. However, just like tyres on 

a car, the rubber parts of a boot, 

shoe or rock shoe can wear down 

with use, and that’s why we offer 

a full re-sole service. 

Any SCARPA shoe or boot with 

the resole possible logo have the 

ability to have the sole replaced, 

extending the lifespan of your 

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investment. It’s a tradition that 

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your boots return to Italy to be 

resoled at source, or by an 

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More info: www.scarpa.co.uk/ 

resole-service 

Summer paths & trails 

Waterproof 

GORE-TEX lining 

Vegan-friendly 

Get AND give brand 

new Mavericks 

This month 1000-milers have the chance to get the best 

feeling in the world – not just getting a brand new pair of 

boots, but giving a pair to a best friend or loved one too! 

The £160 Mavericks are lightweight, waterproof, 

fantastic summer all-rounders which feature a SuperGum 

Rubber sole to keep you firmly planted, and stylish looks 

that will go down a treat in the hikers’ bar. 

To be in with your chance of winning a pair for you 

and your nominated buddy, just tell us the walk you’re 

most looking forward to doing this summer. We’d love 

to hear where your Mavericks might get their debut! 

To enter, go to www.walk1000miles.co.uk/ 

scarpamaverickcomp 


WRITE 

TO US AT: 

Country Walking, 

Media House, 

Lynchwood, 

Peterborough 

PE2 6EA 

EMAIL: country.walking@lfto.com FACEBOOK: facebook.com/countrywalking TWITTER: twitter.com/countrywalking 

Summit special: 

Stunning views 

atop Ben Nevis. 

LETTER OF THE MONTH 

A guide’s a great investment 

A novice to walking in snow and ice 

and coming from Kent in the South of 

England, I’d booked a holiday in Fort 

William to walk up Ben Nevis at Easter 

in 2018. Two weeks before I looked at 

a web cam and saw snow which I was 

not expecting. Rather than decide not 

to do the walk I hired a local guide 

who provided boots, crampons and 

ice axes for my partner and I. What 

an amazing day. Not only did he 

make us feel at ease, he carried safety 

equipment for us all after taking our 

medical issues into account. 

A BERGHAUS WATERPROOF JACKET FOR ISABEL! 

The letter of the month wins a Berghaus waterproof jacket worth (£225). 

The Cornice (men’s) and Glissade (women’s) jackets have been firm 

favourites with walkers for decades, are superb quality and always 

score highly in Country Walking gear tests. www.berghaus.com. 

He shared his knowledge about the 

area, the history and pointed out 

things we wouldn’t have spotted. 

Amazingly he said the safest way 

down was on our bottoms and he 

taught us how to slide down the 

mountain using ice axes to steer 

and stop. Such a great experience 

that we would not have attempted 

on our own. Don’t be afraid to get a 

personal guide if there is a particular 

challenge you want help with. 

Isabel Emby, Broadstairs 

Fab Famau 

Yesterday on Scala Radio 

there was a mention of the 

greatest non-Snowdon 

views in North Wales, which 

are to be found from Moel 

Famau in the Clwydians. 

I couldn’t agree more – 

here’s said hill, looming over 

my home town of Buckley, 

with the Jubilee Tower at 

the summit. It was built in 

1810 to commemorate the 

golden jubilee of George III 

and was intended to be an 

Egyptian styled obelisk, but 

was never completed and 

was badly damaged by a 

storm in 1862. It was made 

safe and what you see 

today is all that’s left. 

Trevor Jones, Buckley 

Great read, 

great man 

I enjoyed the article 

on John Muir in the 

March issue. We did a 

(small) bit of the John 

Muir Trail at Tuolumne 

Meadows. The walk 

was so well marked 

with distances to each 

destination. Saw loads 

of deer and Whistling 

Squirrels. No bears 

though! His legacy 

will live on for ever. 

Richard Bevan, Email 


In praise 

of wellies 

I’m more into 

Gore-tex than 

Barbour and 

Scarpa than 

Hunter and my 

treks don’t 

involve gundogs 

and beaters. 

But I have been 

investigating 

country footwear 

in a bid to stop 

being a sissy 

about mud. 

Last week 

I was stepping 

daintily around 

an edge to edge 

puddle getting 

tangled in 

brambles when 

another walker strode confidently through the middle 

with her dogs splashing joyfully beside her, and I envied 

her wellies and resolved to investigate further. 

Discounting gardening wellies, farming wellies (steel toe 

caps) and fashion wellies I discovered shooting wellies. 

Highlights include warmth, a strong footbed and the comfort 

of being in them all day, but are they up to walking distances 

in I wondered. I ordered a pair anyway and spent a day 

walking around the house in them much to my family’s 

amusement. 

Today I trialled them outside and set off down muddy 

paths walking straight down the middle, over waterlogged 

fields and stiles and through kissing gates. Pastures churned 

up by livestock and housing developers were swiftly crossed 

and streams were plentiful to clean my wellies which I loved 

more and more with each passing mile. I walked seven miles 

without a rub, hot spot or slip up and I’m confident that they 

will take me comfortably twice that far. All hail the wellie, 

bring on the mud. 

Tracey Roberts, Email 

Valour, prudence & Hope 

I was delighted to see a walking guide for one of my 

local Munros, Ben Hope in CW Spring. It’s a mountain 

that offers amazing views, challenges and satisfaction. 

Unfortunately Ben Hope has also seen two fantastic 

climbers Andy Nesbit and Steve Perry perish on her, 

back in 2019, and back in March a climber had to be 

rescued after becoming disoriented near the summit. 

I had the most wonderful of climbs, beautiful sun, 

gentle breeze and a relatively straight forward ascent 

and descent, leaving with the biggest grin knowing it 

was my 180th Munro. A few weeks later, checking all 

forecasts and finding it was good to go again, this 

time with a friend to climb his second Munro and my 

husband to climb his first, we headed off. Well, the 

closer we got to the start, the worse the weather 

became – winds increasing, rain coming in hard. We 

waited in the car to see if this unforecasted weather 

would pass, but it didn’t. There were 30/35 mph at the 

base, so there was a good chance of 70 mph winds at 

the summit. Having friends in Mountain Rescue and 

my own knowledge of the mountains and what risks 

the weather causes, I suggested to my husband and 

friend that Cocoa Mountain in Durness for a treat 

would be far more appropriate. I have never seen two 

men so readily agree 

to a chocolate shop 

and cafe! 

If you do come to 

Sutherland and wish 

to climb Ben Hope, 

always check your 

forecasts, also use 

your judgement if it 

is doable and 

remember the 

mountains are not 

going anywhere. 

Don’t risk it if it 

doesn't feel right! 

Louisa Burnett, 

Dornoch 

Do it while you can... 

This has taken me nearly a year to write. 2020 brought us, 

among many things, the 32nd annual ‘Boys Walking 

Weekend’ – 4 days in Whitby. My 93-year-old dad, an avid 

CW reader and walker in his day (having completed the 

Pennine Way in the mid 70s, Coast to Coast in the early 80s 

and numerous weekends in the Peaks, Lakes, Snowdonia as 

well as being a member of our little weekend for many years), 

suggested a route we might like from CW August 2019, 

a linear walk from Staithes to Whitby along the coast path. 

We duly followed his suggestion on Sunday 1st March and 

it is indeed a cracking walk, having caught an early bus 

from Whitby bus station. On completing the walk and just 

contemplating a shower, my wife phoned with the news that 

dad had died that morning. Dad was always saying “Do it 

while you can”. My last words on the Thursday evening were 

that I’d see him on Monday evening to tell him how it went 

– a conversation that will have to wait. 

Dick Brett, Rutland 


Views in brief 

Never seen anything like 

this! Yesterday’s walk in 

Meanwood, Leeds Farkas Bogi 

At Seven Sisters 

Pauline Deacon 

Starling murmuration over 

Melton Mowbray John Spencer 

The walk the day after 

my jab Viv Godby 

Kingley Vale near 

Chichester – a fitting 

tribute to a great 

man on the Devil’s 

Humps Mark Wills 

Breezy tow path walk today 

but someone has a sense 

of humour Susan Wilcock 

A wee quick wander this 

morning for my daily 

exercise, quick because it 

was -11 Michelle Saunders 

Day 3 of stop 

smoking and 

managed a 

lovely 8-mile 

country walk! 

Phil Baylis 

Tree root competition 

anyone? Catherine Piper 

4 hours in my happy place 

(the allotment) added up 

to 2 miles pottering around 

tidying up Jacqueline Smith 

Getting up early to walk 

despite frost can still 

pay dividends. Look at 

this for a sight Jane Bell 

King of the moors 

Katie Adcock

Flower power 

We live in a village which is 

bounded by the A52 on two 

sides and the B5032 on the 

third. We’ve been in since 

I signed up for #walk1000 

miles. To break up the 

monotony of road walking 

my wife and I photographed 

the flowers we noticed in 

the verges and hedgerows, 

and posted our pictures on 

the village social Facebook 

page each day. We were 

surprised both by the 

interest shown, but more 

significantly by the number 

of flowers we spotted. 

Who would have thought 

that we photographed and 

identified 153 different 

flowers within two miles of 

our house? This photo is a 

lane flanked by ramsons. 

Ken & Jean Irvin, Derbs 

WHERE’S KES? 

Every month our 

favourite spaniel 

Kes goes walkies 

somewhere in 

the issue, and we 

want him back! 

Can you help 

find Kes? 

Kes the conkercolour 

Cocker is an 

inveterate explorer, often finding his way into 

the unlikeliest of places when we’re busy putting 

the magazine together. In fact he’s hiding out 

in this issue for you to find! Spot him (not on 

this page) and you could win over £47 worth 

of brilliant Mountain Paws goodies – just 

email the page number where you found Kes 

to: ifoundkes@LFTO.com by April 29, 2021 

putting ‘Kes April’ in the subject line. 

And congratulations to Phillip James 

Davies from Carmarthenshire who spotted 

Kes exploring the wilds of Oxwich Marsh 

with Pip on page 75 of the March issue, 

and wins this month’s canine prize! 

GREAT 

PRIZES 

WORTH 

OVER £47 

Heroes overcome 

I just wanted to pass on my best wishes to all those 

taking part in the Walk 1000 Miles Challenge 2021. 

My thoughts go out especially to Mo Grady and Kevin 

Hussey as I can so relate to the challenges and 

diffculties they describe, in overcoming profound 

mental health obstacles. They are absolute heroes in 

my view, and I hope they will remember that it doesn't 

matter how long it takes or how small the steps are, 

they will build up one by one into their own very 

special and courageous journey. Thank you for this 

feature, it was awe-inspiring. 

Maggie Baker, Email 

Welcome home! 

I’ve rediscovered walking! Something I’d done for many years 

but had to discontinue due to severe arthritis. Then following 

a second knee replacement I found that little by little 

I regained my strength and mobility. Then Covid-19 and 

lockdown struck. A friend shared her sense of isolation and 

anxiety so I suggested we walked together – it was a hit 

from the very beginning and we extended our distances 

week by week until a 5-mile hike was our celebration day! 

In this first month of walking, I picked up a copy of CW 

at our local newsagents, tempted by the challenge to walk 

1000 miles (now signed up) and also the images of all the 

lovely gear one can buy! I love the magazine! Thank you 

Country Walking for being part of our rediscovery of the 

wonderfully life-changing activity of walking! 

Ann Worboys, Email 


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Stuart Maconie 

Nature is reclaiming our abandoned structures. 

But it’s not a conflict; it’s a healing. 

THE ‘WELLNESS’ AND ‘healing’ industry is 

reckoned to be worth some £4.2 trillion globally. 

That’s a lot of scented candles, colouring-in books 

and whalesong CDs. Some awful pan pipe music too. 

If I sound a little cynical, forgive me. I actually love 

much New Age and healing music (hit me up on 

Twitter and I’ll do you a playlist of Alice Coltrane, 

Laraaji, Eno, Fripp etc). But, like Crib Goch in winter, 

it is a thin and perilous line that must be trod 

between the beautiful and the banal, the soothing 

and the sickly, be it music, prose or scented candle. 

The good stuff is really worth seeking out. Melissa 

Harrison is a nature writer and novelist who produced 

a podcast series called The Stubborn Light of Things. 

In it, Melissa, relocated from South London to rural 

Suffolk, records her walks and in a memorable one, 

visits an old World War II air base now abandoned and 

overgrown. Unlike some nature writers who bemoan 

the human imprint and want it erased forever, 

Melissa absorbs and enjoys the quiet melancholy 

of the echoes of history in the disused chapel, 

and the young lives that were carried from this 

overgrown and weed-choked runway into eternity. 

During lockdown, when trips to the moors, coast 

and high places have been out of bounds, I’ve been 

exploring more and more what are fashionably and 

poetically referred to as ‘liminal spaces’: the 

transitional zones where ‘country’ and ‘town’ meet. 

Parks, urban woods, canals. In all of these, you’ll find 

a strange juxtaposition of manmade and natural, and 

you can usually trace the ebb and flow of human 

history, and the dance between them down the years. 

I’ve been walking the Leeds and Liverpool Canal 

most weekends of late. Again and again, nature and 

industry perform a grave pas de deux through time. 

At Appley Bridge outside Wigan, where they made 

lino, paint, and bitumen, the disused works are now 

a small wildlife reserve. The walls and machinery 

remain but the benzene ponds and mercury sludge 

If you’re 

walking the 

Leeds and 

Liverpool 

Canal, pause 

at Gathurst 

where the railway 

line, the M6, the 

canal and the 

River Douglas 

cross, and feel 

the satisfying 

weight of history 

told through 

transport old 

and new. 

Hear Stuart 

on Radcliffe 

and Maconie, 

BBC 6 Music, 

weekends, 

7am to 10am. 

are gone. The living things are colonising again and 

the passing trains no longer slam their windows shut. 

Much of the conversation about nature and 

civilisation is framed in terms of the former being 

‘healed’ after the ‘scarring’ and ‘disfigurement’ 

inflicted by human incursion. Often it’s presented as 

a conflict, of a war between one and the other, and the 

justifiable notion that a victory for nature is the most 

edifying outcome. The History Channel’s website 

has a timeline devoted to ‘Life After People’, which 

claims that “nature would take our places fairly 

quickly. Many cities would be recolonised within a 

year or two, and many of our buildings would begin 

crumbling soon after without human maintenance.” 

Even more compelling, the website Bored Panda 

has an amazing, eerie, brilliant collection titled 

21 Photos of Nature Winning the Battle Against 

Civilisation. A flooded hotel taken over by fish in 

Bangkok. A French railway tunnel that has become a 

meadow. A Namibian mining town choked with sand. 

These images are beautiful and mesmerising. But I 

don’t find them ‘triumphant’. It’s a stranger and more 

nuanced sensation than that, freighted with human 

memories and experiences. There’s a definite beauty 

in an entirely human-free landscape, a vista of nature 

in its enormous solemnity like Rannoch Moor or the 

Grand Canyon or Lowry’s haunting seascapes. But 

Rannoch Moor has a railway station, and the Grand 

Canyon a tiny ranch, and the occasional lonely boat 

drifts on Lowry’s empty seas. Each of the details adds 

a certain poignancy to the already beautiful scene. 

Perhaps one day nature really will ‘recolonise’ 

everything of the human world. But until that day, 

there’s a certain peculiar, quiet peace and 

contemplation in seeing and walking in places where 

engineering and structures make way for nature. 

Here it doesn’t feel like a battle. Here it feels like 

healing, and it’s a healing that is deeper and more 

complicated than you might at first suspect. 

ILLUSTRATION: STEVEN HALL 


THE 

THE HILLS 

ARE ALIVE 

Scenes to make 

your heart sing 

wait at the top of 

Scotland’s most 

southerly Munro.

DISCOVER The Munros 

Aim high 

Put Snowdon in Scotland and it would only be the 

57th highest mountain in the country; Scafell 

Pike joint 175th. But that doesn’t put Scotland’s 

most magnificent mountains beyond your reach 

– as our crash course in the Munros reveals. 

WORDS: JENNY WALTERS PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY 

Ben 

Lomond 

Glasgow 

APRIL 2021 COUNTRY WALKING 33 

PHOTO: ROBERT HAMILTON/ALAMY-

“…let me say that I look 

back upon the days I have 

spent in pursuing this 

quest as among the best 

spent days of my life. 

” 

REV. ROBERTSON, 

THE FIRST PERSON TO COMPLEAT THE 

MUNROS, SMC JOURNAL 1 9 0 1 

THE BIGGEST IS Ben Nevis; the smallest 

is Beinn Teallach. The toughest involves 

a roped-up jitter to the Inaccessible 

Pinnacle; the easiest a half-hour stroll 

beside a ski-tow to Carn Aosda. One was used in an 

experiment to measure the mass of the Earth 

(Schiehallion), Prince Charles wrote a children’s 

book about one (Lochnagar), and one is linked 

with angels (Sgòr an Lochain Uaine) whiles its 

neighbour flirts with Satan (The Devil’s Point). 

Climbing to the top of one is known as bagging it, 

while bagging them all is known as compleating 

(yes, with that spelling). These are the Munros, 

the Scottish peaks over 3000 feet tall. There are 

282 in total, making the biggest collection of high 

and wild walks in Britain. And nearly everyone 

starts with Ben Lomond. 

This is the first Munro you bump into as you 

head north. In fact, the ‘beacon hill’ is fondly known 

as Glasgow’s Munro as it’s little more than an hour 

from City Chambers, and anyone who has driven 

the A82 along the shore of Loch Lomond will know 

it as the wall of mountain across the water that you 

just can’t take your eyes off. It looms large – 3196 

feet large to be precise – but there’s an excellent 

path all the way up with nothing hands-on or 

tricksy about it, and some thrilling surprises 

when you get near the top. 

I didn’t know any of that the first time I climbed 

it. I arrived at Rowardennan on the east side of 

the loch with butterflies in my stomach. I’d rarely 

climbed so high before, and rarely started so low. 

The first contour by the water lies just 10m above 

sea-level, which left a whole lot of uphill between 

me and the top. I looked up, but the summit wasn’t 

to be seen. I took a deep breath and started walking. 

My initial impression was green. Ben Lomond’s 

lower slopes are patched with forest and the path 

tunnelled up past oaks and birches, ferns and 

common-spotted orchids on that July day over 

a decade ago. Ongoing regeneration work means 

it’s got even lusher since. One project to fence 55 

hectares off from the grinding molars of grazing 

deer is just reaching completion, and soon downy 

birches, rowans, hawthorns and willows will spike 

the contours, while heather, blaeberry and bog 

myrtle will quilt the understorey. 

Before long I broke out above the treeline and 

onto the open hillside. The path steepened slightly 

to the shoulder of Sron Aonaich and the view spilled 

far across the loch below, the watery centrepiece of 

the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. 

Standing there, it was very easy to see why climbing 

high has such a pull. The appetite for Munro 

bagging can trace its roots back to 1891, when 

CLIMBING UP... 

The first section 

of the main route 

up Ben Lomond is 

jungle-lush. 

...AND UP 

Then the path 

breaks out above 

the treeline and into 

a huge panorama, 

although you may 

only have eyes for 

that summit ahead.


Munro 

Man 

Sir Hugh Munro, 

the man behind the 

mountain list, was 

born in London in 

1856. The eldest of 

nine, he was brought 

up on the family 

estate at Lindertis in 

Angus and later 

inherited its 

baronetcy. A keen 

hillwalker, he was a 

founding member of the Scottish 

Mountaineering Club and its third 

president, and at 35 he published his 

table of 3000 footers. A year later he 

married, and went on to have three 

children, with whom he travelled far and 

wide. Perhaps ironically, Sir Hugh never 

managed to bag all the peaks, missing 

two from his 1891 list: Carn an Fhidleir 

and Carn Cloich-mhuillinn, the latter of 

which later got demoted to a top. He 

also never conquered Skye’s infamous 

Inaccessible Pinnacle (which many had 

thought a puzzling omission from his 

original tables). Munro had never been 

satisfied with the accuracy of his first list 

and was revising it when World War I 

broke out. Past the age for frontline 

fighting, he went to Malta to help trace 

the missing, and in 1918 he volunteered 

with the Red Cross, setting up a canteen 

to feed returning troops in France. In 

1919 he caught pneumonia and died a 

week later, aged 63, little realising his 

mountain tables would still be inspiring 

adventure more than a century later. 

Sir Hugh Munro published his ‘Tables giving all the 

Scottish mountains exceeding 3,000 feet in height’ 

in the Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal. 

The list was quite a surprise. Before then it was 

widely thought that maybe 30 Scottish mountains 

topped 3000 feet (or the less catchy metric of 914.4 

metres), but Munro had found 283. And it had taken 

some hard graft. Munro began his project with oneinch 

Ordnance Survey maps but they only marked 

a contour line every 250 feet. The six-inch sheets 

had summit spot heights on them, but neither scale 

was entirely accurate or complete. He ended up 

surveying some mountains himself, measuring the 

change in air pressure with a pocket-sized 

aneroid barometer to calculate the 

height. Some of those ascents were made 

by night, and in winter: this was long 

before Scotland’s Land Reform Act 

granted the right to roam and many 

landowners didn’t want people climbing 

‘their’ mountains. And Munro even 

included a column – ‘Best ascended from’ 

– which detailed the best inn or hotel 

nearby for the visiting hillwalker. 

Now, the eagle-eyed may have noticed 

DID YOU 

KNOW? 

Queen Victoria bagged 

a few Munros including 

Lochnagar and Ben 

Macdui. She did have a 

pony to help with some 

of the legwork but she 

ticked off nine in total. 

Of course, they weren’t 

yet called Munros. 

the number Sir Hugh 

arrived at and the 

number in the current 

list are very slightly 

different. In fact, 

there’s been a fair bit 

of swapping in and out 

with major revisions of 

the list in 1921, 1953, 

1981 and 1997. That’s 

partly a result of 

improved measuring: some peaks have been 

found taller than expected and promoted to Munro 

status, while others have fallen short and 

been demoted, and at least one – Beinn a’ 

Chlaidheimh – has been pushed up and 

then back down, which means the remote 

group of Munros known as the Fisherfield 

Six is once again the Fisherfield Five. 

But it’s also down to do with whether a 

mountain stands alone. As well as his 

283 Munros, Sir Hugh listed 255 tops – 

summits that push above the magical 

3000 feet but he considered subsidiary 

to another peak, rather than a distinct u 

TOP TABLE 

Munro’s first tables 

were packed with 

info, including the 

best inn to start 

walking from. 

t MUNROS IN 

THE MIST 

Even on a cloudy 

day the loch-view 

from the slopes of 

Ben Lomond can 

be fantastically 

atmospheric. 


TOP NOTCH 

Hugging the 

trig atop my 

first Munro, hair 

soaked with a 

mix of drizzle 

and sweat. 

mountain. He never precisely defined his idea 

of ‘suffcient separation’ though, and it has been 

much argued over ever since. There’s a tale that 

when Munro visited Sir Colin Phillip on Arran 

‘“hills and tops ” were discussed for three days 

and three nights with but little intermission.’ 

It’s not something Ben Lomond has to worry 

about. The next nearest bit of land as high is six 

miles away on the other side of the loch, at Beinn 

Narnain in the Arrochar Alps: you might be able 

to see it just to the right of the distinctive crab-claw 

ridgeline of The Cobbler. Lomond’s isolation means 

the summit panorama pulls far before bumping 

into anything that blocks it, and I’d even heard 

rumours of 100-mile views. On a fine day that is. 

As comedian and Munro-bagger Ed Byrne points 

out, ‘3000 feet is the exact height at which Scottish 

cloud likes to sit’. Venture higher and you’re quite 

likely to be looking at the inside of a cumulus. 

It was even lower on the day I climbed. I was 

clagged in from around 1500 feet, as the path 

passed close to something called the Halfway 

Well on the map. I couldn’t see it; later research 

at Canmore, the National Record of the Historic 

Environment, listed it simply as a hollow, with 

one report saying there is ‘no visible evidence’. 

I was secretly glad to know I hadn’t missed much. 

Despite the mizzle, the path ahead was clear. 

The National Trust for Scotland owns much of the 

mountain and has put a lot of work into building 

this route, popularly known as the Tourist Path. 

Before repairs started the path stretched 25 metres 

across and could be spotted from Glasgow; now it’s 

a thread of grit and rock, with drainage gullies to 

stop it turning into a fast-flowing burn. And I found 

the gradient here, working up the long southern 

shoulder of Ben Lomond, steady rather than 

daunting. It felt like a big walk, but not a scary one. 

You don’t have to be a flint-nerved mountaineer 

to tackle the Munros. In 1923, Reverend Archibald 

Ronnie Graham Burn became the first person 

to bag every peak on the list and all the tops, yet 

according to Elizabeth Allan in the biography 

Burn on the Hill, he was none too skilled: ‘His 

navigation was pathetic. He never carried more 

than a sandwich, and often not even that...It was 

commonplace for him to be completely lost on 

the hill...He took really silly risks in dangerous 

situations. He fell down places.’ Crucially though, 

she goes on to say ‘he enjoyed every minute of it’. 

Even in the murk I found it was all curiously 

enjoyable. I liked the stretch I could feel in my lungs. 

I assumed the pain in my thigh muscles meant u 

As lockdown 

eased in 2020, 

this very popular 

hill became even 

more popular. 

The NTS 

welcomes 

visitors but ask 

walkers to stick 

to the paths; 

step off for a 

moment when 

needed to 

socially distance, 

but try to avoid 

walking along 

the soft verges, 

and keep the 

rubber tips on 

your poles. 



WATCH 

YOUR STEP 

You’ll have to drag 

your eyes from the 

view at the top of 

the Ptarmigan Ridge 

Path, as it tumbles 

down steep rocks 

from the summit. 

t ONE FINE DAY 

Looking north 

from the top of Ben 

Lomond on a bluesky 

day, across a sea 

of peaks, many of 

which are Munros. 

Meet the 

Furths 

The Munros, by definition, are all 

Scottish but there are 34 more 

mountains in the British Isles that 

break through the prized 3000 

foot contour, and their collective 

name comes from their locations 

furth – or outside – Scotland. 

England’s half dozen are all in the 

Lake District: Helvellyn, Skiddaw, 

Sca Fell, Scafell Pike, Ill Crag and Broad Crag, the last three of which can be bagged 

on one spectacular day (download your free Scafell Pike route at lfto.com/ 

bonusroutes, short detours needed to reach summits of Broad Crag and Ill Crag). 

Wales has 15 clustered around the Snowdon (pictured), Glyderau and Carneddau 

ranges in the north of Snowdonia National Park. Bagging all the Welsh 3000ers in 

24 hours is a popular challenge involving about 30 miles of walking and 14,000 feet 

of ascent. In Ireland, County Kerry’s Macgillycuddy’s Reeks have 10 of the country’s 

furths, with three outliers: Brandon Mountain on the Dingle Peninsula; Galtymore, 

the high point of counties Limerick and Tipperary; and Lugnaquilla in Wicklow. 


IN MEMORY 

Ben Lomond is 

one of the mostloved 

mountains in 

Scotland, climbed 

by more than 

30,000 people a 

year. In 1985 it was 

designated as a war 

memorial, dedicated 

to all those fallen 

in conflict. 

B I R D ’ S 

EYE VIEW 

The Ptarmigan 

ridge (shown right) 

is named after this 

species of bird, 

here seen changing 

from its white 

winter plumage 

to its summertime 

speckles. 

DID YOU 

KNOW? 

The record for 

the fastest selfpropelled 

round of 

the Munros stands 

at 31 days, 23 hours 

and two minutes. 

Set by Donnie 

Campbell last year, 

it involved cycling 

and kayaking 

between the peaks 

and running up 

all 282. 

I was burning fast through the Tunnock’s 

teacake I’d scoffed and would soon be justified in 

unwrapping another. Then I felt the path steepen 

underfoot, and chart a couple of zig-zags, while an 

increasing breeziness suggested things were getting 

pretty high, and airy. To this point, the route had 

tracked along a generously plump slab of hill but I 

could see from the map that I was approaching Coire 

a’ Bhathaich, where a glacier had taken an almighty 

bite out of Ben Lomond’s north face. It left behind a 

rough cliff of black and green, where rock and grass 

battle for dominance. The path wandered towards 

its edge in a couple of spots, but never scarily so, 

before a final pull brought me to the triangulation 

point atop its pleasingly conical summit. I hugged 

that concrete pillar in the clouds. I had bagged my 

first Munro and I was elated. 

Under blue skies the view is a varied one. Ben 

Lomond sits right by the Highland Boundary Fault, 

a fracture in the Earth’s crust that slashes across 

Scotland from Arran to Stonehaven, splitting the 

lowlands from the highlands. To the south the 

contours of softer, sedimentary rock round gently; 

to the north the tougher metamorphic rocks crease 

stoically against the elements into raft after raft 

of mountains, including those 281 other Munros. 

This peak also marks an east-west divide, standing 

on the nation’s watershed where drops falling just 

a few feet apart are destined for opposite coasts. 

Of course, I see none of that but I remember 

something Muriel Gray said about hilltops. After 

presenting The Munro Show in the 1980s, she 

YOUR MUNRO STORIES 

published a very funny book called The First Fifty: 

Munro-Bagging without a Beard. ‘To the sofa-bound 

layperson,’ she wrote, ‘it may just be a wind-blown 

cairn, grey and dismal except for its decorative 

orange peel, but to you it’s nirvana. It remains 

constantly awe-inspiring that your feet, and a flask 

of tomato soup, can take you to the remotest and 

most primevally beautiful parts of our country.’ 

When the Rev. Burn arrived at the top of Ben 

Lomond on his Munro quest he was so disappointed 

it didn’t have a cairn he spent an hour building one, 

and had to run on the way down to catch the ferry. 

His efforts were part of a long history of adding 

heaps of rocks to mountains, often in an effort to 

make them taller. After Ben Nevis was declared the 

highest peak in Britain in 1847, fans of Ben Macdui 

– the mountain long thought to be the king pin – 

“I have climbed 188 munros and my favourite was 

the Beinn Dearg circuit, watching a snow storm 

coming in. I sat with my collie and husband and 

had lunch with over 100 deer surrounding us. We 

went on to complete Cona’ Mheall, Meall nan 

Ceapraichean and Eididh nan Clach Geala too. 

It was a painful long, long day, but one of my 

most memorable circuits!” Louisa Burnett 

“We spent a week on the Isle of Skye in May 

2018, and climbed up Bruach na Frithe on the 

Cuillin. Just so beautiful, the views took our 

breath away. I’ve been looking back at the 

photos to write this, and it’s literally making 

my heart sing! We passed so many beautiful 

waterfalls on the way up.” Christina Lander 

“We got engaged on Ben 

Lomond. I was getting a bit 

tired and so we stopped for a 

rest. When my partner called 

to me to turn around, I thought 

he was going to give me jelly 

beans to help me perk up but 

instead he was on one knee in 

the mud, with the rain spitting 

down! It was perfect, and a 

genuine surprise! I referred 

to it as a hill in my wedding 

speech and my (fiercely 

Scottish-loyal) friend wasn’t 

impressed! Let’s just say I was 

nervous and it was a slip of the 

tongue!” Felicity Haines 

“I have done a few over the years. The first one I attempted 

was Schiehallion with my in-laws at that time. I knew it was 

time to give up, when after a false summit the mother-in-law 

turned round and said “Well, I guess this is as good a place 

as any to die!”” Dougie Dingwall 

“My first Munro was Ben Wyvis. I remember on the way up 

wondering why the blazes I’d thought this was a good idea, but 

once I got to the top and was looking at the views, it all clicked. 

Everything changed for me; it was my epiphany. The next year, 

myself and one other from the group, decided we were going 

to complete all the Munros. 86 done to date and I have amazed 

myself as this all started 6 years ago when I was diagnosed with 

lymphoedema in my legs and was told the only thing to keep it 

at bay was walking. That’s when the walking obsession started 

and I have never been happier.” Michelle Saunders 



planned a huge cairn to lift it back into first place. 

On Ben Lawers, a peak you can see in the view north 

from here, local man Malcolm Ferguson paid for 

a 20-foot cairn to nudge the top through the 4000 

foot barrier. The Ordnance Survey was having 

none of it; its height was confirmed at 3983 feet. 

Most people who scale Ben Lomond descend the 

same way, as I did that day. But there is another way 

off. The Ptarmigan ridge is named for the masterof-camouflage 

bird whose rock-speckle feathers 

turn snow-white for winter, living here at the 

southern limit of its range in Britain. The route 

along its crest is much quieter than the main one 

and there’s a reason for that. It’s tougher. The very 

top section, as you drop off the summit to the north 

is particularly steep and you’ll need hands, and 

maybe bum, on rock to scoot down safely (if, like u 

DID YOU 

KNOW? 

You can bag seven 

Munros in one day 

along the South 

Glen Shiel Ridge; 

a huge 17-mile walk 

with 6000 feet of 

ascent (and another 

five miles back 

along the glen to the 

start if you haven’t 

arranged a lift). 

“...sometimes when i find 

myself all alone amidst 

scenery so grand and 

profoundly inspiring that 

it sweetly forces me to 

examine my life and 

values, love is almost 

an inadequate word. 

” 

MURIEL GRAY, THE FIRST FIFTY: 

MUNRO-BAGGING WITHOUT A BEARD 

“Last October my daughter the ‘hillwalking unicorn’ 

wanted to be allowed to climb a Munro for her 7th 

birthday. Feeling that she had built up her stamina 

and could manage both Beinn Ghlas and Ben 

Lawers we set off. The weather turned bad and we 

managed Beinn Ghlas but had to abandon moving 

on to Ben Lawers. So looking forward to a second 

attempt in the future. Hopefully taught my wee one 

the importance of safety on the hills.” Lozza DS 

“I climbed Ben Lawers when I was 9. We didn’t have 

‘walking’ boots or shoes back in the dark ages so 

I wore my winter school shoes. I didn’t get a pair 

of walking boots till I was 15. I remember the view 

from the summit was breathtaking AND I was first 

to the top by ages!” Catherine Stephenson 

“I’ve climbed 16 since the end 

of July 2020. I’ve a chronic 

illness and struggle daily, but 

it’s the best feeling reaching 

the trig point. I climbed Ben 

Nevis and left a fibromyalgia 

warrior stone at the top. The 

best one was Ben Macdui 

– just amazing panoramic 

views and giggles along the 

way with my pals. I work for 

Ross-Shire Engineering and 

they sponsor me £50 per 

Munro with the money going 

to the Lighthouse Club charity 

for construction workers. I will 

keep going.” Norma Strachan 

“My second Munro was the biggest of them all, Ben Nevis. 

I was in Fort William looking up at it looming over and 

dominating everything. My son turned to me and said you 

will be up there soon. I laughed and said never would I be 

fit enough or brave enough to tackle it. Fast forward eight 

weeks and I stood at the top looking down on Fort William. 

I shed a tear and felt so proud.” Linda Donnelly 

“Schiehallion in June 2015, is my one and only Munro to 

date! This was 6 months before I discovered Walk 1000 

Miles and I wasn’t outdoors-y at all! Dan persuaded me to 

give it a go and we were so lucky with the warm, sunny 

weather the whole day. Dan’s not so keen on heights so 

he snapped a pic of me at the top from behind a rock he 

could hold onto. On the way back down I discovered that 

I much prefer the ascent to the descent!” Sarah Byrne 


me, you’re wary of sharp descents, you may like 

this loop better in reverse). The going eases as 

you reach the Bealach Buidhe to curve south past 

a rosary of bead-like lochans and on down the 

ridge, parallelling the one you climbed earlier. 

Both descents drip with glorious views, and as 

I walked back down the clouds started to break 

and the world below started to shimmer. Loch 

Lomond has the largest surface area of any lake 

in Britain (27.5 square miles) and I could see across 

its southern expanse, widening as it crossed the 

boundary fault. It was freckled with trees sprouting 

from 27 islets and 22 islands, including the largest 

one on freshwater in Britain. Inchmurrin’s 0.46 

square miles have been home to a monastery, a deer 

park, an asylum, a place for unmarried mothers to 

give birth, and for over 20 years the haggis-hurling 

record. It was also raided by the famous outlaw Rob 

Roy. Everywhere you turn in these parts lies a tale 

of the MacGregor clan; Rob’s son Robert kidnapped 

an heiress and brought her to the inn (now a hotel) 

down in Rowardennan, forcing her into marriage 

to claim her fortune. He was later hanged for it. 

All too soon I arrived back in Rowardennan, 

ready for a drink to celebrate completing, or 

compleating, my first Munro. Walking them all is an 

incredible feat, but climbing just one was a red letter 

day for me. And as I sipped my beer and pored over 

the list wondering which one might be next (it was 

Ben Lawers and Bheinn Ghlas 

– two in one walk!) I knew 

it could very easily turn 

to obsession. Reverend 

Archibald Robertson was 

the first person to bag all 

of Munro’s original list of 

283 peaks, and when he 

finished at Meall Dearg on 

the Aonach Eagach in 1901, 

he kissed the cairn first, and 

then he kissed his wife. 

DID YOU 

KNOW? 

More than eight 

times as many 

people have 

summited Everest 

(5788) than have 

registered 

compleating all 

the Munros and 

all the tops (679). 

NAME GAME 

There are Ben 

Lomonds in 

Australia, New 

Zealand, Canada, 

USA, Jamaica, and 

Trinidad & Tobago. 

GOING GREEN 

Conservation work 

means the woods 

on the lower slopes 

of Ben Lomond 

are getting more 

extensive every year. 

Plan your trip 

WALK HERE 

Turn to Walk 24 in this issue 

for a full route guide 

GETTING HERE 

Rowardennan is on the east 

shore of Loch Lomond, 10 miles 

north-west of the A811 at Drymen. 

No bus to start, but you can train or 

bus to Tarbet, walk a few minutes 

to the loch’s west shore and catch 

the waterbus to Rowardennan 

(cruiselochlomond.co.uk). 

WHERE TO STAY 

There are two great hostels 

at the foot of the mountain – 

Rowardennan Lodge run by 

hostellingscotland.com (twin 

rooms from around £60pn) and 

Ben Lomond Bunkhouse, owned 

by the National Trust for Scotland 

with profit funding conservation 

and path repair on the mountain 

(from £20 per bed pn, book at 

hihostels.com/hostels/nts-benlomond-bunkhouse). 

WHERE TO EAT 

Guests can eat at 

Rowardennan Lodge (book ahead) 

or the nearby Rowardennan Hotel 

(rowardennanhotel.co.uk) serves 

food all day – steak and ale pies, 

haggis balls, pizza – in its Clansman 

Bar with spectacular views and 

occasionally mixed reviews. There 

are a few options in Balmaha 

including the popular Oak Tree Inn, 

with the St Mocha Coffee Shop 

& Ice Cream Parlour next door 

(see stmocha.co.uk for both). 

i 

MORE INFORMATION 

See lochlomond-trossachs. 

org and visitscotland.com or call 

Balmaha Visitor Centre on 

01389 722100. 



THE TOP 5 (+ 1) 

Photographer Tom Bailey has been climbing mountains for 

Country Walking and Trail for more than 20 years and estimates 

he’s ticked off about 150 Munros. These are his favourites. 

PHOTO: SHOULTS/ALAMY- 

PHOTO: TOM BAILEY 

PHOTO: DAVID NOTON PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY- 

SLIOCH 

At the very head of Loch Maree in the 

Northern Highlands, the ‘spear hill’ dominates 

everything around it, with the loch acting as a 

moat for this fortress in the sky. Its proximity 

to the loch and road is tantalising, yet getting 

to it involves a long walk from Incheril – the 

perfect distance for a big mountain day. The 

summit of Slioch sits at the north western 

end of the Torridonian sandstone massif, 

and the views along Loch Maree with its 

tree-covered islands make this part 

of Scotland feel like paradise. 

THE DEVIL’S POINT 

At 3303 feet The Devil’s Point (or ‘penis of 

the demon’) sits at the southerly end of a line 

of larger Munros. What makes the seven-mile 

walk-in worthwhile, and why this Cairngorm 

character betters its taller neighbours, is 

where it stands. Looming over the Corrour 

Bothy, the summit is the guardian of the 

meeting point of four huge glens: the Lairig 

Ghru, and Glens Luibeg, Dee and Geusachan. 

Sat up top, you begin to understand 

the sheer scale of this land and the 

forces that formed it. 

BIDEAN NAM BIAN 

Hidden behind Glen Coe’s Three Sisters is the 

glen’s monarch: the elusively shy Bidean nam 

Bian. What those driving through the glen 

don’t see is that this 3771-foot mountain 

is complex as well as bashful. If that’s not 

enough, one of the main routes up passes 

through the Lost Valley, a hanging valley 

whose mouth is cloaked with trees. The 

summit of Bidean nam Bian is pleasingly 

distinct, and from it you can see little of 

the ‘real world’ below. This Munro really 

is hidden, not in plain sight, but behind it. 



PHOTO: PICTURESCOTLAND/ALAMY- 

BEN HOPE* 

From the summit of this most northerly 

Munro you can see to the north coast. In our 

long, thin country, that coast is a long way 

from most of us, so its sight is actually quite 

moving. Ben Hope stands alone up here 

and 3041 feet of height count for a lot when 

there’s not much else around. But the best 

thing about this cardinal point of a mountain, 

is it’s straightforward and relatively quick 

to climb. The challenge is getting to it in the 

first place; the reward is the ease of the 

ascent and magnitude of the views. 

BLABHEINN* 

This one is situated on the Isle of Skye, 

just behind the famously lovely Camasunary 

Bay upon which it gazes down. It’s a stand 

alone mountain, and on Skye that’s quite 

unusual. In my opinion, Blabheinn’s south 

ridge is the finest place to see the full 

spectacle that is the Cuillin Ridge, but 

make no mistake, this is a tough, savage 

mountain. Luckily, there are a few options 

to the top for the walker; time it right 

and you’ll take away memories that’ll 

nourish you for years to come. 

SUILVEN* 

Life is never that straightforward, and 

mountains are no different. For me the 

one Scottish mountain I’d choose above all 

others isn’t a Munro. It’s Suilven. At 2398 feet 

it shouldn’t even be on a Munroist’s radar, but 

I’d argue that presence counts for something 

and Suilven has enough of that to top any list. 

I guarantee you’ll remember the first time 

you lay eyes on it; I think we all leave a part of 

our hearts up in this remote corner of Assynt. 

If you ever tire of climbing Munros, go to 

Suilven and be seduced. 

Find full route guides and maps for the walks marked with an * at walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes 


BITE- 

SIZED 

ADVENTURES 

Surrey 

The Three Peaks 

The Three Peaks 

If Goldilocks wanted the perfect adventure this might be it: 

a trio of hills that are challenging, but not too challenging... 

WORDS: TOM BENNETT 

DO YOU HAVE a younger sibling with 

a competitive edge who tries to match your 

every step? On walks they’ll usually wear 

a beetroot-coloured face whilst struggling to hold 

back their exhaustion. “If you can do it, I can do it!” 

they’ll often snap. Well, the Surrey Three Peaks is 

that determined, scrappy younger brother biting 

at the heels of its more illustrious older sisters. 

Encompassing the summits of Leith, Holmbury 

and Box Hills, with a total distance of just over 

17 miles (28km) and 2500 feet (750m) of ascent, 

the Surrey Three Peaks is a more approachable 

alternative to the National Three Peaks or its 

Yorkshire equivalent. Several iterations of the route 

can be found online, but starting at Holmwood 

station and finishing at Westhumble & Box Hill 

station is ideal for those travelling from London 

via train, or those needing a direct transport 

link back to their cars at the end of the day. 

En route to the first summit, you’ll pass the 

megalithic hillfort of Anstiebury before rising 

up to the foot of the majestic 18th-century tower 

at Leith – the highest point in south east England 

at 968 feet, and if you climb the tower you’ll burst 

through the 1000-foot barrier by 29 feet. Next, hop 

onto the Greensand Way for three miles west to 

Holmbury Hill (856 feet), a peaceful Iron Age fort 

with a clear view north of the Shard and London 

city. You’ll then need to push north-east through 

the woodland of Abinger Common to the quaint 

village of Friday Street. Admire the tranquility 

of Mill Pond and its surrounding trees, then turn 

north to Wotton House and across the A25 and 

a railway line to reach the foot of the downs. 

A path climbs diagonally to join the North Downs 

Way, where you head east along the view-laden 

escarpment to skirt past vineyards and reach 

the bank of the River Mole. You can now beeline to 

Box Hill (735 feet) by hopping across the stepping 

stones and striding up the stairset that wraps 

around its chalky western slope to the final 

trig point. Descend Box Hill via the northern 

ridge-line and cross back under the A24 at the 

subway to reach Westhumble & Box Hill station. 

As you wait for the train, take a moment to 

embrace your aches and pains, and appreciate 

that the dreamy, rolling hills of Surrey are not all 

they once seemed. The Surrey Three Peaks packs a 

decent punch, steeped in history and crammed with 

scenery along the way; a younger sibling who can 

definitely keep up with its taller, more famous family. 

WALK HERE: Find an outline of this route at 

bit.ly/SurreyThreePeaksMap 

ON HIGH 

It’s said the 

panorama from 

Leith Hill, the highest 

point in south-east 

England, can reach 

13 counties. 

M I L E S 

AND MILES 

Opposite left: 

The viewfinder 

at the top of 

Leith Hill’s tower 

commemorates the 

pioneering rambler, 

Walker Miles. 

