Country Walking magazine December 2012

PLUS: IS THIS The BEST coast walk IN BRITAIN?

issue 309 secret lake district | britain’s best coast weekends | cadair idris | GPS Total guide | photography masterclass | hempleman-Adams

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Britain’s best-selling walking magazine

Peak District Friendly hills, big views, racing rivers and great pubs: perfect for winter!

christmas market WALKS Sparkling new trails in Lincoln, Edinburgh and the Yorkshire Dales

PLUS Walk the Grand Canyon Why the Coast to Coast walk just got easier 10 perfect Christmas gifts for walkers

RUCKSACKS FOR BIG ADVENTURES 14 mens' and womens' packs for winter plus socks to keep you toasty

Simon king's wildlife tips

Exclusive: How to track Britain's rarest animals, by the expert

december 2012 £3.99

december 2012

25 GREAT winter walks LAKE DISTRICT, DORSET, SNOWDONIA, ISLE OF MAN, SUSSEX + MORE

theview Miles of ideas for a brilliant month outdoors

N E WS

COAST TO COAST MADE (A LITTLE) EASIER T he Coast to Coast Walk is getting official waymarkers after a 40-year wait – but don’t expect them to help you navigate the route.

The route, created by Alfred Wainwright in 1972, attracts an estimated 5,000 hikers every year. Piecemeal signposting already exists on some sections, but this new scheme will see waymarkers installed all along the 192 miles from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire.

But the Wainwright Society, which is behind the plan, says the markers will only appear where the trail meets a public road – which means walkers will still need map and compass to navigate remote stages in the North York Moors and the Lakes.

“We wanted the Coast to Coast to become a national trail to mark Wainwright’s centenary in 2007,” explains the

Society’s Derek Cockell. “That proved too expensive, so we’ve been working with the authorities along the route to agree this plan instead. There will be 92 discs in all, each emblazoned with Wainwright’s initials, and we hope to finish the project in 2013. After that, we want to get the trail on OS maps for the first time.”

The Coast to Coast is notoriously tricky to navigate: just this autumn, one group of walkers had to be rescued twice in successive days by Mountain Rescue teams after going astray in the Lakes. Derek adds: “These waymarks are not designed to direct your every step, as Wainwright always intended that people should make their own way using his guidebook, map and compass. I think that adds to the sense of adventure of the trail.” ◗What do you think? Email country.walking@lfto.com

Crossing the summit of Hay Stacks in the Lake District on the Coast to Coast. A waymarker could be useful here!

Photo: Tom Bailey

DECEMBER 2012 COUNTRY WALKING 7

DESTINATIONS | PEAK DISTRICT

Changing times: Lin Dale (left), Thorpe Cloud (centre) and Dove Dale (foreground).

Photo: Robin Weaver/Alamy

Beautiful anytime

(but magic right now)

This is the perfect time to explore the Peak District. The crowds are gone, the hills are friendly, the pubs are welcoming and the valleys look astonishing. And here's the perfect walk to prove it‌

Words: Nick Hallissey

DECEMBER 2012 COUNTRY WALKING 27

In search of

shivering mountains

Is Derbyshire’s Great Ridge the perfect winter hillwalk? The simple answer is ‘yes’ but that makes a very short feature. To find out why, you have to keep reading…

DESTINATIONS | PEAK DISTRICT

T

O UNDERSTAND WHY we selected the Peak District as our favourite winter walking venue, simply look at the pictures on the preceding pages, then at this image of Mam Tor. If there’s a better contrast of landscapes within any other national park, we haven’t found it yet. The Lakes, the Dales, Dartmoor – they all offer variety of scenery, but the same basic DNA runs from Scafell Pike to Cat Bells; from Swaledale to Malham Cove; or from Hound Tor to High Willhays.

The Peak, on the other hand, is a collision of two – possibly even three or four – completely different species of landscape within an ovoid tract of land which is barely 40 miles from top to bottom. Mam Tor and Dove Dale should be at opposite ends of the country; as it is they’re 30 minutes’ drive from each other. And the way these places change between September and February is extraordinary.

So we make no apologies for including one of the most popular walks in the kingdom in this Peak District special.

Because whatever you want from a winter walk, it’s here on the Great Ridge: spectacular views that look even better under frost or snow; clear footpaths that keep you safe; the reassuring proximity of town, village and pub; a walk that’s easily completed in shortened daylight – and is perfect for viewing sunrise or sunset at a civilised hour. And best of all, the capacity to surprise even those who are familiar with it.

The Great Ridge is a rumpled escarpment which divides the Hope Valley from the Vale of Edale. Its components are Lose Hill, Back Tor, Barker Bank, Hollins Cross and, at the head of the Hope Valley, Mam Tor – sometimes known by its literal name of Mother Hill, or more aptly for our theme, the Shivering Mountain. The ridge is also the borderline of White Peak and Dark. To the south, all is limestone, as witnessed by the jagged white teeth jutting out above the road up Winnats Pass. To the north is the Dark Peak, represented by the hulking plateau of Kinder Scout, with its gritstone exoskeleton and flesh of blackest peat.