Opposite top right: 

Holmbury Hill is the 

quietest of these 

three peaks, with 

tranquil views across 

the Weald. 

Opposite bottom 

right: Box Hill has 

been popular for 

centuries, famously 

featuring in Jane 

Austen’s Emma. 


DISCOVER Surrey’s highs 

PHOTO: JOHN MILLER/ALAMY 

PHOTO: JOHN MILLER/ALAMY 

PHOTO: LATITUDESTOCK/ALAMY- 

“ 

The Surrey Three Peaks packs a decent punch, steeped 

in history and crammed with scenery along the way. 

” 



THE 

Osmotherley 

The Lyke 

Wake Walk 

Ravenscar 

Crossing 

over 

Once Britain’s 

favourite single-day 

challenge hike, now 

a dark little secret. 

Welcome to the 

strange world of the 

Lyke Wake Walk… 

WORDS & PHOTO DIARY: NICK HALLISSEY

DISCOVER The Lyke Wake Walk 

THE NEXT WORLD 

Looking ahead to Cold 

Moor from Kirby Bank 

on Cringle Moor, as the 

Lyke Wake crosses the 

Cleveland Hills. 


PHOTO: GARY CLARKE/ALAMY

AND YOUR TIME STARTS... NOW. 

Nick proves he was at the Osmotherley stone at 04.54, 

ready to start his ‘crossing over’ at 5am… 

T’S 4.54AM. I’M in darkness on a hillside, 

crouching by a stone so my camera can 

capture both the time on my watch and the 

inscription on the stone. Forty miles east, 

there’s another stone with the same 

inscription. If I can reach it on foot by this time 

tomorrow, I will earn one of the strangest titles 

in the walking world. Between the two stones lie 

dramatic escarpments, immense tracts of heathery 

bog, dozens of ancient burial mounds, a combined 

5000ft of ascent, and a very weird story. 

The inscription says Lyke Wake Walk. 

It’s now 5am. Start the clock. 

5.11am Scarth Wood Moor (½ mile) 

Still dark, nothing to see, so let’s fill in the 

backstory. The Lyke Wake Walk is a 40-mile hike 

across the width of the North York Moors National 

Park from Cod Beck Reservoir, just north of the 

village of Osmotherley, to the transmitter mast at 

Beacon Howes, just west of Ravenscar on the coast. 

The aim is to complete it within 24 hours, in order 

to earn the title of Witch (female) or Dirger (male) 

of the Way. Many fit walkers aim to do it in a lot 

less – 16-19 hours is a common goal. 

There are only two waymarkers on the route. 

It’s not marked on OS maps, although Harvey 

Maps show it. Its western half shares common 

ground with both the Cleveland Way and the Coast 

to Coast. But it pre-dates both of them, and to the 

east, the Lyke Wake goes all by itself into the mire. 

I’m walking it in mid-September, going from west 

to east because that’s the broadly agreed tradition. 

On the crest of the moor I join the Cleveland Way, 

which will be my companion for the next 13 miles 

to Bloworth Crossing, as will the Coast to Coast. 

The next 13 miles. It sounds weird, talking about 

a distance that would normally be a long day’s walk 

as being just a fraction of what I’m actually hoping 

to do. On the Lyke Wake, distances become elastic. 

Within a few hours I’ll be measuring five-mile 

stretches the way I’d normally think of single miles. 

It messes with my head. 

6.30am Gold Hill (4½ miles) 

Those initial miles consisted mainly of plantation 

tracks, so it didn’t matter that it was dark. 

Now, as dawn breaks, I’m climbing onto the scarp 

of the Cleveland Hills. From here to Bloworth, 

everything is going to be spectacular. And now 

I can actually see it. Yay! 

8am The Wain Stones (9 miles) 

The classic sights of the Cleveland Way have flown 

by: Carlton Bank, Lordstones, Cringle Moor. Now 

here are the Wain Stones, and my first sit-down 

pause. Visually, this is as impressive as the walk 

will get; this bastion of chaotic cracked crags, with 

their secret passages and beetling caps. Then 

onwards, towards Round Hill, which, at 1490ft 

(454m) is the highest point on the walk – and it’s 

where I catch my first glimpse of the sea ahead. 

8.53am Bloworth 

Crossing (13½ miles) 

This major crossroads 

is where I leave the 

friendly, waymarked 

Cleveland Way. Now 

it’s just the Lyke Wake 

and the C2C, following 

a cinder track which 

marks the line of a 

dismantled railway as 

it loops round the head 

of beautiful Farndale. 

MOOR & DALE 

The early stages 

bring spectacular 

views like this one 

into Bilsdale from 

Hasty Bank. 



PHOTO: MIKE KIPLING PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY 

LORDS A-LEAPING 

At Lordstones, you’ll pass the original Lords’ Stone, 

an ancient burial menhir turned ancestral estate marker. 

PHOTO: PAUL ROOKES/ALAMY 

The western 

half of the route 

follows the scarp 

of the Cleveland 

Hills, with 

stunning scenery 

and a lot of up 

and down. The 

eastern half is 

pretty much 

continuous 

moorland. 

ON A HIGH 

Sleep-deprived but 

happy, Nick takes his 

first viable selfie of 

the morning at the 

top of Carlton Bank. 

Time for some more backstory. Where did the 

Lyke Wake come from? The answer is Bill Cowley, 

a farmer from Swainby with a passion for walking 

(he had led three Himalayan expeditions) and a 

wickedly warped sense of fun. He wrote an article 

in the August 1955 issue of Dalesman magazine in 

which he laid out the route and set the challenge 

of walking it in 24 hours. 

The route would follow a steady line of ancient 

burial mounds and memorial crosses, giving rise to 

the funereal theme. He later christened it the Lyke 

Wake Walk, ‘lyke’ meaning corpse; ‘wake’ meaning 

to watch over one. In October ’55, Cowley did it 

with a group of walkers who had responded to his 

article, walking from noon on the 1st to 11am on the 

2nd. Word spread fast, and the Lyke Wake rapidly 

became the country’s most popular challenge walk. 

From it sprang the Lyke Wake Club (headed by 

Cowley himself as Chief Dirger), logging crossings 

and selling merchandise. From the late Fifties to 

the early Eighties, hundreds of thousands walkers 

took on the Lyke Wake. In June 1975 alone, 3141 

walkers completed it. Celebrities walked it for TV; 

“The next 13 miles. It sounds weird, talking 

about a distance that would normally be a 

long day’s walk as being just a fraction 

of what I’m actually hoping to do.” 

u 

The language of the Lyke Wake is steeped 

in wryly funereal tones, in tribute to the 

burials and memorials passed en route. 

Those who complete it are said to have 

crossed over, and completers can request 

a condolence card (for 60p) which certifies 

them as a Witch or Dirger of the Way. By submitting 

a report to the New Lyke Wake Club they are eligible 

to join (for free) and attend club gatherings known 

as wakes. Doing the Lyke Wake twice continuously 

(there and back) is known as Double Crossing. Then 

there are further titles based on repeated crossings… 

Master or Mistress of Misery: Three crossings, 

one in reverse, and demonstrating (‘by inquisition’) 

an appreciation of the club and knowledge 

of moorland skills. 

Doctor of Dolefulness: Seven crossings (at least 

one being solo and unsupported) accompanied 

by a doctoral thesis presented to the club. 

Past Master or Mistress: Fifteen crossings 

plus exceptional service to the club. 

Purveyor of Purgatory: Leading at least 

three groups across the route while demonstrating 

sensitivity to the moorland environment. 

lykewake.org 


“Word spread fast, and the Lyke Wake 

rapidly became the most popular 

challenge walk in the country. From 

the late Fifties to the early Eighties, 

hundreds of thousands of 

walkers took on the Lyke Wake. ” 

PHOTO: TOM RICHARDSON YORKSHIRE/ALAMY 

IN THE MIRE 

This is what the 

three-mile ‘boggy 

bit’ looks like – and 

this is after a long 

spell of dry weather. 

COME HERE 

OFTEN? 

Lack of sleep 

definitely showing 

as Nick attempts to 

chat up Fat Betty. 

PRETTY, BUT 

ANNOYING 

The final dip-andrise 

of Jugger 

Howe Beck is a bit 

of a sting in the tail 

towards the end. 

PHOTO: PAUL RICHARDSON/ALAMY


Blue Peter featured it twice, and it became the most 

popular charity walk in the country. Witches 

and Dirgers could meet at formal ‘wakes’ where 

they would sing The Lyke Wake Dirge and hear 

dissertations given by those seeking higher 

rankings based on their accomplishments – 

which soon became astonishing. And then it 

all came to a juddering halt. Tell you more in a bit. 

11.48am The Lion Inn, Blakey Ridge (19 miles) 

The one single pub passed on the route. And 

somehow, I’m not stopping. But a mile further on, 

while moving in a vast and slightly annoying arc 

around the head of Rosedale, I pause to celebrate 

being 20 miles into the Lyke Wake. Half way. 

I mark the moment by applying Blis-Toes. 

1pm Fat Betty (22 miles) 

Fat Betty is a distinctive stone, half painted white. 

Shortly after passing her, I part ways from the 

Coast to Coast. Now it’s just me and the Lyke Wake, 

and together we set out across what will be the 

predominant terrain for the rest of the route: open 

moorland. The junction is marked by the first Lyke 

Wake waymarker on the route, a stone that points 

into seemingly trackless bog. This is, by the 

designation of the offcial guide, ‘the boggy bit’: 

three miles of squelch, ditch and hag, all the way to 

Shunner How. It’s not too bad at this point in time. 

After prolonged rain it becomes some kind of hell. 

I’ve seen the photos. 

3pm Blue Man i’ th’ Moss (26½ miles) 

Easily the most intriguingly named but anticlimactic 

moment of the walk: a small, blue-painted 

stick man on yet another standing stone. Still open 

moorland, but less boggy, and the path is always 

roughly visible, even if not much more than a line 

in the heather at times. 

So let’s get back to the story. By the late Seventies, 

the Lyke Wake had become a monster. The huge 

numbers caused erosion, litter and even moorland 

fires from discarded cigarettes. So in 1982, the 

national park authority took drastic action: asking 

Ordnance Survey to remove it from maps, turning 

down all TV requests to film on the route, and 

pleading with charities not to offer it as a sponsored 

walk. It worked; numbers plummeted almost 

instantly, and the Lyke Wake slowly sank into 

something like obscurity. 

More in a bit – right now I’ve got to watch out 

for the Hogwarts Express. 

5.18pm The North Yorkshire Moors 

Railway (33 miles) 

A little over twelve hours in, I’m crossing the 

NYMR, on its way from Pickering to Whitby. 

Catch it at the right time and you might catch sight 

of a steam locomotive arcing gracefully through 

the valley and right past your toes. I didn’t. 

6.13pm Lilla Cross (35½ miles) 

Past Eller Beck, past the gloomy pyramid of RAF 

Fylingdales (the first place that will know if we’re 

ever under nuclear attack) and on to this fine ancient 

cross. I’m scenting the 

end. With my newfound 

sense of scale, 4½ miles 

will surely feel like less. 

6.58pm Jugger Howe 

Beck (38 miles) 

Nope. Trudging now, and 

the drop-climb into and 

out of Jugger Howe Beck 

was a bit of a £*7%. 

So let’s finish this. 

The Lyke Wake 

continued in its quieter 

form into the Nineties. But after Bill Cowley passed 

away in 1994, things started to get weird. Different 

factions within the fanbase argued over the future 

of the club, culminating in an extraordinary day: 

October 1st, 2005; the 50th anniversary of Cowley’s 

first crossing. 

At a wake in Ravenscar, the original Lyke Wake 

Club was formally disbanded, its leaders feeling 

the organisation had run its course. At another, 

in Osmotherley, a breakaway faction launched 

the New Lyke Wake Club, feeling that there should 

still be an active home for fans of the walk. 

Both factions continue today. The original club 

maintains the lykewakewalk.co.uk website and still 

issues merchandise. The New Club is far more 

active, producing a regularly updated guidebook, 

recording crossings, holding wakes, and selling 

subtly different merch at lykewake.org 

It is an astonishing tale, told in more florid detail 

in Mike Parker’s wonderful book Wild Rover. And it 

explains why a walk that was once a staple of 

Seventies TV has now become a whispered secret. 

I meet plenty of walkers during my crossing, but all 

are either just out for the day, or doing the Cleveland 

Way or Coast to Coast. Several look blank when 

I mention the Lyke Wake Walk. Two mishear it 

as the Lightweight Walk – a source of some irony, 

given the 50-litre rucksack on my back. 

7.26pm The Coast Road (39 miles) 

The end – a radio mast – is literally in sight, and 

I will soon breach 40 miles. Footsore and pretty 

tired, but nearly there now, eh? 

7.45pm Stony Marl Moor (40½ miles) 

WHAT IS GOING ON? Everything said the Lyke 

Wake was 40 miles. But my GPS says I’ve smashed 

through the big 4-0 and the mast is still way ahead 

of me. AND IT’S ALL UPHILL. 

7.52pm Beacon Howes (41 miles) 

’Tis done. 14 hours, 54 minutes and 28 seconds 

after I left the first marker stone, I’m at the second. 

It’s an inauspicious end: stone, mast, layby, grey 

gloaming. It’s not even ‘at’ Ravenscar or on the 

coast – the village and its cliffs are half a mile 

further on (the finish line used to be at the Raven 

Hall Hotel in Ravenscar, but was moved shy of the 

village by local request). I’m not sure why my watch 

thinks I’ve gone an extra mile; I never deviated 

from the route. So I either mistrust the offcial 

u 

A RARE BEAST 

Aside from the 

etched stones at 

either end, there 

are only two 

waymarkers along 

the 40-mile route. 

This is one. 

WHY SO 

BLUE, MAN? 

The standing stone 

Blue Man i’ th’Moss 

(opposte page, top) 

is the only named 

object on the map 

for several miles. 

Nice chap, good 

with the banter. 

Brian Smailes, 

who passed away in 

November last year, was 

a legend of the Lyke 

Wake. Chairman of the 

New Club and author of 

all four editions of its 

offcial Lyke Wake Walk 

Guide, he also held the 

records for the fastest 

continuous four and 

five crossings. Says 

club secretary Gerry 

Orchard: “Many 

a person having 

completed the walk will 

be grateful for Brian’s 

tireless efforts. He had 

a wonderful line in 

humour; correct and 

formal when required 

but with a wonderful 

mischievous streak too.” 


PHOTO: JOHN POTTER/ALAMY 

S T O P 

THE CLOCK! 

Nick’s watch has 

added an extra mile 

somehow, but here 

it is at the end. 

mileage or the GPS on my watch. Tough one. 

But it’s the end, and it feels good. 

In the Afterlife 

I was very grateful for the Lyke Wake. It was of 

course the longest day-walk I did in 2020. And 

it felt fantastic to walk from pre-dawn to dusk; 

a day’s journey in the truest sense. My time won’t 

break any records, but it was still nine hours short 

of the limit. So I think I played it about right: pacey 

enough to feel like a challenge, but steady enough 

not to exhaust myself and, crucially, to look around, 

chat to people and, you know, enjoy it. 

It may be tough, it may be squelchy, it may be 

logistically troublesome. But interestingly, no new 

walk of similar length, logic and challenge has come 

along to replace it since it faded from superstardom. 

And here’s a thought: obviously you don’t have to 

do it solo, but when did you last walk for more than 

12 hours, happy in your own head, and blissfully 

connected to nature? Gotta tell you, it felt great. 

It’s just possible we need the Lyke Wake Walk 

now more than ever. 

THE DIRGER 

Nick celebrates 

his membership 

of the New Lyke 

Wake Club with 

a condolence card 

and a fast-wicking 

branded baselayer. 

BEAUTIFUL 

BRINY SEA 

At Lilla Cross, you 

can see the sea and 

smell it too – but 

there are still 4½ 

miles to go yet. 



Fastest Crossing: 

Mark Rigby (1984), 

4hrs 41mins 

Fastest Lady: Helene 

Diamantides (1992), 

5hrs 30 mins 

Most Crossings: 

Gerry Orchard, 237 

Fastest 5 Continuous 

Crossings: Brian Smailes 

(1995), 85hrs 50 mins, 

200 miles 

Youngest Crosser: 

Christopher Turton, 

age 6. 

P Y R A M I D 

OF GLOOM 

The Lyke Wake 

passes the early 

warning station at 

RAF Fylingdales, 

whose motto is the 

Latin Vigilamus, or 

‘We are watching’. 

You don’t have to do what I did. 

I did it solo and unsupported, with only 

short pauses, but it’s easily possible to 

take longer and have a proper sleep-break, 

possibly even a few hours at the Lion Inn 

if you structure your times accordingly. 

(NB: You can start at any time; I just chose 

5am to make the most of the daylight.) 

Get some practice with long, 

continuous walking. The Yorkshire 

Three Peaks (while a lot shorter at 

24 miles) makes good prep, as does 

night-walking with a head torch. 

Navigation skills are essential. 

The route is not on OS maps and is 

not waymarked. Best option is to buy 

Harvey’s North York Moors map (£16.50, 

harveymaps.co.uk) which includes the Lyke 

Wake. You can then plot the route onto your 

GPS device or app of choice. And get the 

offcial guidebook from lykewake.org 

(which also sells the Harvey map). 

Don’t stress about your timings. 

Although I had a loose idea of what 

a good time might look like for me, 

I didn’t set goals for certain sections or 

waypoints. That way I could just walk 

at my happiest pace and enjoy it. 

Midsummer is best: lots of daylight 

and the best chance of the moors being 

dry. But I actually really enjoyed doing 

it on a cooler, quieter September day. 

NICK’S KIT LIST 

Osprey Atmos AG 50L pack 

Osprey Hydraulics 2L reservoir 

Regatta 0.6L Tritan Flip 

Lid water bottle 

Black Diamond Trail Pro 

trekking poles 

Salomon Quest 4D GTX boots 

Bridgedale Hike socks 

Saxx Quest boxers (brilliant!) 

Alpkit Gamma III head torch 

Harvey Maps British Mountain 

Map: North York Moors 

Suunto 7 GPS smartwatch 

The Lyke Wake Walk Guide 

by Brian Smailes (£5.25, 

lykewake.org) 

Blis-Sox (£12) and Blis-Toes 

(£6), zurego.com (godsends!) 

Portable charger with cables. 

Insulator, waterproof, 

warm layer, hat, gloves. 

Map, compass, whistle, 

dry bags, iPhone with OS Maps. 

Sandwich, 3x crisps, 3x apples, 

8-pack of Penguins, bag of 

Haribo Tangfastics for final miles. 

Packable soft shoes (the late 

lamented Hi-Tec Zuuk, £30 – 

a few left at greatoutdoors 

superstore.co.uk) 

Mini shower gel and deodorant, 

change of socks, shirt and pants 

(for overnight stay before 

returning to Osmotherley). 

Plan your trip 

WHERE TO STAY 

The night before, I stayed at 

YHA Osmotherley Cote Ghyll Mill 

(0345 260 2870, yha.org.uk), which 

is housed in a converted linen mill 

half a mile from the start. Private 

rooms only due to Covid 

restrictions; c£48. Breakfast 

available for £7.50 but I left at 

4.30am, so no bacon butty for me. 

LOGISTICS 

Sadly there is no direct public 

transport link between Ravenscar 

and Osmotherley. Options include 

a taxi (likely to surpass £100 given 

the mileage), car sharing with a 

fellow walker (with two repeat 

journeys) or three bus journeys via 

Stockton and Northallerton. Or 

forego private cars entirely: get a 

train to Northallerton and a bus/ 

cab to Osmotherley; at the end, 

get a bus/cab from Ravenscar to 

Scarborough, and a train home. 

Alternatively, just walk back. ;-) 

i 

MORE INFORMATION 

The New Lyke Wake Club is a 

mine of information and resources: 

lykewake.org. The ‘old’ club 

website is worth a look for context: 

lykewakewalk.co.uk. Go to 

yorkshire.com for general tourist 

information. And to see a video of 

Nick recording some thoughts en 

route, plus a 3D fly-through of the 

route on OS Maps, take a look at 

walk1000miles.co.uk/lykewake 


DISCOVER Scolt Head Island 

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK 

BITE- 

SIZED 

ADVENTURES 

Splash out 

Catch a boat to an island? You could, 

but it’s more fun to walk on water. 

WORDS: MATTHEW PIKE 

THE SALTMARSHES OF the north Norfolk 

coast might seem an unlikely spot for a wild 

adventure, but Scolt Head Island offers it 

in spades. Thought to have been attached to the 

mainland just a few hundred years ago, and 

gradually moving west as the sands shift, the island 

is accessible at low tide to those prepared to get 

muddy, sandy and wet. 

Setting off from the village of Burnham Overy 

Staithe you’ll soon be crossing creeks that are kneedeep 

in water before reaching the main channel 

that runs along the southern side of Scolt Head. You 

can wade across this before exploring the island’s 

dunes and the vast expanse of sand and shingle on 

its northern shore. It’s a wild and remote place, with 

two wardens’ huts the only buildings on the island. 

During the summer months the sun can make the 

pools and creeks surprisingly warm, so you might 

find yourself lingering if the temperatures soar. 

The island’s a national nature reserve, and the 

variety of waders and terns you can spot here 

attracts birders from far and wide. Sandwich 

and little terns breed here in numbers regarded 

as internationally important (the western tip of the 

island is out-of-bounds between April and August 

to protect these nesting birds), and keep an eye out 

for common and Arctic terns, as well as curlew, 

ringed plover and grey plover. 

Once you’ve explored Scolt Head you can either 

head back the way you came or catch one of the 

ferries that serve the island during daylight hours 

90 minutes either side of high tide during the 

summer months (Tel: Peter Bickell: 07836 523396). 

NOTE: It’s vitally important you only attempt 

to cross the channels and creeks at low tide, 

as they’re lethal when the water’s up, so make 

sure you check and re-check the tide times: 

www.bit.ly/scolthead. Get this right and you’re 

in for a magnificent day out. 

AT 

LOW TIDE... 

The marshes drain 

and you can walk, 

squelch and wade 

out to the sand bar 

of Scolt Head Island. 

...AND HIGH 

No wading this one, 

but in summer a 

ferry plies the 

flooded channel 

around high tide. 


PHOTO: DAVID BURTON/ALAMY

THE 

Paths in 

thesky 

Remember the childhood 

excitement of being up in 

the loft? That’s how it feels 

to walk a climbers’ traverse 

– the private-feeling paths 

that carried crag-rats 

to their cliffs. 

WORDS & PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY 

Keswick 

Penrith 

Bow Fell 

Kendal 

WHERE 

EAGLES DARE 

The climbers’ 

traverse on Bow 

Fell aims not for 

the top (at least 

not directly) but to 

a gallery of crags.

DISCOVER Bow Fell 


PHOTO: WESTEND61 GMBH 

TOUCHING THE VOID 

There are easier ways, without ropes, to see some of the most 

spectacular views in Lakeland... 

I’M NOT MUCH of a climber. I’ve done a bit 

over the years and I love the places it’s taken 

me, but I’ve always hated the restriction of 

ropes and the need for a climbing partner. 

That cool, spontaneous sport couldn’t actually be 

further from the truth; walking is the real way to 

freedom. But there’s a legacy climbers have left us 

walkers that’s worthy of attention. It’s the paths 

they’ve created over the years to get to their crags, 

adventurous routes called the climbers’ traverses. 

There are three famous ones in the Lake District 

National Park. On Great Gable, a narrow path 

traverses the south face to Napes Needle, 

supposedly the site of the first ‘intentional’ rock 

climb. On Pillar’s north face, an adventurously 

winding traverse path travels the whole length 

of the crag, passing close to Pillar Rock on the way. 

The third is a peach. Bow Fell is a great mountain 

in its own right – add to that the skate park in the 

sky that is the Great Slab and the mountain really 

starts to smoulder. And the best way to the base 

of that slab is the climbers’ traverse, the third 

ingredient in a mountain recipe like no other. 

The traverse on Bow Fell is where I find myself 

today. I’m high up on The Band, a dead slug of a ridge 

that flops into the Langdale valley. I’ve broken off 

the main path and stand on the cusp of what, if you 

look at an aerial image of Bow Fell, is the transition 

between light and dark, with the climbers’ traverse 

sliding off into the blackness of the north-east face. 

From this point, looking back down into Langdale, 

I realise how high up I am. The Langdale Pikes hold 

HIGH TIME 

The climbers’ 

traverse on Bow 

Fell treads a narrow 

ledge with crags 

stacked to one side 

and a good bit of 

air to the other. 

the valley to the left, Pike of Blisco mirrors them to 

the right, and the dale snakes away out of view. I feel 

I’m about to enter another world, and in a way I am. 

The path slips over the ridge just at the base of the 

rocky south-east nose of Bow Fell. I can see crags 

ahead, linked by the tenuous thread of the traverse. 

I’m slightly nervous, nervous with anticipation. 

I like to explore the quieter parts of the mountains 

and Bow Fell’s position in the heart of Lakeland 

makes it popular, so I figure an early start might 

avoid the crowds. I want the traverse to myself, to be 

able to savour something of its historic atmosphere. 

There’s a delight in having to pay attention to 

where your feet go. On one side, my left, the near 

vertical face of the mountain climbs impenetrably 

upward. To my right, the world drops away. It’s not 

with the same savage ambition as the rock to my 

left, but it’s enough of a sharpener. I’m feeling alive. 

I’m travelling horizontally, yet I’m high up on a 

mountain. The lack of uphill effort you need to put in 

on a traverse releases the pleasure side of your brain 

to come out to play. I’m feeling euphoric. A pair of 

ravens glide over from the summit, see me and can’t 

resist a closer look. Perched on a rock spike twenty 

feet above me, one ‘cronks’ to its partner as if to say 

‘This one hasn’t got long, let’s keep an eye on him’. 

Where scree isn’t spilling across the path, 

a mixture of rock and tenacious plants cling to 

the upward slope. Parsley fern is everywhere, 

along with upward growing truncheons of club 

moss. These are internationally rare, yet grow 

in abundance high up on our mountain sides. 



It’s a view that’s as rich as any rainforest, just on a 

smaller scale, closer to the ground. Mosses, lichens, 

grasses and ferns want to soften the vertical rock; 

whenever I need to steady myself, there’s always 

something to grab. I’m sure, if I could see myself, 

I’d be leaning into the safety of the mountain. 

My botanising has bored even the ravens and 

they’ve given up on me for the time being. It’s really 

this edge, the top line of the vegetation, that the 

traverse exploits. It wanders along the base of 

various smaller crags on its way to Bowfell 

Buttress, the destination of climbers dating back 

over 100 years. Looking ahead to that not-toodistant 

buttress, you can almost hear the sound 

of clinking metal work and picture the generations 

of mountaineers that must have visited it. 

The path bulges around a stubborn outcrop, 

exposing my right foot to a big drop, before 

swinging back to firmly grip the wall of rock on 

my left, exploiting a narrow shelf of turf. It’s a 

skyscraper moment, like when you’re in a big city 

and walk past a tall building and look straight 

up to the sky and feel a dizziness rock you as the 

sky moves. It’s similar to looking down into the 

blackening depths of the sea while snorkelling 

off the coast of a Mediterranean island and 

realising everything below you is moving. 

I’m standing with my front pressed against the 

rock face, looking upwards, and I get a lightbulb 

moment. I’m at the base of the Great Slab. It’s huge. 

Like that sentence was short, this thing is big – big 

enough to be its own mountain. With my ear almost 

pressed to the rock I can hear noises 

from far away, similar to how sound 

travels over water. I move a little further 

along to where a stream flows off the crag, 

over cushions of moss. I drink from it and 

thoroughly soak my post-lockdown mane of hair. 

I’m distracted by a square cut gap in the band of 

volcanic tuff (rock) that I’m standing near. I know 

what that is. A look on the ground below the feature 

and sure enough, there’s the confirmation. There’s 

evidence of something that predates the climbers’ 

traverse by quite some time: prehistoric quarrying, 

thousands of years ago, when humans just like us 

were here interacting with this rock face. I’ve a nose 

for these things and it’s well and truly twitching. 

As I pass the end of the slab, an obvious line of 

travel leads up by its side, keeping the steep, stillclimbing 

face to its right, with the Slab shooting 

away diagonally to the left and in front. But I’m 

not going to make the turn yet. I’m going to keep 

following the traverse right to the foot of Bowfell 

Buttress, to where the climbers would have gone. 

I’ve never done this extra little bit of the walk 

before, always impatiently heading up the shallow 

gully by the slab, like a rat up a drainpipe. The 

buttress is impressive and it seems only fitting 

to make the pilgrimage to the crag base. But what 

makes this little dog-leg really worthwhile is the 

view once you turn back towards the Great Slab. 

From this point I can see the traverse path coming 

impossibly over the shoulder, at its foot. A sense 

of ‘I did that’ washes over me.u 

R O C K 

BOTTOM 

Main image: Tom 

stands at the foot of 

the towering wall of 

rock that culminates 

in the aptly-named 

Great Slab (turn the 

page to see). 

Inset: ‘Nothing better 

ever came out of a 

barrel or a bottle’, 

Wainwright wrote 

of this waterspout 

on Bow Fell’s 

climbers’ traverse. 

tON THE 

UP AND UP 

Climbing The Band, 

where the view spills 

down to Mickleden 

Beck and soars up to 

the Langdale Pikes 

across the valley. 



PILLAR 

Over in Ennerdale, on the dark, rock-infested northern slopes 

of Pillar, there’s a high-level traverse that has a lot of potential for 

the intrepid walker. As with all these paths it was created by rock 

climbers, in this case keen to reach Pillar Rock, a bulbous column 

that sits sentinel over the upper valley. There are various routes 

but the classic approaches from the west down Ennerdale, then 

strikes up towards Pillar Rock and east along the airy traverse 

to join the main summit ridge above Hind Cove. Complete the 

loop by heading west over Pillar’s top and back into Ennerdale. 

However you do it, the landscape on this path can be cruelly 

beautiful, with Black Sail Youth Hostel a distant speck below. 

WALK HERE: Turn to Walk 27 in this issue for a Mosedale & Pillar 

route that includes this Climbers’ Traverse. 

PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY 


DISCOVER Ghyll scrambling 

Wet ‘n’ 

WILD 

It can be tough to find 

a dry day’s walking in 

Lakeland – and some 

of the most thrilling 

routes don’t even try. 


YOU’RE CLAMBERING UP a large 

boulder. A trickle of water runs over 

your right hand as it clings to the rock. 

You look down and see the main channel of the 

stream dropping over a ledge and landing 

on a slab below, creating a spray that forms 

a miniature rainbow in the sunlight. You reach 

a ledge and are greeted by a deep pool into which 

another waterfall lands. You leap into the natural 

bath and dip your head below the surface before 

tackling the next rocky ascent. 

This is ghyll scrambling. You get wet, you get 

tired, but you never get bored. You explore a 

world that few get to see – one that’s great fun 

and which constantly changes. One moment 

you’re negotiating a rapid, the next you’re sitting 

back while a waterfall beats down on your head 

and shoulders. 

The concept of ghyll scrambling, also known 

as gorge walking, is simple – to ascend a stream by 

walking, wading, swimming, plunging, climbing 

and anything else that seems fun. It’s not to be 

confused with canyoning, which is all about 

descending a stream. 

Obviously, some waterways are more exciting 

than others, and the region where the activity has 

really taken off is the Lake District National Park. 

Particularly popular for first-timers and families 

is Stickle Ghyll in Langdale. Starting from the 

National Trust car park near New Dungeon Ghyll 

Hotel, it’s possible to climb all the way to Stickle 

Tarn, though there are plenty of opportunities 

to exit the stream before then. 

The route widely regarded as the best is Esk 

Gorge in Eskdale – both stunning and challenging 

– perhaps a little too challenging for many to do 

on their own, so it’s a good job there are several 

companies who will guide you up this and other 

great water scrambles, if you’d rather be led by 

experts. They include Path To Adventure 

(pathtoadventure.co.uk) and The Lake District 

Walker (thelakedistrictwalker.co.uk). 

If you’d rather do your own trip make sure you 

bring a towel, helmet, drybag, change of clothes, 

and prepare for an action-packed trip. 

BITE- 

SIZED 

ADVENTURES 

AG A I N S T 

THE FLOW 

Climbing up beside 

Stickle Ghyll, one 

of the Lakes’ most 

popular ghyll 

scrambles. 

GET YOUR 

FEET WET 

And the rest of 

you too! A guided 

trip can help you 

safely tackle more 

adventurous routes. 

PHOTO: ASHLEY COOPER/ALAMY PHOTO: PAUL HEINRICH/ALAMY 


THE 

The 

biggest 

walk 

Walk Land’s End to John o’Groats 

and you’ll forever be able to say you 

walked 1000 miles in one go. Glorious! 

But what it’s actually like day to day 

you’ll tend to forget – unless you kept 

a journal like editor Guy Procter... 

THIS WAY 

AND THAT 

The West Highland 

way (its 96 miles 

making up 8.7% of 

the journey) spears 

across the mouth 

of Glencoe toward 

Rannoch Moor.

DISCOVER Land’s End to John o’Groats 

PHOTO: HUGH MITTON/ALAMY 

WORK AVOIDANCE. IT’S been responsible 

for many of the best things in my life. 

In 1996 I had a lot of work to avoid. Not 

just my final degree exams, meant to be 

the result of three years’ hard work and deep thought, 

but the whole getting-a-job, doing-something-withthe-rest-of-my-life 

thing, which urgently needed not 

thinking about. And that’s how I came up with what 

I decided was a long-held ambition to walk from Land’s 

End to John o’Groats (or rather John o’Groats to Land’s 

End, because it sounded like it might be downhill and 

easier). This was a truly excellent timewaster – not just 

because it was so big it required a lot of thinking about 

and preparing for, but because there are whole books 

about the subject that demand to be read instead of 

revision, some of which (like John Hillaby’s Journey 

through Britain) were very good at convincing you that 

somehow walking could someday be turned into a job. 

(I mean, what a ridiculous idea.) Then there are the 

daydreams – great long absorbing ones that have to be 

had, and which really leave very little time for anything 

else. And there’s the gear-gathering, and map-buying 

and highlighter pen-wielding, and the talking about it. 

Yes Land’s End to John o’Groats is a true workhorse 

of a work avoider, unparalleled in its 

procrastinatory powers. 

And then after an incredibly long train journey, 

there we were actually doing it. And it didn’t 

feel like work avoidance any more. 

u 

SIGNS & 

BLUNDERS 

Inset pics: I’d 

have my own 

photo of the 

famous signpost 

at John o’Groats 

only there was 

no film in the 

camera. And as 

you can see from 

the second pic 

(somewhere in 

Devon) the art 

of the selfie was 

in its infancy. 


PHOTO: JOHN CARROLL PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY

End of day 1 (26 June 1996): Outside Thurso. 

“Paul has 8 or 9 blisters. Tent is very damp. We may 

have overdone it. 23-24 miles. Sunshine nearly all 

day. Sunburnt. Camped in a farmer’s field secretly. 

A bit scared. Took several carefully-composed 

photos at John o’Groats. No film in camera.” 

SO BEGAN A nightly diary 68 days long – what 

I now see to be an epic of minor grievances and 

of touching kindnesses; of exquisite moments and 

exhausting hours, of small-scale blisses and vast 

boredoms. It’s a document which forever stands 

in the way of me romanticising the memory quite 

as much as I fantasised the prospect. But boy am 

I glad I did that walk. 

I was walking through Scotland with my friend 

Paul, a Glaswegian. He wanted to walk the length of 

his homeland, but thought it preposterous to spend 

the whole summer doing the same thing every day 

and 70-odd nights in a tent (necessitated by budget 

as much as any willing hardcoreness). And who was 

to say he was wrong? A hell of a lot of country lay 

ahead of us beyond Scotland’s surprisingly flat, 

worrisomely infinite-looking far north. 

We were following a route roughly corresponding 

to one Andrew McCloy had described in his book, 

Land’s End to John o’Groats, the overview map of 

which I’d stuck in my journal, along with important 

phone numbers (only one person had a mobile back 

then, and it wasn’t either of us). I’d highlighter-ed 

our prospective route onto OS Landranger maps 

– 30 virgin magenta-covered sheets, and sent them 

in batches (along with a few – get this – phonecards) 

to seven post offces, poste-restante, to await our 

pickup en route. 

We had an immense feeling of freedom as we left 

the train and most responsibilities behind, of course 

we did, but being human, almost immediately out 

of all that emptiness swelled irritations too. Paul 

was worried about his feet. I was worried about the 

smell of his feet, but also the fretful need I felt to 

continually monitor the moisture levels of the tent 

inner, and the tension of the fly sheet. I was disgusted 

at having to put away the tent wet in the morning – 

not only at the extra weight, but the fact it would soak 

first my pack, then my back, then my bum, leaving me 

looking like a potty-training toddler. I endured this 

until I realised the rolled-up tent fitted nicely into 

our cooking pot, which would collect the water safely 

during the day, until it was time to put up the stillwet 

tent again in the evening, a task like birthing 

a particularly soggy dragonfly. But these were the 

irritations of out-of-towners, snags designed to 

detain the unwary and check: are you sure you want 

to do this? And actually, as we powered through 

stiffness and gradually found strength; through 

frustration into the freedom of muscle memory 

and singular purpose, we realised we really did. 

“ 

The more nights in a 

row you spend under 

canvas, the more like a 

special outlier you feel. 

” 

O P E N 

ALL HOURS 

When you’ve got 

nowhere to be 

there’s neither a rush 

nor a reason to stop, 

if you don’t feel like 

it. The hills are up all 

night anyway. 

The service that 

lets you pick up 

post kept for you 

at post offces: 

www.postoffce. 

co.uk/mail/ 

poste-restante 




PHOTO: INCAMERASTOCK/ALAMY 

Day 4: Melvich. Today we saw a bloke who had 

come from Land’s End. He was bursting to tell us and 

looked very happy. He was the inspiration for the 

next few miles. BUT he was staying in B&Bs!! 

YOU HAVE A lot of time to think, and talk, 

on a long walk, and one of the favourite themes – 

aside from all the mindfulness and great wisdom 

– is considering how ruddy superior you are. 

Whoever you pass you’re probably going further, 

more hardily, and if you’re carrying a bigger 

rucksack than them then good. And the more nights 

in a row you spend under canvas, the more like a 

special outlier you feel – a sort of wild-eyed seer 

who refuses offers of lifts and can see through any 

material comfort (like showers, clean socks, comfy 

places to sit) like the soul-rotting indulgences 

they are. But it takes a whole 

muddle of motivations to keep 

you going through miles 87, 

343, 696 and 763, and you 

readily accept that not all 

of them will be noble. 

On Day 5, approaching 

Helmsdale – a small 

Sutherland village that in 

1869 was the site of a sixmonth 

gold rush – we realised 

we hadn’t seen darkness yet. 

u 

S O U T H E R N 

UPLANDS 

The hills of 

Scotland’s Southern 

Uplands (seen here 

from The Merrick) 

are spectacularly 

lovely – and lonely. 

H O M E 

SWEET HOME 

The choice of place 

to pitch your tent 

tends toward the 

haphazard after 

a tiring day. 


NEXT STOP 

THE LAKES 

Buttermere and 

Crummock Water 

at the time of day 

when empty calories 

would be at their 

most seductive. 

PHOTO: DANIEL KAY/ALAMY 

PHOTO: MARK FERGUSON/ALAMY 

“ 

There are routes to be forged 

through brambles, nights to be spent 

beside roads… But you come to relish 

the rough-and-readiness too. 

” 

GOLD IN THEM 

THAR HILLS 

The Strath of Kildonan – 

an early stop in Scotland’s 

far north and scene of 

a 19th-century gold rush. 

FAR ENOUGH 

A happy camper arrives at 

his luxurious berth for the 

night, somewhere between 

Irlam and Warrington. 

66 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2021 

Night didn’t fall this far north until well after 11pm, 

and it was light at 3.30am latest. That encouraged 

us to let our days’ walking spread to fill the time 

available, setting the template for our routine (it 

wasn’t like we had evening plans). We’d often take 

breaks of an hour and more, enjoying the liberation 

of all that space and time and rucksacklessness, 

and later let evening camp occur when fatigue 

and a suitable spot coincided. 

The wilderness was wonderful. But a tent is 

a homely place, and the talk can be remarkably 

small, for all that the world outside is a vast mattepainting 

of grandeur. (Which films have the best 

twist ending? Are you more looking forward to 

a pint or fish ‘n’ chips in Inverness? Do you think 

anyone, anywhere has ever said the words “Trouser 

fire trance badger” in that order?) And actually, 

after a week of walking, the appeal of a comparative 

megalopolis like Inverness becomes transfixing. 

Day 9: Waited 2.5 hours for the rain to stop and 

lights to go off in a suburban Inverness sports club 

bar so we could camp on their football pitch. 

IT’S NOT ALL glamour and noble pilgrimage. 

It’s not like the trail from one end of the country 

to the other is curated and managed by a National 

Trail team. There are routes to be forged through 

brambles and between gasometers, nights to be 

spent beside roads and glances best avoided along 

the way. But you come to relish the rough-andreadiness 

too. Not just because it throws the 

beautiful days into sharper relief but because this 

too is the stuff of life – and a long walk should leave 

you clearer-eyed not just rosier-spectacled. And 

goodness gracious does it put a proper perspective


on the so-called small pleasures. I had a shower 

in a Drumnadrochit campsite on day 10 that put 

me in such a rapture I couldn’t think straight. 

The couple in the campervan who gave us three 

packets of crisps each on Day 25 will never know 

the scale of our gratitude. And talking of crisps... 

Day 12: Today’s diet in full: Bacon crisps, Dairy 

Milk, Monster Munch, Dip-Dab, 500ml Coke, pork 

pie, Bounty, barbeque crisps, Rocky bar, another 

Dip-Dab, scone & jam, 1 tin beans, ½ sausage roll, 

mint Penguin. 

WE’D BEEN REALLY looking forward to the 

West Highland Way. But after a fortnight forging 

our own path, we found we rather snootily 

considered an ‘offcial’ trail as a somewhat 

contrived idea and longed to be in a less popular 

spot. It didn’t help we got off to an awful start – 

24 hours of rain that saw us eventually give up 

the day’s walking at 4.30pm after an exhausting 

climb out of Kinlochleven. Putting up the tent in 

cold, wet despair we slept instantly til 11.30pm, 

by which time it was too dark to cook – and so, 

abysmally, we went without dinner. 

But all was forgiven by the time we reached 

the splendid view from Conic Hill (WHY are we 

climbing this? Oh THAT’S why) across the whole 

of Loch Lomond, the Campsies, Glasgow, Stirling, 

Helensburgh. Besides, we were indisputably 

making great progress now – a fact we celebrated 

with a night’s drinking in Glasgow with some of 

Paul’s friends, after which despite the offer of beds, 

and to general ridicule, we opted to sleep in the 

tent in the front garden. (And I remember looking 

forward all evening to being out in the cool air 

of the tent at night again.) 

I wouldn’t have Paul’s company for much longer 

now, but as we crested the graceful Southern 

Upland hills and made for our next map pick-up 

in a place called Bentpath, I wasn’t immediately 

concerned. We camped high, to escape the midges, 

and for me the outlook was the most beautiful yet. 

We were fit and brown, and if we were smelly 

(we definitely were) we couldn’t tell any more. 

Day 25: Paul opened the doors of the tent quickly 

and puked forcefully into the porch. 17 miles ahead 

of us with no shop. Removed a tick, half-way 

burrowed into my side. 

WE CROSSED THE border on a disused, 

overgrown railway bridge – the Liddell Viaduct. It 

was a real jungle struggle to get onto it, and standing 

atop its deserted, soaring nine-arch span we played 

the world’s tallest game of pooh sticks, and drank 

one swallow each from a whiskey miniature. Paul’s 

challenge was complete (and he already had a job 

lined up) and we were about to go our separate ways 

– how separate, who knew. It felt like our own Stand 

By Me moment. In 10-miles-distant Carlisle Paul 

would get on a bus and I would realise I was rather 

afraid of sleeping in the tent alone. 

Day 35: Walking the Lancaster canal a man shouted 

from a barge: “Where you going?” I told him 

“Land’s End”. “Fookin’ miles” he said. 

THE HIGH 

ROAD 

Life is good on a 

fine day on beautiful 

Offa’s Dyke, here on 

Hatteral Ridge near 

Llanthony. 

Q U I C K 

I’d met up with John, one of a series of friends AND QUIET 

with whom I’d decided to patchwork my remaining That’s the kind of 

way through England. Though I’d conquered my progress a canal 

path delivers – like 

fear of camping alone (and just once, outside a pub, 

on the Lancaster 

had all my tent pegs pulled out, by persons 

Canal here at 

unknown no doubt disappointed the tent didn’t Crooklands, 

collapse), it was so nice to have company. But by Day Cumbria. 

39 he departed, limping – and it was then I realised u 

PHOTO: JAMES OSMOND/ALAMY PHOTO: DAVID FORSTER/ALAMY

PHOTO: JULIAN GAZZARD/ALAMY 

CHASE THE SUN 

Westward, ever westward once you hit the South West 

Coast Path, where the walking turns stunning but tough. 

that weeks into a heavily-laden trek you’re not ideal 

company. Lean, fit and with a sort of mangy hunger 

for a distant horizon they don’t share, it’s never 

going to work out. 

I wasn’t as sad about that as I expected. 

In company you’re always in a bubble. Alone, 

I noticed more and interacted with strangers more. 

In Frodsham a shop-keeper came out to where 

I was sitting eating the dry rolls I’d just bought 

and insisted on buttering and putting thick slices 

of ham in them. In Ruabon where I showed my sore 

knee in a pharmacy I was descended on by friendly 

women, who procured me a doctor’s appointment, 

an address (a field name plucked from the map) so 

I could legally be offered a prescription, and who 

watched happily as I applied the resulting cream 

while bathing me in kindly coos. A Dutchman 

on Offa’s Dyke gave me a list of all the unmarked 

campsites between where we were and Chepstow 

– backpacker’s gold. 

On sunny days the life of vagrant bachelorhood 

agreed with me powerfully – and on showery ones 

I took frequent shelter in freehouses. One of them, 

the Bull’s Head in Craswall at the foot of the Black 

Mountains, will forever be my template of the 

perfect pub – with its stone-flagged floor, huge highbacked 

wooden chairs and a bar that was just a 

hatch through which you summoned the service of 

an old lady by pressing a doorbell. She fetched beer 

from a row of pumps at knee-level behind her. By 

now, and quite often assisted by the form of timetravel 

permitted by two pints in the afternoon, 

I was walking 25 miles a day comfortably, and 

the right-turn of the West Country loomed. 

Day 52, Westham: The Clifton Suspension Bridge 

is so much more impressive than I imagined. My 

spit takes over 8 seconds to hit the river below. 

THE SOUTH WEST Coast Path is awe-inspiring 

but after hundreds of miles walking, its sheer 

mountainous quality is apt to be lost on you. I was 

torn between revering its drama and reviling its 

dilettantism: when it knew its true purpose was 

to deliver me progress west, WHY did it go up 

and down and out and round headlands in that 

infuriating way? It was 

clearly an insane way to 

view one of the world’s great 

coastlines, but a reflection 

of the singlemindedness of 

someone who hasn’t slept 

in a bed for two months. 

Day 58, Croyde: 

“As I walked, hundreds of 

butterflies rose up from the 

grass like bubbles from 

the ocean floor. Arriving at 

the campsite I bought a tin 

of beans and a can of tuna and ate them in the toilet 

block waiting for the rain to stop”. 

BY DAY 62, at Clovelly Cross I’d finally abandoned 

any notion of following every damn fractal facet 

of the coastline. Later that day my rucksack’s hipstrap 

broke, and a storm featuring raindrops as 

ferocious as meteorites threatened to destroy the 

tent. If it was a damning judgement I didn’t care. 

The next day I would cross Cornwall’s county line 

and nothing could stop me then. 

Day 66: It seems tonight will be my penultimate 

night in the tent. I felt almost nostalgic putting it up. 

The end seems to be coming very quickly. It’s almost 

ENDLESS 

E S 

PATHS 

Top: Through the 

heather on the 

Great Hangman 

just outside 

Combe Martin. 

WE MADE IT! 

Above: Me across 

the country on foot, 

mum two days in 

the car to pick me 

up (and tell me I’m 

smelly). Thanks Ma! 



‘I CAN’T RECOMMEND IT ENOUGH’ 

Kat Savage walked from Land’s End 

to John o’Groats in 2018 – ‘on a bit 

of a whim’. 

like ‘Getting nowhere… getting nowhere… The end.” 

I’m at the same stage as the happy bloke we met on 

day 4 near Melvich. BUT HE STAYED IN B&Bs. 

MY FINAL DAY’S walk would be 16 miles, taking 

me to a grand total of 1100-ish at the multi-pronged 

signpost at Land’s End (did anyone deal in exact 

distances in the time before smartphones and 

digital maps?). There my mum, a former geriatric 

nurse, would meet me and tell me I smelled like an 

old person who’d reached the point at which they’re 

relieved of their own care. There were a few photos 

to be taken, a self-conscious cheer to be cheered and 

then we drove away at 30mph – unbelievably, 

recklessly fast. I was relieved, and looking forward 

to clean socks, baths and home comforts. But I also 

knew how quickly they would become ordinary 

again and felt already a little homesick for the 

trail – its minor triumphs and trivial routines, its 

satisfactions great and small. In a way, I didn’t want 

it to end, and I don’t now. So I’ll leave it to my diary’s 

last entry, the night before I completed the walk, 

where I’ll be happy in perpetuity and rich in 

pleasures that have no price. 

Day 67: Campsite near Hayle, 16 miles from Land’s 

End: £3 campsite! Swimming pool! Some girls have 

just come over and asked if I’d like to join their 

barbeque. Jackpot!” 

PHOTO: JAMES OSMOND/ALAMY 

I wanted to raise money for charity. 

After discovering a surprisingly small 

number of women had walked the 

LEJOG solo, I decided that was it! 

I began on the 4th Feb following a 

route based partly on John Hillaby’s 

Journey through Britain, and partly 

Andy Robinson’s End to End Trail. 

I finished on 3rd May. 

I was met with such overwhelming 

kindness. Britain is brimming with 

kind and generous people only too 

pleased to help a random smelly 

stranger with a dodgy backpack! 

I had no idea what was coming for 

me weather-wise. Crossing the 

Severn Bridge where I was pelted 

so hard with hail I had loads of cuts 

on my face by the other side. One 

time I had to scale a near-vertical 

bramble-filled riverbank when 

I lost my way. When I came out 

on the road, I felt as if I’d survived 

a zombie apocalypse! 

Oxide tape, medical strip tape 

and hydrogel for those blisters 

are a must. Hydrogels were a game 

changer: you can wear them in 

a shower for at least three days 

without changing them which 

is a massive bonus. 

If you do it solo, be mentally 

prepared. Breathing and 

mindfulness techniques help – your 

thoughts are your most powerful 

motivator or your most inhibiting 

competitor. When you hit the ‘wall’ 

a few miles from the end of each 

day, having a little mantra to get 

you to the end will massively help. 

I would say to myself ‘minutes not 

hours’ over and over. 

You will chafe in places the sun 

doesn’t shine! Pre-prepare with tape 

Your body’s stronger 

than you think – but if 

there’s one bit you need 

to take special car of. 

Kat’s got tips. 

Her desire to raise money for a 

beloved cause was the impetus – 

but it paid Kat back massively too. 

and plaster before it becomes a 

repetitive injury and a ton of misery. 

And if you’re a woman, think about 

your cycle. I cannot recommend 

enough reusable pads or moon cups 

that you can clean and put away in 

your rucksack instead of having a 

bunch of rubbish you may not be 

able to get rid of for a few days. 

Cool your muscles down each day. 

You will feel like slumping, but 

tendonitis will get you if you’re not 

careful (it got me and reduced me 

down to 5 mile walks for a week). 

Trust me on this, do the cool down 

every day. 

You won’t eat as much as you need 

water. Go on a foraging course 

before you start and acquaint 

yourself with the free wild food 

you can pick as you walk. 

Be prepared to change. By the end, 

I knew individual bird and animal calls, 

to follow livestock across the moors 

if I got lost and how to find the road 

just by observing the direction of the 

trees. I felt limitless, connected. When 

I came home, life was so hectic and 

bombarding, that I actually quit my 

job and changed the course of my 

career. It was the most astounding, 

hardest, testing, cathartic thing I’ve 

ever done! I can’t recommend this 

life experience enough. 


FROM SEA TO 

SHINING SEA 

The Saints’ Way traces 

the footsteps of 

pilgrims over Helman 

Tor, on its journey 

across Cornwall from 

north coast to south.

DISCOVER The Saints’ Way 

Short & sweet 

Like a dram of single malt, a weekend trail can 

distil all the joys of trekking into a tiny package. 


BITE- 

SIZED 

ADVENTURES 

IF YOU DON’T have a spare two months 

to hike from Land’s End to John O’Groats, 

three weeks to walk the Pennine Way, 

or even a fortnight to do Wainwright’s Coast 

to Coast, head to Cornwall to take on a great 

pocket-sized long-distance path. 

The Saints’ Way is a Coast to Coast in 

miniature. It starts from the harbour in the 

gorgeous foodie town of Padstow in the north 

of the county, and heads south alongside 

estuaries, through quaint villages, past 

ancient churches, and over rolling hills, before 

arriving in the charmingly narrow, wiggly and 

historic streets of Fowey on the south coast. 

St Breock Downs (with its giant monolith) 

and Helman Tor offer fantastic views, while 

Golant – a riverside village passed near the 

end of the walk – is associated with The Wind 

in the Willows author Kenneth Grahame. 

The Saints’ Way is just 27 miles long, which 

means it can be tackled in a long weekend, 

and there are no major climbs or really 

tough terrain to put you off. There’s also 

an alternative route for the last 11 miles that 

includes the hilltop village of Tywardreath, 

where there used to be a Benidictine priory. 

The walk’s name alludes to the pilgrims 

who would have ventured through the area 

when travelling from Ireland or Wales to 

Continental Europe. It spared them the 

dangers of negotiating rough seas around 

Land’s End in their little boats and the route 

is also known as the Mariner’s Way, as Celtic 

traders figured they were more likely to arrive 

in one piece if they avoided that exposed 

stretch of ocean too. 

For an even 

shorter Cornish 

C2C, head 

further west to 

St Michael’s Way 

which treads 11 

miles from Lelant 

near St Ives in 

the north to St 

Michael’s Mount 

in the south. 


PHOTO: HELEN HOTSON/ALAMY

The 

OY 

TURNING 

BACK 

The summit we didn’t reach. 

The trail we turned back from. 

Walkers will always have 

‘the one that got away’. 

But sometimes they become 

the ones we love most… 

WORDS: NICK HALLISSEY 

Y of 

I’M 

SIX YEARS old. And the sky hates me. 

The wind is roaring. Freezing air rips 

through my St Michael windcheater. Icy 

rainwater is seeping into my shoulderblades. 

Visibility is almost zero. I am having my first ever 

encounter with hailstones. 

Crouched amid the slimy slabs of a small wallshelter, 

I huddle tighter into Mum’s torso. Dad 

disappeared about ten minutes ago, ‘to see if the 

summit is just over there’. No sign since. 

Worst of all, we’ve eaten the last ginger nut. 

And then we see him. Twenty yards away, 

descending, away from us. 

“DAAAAAAAAD!” 

The angry wind grabs our voices and hurls them 

the wrong way. But we’ve done just enough. The 

dad-shaped figure stops, turns, and comes back. 

“I think we have to give this up,” he says. 

The phrase ‘no sh*t, Sherlock’ didn’t have much 

currency in 1982. But Mum and I gladly utter 

whatever the equivalent was, and together we 

set off down the hill. 

That was Ingleborough. Our first mountain. 

And today, my favourite. How did that happen?

HOW TO… Make the best of a ‘bad day’ 

‘UTTER MADNESS!’ 

At 45, I still remember that day in pin-sharp HD. 

It is a nuclear moment in my childhood. It’s 

also the definitive essay in how not to climb 

a mountain, and M&D both speak about it 

with dread to this day. 

We weren’t total novices: the previous summer 

we had walked the South Downs Way. And as a 

Sheffeld lad, Dad knew a fair bit about Yorkshire 

and its hills. But this was our first proper 

mountain, and we’d gone up in casual shoes, 

armed with a packet of ginger nuts and some 

lemon barley water. We’d gone the longest way, 

too: up from Clapham via Trow Gill, navigating 

with a leaflet from the village shop. 

Lower down it had all felt exciting. The 

weather was fine, people were friendly, and 

Gaping Gill looked stunning. But as we headed 

up into the cloud, the weather turned, horribly. 

When it became impossible to move forward 

easily, we stopped at the shelter, and Dad decided 

to nip off and see if we were close to the summit. 

Splitting an inexperienced group in bad weather: 

it’s a concept that would make any Mountain 

Rescuer’s toes curl. The only thing that would 

uncurl them is the eventual decision to regroup 

and retreat. The smartest decision in the world. 

Little wonder that the leaflet, still kept in Mum 

and Dad’s drawer to this day, is scrawled with the 

words MDN April 82 – utter madness! 

The text advising ‘competent map and 

compass skills’ is circled in red pen. 

And yet. Look what happened as a result. 

We learned. We skilled up and got the right kit. 

Mum and Dad became not just competent 

hillwalkers, but passionately immersed in 

mountain lore. 

And of course, we went back. In May 1984, 

we sat happily on the top of Ingleborough under 

a clear blue sky. We even found the shelter we’d 

huddled in, and realised the summit was a full 

quarter of a mile further onward, rather than 

‘just over there’. 

u 

THE ROAD 

NOT TAKEN 

The approach to 

Ingleborough from 

the south. Just 

around here is a 

small shelter where, 

in conditions a lot 

less lovely than 

this, the Hallisseys 

learned the joy 

of turning back. 


PHOTO: YORKSHIRE PICS/ALAMY

“ 

Without the bitter, 

the sweet just ain’t 

as sweet. 

” 

C A M E R O N C R O W E , V A N I L L A S K Y 

PHOTO: MARK SUNDERLAND PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY- PHOTO: PAUL RICHARDSON/ALAMY- 

BLACK HOLE 

TO BLIZZARD 

The portal of Gaping 

Gill, a pit-stop on 

our way to a date 

with destiny on 

Ingleborough. 

Inset: The fateful 

leaflet that led us 

to Gaping Hill and 

Ingleborough in 

1982, and is now 

daubed with the 

lessons learned. 

A BETTER DAY 

Ingleborough as it 

should look, if you’ve 

read the weather 

forecast and brought 

more than a packet 

of ginger nuts. 

The three of us formed a lifelong love of hills 

that took us from Yorkshire to the Lakes to the Alps. 

But Ingleborough has always been The Special One. 

To me, to this day, it’s a place of terror and joy in the 

same breath. Although it’s only a middling height in 

the grand scheme of UK mountains, I think of it as 

Everest. That’s the sublime at work: the Romantic 

poets observed that any mountain whose summit 

was obscured by cloud was a thing of beautiful 

terror, for in the mind’s eye the top of the peak could 

be tens of thousands of feet up in the sky, instead of 

just above the cloudbase. That’s my Ingleborough. 

A hill the size of the universe. 

THE OBSESSION 

Ingleborough also gave me a fascination with 

the hills that bite us. 

What does it do to us when we turn back? It can 

break us, sure. It can feel like agony, weakness, 

failure, a waste of time and money; even shame, 

especially if it’s a famous hill that people bang 

on about everywhere you look: the Helvellyns, 

Snowdons and Ben Nevises of this world. Everyone 

else has done it, we might think. Why couldn’t I? 

Ben Nevis was another of ours. In 1987 we got 

as far as the top of the zig-zags on the Pony Track. 

The summit plateau was within reach. But the 

weather was so appalling that turning round 

was far, far safer than pressing on. 

We had indeed learned our lesson well. We came 

back and did it the following summer. And like 

PHOTO: INCAMERASTOCK/ALAMY 

Ingleborough, Ben Nevis became a Special One. 

So what is the nature of this strange bond between 

the walker and the hill that haunts them? 

When I first read Moby Dick, I thought there was 

an element of Captain Ahab about that bond: the 

obsessed mariner, hunting the whale that wounded 

him, willing to sacrifice everything for vengeance. 

But it’s healthier than that. I’m not someone who 

wants to ‘conquer’ mountains; that’s a ridiculous 

idea anyway. I don’t want revenge, or conquest, 

or even ‘closure’. I want the friendship of the hill. 

And if it didn’t quite offer it up the first time, then it 

becomes an Ingleborough. A teacher, a mentor. And, 

when it does finally work out, an even closer friend. 

At my daughter’s primary school, the teacher says 

it’s important to FAIL, because it’s your First 

Attempt In Learning. On mountains, we do a lot 

of FAIL. We just have to hope the SAIL is better. 

THE FELLOWSHIP 

I’m not alone. When I ask about ‘the hills that got 

away’ on the #walk1000miles Facebook group, 

I meet scores of people who feel the same way. Most 

talk of the ‘gutting’ feeling of having to turn round, 

and the desire to go back and finish the story. Those 

who have gone back and succeeded speak of an 

enhanced sense of jubilation when they finally 

reached the top, or saw the famous view, or reached 

the end of the trail. 

For Deniece Wanley, it was Blencathra. 

“I was defeated twice by bad weather and thought 

I’d never do it,” she explains. “Every time we drove 

past it on the A66, I’d feel like it was taunting me. 



GOT THERE 

IN THE END 

Nick and his Mum 

Jo on the top of 

Ingleborough. 

Below: The Hallisseys 

head for the hills 

again, with a proper 

packed lunch in an 

actual rucksack. 

THIRD 

TIME LUCKY 

Blencathra is now 

a Special One for 

Deniece Wanley. 

t BRING ME 

SUNSHINE! 

Elaine Cosgrove 

made the best of a 

bad day on Yr Aran. 

“I became obsessed with Wainwright’s musings 

about Blencathra, and it just seemed to feature 

everywhere I turned! 

“The third time, we did it on a moonlight walk as 

part of Keswick Mountain Festival. I was prepared 

for defeat, but it really was third time lucky. We 

laughed, we were cautious, we got wet, we totally 

stretched our comfort zone – and it was thrilling! 

“To this day, Blencathra holds a special place in 

my heart. As my Mum always said: ‘Nothing gained 

easily is appreciated’.” 

For Elaine Cosgrove, the important thing was to 

salvage something good from the disappointment. 

“We got halfway up Yr Aran in Snowdonia but 

we couldn’t stand up for the gale that was blowing, 

so down we went,” she recalls. 

“We decided to have a play in the Watkin Path 

waterfalls on the way down. Made our day.” 

And for Dave ‘Jonah’ Jones, reaching the top 

of Tryfan was emotional on a whole different level. 

“As a small boy, my Dad took me hostelling. 

We tried to climb Tryfan, but it was too foggy,” 

he explains. “Many years later I was on holiday 

in North Wales. My Dad was very ill at the time, u 

Unfinished business 

Even now, I still have unclosed accounts with certain hills. 

There are two in the Cairngorms. I got beaten back from 

Beinn Mheadhoin a few years back, and it took me two 

attempts to get to the summit of Ben MacDui – and I’ve 

still never seen the view from the top. In Snowdonia, after 

two attempts, I’ve never reached the summit of Y Garn. 

Then there’s Pen yr Ole Wen (below). In 2019 I was 

part of a surprise birthday reunion for one of my high 

school teachers, a chap who took generations of pupils 

into the mountains to find adventure. After months of planning, a crowd of 

former pupils and staff leapt out at Bob (above right) as he arrived to mark 

his 70th with a hike up Pen yr Ole Wen. ‘We’re coming too!’. we cheered. 

Snowdonia promptly rained absolute hell on us. 

Imagine the emotion: Bob’s big birthday, friends and colleagues who hadn’t 

seen each other for decades; all that planning and secrecy by his family, all 

the miles travelled – and we didn’t even reach the first summit. Wet, cold, 

buffeted, we very wisely decided: ‘well screw this’. 

But hey, at least we got to sit in the Royal Oak at Betws-y-Coed and hear 

Bob talk about metalwork. Sometimes it’s the company as much as the walk. 

PHOTO: STEPHEN SPRAGGON/ALAMY 


PHOTO: SIMON PRICE/ALAMY PHOTO: PETER ROBINSON/ALAMY 

WHERE BIG DECISIONS ARE MADE 

The zig-zags on the Pony Track up Ben Nevis, 

scene of another heroic Hallissey failure in 1987. 

Right: Ben Nevis looking all friendly and cuddly. 

so I decided to climb the mountain in his honour. 

I got to the top and had my photo taken, holding a 

Welsh flag. Minutes after I arrived back at the car, 

my sister phoned to say Dad had just passed away. 

“I believe he saw me safely up and back, then 

knew his last job had been done.” 

THE PSYCHOLOGY 

So what’s the best way to manage all the raw 

emotions of having to turn back? 

“It’s about valuing process over outcome,” says 

Dr Jamie Barker. “If we set out to enjoy the journey 

as much as the accomplishment, that’s a lot 

healthier for us, especially if we don’t get as high 

or as far as we hoped.” 

Jamie has studied this field intensively. As Senior 

Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology at 

Loughborough University, he works closely with 

athletes, footballers, Olympians, Paralympians and 

Armed Forces personnel – many of whom struggle 

to balance the desire to win with the need to stay 

calm and rational. 

“It can be a hard sell to an athlete: they may have 

a mindset that winning is everything, and trying 

to tell them to balance that desire with rationality, 

and to see everything as a learning experience – 

that can be diffcult,” he says. 

“We tell them it’s a subtle shift, from ‘I MUST 

do this’ to ‘I really really want this, I will give it 

everything, but I will equip myself to handle it if 

it doesn’t happen’. If you can do that, you’re just 

as motivated, but you are being better to yourself. 

And you are more likely to succeed in the long run.” 

Walkers, he says, are far more likely to buy into 

that positive mindset anyway. But we still hurt 

when we don’t get the experience we were craving. 

The best balm, says Jamie, should lie in the postmatch 

analysis. 

“People can feel guilt or even shame if they turn 

back from something, especially if it’s something 

they know lots of others have achieved before like 

a famous summit,” he explains. 

“But at the end of the day it’s about you and the 

situation: the weather, your fitness, your skills, 

your gear. Look back and think, could I have done 

anything differently? What did I have control 

‘I WANT, 

NOT I MUST’ 

Dr Jamie Barker 

says we need to be 

kinder to ourselves. 

BEWARE BEN 

MACDON’TY 

Nick vs MacDui: 

Attempts: 3 

Summits: 1 

Views: 0


over? And if there was nothing you could have 

done to make the outcome different, then that is 

not a failure.” 

Felix Baumgartner would agree with that. 

You may remember him: the Austrian daredevil 

who in 2012 set the record for the highest skydive 

in history when he jumped from a helium balloon 

some 24 miles above the surface of the Earth. 

But what isn’t remembered quite as clearly is 

that he almost did it six days earlier. He had one foot 

out of the capsule when he decided the weather 

conditions weren’t right, and stepped back in. 

That same year, I met Pete Mounsey, of the 

Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team. I asked him for 

his best advice for people encountering bad weather 

in the hills, and he said: “Think ‘Baumgartner’. 

“All those millions spent, all that time and effort 

by so many people to get him to that point, foot out 

the door – and he gets back in. Wow!” said Pete. 

“The pressure he felt to go for it must have been 

unimaginable, but he made the right decision 

based on the situation. To me, that’s as much 

an achievement as when he actually did it. I love 

anyone who does what he did. Anyone.” 

So here’s to the turn-backers, the retreaters, 

the ones who say ‘I think we need to give this up’. 

We are wise, we are smart, we’re all the richer for 

the experience, and Mountain Rescue loves us. 

And we will come back another day. 

PHOTO: MARTIN THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY 

‘We’ll be back’ 

The hills that have taunted the 

#walk1000miles massive… 

❝ We have turned back so many times, 

especially in the Mournes. If it’s like pea 

soup or too treacherous to climb, there’s 

no point in becoming disorientated or 

putting yourself and others in danger. 

This pic (right) was taken at the second 

attempt at Doan and the views were 

more than worth it! 

❞ Janine Ramsey 

❝ Mine’s Ingleborough too! We 

attempted it four times from Clapham; 

we always got to Gaping Gill before the 

weather turned bad. Eventually we did 

it via Humphrey Bottom and then 

Ingleton. 

❞ Leanne Woodall 

❝ In 2019 we tried to do Moel Hebog 

from Beddgelert. We got a fair way 

up with fantastic views when we heard a 

rumble of thunder. I persuaded my partner 

to reluctantly abandon the quest. It did 

turn out to be the right decision as just 

as we made it back to Beddgelert the 

thunderstorm broke directly overhead. 

We rebooked for 2020 for a rematch but 

Covid had other ideas. We have rebooked 

another rematch for July this year. I’ll let 

you know. 

❞ Deborah Williams 

❝ Helvellyn. Me and my hubby Ian 

attempted it 2019. We got three quarters 

of the way up but it started to rain heavily. 

It turned into icy hailstones so we had to 

turn back. We were gutted. It's definitely 

on our to-do list for later this year. 

❞ 

Sarah Louise 

❝ I never finished the West Highland Way 

(over Devil's Staircase) because my brother 

and I got snowed in at Glen Coe. Definitely 

going back someday. 

❞ Amanda Phillips 

❝ Roseberry Topping. Having walked the 

Coast to Coast a few years ago, it was 

there in the distance for at least three 

days, but as the path doesn’t go up it, 

I never climbed it! I keep meaning to go 

back but haven’t made it yet. One day. 

❞ 

Paula Rhodes 

❝ We climbed Ingleborough in a most 

irresponsible manner with our son in 1982. 

It was utter madness, but we learned 

a thing or two. And it must have done the 

lad some good, because he now writes for 

the world’s finest walking magazine. 

❞ 

Brendan Hallissey 

“ 

Most great people have attained 

their greatest success just one step 

beyond their greatest failure. 

” 

NAPOLEON HILL 

NOW YOU’RE JUST TAUNTING ME 

Nick to CW Art Editor Rob: “Yes, great. Let’s have pictures of all the hills I turned 

back on, looking lovely and sunny. Like Beinn Mheadhoin. Can we stop now?” 

PHOTO: MARTIN THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY 


“After 1,000 miles, my socks still 

feel fresh and like new.” 

Mike Armstrong 

LITTLE THINGS MATTER 

Recyclable packaging 

Flex zone so your sock and foot move together 

Zero waste policy 

Toes seams that don’t irritate your toes 

Super happy people - average 30 years 

working at Bridgedale 

All day comfort 

www.lycra.com 

LYCRA® DRY TECHNOLOGY 

www.bridgedale.com

WHICH WAY? 

Let the dice decide 

your direction... 

DISCOVER Chance walks 

BITE- 

SIZED 

ADVENTURES 

Roll with it 

Convinced there is nothing new to discover 

near you? Then try something a little dicey... 


HERE’S WHERE TRIVIAL Pursuit meets outdoor 

pursuit – a board game/walking hybrid that you 

can play from your front door. A dice walk is a great 

way to inspire the kids into the open air – especially if you’ve 

exhausted all other methods during lockdown – and they’re 

brilliant for exploring new places close to home. 

The rules are simple, and all you need is one dice (or die 

according to traditionalists, but that would make the game 

Die Walks which we feel sends out the wrong message). Each 

time you reach a junction, roll the little cube to tell you which 

way to go. If it’s a T-junction, then landing on 1-3 means left, 

while 4-6 means right. If it’s a crossroads, then 1-2 can mean 

left, 3-4 straight on, and 5-6 right. Having four options at 

a junction poses a mathematical headache, best fixed by 

a couple of rolls, but let’s not get bogged down with the detail. 

You’re not allowed to return the way you just came, so every 

dice roll will send you somewhere new. You’ll be amazed at 

how quickly you reach streets, parks, lovely buildings and 

viewpoints that you’ve never visited before, and you’ll see 

where you live in a completely different way. The only 

downside is that unless you happen to repeatedly roll 

ones and twos, the game isn’t conducive to a round walk, 

so you’ll need to be prepared to find a shortcut back, or know 

someone willing and flexible who will ferry you home. 

JUMP AT 

THE CHANCE 

Humans are 

creatures of habit, 

so adding random 

luck to a walk can 

turn up surprises, 

even in areas you 

know well. 

“ 

You’ll be amazed 

how quickly you reach 

streets, parks… and 

viewpoints that you’ve 

never visited before. 

” 


PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY

#WALK1000MILES PARTNER FOCUS 

The power 

to 

explore 

As spring coincides with our freedom slowly 

being restored, #walk1000miles partner 

Ordnance Survey has an app to track your 

miles and fill you with ideas and confidence 

for exploring further afield. 

IN RECENT MONTHS clocking 

up our miles has meant getting to 

know our local trails like the top of 

our walking boots. But as restrictions 

start to relax once more, we can begin 

to explore further from home at a time 

when the weather starts to improve. 

So where to go with our graduallyreturning 

freedom? Well, Ordnance 

Survey’s OS Maps smartphone app 

has more than half a million 

suggestions in the form of premium 

ready-made routes crafted by this 

very magazine, as well as from our 

partners Trail and Trail Running. 

It’s like having a pocket-sized friend 

who’s an expert in navigation – one that 

gives you the confidence to explore 

OS Maps 

• All 607 OS maps on your 

phone, tablet and PC 

• More than half a million 

premium routes to try 

• Warning alerts if you go off 

course 

• Download maps and routes 

to access when offine 

• Create and plot your own 

routes 

• Check out the hills in 3D 

• Print your own maps 

somewhere new without the fear of 

losing your way, while also brimming 

with ideas for new walks to try. 

The app means you can have all 607 

OS maps (both 1:25k and 1:50k scale) 

on your PC, tablet and smartphone. 

You can follow any route you like, with 

warning alerts if you head off-course, 

and you can even create and plot your 

own routes to follow on your next 

outdoor venture (an activity that 

can become seriously addictive!). 

If you’re worried about the app 

deserting you when you’re out of 

signal, then fear not, because you can 

actually download maps and routes to 

your phone so you can continue using 

them no matter how matter how 

remote your miles take you. 

And if you want to check out a walk 

before you go, you can fly through the 

route using the app’s 3D function. 

So get out there, breathe in the fresh 

spring air, and use this incredible app 

to help you grace more and more 

landscapes with your footsteps. 

OS MAPS 

Get a 12-month subscription for £23.99 or pay 

£2.99 per month. Visit os.uk/osm or download 

OS Maps on the App Store or Google Play 

80 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2021 

Explore the world safe in the 

knowledge you have an expert 

guiding you all the way.

Advertising feature 

It's like having a pocket-sized 

friend who's an expert in navigation – 

one that gives you the confidence to 

explore somewhere new without 

the fear of losing your way... 

I use OS Maps 

every day 

I track my 

#walk1000miles 

total with the app’s 

My Activities log, 

I plan weekend walks 

on it and I dream about walks 

I want to do – before exploring 

as close to reality as possible 

using the incredible 3D FlyThru 

feature. I’ve been a lifelong 

fan of OS Maps and this is what 

I hoped the future would be like! 



PHOTO: TOM BAILEY

Do you remember 

the first time? 

Walking has lots of coming-of-age (and heart-in-mouth) 

moments. These are some of ours. Tell us yours… 

My first mountain 

RECALLED BY: Sarah Ryan, CW gear tester 

A WILD WALK UP 

Sarah awards a solid 

three stars to her 

‘tatty red pac-a-mac’. 

PHOTO: PICTURESCOTLAND/ALAMY* 

PICTURESCOTLAND/ALAMY* 

My first mountain was 

Stob Binnein, near Loch 

Lomond. I climbed it on 

one of those rare blue sky 

days in September when 

the sun burns warm 

and the wind blows cool. Down at 

Inverlochlarig, we needed few layers. 

Not that I deeply understood the 

layering system: I was wearing a woolly 

jumper and cotton trousers with a tatty 

red pac-a-mac slung around my waist. 

Though I come from a family of 

walkers, they’re not mountaineers, 

so I’d bumbled through 26 years before 

arriving at my first mountain. It would 

change my life, funnelling me towards 

a career in writing about mountains 

DON’T STOB THERE 

As a first mountain, Stob 

Binnein (right, with Ben 

More left) is a cracker. 

and, later, guiding 

others in them. 

But all that lay ahead. 

On Stob Binnein, from 

this direction, there 

is no gentle warm-up 

trudge. You clamber 

over a stile and embark 

immediately on 568m 

of steep, calf-burning 

climbing. Our guide clasped his hands 

behind his back, advised us to take it 

slowly and began a patient zig-zag up 

through the heather. To reserve energy 

at the start and deflate a steep climb by 

slow traversing were two of the most 

important things I would ever learn. 

Up we went, conversing sometimes in 

short sentences before lapsing into 

breathless gasps and quiet, thoughtful 

climbing. There was no drudgery in it; 

the grass, rocks and heather passed 

slowly beneath my feet, the cool 

mountain air in my nose. On the way, 

we crouched down to observe mountain 

stitchwort, alpine lady’s mantle and 

acid yellow tormentil. 

Eventually, we crested the climb onto 

a flank of rippling golden-green grass. 

The glen, its twin lochs and the craggy 

hills which bounded them, came 

suddenly into view. They stayed there 

for the rest of the ascent, along the wide 

northwards ridge and the final rocky 

clamber up a broken grey pyramid. Up 

there, eating an apple in the summit 

chill, the world fell open. 

I learned a few things climbing Stob 

Binnein. The wisdom of saving energy. 

Mountain flowers I’ve never forgotten. 

That there is no bad part of a mountain 

day. And that, if I just learned how to 

navigate, I could do this whenever 

I wanted. Ten years later, as a qualified 

Mountain Leader with my own 

business, The Wild Walk Home, it has 

become my job. Thanks, Stob Binnein. 

¥ Check out Sarah’s guided walking 

services at thewildwalkhome.com 


DISCOVER My first time 

‘NOT TOO FAR NOW ’ 

Less than a third of the way 

up Skiddaw, when Liz still 

believed that statement 

CHECK MY RIDE 

Nick and Liz’s 1998 reboot 

of The Dukes of Hazzard 

was a low-budget affair. 

Walking for a date 

RECALLED BY: Nick Hallissey, deputy editor 

Our first date was a walk. 

That may not sound 

surprising, coming from 

a chap who works for 

a walking magazine. 

But back in April 1998, 

I was no such thing. 

I was in my first year as a cub reporter 

for my local paper. Liz was a drama 

student. We’d met through am dram: we 

appeared together in a production of 

Franz Kafka’s The Trial that had been 

declared “a powerhouse piece of 

theatre” by a cub reporter on my local 

paper. There had been an end-of-show 

party. Stuff had happened. The world 

was exciting. 

And then I blurted it out. “Hey, we 

could go for a walk tomorrow. What do 

you reckon?” 

In fairness, it wasn’t entirely atypical 

for me to think of a walk. I definitely was 

a walker – my parents had seen to that. 

Plus we lived in Cheshire, which had 

lots of nice bits to walk around. Lastly 

it was cheap. And given our stations 

in life, that was the clincher. 

So the following day, we went to 

Delamere Forest. I think it was a grey 

and overcast April day in a mud-brown 

wood, but in my mind’s eye it was a 

spring day as directed by David Lean. 

Liz walked through the woods like a 

nymph, hair aflame in the low sunlight, 

robins landing on her outstretched palm 

like Snow White in mid song. Probably. 

We chatted of all the things we hadn’t 

really covered while we’d been yelling 

Kafka at each other: of films and songs 

and musicals; of whether England had 

a chance in the World Cup (no) and 

whether Deirdre would ever get out of 

‘STILL NOT FAR NOW’ 

Nick and Liz, still walking. 

(Stanage Edge, in this case.) 

HMP Weatherfield (yes). On a practical 

level, the walk was a conduit to the swift 

exchange of data that comprises a 

proper date. But it was also just a walk. 

An average, simple, wonderful walk. 

The way they all are, somehow. 

So we kept on walking. Marbury, 

Tatton Park, Mow Cop. The Peak 

District, Snowdonia, the Lakes. 

I learned important lessons, principally 

NEVER TAKE YOUR PARTNER ON A 

WALK YOU ONCE DID WITH AN EX. 

And Skiddaw is probably not “the 

perfect starter mountain”. (I wanted to 

be different and quirky, but there is no 

getting round the fact it should always 

be Catbells via the Keswick Launch.) 

Despite the mis-steps, in 2002 Liz 

became my walking partner for life. We 

are now, with a heady mix of enthusiasm 

and bloody-mindedness, trying to pass 

on ‘the walking thing’ to our offspring. 

But here’s a thing: walking as a first 

date might have been slightly unusual in 

1998. It might still have been a bit weird 

in 2019. But now that the nation has 

spent a year discovering beauty on its 

doorstep, walking is common currency. 

I reckon it’ll be the no-brainer first date 

of the future. 

“The nature reserve by the gasworks, 

and dinner at the Thai place? You’re on.” 

And so a thousand new adventures 

will begin. 

“ 

We chatted of all 

the things we hadn’t 

really covered while 

we’d been yelling 

Franz Kafka at 

each other. 

” 


RIGHT, SO 

WE’RE HERE 

Which means, 

um... hang on... 

Being in charge 

of the navigation 

RECALLED BY: Guy Procter, editor 

I theoretically learned to 

use map and compass 

when I was 12, when my 

dad taught me. Only I 

was adept at that thing 

where your face says one 

thing (‘Interesting!’) while your brain 

says another (‘No way am I retaining 

this tripe old man!’). By the time I was 

called on to access this corrupt memory 

file I was, notionally at least, the most 

experienced in a group walk in the 

Pennines. It seems crazy to think I’d 

only ever walked in fine weather or with 

someone else doing the steering, but so 

it suddenly dawned on me, and as the 

mist first flirted with opacity then 

erased the view for good my gorge rose. 

All navigators try to maintain an air of 

confidence but I was pretending harder 

than most. Relying on remembered 

glimpses of the ground ahead, and 

assertive-looking scowls at the map, I 

clammily thought if the visibility didn’t 

improve we were lost. But then 

something I did remember dad saying 

– “Mountains don’t change their shape 

in the mist” – popped into my head, 

along with that other fundamental, that 

a compass is really just a tool for locking 

your map into orientation with the real 

world. Whether I could see anything or 

not, these were still true. Plus 

navigation isn’t always (or even often) a 

matter of pinpoint accuracy. You can 

often aim for a much more forgiving 

target like a wall or a stream to gather 

you in and set you back on the road to 

certainty. I took a crude bearing (it’s a 

matter of lining up where you are on the 

map with where you want to be using 

the side of your compass, then rotating 

the compass housing until its lines 

match the vertical ones on your map) 

and bored into the mist. Counting my 

paces roughly to see how far we’d come, 

we soon hit the wall – and my anxiety 

dropped by half. I shot another bearing. 

At every stage I found I could focus on a 

tuft of grass or dimly-visible rock that 

happened to sit on my bearing and free 

my eyes from staring at the compass, to 

resume my air of ill-earned confidence. 

Soon I was hitting target after target, 

the ground’s features obligingly taking 

the shapes the map promised, until only 

one leg remained. The final target was a 

large ladder-stile in a wall a kilometre 

away across featureless, invisible 

moorland, beyond which a clear track 

would provide luxurious certainty. 

We hit it dead on – and though to my 

companions it seemed like no big deal, 

to me it felt like I’d flung coin after coin 

across a crowded bar, and had every one 

thunk straight into the jukebox slot. 

STAY CALM 

The mountains 

don’t change 

shape in mist. 


“ 

Of all the winter skills 

I’ve learnt and experience 

I’ve gained over the years, the 

memory of the slip on that first 

day has probably kept me alive 

on more than one occasion. 

” 


First winter 

mountain 

RECALLED BY: Tom Bailey, 

CW photographer 

PHOTO: ERIC MURPHY/ALAMY 

I can still remember my 

first day in big wintery 

mountains – it was a day 

where pride went before a 

fall and a fall went before 

my pride. It was up on 

Aonach Mor (near Ben Nevis), and we were 

going to learn winter skills (how to use an 

ice axe and crampons among other things) 

as we went along, taking in a summit later 

in the day. It was all a bit unoffcial, a group 

of mates, some more experienced than 

others. As a consequence the day was a bit 

of a farce. The first patch of snow 

necessitated crampons, and the initial 

experience of crampons on hard snow is a 

memorable event in itself. Enthused by the 

fact my boots, now adorned with ten spikes 

each, stuck aggressively to the icy slope 

ahead, I charged about like the overgrown 

child I am. But it wasn’t long before I 

needed to change direction. This might 

sound simple, but when you haven’t been 

taught the technique, it’s a tricky 

manoeuvre. Needless to say it ended with 

me slipping over. 

Slipping over on an icy slope isn’t good at 

the best of times, worse still when the ice 

axe arrest section of the day’s winter skills 

training hadn’t yet been reached. During 

the seconds (still vividly etched on my 

mind) that I slid to my obvious death, I took 

in the fact that waterproof clothes make 

you slide really, really fast, not at a constant 

speed, but at an ever increasing one. It was 

at this point that I decided to dust off my 

initiative and cobble together my own 

version of an ice axe arrest. As you can 

probably tell from the fact that I’m writing 

this, it worked, though it did cost me a 

bloody hand (I wasn’t wearing gloves!). 

Of all the winter skills I’ve learnt and 

experience I’ve gained over the years, the 

memory of the slip on that first day has 

probably kept me alive on more than one 

occasion. Being in the mountains in fullon 

winter conditions is for me the most 

thrilling thing to do in ‘our’ outdoors. Days 

have a sharpness and a savage beauty. But 

if you’re ever tempted to get skilled up for 

winter, I say this; go on a proper course, it’s 

not something the ‘university of your 

mates’ can be trusted with. 

FIRST STEPS, AGAIN 

Winter in the mountains changes more than 

you initially imagine – not least how to walk. 


Wild 

camping… 

with kids 

RECALLED BY: 


Camping is one of those 

activities that suffers 

most by comparison with 

Instagram ideals, those 

punitive spectres of 

perfection. Your typical 

camping photo is likely to feature more 

dampness, mizzle and mozzie-bites 

than starlight, Yosemite and gorgeous 

hipsters. But it’s worth it! And don’t 

worry about any compromises. Because 

even the disastrous wash-outs mature 

into treasured memories and the times 

when things come good will light up 

your soul as bright as a summer dawn. 

The night I first wild camped with 

the kids was hobbled from the start. 

I couldn’t get away from work in good 

time, and the drive to the Peak District 

took longer than expected. We arrived 

late, unfed, and faced a heavily-laden 

trudge up onto the Kinder Plateau, 

where we planned to camp at the 

Woolpack rocks. But the slumping sun 

was a rich gold, and there’s something 

about missing dinner, and being out late, 

and going against the homeward tide 

that keens the senses. The light was 

failing and a chill creeping when we 

SIMPLE PLEASURES 

Freshly purified water 

in early morning sun. 

Below right: Three 

folk and a dog in a 

two-person tent amid 

Kinder’s gritstone rocks. 

eventually got to our 

camp spot and lit our 

stove. In those conditions 

– the great vault of sky 

above you, your magicallyconjured 

room of safety 

and warmth beside you, 

and the closest of coconspirator 

feelings 

between you – you are apt 

to consider yourself lucky. 

We will remember that 

shared pan of fresh pasta, 

ziploc-splat of Dolmio, and (and excuse 

me for getting chefy here) two packets 

of Fridge Raiders, as among the greatest 

meals ever. After, we did a bit of dimlylit 

frisbee, had a natter and enjoyed an 

early night in our snugly-packed 

sleeping bags, breathing cool 

mountain air, and dreaming of the 

morning’s instant hot-chocolates. 

MORNING ALL 

Waiting for the water to 

boil for a Michelin-starred 

hot chocolate + flapjack. 

Below: Making our evening 

way up Grinds Brook. 

Next morning we strutted through the 

heather in our nightwear, ate flapjack 

and enjoyed a leisurely walk down, 

stopping to purify some water from 

a stream. It doesn’t sound like much, 

and it isn’t. But do you know what? And 

do you know what’s a really nice feeling 

wild camping is very good at giving you? 

That it’s enough. 

“ 

Even the disastrous wash-outs mature 

into treasured memories and the times 

when things come good will light up 

your soul. 

” 



Getting lost 

RECALLED BY: Jenny Walters, 

features editor 

There isn’t a good place 

to get lost, but I picked 

a very bad one. It was 

a wilderness island off 

Australia’s Queensland 

coast – no signal, hardly 

any people, a long way from help. I was 

walking something called the 

Thorsborne Trail on Hinchinbrook 

Island, a staggeringly beautiful 4-day 

hike of golden bays, mangrove-fringed 

creeks and mountains cloaked with 

rainforest. And on the first day I decided 

to take a detour to the top of Nina Peak. 

There was a path – it was narrow, but 

clear enough as it threaded through the 

lush forest – and I reached the rocky 

summit, cropping out above the 

treetops. I wandered among the 

boulders and gawped at the views, but 

when I turned to head down I realised 

I had no idea where I’d come up. I could 

not find the path in the melee of 

boulders. I tried a likely-looking line of 

dirt which soon petered out. I climbed 

back up and tried another. And another. 

Panic hit and I decided the next path 

had to be the one. Even when I reached 

a huge boulder blocking the way – a 

boulder I clearly hadn’t encountered 

WHICH WAY NOW? 

Beautiful view from Nina 

Peak – but which way 

down is it exactly? 

“ 

The lessons were manifold. Notice what’s 

behind you as well as ahead, so you can 

find your way back. Never climb down 

something you can’t climb back up. 

” 

on the way up – I decided to slide down 

over it, ripping the seat out of my only 

pair of trousers. But there was no path 

below. I couldn’t get back up. I was 

stuck. I glimpsed the sea I needed to 

reach and knew all I could do was forge 

my own way down the steep, roottangled, 

boulder-strewn mountainside. 

Did I do it slowly, with care? No. 

I barrelled, sobbing, down that hill. 

I smashed through knee-deep leaf litter 

with no idea what ankle-breaking rock 

it might be hiding, or venomous beast, or 

hidden cliff, and I gashed my shin open 

on a fallen tree I tried to hurdle, and still 

have the scar. Eventually, eventually, 

I reached the shore. I was so relieved 

to be down I ran into the waves and 

narrowly missed stepping on a stingray. 

The lessons were manifold. Notice 

what’s behind you as well as ahead, 

so you can find your way back. Never 

climb down something you can’t climb 

back up. And stop. Just stop. Pinball 

panic will get you nowhere. 