For me, any expedition along the ridge has to start and end with Castleton – especially in winter, when this most »

Photo: Tom Bailey

Right: The friendliest hill-path in the country?

Photo: James Osmond Photography/Alamy

Fragile land: the collapsed east face of Mam Tor, with the Great Ridge beyond.

DECEMBER 2012 COUNTRY WALKING 33

DESTINATIONS | DEVON COAST

WALKS TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE

Seabirds and shipwrecks HARTLAND PENINSULA, DEVON

Britain has over 12,000 kilometres of coastline – but you can sample the very best of it in this single sensational day of twisted cliffs, lonely wrecks, remote coves, soaring birds and idyllic fishing villages.

I

Words: Jenny Walters

F THERE’S ONE thing Britain does well, it’s coast. From Land’s End to St Davids to Cape Wrath to Spurn Point, you’ll find mile upon mile of glorious seaside. Yet even in such stellar company, a few places – like north Devon’s Hartland Peninsula – shine bright.

I’ve just reached the extraordinary Blegberry Beach, a short walk west of Hartland village along a deep green valley. This is no common-or-garden seaside scene of land meeting sand meeting surf. This is different. Why? Because 300 million years ago, tectonic plates collided here and made puff-pastry of the sandstone and mudstone, crimping and scrunching the strata into twisted, striped walls, while blades of rock rip

across the beach and out to sea. In many years and many miles of coast, I’ve never seen a shoreline like this.

And I get to walk beside it for the rest of the day, following the acorn-waymarks of the South West Coast Path for 14 kilometres to Clovelly. I head north past Damehole Point, a contorted arm of rock wrestling with the waves, to the foot of a hill called Smoothlands.

The main route – and the sensible option – takes a right turn to walk inland round its base, but the faint trod heading straight uphill is irresistible. The side I climb is a steep grassy hump; the other turns out to be thin air, as if someone split the cliff in two with an axe to create Devon’s version of Yosemite’s Half Dome.

The spectacular knotted cliffs, warped headlands, »

WILD COASTLINE

Photos: Adam Burton/Tom Bailey

There are plenty of tall cliffs and gnarled outcrops where you can perch for a (nervous!) drink on this wind- and sea-battered coast.

The west-facing stretch from Blegberry Beach (see left) to Hartland Point is exposed to the full might of the Atlantic, which last saw landfall thousands of miles away on the east coast of Canada.

DECEMBER 2012 COUNTRY WALKING 41

KNOWLEDGE | WILDLIFE

How to…

Track wildlife TV expert Simon King takes our novice naturalist into the wild to understand the creatures that share our walks with us – using just pawprints, paths and poo…

Words: Rachel Broomhead Photography: Tom Bailey

»

WILDLIFE HAVEN

Otters, foxes, badgers, deer, rabbits, squirrels, voles and snakes all make their home in Simon's beloved Somerset Levels.

THE EXPERT Simon King has always been enthralled with the natural world. His first foray into the world of television was as a child actor playing a boy who finds and raises a fox. Since then he's become one of Britain's bestknown wildlife filmmakers, photographers and presenters, appearing on the Big Cat Diary, Springwatch and Autumnwatch amongst others. For more info on his current projects, visit wildlifewhisperer.tv

48 COUNTRY WALKING DECEMBER 2012

“

I

ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE smell of fox urine.” Simon King, wildlife filmmaker, TV presenter, and all-round nature lover, is wafting the scent of freshly sprayed grass up his nostrils as a chef might inhale the aromas of a delicately flavoured tarte tatin.

“It has a gorgeous musky smell to it, don’t you think?” I find myself with my head buried in the long grass, sniffing out the liquid leftovers from our four-legged visitor. It’s true, it does smell musky. I would stop

short of “gorgeous”, but I’m forced to admit that foxes pass water in an altogether more fragrant way than us humans.

The surprising smell of fox wee is the first revelation on my journey from blinkered bog-trotter to worldly wildlife watcher. Up to now, my experiences of observing our feathery and furry friends usually start with me squinting up at a hovering dot in the sky and venturing, hopefully, “Kestrel?”, and end with varying degrees of

laughter, derision or sympathy.

“Even my six-year old son knows that’s a buzzard, love.”

Those days will soon be behind me, however, because if anyone is going to drag me out of a power-walking, headphones-induced stupor and into the natural world, it’s Simon King.

Known to many of us as the friendly faced presenter of Big Cat Diary, Springwatch and Autumnwatch, Simon is a cameraman and photographer by trade, but a wildlife-lover first and foremost. »

NOVICE NATURALIST

The natural world can be a daunting subject to tackle, so try starting out by learning a couple of bird calls or animal tracks.

Shapwick Heath in the Somerset Levels is a great place to test your naturalist skills.