PHOTO: IMAGE PROFESSIONALS GMBH/ALAMY 

PHOTO: ANDREW BAIN/ALAMY 

PARADISE ISLAND 

Little Ramsay Bay on 

Hinchinbrook Island. Not a 

bad place to be a castaway.

Expert advice on the kit that makes a difference 

YOUR 

COMPLETE 

BUYING 

GUIDE TO 

BASE LAYERS 

(You know. Tops.) 

OUR 

TESTERS 

Country Walking 

always tests 

products for both 

men and women. 

Our reviewers 

Philip Thomas 

and Rachel 

Broomhead 

have notched up 

thousands of miles 

on foot, so they 

know the value 

of good kit at the 

right price. This 

test took them 

into countryside 

close to home in 

Lincolnshire, the 

Nene Valley and 

around Bristol. 

SNOW WAS LYING on the 

ground and temperatures 

were nudging zero when 

we started this test. By the 

time we were ready to write 

up our reviews, the daffodils were up 

and it was a balmy 15 degrees outside. 

So in spite of lockdown, it’s fair to say 

we were as rigorous as we could be 

in trialling these shirts. There’s nothing 

like a freezing walk one week followed 

by a spring stroll the next to get the 

measure of a base layer. 

What do we mean by ‘base layer’? 

As the name implies it’s the first layer 

worn next to your skin, and while it can 

specifically apply to thermal underwear, 

it has become a coverall term for 

‘outdoorsy shirt’. It’s their technical 

properties that make them special; 

specifically, how they deal with sweat. 

Perspiration is an inevitable and 

healthy part of exercise, but trapped 

under layers of clothing, it makes your 

skin feel clammy. In cold conditions, 

when de-layering isn’t an option, that 

moisture saps body heat too. So a good 

base layer transfers sweat outwards, 

leaving your skin drier and helping 

to regulate your body temperature. 

But they come in a vast range of 

styles. So we’ve compiled the widest 

variety of options from across the 

market, to make sure you’re good 

to go whatever it’s doing out there. 

About our reviews 

We’ve chosen ten base layer tops that 

should be widely available in the UK at 

the time of going to press. Philip and 

Rachel tested five each, and all but one 

come in both men’s and women’s styles 

(indicated by these dots ). We rate 

each top on comfort (how it fits and 

feels), anti-sweat properties (wicking 

and odour-resistance), versatility and 

value for money. We don’t select an 

overall winner, but Philip and Rachel 

have chosen their stand-out favourites 

and selected one top that represents 

best value for money. 

WHAT’S THE 

‘TARGET 

PRICE’? 

Shop around and 

you’ll probably find 

the gear we review 

on sale for less 

than the RRP. Our 

Target Prices are 

the lowest prices 

we could find from 

reputable retailers 

(high street and 

online) at the time 

of going to press. 

PHOTOGRAPHY: TOM BAILEY 


Buying Guide Base layers 

NECK 

Base layer shirts usually come in one 

of two styles: crew (a round-neck) or 

zip-neck , the latter typically being 

slightly pricier. Which one you 

go for comes down to 

personal preference. 

TAILORING 

The cut of technical walking shirts varies 

from top to top. Some are more casual: 

looser overall and shorter at the hem. 

Others are described as ‘athletic’: 

torso-hugging and 

‘articulated’ around 

the shoulders and 

elbows. Most 

fall happily 

in between. 

MOISTURE 

MANAGEMENT 

A wicking material (which 

moves sweat away from your 

skin via capillary action to 

evaporate) helps keep your 

skin dry and body warm. Manmade 

fibres offer the best 

performance in this respect, 

but unless treated (with a 

technology like Polygiene), 

cultivate pong-producing 

microbes over time. 

Conversely, natural fibres are 

inherently odour resistant, but 

tend not to wick as well. 

FABRIC 

Pure cotton should generally be avoided, as it traps 

sweat, which saps warmth from your skin in cold weather. 

Conversely, other natural fibres and synthetic yarns are 

much better at allowing moisture to evaporate, running 

warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Most fabrics are 

hybrids, combining the traits of different yarns. 

LENGTH 

Bear length in mind, 

especially in the sleeves 

and at the hem. Will it be 

long enough to keep you 

covered up on the move, 

without riding up every time 

you clamber over a stile? 

SEAMS 

Most technical walking 

shirts employ flat lock 

or other low bulk seams 

to minimise chafing. 

Turn over to read the tests… 


UNDER £40 

April 2021 

MONTANE 

Dart Long Sleeve 

RRP: £32 Target price: £25 

The Dart is an effortlessly cool base 

layer, proving that walking tops needn’t 

be technical or expensive to be 

functional and enjoyable. I loved the 

tailoring of it: it rests close to skin 

without wrapping you in a clingfilm-like 

grip, settling into more of a relaxed form 

of drapery. It’s woven out of polyester 

rather than natural materials like wool 

or cotton, so it doesn’t quite have that 

luxurious downy feel that other, pricier 

tops have, but the material is still soft 

and incredibly comfy, helped by the low 

profile flatlock seams. As I was yomping 

around my local hills in Bristol I did find 

it got sweatier more quickly than the 

natural-fibre tops did, though it also 

dried very fast. But ultimately this is 

more of an ‘I’ll deal with your sweat 

when it comes’ top rather than a ‘I’ll 

regulate your temperature nicely 

throughout the day’ top. As such, it’s 

best suited to moderate walking, rather 

than jagged hikes where your heart-rate 

races up and down with the terrain. 

With its in-built 40+ UPF sun protection, 

it could fast become the top you reach 

for as we enter the sunnier months, 

for casual spring wanders. RB 

INFO: Sizes: 6-16 Weight: 100g Fabric: 100% 

polyester Contact: 01670 522 300, 

montane.com 

+ 

– 

Comfy, flattering tailoring, 

breathable, great value. 

Limited wicking ability, 

not very warm. 

BERGHAUS Explorer 

Tech Tee LS Crew 


The Explorer Tech has something 

of a space-age sheen to it, perhaps 

reflecting Berghaus’s pride in their 

Argentium fabric technology, which is 

designed to wick moisture away from 

the skin and be stench-resistant. Made 

from 100% polyester, I did find that this 

top was incredibly breathable when 

I needed it to be. On steep pulls, I could 

feel the air pulling the moisture away, 

though unsurprisingly I found the antisweat 

properties more effective when 

worn on its own rather than under 

a mid or outer-layer. Like the Dart from 

Montane, the Explorer’s tailoring is 

relaxed and flattering on the torso, but 

its sleeves pull tight around the forearms 

and wrists. That makes it brilliant in the 

winter months when combining it with 

a mid-layer, as it stops the sleeves rolling 

up, and gloves can be pulled on easily 

over the cuffs. However, I did find the 

tightness slightly constricting on the 

forearms. There is good articulation in 

the shoulders though, so it certainly 

doesn’t restrict movement when 

negotiating technical terrain. This isn’t 

a terribly warm top, so it’s best worn 

with a mid-layer or on warm days. RB 


polyester Contact: 0345 607 2477, 

berghaus.com 

+ 

Highly breathable, good wicking 

properties, good value. 

OEX Barneo LS 

Baselayer Top 


Taking its name from an ice base deep 

inside the Arctic circle, the Barneo is the 

shirt I imagine Batman wears under his 

Batsuit when there’s crimefighting to be 

done at the North Pole. It only comes in 

black and outwardly appears incredibly 

technical. But there’s more to it than 

looks alone that would appeal to the 

Caped Crusader. Made by OEX 

(a premium own-brand initially sold by 

Go Outdoors), it’s a solid cold weather 

performer that makes smart use of 

textiles. A blend of bamboo viscose and 

polyamide makes for a soft, strong and 

stretchy fabric that handles sweat well. 

It’s also naturally odour resistant and 

has honeycomb-knitted zones at the 

sides for extra breathability where it’s 

most needed. I loved the thumb loops in 

the cuffs too, particularly when I wanted 

the long sleeves pulled all the way down 

over my wrists on frosty mornings. 

Indeed there are lots of good things to 

say about the Barneo, but it’s seriously 

let down by limited sizing. I’m normally 

a medium but had to settle for ‘smallmedium’, 

and though it’s meant to 

be a snug-fitting top, I found it 

intolerably tight at times. PT 

INFO: Sizes: S/M-XXL Weight: 245g Fabric: 

40% bamboo, 54% polyamide, 5% elastane 

Contact: 0330 008 1555, gooutdoors.co.uk 

+ 

– 

Great fabric performance, thumb 

loops to lock out draughts. 

Very limited range of sizes 

and colours. 

RATINGS 

COMFORT: 

BREATHABILITY: 

VERSATILITY: 

VALUE FOR MONEY: 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

RATINGS 

COMFORT: 


VERSATILITY: 


★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

– Not the comfiest. BEST FOR: Cold-weather outings in the 

RATINGS 

COMFORT: 


VERSATILITY: 


★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

BEST FOR: Far-reaching day walks 

over moderate terrain. 

BEST FOR: Dynamic strides out over 

varied terrain on mild, breezy days. 

moors and hills. 



£40–£50 

THE KNOWLEDGE 


3 

2 

1 

3 

2 

1 

FORCLAZ Trek 500 

Merino Zip 


There was a time when you would 

expect to pay top dollar for the luxuriant 

comfort of merino wool. Not any more. 

Moreover, this fetching top from 

Decathlon own-brand Forclaz puts 

many pricier shirts to shame. I was 

particularly impressed by the level of 

comfort and thoughtful touches that 

made it such a pleasure to wear – both 

in cold conditions and over the first mild 

days of spring. Warm, but not so thick 

it becomes completely redundant in 

balmier months, it’s a shirt I could 

happily slip into most of the year round; 

whether worn under toastier layers or 

just on its own. It felt wonderfully soft 

against my skin, while being snug but 

not overly tight-fitting. It was also 

adequately long enough to keep my 

lower back covered up, with its active 

tailoring and blend of polyamide and 

merino wool allowing for all the jiggling 

and stretching that an energetic walk 

often involves. On really cold days 

I had it zipped up to the top of my 

neck, where there’s an extra strip of 

soft, wicking fabric sewn into the collar 

– not only comfier, but great at sealing 

in warmth. Top marks all round. PT 

INFO: Sizes: S-XXXL Weight: 225g Fabric: 86% 

wool, 14% polyamide Contact: 0207 0643 000, 

decathlon.co.uk 

+ 

– 

RATINGS 

Good moisture management, 

great fit. 

Scratchy labels (I had to cut 

them out after a day). 

COMFORT: 


VERSATILITY: 


★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

BEST FOR: Cooler hikes far out or from 

home, from autumn through to spring. 

HELLY HANSEN 

LIFA Active Crew 


Venerable Norwegian brand Helly 

Hansen invented the very first technical 

base layer back in 1970 and this is the 

latest evolution of that innovative 

original, which pioneered the use 

of a wicking manmade fibre. Its then 

novel traits still underpin the newest 

incarnation. A perforated layer of fabric 

in contact with your skin draws heatsapping 

sweat droplets through to the 

outer layer where they can evaporate, 

resulting in drier therefore warmer skin. 

It’s simple physics and it works. The 

fibres also act as a layer of insulation. 

Although the LIFA range is largely 

geared towards skiers and climbers, 

the ‘Active’ layers like this one are light 

and versatile enough for general, yearround 

wear – be it gentle bimbling or 

hard and fast hiking. Imperceptibly 

lightweight, I liked wearing the Active 

Crew as much on its own as under 

a fleece and down jacket. Loose and 

unrestricting in the arms, it worked its 

wicking magic every time. The only 

drawback is that it lacks the antimicrobial 

qualities of a natural fibre top 

or a treated synthetic one. In all other 

respects it’s a fine all-rounder. PT 

INFO: Sizes: S-XXL Weight: 155g 

Fabric: 65% polyester, 35% polypropylene 

Contact: 0115 896 2388, hellyhansen.com 

+ 

– 

RATINGS 

Excellent wicking performance, 

very lightweight. 

Lacks odour resistance. 

COMFORT: 


VERSATILITY: 


★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

BEST FOR: Seriously sweaty day hikes, 

when you’re striding far, fast and high. 

Layering up 

A base layer (1) is the first part of 

a layering system: the science of 

dressing effciently and adaptably, 

adding or removing layers as needed. 

Each layer helps to keep you warm and 

dry. After a wicking base layer comes 

an insulating mid layer (2) (e.g. a 

fleece pullover or gilet), which helps to 

preserve your body heat. Lastly comes 

the outer layer (3) your shield against 

the elements. In the UK, this usually 

means waterproof and breathable ‘hard 

shell’ jacket, but it can also be a windresistant 

softshell or insulated jacket. 

Natural vs synthetic 

Natural yarns (like wool or bamboo 

viscose) and man-made fibres (such 

as polyester and polyamide) each 

have their merits and shortcomings. 

Broadly speaking, they are these… 

NATURAL 

✔ Is warmer and softer 

✔ Is naturally antibacterial and 

odour-resistant 

✘ Can require special washing 

✘ Is usually more expensive 

✘ Wool can be itchy on sensitive skin 

SYNTHETIC 

✔ Is usually lighter 

✔ …and cheaper 

✘ Only antibacterial if treated 

✘ Not as warm as merino 

Washing day 

Many brands recommend you wash their 

base layers using a dedicated detergent 

to shift dirt, body oils and stubborn 

odours. It’s a hassle, but prolongs 

the freshness and performance 

of the fabric. Try Nikwax 

BaseWash (£4, for synthetics) 

or Grangers Merino Wash 

(£5.25). Most shirts can be 

washed as you would sportwear 

or woollens, at 40° or below. 

More baselayers overleaf… 


£40–£50 


FINISTERRE 

Vela 


Sumptuous is the best word to describe 

the fabric Finisterre have magicked up 

here. The Vela is crafted with a luxurious 

blend of bamboo viscose and organic 

cotton, and it feels absolutely delightful: 

soft, light, comforting. But it isn’t all 

feeling: sold as a vegan alternative to 

merino wool, and with a pleasing badge 

of sustainability to boot, I found that 

the Vela performed with all the same 

easy technical ability as its sheepderived 

counterparts. It regulated 

my temperature throughout the day, 

making the dreaded layer stops much 

more infrequent as I sidled up my local 

hills. And when the sweat did come, 

the Vela wicked it away with aplomb, 

meaning I didn’t feel the need to dry off 

or air myself out at the top of a climb. 

I found it warm, too, perfect for layering 

up under a fleece on a cool day. For the 

warmer months, though, the Vela may 

be a tad too cosy. In terms of fit, it’s 

more on the body-hugging side of the 

scale, but it does feel like a hug rather 

than a squeeze. Although still pricey 

for a top, it’s excellent value when 

considered alongside the cost of 

a merino wool base layer. RB 

BAM Zip-Neck 

Bamboo Base Layer 


Bamboo viscose clothing is very 

much in vogue right now, but it was 

a Devon-based brand called BAM 

who embraced the potential of this 

sustainable, plant-based textile early 

on in 2006. And it really shows in this 

finely honed shirt of theirs. It’s hard to 

describe just how wonderfully comfy it 

is. Not wishing to sound overly sensual, 

I relished the soft almost frictionless 

feeling of it against my skin and was 

impressed by how it handled 

perspiration. BAM blend the bamboo 

viscose yarn with organic cotton and 

a smidgeon of elastane for extra stretch 

and durability, resulting in a fabric that’s 

both kind to sensitive skin and able 

to withstand lots of wear. It has all the 

odour resistance and absorption of wool 

without the itchiness. This particular top 

(available in other colours) is long in the 

hem and relatively close-fitting, tailored 

for moving around in, with the added 

benefit of thumb loops in the cuffs, 

which kept my forearms and lower 

back covered up – not exposed to chills. 

It’s attention to detail like this, coupled 

with overall comfort, that made it a real 

joy to have on. PT 

COLUMBIA Stretch 

Baselayer LS H-Zip 


Columbia have lined the inside of this 

base layer with what they call Omni- 

Heat Reflective, or ‘magic in a little 

silver dot’. The material is studded with 

hundreds of these little shiny sequin-like 

things, and if you were to turn the top 

inside out you could happily slide off the 

mountain into a 1980s disco. But, alas, 

they’re designed for functionality alone: 

the dots reflect body heat, thus keeping 

you warm when you need it. I felt toasty 

in this base layer, which was a blessing 

on the cold days, but I was also pleased 

to find that the warmth didn’t preclude 

breathability. For a synthetic fabric, the 

Omni-Heat technology does a great job 

at wicking away moisture, and the zipneck 

collar goes a long way to whisking 

away any excess heat that does build 

up. Columbia have also designed this 

top with ergonomics in mind: they’ve 

used elastane to keep things stretchy 

and dynamic, and there’s good 

articulation in the shoulders, allowing for 

freedom of movement over scrambles 

or stiles. It isn’t a particularly cosy top 

though and it’s not quite as versatile as 

others, being more designed for cool or 

cold days than the milder seasons. RB 


bamboo viscose, 28% organic cotton, 4% elastane 

Contact: 01872 554481, finisterre.com 

+ 

Luxuriously comfy, warm, 

excellent technical performance. 

+ 

– On the pricey side. – 

INFO: Sizes: S-XXL Weight: 320g Fabric: 68% 

bamboo viscose, 28% organic cotton, 4% elastane 

Contact: 01752 581 458, bambooclothing.co.uk 

Super soft skin-friendly fabric, 

excellent fit. 

None (if not for the value of the 

Forclaz, it would be my winner). 

INFO: Sizes: XS-XXL Weight: 155g Fabric: 85% 

polyester, 15% elastane Contact: 0800 464 0876, 

columbiasportswear.co.uk 

+ 

– 

Warm, breathable, 

dynamic fit. 

Not very comfy, can overheat 

in milder weather. 

RATINGS 

COMFORT: 


VERSATILITY: 


★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

RATINGS 

COMFORT: 


VERSATILITY: 


★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

RATINGS 

COMFORT: 


VERSATILITY: 


★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

BEST FOR: BEST FOR: Wide-ranging 

adventures in cool or mild weather. 

BEST FOR: Autumn-to-spring walks 

– be they short, long, high or low. 

BEST FOR: Cold days over varied 

terrain for warmth without moisture. 



£50+ 

BEST OF THE REST 

ROHAN Merino Union 

150 Crew LS 


If you’re after a versatile walking shirt 

that can pass muster in a posh pub and 

won’t pong too badly after a long day on 

the path, this could be just what you’re 

looking for. As practical as it is smart 

in a muted way, the Merino Union 150 

keeps things beautifully simple. What 

you see is what you get: a lightweight, 

low bulk and loose-fitting merino layer 

that feels marvellously soft against your 

skin. I found it a delight to wear as an 

underlayer on those first cool and bright 

days of spring, feeling adequately thick 

enough to insulate, but not absurdly 

toasty as I warmed up. It stayed 

unclammy throughout and resisted 

odour build-up over several days. The 

merino wool is bolstered by polyester 

for extra durability and enhanced 

wicking. Though I’ve only worn it in 

winter and spring so far, it’s a top I’d 

happily keep wearing into summer. 

Being so light, fast-drying and easily 

packable, it makes for a great shirt for 

multi-day treks as well as just day walks. 

I’d have liked it slightly longer at the 

hem, but otherwise it’s hard to find 

fault with. Slightly pricey it may be, 

but you can’t go wrong with it. PT 

SMARTWOOL Merino 

150 Baselayer LS 


It’s always a pleasure to wear merino 

wool, and Smartwool are among the 

best in the industry at weaving it into 

high-performing walking gear. This 

base layer is no exception. The top 

kept me beautifully balanced (in terms 

of temperature, anyway) while I was 

pacing my home patch, and I barely 

knew I was wearing it: it really did 

feel like a second skin, so good is it at 

wicking away moisture. This top, the 

150, is designed for slightly milder 

weather than Smartwool’s heavier 

version, the 250, but I found it 

supremely versatile. It was brilliant 

on the first mild days of spring, but 

when I paired it with a warm mid-layer 

on a frosty day it still kept my body 

temperature just right. Smartwool have 

blended the merino with nylon at the 

garment’s core in order to improve 

durability, while still keeping 100% 

merino next the skin – for my money 

though, I didn’t think the fabric was 

quite as a soft and cosy as I’m used to 

in merino wool garments. Still, it’s comfy 

enough, and the performance is superb 

– given the other options though, the 

price tag is eye-wateringly steep. RB 

SNUGPAK 2nd Skinz £22 

Plain, unfussy and reliable, Snugpak’s 

Skinz does the business and comes 

at a good price. This solid all-rounder’s 

synthetic ‘Coolmax’ fibres do a brilliant 

job of wicking away sweat. It’s a versatile 

layer for year-round use. 

www.snugpak.com 

SALOMON Essential 

Move On Seamless £55 

It’s pricey for a synthetic base layer, but 

has one significant ace up its sleeves: 

no side seams, which means minimal 

chafing. Light and close-fitting, but not 

uncomfortably tight, and coming with 

thumb loops, it’s very well tailored 

with a feminine fit. salomon.com 

INFO: Sizes: S-XXL Weight: 160g 

Fabric: 63% merino wool, 37% polyester 

Contact: 0800 840 1412, rohan.co.uk 

+ 

Soft, lightweight, odourresistant 

and packable. 

+ 

– None. – 

RATINGS 

COMFORT: 


VERSATILITY: 


★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

BEST FOR: Year-round leisurely 

and long-distance walks. 

INFO: Sizes: XS-XL Weight: 160g 

Fabric: 88% merino wool, 12% nylon 

Contact: smartwool.co.uk 

RATINGS 

Excellent technical performance 

and all-round versatility. 

Very, very expensive. 

COMFORT: 


VERSATILITY: 


★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

BEST FOR: Almost any adventure, 

in all weathers, over all terrain. 

EDZ 200g Merino 

Zip Neck £60 

A previous tester’s choice, Cumbrian 

brand EDZ’s mid-weight 100% merino 

base layer provides cocooning warmth 

and soft-to-the-touch, flat seam 

comfort. Slim fitting and tailored with 

a dropped back, it kept us reliably 

covered up in the cold and on the move. 

www.edzlayering.com 


Crossword & puzzles 

PHOTO: SETH LAZAR/ALAMY* 

Tea break 

Walking wordsearch 

Drip, drip drop little April shower... 

10 wet words to find, and a bonus one 

I U Z V K H P H K L U Q J N M 

R E I 

X R R P P 

S S H O W E R W S C L Z 

I D O W N P O U R B 

F V W I G R Z V P A Q M S B C 

V M B T P F 

I G T Q Y I Q M C 

F P E E D O W N Q B A Z U L O 

T O R R E N T Y K R C Z A F Z 

J U O M Z A X V X L O L L Z L 

L N G M D R I Z Z L E E L F G 

P Y C L O U D B U R S T J L D 

E Y K T W P E Q G E W J U A W 

P I K W M B L R H K D D H M O 

P U C M W X U E B G G U S F W 

P E X R S K G A J B W B F S L 

I O G K W N E F Q K Z A V T V 

● CLOUDBURST 

● DELUGE 

● DOWNPOUR 

● DRIZZLE 

● MIZZLE 

● SHOWER 

● SPIT 

● SPRINKLE 

● SQUALL 

● TORRENT 

Where is this? 

JUST 

FOR 

FUN 

Country: ____________________ (Apprentice) 

National Park: ____________________ (Master) 

Specifically it’s: _________________________ 

_______________________________ (Maestro) 

Last month’s answers 

WHERE IS THIS? 

Dunstanburgh Castle, 

Northumberland, England 

JUST 

FOR 

FUN 

PHOTO: JOHN PETER PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY* 

PRIZE CROSSWORD 

7 

10 

15 

20 

1 

12 13 

16 

25 26 

27 

14 

2 3 4 

19 

21 22 23 

28 

17 

9 

11 

18 

8 

5 6 

Win Cicerone guidebooks 

Three lucky winners will each get to select two 

guidebooks from Cicerone’s range, including 

The National Trails of England, Scotland and 

Wales and Walking in Arran. For more details, 

Tel. 01539 562069 or visit www.cicerone.co.uk 

EMAIL COMPLETED PUZZLES TO: 

cwcrossword@bauermedia.co.uk 

Closing date: April 29, 2021 

Name ..................................................................................................... 

Address ............................................................................................... 

............................................................................................................... 

............................................................................................................... 

..........................................................Postcode ............................... 

Email .................................................................................................. 

ACROSS 

7 Maybe I scan the south from the 

extreme north-west region of 

Scotland (9) 

8 See 1 down 

10 Final MoD alteration to Peak District 

valley (8) 

11 Haul to top of Nidderdale – 

paradise! (6) 

12 Observed to be at a bit of a loose 

end (4) 

13 Follow a twisting course, then hurry 

to Cotswold river (8) 

15 Show off, then slip badly within 

24 hours (7) 

17 Chase in the Staffordshire 

countryside (7) 

20 It’s a game to get new boot in 

autumn (8) 

22 Small stream starts running into 

little lake (4) 

25 Cut north to the river (6) 

26 Supports us, covered with dirty 

marks (8) 

27 It enables you to think, ‘Bravo! 

Wet weather!’ (5) 

28 Maybe ramble with me and Oscar 

– not easily forgotten! (9) 

24 

DOWN 

By Will Adams 

SPRING ANSWERS 

MARCH WINNERS 

Mr T Carder, Brighton 

Mary Mullarky, Cornwall 

Lynn Tarrant, Beckenham 

Spring issue winners will 

be published next month. 

uFull terms and conditions can be 

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1 & 8 across Clara’s made fresh 

dressing (5,5) 

2 Hit by industrial action? (6) 

3 One problem you can’t sleep on! (8) 

4 Tree felled in ancient Forest of 

East Sussex? (7) 

5 Preparatory test made prior to 

jogging? (5,3) 

6 Possess a hessian bag, we’re told 

– one carried by a walker, perhaps 

(9) 

9 Avoid some of the hellish 

undergrowth (4) 

14 Roughly mile trek round foot of 

Munro – roughly 0.6 miles (9) 

16 Footway with poetical heart? 

Miserably inadequate! (8) 

18 A piece of underwear is back on, 

to prevent this rubbing process, 

maybe… (8) 

19 …while result of a rubbing boot 

has left herbalists confused (7) 

21 Cousin’s Mum found in Taunton (4) 

23 Animals now bred in the UK, 

requiring a small modification (6) 

24 21’s husband might be masculine, 

but lacking aims (5) 

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AND 27 ROUTES ACROSS THE COUNTRY 

PHOTO: ROB FORD/ALAMY; ILLUSTRATION: SHUTTERSTOCK

@SecretHillsWalking 

info@secrethillswalking.co.uk 

SPECIALIST GUIDED WALKING HOLIDAYS FOR SOLO TRAVELLERS 

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Ashfield House Self Catering Cottage 

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www.ashfieldhouse.info 

ashfieldhouse@rocketmail.com 

GUIDED WALKING 

HOLIDAYS IN WALES 

Explore the spectacular scenery, history & wildlife of the Pembrokeshire 

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Full-board with delicious food, croquet, coracling, etc. Relaxed houseparty 

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Visit England cottages (Forge gold award) – 

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CAT HOLE COTTAGES 

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Beautiful Dales scenery, 

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Tel: 01748 886366 

Email: judith@catholecottages.com 

www. catholecottages.com 

NEW BOOK 

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Ideal base for walkers and 

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We also offer secure cycle 

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South West Coast Path from Minehead to Bude. Single stay 

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and food, for groups of 6-8 people. SWMML qualified guided walks 

available ‘Walk the walk and let us take care of the rest’ 

www.walkingdevon.org • ian@walkingdevon.org • 07801 711913 

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choose from cosy cottages, 

luxury houses and a choice of 

coastal gems. 

www.northumbria-cottages.co.uk • 01665 830783 

GLENCOE GUEST HOUSE KESWICK 

Keith & Sally warmly welcome families, muddy boots and bikes. 

Pppn £42.00 to £44.00 

21 Helvellyn Street, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 4EN 

017687 71016 • enquiries@glencoeguesthouse.co.uk 

SHEPHERDS ARMS HOTEL 

Winner Tripadvisor 2020 Travellers’ Choice 

Ennerdale valley is 

remote, wild and 

peaceful, a hidden 

Lake District gem 

with the dramatic 

St Bees coastline 

nearby too. 

Enjoy exploring 

them from the 

warm comfort of a village inn with a fine reputation for good 

food and some great off-peak offers this winter. 

The Shepherds Arms Hotel, Ennerdale Bridge, CA23 3AR 

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COMFORT IN THE HEART 

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27 ROUTES with Ordnance Survey Maps 

Britain’s est 

WALKS 

APRIL 2021 

SOUTH 

WEST 

SOUTH 

EAST 

MIDLANDS 

EAST 

PHOTO: MARTIN BACHE/ALAMY 

DREAM STREAM 

Festooned with greenery, 

Cornwall’s River Fowey 

gurgles under the ivy-hung 

medieval arches of Respryn 

Bridge, crossed in Walk 1. 

Springtime bliss 

A film star hill in South Wales l Sweeping views 

from an unsung fell in the Lake District l Woodland 

miles in Herefordshire... and more great walks 

NORTH 

WEST 

NORTH 

EAST 

WALES 

SCOTLAND 

IRELAND

Britain’s est 

WALKS 

Find a great walk near you... 

01 Cornwall Lanhydrock & Restormel Castle 

02 Somerset Exford 

03 Wiltshire Liddington Hill 

04 Hampshire New Alresford 

05 Hampshire Cheriton to Titchborne 

06 Greater London Bexleyheath 

07 Essex/Hertfordshire Little Hallingbury 

08 Herefordshire Haugh Wood 

09 Shropshire Ludlow & Bromfield 

10 Warwickshire Hawkesbury Junction 

11 Rutland Oakham & Egleton 

12 Derbyshire Shardlow 

13 Norfolk North Walsham & Dilham Canal 

14 Lincolnshire Cherry Willingham 

15 Cheshire/Staffordshire Scholar Green 

16 Cumbria Cartmel Fell & Simpson Ground 

17 South Yorkshire Anston Stones 

18 North Yorkshire The Hammertons 

19 County Durham Lanchester & Humber Hill 

20 Northumberland Cunyan Crags 

21 Pembrokeshire Carregwastad Point 

22 Glamorgan The Garth 

23 Gwynedd The Tarrens 

24 Stirling Ben Lomond & Ptarmigan Ridge 

25 Perth & Kinross Glen Sherup 

26 Highland Coire Lagan 

27 Cumbria Mosedale & Pillar 

CLASSIC 

ROUTE 

Route 

updates 

26 

21 

01 

24 25 

23 

02 

27 

16 

22 

09 

08 

15 

20 

19 

03 

18 

17 

12 

10 

04 

05 

11 

SOUTH WEST 

SOUTH EAST 

MIDLANDS 

EAST 

NORTH WEST 

NORTH EAST 

14 

WALES 

SCOTLAND 

IRELAND 

uDallinghoo, Suffolk, Spring 2021, Walk 11 – Point 3 After emerging from 

tunnel turn L (not R) and follow markers to car park adjacent to churchyard. 

If you spot a route which needs updating, email cwroutes@bauermedia.co.uk 

07 

06 

13 

How to use 

your routes 

WALK INFORMATION 

An estimate of how long the route will take, 

based on a pace of about two miles per hour, 

with allowances made for slower, hilly routes. 

OUR EXPERTS 

All our routes are written by experienced and 

knowledgeable walkers who are experts at 

finding the best walks in their area and 

describing them clearly. 

ABBREVIATIONS 

We have abbreviated left to L and right to R. 

GRADIENT PROFILE 

Check the ascent and descent (hilliness) of 

the route with a quick glance at this profile. 

GRADE 

Our routes are graded easy, moderate, challenging 

or occasionally extreme, depending on distance, 

terrain, elevation and ease of navigation. Easy and 

moderate walks are usually less than 8 miles with 

relatively gentle gradients. The table below shows 

how we grade our more challenging walks: 

challenging 

extreme 

W 

S 

N 

E 

A 

B 

W 

S 

N 

E 

A 

B 

TERRAIN: Min 2000ft ascent, sustained 

steepness and rocky or boggy ground. 

NAVIGATION: Good map-reading and 

compass skills required in places. 

DISTANCE: Route is between 8-12 miles 

from start to finish. 

TERRAIN: 3000ft+ with sustained steep 

ascent/descent; possible scrambling. 

NAVIGATION: Sound navigation skills 

required; route may be trackless. 

DISTANCE: Route is more than 12 miles 

from start to finish. 

CW routes online 

and on your phone! 

Country Walking has partnered up with 

Ordnance Survey’s OS Maps to bring you 

the ultimate interactive routes experience. 

Subscribers to CW get half-price access to OS 

Maps, where you can view and print 1:25 000 and 1:50 000 OS maps for all of GB at no extra cost, plan your own walks 

and view this month’s routes online. In addition, the OS Maps app for smartphones and tablets turns this online tool into 

a powerful navigation aid. Subscribers can upload their own routes, download the routes from the magazine and browse 

more than 1000 more from previous issues. For more details, and to subscribe, visit www.walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes 

MAPS (on reverse of route card) 

Follow the red route marked clearly on the map. 

It’s essential to take the relevant Ordnance 

Survey map with you in case you get lost and 

inadvertently leave the area covered by our map. 


✁ 

0 

km 0 2 

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

0 

km 0 2 

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

metres 

200 

metres 

200 

400 

400 

600 

600 



1 Start 

From Lanhydrock car park, 

follow signs towards house and 

garden. Go through red gate, 

past reception kiosk and along 

1¼ miles/2km 

3 Turn R through signed gate 

for 1½ mile-each-way detour 

to Restormel Castle and back. 

(Or, for shorter route, continue 

➥ ➥ 

CHOSEN BY… 

PHOEBE TAPLIN 

Shady woods, 

riverside paths and 

formal gardens make this loop 

on public and permissive paths 

around the Lanhydrock Estate 

an idyllic summertime walk. 

It’s also spectacular in golden 

autumn and in spring, when 

bluebells, rhododendrons 

or camellias are flowering. 

Energetic hikers can opt 

for a three mile there-andback 

detour to circular 13 th - 

century Restormel Castle (fee; 

English Heritage, book ahead). 

2 ½ mile/0.8km 

Fork L at junction and 

later R, following red arrows. 

Continue down through Great 

Wood, following main track 

L. Turn R at T-junction and R 

again onto leafy sunken lane. 

After about 100m, fork L and 

follow arrow L to stream. 

oak avenue. Keep straight 

down tarmac path past 

gatehouse and follow track R. 

Just before gateway into 

courtyard, turn sharp L 

following red arrow up 

wide stony track. 

CHOSEN BY… 

ROBERT HESKETH 

This classic walk in 

the heart of Exmoor 

combines moorland rambling 

with a beautiful riverside path 

in the Exe Valley. A steep climb 

leads up to Road Hill and 

Room Hill, with fine views 

over Exford and wide vistas 

stretching to Exmoor’s highest 

point, Dunkery Beacon 1713ft 

(519m). From Room Hill 

(1244ft/377m), the bridleway 

plunges 462ft (140m) into 

Curr Cleave, whose steep sides 

show the erosive power of the 

river over millennia. After 

crossing the Exe at Nethercote, 

we follow the bridleway and 

footpath back to Exford. 

As there are now more than 

2500 red deer on the moor 

(England’s largest herd), there 

is always a chance of seeing 

them, especially in areas of the 

moor such as this with ample 

cover. However, you need to 

stay alert and keep quiet. 

Deer are easier to spot in 

winter once the leaves have 

fallen. They are most active 

early and late in the day, 

but are very wary – 

understandable in view 

of Exmoor’s long hunting 

traditions. They have an 

excellent sense of smell and 

very sharp hearing. Usually, 

they will be aware of you long 

before you are aware of them. 

Well camouflaged, deer are 

surprisingly easy to overlook 

despite their considerable size 

and very adept at blending 

into the background. Often, 

they react to human presence 

by staying stock still. 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Bodmin 

Refreshments At start and 

other cafés nr main house 

Public toilets Near start 

& Bodmin Parkway station 

Public transport Bodmin 

Parkway is a ½ mile walk 

from point 7. Also served 

by steam railway and buses 

to Padstow Plymouth. 

Maps OS Explorer 107; 

Landranger 200 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Dulverton 

Refreshments White 

Horse Hotel and Crown 

Hotel at Exford, plus 

Exford Bridge Tea Rooms 

Public toilets At start 

Public transport. 198 

Dulverton/Minehead 

route, Monday-Saturday, 

0871 200 2233; 

www.travelinesw.com 

Maps OS Explorer OL9; 


More walks Tearoom and 

Pub Walks on Exmoor, 

Robert Hesketh, Bossiney 

Books, 2019. 

PHOTO: PHOEBE TAPLIN 

ROUTE 

Start/parking Lanhydrock 

National Trust car park 

(book ahead; fee for 

non-members). Some 

alternative parking near 

points 6 & 8. PL30 4AB, 

grid ref SX088646 

Is it for me? Mostly 

well-signed and wellsurfaced 

tracks. Detour 

to Restormel along quiet 

lane. Muddy in winter 

on some riverside paths; 

moderate climbs up and 

down through woods. 

Stiles None 

PHOTO: ROBERT HESKETH 

ROUTE 

Start/parking Signed car 

park, Exford, TA24 7PP, 

grid ref SS853384 

Is it for me? Bridleway 

and footpath. One steep 

ascent, one steep descent. 

Beware loose stones. 

Stiles 3 

The stunning gatehouse 

at Lanhydrock. 

PLAN YOUR WALK 

Views to Dunkery Beacon 

from Room Hill. 


uDistance: 7 miles/11.25km uTime: 4 hours uGrade: Moderate uDistance: 5 miles/8km uTime: 2½ hours uGrade: Moderate 

01 

CORNWALL 

02 

LANHYDROCK & RESTORMEL CASTLE 

SOUTH WEST 

SOMERSET 

EXFORD 

SOUTH WEST

DATE WALKED 

TIME TAKEN 

YOUR RATING 


CORNWALL 

LANHYDROCK & RESTORMEL CASTLE 

02 

SOMERSET 

01 

EXFORD 

SOUTH WEST 


uOS Explorer map OL9 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop uOS Explorer map 107 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop 

©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2021 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 003/21 

to follow red arrows ahead and 

jump to point 5). Follow stony 

path uphill between banks of 

bracken. Go through gate and 

keep straight along path, track, 

and then lane for ¾ mile. When 

private road bends R, keep 

straight through gate along 

narrow lane above Fowey 

Valley. Eventually, lane curves R 

past barns and cottages. Sign 

on R marks foot of steep drive 

up to Restormel Castle. 


DON’T MISS... 

START 

1 

8 

1 

START 

7 

Exford’s two 

fine hotels, 

each with 

good collections of 

Exmoor photographs, 

sporting prints and 

trophies of the chase. 

6 

2 

4 3 miles/5km 

Return towards 

Lanhydrock the same way, 

to emerge through gate by 

stream and turn R on path with 

red arrow. Go through gate and 

continue to River Fowey. 

DATE WALKED TIME TAKEN YOUR RATING 

5 

5 

3 

2 

1 

Start 

Walk to the far end of the 

car park. Continue through 

a gate for 400m to a path 

junction. Turn R. Turn L at 

Court Farm. When the lane 

bends sharp R, bear L through 

the gate as signed. Continue 

uphill. 

4½ miles/7.25km 

Turn L along delightful 

riverside path with water on R. 

Approaching footbridge, after 

about 300m, ignore red arrow 

and turn R over bridge. 

Continue along waterside path 

with River Fowey now on L. 

When path reaches lane, 

turn L over Respryn Bridge. 

5 

3 

4 

4 

2 

1¼ miles/1.8km 

At the path junction 

turn R, signed ‘Room Hill’. 

Keep L when the track forks, 

signed ‘Nethercote’. Continue 

around the head of the 

deep combe. 

6¼ miles/10km 

Keep on down stony track 

to road. Cross over into lane 

and turn immediately R 

through red gate. Follow 

path ahead around cricket 

field back to car park. 

8 

stream. Follow path over 

surfaced track (station is R) 

to red gate. 

5¾ miles/9.25km 

Go through gate, turn L for 

10m and R through another 

gate. Walk up stony path 

through trees. Keep L up main 

path, following yellow arrows 

and green-backed National 

Trust symbol. At junction with 

cycle path, keep straight on 

path and R at next fork. At 

junction with stony track, turn 

L following sign for car park. 

7 


On far side of bridge, 

turn R down wooden steps 

and follow grassy path through 

gate. Continue on path with 

river behind trees on R. Cross 

small stream on rough stepping 

stones and head R through 

wooden gate. Go on along 

path near river. Immediately 

after crossing little wooden 

footbridge, turn L beside 

6 

VIEW THE WALK ON 

OS MAPS ONLINE: 

walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes 




3 


Keep L after 450m 

‘Winsford’. Continue over the 

grass, past an abandoned 

harrow. Bear L at the blue 

waymark. Follow the bridleway 

steeply downhill and parallel 

to the gully. On reaching the 

river, turn R for 50m. 

© Country Walking April 2021 

IN ASSOCIATION WITH 



5 


Just beyond Lyncombe, 

turn L over stile. Follow 

footpath to ford. Don’t cross. 

R over stile. Follow footpath 

along east bank of Exe, then 

uphill as it diverges from river. 

Continue to Court Farm, 

ignoring side turnings. Turn R. 

Retrace steps to start. 

4 


Cross bridge. Continue 

uphill ‘Bridleway Lyncombe’ 

for 150m. Turn sharp L 

‘Lyncombe’. 

✁ 

SOUTH WEST

✁ 

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600 



CHOSEN BY… 

NIGEL VILE 

This walk, just a 

mile-or-two from 

Swindon’s south-eastern 

suburbs, is an absolute 

classic. From a fairly 

anonymous layby on a road 

to the village of Aldbourne, 

the walk heads out through 

Shipley Bottom and up onto 

Liddington Hill where we join 

the course of the Ridgeway. 

In a mile-or-so, there is an 

almost obligatory detour 

to Liddington Castle, an 

Iron Age hillfort with a 

commanding location high 

above the North Wiltshire 

countryside. Stretched out 

below is the whole of 

Swindon, with vistas that 

extend deep into the 

Cotswolds. To the south 

is the Upper Og Valley – 

hailed as the ‘perfect 

amphitheatre of green hills’ 

by the Victorian nature writer 

Richard Jeffries (born down 

at Coate Farm in 1848), who 

would often walk up here just 

to spend hours lounging about 

the earthworks in a reverie. 

The Ridgeway section of this 

walk ends below Liddington 

Castle, beyond which lies 

Sugar Hill, archetypal chalk 

downland with tumuli, 

earthworks and barrows. 

Also enamoured by this 

ancient landscape and its 

old ways was the poet 

Edward Thomas, who 

described Shipley Bottom 

as ‘walled on every side 

by down and sky’. 

1 Start 

Follow the byway away from 

➥ ➥ 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Swindon 

Refreshments None on 

route, nearest is Village Inn 

in Liddington on the B4192 

back into Swindon (01793 

790314; villageinnliddington.co.uk) 

Public toilets None 

Public transport None 

Maps OS Explorer 157, 


1 Start 

From car park walk down 

Station Road and opposite 

toilets on L take diagonal path 

on R into churchyard, bearing L 

to church. Continue to road 

junction and keep ahead down 

Broad Street. At bottom where 

road bears R, walk keeps ahead 

down Mill Hill to L. To view Old 

2 ⅓ mile/0.5km 

Walk down lane to its end, 

continuing along footpath 

passing Memorial Garden on L. 

Path carries on beside River 

Alre on R to 13th-century 

thatched timber framed Fulling 

Mill which spans river. Continue 

alongside river to reach end of 

a road. Turn R continuing along 

footpath to Eel House, small 

brick building astride river, built 

in 1820s and recently restored. 

Path continues on other side of 

PLANNING 

Nearest town 

New Alresford 

Refreshments Plenty of 

choice in New Alresford 

Public toilets Near car 

park close to start 

Public transport Bus 64 

Winchester-Alton via New 

Alresford. Watercress Line 

Alton-New Alresford 

(01962 733810). 



CHOSEN BY… 

FIONA BARLTROP 

Starting with a 

picturesque riverside 

walk, this attractive circuit 

over rolling downland heads 

northwards from New 

Alresford to visit The Grange, 

a magnificent mansion set in 

beautiful grounds, returning 

via the quiet village of Old 

Alresford. 

Alresford Pond, continue down 

B3046 a little further (no 

pavement initially - take care) 

to Globe pub and take path on 

R. Retrace steps and carry on 

down Mill Hill, then L into 

Ladywell Lane, route of 

Wayfarer’s Walk (WW). 

PHOTO: NIGEL VILE 

ROUTE 

Start/parking A parking 

area alongside the B4192 

between Swindon and 

Aldbourne, 3.5km south 

east of Liddington, grid ref 

SU231786, nearest 

postcode SN4 0EB 

Is it for me? Well-defined 

tracks that cross open 

downland. A moderate 

ascent onto Liddington 

Hill and a steep descent 

from Sugar Hill 

Stiles None 

PHOTO: FIONA BARLTROP 

ROUTE 

Start/parking Station car 

park (P&D), New Alresford, 

SO24 9JQ, grid ref 

SU588324 or Christy 

village hall car park (free) 

and nearby roadside, 

Old Alresford, SO24 9DH, 

grid ref SU587340 

Is it for me? Town roads, 

riverside path, downland 

tracks and paths, country 

lanes. Gentle gradients. 

Shortcut takes distance 

down to 6¼ miles/9.8km 

Stiles None 

SEE 

FEATURE 

ON PAGE 16 

The path heading 

for The Ridgeway. 


The bridge over 

Candover Brook. 


uDistance: 5 miles/8km uTime: 2½ hours uGrade: Moderate uDistance: 9 miles/14.25km uTime: 4½ hours uGrade: Moderate 

B 

03 

WILTSHIRE 

04 

HAMPSHIRE 

LIDDINGTON HILL 

NEW ALRESFORD 

SOUTH WEST 

A 

SOUTH EAST

DATE WALKED 

TIME TAKEN 

YOUR RATING 


WILTSHIRE 

LIDDINGTON HILL 

04 

HAMPSHIRE 

03 

NEW ALRESFORD 

SOUTH WEST 



2 


5 

3 

6 

river, gently rising. Bear L, 

cross a drive and keep ahead 

ignoring a R turn. Bear L at 

the road. Very soon where 

road curves L, turn R up 

restricted byway, still following 

WW (also waymarked as 

Watercress Way). Continue 

to junction of tracks and 

bear R uphill to lane. 


SHORTCUT 

4 

7 



L along lane. Further on, 

in fields either side of road, 

earthworks of deserted 

medieval village of Abbotstone 

can be seen. Carry on down 

to road junction. 

3 

START 

1 

3 

2 

START 

1 

with a bridleway on the L and 

a footpath on the R, continue 

following the main grassy path 

ahead across Sugar Hill for 

1.3km to a junction beyond 

a gateway where the L turn 

is signposted to Aldbourne. 

At this point, pass through 

a gateway on the R and follow 

a track downhill to reach the 

B4192 in 700m. Cross the 

road to return to the 

parking area. 

turning L to follow the line 

of a fence across the hilltop 

to reach the castle. ) For the 

main walk, follow the Ridgeway 

ahead as it drops downhill to 

reach the B4192 in 0.8km. 


continuing through Northfield 

Plantation. Emerging from 

trees track leads down to 

the path intersection. 

4 3 miles/5km 

Turn R, signed for 

Abbotstone Farm House. 

Still following WW keep 

ahead at first intersection. 

At next junction main route 

keeps ahead, but for shortcut 

turn R along WW to pt 6. 

Continue northwards along 

track which becomes a lane 

further on. 

2½ miles/4km 

Cross the road and pass 

through a gap in the fence 

opposite. Turn R and follow 

the Aldbourne Walk as it runs 

alongside the B4192, separated 

by a hedgerow. In 650m, at the 

far side of a third field, keep on 

this path as it bears L away 

from the main road before 

bearing R out towards 

Sugar Hill. 

2 

The Coate 

Water Country 

Park on the 

way back to Swindon. 

This was originally a 

reservoir constructed 

as the water supply 

for the Wiltshire and 

Berkshire Canal. 

7 8 miles/12.6km 

Cross green on R and 

B3046 and turn R along 

the path parallel to road. At 

road junction cross to church 

opposite, then cross B3046 

and continue along path beside 

it to a fork in road. Bear R and 

continue along footpath ahead 

over stream to return to point 

2. Retrace steps to start. 


Keep ahead along 

field-edge footpath gently 

ascending and then 

descending, path becoming 

a farm track. Watch for 

waymark post on R and 

turn R here along path beside 

hedge on L, soon going 

through gap in hedge and 

continuing down through 

middle of field. Keep ahead 

at bottom down to road. 

Turn L to Old Alresford 

village hall car park on L. 

6 

4½ miles/7km 

Just before the B3046 

turn L along access road 

to The Grange, descending 

to cross bridge, then back 

uphill to intersection, turning 

L along drive. Retrace steps 

to pt 5. Continue to B3046, 

turn R and just after the bus 

shelter R again along footpath 

through trees. Path crosses 

two drives and then heads 

southwards bearing briefly 

L along another drive and 

5 






In 400m, at a crossroads 

3 

the B4192 to reach a junction 

with the Ridgeway on the 

hilltop in 1.6km. Turn R and 

follow the Ridgeway towards 

Liddington Castle. (Detour: in 

1.6km, a permissive path on the 

L leads to Liddington Castle. 

Follow the R edge of a field 

to a gate in its corner before 







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CHOSEN BY… 

FIONA BARLTROP 

From the charming 

village of Cheriton, 

situated in the Itchen valley, 

this walk takes you past the 

site of one of the most 

important battles of the 

Civil War, continuing to 

the striking National Trust 

property of Hinton Ampner. 

This was the Neo-Georgian 

style home of Ralph Dutton, 

the 8th Lord Sherborne, 

a collector and connoisseur 

of fine arts, who painstakingly 

rebuilt it following a 

devastating fire in 1960. 

Thereafter the walk heads 

north over downland 

to Tichborne, another 

attractive village, returning 

along the Itchen Valley. 

2 ⅞ mile/1.4km 

Turn R at second 

intersection (or L for shorter 

option) and follow path down 

to join access road leading to 

A272. Look out for information 

panel about Cheriton 

battlefield site on R side of 

road on the way. Cross A272 

➥ ➥ 

PLANNING 

Nearest town 

New Alresford 

Refreshments Flower Pots 

Inn, Cheriton, Hinton Arms, 

Tichborne Arms, Tichborne 


Public transport Bus 67, 

Winchester-Petersfield 



1 Start 

Turn L out of Station Rd onto 

Avenue Rd and keep straight. 

Turn L onto Crook Log and R 

into Upton Road. Turn third R 

into Red House Lane, passing 

former home of writer and 

designer William Morris. 

1¾ miles/3km 

3 Pass Rock Garden, over 

bridge and turn L through gate. 

Follow path with stream/lake 

on L. Near end of lake, fork R to 

exit through gate onto Danson 

Rd. Turn L, R over crossing into 

Sandhurst Rd. At junction, turn 

R up Brook lane, cross A2 via 

underpass and keep going. 

2½ miles/4km 

4 Cross Blendon Rd and 

continue along Beechway. 

Cross Sanctuary into Avenue 

1 Start 

From war memorial walk 

along village lane with green 

on L, crossing bridge over River 

Itchen. Take next R across 

another bridge turning R to 

end of road. Take L of two 

footpaths, Wayfarer’s Walk 

(WW), up narrow enclosed 

path, keeping ahead when 

path reaches open. After a R 

then L bend, maintain direction 

at first path intersection. 

CHOSEN BY… 

PHOEBE TAPLIN 

A Georgian villa, 

a Tudor palace and 

the Arts and Crafts home of 

William Morris. Don’t be put 

off by the noisier sections of 

this route, which meanders 

through the suburbs to find 

hidden treasures. Trafficridden 

streets throw leafy 

parks and formal gardens into 

sharp relief. It’s an all-weather 

walk with chances to shorten. 

2 ¾ mile/1.2km 

Continue on lane and turn 

2nd R into Bean Rd. Cross main 

road and go through gate into 

park. Keep straight along 

tarmac path to 18th-century 

Danson House. Just before 

fence around house, turn R 

and cross drive to explore 

Old English Garden. Walk 

back past Danson House and 

turn R to continue on path. 


ROUTE 

Start/parking Roadside 

parking on village lane by 

green just beyond war 

memorial, situated at 

junction with B3046, 

SO24 0PZ, grid ref 

SU583284 

Is it for me? Field paths 

and tracks over undulating 

terrain and along river 

valley, quiet country lane. 

Shorter option: 6¼ 

miles/10km. Advance 

booking advised for 

Hinton Ampner (house & 

garden): nationaltrust.org. 

uk/hinton-ampner. 

Stiles 2 

PLANNING 

Nearest town London 

Refreshments En route 

Public toilets near Danson 

House and Hall Place 

Public transport Trains 

from Victoria and Charing 

Cross to Bexleyheath and 

Barnehurst stations. Many 

options, inc buses near 

Hall Place 



A quiet, green lane 

south of Cheriton. 

Walking along the 

Shuttle Riverway. 


ROUTE 

Start/parking Bexleyheath 

Station (car park), DA7 

4AA, grid ref TQ483759 

Is it for me? Several 

road crossings and 

sections of roadside 

walking. But, mostly 

tarmac or mud paths. 

Couple of short climbs 

Stiles None 

SEE 

FEATURE 

ON PAGE 16 



uDistance: 8⅓ miles/13.3km uTime: 4 hours uGrade: Moderate uDistance: 7½ miles/12km uTime: 4 hours uGrade: Moderate 

B 

A 

05 

HAMPSHIRE 

06 

GREATER LONDON 

CHERITON TO TICHBORNE 

BEXLEYHEATH 

SOUTH EAST 

SOUTH EAST

DATE WALKED 

TIME TAKEN 

YOUR RATING 


HAMPSHIRE 

CHERITON TO TICHBORNE 

06 

GREATER LONDON 

05 

BEXLEYHEATH 

SOUTH EAST 


SOUTH EAST 

uOS Explorer map 162 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop uOS Explorer map OL32 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop 


with care and continue up 

lane to Hinton Ampner. At fork 

where road bends L keep 

ahead to All Saints Church 

on R. Drive leads to Hinton 

Ampner House, but WW 

continues to L opposite church. 

Go through gate bearing R 

down enclosed path. 

FINISH 

LINK TO N.A. 

START 

1 

4 

5 

3 2 

8 

3 2 miles/3km 

At path intersection turn 

R – good views R of Hinton 

Ampner house from path – to 

lane. Turn R to A272, cross and 

R to footpath on L opposite 

pub. Follow it to B3046, R and 

almost immediately R again 

along drive/restricted byway. 

Maintain direction crossing 

lane, another track merging 

from R (shorter option). 


6 

SHORTCUT 

6 


7 

4 

5 

2 

1 

START 

into Shenstone Park and climb. 

Head L towards far L corner 

and follow path through trees. 

waymarks up wooded path and 

across clearing at top. 

3 


At next junction L down 

WW to B3046. R for about 

80m, cross road to gap in 

hedge and follow Itchen Way 

north-west across field, 

continuing across next field. 

Go through gap in trees and 

carry on along L edge of field 

to Tichborne House drive. Keep 

ahead and when drive bends 

L continue along track. Ignore 

gate into woodland L and keep 

along grassy track into next 

field. Continue along L edge 

of field beside woodland on 

L (permissive path). Turn L 

at track past Vernal Farm, 

cross bridge over Itchen 

and then cross lane. Follow 

footpath uphill to top, through 

L corner of field and L at path 

4 

8 


Turn R along Broomfield 

Rd. Cross Gravel Hill and take 

path diagonally R up far bank. 

Continue along top of grassy 

ridge. Head R down avenue 

of copper beeches and out 

through gate. Cross Bourne 

Rd into car park. Turn L at 

steakhouse and R through 

gateway. Follow signs to 

explore Hall Place gardens. 

6 

7½ miles/12km 

R along drive continuing 

along WW through fields. L at 

lane and just before B3046 R 

along path to Cheriton’s 12thcentury 

church . Follow path 

from back down to B3046, 

village green opposite. 

6 


Turn L onto Old Rd. Just 

pas gas holder, turn R on path 

between bungalows 5 and 7. 

Keep straight into Martens 

Grove and follow path on L 

hand edge of wood. Reaching 

clearing, follow tarmac path R. 

Turn L along Stephen Road. 

Cross into Barnehurst Road 

and straight on to station. 

and keep straight. Turn R a few 

steps up Blandindon Drive and 

L down Crofton Av. Cross 

bridge and turn L onto path 

beside water. Cross road and 

continue along waymarked 

Shuttle Riverway through 

Bexley Woods. Turn L on 

Parkhill and R into Riverdale, 

soon rejoining stream. Cross 

Shuttlemead, turn R over 

bridge and L into Lover’s Lane. 




intersection down waymarked 

Allan King Way (L edge of 

field). Just before road at 

bottom turn R up path to 

church, notable for having 

a Catholic chapel within an 

Anglican church. (History of 

Tichborne booklet, which may 

be available in church, is worth 

reading for stories of Tichborne 

Dole and Tichborne Claimant). 




5½ miles/9km 

Exit and continue through 

car park. Turn R beside wall. 

At signpost, turn L on Cray 

Riverway and keep straight 

with water R. Follow path L 

around playing fields and R on 

Bourne Rd. Cross London Rd 

7 




From church follow access 

road down to lane and turn R 

(or L for pub). Continue for just 

under a mile to Cheriton Mill. 

5 




At corner near No. 31, cross 

lane and keep straight into 

path. At junction, turn L onto 

fenced path. Cross bridge and 

keep L. Cross footbridge over 

A2. On far side, turn L on 

Rochester Drive (ignore sign). 

Turn R up Midhurst Hill and R 

again, after house 42, into The 

Warren. Follow yellow/green 

✁

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4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

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600 

600 



CHOSEN BY… 

PHOEBE TAPLIN 

For a short walk, 

this route has a 

great variety of landscapes. 

There’s the towpath beside 

the navigable River Stort 

passing bridges, locks and 

marshy nature reserves, water 

meadows and bluebell woods. 

And there are paths over 

rolling fields with wide views. 

Plus pretty thatched cottages, 

grand brick mansions, a village 

pub and an old watermill. 

There’s even an iron age 

settlement with steep grassy 

banks. Look out for birds and 

animals and riverside plants 

like bulrushes, delicate blue 

forget-me-nots and big golden 

kingcups. The route can be 

made even shorter by missing 

2 ½ mile/0.8km 

Cross lane, slightly L, 

and go straight on down path 

towards cottages below. Go 

through gate into cottage 

garden (it is a public path) and 

keep straight with thatched 

cottage on L. Continue through 

gates, over bridge and through 

➥ ➥ 

1 Start 

Cross road outside George 

pub and walk along Dell Lane. 

At sign for Stansted Inn, turn 

R onto track and immediately 

R again into footpath between 

fence and trees. Follow 

footpath past small wood and 

fields and keep straight along 

stony drive to emerge near 

house called Latchmead. 

out the loop between points 

3 and 4. Or this little loop can 

make a very pleasant hour’s 

walk in its own right. 

CHOSEN BY… 

DENNIS KELSALL 

Occupying lands once 

held by Hereford 

Cathedral and the reputed lair 

of a fierce dragon that preyed 

upon local livestock, Haugh 

Wood is now a delightful mix 

of ancient woodland and 

formal plantation. Over recent 

years, as commercial conifers 

have reached maturity, they 

have been replaced by native 

species and the establishment 

of coppice coupes. This in turn 

has encouraged a diversity 

of wildlife and the area is 

particularly known for 

butterflies. Over 600 species 

have been recorded, many 

quite rare such as the wood 

white and pearl-bordered 

fritillary. This walk wanders 


2 Bear L and carry on beside 

a stream for some 250m to a 

fork. Turn off R, down steps to 

PLANNING 

Nearest town 

Bishop’s Stortford (BS) 

Refreshments George Inn, 

Three Horseshoes near pt 5 



BS-Stansted Airport stops 

hourly (not Sundays) near 

The George. BS railway 

station is 500m north on 

London Road past point 3 



1 Start 

A track leaves the car park 

by an information board and 

barrier at its far corner. 

Ignoring side paths, follow it 

to a junction and swing L with 

the main track. Keep ahead 

at another crossing the way 

then gently descending and 

later turning a sharp hairpin. 

Continue down to a junction 

at the bottom. 

a gate and follow a fenced path 

past a derelict wattle and daub 

cottage. Meeting a track at the 

far side, go L, but then a little 

further on, watch for the 

footpath signed off R at the 

edge of more pasture. Part-way 

along, slip through a gap, the 

path briefly back beside the 

stream before winding out 

between houses onto a street. 

Go R to the end, where another 

through the wood on clear 

trails and takes in Mordiford, 

where there is an impressive 

medieval bridge and a 

gratifyingly good pub! 


ROUTE 

Start/parking George pub, 

Little Hallingbury/big car 

park half a mile south, 

opposite Village Hall, near 

pt 6 (CM22 7RD) or on Pig 

Lane near pt 4. CM22 7PP, 

grid ref TL498180 

Is it for me? Good paths, 

generally easy to follow. 

Can get muddy in fields 

Stiles None that are 

unavoidable 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Tideswell 

Refreshments The Moon 

Inn, Mordiford (Pt 3) 





PHOTO: DENNIS KELSALL 

ROUTE 

Start/parking Car park 

and picnic area, Haugh 

Wood, grid ref SO592365, 

postcode HR1 4QJ 

Is it for me? Woodland 

and field paths, some lane 

Stiles One 

The towpath near 

South Mill Lock. 


The quaint village 

of Mordiford. 


uDistance: 5½ miles/9km uTime: 2½ hours uGrade: Moderate uDistance: 6 miles/9.7km uTime: 3 hours uGrade: Moderate 

07 

ESSEX/HERTS 

08 

HEREFORDSHIRE 

LITTLE HALLINGBURY 

HAUGH WOOD 

SOUTH EAST 

MIDLANDS

DATE WALKED 

TIME TAKEN 

YOUR RATING 


ESSEX/HERTS 

LITTLE HALLINGBURY 

08 

HEREFORDSHIRE 

07 

HAUGH WOOD 

SOUTH EAST 


uOS Explorer map 189 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop uOS Explorer map 194 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop 


paddock and one more gate 

onto Pig Lane. Keep ahead to 

River Stort and R on towpath. 

2 

path by an electricity 

substation winds out to a lane. 

Follow it R to a junction by the 

Moon Inn. 

3 1 mile/1.6km 

Keep following navigable 

river, with water L, for ½ mile, 

passing Rushy Mead nature 

reserve. Cross footbridge at 

South Mill lock and continue, 

with water now on R, over 

footbridge and under railway. 

Reaching London Road, turn L 

past Baan Thitya. Turn L again 

along Twyford Road and fork L 

to level crossing. Cross railway 

and continue on lane ahead. At 

footpath sign, turn L into large 

field and R along R-hand edge 

of field to return to Pig Lane. 

4 

3 


Go R, through Mordiford 

to an ancient bridge across the 

River Lugg. Originally built in 

1352 to replace a ford, it’s nearly 

150m long and is the county’s 

oldest surviving bridge. 

3 

START 

5 

4 

1 

3 



2½ miles/4km 

Retrace your steps into 

the village, but turn off R at 

the first bend along a track 

beside the old Post Office. 

Over a bridge, go L back to 

the road, crossing to another 

track opposite which leads 

past Mordiford’s old mill 

(operational until 1935 and 

presently under restoration). 

Walk on in the field beyond, 

keeping ahead at the far side 

over a small bridge to continue 

at the edge of grazing. Through 

a kissing gate in the corner, 

cross another stream and bear 

L at the edge of an orchard 

(the hedge on your right). 

Leaving through a gate at the 

top, a path leads up to a track 

by cottages. Follow it out L, 

eventually reaching a cross 

roads at Hope Springs Farm. 

4 

2 

8 

6 


Cross River Stort and turn 

R, at Hertfordshire Way sign, 

onto towpath with water on R. 

Continue beside river for 1 mile. 

After footbridge (leading to 

nature reserve) continue beside 

river and look out on L for 

grassy banks of Wallbury iron 

age fort (mostly private land) 

rising above riverside marshes. 

4 

7 

START 

1 

5 

climb past barrier into wood. 

Meeting a track, follow it up L 

to a junction with a forest road. 

6 

8 

stay by the L hedge and then 

strike across a final field, joining 

the L hedge at the narrowing 

far end to leave through a gate. 

Take the track ahead and then 

L over a bridge to a lane. 


Turn R and wind uphill 

with the main trail. At the 

next junction by a seat, keep 

R again, but when you reach 

another main junction, go L, 

shortly walking out past a 

barrier onto a road opposite 

the car park. 


Go L. After nearly ½ mile, 

look for gate on R through 

which a permissive path is 

signed to a memorial to the 

famous 19th-century bareknuckle 

champion Tom Spring. 

Return to the lane and continue 

a little further to a cottage. 

6 

Close and continue along Dell 

Lane back to George. 




6 5 miles/8km 

Keep straight down the 

R-hand edge of the field. 

In bottom corner, turn L 

for about 30m and R over 

footbridge into paddock. 

Continue up through field, 

heading for R-hand 

side of brick house. Keep 

straight along path with 

hedge on L. Cross Pond Fields 


After Spellbrook Lock, 

cross lane and continue beside 

river. At Tednambury lock, 

turn L and follow path to 

footbridge. Cross bridge and 

continue towards white 

Hallingbury Mill. Cross 

footbridge and walk up Old Mill 

Lane. At top, before road, turn 

L onto drive with footpath sign 

and follow past Gaston House. 





Turn R between barns, the 

ongoing track eventually rising 

to a cottage. However, keep 

ahead to a field gate and 

maintain your direction past an 

oak over a rise. In the next field, 

5 






Turn off and keep L on a 

track that rises back behind it 

at the edge of a wood. Watch 

for a fork and branch off R to 

7 

✁ 

MIDLANDS

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4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

0 

km 0 2 

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

metres 

200 

metres 

200 

400 

400 

600 

600 



1 Start 

From town centre, head to 

castle’s main entrance, but turn 

R onto path around perimeter 

walls. Drop to junction. Turn 

CHOSEN BY… 

SIMON WHALEY 

This South Shropshire 

stroll saunters from 

the heart of Ludlow, beside 

its medieval castle, through 

farmland to Ludlow’s 

Racecourse. Stop off at the 

nearby Ludlow Farm Shop 

and cafe, before exploring 

Bromfield Church, once a 

Benedictine Priory. The route 

returns along the Shropshire 

Way, through Oakly Park, 

finishing along the River Teme, 

and up through Ludlow’s 

remaining town gatehouse. 

sharp R, and follow. Join road, 

turn L and drop, passing 

parking bays. Where road the 

turns sharp R continue ahead. 

Take kissing gate (KG) to R of 

second property entrance. 

Cross stream and take gate 

into field. Cross to bridge, then 

continue to KG. Head across 

field towards road. Take KG 

and steps to main road. Turn L, 

then L again into Burway Lane. 

After cricket club, tarmac lane 

becomes track. Continue 

between fields, then through 

gate to retain track. Cross lane 

and continue to Burway Farm. 

Pass through gate, follow track 

through farmyard, to take gate 

ahead into field. Head to gate 

opposite. Enter field. Follow 

L field edge. At field corner, 

turn R onto track to main road. 

➥ ➥ 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Ludlow 

Refreshments 

Ludlow Farm Cafe 

at Ludlow Farm Shop. 

Charlton Arms beside 

Ludford Bridge, Ludlow. 

Public toilets Castle Street 

car park, Ludlow. (Toilet 

also at Ludlow Farm Cafe) 

Public transport Service 

435 (Shrewsbury-Ludlow) 

stops in Ludlow and at 

Bromfield. Service 292 

(Ludlow-Kidderminster) 

stops in Ludlow. Railway 

Station (Manchester to 

Cardiff line) 0.75km 

from town centre 



CHOSEN BY… 

CAROL 

BURKINSHAW 

Hawkesbury 

Junction, on the northern 

outskirts of the city of 

Coventry, is the link between 

two of Britain’s oldest canals 

– the Coventry and Oxford 

waterways. It’s a picturesque 

spot for watching boats 

negotiate the lock and glide 

under an elegant cast iron 

bridge, alongside the historic 

Greyhound Inn, cottages and 

a former pumping station. 

From the canal junction, 

known locally as the Sutton 

Stop – the Sutton family 

provided several lock keepers 

during the 19th century – 

you join the Coventry Canal 

on its 38-mile-long journey 

1 Start 

Exit car park L to 

Hawkesbury Junction, and 

turn L and then R over cast 

iron bridge. Bear L along 

Coventry Canal, passing former 

engine house, for roughly one 

mile to Bedworth Hill Bridge. 

from the centre of Coventry 

to its connection with the 

Trent & Mersey Canal near 

Lichfield. Leaving the canal, 

you link into the Coventry 

Way, which circumnavigates 

the city, to pass through 

the hamlet of Barnacle and 

village of Ansty. Your final 

leg tracks the Oxford Canal 

on the last few miles of its 

77-mile course north from 

the university city after 

which it’s named. 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Bedworth 

Refreshments Greyhound 

Inn at start and Rose & 

Castle at Ansty, plus just 

off route Old Crown B4109 

(Aldermans Green Road) 



Nuneaton-Bedworth 

serves Ironbridge Way 

near start and bus 74 

Nuneaton-Coventry serves 

Ansty, plus Bedworth 

station ½ mile from route 



PHOTO: SIMON WHALEY 

ROUTE 

Start/parking Grid ref: 

SO510746 (Nearest 

parking: Ludlow, Castle St) 

Is it for me? Country lanes, 

field edge paths and 

tracks. (Note: one crossing 

of busy A49 at point 2) 

Stiles None 

PHOTO: CAROL BURKINSHAW 

ROUTE 

Start/parking Car park 

at Hawkesbury Canal 

Junction, Sutton Stop, 

off Blackhorse Rd, 

Bedworth, CV6 6DF, 

grid ref SP361845 

Is it for me? Easy going 

canalside (short section 

on northern bank of 

Oxford Canal prone to 

mud) and field path/tracks 

Stiles Two 

Views back to 

Ludlow Castle. 


The Oxford Canal 

near Carter’s Bridge. 


uDistance: 6¾ miles/10.7km uTime: 3 hours uGrade: Moderate uDistance: 7¾ miles/12.45km uTime: 3 hours uGrade: Moderate 

09 

SHROPSHIRE 

10 

LUDLOW & BROMFIELD 

MIDLANDS 

WARWICKSHIRE 

HAWKESBURY JUNCTION 

MIDLANDS

DATE WALKED 

TIME TAKEN 

YOUR RATING 


SHROPSHIRE 

LUDLOW & BROMFIELD 

10 

WARWICKSHIRE 

09 

HAWKESBURY JUNCTION 

MIDLANDS 


MIDLANDS 




Bromfield 

Priory 

Gatehouse 

dates from the 

mid-14th century, 

and was the main 

entrance to Bromfield 

Priory. Its top floor 

served at a court 

room. 

2 

2 

3 

3 

4 


Leave canal just before 

bridge, and turn R on wide 

track. Curve R at Mineral Lakes 

Fishery and immediately after 

passing under pylon wires 

climb stile L to resume previous 

direction. Near house path 

bends L and R onto enclosed 

path. Emerging into open, 

continue on track, with 

Hollyhurst Lakes R, to B4109. 


Cross A49 (care - busy 

at times) and take B4365 

opposite, over railway bridge. 

Take tarmac bridleway on L, 

between railway and 

racecourse. Follow behind 

racecourse stand to junction 

with lane. Turn L, over level 

crossing. Follow lane towards 

A49. (For Ludlow Farm Shop & 

Cafe take path before thatched 

cottage on L.) At A49, turn R 

on pedestrian path. Cross river, 

then turn R (before bus stop) 

to use subway under A49. 

Climb up to path junction and 

turn L to Bromfield Church. 


1 

5 

4 

START 


6 

START 

1 

5 


Negotiate stile opposite 

and follow track along R-hand 

field border. Track swings 

L across field and later joins 

hedge R. In field corner bend 

L to soon cross footbridge R. 

Head across tapering field – 

Park Farm R – to waymarked 

gate. Continue on lane to 

Top Road in Barnacle. 


Follow riverside path 

as it curves gently L. At weir, 

climb to steps. Continue ahead. 

Path drops to lane and road 

junction. Turn L, cross Ludford 

Bridge, then continue ahead, 

climbing into town. Pass 

through Broad Gate and 

continue up to Buttercross. 

Turn L back to town centre. 

5 


Head into field, then 

bear R to gap in hedge. 

Pass into next field, heading 

to diagonally opposite field 

corner. Drop to KG, cross 

stream, climb to KG opposite. 

Cut straight across field to 

opposite edge, then turn R. 

Follow field boundary. Take KG 

into next field and follow. Drop 

to field corner, take KG, cross 

bridge, then KG into next field. 

Climb along L-hand boundary. 

Path levels, then bears R to 

gate by road. Take KG to join 

road. Turn L. Join another road, 

keeping river on L. Where road 

turns L over bridge, continue 

ahead onto riverside path. 

4 

together, and then veer half-L 

up field to gate on B4065 

opposite Rose & Castle pub. 

obvious – narrow path that 

enters field. Trace L-hand 

perimeter of two fields, and 

go half-L through two gates 

to Shilton Lane. 


Cross road and go R 

through signed gate. Grassy 

path swerves L and then curves 

R to gate, which leads to 

Barnacle’s Lower Road. Turn R, 

and just past white-painted Fox 

Cottage in 20m divert L onto 

unsigned – and not very 

4 


Turn R, and after crossing 

canal drop R down steps to 

join towpath ahead. Waterway 

bends L under M69 bridge, and 

later R beside M6. After passing 

under Shilton Lane and B4109 

canal arcs L back to start. 

6 


Head L, and in 75m turn 

R through small gate beside 

marker post. At end of field 

bear diagonally L to field edge 

and walk R with M69 L. Shortly 

pass through signed gate in 

dip to drop down and swing 

L under motorway bridge 

to Oxford Canal. There is 

no towpath on this side of 

waterway, but stay close to 

canal through scrub to pass 

through two waterside gates. 

In 50m climb two stiles close 

5 


Follow lane, passing 

Bromfield Old Gatehouse on 

L to enter private road (public 

bridleway). Cross River Teme 

and continue on tarmac 

bridleway through Oakly Park. 

Ignore bridleway on R to Lady 

Halton. Continue to gate across 

road, beside cottage, and 

follow lane to Shropshire Way 

signpost, on L after track. 

3 












✁

✁ 

0 

km 0 2 

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

0 

km 0 2 

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

metres 

200 

metres 

200 

400 

400 

600 

600 



1 Start 

With Rutland Museum facing 

you, turn L out of the car park. 

Keep this side of the road, soon 

crossing over the Swooning 

Bridge. Up a short incline, 

reach a footpath sign to 

Egleton and field path heading 

diagonally to a kissing gate 


2 It’s a bit early to enjoy 

a breather on the circular 

bench around the village 

sign but it’s definitely worth 

popping into St Edmund’s 

church. Continue straight on, 

following the road through 

the village. At the crossroads 

ignore the L turn to the 

Birdwatching Centre but 

continue straight to cross 

a stile. Follow the gentle uphill 

slope between fences. In about 

0.5km, at the end of the field, 

bear L then R by the 

waymarker. Follow the 

path towards the A6003 (if 

➥ ➥ 

CHOSEN BY… 

LYNNE MAXWELL 

From the southern 

edge of the ‘capital’ 

of England’s smallest county, 

this pleasant route meanders 

through two charming villages, 

both with equally charming 

churches. Entering St 

Edmund’s at Egleton you 

can’t miss the finely carved 

tympanum above the 

Norman doorway. 

in the hedge on the R. Follow 

this, going through the gate to 

follow an obvious path towards 

the bypass. Cross this road and 

follow the field-edge path to 

Egleton, where the church 

spire is visible ahead. 

CHOSEN BY… 

CAROL 

BURKINSHAW 

It was the opening 

of the 93-mile-long Trent & 

Mersey Canal that signaled the 

transformation of the sleepy 

hamlet of Shardlow into a 

vibrant 18th century inland 

terminal port. Here goods 

were moved between narrow 

canal boats and broad Trent 

river boats, and vice versa, 

which necessitated the 

building of warehouses, 

merchants’ houses, workers’ 

cottages and, of course, 

numerous inns. Nowadays, 

this one-time port and its 

associated architecture is 

remarkably well preserved and 

deserves to be better known. 

After exploring the wharf, you 

1 Start 

Exit car park R onto 

Wilne Lane. At canal bridge 

walk L along towpath, and 

keep ahead under next bridge 

to view former wharf, including 

converted Clock Warehouse 

pub and heritage centre. 

At Shardlow lock/former 

lock-keepers’ cottage turn 

around and return 

to bridge. Go L along B5010, 

passing Shardlow’s hall 

and manor. 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Oakham 

Refreshments Multiple 

cafés and eateries (try 

Hungry Birds, near the 

start/end in Burley Road) 


Public transport 

Train to Oakham, 

15-minute walk to start 



PLANNING 

Nearest town Long Eaton 

Refreshments Choice of 

pubs in Shardlow 


Public transport Skylink 

bus Leicester- 

Loughborough-Derby 

(Kinchbus) frequently 

serves Shardlow 



pass through the hamlet of 

Great Wilne to its neighbour, 

on the opposite side of the 

River Derwent, at Church 

Wilne. Here you loop around 

St Chad’s Water, a former 

gravel pit and now a thriving 

local nature reserve. For the 

final section you hook up with 

the Trent & Mersey Canal to 

pass the Chapel Farm marina. 

PHOTO: LYNEE MAXWELL 

ROUTE 

Start/parking Catmose 

car park (pay and display), 

Catmos Street, Oakham 

LE15 6HP, grid ref 

SK862086; 10am-6pm 

weekdays, 8am-6pm 

Saturdays 

Is it for me? Field tracks, 

narrow verge, pavement 

final section. Mostly open 

countryside with some 

gentle inclines and views 

Stiles 2 

The lock keeper’s 

cottage at Shardlow. 


ROUTE 

Start/parking Wilne Lane 

car park, Shardlow, DE72 

2HA, grid ref SK445304. 

Or, park at St Chad’s 

Water local nature reserve, 

Church Wilne, grid ref 

SK448318 

Is it for me? Level walking 

along canal towpath (one 

narrow lock gate with 

handrail to cross), lakeside, 

fields and quiet lanes 

Stiles 11 

Field edge walking on the 

approach to Egleton. 



uDistance: 6½ miles/10.45km uTime: 2½ hours uGrade: Moderate uDistance: 6½ miles/10.45km uTime: 2½ hours uGrade: Moderate 

11 

RUTLAND 

12 

OAKHAM & EGLETON 

MIDLANDS 

DERBYSHIRE 

SHARDLOW 

MIDLANDS

DATE WALKED 

TIME TAKEN 

YOUR RATING 


RUTLAND 

OAKHAM & EGLETON 

12 

DERBYSHIRE 

11 

SHARDLOW 

MIDLANDS 




indistinct, you’re aiming for the 

far R-hand corner of the field). 


Cross the road and turn L 

along the pavement, passing a 

lane to the R and continue for 

330m along the narrow grass 

verge to reach a crossing point 

of the railway and a narrow 

uphill path. This opens out into 

a field, leading to the top of the 

lane passed earlier. Emerge 

onto the lane to be greeted 

by the manicured lawns of an 

impressive house on a private 

estate and bear R to pass 

attractively laid out holiday 

cottages before heading 

through a gate to follow 

a long straight metalled track, 

edged by hedgerow on the 

R of a field. 

3 



START 

1 

4 

2 


5 

Shardlow 

Heritage 

Centre, 

located canalside in 

a former warehouse 

(open Saturday, 

Sunday and Bank 

Holidays from Easter 

to October – 

free admission). 

5 

3 

2 

START 

1 

3 

4 

4 

2 1 mile/1.61km 

At T-junction, beside Dog & 

Duck pub, turn R onto enclosed 

path – signed Great Wilne. 

Enter field and follow track to 

driveway. Divert R, and in 40m 

bear L through two consecutive 

gates. Cross long field to 

woodland corner, and jink 

R and L to join embankment. 

At track veer R 30m, and then 

branch L through gate. Stick 

forwards through several more 

gates to lane at Great Wilne. 

along Mill Street to reach 

the town centre. Straight over 

the mini roundabout takes 

you to Hungry Birds café or 

turn L and first R to explore 

Oakham Castle. 

the covert and along a straight 

track downhill to cross the 

railway, finding yourself back 

on the A6003. Turn L on the 

pavement back to the start). 

4 

4 miles/6.5km 

Just before Bridge Farm, 

bear R, keeping north of the 

shallow stream you can hear. 

At the junction with the 

Macmillan Way you will turn 

R to head back to Oakham 

but first turn L for a detour via 

Bridge Farm to visit the lovely 

hamlet of Brooke and its pretty, 

characterful church, which 

made a guest appearance in 

the 2005 film adaptation of 

Pride and Prejudice (the one 

with Keira Knightley). Retrace 

your steps past the farm on the 

Macmillan Way towards a small 

wood, Brooke Covert East. 

After almost a kilometre, 

before reaching the wood, turn 

L. (Here, if wished, turn R, past 

and turn R across field – path 

not visible – to stile beside 

pond. Stick forwards past 

larger pond L and negotiate 

footbridge to Trent & Mersey 

Canal. Cross Derwent Mouth 

lock with care, and turn R along 

towpath. After passing marina, 

branch L before next bridge in 

Shardlow to Wilne Lane. Divert 

L back to start point. 

5 


Exit car park L along lane 

– see Church Wilne’s story in 

six chapters depicted on fence 

of church car park. Beside 

house turn R onto bridleway, 

signed Breaston. At staggered 

crossroads go R on one of two 

parallel routes – second R gives 

higher level views – to lane. 

Walk R and on meeting 

Derwent turn L – signed 

Shardlow – to retrace your 

steps over river footbridge. 






Having turned L, continue 

for almost half a kilometre to 

a crossroads. Turn R along the 

Leighfield Way down Brooke 

Road. Where it crosses with 

South Street turn R to emerge 

by the museum and Catmose 

car park or continue straight, 








Continue ahead 80m to 

cross footbridge and stile L. 

Aim slightly L to meet Derwent 

just beyond overhead wires. 

Hug riverbank over two stiles, 

5 


Head L, and swing L at 

junction. When lane ends at 

path intersection maintain 

direction to River Derwent. 

Go R along riverbank and 

cross large footbridge. Turn L 

to lane (you will return to this 

point), and bear L. In 100m go 

diagonally R over field, cross 

track and continue to lane. 

Walk R to church, and enter 

car park of St Chad’s Water 

L. Pick up R-hand of two 

paths to lake, and veer L 

to complete lakeside circuit. 

✁ 

MIDLANDS

✁ 

0 

km 0 2 

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

0 

km 0 2 

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

metres 

200 

metres 

200 

400 

400 

600 

600 



CHOSEN BY… 

ROGER BUTLER 

This circular walk on 

the northern fringes 

of the Broads National Park 

explores a section of the old 

North Walsham & Dilham 

Canal – the only canal built 

in Norfolk. The route initially 

follows the Weavers’ Way long 

distance path, on the line of 

the old Midland & Great 

Northern Railway, before 

crossing fields to meet the 

canal at Tonnage Bridge – an 

isolated location where boats 

once paid dues for their cargo. 

This section of canal is still in 

water and the towpath runs 

north through woodland and 

pasture to the old lock near 

Honing Bridge. The canal 

cascades through the lock 

1 Start 

Go L from car park on 

former railway track and cross 

footbridge over dyke on R after 

250m. Walk straight ahead 

over field between fences, go 

through gap in hedge and turn 

L with boggy pasture on R. Go 

through gate at next hedge 

and continue on track to next 

gate. Veer R when path goes 

between fences and continue 

towards the edge of the canal 


Turn R on the far side of 

➥ ➥ 

chamber and some of the 

original features can be seen. 

The nearby former quayside, 

known as a staithe and set at 

90° to the canal, is another 

feature of interest. From here 

the Weavers’ Way offers an 

easy return to the car park 

at East Ruston. 

CHOSEN BY… 

CAROL 

BURKINSHAW 

This walk, just to 

the east of Lincoln, combines 

a stretch of the River Witham 

with two contrasting rural 

villages Cherry Willingham – 

home of the Willas people, 

where the cherries grow – 

and Fiskerton – a settlement 

of fishermen. Lying on the 

northern side of the Witham 

along the fen edge, these now 

commuter villages to Lincoln 

and the surrounding area is 

rich in archaeological finds 

from Neolithic times onwards. 

Following the Witham 

upstream for roughly 2½ miles 

towards Lincoln, the city’s 

magnificent Gothic cathedral, 

perched on a hill summit, is an 

1 Start 

Walk east along High Street, 

and bear R at T-junction onto 

Church Lane. Take first L along 

Lady Meers Road, which arcs 

R. As road begins to swing 

R again, divert L on signed 

footpath. Maintain direction 

along R-hand field border, and 

trace field perimeter R and 

then L. At marker post path 

moves to opposite side of 

hedge, and shortly bears 

diagonally R across two 

fields to lane at Fiskerton. 

– the channel is quite broad 

here. Turn L and cross Tonnage 

Bridge (rebuilt in 1987). 

PLANNING 

Nearest town North 

Walsham 

Refreshments Nothing on 

the route - pub at nearby 

East Ruston 


Public transport Nearest 

stations Worstead or 

North Walsham but 

no bus connections 

to the walk 



PLANNING 

Nearest town Lincoln 

Refreshments Just off 

route The Carpenters pub, 

Fiskerton 



Stagecoach bus 3 from 

Lincoln serves Cherry 

Willingham and Fiskerton 



enticing spectacle. Although 

this section of the river is on 

the route of the 147-mile-long 

Viking Way, this is very much 

the quiet side of the waterway. 

On the south bank is the 

popular multi-user Water Rail 

Way, which tracks the Witham 

from Lincoln to Boston mainly 

along a former railway line. 

PHOTO: ROGER BUTLER 

ROUTE 

Start/parking Weavers’ 

Way car park at East 

Ruston, grid ref TG346272 

Postcode NR12 9JP 

Is it for me? Field paths, 

canal towpath and former 

railway line 

Stiles 1 


ROUTE 

Start/parking Considerate 

roadside parking on High 

Street, Cherry Willingham, 

grid ref TF029725, LN3 

4AQ. Or, just off route, 

Fiskerton village hall 

car park, Ferry Road 

Is it for me? Easy 

navigation on level 

riverside and gently 

undulating field paths/ 

tracks, plus quiet roads 

Stiles None 

The old canal 

and South Fen. 


Quiet field tracks and 

cathedral views. 


uDistance: 4½ miles/7km uTime: 3½ hours uGrade: Easy uDistance: 6¼ miles/10km uTime: 2½ hours uGrade: Easy 

13 

NORFOLK 

14 

NORTH WALSHAM & DILHAM CANAL 

EAST 

LINCOLNSHIRE 

CHERRY WILLINGHAM 

EAST

DATE WALKED 

TIME TAKEN 

YOUR RATING 


NORFOLK 

NORTH WALSHAM & DILHAM CANAL 

14 

LINCOLNSHIRE 

13 

CHERRY WILLINGHAM 

EAST 


EAST 

uOS Explorer map 272 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop uOS Explorer map OL40 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop 

5 

START 

1 


1 

START 

4 

2 

3 

5 

wharf and barrels were 

transported from here to Great 

Yarmouth for the storage of 

fish. It has been disused since 

1934, but a signed path runs 

along the west side back down 

to canal. Turn R at water’s edge 

and follow canal through trees 

until a footbridge on R links to 

a path back to railway track. 

more bridge with small gate to 

emerge into field with three 

large oak trees. Continue to 

gate/stile and cross footbridge 

over stream in field, followed 

by another small footbridge. 

The canal seems to disappear 

into dense secretive woodland 

– keep ahead to go through 

another small gate/footbridge. 

Duckboards help to take the 

path through the wood, with a 

couple of footbridges, to one 

of the old lock chambers. 

the canal – you are now on the 

old towpath – and pass a series 

of camping pods. At the end of 

the field the path narrows and 

enters a dark corridor of trees. 

Keep ahead and cross a small 

footbridge at a gate. The path 

becomes bumpy in places, with 

field on L and reed beds on R, 

and a dyke flows into the canal 

by a stretch of open water. 

Pass through another gate, 

with an alder copse on L, and 

continue to gate on boundary 

of the Broads National Park. 


3 


4 

2 

and at T-junction at far end 

of Greetwell Hall Farm divert 

R. After gate at crossing 

bridleway, negotiate gate 

R to walk along L-hand field 

boundary. Stick forwards over 

two streams and up incline 

opposite Fox Covert. Bridleway 

later jinks R and L to The Walks 

housing development. Join 

Green Lane ahead, which 

bends R over railway line 

to Cherry Willingham’s High 

Street. Turn L to start. 

a limestone escarpment that 

runs 50 miles from the Humber 

Estuary to near Grantham. 

1¼ miles/2km 

Turn R onto Plough Lane, 

and go L at T-junction to pass 

Fiskerton’s church. When road 

bends L – The Carpenters pub 

is L – keep ahead on No 

Through Road to house called 

Shetlands. Divert R on enclosed 

path, and at T-junction head 

R to River Witham. Lincoln 

Cathedral – owner of one 

of only four surviving copies 

of the Magna Carta (1215), 

which is on display in the 

city’s castle – is now in view. 

2 


Just after passing 

Washingborough’s marina, 

at small works turn R to go 

through double, chained gates 

– awkward to unhook – beside 

footbridge. Follow L-hand field 

edge to next set of double, 

and similarly chained, gates. 

Continue to intersection 

and bear R on gravel track, 

passing All Saints church. On 

meeting driveway, Greetwell 

Hall, a late 17th-century country 

house, built on the site of 

a medieval village, is L. 

Veer R to Greetwell Road. 

4 

5 3 miles/5km 

Turn R, back under the 

road bridge, and follow the 

Weavers’ Way for 2km back 

to the car park. 

2½ miles/4km 

Cross bridge over the lock, 

immediately cross a narrow 

footbridge in the wood and 

turn L on old railway track 

for 400m to pass beneath 

steel road bridge. Turn L into 

woodland and walk along R 

side of the old Honing Staithe 

– this was the local canalside 

4 




3 2 miles/3km 

Keep ahead with canal on 

R, cross a footbridge and pass 

through woodland, sometimes 

muddy, with Honing Common 

on the far side of the water. Go 

through another gate and cross 

footbridge, walk through more 

damp woodland and cross one 





Walk R along embankment 

for roughly 2½ miles above 

Willingham Fen. Beyond Cherry 

Willingham, Washingborough 

and its Norman church tower 

can be seen L. This village sits 

on the slopes of Lincoln Edge, 

3 






Branch L over railway line, 

5 

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600 



CHOSEN BY… 

CAROL 

BURKINSHAW 

From the outskirts of 

Scholar Green, this route joins 

the Macclesfield Canal to soon 

pass the elegant Georgian 

red-brick Ramsdell Hall. 

Leaving the towpath, it then 

tracks the South Cheshire Way 

to the National Trust’s Little 

Moreton Hall. Dinky in name, 

this black and white timberframed 

Tudor manor house, 

surrounded by a moat, makes 

a big impression. Built in 

stages by the Moreton family, 

its higgledy-piggledy lines 

and top-heavy design seems 

to defy all logic. Maybe it was 

plucked from a children’s fairy 

tale! Continuing along the 

South Cheshire Way, beyond 

1 Start 

With back to Rising Sun pub 

turn R, and just before bridge 

drop R onto Macclesfield Canal. 

Walk L under bridge 87 to pass 

Ramsdell Hall. Leave canal at 

next bridge, and turn L along 

track. Climb stile to follow two 

field boundaries, and in third 

field bear diagonally L to gate/ 

➥ ➥ 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Kidsgrove 

Refreshments Rising Sun 

pub at start, Broughton 

Arms at Rode Heath 

and Red Bull at Church 

Lawton, plus just off route 

pubs at Hall Green 



Alsager-Congleton (D&G) 

serves start and various 

buses serve A roads along 

way, plus off route railway 

station at Kidsgrove 



1 Start 

From car park, enter 

churchyard (N) and fork R past 

Boden Hall the walk hooks 

up with the Trent & Mersey 

Canal. A three-mile stretch 

of the towpath, which takes 

in Snapes Aqueduct and 

a series of locks, guides the 

way to the Hardings Wood 

Junction at Kidsgrove. The 

final section of this outing now 

follows the Macclesfield Canal, 

via Pooles Aqueduct at Red 

Bull, back to Scholar Green. 

CHOSEN BY… 

JAMES DEBOO 

A few miles north 

of the larger village 

of Cartmel, the hamlet of 

Cartmel Fell clusters around 

St Anthony’s church, a former 

chapel of Cartmel Priory 

dating from around 1504. This 

walk meanders through the 

rolling, tarn-studded country 

east of Windermere, visiting 

Raven’s Barrow, a viewpoint 

on the eponymous Cartmel 

Fell, offering panoramic 

views of the Lakes, Dales 

and Morecambe Bay, before 

heading to the wood-fringed 

Simpson Ground reservoir. 


Follow path S, bearing W 

for 500m to bridleway. Follow 

bridleway W to gate by copse. 

Ahead to Heights Cottage, then 

R–L up slope to gate. Follow 

track into woods, fork L to 

gate. Through gate, bear L 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Bownesson-Windermere 

Refreshments Pubs 

in Bowland Bridge 

Public toilets 

None on route 


None to start 


Landranger 97 

church. Through gate, go 

ahead towards farm; bear L 

through gate. Keep L to 2nd 

gate. Go R, following power 

lines to footbridge and gate. 

Through gate, follow wall L 

to gate. Follow tarmac uphill 

past Pool Garth to cattle grid 

and road. Go L 200m, then 

R through gate, signposted 

‘Public Way’. Fork L, signposted 

‘Sow How’, through gate onto 

access land. Fork L, following 

faint path to cairn. 


ROUTE 

Start/parking Considerate 

roadside parking on 

Station Road (near Rising 

Sun pub), Scholar Green, 

ST7 3JT, grid ref 

SJ838574. Alternatively, 

lay-by on A34 near Little 

Moreton Hall 

Is it for me? Canal 

towpaths and easy field 

paths/tracks 

Stiles 10 

PHOTO: JAMES DEBOO 

ROUTE 

Start/parking 

St Anthony’s Church, 

Cartmel Fell, grid ref 

SD416880 

Is it for me? After a steep 

start to the summit cairn 

(with seat!) on Raven’s 

Barrow, this walk offers 

big views and varied 

scenery in return for little 

effort. The paths and 

tracks are clear and dry, 

save for the vague path 

to the summit cairn. 

Boardwalks help with the 

wet sections near Simpson 

Ground Reservoir. 

Stiles 3 

The canal locks at 

Lawton-gate. 


Northern Whitbarrow 

from Pool Garth. 


uDistance: 9 miles/14.5km uTime: 3½ hours uGrade: Moderate uDistance: 5 miles/8km uTime: 2–2½ hours uGrade: Moderate 

B 

A 

15 

CHESHIRE/STAFFORDSHIRE 

16 

SCHOLAR GREEN 

NORTH WEST 

CUMBRIA 

CARTMEL FELL & SIMPSON GROUND 

NORTH WEST

DATE WALKED 

TIME TAKEN 

YOUR RATING 


CHESHIRE/STAFFORDSHIRE 

SCHOLAR GREEN 

16 

CUMBRIA 

15 

CARTMEL FELL & SIMPSON GROUND 


NORTH WEST 


NORTH WEST 





3 

2 

4 

Rode Hall 

and Gardens, 

rodehall.co.uk, 

a red-brick Georgian 

country pile owned 

by the Baker 

Wilbraham family for 

350 years, which sits 

within the perimeter 

of this circular route. 

1 

2 

1 

5 START 

START 

3 

The pretty 

and historic 

St Anthony’s 

church; the 

panoramic views 

across the Lakes, 

Dales and Morecambe 

Bay from the cairn 

seat on Raven’s 

Barrow. 

marker post. Cross track, walk 

with hedge R and continue 

on meeting driveway – Little 

Moreton Hall R – to A34. 


round Sow How Tarn. Keep 

ahead to track at Sow How. 


Cross road to pavement, 

divert R and turn L onto 

Cuttleford Farm’s driveway. 

As driveway swings L, stick 

forwards with hedge R to climb 

stile. From marker post in 15m 

track stream L, and when 

watercourse bends L stay ahead 

along field perimeters to lane. 

2 

4 

Negotiate stile and divert L on 

track, which curves L at Forge 

Farm to A50. 


Go L, through the gate 

and stay ahead for 350m to 

public footpath signposted R. 

Follow footpath to stile at 

corner of plantation. Continue 

450m through woods to fork: 

keep L to next fork; go R to 

reach Simpson Ground 

Reservoir dam. 

the towpath switches to 

opposite side of waterway. 

Shortly canal swerves R and 

then L at Bridge Farm. Walking 

parallel to railway line pass Red 

Bull pub, and at next bridge 

climb steps up to Macclesfield 

Canal. Walk L along canal for 

nearly 2½ miles to bridge 87. 

Leave canal and turn L along 

road to start. 


Jink R and L in 30m onto 

bridleway. When track ends 

there are two parallel choices 

– suggest climb stile L to follow 

permissive enclosed path 

around field edge, and then 

turn L back onto public 

footpath to A533. Go R and 

L in 20m at Thurlwood Farm 

to cross bridge over Trent & 

Mersey Canal. 


Follow the track SE 

from the end of the dam: 

fork L to gate. Follow track to 

wall at Simpson Ground: go L, 

signposted Foxfield. Track 

leads via gate on Simpson 

Ground Allotment to gate at 

4 


Go L along lane, and just 

before Pump Farm divert R 

onto track, signed Higher 

Smallwood Farm. Track soon 

arcs R and later L. Ignore path 

R and continue to next junction 

in front of line of trees. Turn R, 

and then L in field corner to 

pass Boden Hall. At end of 

buildings bear R at gate and 

follow marker posts through 

woodland. Exiting trees climb 

two stiles in quick succession 

and cross field towards farm. 

3 

Fork L to a stone stile into 

Rankthorns Plantation. 

Follow the footpath to a 

ladder/stile: fork R to the road. 

Cross the road and take the 

footpath to the church: go 

R back to the car park. 

the corner of High Loft Wood. 

Continue across Poor House 

Allotment: at junction go L to 

gate, ahead, then R, signposted 

Cartmel Fell Church. At the 

junction go R between walls to 

a gate into Gateside Plantation. 










Walk L along towpath for 

1½ miles, where at bridge 137 

5 



PHOTO: JAMES DEBOO 

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CHOSEN BY… 

CAROL 

BURKINSHAW 

Anston sits on a band 

of magnesium-rich limestone, 

running from County Durham 

to Nottinghamshire, the 

geology of which is defined 

locally by steep-sided river 

gorges. It was magnesian 

limestone quarried at Anston 

that was used to rebuild the 

Houses of Parliament after 

they were largely destroyed by 

fire in 1834. The initial stretch 

of this route tracks one of 

these lovely limestone vales 

through the crags and caves of 

Anston Stones Wood and then 

into Lindrick Dale, where you’ll 

find exclusive properties and 

their landscaped gardens 

beside the babbling Anston 

1 Start 

Exit car park towards B6060 

and turn L along track. At end 

of recreational ground bend R 

along path. Go L at T-junction, 

and in 300m fork L uphill. 

Ignoring offshoots, stick to top 

edge of Anston Stones Wood. 

Route later runs through crags 

inside wood and then emerges 

back into open. When path 

dips into woodland, look out R 

for steps in 20m. Descend steps, 

cross bridge over Anston 

➥ ➥ 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Dinnington 

Refreshments Loyal 

Trooper and Leeds Arms, 

plus Orangery café at 

South Anston. Choice just 

off route in North Anston 


Public transport Bus X5 & 

X55 (Sheffield-Thurcroft) 

and 19 (Rotherham- 

Worksop). Plus, bus 6 

Shireoaks-Worksop, and 

Shireoaks station 

is on the Sheffield- 

Gainsborough Railway line 



Brook. Later, linking into the 

Chesterfield Canal, you’ll enjoy 

a memorable section of canal 

architecture, including the 

Turnerwood flight of seven 

locks, the hamlet of 

Turnerwood and finally the 

Thorpe flight of 15 locks. 

CHOSEN BY… 

PAUL KIRKWOOD 

Nature reserves in the 

twin villages of Kirk 

and Green Hammerton have 

become well established in 

recent years. The 25-acre 

Sylvan Nature Reserve in Kirk 

was planted in 2011 and now 

contains 18,000 deciduous 

native trees as well as eight 

acres of wild flower meadows, 

several ponds and a scrape, 

all tucked into a meander of 

the River Nidd. Dragonflies 

to look for include brown and 

migrant hawker and you may 

also see kestrels, barn owls 

and deer. Helenfield, a small 

reserve with pond in Green 

Hammerton, was founded in 

1997 on the site of a former 

illegal tip. Registered with the 


At T-junction turn L and, at 

church, fork R down Mill Lane 

1 Start 

From Bay Horse pub in 

Green Hammerton head 

south-east passing church to 

A59. Cross road with care and 

continue ahead down Kirk 

Hammerton Lane and over 

level crossing into Kirk 

Hammerton. 

UK Butterfly Monitoring 

Scheme, Helenfield has 

a large number and variety 

of butterflies such as peacock 

and red admiral. The rare 

and protected white-letter 

hairstreak has been spotted 

there and banded demoiselle 

damselflies return every year. 

PLANNING 

Nearest town York 

Refreshments The Bay 

Horse, Green Hammerton 

(01423 330338) and 

Ainsty Farm Shop and 

café next to petrol station 

at Skipbridge (01423 

331897) 


At petrol station 


Hammerton station lies 

on the York-Leeds line. 

(northernrailway.co.uk). 

Buses 22-23 run Green 

Hammerton-York 

transdevbus.co.uk) 



A section of the 

Thorpe flight of locks. 


ROUTE 

Start/parking Anston 

Parish Hall car park, signed 

off B6060 Ryton Road, 

North Anston, S25 4DL, 

grid ref SK521842 

Is it for me? Canal 

towpath, and gently 

undulating field paths/ 

tracks & woodland. Cross 

A57 twice and a railway line 

Stiles None 

St John’s Church, 

Kirk Hammerton. 

PHOTO: PAUL KIRKWOOD 

ROUTE 

Start/parking Green 

Hammerton village 

centre, YO26 8BN, 

grid ref SE459568 

Is it for me? Mixture 

of Tarmac lanes, well 

surfaced tracks and 

unpathed field crossings 

Stiles 8 



uDistance: 8½ miles/13.7km uTime: 3¼ hours uGrade: Moderate uDistance: 6¾ miles/10.4km uTime: 3 hours uGrade: Moderate 

B 

A 

17 

SOUTH YORKSHIRE 

18 

ANSTON STONES 

NORTH EAST 

NORTH YORKSHIRE 

THE HAMMERTONS 

NORTH EAST

DATE WALKED 

TIME TAKEN 

YOUR RATING 



ANSTON STONES 

18 

NORTH YORKSHIRE 

17 

THE HAMMERTONS 

NORTH EAST 



START 

1 


5 

1 

START 

2 

5 

(track). Pass through bridlegate 

within barrier near end of lane. 

Proceed between mill and 

farmhouse and through 

another signed bridlegate 

immediately ahead. Look for a 

yellow sign indicating ‘private 

fishing’. Follow footpath 

through Sylvan Nature Reserve, 

keeping River Nidd on R. 

After two signs warning of 

overhead wires ignore L turn 

and keep ahead. 


4 

2 



At wire fence bear L to 

keep fence and embankment 

on your R. Walk around giant 

fallen branch and through 

scrape (wildlife wetland area). 

Pass beside bridlegate 

following blue waymarker then, 

soon after, another bridlegate 

heading for solitary oak tree in 

middle of field. At tree keep 

ahead towards signpost with 

blue waymarkers. At post turn 

L, to keep dyke on R. As dyke 

bears R keep ahead, past post 

without waymarkers, heading 

to R of stable. Cross stile and 

down hedged lane for 60 yards 

to return to Mill Lane. Turn R 

back to church. 

3 

3 

4 

3 

climb middle of field. Continue 

over track and nearing summit 

fork R with hedge and later 

houses L. Bear L at intersection 

to road, and turn L to wind 

through South Anston. Beyond 

church, head R down Sheffield 

Road, and after church go R 

down Chapel Walk. Cross A57 

and keep ahead on footpath. 

Divert R beside line to B6060 

and turn L back to start. 

along waterway. Leave canal at 

bridge 39, go R along lane then 

L in 50m onto track. When the 

track swerves L cross Ryton 

ahead and veer R along 

bridleway to lane. Pick up track 

opposite to intersection. Swing 

R to pond and follow its edge 

around to L. At Hewett Arms 

curve R to road. 

Brook, turn L and follow track, 

curving R, to A57. 


Walk L on verge for 75m 

and divert R – signed Lindrick 

Dale. At intersection bear L 

past The Cottage. Ascend 

woodland and cross two 

fairways of golf course to 

bridleway. Go R on track 

through woodland to Brancliffe 

Grange. After gate, jink L and 

then R – ‘Shireoaks’. Follow 

path around field edge to head 

R under railway and meet 

Chesterfield Canal at bridge 37. 

2 

turn R onto lane. Shortly after 

lane bears sharp L turn R down 

track. Pass through three 

handgates. After the last cross 

track and pass through another 

gate beside giant red pencils. 

Keep ahead with fence on R 

to and through small wood 

and over two stiles. At broad, 

stoned track turn L to return 

via green to centre of Green 

Hammerton. 

4 

aiming for circular metal kissing 

gate. Pass through gate then 

another identical one 100 yards 

ahead. Cross next field veering 

slightly to R to and through 

metal gate and over bridge 

across ditch. Turn R along field 

edge for 25 paces to fingerpost 

signed to Green Hammerton 

via Red Lane. Cross field in 

direction indicated aiming 

for end of hedge that comes 

in from L. Go over stile and 

continue with hedge on L. 





Divert R over Ryton, and 

L on footpath leading back 

to Chesterfield Canal. Head 

L to go over bridge 37, then 

walk L along towpath for 

2½ miles to bridge 32. 





Turn R over stile into 

wooded Helenfield reserve. 

Turn R at stone bench to visit 

pond, return to bench and keep 

ahead through nature reserve. 

Exit by a plinth and gate and 

5 



5 7 miles/11.25km 

Cross railway line R and 


Turn L along towpath, cross 

road in Shireoaks and continue 




Continue to R of church up 

Church St and through village 

and over level crossing. At A59 

turn R then, at petrol station, L 

up Nun Monkton Lane, crossing 

with care. Just after metal 

fieldgate on L turn L over stile 

(easy to miss) within hedge. 

Head directly across field 

✁ 

NORTH EAST

✁ 

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600 

600 



CHOSEN BY… 

PAUL & CHRISTINE 

MONAGHAN 

This walk is personal 

to us – a homage to our home 

village that served us well 

during Covid 19 lockdowns. 

It’s an area of lovely 

countryside; we felt 

exhilaration on a lovely early 

spring day when we topped 

Humber Hill during the 

walk-from-home’ phase. This 

hill above the village, unlike 

the nearby Pennine Hills which 

merge together, stands apart 

and has good views in all 

directions. We’ve also included 

a walk through the village 

main street, its former rail 

station and start where 

the village history began, 

Longovicium Roman Fort. 

2 


After The Gin Gang 

(a wheelhouse), turn L past 

buildings and onto a single 

track lane. Pass Lanchester 

Dairies milk bottling plant. 

At main road turn R. Pass an 

➥ ➥ 

1 Start 

Take time to look at the 

information board about 

Longovicium Fort. Cross the 

road and descend the hill on 

the pavement. At the bottom 

of the hill turn L on the 

Lanchester Valley Way 

(signed cycleway to Consett). 

Pass the handsome former 

railway station with its still 

recognisable platform. As you 

approach a small car park, on 

the L is a culvert that passes 

under the village. This in the 

past has been a cause of village 

flooding when it became 

blocked. Turn L at road and 

climb to the hamlet of 

Newbiggen. 

CHOSEN BY… 

GEOFF HOLLAND 

For variety, this 

walk takes some 

beating as it makes its way 

from the peaceful banks of 

the River Breamish to the 

lonely, windswept summit 

of Dunmoor Hill. You will 

encounter the remote 

and ruined farm house 

on Reaveleyhill as you 

climb past rugged Cunyan 

Crags to the highest point 

of the walk and a grandstand 

view. Later, you will make 

an adventurous descent 

alongside little-visited 

Long and Cat Crags, before 

making tracks for the 

medieval village of Hartside. 

It’s not an easy walk, but 

it is full of interest. 


2 Continue past cottage 

with fence on R and beyond 

sharp, boggy, dip keep with 

marker post. When track 

splits take R fork. Then when 

a thin path goes L off main 

track (with marker post ahead) 

go L and straight on to gate 

with stile. Cross over. At next 

marker post turn R towards 

obvious crags and then 

through gate. Follow track 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Durham City 

Refreshments Many pubs, 

restaurants and cafés in 

Lanchester 


Public transport Bus X5/ 

X15 from Consett or 

Durham, Bus 30 from 

Stanley (not Sunday) 


Landranger 88 

1 Start 

Re-cross Ingram Bridge 

and stay with road to first 

junction. Turn L, signed 

‘NCR 68’, and continue 

past Reaveley Farm. At sign 

on L (‘Reaveleyhill 1’) go 

through gate. Ignore metal 

gate ahead instead follow 

rough track with fence on 

L passing two more gates 

to reach ladder stile. Cross 

over and head diagonally 

R to ruined Reaveleyhill. 

PLANNING 

Nearest town 

Wooler/Powburn 

Refreshments Cafe, 

Ingram (check Facebook 

Page for opening hours) 

Public toilets Bulby’s 

Wood, Breamish Valley 



Landranger 81 

PHOTO: P&C MONAGHAN 

ROUTE 

Start/parking In layby on 

B6296 near Longovicium 

Fort, grid ref NZ158469, 

postcode DH7 0RQ 

(nearest) 

Is it for me? Mostly on 

quiet country lanes with 

only local traffic, some 

field paths. Suitable for all 

Stiles 9 

PHOTO: GEOFF HOLLAND 

ROUTE 

Start/parking Ingram 

Bridge, Breamish Valley, 

grid ref NU017164 

Is it for me? Generally 

on paths with a couple of 

solid climbs and a rough 

trackless descent requiring 

care. Some paths can be 

confusing, so confident 

navigational skills are a 

distinct advantage 

Stiles 4 (all with gates) 

Wide ranging views 

from Humber Hill. 


Heading up into the 

Northumberland wilds. 


uDistance: 7 miles/11.2km uTime: 3½ hours uGrade: Moderate uDistance: 10 miles/16km uTime: 4-5 hours uGrade: Moderate 

N 

W E 

S 

B 

19 

COUNTY DURHAM 

20 

NORTHUMBERLAND 

LANCHESTER & HUMBER HILL 

CUNYAN CRAGS & DUNMOOR HILL 

NORTH EAST 

A 

NORTH EAST

DATE WALKED 

TIME TAKEN 

YOUR RATING 


COUNTY DURHAM 

LANCHESTER & HUMBER HILL 

20 

NORTHUMBERLAND 

19 

CUNYAN CRAGS & DUNMOOR HILL 

NORTH EAST 


NORTH EAST 



3 

4 

2 

5 

2 

5 


1 

START 

street, opposite, are the former 

offices of Lanchester Rural 

District Council, disbanded in 

1974. Across the village green is 

12th-century All Saints’ church 

constructed partially from 

stone taken from the fort 

including an altar and column. 

Turn R and retrace your route 

uphill to the start point. 

the road then turns sharp L 

around fence. Continue 

downhill, keeping R of fence. 

4 

attractive historic terrace in the 

hamlet of Hollinside. Near the 

end of the terrace turn R on 

footpath that passes Hollinside 

Farm. Continue through gate, 

bear L towards the mast. Go 

through R of 2 gates. At next 

gate, turn L and R over 2 stiles 

and go straight on to trig point 

at the summit of Humber Hill. 


6 

4 

1 

3 

START 

of Hartside a substantial 

village settlement in the 

13th and 14th centuries. 

Go through a metal gate 

staying with a track past a 

large sheep enclosure on L 

and then through another 

metal gate to join single 

track valley road. 

6 

towards Long Crag. Keep 

with intermittent path over 

crest of rocky outcrops. 

When these end drop to 

the L and aim for next crag 

(Cat Crag). Here carefully drop 

R and continue downwards 

past crag on L aiming to L 

of small plantation ahead. 

Once there go through 

gate to join track. 


The views 

from the 

summit of 

Dunmoor Hill and 

Long Crag. 


Cross railway path and 

continue over a series of stiles 

to a single track lane. Turn R. 

Before reaching village, take 

short path opposite cemetery 

down steps on to railway walk. 

Turn L towards village. At road 

turn L then R on main street. 


Turn L and follow road 

back to Ingram Bridge. 

5⅔ miles/8.9km 

Turn L and follow green 

track for next 2 km avoiding 

side tracks and passing 

through two gates en route 

to cross track. 

4 





After enjoying the views 

continue ahead to a stile beside 

a gate. Turn R at road and at 

crossroads turn R again. After 

returning past Newbiggin take 

footpath L through a gate. 

Initially the path runs parallel to 

3 




5 

as it bends L uphill eventually 

taking thin path through edge 

of Cunyan Crags, with fence 

on R. Continue with track 

uphill and eventually through 

gate. After wooden shooting 

butts go diagonally L to small 

rocky outcrop, summit of 

Dunmoor Hill. 



6¼ miles/10km 

You pass what is now 

called Woodham Court. This 

was originally a workhouse for 

the poor. At the end of the 




Turn R on the track 

passing through remains 

5 

4⅓ miles/6.9km 

Turn around and head 

back on track as it bends 

3 

✁

✁ 

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200 

metres 

200 

400 

400 

600 

600 



CHOSEN BY… 

ALISON GASTER 

This walk starts high 

above the small 

market town of Fishguard 

and offers a coastal walk with 

spectacular scenery. It’s easy 

walking to begin with, along 

the heather and bracken-clad, 

grassy clifftops. Enjoy the 

uninterrupted seascape views 

and look out for seals bobbing 

up and down in the shallows of 

the many rocky coves that you 

pass. The path becomes more 

undulating and rugged as you 

head round to Carregwastad 

Point, where a memorial 

commemorates the last 

invasion of Britain (a tapestry 

depicting the event can be 

viewed in Fishguard Town 

Hall). Heading inland, the 

2½ miles/4 km 

2 The path drops steeply 

into the wooded valley of Cwm 

Felin and climbs again to reach 

Carregwastad Point. Pause 

here to enjoy the coastal views 

before retracing your steps 

back down and up Cwm Felin. 

➥ ➥ 

1 Start 

From the Gwaelod y Garth 

Inn, head up the very steep 

lane behind the pub and follow 

the hairpin bend L. Once across 


3 To your right is a series of 

Bronze Age burial chambers 

dating back to around 2000BC. 

The most easterly mound is 

a peaceful spot for a picnic, 

while the mound with the trig 

marks the Garth’s highest 

point. Despite being known 

locally as Mynydd y Garth 

1 Start 

From the parking area, join 

the coastal path heading north. 

The route is well signposted 

and defined. 

route takes you to the top 

of the rocky outcrop of 

Garnwnda, the site of a 

Neolithic burial mound. 

Take time after the walk to 

explore Fishguard itself. Lower 

Fishguard was the setting for 

the 1972 film adaption of 

Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk 

Wood and the quaint Old 

Harbour is a lovely place 

to while away the time. 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Fishguard 

Refreshments Pubs & 

cafes in Fishguard and 

Goodwick 

Public toilets Nearest 

Fishguard Pier car park 

Public transport Limited 

bus service 410 from 

Fishguard and Goodwick 

to Harbour Village Mon, 

Wed and Sat. Train station 

in Goodwick 



CHOSEN BY… 

REBECCA LEES 

A route around 

and over the Garth, 

a pretty hill at the gateway 

to the Valleys and the subject 

of the Hugh Grant film The 

Englishman Who Went Up 

a Hill But Came Down a 

Mountain. With far-reaching 

views across the Bristol 

Channel and as far north as 

Pen y Fan on a clear day, it’s 

a family favourite, its steep 

climb rewarded by a ridge 

nearly a mile long and dotted 

with landmark burial chambers. 

2 ⅔ mile/1km 

Follow the bridleway/ 

Garth Circular Walk waymarker 

R, leaving the lane and 

beginning to climb a narrow 

footpath. This is the steepest 

section of the route and can 

be very muddy; after extremely 

wet weather, another option 

is to follow one of the more 

gradual footpaths further along 

the lane. At the top, follow the 

path west along the ridge. 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Taffs Well 

Refreshments The 

Gwaelod y Garth Inn 

(Tel: 029 2081 0408) 


Public transport Arriva 

Trains Wales Cardiff-Taffs 

Well (Valleys’ line towards 

Aberdare or Merthyr Tydfil) 


Landranger 170 & 171 

the cattle grid, the climb 

eases and the lane levels out. 

PHOTO: ALISON GASTER 

ROUTE 

Start/parking Viewpoint 

and parking area at end of 

Harbour Village, off New 

Hill, grid ref SM949391 

Is it for me? Open clifftop 

paths, part of waymarked 

Pembrokeshire Coast 

Path, tracks, lanes 

Stiles None 

PHOTO: REBECCA LEES 

ROUTE 

Start/parking Free 

parking in front of the 

Gwaelod y Garth Inn, grid 

ref ST115839, CF15 9HH. 

Please do not park in the 

pub’s car park and be 

considerate of driveways 

Is it for me? Paths, tracks, 

lanes. Some muddy 

ground, steep climbs 

and an exposed ridge 

Stiles None 

Views along the coast from 

Carragwastad Point. 


Visitors exploring the 

long burial chamber. 


uDistance: 5¾ miles/9.3km uTime: 2 hours uGrade: Moderate uDistance: 6 miles/9.6km uTime: 2½ hours uGrade: Moderate 

21 

PEMBROKESHIRE 

22 

GLAMORGAN 

CARREGWASTAD POINT 

THE GARTH 

WALES 

WALES

DATE WALKED 

TIME TAKEN 

YOUR RATING 


PEMBROKESHIRE 

CARRAGWASTAD POINT 

22 

GLAMORGAN 

21 

THE GARTH 

WALES 


WALES 



6 

5 

2 

3 

bear R at the end to join 

the main lane. At T- junction 

continue ahead onto a stony 

bridle track. 

Go through a wooden gateway 

and turn L to climb to the top 

of the Garnwnda between high 

gorse bushes, passing the 

massive slabs of the ancient 

burial chamber just shy of the 

top. The climb is well worth it 

for the spectacular panoramic 

view. Look along to the Pen 

Caer Lighthouse on the coast, 

beyond Carregwastad Point in 

one direction, and across to the 

Preselli Hills in the other. At the 

top, bear R to a second rocky 

outcrop. Continue over it and 

bend L, looking for a gate and 

undefined path to take you off 

the outcrop. Descend down 

a narrow path to a lane. 

Turn R through a small gate 

and follow the path away from 

the coast through pleasant 

open scrub to a further gate. 

Cross the open area of 

grassland leading onto a 

hedge-lined track. Go through 

small gate at end and straight 

across the field to a metal gate 

to the L of a large rocky 

outcrop. 


START 

1 


3 

2 

4 

5 

4 

START 

1 

but it remains visible. As it’s 

a bridleway, do beware of 

horses approaching with little 

notice. The path thins and runs 

downhill to a gravel track. Turn 

R and follow the track south, 

noting that this is commercial 

forestry and the path is 

occasionally closed. Continue 

to the metal gate just ahead 

of the hairpin bend climbed 

earlier and head back downhill 

to a hearty log fire and a warm 

Welsh ‘croeso’ in the pub. 

to village of Efail Isaf and 

the Carpenter’s Arms. 


Turn R onto Ffordd y Capel 

and walk to the Tabernacl 

Chapel. Follow the lane R and 

continue below the north side 

of the Garth, passing Garth 

Isaf Farm, Drysgoed and Ty 

Newydd. Pass Maesmawr Road 

on the L, continuing ahead. At 

the next bend, leave the lane 

and pass through the wide 

wooden gate, R, onto the track. 

5 


Just beyond stables, turn 

L at a T-junction of paths. The 

track widens into a stony bridle 

track. Go through farmyard and 

continue ahead on lane. At end, 

turn L onto Harbour Village 

Road back to the start. 

5 

(Garth Mountain) – and the 

efforts of the characters in 

the film to have it recognised 

as a mountain – at 1007ft, the 

Garth remains very much a hill! 

From the trig, follow the grassy 

path south west to the tarmac 

lane below a red brick house. 

Pass the white cottage to reach 

the T-junction, turn R and, at 

the second T-junction, R again. 


Go through gate at end 

and continue on a stony track 

which curves round to join a 

lane. Walk up the lane with the 

rocky outcrop of Garnwnda 

in view ahead of you. Turn R 

along a tarmac track signed to 

Garn Gron and Garn Fach. Pass 

to the L of the second cottage. 

3 









4¼ miles/6.8 km 

Walk down the lane and 

4 



6 


Shortly beyond the gate, 

follow the bridleway L into 

Coed y Gedrys woods – don’t 

miss the waymarker! The 

woodland can be dense in 

places and the path muddy, 


Heading uphill again, 

follow the peaceful country 

lane around the Garth’s 

western flank. See if you can 

spot Garth Mountain alpacas 

in the fields! The lane descends 

towards the substantial walled 

grounds of a private house and 

crosses Nant y Felin stream 

via a stone bridge. Continue 

✁

✁ 

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200 

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400 

400 

800 

600 

1200 



CHOSEN BY… 

FIONA BARTROP 

Situated in the 

southernmost part of 

the Snowdonia National Park 

are the lovely, little walked 

Tarren Hills that run down to 

the sea at Aberdovey. The best 

walk is along the fine ridge 

that extends for several miles 

in a south west direction from 

the Tarrens’ highest point, 

Tarren y Gesail (667m/2188ft). 

The only other 2000ft plus top 

is Tarrenhendre, to the north 

east of which the slopes are 

largely swathed in forest, while 

to the south west the terrain 

is mostly grassy and smooth 

rolling. This linear route keeps 

to the open slopes, with an 

ascent of Tarrenhendre from 

the south to start, then along 

1 Start 

Aberdovey (Aberdyfi in 

Welsh) is a pretty village resort, 

on the Dyfi estuary, sheltered 

by the Tarren Hills to the north. 

With its clean golden sands 

and variety of watersports it’s 

duly popular with visitors. Take 

bus to Pennal. From bus stop/ 

➥ ➥ 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Tywyn 

Refreshments Choice in 

Aberdovey; hotel bar and 

restaurant in Pennal 


Aberdovey and Pennal 

Public transport Bus X29 

Tywyn-Machynlleth. 

Trains between 

Birmingham & Pwllheli 



1 Start 

From Rowardennan Car 

Park, walk through gap in toilet 

block onto waymarked Ben 

Lomond Access Path which 


Gentler section proceeds 

over open moorland, home to 

skylark and meadow pipit, 

before path steepens again, 


4 Now walk travels along 

perhaps most dramatic section 

zigzagging uphill towards 

main summit ridge, offering 

fine views of Ptarmigan Ridge. 

the ridge back to Aberdovey. 

On a fine day the extensive 

views are superb. As will 

be noticed from the map, 

the Wales Coast Path, which 

has to detour well inland via 

Machynlleth, to get round the 

Dyfi estuary, follows a route 

along the foothills of the 

Tarrens, also linking Pennal 

and Aberdovey (a bus ride 

between the two) – a good 

option on days of low cloud. 

CHOSEN BY… 

KEITH FERGUS 

The outward section 

of this classic walk 

can be very busy, with an 

excellent path climbing all 

the way onto Ben Lomond’s 

summit. Steps can be retraced 

back to Rowardennan but a far 

more rewarding (and quieter) 

return crosses Ptarmigan 

Ridge. It’s along a rougher 

path, one that contains a 

couple of steep sections, 

particularly the initial drop 

from Ben Lomond, but one 

with fabulous views. 

2 ½ mile/0.75km 

Once across, continue 

ascent above treeline with 

gradient easing. Stunning 

vista opens out across Loch 

Lomond. After crossing 

footbridge path steepens 

again, and beyond two gates 

steep rise climbs north over 

Sron Aonaich with spectacular 

views along Loch Lomond. 

ascends northeast through 

gorgeous woodland. After 

passing through gate path 

climbs steadily to forestry 

track. 


ROUTE 

Start/parking Pennal (bus 

stop), grid ref SH698004. 

Car park at Aberdovey/ 

Aberdyfi, LL35 0EA, 

grid ref: SN612959 

Is it for me? High level 

ridge walk over rolling 

hills. A lot of ascent – 

not only to Tarrenhendre, 

but also later in walk from 

Cwm Maethlon. Suitable 

for those with stamina, 

and navigation skills on 

hills. Use Coast Path in 

bad weather (See map) 

Stiles 7 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Balloch 

Refreshments 

Rowardennan Hotel, 

Rowardennan 

(Tel: 01360 870 273) 

Public toilets At start 


None to start 


Landranger 56 

PHOTO: KEITH FERGUS 

ROUTE 

Start/parking Ben 

Lomond Car Park, 

Rowardennan grid ref 

NS359986, G63 0AR 

Is it for me? Excellent 

path on ascent, rougher 

path on decent. Steep 

ascents/descents 

Stiles NOne 

Afron Dyffryn-gwyn 

in Cwm Maethlon. 

SEE 

FEATURE 

ON PAGE 32 


Loch Lomond from 

Ben Lomond summit. 


uDistance: 12 miles/19km uTime: 6-7 hours uGrade: Challenging uDistance: 7½ miles/12.5km uTime: 5 hours uGrade: Challenging 

B 

N 

W E 

S 

A 

23 

GWYNEDD 

24 

STIRLINGSHIRE 

THE TARRENS 

BEN LOMOND & PTARMIGAN RIDGE 

WALES 

SCOTLAND

DATE WALKED 

TIME TAKEN 

YOUR RATING 


GWYNEDD 

THE TARRENS 

24 

STIRLINGSHIRE 

23 

BEN LOMOND & PTARMIGAN RIDGE 

WALES 


uOS Explorer map OL39 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop uOS Explorer map OL23 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop 

3 


5 

4 

2 

4 

6 

START 

1 


of walk, running above 

steep-sided Coire Odhar 

and Coire Fuar. Real care 

should be taken here in 

poor visibility - during winter, 

and into spring, edge of corries 

may be heavily corniced. 

After short, gradual climb, 

above spectacular Coire a’ 

Bhathaich, 974m summit 

is gained. Exceptional 

panorama extends to 

Arrochar Alps, Munros 

above Crianlarich and Arran. 

5 

LOW LEVEL 

ROUTE 

in same direction over Bryn 

Dinas down to Happy Valley/ 

Cwm Maethlon road. 


L along road, then first R 

past some dwellings and across 

Afon Dyffryn-gwyn. Follow 

track through wood and once 

clear of trees continue in same 

direction uphill until you meet 

the road to Aberdovey. 

5 

Cefn-caer to meet an extension 

of a forest road (SH702037). 

Bear L along track which 

curves round head of valley 

and leads you up to skyline and 

ridge-top path (with fence 

alongside). Turn L to continue 

ascent to Tarrenhendre summit 

and a crossing fence. 

3 

shelter on N side of road walk 

back along main road a short 

distance and take first R, Tower 

Road, just before bridge, 

following route of waymarked 

Wales Coast Path (WCP). (NB 

For WCP route back to 

Aberdovey, continue along 

main road a bit further to 

entrance drive to Plas Talgarth 

and turn L here.) Continue to 

first junction, leaving WCP and 

forking L. Lane descends to 

cross Afon Pennal, then climbs 

steadily north to Pennal-isaf. 


3 

FINISH 

7 

8 

2 

1 

Follow this back to 

Rowardennan. 

7 


Majority of walkers 

will retrace steps back to 

Rowardennan but for superb 

descent, it’s well worth 

returning via Ptarmigan Ridge. 

Initial drop to Bealach Buidhe 

is steep and a little exposed. 

Care is required, especially 

in poor visibility or during 

winter. Descend steep path 

northwest from summit. 

Soon exposure lessens but it 

still drops steeply to Bealach 

Buidhe at 750m contour, 

where incline eases. Path 

rises over Ptarmigan Ridge, 

to reach high point of 731m. 

It provides superb views of 

Ben Lomond’s western slopes 

and south to Loch Lomond. 

START 




3¾ miles/6km 

Turn L, keeping fence on R 

and continue along ridge to 

Trum Gelli, marked by two 

substantial cairns. 





Once through gate 

continue to descend more 

steeply down to another gate 

at edge of oak woodland. Once 

through follow path to fork, 

keep L, continue to junction. 


Path remains clear as it 

heads south, dropping steadily 

and, in a while, leave ridge 

beneath Tom Fithich. 

Straightforward descent 

continues towards 

Rowardennan. 

6 




Path now keeps well to 

east of ridge and fence-line as 

it continues its descent to 

reach a crossing track. Carry on 

4 


Turn L at fence and follow 

waymarks. Path climbs quite 

steeply up grassy slopes in a 

northerly direction via Mynydd 




Go L, cross bridge over 

burn onto West Highland Way. 

8 

✁ 

SCOTLAND

✁ 

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400 

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200 

800 

400 

1200 

600 



CHOSEN BY… 

NICK DRAINEY 

The steep slopes 

of the Ochil Hills 

form a natural barrier on 

the edge of the wide, flat 

Forth Valley, acting as 

a barrier to the mountains 

of Perthshire beyond. 

They can appear formidable 

from below the southern 

flanks but a start point to 

the west allows a more 

gentle walk in along 

Glensherup Reservoir, 

sitting in a bowl of hills. 

As you gain height the full 

range of rounded hilltops 

comes into view and the 

chance to enjoy a tramp across 

open, grassy moorland with 

views from the Lowlands to 

the Highlands. 


Take the path going 

L (next to the marker post 

with the arrow pointing 

straight ahead). Follow path 

to grass track and go L, 

➥ ➥ 


Take steep path down to 

Glensherup Reservoir and cross 

grassy top of dam. On other 

side go up to track, turn L and 

follow it past fishing huts and 

along reservoir to gate in deer 

fence. Path goes beyond end of 

reservoir then climbs steadily 

to R. After gaining 300ft the 

path swings round to R. 

PLANNING 

Nearest town 

Glendevon 

Refreshments 

The Tormaukin Inn 

in Glendevon 

(Tel 01259 781252) 




Landranger 58; 

Harvey Superwalker 

XT25 Ochil Hills 

1 Start 

Follow path at end of car 

park, past white cottage to 

track. Go R and follow track 

into forestry. After half a mile 

go R at signpost for Lower 

Glendevon Reservoir. 

CHOSEN BY… 

JEN & SIM BENSON 

Cradled in a deep 

bowl ringed by the 

jagged skyline of the Cuillins, 

Coire Lagan is a magical place, 

like a natural infinity pool set 

against the glittering backdrop 

of the sea. Starting from the 

excellent Glenbrittle café and 

campsite this walk packs 

drama into every inch, gaining 

height rapidly along a clear 

and well-maintained trail that 

climbs unrelentingly towards 

the dark nook of the coire 

and the towering mountains 

beyond. Remember to stop 

regularly and take in the views 

back down the way you’ve 

come, out across the sea to 

the distinctive outlines of the 

Small Isles of Eigg and Rhum 

on the horizon. Higher up the 

ground steepens and there’s 

some straightforward 

scrambling to reach the loch 

itself, flanked by wide slabs 

of gabbro and guarded by 

the infamous Inaccessible 

Pinnacle. This final section is 

by far the most technical, and 

well worth the effort for its 

many wonders, however it’s 

an out-and-back that’s easily 

missed out for those who’d 

prefer, and the walk is still an 

absolute gem. The descent, 

once you’ve negotiated the 

scramble back down to the 

main path, follows a less-steep 

route along the northern 

shores of Loch an Fhir- 

Bhallaich. Further down you’ll 

pass the Eas Mor falls, flowing 

in a wind-blown veil of white 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Broadford 

Refreshments Glenbrittle 

campsite café near start 

(Tel: 01478 640404) 

Public toilets at the 

campsite near the start 

Public transport trains to 

Fort William then Scottish 

Citylink coach to 

Sligachan on Skye which is 

the closest but Broadford 

may be easier to join a 

tour bus or taxi to 

Glenbrittle 


Landranger 32 

PHOTO: NICK DRAINEY 

ROUTE 

Start/parking Free 

parking at Forestry and 

Land Scotland’s Glen 

Sherup car park – a mile 

north of Glendevon on the 

A823, grid ref NN972052, 

FK14 7JY 

Is it for me? Tracks, rough 

paths, open moorland. 

Mostly easy navigation 

(difficult in mist) 

Stiles None 

Wet & Wild: the 

stunning Eas Mor falls. 

PHOTO: J&S BENSON 

ROUTE 

Start/parking 

Glenbrittle, IV47 8TA, 

grid ref NG409206 

Is it for me? The path is 

steep and rocky but clear 

on the ground for most of 

the way. The final section 

to Lochan Coire Lagan is 

less clear and requires 

some straightforward 

scrambling 

Stiles None 

Views back up to 

Innerdownie. 



uDistance: 9½ miles/15.3km uTime: 4 hours uGrade: Moderate uDistance: 5¼ miles/8.5km uTime: 3 hours uGrade: Moderate 

B 

N 

W E 

S 

A 

25 

PERTH & KINROSS 

26 

HIGHLAND 

GLEN SHERUP, TARMANGIE & INNERDOWNIE 

COIRE LAGAN 

SCOTLAND 

SCOTLAND

DATE WALKED 

TIME TAKEN 

YOUR RATING 


PERTH & KINROSS 

GLEN SHERUP, TARMANGIE & INNERDOWNIE 

26 

HIGHLAND 

25 

COIRE LAGAN 

SCOTLAND 


SCOTLAND 


START 

1 


4 

5 

2 

3 


3 

START 

1 

2 


4 

the grassy area above the Allt 

Coire na Banachdich and the 

impressive Eas Mor waterfall. 

To miss out the technical 

section to the coire, turn L 

here and follow the descent 

path as described. 

in deer fence and into forestry. 

(Ignore stiles over the fence.) 

2 

from high on the mountainside 

down into a deep ravine and 

a pretty string of clear pools. 

The final stretch follows the 

road from Glenbrittle hut 

back to the campsite. 


Follow path down to track 

and go L. Drop down and after 

one and a half miles keep R at 

junction. Pass signpost above 

Glen Sherup Reservoir to 

continue to car park. 


Go through gate and 

follow path by old stone wall, 

steeply uphill. Trend L to top 

of Tarmangie Hill, the highest 

point of walk at 2117ft. From 

the top, continue on L side of 

wall, ignoring path going R, up 

Whitewisp Hill. Go through gap 

in wall once past Whitewisp 

Hill and continue dropping 

down in same direction. Go 

through gate in deer fence 

to R then on to Innerdownie, 

alongside old stone wall. 

Continue down other side 

of Innerdownie. After a mile 

go L at marker post, through 

wooden pedestrian gate 


The reservoirs 

in the Ochil 

Hills are 

stocked with trout 

which not only 

pleases fishermen but 

also the osprey which 

can often be seen 

swopping down for 

a feed in the warmer 

months of the year. 


Follow the path along the 

southern edge of the gorge, 

heading west downhill to reach 

a footbridge. Cross this and 

follow the grassy path to the 

road near to Glenbrittle 

Mountain Rescue hut. Turn L 

and follow road across cattle 

grid and back to the start. 

1¾ miles/3km 

To reach the loch continue 

up the main path as it steepens 

and gets rockier, eventually 

emerging onto the slabby 

surrounds of Lochan Coire 

Lagan. Once you’ve taken in 

the amazing beauty of the 

place return by the same route 

to the cairns and path junction. 








Bear R at the cairns and 

follow this path north-west 

below the slopes of Sgurr 

Dearg and above Loch an 

Fhir-bhallaich. Continue on 

the path downhill to reach 

3 



towards Scad Hill. Skirt L 

side of Scad Hill and drop 

down to the metal gate 

in the deer fence. 



1 Start 

Leave the car park and 

follow the path through the 

campsite, aiming to the R of 

the café and L of the shower 

block and through a gate and 

onto the mountainside beyond. 

Follow the rough main path 

uphill in an easterly direction 

towards the Cuillin mountains. 

Where the path forks after 

1.25km bear L, continuing in 

a similar direction uphill and 

across a small stream. Continue 

up the path to a path junction 

marked with two large cairns. 

✁

N 

W E 

S 

PHOTO: DAVID MARSH 

27 CUMBRIA 

MOSEDALE & PILLAR 

uDistance: 11 miles/17.5km uTime: 7-8 hours uGrade: Challenging 

Mosedale Beck and Pillar, 

just after Wasdale head Inn. 

➥ 

A 

B 

✁ 

CLASSIC 

WALK 

A WALK ON 

THE WILD SIDE 

CHOSEN BY… 

DAVID MARSH 

Many visitors 

to Wasdale Head 

have their sights set to the 

east, to the Scafells and 

Great Gable. To the west 

however, lies Mosedale, 

a short but decidedly 

wild valley, ringed by fine 

mountains such as Pillar, 

Scoat Fell and Red Pike. 

This circuit of Mosedale 

includes the exciting High 

Level Route approach to 

Pillar, allowing a close 

encounter with the spectacular 

Pillar Rock amid some of the 

finest rock architecture in the 

whole Lake District. While 

the High Level Route is the 

undoubted highlight, the 

whole day is packed full of 

memorable views, whether 

it’s of the pointed summit 

of Steeple, into the remote 

valley of Ennerdale, or simply 

back to Scafell Pike and Wast 

Water, England’s highest 

mountain and deepest lake. 

Looking down 

on Pillar Rock. 

PHOTO: DAVID MARSH 

NORTH WEST

DATE WALKED 

TIME TAKEN 

YOUR RATING 


CLASSIC 

WALK 


ROUTE 

Start/parking 

Wasdale Head Car Park; 

grid ref NY187085 

Is it for me? A long route 

with some good paths but 

lots of steep, rough, rocky 

terrain. The High Level 

Traverse is narrow and 

requires sure-footedness, 

a head for heights and 

some scrambling ability. 

Navigation skills essential 

Stiles 2 

PLANNING 

Nearest town Egremont 

Refreshments The 

Wasdale Head Inn, 

(Tel: 01768 482214) 

Public toilets Facilities 

at Lake Head Car Park 


Maps OS Explorer OL4 

& OL6; Landranger 89. 

Harvey Superwalker XT25 

Lake District West 







27 CUMBRIA 

MOSEDALE & PILLAR 

uOS Explorer map OL4 & OL6 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop 

1 Start 

Take the road to Wasdale 

Head Inn. Immediately beyond 

the building, turn L to Mosedale 

Beck, then R on the path 

beside the beck. When it 

divides, take the L fork into 

Mosedale. Follow the path 

as it heads up the E side of 

the valley. 

2 

1¼ miles/2km 

At a small cairn ignore 

the L fork heading to Wind 

Gap but remain on the main 

route as it climbs to ford 

Gatherstone Beck. Thereafter 

the path zigzags steeply 

to Gatherstone Head before 

continuing on to Black Sail 

Pass. 

3 


From the Pass turn L, 

ascending the ridge leading 

towards Pillar. After 0.7km, 

to the R is the grassy dome 

of Looking Stead with 

a magnificent view. 300m 

beyond, after the main route 

has steepened, the start of 

the High Level Route leaves 

to the R, marked by a small 

cairn. To omit this section, 

simply continue up the broad 

ridge to Pillar’s summit. 


Begin the High Level 

Route by descending a gully 

into Green Cove and then 

contour Pillar’s steep northern 

slopes, keeping L when the 

route divides. After passing 

Robinson’s Cairn, the path 

ascends a rocky ridge and 

then zigzags up scree to 

the start of the Shamrock 

Traverse. This ledge across 

the cliffs is straightforward 

bar one tricky section where 

a slippery, sloping slab must 

be negotiated above a drop. 

At the end a narrow ridge 

is reached and from here 

scramble steeply L up to 

the plateau where Pillar’s 

summit lies 60m S. 

5 


Leave the summit SW 

to descend to Wind Gap, 

followed by an ascent to 

Black Crag, with its view 

of Steeple. Continue to 

Scoat Fell, the summit 

of which is marked by the 

end of the Ennerdale Fence, 

an ancient drystone wall. 

Follow the wall beyond 

the summit to where 

it changes direction. 

6 


Go L through a gap in 

the wall and descend SE to 

the col between Scoat Fell 

and Red Pike. Climb to Red 

Pike’s summit by keeping L, 

on the edge of the escarpment, 

away from the main path. 

From the summit, descend 

to rejoin the main path which 

continues to Dore Head. 


Descend SW on the 

path on the E side of Over 

Beck’s valley which eventually 

contours beneath Dropping 

Crag to a ladder stile on 

Yewbarrow’s southern flank. 

Descend on the L side of the 

fence, turning L after another 

stile to reach Overbeck car 

park. 


Turn L and follow the 

road back to Wasdale Head 

car park. 


1200 

800 

400 

metres 

km 

0 

0 2 

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

6 

8 

5 

7 

4 

2 

1 

3 

START 

AVOIDS HIGH 

LEVEL ROUTE 


The famous 

view down 

Wast Water 

from the shore 

where the two minor 

roads leading into 

Wasdale meet 

(grid ref NY151054). 

Voted Britain’s 

favourite view on 

the 2007 ITV show 

of the same name. 

NORTH WEST

metres 

6 4 0 

2 

0 

km 

uDistance: 10½ miles/16.9km uTime: 4 hours uGrade: Moderate 

CHOSEN BY… 

CAROL 

BURKINSHAW 

This e clesiastica lythemed 

route weaves it way 

through Charnw od Forest’s 

w ody tracts, fields and 

m orland to visi the 

monastery at Mount St 

Bernard Abbey and the 

remains of Grace Dieu Priory. 

Mount St Bernard A bey may 

not be a household name, but 

it’s a unique place. After the 

Di solution of the Monasteries 

it was the first permanent 

monastery to be resu rected 

in the country. In recen times 

England’s only Tra pist House 

was forced to close its milk 

producing dairy farm. 

Diversifying into brewing b er, 

the a bey is now one of only 

fourt en operations 

recognised worldwide by 

the International Tra pist 

A sociation. At Thringstone, 

a there-and-back along the 

Grace Dieu Trail visits the ruins 

of Grace Dieu Priory, founded 

in the 13th century as an 

Augustinian nu nery and 

later di solved by Henry VI I. 

Turn R out of car park to 

ascend Leicester Road. Go 

R onto St Bernard Road and 

fo low it around to L. Divert R 

onto signed Ivanhoe Way and 

k ep straight ahead through 

w odland, and later fields, 

to lane. 

1¼ miles/2km 


The heather-to ped 

Wa ren Hi ls. 

ROUTE 

Start/parking Vicarage 

Str et car park, or City 

of Dan car park o posite, 

Whitwick, LE67 5GZ, grid 

ref SK437160. Alternative 

sma l car park just outside 

Whitwick on Swa nymote 

Road, grid ref SK443168 

Is it for me? Gently 

undulating w odland, 

fields, m orland and quiet 

lanes. Prone to seasonal 

mud in places 

Stiles None 

PLANNING 

Neares town 

Coalvi le 

0 2 

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

A 

B 


Refreshments 

Choice in Whitwick 


Public transport A riva 

buses serve Whitwick 

Market Place – 16/16A/X16 

Loughborough-Coalvi le, 

29/29A Leicester-Burton 

upon Trent and 126 

Leicester-Coalvi le 



✁ 

metres 

6 4 0 

2 

0 

km 

uDistance: 5 miles/8.25km uTime: 3½ hours uGrade: Easy 

CHOSEN BY… 

ROGER BUTLER 

Braunston, on 

the north-western 

fringe of Northamptonshire, is 

sometimes ca led the ‘capital 

of the canals’ and this walk 

discovers some of the 

wonderful history and heritage 

associated with both the 

Grand Union and the Oxford 

Canals. Features include a 

flight of six locks, characterful 

bridges of cast iron and brick, 

a d ep tu nel, a former 

pumping station and dozens 

of colourful na rowboats. 

The route also pa ses two 

large deserted medieval 

villages at Wolfhampcote 

and Braunstonbury, where 

prominent grassy earthworks 

are reminders of the old 

The junction of the Grand 

Union and Oxford Canals. 

se tlements. An isolated 

church is now the only 

remaining landmark. Other 

points of interest include old 

l ops on the origina line of 

the Oxford Canal (these were 

by-pa sed in the 1830s!) and 

the prominent church spire 

which stands at one end of 

the a tractive village street. 

From the green near 

Braunston vi lage ha l take the 

path leading south betw en 

houses. Pa s through two gates 

and veer L, downhi l, over open 

space known as Je ty Field. 

Go through a sma l gate and 

continue for 50m to another 

gate by bend in lane. K ep 

ahead on lane and after 450m 



ROUTE 

Start/parking Braunston, 

near the vi lage ha l, NN 1 

7HW, grid ref SP543 63 

Is it for me? We l- 

maintained towpath, 

plus paths and tracks 

through fields 

Stiles 9 

PLANNING 

Neares town Daventry 

Refreshments Pubs and 

tea r om in Braunston – 

and a floating café 

on the canal 



Nearest stations Long 

Buckby or Rugby – s e 

www.stagecoachbus.com 

for local bus timetables 

Maps Explorer 2; 


Continue along an avenue of 

plane tr es and cro s the 

bridge over the Grand Union 

Canal by Top Lock Co tage. 

Turn L along the towpath for 

0 2 

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

✁ 

✁ 

metres 

600 

4 0 

2 

0 

km 

The Slipway 

pub at point 2. 

uDistance: 5½ miles/8.9km uTime: 2 hours uGrade: Easy 

CHOSEN BY… 

DENNIS KELSALL 

The transportation of 

coal was fundamental 

to the dawn of the Steam Age, 

and as early as 1720 plans 

were conceived to canalise the 

River Douglas to transport 

Wigan’s coal to the sea at 

Tarleton. The navigation, 

opened in 1742, was 

subsequently incorporated 

within the L eds Liverp ol 

Canal, which reached Wigan 

from Liverp ol in 1780. The 

Ru ford Branch to Tarleton 

opened the fo lowing year and 

Burscough rapidly expanded 

as a bustling se tlement 

around the busy junction. 

The walk, pa sing former 

warehouses, canal basins and 

severa locks (no to mention 

0 2 

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

metres 

6 0 

400 

2 

0 

km 

a couple of waterside pubs), 

explores a tractive sections 

of both canals and the rich 

expansive farmland of the 

Lancashire Plain acro s 

which they snake. 

Join the canal towpath at 

the rear of the car park and 

turn R beneath Burscough 

Bridge. K ep going where 

Crabtr e Lane later cro ses the 

canal by The Slipway pub, but 

then a li tle further on, before 

reaching the next bridge, turn 

o f along a track to a farm. 

Walk away betw en barns 

and pas the farmhouse, 

continuing forward betw en 



ROUTE 

Start/parking Canal-side 

car park off Lord Str et, 

grid ref SD 43121, nearest 

postcode L40 5UU 

Is it for me? Towpaths, 

tracks and field paths 

Stiles 1 

PLANNING 

Neares town Burscough 

Refreshments Choice of 

pubs & cafés in Burscough 

and along route 


Public transport Bus and 

rail services to Burscough 

(www.traveline.info) 



Southport railway. Make sure 

the line is clear before you 

cro s and continue in the 

same direction a the edge of 

subsequent fields, eventua ly 

pa sing Monks Farm. Walk on, 

swinging R and then L with 

the field perimeter to emerge 

onto the corner of a lane. 

uDistance: 7½ miles/12km uTime: 3½ hours uGrade: Moderate 

CHOSEN BY… 

PHOEBE TAPLIN 

This loop along the 

border between 

Norfolk and Suffolk follows the 

Angles Way from Beccles to 

Geldeston and winds back 

along the River Waveney. The 

popular waterside Locks pub 

or the characterful Wherry Inn 

both make lovely half-way 

sto ping points. Come spring, 

the final flower-bordered miles 

are alive with birds and 

butterflies, flashing between 

the rustling rushes and the 

silvery willow tr es. L ok out 

for jewel-bright dragonflies 

and the colourful spikes of 

purple loosestrife in summer. 

There are g od views of 

Be cles acro s the river 

towards the end of the walk, 

Walking beside 

the River Waveney. 

including the detached 

16th-century tower of 

St Michael’s church. From 

April 2021, the Big Dog fe ry 

should be ru ning again so 

people l oking for a shorter 

route could catch the boat 

to Geldeston and walk back. 

Walk away from water 

on Fen Lane, pa sing brick 

buildings on R. Cross 

Ravensmere into Northgate 

and k ep straight past 

mansions from days when 

Be cles was a thriving port. 

K ep straight past Old Market 

to St Michael’s church. 

Turn R immediately after 



ROUTE 

Start/parking Be cles 

Quay; car park (£3.50/ 

day) nearby over 

f otbridge, NR34 9BH, 

grid ref TM423910 

Is it for me? Level paths 

with winter mud and 

summer overgrowth in 

places; some roadside 

walking 

Stiles 2 

PLANNING 

Neares town 

Be cles 

Refreshments 

Lots of choices in Be cles; 

The Locks, Gedelston 

and The Whe ry I n 


The Quay at start 

Public transport Buses 

from Norwich (X2/X 2, 

First) stop at Old Market 

near point 2; Be cles 

station is ½ mile from here 

with hourly trains to 

Ipswich and Lowestoft. 



0 2 

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

metres 

600 

4 0 

2 

0 

km 

uDistance: 7¾ miles/ 12.5km uTime: 2¾ hours uGrade: Moderate 

CHOSEN BY… 

CAROL 

BURKINSHAW 

Set high on a 

limestone ridge, Cusworth Ha l 

o fers an expansive panorama 

acro s open parkland and the 

wider Don Va ley. Country seat 

to the Ba tie-Wrightson family 

for over 200 years, nowadays 

the ha l, owned and managed 

by Doncaster Council, is home 

to the town’s social history 

museum (admi sion fr e). 

From the ha l you descend 

through Cusworth Park to the 

serpentine lakes. Leaving the 

estate grounds, you co nect 

up with a section of the 

Trans-Pe nine Trail along a 

disused railway line. At a fork 

in the trail you depar the rail 

track, to first pass the site of a 

metres 

6 4 0 

2 

0 

km 

mo te and bailey castle at 

Langthwaite, and then walk 

along the shoreline of two 

ornamenta lakes overl oked 

by their former W odlands 

country house. A stretch of the 

Roman Ermine Str et, known 

loca ly as Roman Ridge, 

returns you to Cusworth. 

From ‘tear om’ signpost at 

rear of car park, fork R in 10m, 

stay ahead at cro sroads, and 

swing L to walk in front of 

Cusworth Ha l. Maintain 

direction, signed ‘Shru bery 

Walk’, and branch first R 

descending to park’s trio 

of lakes. Go R at junction 

to l op around U per Lake 

and continue along shoreline 


Cusworth Ha l, 

park and pond. 


ROUTE 

Start/parking Cusworth 

Ha l Museum car park, 

Back Lane, Cusworth, DN5 

7TU, grid ref SE544039 

Is it for me? Mainly level 

on g od tracks/paths – 

parkland, Trans-Pe nine 

Trail, former Roman road 

and fields 

Stiles None 

PLANNING 

Neares town Doncaster 

Refreshments Cusworth 

Ha l former stable and 

coach house (rear of ha l), 

plus Highwayman pub at 

W odland just o f route 

Public toilets Cusworth 

Ha l former stable and 

coach house (rear of ha l) 


None to start, but bus 41 

Doncaster-Scawsby (First) 

serves nearby Kempton 

Park Road in Cusworth, 

and Bentley rail station 

is close to route 


Landranger 1 

0 2 

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

uDistance: 7¼ miles/ 1.6km uTime: 3 hours uGrade: Moderate 

CHOSEN BY… 

GUY PROCTER 

A beautiful, 

surprising and 

li tle-walked l op from the 

shore of U lswater to the most 

beautifu ly-situated hamlet 

in the Lake District. Along the 

way you’ll fo low the journey 

to work of some of the 

hard-working workers in the 

most-productive lead mines 

in the area. A tough job to 

be sure, but what a commute! 

The walk doesn’ take in any 

summits but it circulates the 

head of a neglected va ley 

spectacularly, before dro ping 

past fascinating mineworkings 

to the aptly-named 

– and achingly idy lic – row of 

former miners’ cottages that 

is Seldom S en, Glencoyne. 

Views to U lswater 

from Glencoyne Park. 

Leave the car park and 

fo low the made path leading 

from its far end para lel to the 

road, heading eas towards 

Aira Force. After a w oden 

f otbridge head L on a very 

faint gra sy path leading 

diagona ly toward a whiteto 

ped post. The path isn’t 

clear at a l here but k ep in the 

same direction to a sma l gate 

past a beck. Over the brow 

of the field you’ l s e a sma l 

w oden gate – your exit point. 

Through the gate pa s the oak 

on your R and fo low the fence 

line. At the end of the fence 

fo low the ye low a row acro s 

a w oden footbridge then 

head diagona ly uphi l towards 

a w oden gate (giving onto the 



ROUTE 

Start/parking Glencoyne 

Bridge car park on A592 

on the south west shore of 

U lswater (f e charged; 

fr e to NT members), 

grid ref NY386189 

Is it for me? Remote 

walking on reasonable 

tracks. Long, slow climb 

up then down 

Stiles 2 

PLANNING 

Neares town Penrith 

Refreshments 

None on route 


None on route 


Bus 508 from Penrith 


Landranger 90 

Turn L on the road for 

4 0m. Then L on the path, 

signed to Glencoyne Head 2½ 

miles, o posite the Park Brow 

car park. This is a lovely path, 

leading through w ods and 

0 2 

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 

OUR ROUTES YOUR WALKS 

Tackled one of the routes published in 

Country Walking? Send us a picture and 

a few words on your experience: you could 

win a fantastic prize from Ordnance Survey. 

Email your 

picture, along with 

a few words about 

the walk and your 

contact details to 

cwroutes@ 

bauermedia. 

co.uk 


16 CUSWORTH PARK 

NORTH EAST 

THIS 

MONTH’S 

PRIZE 

WINNER 

10 NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 

BRAUNSTON 

PHOTO: ROGER BUTLER 

MIDLANDS 

Cusworth Park, 

Route 16, February 2021 

These routes have helped 

make lockdown more bearable. 

A lovely couple of mornings with my 

friend Corinne near where we live. It was 

a great highlight of the Fishlake walk to 

see the snowdrops growing beautifully 

at Kirk Bramwith... No lockdown for them! 

Julie Atkins, Email 

1 Start 


of Middle Lake. ➥ 

Braunston, Route 10, April 2020 

With the easing of lockdown restrictions we drove from Essex to the 

start of this lovely little walk in Braunston village. For such a relatively short walk 

of 5 miles, this certainly packed in lots of interesting features including two canals 

with lots of locks, bridges, boats and the entrance of the Braunston Canal tunnel. We 

also saw a disused railway line, a 14th-century church and chimney complete with 

markings from 1897. We enjoyed a lovely meal at a canalside pub, The Admiral 

Nelson. All in all, a great walk which we thoroughly enjoyed. 

Sally & Paul Claydon Rochford, Essex 

1 Start 

fo low track around rear of pub. ➥ 

Whitwick, 

Route 09, March 2021 

We were delighted to see 

a walk in our local area. 

09 LEICESTERSHIRE 

WHITWICK 

It was a treat to stay local, as required 

by lockdown rules, but not walk from 

the door. It was delightful to revisit 

some areas and discover new ones, 

deviating slightly from the path to 

find the trig point in Cademan Woods. 

We even chatted with a man rebuilding 

a dry stone wall. A great morning. 

Claire & Bill Jackson, Email 

1 Start 

2 


Cro s, and in 10m bear R ➥ 

MIDLANDS 

Burscough, Route 13, November 2020 

We chose this gentle route, of five and 

a half miles around Burscough, to have 

a pleasant family walk and kick-start 

our #walk1000miles for 2021. My wife 

snapped this picture of my youngest 

son and myself, walking ahead, into the 

beautiful sunset. A frosty and fulfilling trip 

along towpaths and skirting farmland. 

David Owens, Liverpool 

Beccles, Route 12, February 2021 

I live in Beccles and this walk has 

been a regular route for years but 

in particular during the pandemic. 

However, the River Waveney broke its 

banks and flooded the marshes (and 

13 LANCASHIRE 

BURSCOUGH 

homes!) at Christmas and this route was currently 

impassable. The path came to an end and it looks 

as if I am walking beside a lake! 

Janette Smith, Email 

1 Start 


PHOTO: DE NIS KELSA L 

the fields to the Wigan - ➥ 

12 SUFFOLK/NORFOLK 

BECCLES 

1 Start 



tower, through churchyard, and ➥ 

NORTH WEST 

EAST 

Seldom Seen, 

Route 17, June 2020 

We had a day on High Street 

in deep snow in December, and 

the next day with low cloud, we 

decided to explore Seldom Seen 

and Glencoyne Head. The snow 

made it hard going and all we 

could do is imagine the miners 

struggling up here in all weathers. 

John Etherington, Wookey 

Win a personalised 

OS map! 

The sender of our 

favourite Our Routes 

Your Walks photo 

will get to focus 

on their favourite 

area by winning a 

custom-made map 

worth £16.99, 

courtesy of 

Ordnance Survey. 

For more details, 

or to buy your own 

personalised map, visit 

os.co.uk/custommade 

SEE 

FEATURE 

ON PAGE 62 

17 CUMBRIA 

SELDOM SEEN 

1 Start 



road) which wi l become clear. ➥ 

NORTH WEST 


Meanderings we couldn’t fit into the issue, but 

which seemed terribly important at the time... 

Sara 

Mattick, 

Offce 

manager 

Miles walked this month: 67 

My household consists of six 

people – all with different ideas 

of what an adventure is, but all 

really craving one. We’ll grasp 

any opportunity. One day on 

our most regular route to the 

local nature reserve, we found 

a long branch had been 

propped at an irresistibly climbable angle. It did feel like the 

universe had hand-delivered it, and it was a great source of circus 

entertainment for twenty minutes. That was until my husband lost 

his footing and fell off, landing on the shoulder he’d only had rebuilt 

a few years ago. Ouch! A robust reminder that no matter how 

grippy your footwear, when it’s clogged with mud it won’t hold wet 

bark. And showing off to impress the kids isn’t always worth it. 

Note to self: Be patient, wait til we can visit the hills again... 

Tom Bailey, 

Photographer 

Miles walked 

this month: 87 

I got my first blister 

last week – the first in over 20 years 

on CW. . I’d walked quite a long way, 

in a fairly new pair of boots and, you 

know how it goes; a rub turns into 

a hot spot, turns into a niggle, turns 

into a ‘this isn’t really happening to 

me’, which turns into a big bubble of 

trouble. Last night, while sat on the 

sofa watching my third old episode of Time Team, I decided 

to excavate. (By the way, back in the 90s, after a long day on the hill 

I entered a pub in Brecon and who should be sat round a big table 

discussing the day’s dig? Yep, the whole Time Team, er, team.) 

I got the nail scissors and opened up my first trench in the curious 

earthwork on the side of my right heel. I’d clearly upset it, as it 

started to weep. Then I remembered the fluid was the important 

part of a blister, the bit that provides cushioning and healing. In for 

a penny… I decided to excavate right down to the earliest layers of 

skin… And what did I discover? Well, that that’s not a good idea. 

Note to self: Leave a blister to do its thing, and early TT is great. 

This’ll 

be fine 

in grippy 

shoes... 

1 started 

and th en 

1 couldn’t 

stop… 

Rob 

Holmes, 

Senior 

Art Editor 

Miles walked this month: 50 

Worthless ware… 

Not to be outdone by Tim’s 

impressive Roman pottery find, 

(see Spring’s Footnotes), I’ve been 

keeping my eyes down on my 

walks of late. One weekend wander 

crossed the course of King Street, 

the Roman road which ran through 

Lincolnshire. ‘Rich pickings here’, 

I thought, pocketing half a dozen 

muddy shards from the edge of the 

field. Like the pottery though, my 

hopes were shattered when 

I showed them to Tim. 

“All modern – sorry!”, 

he said sympathetically. 

I’m still quite fond of 

this piece of Victorian 

stoneware though… 

Roman rocks… 

We had more success on a walk 

close to the CW offce, not far from 

the site of the Roman settlement of 

Durobrivae. The usual pre-walk 

Google told us where to find remains 

of a cross-section of a Roman road 

known as St Coneybeare’s Way. 

After a short search we found this 

rough layer of large stones, (see 

photo, top), which matched the 

picture on the website. Okay, it’s not 

gold coins, but it’s amazing to think 

what’s still there beneath our feet! 

And rusty 

relics… 

Finally, gold 

of a different 

kind, if you’re a 

photographer 

that is. This 

overgrown 

tractor was 

worth a quick photo stop, and quite 

by chance echoes the theme of 

Stuart Maconie’s column on page 31. 

Note to self: It’s not what you 

find, but the walk that led you there. 


PROGRESS TRACKER 

Average 2.74 miles a day over 52 weeks from when you start. Set yourself some enticing rewards 

in the column on the right. Don’t worry about the odd skipped day. Above all, enjoy! You can 

buy a double-sided card chart, including fun colour-in map, from: walk1000miles.co.uk/shop 

Name 

Start date / / End date / / 

WEEK MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

WEEKLY 

TOTAL 

4 WEEK 

TOTAL 

7 RUNNING TOTAL 

8 

9 

10 


12 

13 

14 


16 

17 

18 


20 

21 

22 


24 

25 

26 


28 

29 

30 


32 

33 

34 


36 

37 

38 


40 

41 

42 


44 

45 

46 


48 

49 

50 


52 

Walk 

1000 

miles 


52 WEEK TOTAL MILES! 

1038 

1/24th 

circumference 

of the Earth 

990 

1/ 4 way to the 

centre of 

the Earth 

932 

Crossing 

of the Gobi 

desert 

874 

Land’s End to 

John o’Groats 

by car 

750 

Length of 

the Alps 

746 

Length 

of Welsh 

coastline 

736 

Length 

of Italy 

700 

Furthest a 

lost dog has 

been found 

from home 

650 

Miles Santa 

travels per sec 

603 

Land’s End 

to John 

o’Groats 

by crow 

559 

Half way 

across the 

Sahara 

510 

Distance 

cranes can 

migrate in 

one day 

477 

Length of 

Camino de 

Santiago 

410 

Length of 

the A1 

405 

World’s 

longest cave 

350 

Furthest 

anyone’s 

ever run 

without 

sleeping 

253.5 

The length of 

the London 

Underground 

220 

Crossing of 

the Red Sea 

137 

How far you 

travel through 

space in 

1 second 

117 

A lap of 

the M25 

73 

Distance you 

can see from 

Snowdon 

2.9 

Distance 

you can see 

at sea level 

1000 MILES! 

WHAT ARE YOU UP TO? 

Walk 

1000 

miles 


990 

980 

970 

960 

950 

940 

930 

920 

910 

890 

880 

870 

860 

850 

840 

830 

820 

810 

790 

780 

770 

760 

750 

740 

730 

720 

710 

690 

680 

670 

660 

650 

640 

630 

620 

610 

590 

580 

570 

560 

550 

540 

530 

520 

510 

490 

480 

470 

460 

450 

440 

430 

420 

410 

390 

380 

370 

360 

350 

340 

330 

320 

310 

290 

280 

270 

260 

250 

240 

230 

220 

210 

190 

180 

170 

160 

150 

140 

130 

120 

110 

90 

80 

70 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

DEUTER 

IS FOR 

LEADING LIGHTS 

#deuterforever 

FUTURA 25 SL 

deutergb.co.uk

SUMMER 

GEAR 

GEAR 2021 


32 PAGES 

of amazing kit to get 

you back in the outdoors!

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Let’s get back 

out there... 


FREEDOM IS COMING. As I type this, there is talk of road-maps and 

four-month plans. I’m dreaming of a haircut, a pint in my local, and 

a walk beyond the boundaries of my town. And I’m so excited it’s 

hard to put it into words. I imagine you know what I mean. 

Obviously I don’t want to speak too soon, and obviously it will be a cautious 

and considerate flavour of freedom. But all the signs are, we are heading for 

a midsummer’s dream, and that we’re going to embrace it with a love and 

appreciation like nothing we’ve ever felt before. Welcome to Freedom 2.0. 

Here, then, is your guide to the gear that will make that freedom really 

special. Whether you’re a seasoned walker dreaming of mountains, wild 

places and long-distance paths, or one of the millions who’ve discovered 

walking as the sanity-saver of lockdown, the kit in these pages can and 

will make a difference as you plan for bigger things. 

There are compact rucksacks for the simplest of day-walks; there are 

3-layer waterproofs for the most dramatic of summer storms. You’ll find cosy 

kit for the campfire and sandals for beachcombing, plus boots that will take 

you to the summit of something spiky and outrageous. Shorts for hot days, 

casual shirts for travel; caps to keep the sun out and poles to make the miles 

easy. It’s all in here, and a lot more besides, at prices to suit every budget. 

Freedom is coming. Dress good, and see you there. 

Nick Hallissey 

Deputy Editor, Country Walking 

Country Walking Summer Gear 2021 

Editor Nick Hallissey • Design Emily Reynolds • Production Tim Unwin 

Commercial Team Anna Skuse, Joe Sheehan & Hope Elkins 

Contents 

05 RUCKSACKS 

From compact daypacks to big beasts 

for the Coast to Coast. 

09 SUMMER ESSENTIALS 

From underwear to snuggly blankets: 

little things for big days. 

13 FOOTWEAR 

Light, agile boots and shoes for dusty trails 

and seaside jaunts. 

16 SUMMER SOCKS 

Keep your feet happy whether it’s a hill climb 

or a 10-day trek. 

19 SHIRTS & TEES 

From fast-wicking baselayers to button 

shirts for warm adventures. 

23 WATERPROOFS 

Unbelievably, it can still rain in July. 

But that’s no longer a problem. 

28 TROUSERS & SHORTS 

Keep those hard-working legs cool and 

comfy in the heat. 

__ 

Plus: MASTERCLASSES 

Take a close look at some great examples 

of summer kit. 

SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2021 3

@REGATTAOUTDOORS 

SHOP OUR CAMPING 

GEAR AT REGATTA.COM 

& IN STORES NATIONWIDE

ADVERTISING FEATURE 

THE MASTERCLASS 

RUCKSACKS 

From nature reserve to national park: we’ve got your back this summer. 

Deuter 

Futura Series 

It sounds strange to say it, but your 

rucksack is generally going to be 

working harder in the summer than it 

is in winter. In winter, you’re more likely 

to be wearing all your extra layers than 

carrying them. But in summer, with 

a bit of good fortune, the mid-layer 

fleece and hard-shell waterproof will 

spend most of their time inside the 

pack than out. So you need decent 

capacity to look after them. But 

you also need stability and 

ventilation, to ensure the 

load isn’t causing you 

to overheat. And that’s 

where the Futura range 

is best-in-class brilliant… 

Resilience 

All packs in the Futura range 

are made with abrasionresistant 

210D PA Recycled 

and PES 600 fabric, giving 

each pack an extraordinary 

strength-to-weight ratio. 

A harness that cares 

The Pull Forward adjustment lets 

you compress the pack into the 

ideal position for your torso, while 

the S-shaped Active-Fit shoulder 

straps follow the contours of your 

shoulders and neck and stay secure 

so there’s no chafing. Light, 

perforated foam 

keeps the 

harness 

beautifully 

ventilated. 

Smart Storage 

From spacious lid pockets to easy 

access basement compartments, the 

Futura range makes it easy to store 

and access all your kit. The smallercapacity 

packs use a zip for the main 

compartment, while the bigger packs 

have a clever, compact lid. 

The complete range 

There’s a Futura for all load sizes 

ranging from 22L to 50L, and in both 

unisex and women’s-specific variants. 

For even higher-spec comfort and 

stability there’s the Futura Pro range, 

in 36L to 50L options. And since 

spring 2020, all packs in the Deuter 

range have used PFC-free materials. 

Perfect load transfer 

However full the pack is or 

isn’t, the load will stay stable 

throughout your day. The 

Futura packs have a flexible 

steel spring frame which keeps 

the pack secure and extends 

into the hip belt to keep the 

load evenly distributed. 

Ventilation 

The Futura packs use 

Deuter’s superb Aircomfort 

Sensic back system, which 

holds the load away from 

your back, allowing air 

to circulate freely. Light, 

flexible and stable: it’s the 

perfect recipe for cool, 

hassle-free adventures. 

How much & where from? 

Prices range from £90 to £160. Model shown is the 

Futura 32: £135. Find the full range at deutergb.co.uk 

Turn over to 

meet more 

rucksacks for 

summer days… 


RUCKSACKS 

CLASS OF 2021 

Quechua FH900 

Fast Hiking Pack 

£45 

Here’s a really clever daypack to kick 

us off: the rolltop 

means its 

storage can 

expand from 

14L to 19L, 

while the 

gilet-style 

harness means 

you wear it rather 

than carry it. 


Columbia Tandem 

Trail 22L £65 

Another excellent lightweight rolltop, 

the new Tandem Trail is stripped back 

to basics and highly 

customisable, 

thanks to its 

twin daisy 

chains and 

stretchy stash 

panel. The 

featherlight 

shoulder straps 

should keep you 

nice and cool. 

columbiasports 

wear.co.uk 

Sierra Designs Flex 

Lumbar 7-10L £65 

Adapted from Sierra’s wonderfully 

expandable Flex Capacitor rucksack, 

this sleek waistpack is also expandable 

or scrunchable depending on how 

much you’ve got to carry. The lumbar 

system fits neatly over the waist, 

transferring weight from your back 

to your backside. sierradesigns.com 

Trekmates 

Drypack RS 30L £50 

Trekmates’ Drypack range is fantastic: fully 

waterproof, with easy-access rolltop, a light but 

sturdy harness, and white interior so you can find 

stuff easily. We’ve enjoyed all four (15, 20, 22 and 

30L); this one is best for longer days with more kit, 

or even an overnight stay. trekmates.co.uk 

Deuter Speed Lite 20 £60 

An absolute classic here. Speed Lite is Deuter’s 

Berghaus Arrow 30 £60 

Styled like the classic rucksacks of yesteryear but 

thoroughly modern in its construction and materials, the 

Arrow is a capacious day-pack/weekender making good 

use of Berghaus’ well-ventilated Flow padded back 

system, with twin side-mounted storage compartments, 

easy lid closure and housings for walking poles and a 

hydration system. Simple, clean lines and a raincover 

complete a very impressive package – 

at an equally impressive price. 

berghaus.com 

lightest rucksack range; athletically cut, minimalist in 

materials, and ready for action. The V-shape structure 

gives loads of freedom of movement and the harness 

is brilliantly ventilated, but it doesn’t skimp on features 

either: you still get important flourishes like stretchy 

side panels, a valuables pocket, loops for glasses or 

an LED light, hydration system compatibility and a wet 

laundry compartment. A really excellent light summer 

pack. deuter.co.uk 

Cotopaxi 

Luzon 24L £70 

Cotopaxi is a new brand to us, but 

they’re offering two core values: easy 

packability and some lovely colour 

palettes. The Luzon is a 24L 

daypack with soft 

back panel and 

ultralight straps. 

The drawstring 

closure means 

it’s not the 

most secure or 

weatherproof pack 

in the world, but 

it sure does look 

mighty pretty. 

ellis-brigham.com 

Gregory 

Arrio 24 £80 

Gregory’s new Arrio range (18, 24 and 

30L) is designed for lightweight walks 

on the warmest days, with ventilated 

suspension, quick-access pockets and 

hydration compatibility. A Freespan 

suspended panel and 

perforated harness will 

keep you nicely 

ventilated, and 

there’s plenty of 

storage in the side 

panels and zipped 

front section, as well 

as a capacious lid 

pocket. eu.gregory 

packs.com 

6 SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2021

THE SCIENCE OF SUMMER 

The waterproof rucksack market is dominated by Aquapac, Ortlieb 

and Overboard, whose products are pitched as much at swimmers 

and sailors as walkers. They seldom look like ‘normal’ rucksacks, 

with their tough fabrics (built for buoyancy) and often fluorescent 

colour schemes so they can be seen if they fall in the water. 

Walking packs aren’t generally waterproof, but can be made 

so with a raincover and by lining the inside with a large drybag. But 

this is why the Trekmates Drypack (left) is a great ‘middle option’: 

fully waterproof, secured with a rolltop, yet it looks like a normal 

rucksack rather than something Sir Ben Ainslie dropped overboard. 

Vango 

Ozone 30 £80 

Here’s a pack that more or less defines 

what a good 30L trekking rucksack 

should be: sturdy, resilient, capacious, 

reasonably light, but 

packed with smart 

storage including 

hip-belt pocket. 

The front pocket 

is big enough for 

a tent flysheet 

or a fleece, 

making the 

Ozone a great 

value option. 

vango.co.uk 

Jack Wolfskin 

Crosstrail 24 £85 

This versatile daypack uses a 

redeveloped version of Jack Wolfskin’s 

much-loved ACS back 

system, which 

provides great 

ventilation. 

Good eco-cred 

too: the pack’s 

lining is fully 

recycled, and 

the fabric is 

dyed without 

using water. 

jack-wolfskin. 

co.uk 

Montane 

Azote 25 

£90 

Montane’s sleek 

new Azote range 

includes 24, 25, 30 

and 32L daypacks, with 

options for men and women. Here’s 

the men’s 25L, which looks perfect 

for a longer day thanks to its hefty 

capacity and large hip-belt pockets. 

There’s also the Open Mesh back 

panel, which is size-adjustable. 

Streamlined, unfussy but with a great 

balance of features – and for under 

£100, that’s a really nice mix. 

montane.com 

Salomon Out Night 30+5 £105 

As the name suggests, the Out Night is meant for 

overnight adventures, such as single-night stays and 

lightweight wild camps. And being Salomon, the 

emphasis is on speed, agility and low weight ratios: 

although large enough to take a towel, a change of 

clothes and some camping essentials, it still weighs in 

at less than 1kg. You can even strip off the lid if you don’t 

want the extra storage, which means it converts neatly 

into a standard daypack. Great materials, good quality. 

salomon.com 

Lowe Alpine 

Cholatse 42:47 £140 

Hydro Flask 

Day Escape Soft 

Cooler £140-£175 

Not a traditional rucksack; this is a sophisticated backmounted 

cool bag for picnics and barbecues where you 

want a walk before you eat. It’ll keep food and drink cold 

for 36 hours, and the moulded base means it will stand 

on the ground by itself. The brand says it is temporarily 

unable to deliver to the UK (blaming Brexit) but hopes 

to resume soon; check updates at hydroflask.com 

When Lowe Alpine unleash a new larger pack to 

add to their impressive range, it has to be something 

special. And thus it is with the new Cholatse, which 

Lowe Alpine call ‘the ultimate four-season hiking pack’. 

It’s primarily designed for minimalist hut-to-hut treks 

such as one does in the Alps, but will do just as well 

on two-day hikes and wild camps. rab.equipment/uk 

Osprey Talon 22 

Tempest 20 £120 

Osprey’s Talon and Tempest ranges 

have clinched top honours in CW tests 

for years, and here’s 

their fresh update: 

improved fit and 

stability, and 

now made with 

sustainable fabric. 

Now’s the perfect 

time to grab one 

and see how good 

they are. osprey 

europe.com 

Fjällräven Abisko 

Friluft 35 £175 

One of the sturdiest and smartest 

trekking packs you 

can buy. Light, 

stable, and made 

from hard-wearing 

G-1000 nylon 

with a toughened 

underside, the 

Friluft is packed 

with features but 

comes with 

a tough, nononsense 

vibe. 

fjallraven.co.uk 


“I can’t believe what a difference 

Bridgedale socks make to walking.” 

Kim Kimberley 

LITTLE THINGS MATTER 

Design, knit and quality control in UK 

Nylon structure gives durability 

Tested around the world 

LYCRA® structure allows stretch and recovery 

Recommended Sock for The Duke of 

Edinburgh’s Expedition 

All day comfort 

www.lycra.com 

LYCRA® DRY TECHNOLOGY 

www.bridgedale.com



SUMMER ESSENTIALS 

Bug spray to boxers; pots to poles: let’s get you ready for anything. 

Sea to Summit 

X-Set 11 

This section covers everything you might 

ever need on a long walk, but we kick 

off with a real treat: the perfect cuppa. 

Whether you’re heading for a family 

campsite or just fancy the joy of brewing 

up while you’re out on the footpaths of 

the nation, a safe, collapsible kettle-andmug 

set will help to make that “aaaaah” 

moment really special. Here’s Sea 

to Summit to explain it properly… 

The Perfect Pot 

The X-Set 11 includes 

a 1.3L kettle and two 

mugs – which collapse 

and fit inside each 

other when not in use, 

taking up a tiny space 

in your pack. The kettle 

will safely boil a litre of 

water on your stove. 

Lifetime Guarantee 

Sea to Summit are proud of what they create. 

All their products carry a lifetime warranty against 

defects in workmanship and materials to the 

original owner for the intended life of the product 

under normal use. (T&Cs apply, but apparently the 

guarantee doesn’t even get invoked very often…) 

Tough but Light 

The kettle and mugs are made with 

a mix of 70% silicone, 15% aluminium and 

15% nylon, but weigh in at 316g altogether. 

You won’t know you’re carrying them. 

Compatibility 

The set fits inside Sea to 

Summit’s larger X-Pots 

to become a compact 

cooking system. 

Corrosion-Free 

The aluminium is T6 

Alloy – corrosionresistant, 

with a tactile 

surface finish. 

Touch-Safe 

The materials keep the heat inside, so a) your 

tea/coffee/hot choc/cocoa stays piping hot 

and b) you can grip it as tight as you like and 

get just gentle warmth, never a burn. 

Great Heritage 

Sea to Summit began when Aussie explorers 

Roland Tyson and Tim Macartney-Snape 

teamed up to create lightweight kit for 

Tim’s successful bid to climb Mount Everest 

from sea level – a five-month trek from sea 

to summit. Since then they’ve pioneered 

brilliantly adaptable lightweight kit for anyone, 

be they Sunday stroller or Himalayan hero. 


£50, find the set and the full Seat to Summit 

range at seatosummit.co.uk 

Turn over 

for more 

outdoor 

accessories… 


SUMMER ESSENTIALS 


Nikwax Basewash 

£4 & Basefresh £3.50 

This dynamic duo are 

the very best option 

for looking after your 

synthetic baselayers. 

BaseWash cleans, 

deodorises, accelerates 

drying and improves 

cooling. BaseFresh 

is a conditioning fluid 

that will freshen and 

deodorise them. 

Perfect for those tees 

you’ll use all through 

the summer. 

nikwax.com 

Sea to 

Summit 

Ultra-Sil 

Dry Sack 

£9-£23 

Sturdy and 

fully waterproof, 

these are the most 

reliable way to keep your kit dry 

in your rucksack. Sizes range from 

1L (purse/wallet, car keys) to 35L (for 

lining the whole interior of a trekking 

pack) via the perfectly packed-lunch 

size 2L and 4L options. 

seatosummit.co.uk 

Ben’s Natural 

insect repellent £10 

Heading to somewhere 

with swarms of midges, 

mosquitoes or 

anything else with a 

nasty bite? Take this: it 

provides an effective, 

chemical-free insect 

block with up to six 

hours’ protection. 

Rated as the most 

effective natural insect 

repellent by the 

London School of 

Tropical Medicine. 

amazon.co.uk 

Camelbak 

Eddy+ bottle £16 

Fed up of cheapo bottles that spill, break, 

perish or turn out to be murder to keep 

clean? See what the experts are offering. 

The Eddy+ is leak-free when closed, spillfree 

when open, while its bite valve delivers 

a clear, steady flow rather than either a 

dribble or a surge. Lightweight, durable, 

dishwasher-safe, and the lid is compatible 

with the rest of the Camelbak range. 

camelbak.co.uk 

Sprayway 

Shine Cap £17 

Looks nice, keeps the 

sun out of your eyes, 

but so does any decent 

peaked cap. What this also does is help keep 

the biting blighters off you; there’s a midge and 

mosquito-repellent treatment woven into the outer fabric 

(guaranteed for five washes). The peak, while sturdy, can 

also be easily rolled up when you want to stash it in your 

pocket. Fast-wicking, with UPF40+ UV rating too. 

sprayway.com 

Snugpak 

Travel Towel 

Head to Toe £19.95 

If you’re planning a wild swim or two 

this summer (or just a day on the 

beach), this is the best lightweight, 

packable microfibre towel you can 

take. It’s super-absorbent and quickdrying, 

while its Silvadur treatment 

reduces odours and minimises the 

buildup of bacteria. A body-covering 

120x125cm, but packs down small 

and weighs just 360g. snugpak.com 

Outdoor Research 

Swift Cap £23 

Again, it does everything a standard 

peaked cap does, but the Swift is 

especially tailored to continuous 

movement on hot days. Its onboard 

arsenal includes full mesh liner to wick 

away perspiration and UPF50+ UV 

sun protection – plus it’s even waterresistant 

so it’ll keep the wet stuff 

off your bonce, too. 

trekitt.co.uk 

Adventure 

Medical Kits Hiker 

First Ait Kit £25 

Medical kits are an essential item, 

but too many of them just scrunch 

everything together in a clutter. This 

one not only has everything (bite 

and sting relief, plasters, bandages, 

splinter and tick removers, burn salve, 

antiseptic wipes and a full medical 

guide), but it clearly labels what’s what 

and what it’s best for. 

The bag is waterresistant 

too. 

trailblazer 

outdoors. 

co.uk 



Water filters: just for overseas expeditions, surely? Actually no: if 

you’re planning to be outdoors for two days or more with no access 

to mains water then you may well need one. Even the clearest UK 

stream can still harbour microscopic parasites such as giardia and 

crypto-spiridium, which can make you very ill. A filter traps these to 

ensure that what gets through to the bottle is safe to drink. Filtration 

is measured in microns: one micron is 1/1000 of a millimetre. To 

remove parasitic larvae and bacteria, the micron size must be less 

than 0.4 microns. The Platypus QuickDraw uses a 0.2 micron filter, 

meaning it removes 99.9999% of bacteria and 99.9% of protozoa. 

Salewa Puez 2 

Brimmed Hat £30 

Looking for a bit more protection than a baseball cap? 

Here’s a wide-brimmed sunhat with built-in 

sweatband that will keep the sun out of your 

eyes and off the back of your neck. Made from 

lightweight, breathable Durastretch fabric and 

odour-blocking Polygiene, it’s fully adjustable and comes 

with a removable drawcord. Also handy for umpiring 

a cricket match afterwards. salewa.com 

Páramo Cambia 

Boxers £25 

Not only the softest, comfiest boxers 

you’ll ever wear gentlemen, but also 

the most technically adept. Made with 

fast-wicking Parameta T+ fabric which 

transports moisture away from the 

body to keep you dry and comfy. Firm 

support where you need it, freedom 

of movement everywhere else. 

paramo-clothing.com 

Forclaz MT500 

Ultra Compact 

Z-pole £30 (single) 

The most compact but sturdy pole 

in Decathlon’s Forclaz and Quechua 

ranges, the MT500 was tested to 

the limit by its designers on a 550km 

hike in the Canary Islands (where can 

we apply for that job, by the way?). 

Weighs just 275g; size adjustable 

from 110cm to 130cm. Better to get 

a pair of course, and 

at £60 that’s still 

a great bargain. 


BioLite Charge 

20PD charger £35 

In an issue devoted to big walks, here’s 

a charger that will keep your phone, 

camera and/or GPS juiced up right 

the way along your chosen mission. 

Built around a 6000mAh battery, 

it features USB-C power delivery 

for faster, more flexible 

charging on the go. 

uk.biolite 

energy.com 

Kelty Hoodligan 

Blanket £45 

Alright it might look like one of the odder 

offerings in this guide, but seriously, just 

try it on a camping trip and you’re likely 

to love the Hoodligan: overnight, it 

works as a blanket (spacious for one, 

snug for two) but it can also be fastened 

together using toggles and worn as a super-snug 

poncho for fireside chats or the morning stroll to the 

water-tap. Made with soft-brushed fabric and Cloudloft 

insulation, and available in a variety of colourways. 

kelty.com 

Platypus 

Quickdraw 

Microfilter + 

Reservoir £45 

Platypus’ hydration 

systems are exceptional, and 

here comes a double-header 

of reservoir plus attachable 

filtration system to help you 

turn stream water into drinking water. 

platy.com 

Leki Legacy 

Pole £65 (pair) 

A great new entry-level pair 

of extendable trekking poles 

from Europe’s most successful 

pole brand. Anatomically 

shaped grip, lightweight 

Speed Lock+ adjustment 

system, and a size range 

of 110cm to 145cm: perfect 

for Pennine Way or SWCP. 

cotswoldoutdoor.com 

Helinox 

Speed 

Stool £75 

Is a stool just a stool? We 

thought so until we tried 

Helinox’s: so compact, 

sturdy and comfy they 

make any camping trip 

more of a joy. This new one’s just 

470g so you don’t even need to be 

camping – just stash it in your pack for 

a luxurious rest on any walk. helinox.eu 




FOOTWEAR 

Power up your feet this summer – and see where they’ll take you… 

Scarpa Maverick GTX 

Your feet are raring to go. And whether your 

ambition is a country park, a forest, a coastline, 

a moor or a mountain, a walker’s first need is always 

the most important: good footwear. There is of 

course a huge range out there. Some specialise in 

lighter, lower walks; others are specifically designed 

for muddy fields or spiky ridges. In the next few 

pages you’ll find options that cover that whole 

spectrum. But we’ll start with a lightweight hiking 

boot from Scarpa that’s perfect for summer 

adventures from coastline to crag… 

Collar and comfort 

First and foremost, a boot has 

to hold your foot securely. The 

Maverick has an ergonomically 

designed Autofit collar with 

built-in padding, which 

provides maximum 

adaptability and comfort 

across the upper, reducing the 

impact stress that rests on the 

Achilles and malleous area. 

Great performance and 

comfort on any terrain. 

Agility 

The Maverick is built for 

agility and lightness of tread. 

It’s a rugged yet nimble 

package that is equally at 

home on clifftop, crag, chalk 

down and conifer forest. 

It’s especially practical if 

you dislike chunkier, heavier 

boots – but it still packs 

enough protection to keep 

your confidence sky-high. 

Waterproofing 

There are many good 

options for waterproofing, 

but Gore-Tex remains the 

gold standard – and here it 

is on the Maverick, keeping 

your feet cool, dry and 

breathable even on 

the hottest days. 

Lightweight 

Some chunkier pairs might 

weigh as much per boot as 

the Maverick weighs per 

pair: a brilliantly breezy 

950g for a pair of men’s 

size 42s. 

From-the-box comfort 

We don’t mind having to ‘break in’ new 

boots of course – sometimes that’s part 

of the excitement. But it’s fantastic when 

a boot feels great out of the box, like the 

Maverick does. But it also moulds even more 

perfectly to your foot once you’ve gone a 

few miles. After a day, you’ll be firm friends. 

Sticking point 

A sticky outsole is a real asset on rockier 

terrain, and the Maverick delivers one in style. 

Scarpa’s Crossover outsole uses SuperGum 

rubber, which applies itself doggedly to 

boulder and stone, and only comes away 

when you choose to move off again. 


£160; find more details and the full Scarpa range 

at scarpa.co.uk 

Turn over for 

more quality 

footwear 

options… 


FOOTWEAR 


Craghoppers 

Locke Packaway 

Shoe £75 

The packable shoe – AKA outdoor 

slipper or even shlipper – is a rare and 

fine thing. Squish it down, put it in your 

pack and it’s perfect for overnight 

stays on multi-day walks. Here’s the 

perfect example. craghoppers.com 

Vango Como £75 

A perfectly priced shoe designed for 

day-walks and low-level hikes, but just 

as comfy as Vango’s excellent boot 

range. A Protex membrane keeps 

it waterproof, and you can use the 

FootSpy line on the insole to work 

out where your foot will sit and thus 

choose the perfect size. vango.co.uk 

Columbia 

Trailstorm £80 

As is customary, Columbia have built 

a whole load of in-house technologies 

into this new lightweight shoe, 

including their Omni-Tech waterproof 

membrane, Navic Fit system to lock 

the foot down securely, and an Adapt 

Trax tread pattern to provide 

outstanding traction and durability. 

They’re possibly too light for those 

who like a sturdier ride, but a pleasure 

for anyone whose feet struggle with 

heavier, clumpier footwear. 


Teva Terra Fi 5 Universal Presidio 

£85 

The peculiarly named but beautifully made Terra Fi was the first ever ‘sports 

sandal’ and was originally created for hikes in the Grand Canyon. The insole and 

outsole of a sturdy trail shoe, with the liberating, breathable strapping of a sandal. 

Now in its fifth incarnation, the Terra 

Fi continues to be a go-to option for 

hot days and especially coastal 

walks, where they make 

rockpooling and 

beachcombing a delight. 

teva-eu.com 

Mountain Warehouse Geneva £150 

A great-looking, chunkily built light hiker with a clever strapping 

system to ensure the lacing fastens nice and snugly. Rubber 

heel and toe bumpers, suede upper, waffe mesh lining and 

Mountain Warehouse’s own IsoDry waterproof/breathable 

membrane make it an impressive package for the price, and 

if you look closely you’ll see a print of swirling 

gradients hidden among the ribs of the 

upper. We love a bit of attention to detail! 

mountainwarehouse.com 

Grisport Icarus 

shoe £95 

Grisport’s shoes and boots have done really 

well in our tests lately, thanks to some very 

innovative approaches to comfort and 

stability and a calm, no-nonsense aesthetic. 

Here’s a new waterproof-lined shoe that reflects 

that ethos, with generous padding, a sophisticated Vibram 

outsole, and peak-to-pub looks. grisport.co.uk 

Keen 

Astoria 

West 

£90 

Keen’s sandals are a firm 

favourite with many: tough, 

chunky, but magnificently comfy 

underfoot. Despite the gaps, you really 

can wear them on ‘proper’ walks when 

you really need your feet to breathe. 

The new women’s Astoria West comes 

in closed-toe version (pictured) or an 

open-toe version for max ventilation. 

keenfootwear.com 

Berghaus Hillwalker 

Trek £120 

A lighter, fabric version of Berghaus’ 

esteemed leather Hillwalker boot, this 

is aimed at lowland walks on warmer 

days. But it still offers tough protection 

on toecap, heel and ankle, and a 

Gore-Tex membrane to keep your feet 

dry. Anti-microbial 

insoles are a 

nice touch too. 

berghaus.com 


NEXT ISSUE 

OUR BIGGEST EVER BOOT TEST! 

28 walking boots put through their paces by the 

Country Walking team. Out on 29 th April. 

Jack Wolfskin 

Scrambler 2 Texapore 

Low £120 

An athletic shoe for high-energy walks 

and (as the name suggests) scrambles, 

this is a brilliant technical option with 

down-to-the-toe lacing, a 

toughened toecap and 

Texapore membrane. 

jack-wolfskin.co.uk 

AKU Alterra Lite 

Mid GTX £170 

Italian brand AKU make some really 

lovely boots: comfy, adaptable and 

using premium materials to their best 

effect. This lightweight mid (also 

available as a shoe) is a fine example. 

alpinetrek.co.uk 

Scarpa Gecko £135 

As you might expect from a shoe named 

after a creature famed for its ability to hold 

on to anything, the Gecko is all about grip. 

Conceived as a climbing approach shoe but 

ideal for any rocky ridge-path, the Gecko has a Reptilia sole 

with Supergum technology, meaning you get tiny, sticky lugs that bond quickly 

to the rock surface until you actively pull your foot away. No waterproof treatment, 

so it’s definitely one for those warm days on the hills. scarpa.co.uk 

Meindl Ontario GTX £160 

One of our very favourite all-rounder shoes. Sturdy, reliable, great-looking, with 

Gore-Tex membrane and a soft and forgiving insole, the Ontario pretty much 

has it all. Of special note is the Variofix lacing system, in which a 

toughened wire runs from the lacing anchor point right round 

the back of the heel to ensure a stable, sturdy fit that just 

will not give way on the go. Tough toe box, great grip 

and breathable fabric – plus it comes in kids’ 

versions too. What’s not to like? 

meindl.co.uk 

Ariat Skyline Summit GTX £170 

Go to Ariat’s website and the first things you’re likely to see 

are cowboy and riding boots, but they also quietly make 

some really good walking boots. Case in point: the Syline, 

with full-grain leather construction, Gore-Tex membrane, 

Duratread outsole and properly toughened toebox 

and heel cup. And hey, you can probably go 

linedancing in them too, should you be so 

minded. Great value at this price. 

ariat.com 

Hanwag Banks 

Low £170 

A brand new shoe version of Hanwag’s 

fantastic Banks boot, with emphasis 

on comfort. Premium nubuck-suede 

shell, comfy footbed, bellows tongue, 

and a choice of either Gore-Tex or 

hypoallergenic leather lining. Also 

comes in a bunion version. 

hanwag.com 

Lowa Innox Pro GTX 

Mid £175 

A really light, highly cushioned boot 

for moving quickly with a small pack, 

the Innox is a great-looking boot, and 

so versatile you can wear it from street 

to summit. Also has the added benefit 

of being 100% vegan. 

lowa.co.uk 

Altberg 

Jorvik £175 

Named for the Viking moniker of the 

city of York, the Jorvik flies Altberg’s 

Yorkshire colours proudly. A sober, 

sensible and beautifully comfortable 

walking shoe made with one single 

piece of water-repellent leather, this 

one is pure class from heel to toe. 

altberg.co.uk 




SOCKS 

If boots are your hardware, here’s the perfect software for them… 

Bridgedale Hike Lightweight Merino Performance 

The best-fitting boot or shoe in the 

world will only do its best work if it’s 

working in tandem with the right sock. 

And in summer your socks have a host 

of important jobs to do: keeping your 

foot stable in the boot; keeping its 

shape so it doesn’t scrunch down 

as you cover those long, lovely miles; 

prohibiting those annoying rubs that 

can turn into blisters – and carefully 

managing the heat and moisture that 

come with a warm day’s walking. 

So a good sock isn’t a luxury – it’s an 

essential. To demonstrate the art of 

the summer walking sock, we turned 

to the UK’s most trusted brand for a 

close look at their ultimate package for 

multi-day walks on the hottest of days… 

Heritage 

Bridgedale have been 

making durable socks 

from their base 

in County Down since 

the First World War, 

and their expertise is 

peerless. This versatile 

lightweight sock has 

been trusted for years, 

first as the Trail, and 

now as part of their 

outstanding Hike range. 

The Perfect Blend 

What goes into a perfect sock? Ideally 

you want a soft, comfy yarn, a bit of 

stretch to cope with all those quirky 

foot placements, and a fabric weave 

that won’t lose its shape. Here’s 

a breakdown of what you’re looking 

at on this one… 

• 31% Merino Wool 

• 9% New Wool 

• 35% Nylon/polyamide 

• 24% Endurofil/polypropylene 

• 1% Lycra/elastane 

Lifespan 

A sock might look 

great when you first 

try it on, but how 

does it fare after a 

few big walks and 

some spins in the 

wash? Bridgedale’s 

Thermo Fit process 

ensures their socks will 

return to their original 

shape and size after 

every wash. 

The perfect fit 

You need a close, supportive 

fit, and a sock that won’t slip 

or scrunch down. Bridgedale’s 

Performance Fit system 

means the sock stays in place 

and keeps its shape mile after 

mile. The elasticated arch 

and shaped 3D heel 

cup provide careful 

structure to keep your 

foot perfectly 

cradled. 

Zonal padding 

Socks must protect the most 

vulnerable areas, but without 

adding weight and thickness. The 

Hike Lightweight has an advanced 

zonal padding system for support 

and comfort over the most delicate 

areas, without adding to the heat 

and weight inside your boot. 

Flat toe seam 

Look for seam lines; make sure they won’t 

rub against the interior of your boot. 

Here, the flat toe seam minimises bulk 

that could cause irritation in the toe box. 

Merino wool 

The most adaptable wool on the 

planet, merino is also blissfully 

comfortable against the skin. 

The Fusion technology in this 

sock provides resilient padding, 

balanced insulation, moisture 

wicking and outstanding durability. 


£18.50; find full details of this pair, and the rest of 

the Bridgedale range, at bridgedale.com 

Check 

out more 

great sock 

options… 


SOCKS 


HJ Hall ProTrek 

Light Hike 

£10.50 

Comfy, stylish and 

supportive, with decent 

protection for the ankle: 

a great quality, 

affordable summer 

walking sock. 

hj.co.uk 

Snugpak 

Merino 

Military 

Sock £11 

Snugpak’s range is 

divided into Outdoor and 

Military and we love the 

Outdoor options, but the 

Military one is superb for 

all-day, multi-day 

walking in 

hot weather. 

snugpak.com 

1000 Mile 

Trek Walk 

Sock Twin Pack £14 

Among the lightest and thinnest of the 

socks here but still packing a real punch 

in terms of comfort, padding and support 

as well as breathability. Sold in a twin 

pack, which makes it great value. 

1000mile.co.uk 

Bridgedale Hike 

Lightweight Coolmax 

£15.50 

We’ve tried and will recommend any sock 

on this page, but Bridgedale’s options are 

the best of the lot: these are warm but 

breathable, light but supportive, and 

made in the UK with real love. 

bridgedale.com 

Lorpen T3 Light 

Hiker Shorty £17 

Snug, sleek and beautifully fitted, Lorpen’s Light 

Hiker range is a perennial favourite. Here is a 

‘shorty’ version that is perfect for use with 

walking shoes rather than boots. It’s cool, 

stretchy and well ventilated thanks to 

Coolmax wool and Tencel fabric. 

lorpen.co.uk 

BAM Walking Sock 

£15 

We’ve really 

come to love 

BAM’s unique 

bamboo-based 

clothing in recent 

years. These 

elegant walking 

socks are 

possibly even 

comfier than merino. 

bambooclothing.co.uk 

Smartwool 

PhD 

Outdoor Ultra 

Light £21 

Always among the best designed, 

generally among the best reviewed, and 

usually on the pricier side but worth it for 

the long-term investment, Smartwool’s 

socks are great. This one’s a classic, and 

you can get it in plain style if the artwork 

isn’t for you. smartwool.co.uk 

Keela 

Coolmax 

Multiactive 

£20 

Scottish brand Keela focus 

on rugged, hard-wearing 

kit that you can rely on 

during the stormiest day 

in the Highlands 

– like this sock. 

keelaoutdoors. 

com 

Meindl 

Merino Magic 

£20.50 

Renowned for their boots 

and shoes, Meindl are 

curiously less well known for 

socks. This might change 

that – an exceptional 

merino sock whose yarn 

is laced with bioceramic 

crystals for added 

insulation. 

meindl.co.uk 

Darn Tough 

Decade 

Stripe Micro Crew 

£23 

Darn Tough knit more loop stitches 

per square inch than any other sock, 

resulting in a dense knit that provides 

cushioning without adding bulk. This 

merino sock also has undetectable 

seamlines and antimicrobial 

treatment. trekitt.co.uk 


IKO CORE 

Ultra-lightweight and versatile, the rechargeable IKO CORE headlamp 

combines multiple technologies to offer 500 lumens of brightness at only 

79 g. Featuring a patented AIRFIT headband, an ultra-thin lamp body, and 

a hybrid energy compartment that is located in the back, this headlamp is 

practically imperceptible. www.petzl.com



BASELAYERS 

Keep your cool when it’s warm – but stay ready for anything, too… 

Forclaz Trek 500 

Mountain Trekking 

Long-Sleeved 

T-Shirt 

Cool, light, flexible, breathable, odourfree, 

functional, fashionable – we ask 

a lot of our baselayers and shirts, 

especially in summer. Sometimes 

we’re after a casual look, sometimes 

we’d like something that looks and 

feels ready for big adventures. 

The best baselayers can bring 

all those attributes together 

in a product you can wear 

all year round – and here 

is a great merino top 

to prove it… 

Breathability 

This is probably our biggest 

concern with a baselayer, 

especially in the heat of summer. 

Look for something like this one, 

which uses natural merino wool 

to wick away moisture and 

maintain your arms and torso 

at a comfortable temperature. 

Lightweight 

Hardworking though it may be, the 

greatest virtue of a good baselayer is 

in not realising you’re even wearing it. At 

243g (large), the Trek 500 is featherlight 

considering its sophisticated construction. 

Freedom of 

movement 

Look for a decent 

degree of built-in stretch, 

so your movements stay 

smooth and uninhibited 

on the go. Again, merino 

offers that in spades, as 

seen on this example. 

Half-zip 

Polo neck shirts might 

be cooler in general, 

but a half-zip gives 

you versatility – zip 

down for maximum 

breathability on hot 

days; zip up to keep 

the draughts out 

when it’s chilly. 

Odour 

control 

Synthetic fibres 

can handle 

odours pretty 

well – but nothing 

beats merino wool 

for dispersing 

unpleasant odours, 

giving a baselayer 

that can run for days 

between washes 

without you scaring 

people away. 

Abrasion 

resistance 

Your baselayer will often 

be sandwiched between 

your skin and an outer 

layer, probably with 

a rucksack harness 

pressing down on it too. 

So look for subtle seams 

and a soft polyamide 

yarn to prevent abrasion. 


£39.99; find full details of this one, and other options 

from Forclaz and Quechua, at decathlon.co.uk 

Turn over to 

meet more 

baselayer 

options… 


BASELAYERS 


Sub Zero 

Anti Mosquito 

Summer Top £40 

This soft-textured baselayer includes a 

Superbug treatment which keeps out 

midges, mosquitoes and other biting beasts – 

and creates a 40cm shield around itself for 

enhanced protection. Its WHO-approved 

nanotechnology is certified safe even for toddlers 

and pregnant women. Plus it’s body-mapped for 

great ventilation. Fantastic value and made in 

Britain to boot: this one looks exceptional. 

subzero.co.uk 

Sherpa Sikeka shirt £55 

Smart, slimline, sustainable, with 

a humanitarian ethos too. The Sikeka is 

a blend of organic cotton, hemp and yak yarn 

(I love it when we can say ‘yak yarn’ in a Gear Guide), 

a recipe that results in a breathable, fast-wicking 

shirt with subtle Sherpa stylings. And there’s the 

ever-handy chest pocket. ‘Sikeka’ is the Nepali word 

for ‘education’, and reflects the fact that each sale 

helps to educate children in some of the poorest 

Himalayan villages. sherpaadventuregear.co.uk 

Keela Insect 

Shield Ider £55 

Another British brand using impressive 

technology. This smart-looking travel and 

trekking shirt is woven with permethrin, 

a synthetic version of a naturally occurring 

repellent found in certain types of 

chrysanthemum plants. It affects the nervous 

system in insects when they come in contact 

with it, making this a 

guaranteed bite-stopper. 

keelaoutdoors.com 

Alpkit Woodsmoke 

Mountain Shirt £65 

Looks casual, feels lovely, and underneath 

the skin is some serious technology. The 

Woodsmoke is made from ThermoTech 

polyester with hollow core fibres that trap more 

air to give you more insulation. Meanwhile the 

brushed fabric is as comfy as your favourite 

cotton shirt, but wicks moisture away from 

your skin and dries quickly. alpkit.com 

Craghoppers 

NosiLife Adventure 

II Shirt £60 

Craghoppers’ NosiLife insect repellent 

set the bar for midge-proof outdoor 

wear when it was launched, and it’s still 

the benchmark today (even if it’s still a 

wonderfully strange name). Also in this 

versatile shirt are hidden security 

pockets, odour-control fabrics, 

UPF40+ UV protection and a cooling 

inner neck panel. Quality all round. 

craghoppers.com 

Páramo Socorro 

Katmai £65 

You can’t really ponder a proper 

trekking shirt without looking at 

Páramo. The sleek, silky Parameta A 

fabric makes the Socorro and Katmai 

shirts a joy to wear and supercool in 

summer, but they are also packed with 

features, such as UPF50+ protection, 

hidden security pocket and a close 

weave to keep out biting insects. 




Pretty much all the shirts and tees in this section will claim to be 

good at wicking, but what is wicking? AKA capillary action, it’s the 

process of moving moisture between spaces, for example from your 

skin, through layers of clothing, to an outer surface – even though in 

theory, gravity is working against it. Once on the outer surface, the 

moisture can spread out, which means it will evaporate quicker and 

cease troubling you. (The most versatile baselayers and shirts will 

do this in winter too, preventing moisture from chilling your skin.) 

Saxx Hot Shot 

Boxer Brief & 

Tech Tee £70 

This combo set includes Saxx’s 

amazing boxers (they’re supersupportive 

and chafe-free) plus a soft 

T-shirt whose fabric weave adapts 

moisture into a cooling treatment. 

intl.saxx.com 

Rohan Aura 

£65 

Weighing a mere 110g, the Aura is 

perfect for high summer. It includes 

miniscule traces of silver, which has 

natural antimicrobial properties that 

inhibit the growth of microbes, thus 

reducing mould and odour. Not only 

does this keep the shirt smelling fresh, 

it also prolongs its lifespan, because 

it needs less washing. 

rohan.co.uk 


Hike Shirt £80 

A classy, comfy short-sleeved shirt for 

trekking and travel. Made from a soft, 

functional fabric that wicks away 

moisture and feels cool against the 

skin. There’s also a subtle vent round 

the back of the shoulders to help 

manage the midsummer midday heat. 

fjallraven.co.uk 

Royal 

Robbins 

Expedition Shirt 

£80 

Comfy, breathable and lovely to wear – but 

also with superb ecological credentials. Its 

main fabric is made from 100% recycled 

polyester, and it uses sustainable and 

fluorine-free HeiQ Stain Away technology 

which makes the shirt easy to clean as it 

increases the absorbency and moisturewicking 

properties of the fabric, allowing 

water-based stains to be easily washed out. 

royalrobbins.com 

Smartwool Merino 

Sport 150 £85 

An athletic tee cunningly disguised as a 

casual travel shirt; the makers suggest 

it will take you ‘from hike to happy 

hour’. Uses Smartwool’s Sport fabric 

which combines the sweat management, 

temperature regulation, and odour resistance 

of merino with the added durability and quick 

drying time of polyester. 

smartwool.co.uk 

Salewa Alpine Hemp 

LS shirt £135 

Okay, that’s an astonishing price to pay 

for a shirt, so what are you getting? 

Ripstop construction, recycled 

polyester, serious stretch, extreme 

breathability, a huge zipped chest 

pocket and a lovely feel. Not everyone 

will be persuaded, but those who 

want it will really want it. 

salewa.com 


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WATERPROOFS 

The art, science and X-factor of the perfect summer rainstopper… 

Rohan 

Momentum 

What do we look for in a waterproof 

jacket in summer? Perhaps the first 

thing is packability, because in a 

perfect world we’d like it to stay nicely 

tucked up in the rucksack from May 

to September. But given that this 

is Britain, that won’t happen. So 

when we pull it out, to contend with 

anything from mild drizzle to sudden 

downpour to all-day rain in mid-July, it 

needs to be lightweight, breathable 

– but absolutely, positively robust 

and ready to repel the wet stuff. 

Here’s how to do exactly that, 

as demonstrated by the 

outstanding Momentum 

jacket from Rohan. 

A good hood 

Look for a snug-fitting hood with a firm, bonded 

peak to keep the rain out of your eyes and easy 

adjustment points at front and rear – as seen 

here. When not in use, it rolls away neatly and 

is held in place with a convenient snap tab. 

Waterproof 

and windproof 

A robust waterproofing system is 

paramount. The Momentum offers 

Rohan’s own 2.5-layer Barricade 

technology with Durable Water 

Repellency finish, making a triedand-tested 

membrane system 

that is completely waterproof, 

windproof and breathable. 

Soft to the touch 

Not every jacket can be 

tough, lightweight and 

soft to the touch, but the 

Momentum is one such. 

Smooth, classy and elegant, 

without crinkles or rustles 

– it’s just a joy to wear. 

Well-placed 

pockets 

How many pockets 

and where are they? 

The Momentum’s 

two outer pockets 

are large enough to 

store an OS map and 

sit above the line of 

a rucksack hip-belt. 

An internal pocket 

provides a secure 

storage option for 

outdoor essentials. 

Fine-tuned fit 

Fully adjustable cuffs and a 

shaped, adjustable hem will 

fine-tune the fit and keep out 

the elements. And at £190 

the Momentum represents 

great value, easily competing 

with £200+ jackets. 

Freedom of 

movement 

The best jackets 

incorporate a degree 

of stretch into their 

fabrics, allowing the 

jacket to move with 

you on strenuous 

climbs or 

scrambles. 

Freedom of 

movement without 

bagginess. 

Packability 

Rohan pioneered 

lighter-weight gear 

in the 1970s. At 275g, 

the Momentum is light 

enough to be packable 

but robust enough to 

hold off all-day rain. 


£190; find full details of the Momentum, along with 

the complete Rohan range at rohan.co.uk 

Turn over to 

meet more 

great jacket 

options… 


WATERPROOFS 


Quechua MH500 

Mountain Walking 

Jacket £65 

Clinching both the Tester’s Choice and 

Best Value awards in our waterproof 

test last issue, we had to include this 

fantastic jacket again. At 557g it’s 

perhaps slightly too heavy for hottest 

midsummer, but a) it offers pit-zips 

for ventilation and b) on pretty much 

every other day of the year, it’s an 

absolute champion. Fully featured, 

with stiff-peak, high-set torso pockets 

and sturdy cuffs with Velcro adjustment 

– what’s not to love? 


Regatta Imber IV 

£100 

Top marks to Regatta for naming 

a waterproof after the Latin word for 

rain, and for making it a consistently 

excellent jacket into the bargain. The 

Imber is superb value and packs a lot 

in, such as Regatta’s Isotex waterproof 

and breathable membrane, DWR finish 

and a great hood. 

regatta.com 

Montane 

Meteor £120 

Montane are wonderfully adept 

with lighter-weight waterproofs, 

and the Meteor is a case in point. 

At a featherlight 340g bunched up, 

it’s brilliantly packable and breathable, 

and its Pertex Shield fabric can be 

relied upon to keep you dry even 

in the gustiest of downpours. Fully 

adjustable hood, pit zips and map-size 

pockets complete the package. 

montane.com 

Salewa Puez 

Light Powertex £140 

BAM Rowtor 

Longaford £129 

One hundred and forty grammes. A couple of 

apples, basically. That is the packed-down weight 

of this astonishingly superlight waterproof shell, 

and nothing on this page can beat it. It’s aimed 

at fast movers who want to count every gramme 

of weight, yet it’s still very resilient in heavy rain. 

salewa.com 

Named after two of Dartmoor’s most dramatic 

tors, the Rowtor and Longaford are recycled 

and recyclable jackets that BAM (famous for their 

bamboo baselayers) have been developing for three 

years. It doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel though: 

it’s quite simply a well-made, well-thought-out 

waterproof with a breathable membrane, taped 

seams and adjustable hood, hem and cuffs. Finally, 

it uses a PFC-free Teflon face fabric to help reduce 

marine pollution. bambooclothing.co.uk 

Snugpak Torrent 

£165 

This tried-and-tested classic is the 

polar opposite of the Salewa Puez 

– it’s a thick, tough, meaty jacket that 

combines waterproof and insulator 

all in one. The insulation is Snugpak’s 

incredibly snug Softie fabric, wrapped 

in Paratex waterproof fabric (with 

taped seams) to keep out serious allday 

rain. Not, perhaps, the one you’ll 

reach for in mid-July, but in every 

other month it earns its keep tenfold. 

snugpak.com 



A waterproof’s job isn’t just about dealing with rain; it’s equally about dealing 

with humidity – especially in summer. Humidity is the amount of water vapour 

in the atmosphere around you, and in waterproof jackets, it’s the job of the mid 

and inner fabric layers to manage and moderate humidity. If those ‘barrier’ 

layers fail, moisture (i.e. sweat) will not be conveyed to the outer layer and 

humidity will increase. The result? Condensation and moisture can’t get out, 

and instead seeps back through your base layer and onto your skin. This is why 

it’s important to reproof your jacket and keep its membrane in top condition. 

Salomon 

OUTline £180 

Sleek, sporty and athletic, the OUTline shows 

you all of Salomon’s core values in one premium 

product. It’s a 2.5-layer jacket with Salomon’s 

most advanced membrane/fabric combination, 

which they call AdvancedSkin Dry 20K – named 

after its 20,000mm hydrostatic head rating. 

The jacket is specifically designed to move and 

stretch with you, especially if you’re into the odd 

scramble and at 307g it’s pretty darn light too. 

salomon.com 

Rab Kinetic 2.0 £185 

Sometimes the gear that appears in our Summer Guide 

is brand new, but sometimes it’s just timely to tell you 

about something that’s been around for ages but is 

still pretty much the perfect specimen. The Kinetic is 

one such – most of the CW team has tried a Kinetic 

at some point, and have pretty much been unable to 

fault it. Light but sturdy, protective but breathable, 

robust but stretchy, it hurdles all the contradictory 

needs we have in a great waterproof, and it just 

keeps going and going and going. 

rab.equipment/uk 


Lite Trekking 

Jacket £245 

Billed as a light, comfortable jacket for 

summer hiking in warm conditions, the 

Abisko Lite is made from Fjällräven’s 

G-1000 Lite Eco fabric, with stretch 

fabric in the back and side panels 

to maximise ventilation and freedom 

of movement. fjallraven.co.uk 

Columbia OutDry 

Extreme Nanolite 

Shell £250 

We’ve long admired Columbia’s 

OutDry heat-bonded waterproofing 

system; that vinyl-like face fabric feels 

odd at first but once worn in the rain, 

there’s no doubt it’s a very breathable 

match for standard membranes. 


Helly Hansen Odin 

Minimalist Infinity 

Shell £240 

‘Minimalist’ – the word says it all. Like 

the Salewa and Salomon options, this 

is a jacket geared towards strippedback, 

low-weight adventures. At 180g 

it’s only slightly heavier than the 

Salewa Puez. Helly Hansen’s Odin 

range has been a stalwart of our 

reviews for several years now; this 

superlightweight variant won’t cover 

everyone’s needs, but it still offers 

a sophisticated 2.5-layer construction 

and seam-sealed finishing, which 

means it’s steely as well as feathery. 

hellyhansen.com 

Páramo Andina 

Helki £270 

The Andina and Helki 

jackets bring together the 

cavalcade of superb 

technologies used 

by Páramo and 

partners Nikwax, 

including the 

revolutionary 

directional fabric. 

It comes at a 

price of course 

– but it’s buying 

you reliability, 

resilience 

and quality 

that really lasts. 



ROAM. REST. 

REPEAT. 

The experts at Therm-a-Rest explain why ultralight kit can 

make all the difference to your overnight adventures… 


Advertising Feature 

Over the past 50 years, a number 

of innovations have changed 

the outdoors industry for the 

better. But perhaps one of the most 

welcomed has been the introduction 

of ‘ultralight’ gear, designed to lighten 

the load of any adventure, whether 

you’re walking for a few hours, 

a weekend, or days at a time. 

For Therm-a-Rest, the launch of our 

NeoAir insulated air mattress back 

in 2009 helped us take lightweight to 

a new level. The ethos behind NeoAir 

was a simple one: carrying a sleep 

system on your back should enhance 

your opportunities in the outdoors, not 

limit them. So whether you’re heading 

out on that long-planned multi-day 

walking holiday, or taking your first 

steps into the outdoors this spring, 

let our ultralight gear set you up 

for the duration of your trip. 

Lightweight from 

the ground up 

At 250g, our award-winning NeoAir 

UberLite is not only the lightest 

mattress in our range, it’s also the 

lightest air mat on the market today. 

That’s lighter than a fizzy drinks can. 

And packed down, it’s roughly the 

same size as a fizzy drinks can, too 

– so it fits perfectly in your backpack, 

or even your jacket pocket. Perfect 

for when you decide it’s too soon to 

head home. And you can rest assured 

it will be stable too, as you can choose 

from multiple sizes and widths. 

If you’re seeking a little extra 

warmth, then the NeoAir XLite 

mattress is a three-season staple 

that delivers added comfort for only 

a few more grams. The mat’s stable 

construction minimises heat loss, 

which means you’re kept warm even 

when the temperatures get chilly. Let’s 

be honest, that’s always a possibility! 

PHOTO: SCOTT RINCKENBERGER 

Next level comfort 

Completing your lightweight line-up is the versatile 

Hyperion sleeping bag. Whilst the majority of sleeping bags 

tend to bulk out your backpack, the Hyperion packs down 

surprisingly small, and weighs no more than a small water 

bottle (and is just as essential in our 

opinion!). That means there will still 

be plenty of room in the rucksack 

for your other essentials. But we 

haven’t scrimped on comfort 

– the Hyperion’s zoned insulation 

and 900 fill Nikwax Hydrophobic 

Down will keep you warm and 

dry through the chilliest of 

wild nights in the outdoors. 

Head to www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk 

to check out Therm-a-Rest’s lightweight gear 




LEGWEAR 

From zip-offs to leggings: take great strides this summer… 

Forclaz Trek 500 

Convertible Trousers 

A walker’s legs are the engines that power 

them through every adventure. You’ve kept 

yours in tune through the crazy year just gone 

– and now, hopefully, you can dream of 

powering them up again for bigger journeys. 

From beach to beacon, cliff to crag, you’ll 

hopefully keep them busy this summer. But 

you also want to keep them happy, and that 

means you need durable, adaptable legwear 

that can respond to what your legs are doing 

and what the weather is doing. Here to show 

how it’s done are the Trek 500 convertible 

hiking trousers from Forclaz: designed for 

unparalleled versatility from moorland to 

mountain, via everything in between. 

Storage 

Although most of your 

kit will most likely be in 

your rucksack, pockets 

and extra storage 

areas are always useful 

for phones, maps, GPS 

etc. Here, four zipped 

pockets and a mesh 

pocket provide room 

for all the essentials. 

Comfort 

First and foremost, summer walking 

trousers need to be comfy and 

responsive over many miles. On the Trek 

500 Convertibles, a dual polyamide 

hybrid construction combined with 

elastane creates a flexible, breathable 

fabric with plenty of stretch. 

Quick-Drying 

It’s equally helpful if 

they’ll dry out quickly 

after a soaking. The 

Trek 500s’ lightweight 

synthetic fabric allows 

moisture to wick and 

evaporate quickly. 

Lightweight 

The last thing you want at this time of 

year is thick, heavy fabric weighing 

you down. At only 460g, the Trek 

500s keep you moving briskly, and 

when zipped off, the lower legs 

compress for easy storage. 

Water Repellency 

It’s ideal if your legwear can 

hold off squally showers or 

persistent drizzle. On the Trek 

500s, water-repellent panels are 

located on the lower leg to keep 

your legs as dry as possible. 

Durability 

Dealing with the wear 

and tear of intensive 

use in warm conditions 

is vital. Here, heavy 

duty fabric panels are 

located on the areas 

most susceptible to 

friction. 

Convertibility 

Zip-offs are fantastic 

for switching between 

practicality and fun, 

and it’s handy if you 

can reattach the lower 

legs quickly and easily. 

On these, dual zips 

allow for effortless 

switching between 

shorts and trousers. 

Adaptable 

You need to be able to tailor the fit to your 

personal preferences. Here, drawcords on 

the ankle and a lightweight belt let you 

tailor the most precise fit for you. 


RRP: £39.99; find the full Forclaz range at 

decathlon.co.uk and in Decathlon stores nationwide. 

Check out 

more great 

legwear 

options… 


TROUSERS & SHORTS 


Berghaus Hansteen £50 

Fresgoe £45 shorts 

No-nonsense, well-made, comfy: the 

Hansteen and Fresgoe shorts are made 

with a breathable, stretchy fabric and have 

a durable water repellent treatment to make 

them quick-drying, plus zipped security 

pockets. Might benefit from a lower leg pocket 

maybe, but if you don’t need the extra storage, 

these will do you fine for bright, beautiful 

summer days. berghaus.com 

Forclaz Trek 

500 Convertible 

£35 

As showcased on the previous page, 

the Trek 500 Convertibles are pretty 

much the perfect summer walking 

trousers – practical, flexible, 

breathable and weather-resistant in 

trousers mode; light and liberating in 

shorts mode. Transition between the 

two is nice and easy, reattachment is 

a doddle, and the big cargo pockets are 

useful in either mode. decathlon.co.uk 

Keela Paraguay 

Rio Zip-Off £55 

A great value pair 

of trek-and-travel 

zip-offs. Lacks 

insect-proofing 

and DWR, but 

has everything 

else you need 

for summer 

hikes: a bit 

of stretch, six 

pockets, and 

even a little 

compartment 

to stash the 

legs in when 

you’re in shorts 

mode. Clever. 

keelaoutdoors. 

com 

Reima Kaura pants £50 

Finnish brand Reima make some really lovely kit for kids: it’s 

comfy, fun to wear, and practical without the kids even having 

to notice that part. Here we have a pair of waterproof ‘splash 

pants’ that are perfect for spring puddle-jumping if you’re a 

toddler. Kaura, says the brand, is Finnish for ‘oats’. Why name 

some trousers after oats? Good question. Here’s what Reima 

say: “These pants form the basis of your kid’s daily outdoor 

outfit, just like oatmeal porridge forms the basis of a traditional 

healthy breakfast for Finnish kids.” So there you go. Oaty 

trousers: they’re the future. littletrekkers.co.uk 

Montane Dyno 

Stretch Shorts £60 

Sleek, stylish technical shorts which 

use Montane’s stretchy Granite fabric 

for athletic moves, such as steep 

ascents and scrambling. Plenty of 

classy features in them too: zipped 

cargo pocket, brushed microfleece 

waistband, DWR finish and a 

removable belt included. 

montane.com 

Páramo 

Maui Shorts £60 

Tried and tested many times by CW, 

the Maui cargo shorts are rugged, 

sturdy, cool but unerringly protective. 

They’re adapted from the equally 

practical Maui trousers, and thus are 

made from the same soft but durable 

Parameta A Cotton+ fabric, and offer 

secure storage (including a secret 

zipped passport-size pocket) and 

UV50+ sun protection. 




The more you walk in summer, the better your body gets at dealing with heat. 

Studies have shown we generate 13% more plasma (the liquid part of our 

blood) when we exercise consistently in warm conditions than we do normally, 

loading our muscles with oxygen (and thus energy) and improving our ability 

to regulate our own body temperature. And after a few consecutive days in the 

heat (say, on a long-distance trail) our heart, lungs and sweat glands all adapt 

and reach maximum effciency, meaning that steep ascents become less taxing 

than they seemed on day one of your trip. 

Rab Ascendor 

Light Shorts £70 

The new Ascendors are (as the name suggests) 

directed at climbers needing maximum freedom 

of movement on the rock. But don’t we walkers 

appreciate freedom of movement in the same way, 

every time we slither round a churned-up gateway or 

yomp over Dartmoorian tussocks? Yes. Plus they’re 

made of rain-resistant superlight soft shell fabric 

with outstanding moisture management. So back 

off crag-rats, we’re having these. rab.equipment/uk 

Sherpa 

Guide Shorts £60 

Don’t these look great? Proof you 

can make a proper technical pair 

of hiking shorts but make them look 

like something a surfer dude would 

wear for chillin’ in the dunes. Durable, 

stretchy and all that, but with a classy 

shabby-chic look and distinctive white 

stitching to disguise all the cleverness. 

sherpaadventuregear.co.uk 

Helly Hansen HP 

Softshell Shorts £90 

Possibly the comfiest, softest, ruggedest 

(is that a word?) shorts we’ve ever tried. 

Gear writer Nick has had a pair for years 

and lives in them through summer – he 

hiked the Lyke Wake Walk in them for this 

very issue of CW, , in fact. Perfectly-sized 

pockets in all the right places, thoroughly 

rain-resistant and always ready for an 

adventure. Fab. hellyhansen.com 

Salewa Alpine Hemp 

Cargo Shorts £80 

These smart shorts use an Alpine Hemp 

fabric that’s easy to care for and just gets 

softer the more you wear it; here it’s 

blended with stretch elastane. Hemp is one 

of the most durable natural fibres and has a 

low environmental impact; hemp cultivation 

requires no pesticides, synthetic fertilisers 

or GMO seeds and unlike cotton, it requires 

little water and helps prevent soil erosion. 

ice work, Salewa. salewa.com 

Rohan Stretch 

Bags Shorts £70 

Rohan’s Stretch Bags trousers (though oddly 

named) are some of the very best we’ve tried, 

and thus we can also recommend the shorts 

version without hesitation. Made with Multiflex 

Light fabric for comfort, breathability and 

stretch, topped off with a Dynamic Moisture 

Control finish to wick away sweat when you’re 

working hard on a summer’s walk. Weird 

name, fantastic shorts. 

rohan.co.uk 

Salomon RS 

Lightning 

Softshell 

Pant £110 

Another sleek, athletic 

option that we’ve loved 

for a while, these soft 

but robust softshell 

pants straddle the line 

between leggings and 

trousers, with all the 

stretch and next-to- 

skin comfort of the 

former but the soft 

shell weatherproofing 

and breathability of the 

latter. Plus they hang 

slightly looser on the leg 

than standard leggings, 

so you don’t look quite so 

anatomically precise. No 

belt runner, so make sure 

you try them on so you 

get the right size for you. 

salomon.com 


SCARPA.CO.UK

Country Walking April 2021

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