Welcome to the

COUNTRY WALKING GEAR REVIEWS The onset of winter means different things to different people but to us it definitely means crisp cold days, frosted trees, icy puddles and even a dusting of snow on the tops. It also means shorter days, perhaps starting off in the dark, and a lot more clothing. Inevitably there comes a day when the compact little summer pack won’t cope anymore and we have to up our carrying capacity a little, most commonly from 20-25L day-packs to their larger 30-35L cousins.

So this month we take a look at a fascinating cross-section of these larger packs. There’s plenty of variety out there but which one is right for you? Winter can also mean cold feet, so this issue we also slip our feet into six pairs of warm winter socks guaranteed to prevent numb toes. Stick with us; we’ll keep you cosy!

30-35L Rucksacks

If summer is about moving nimbly and light, winter is about keeping comfortable against the odds. That means choosing the best clothing for the conditions and carrying a few spare layers and a bit of extra equipment. Suddenly your summer pack is bulging at the seams and it’s time to increase your carrying capacity a little. The good news is that as clothing and kit has become lighter and sleeker, so the bigger packs have, too. Up until very recently, a big winter walk might have necessitated a rucksack of perhaps 38 or 40L, but thankfully the new generation of 30 to 35L packs are designed to carry a vast amount of gear without adding too much weight to your back, hips and shoulders.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR...

HARNESS Larger packs are capable of carrying more weight and this results in more pressure on the shoulders. So on packs of this size, a good harness is absolutely crucial. Shoulder straps should be at least lightly padded and the waist strap will benefit from some padded hip fins to help spread the load here. Mesh straps will make them feel cooler and reduce sweat beneath them; and some shaping (contouring) will probably feel more comfortable. A chest strap is critical to hold the main straps in place. Ladies need to make sure this fits comfortably around the bust.

POCKETS Although not essential, these definitely help by keeping regularly needed items such as hat/gloves and camera separate from emergency kit etc. They do add weight and cost, though. Make sure that the pockets on the model you choose will actually hold the items you would want to stow in them.

Tom Hutton & Steph Duits Country Walking gear testers

OTHER FEATURES

CONTENTS Unisex 30-35L rucksacks ...........page 56 Women’s 30-35L rucksacks ......page 61 Six of the best winter socks ....page 62 Long-term test ....................................page 63 CW recommends ................................page 64

54 COUNTRY WALKING DECEMBER 2012

If you use a hydration reservoir then check the pack’s compatible.

Other useful extras include a rain cover – a godsend on a real bad day – and attachments for walking poles or an ice-axe in winter.

GENDER! Women’s packs tend to have shorter backs and bust-sensitive harnesses.

They are still a bit of a niche market, with most rucksacks being designed as unisex, and this is reflected in the weighting of our test. But if you’re a lady with a shorter, slighter or slimmer frame, a women’s-specific pack can be a great investment.

MAIN COMPARTMENT/ OPENING These larger-capacity packs tend to rely on traditional drawcord and lid closure rather than the zipper style seen on smaller packs. This is definitely the most reliable and weatherproof method, but does make it a little harder to get in and out of.

Zip-opening styles are usually really easy to pack but are less robust and can be fiddly to do up (the zip can often get stuck on the stormflap when you’re in a hurry, for example).

BACK SYSTEM The key role of a back system is to provide a stable frame to carry the load. But the back systems on most modern packs also do a great job of providing ventilation between the wearer’s back and the pack: reducing the build-up of sweat and therefore lessening the resulting chill.

Concave back systems do this by actually holding the pack away from the back, which is very effective but also alters your centre of gravity, affecting stability. Other packs feature narrow grooves, channels or even ribbing in the padding and this does a decent job of encouraging airflow without altering the weight distribution: a good compromise.

FIT/SHAPE/SIZE COMPRESSION STRAPS These will help you turn an unruly over-packed monster into something resembling a walking pack and also keep things neat and tidy by reducing the carrying capacity if it’s half empty e.g. when you are wearing everything. They can also double up as storage straps for things like walking poles and wet or muddy waterproofs.

Photo: Tom Hutton

The size and shape of the pack will determine how it fits and how it feels. Tall and slim is neat and won’t interfere with arm movement, but the really tall ones may obstruct the back of your head. Broad, boxier packs are the exact opposite but don’t spread the load over such a large area of your back so can feel less stable. Try plenty on and choose the one that fits your back best.

BIG WEEKENDS

Strolling with Santa The Christmas market season is on the horizon – your perfect excuse to plan a frost-twinkled walking weekend with some festive revelry thrown in. We've found three of the best...

70 COUNTRY WALKING DECEMBER 2012

Revellers hit the ice in Edinburgh, where there are two Christmas markets to enjoy.

Edinburgh

Chestnuts are roasting on an open fire, geese are getting Grassington fat... and Christmas markets will Lincoln be trundling into Britain's prettiest towns and cities over the weeks ahead. We've found three that have real seasonal sparkle, and some crisp winter walking right on the doorstep. So pull on your high-performance merino wool stockings, and prepare to let Jack Frost nibble at your nose.

THE WEEKENDS 70 EDINBURGH, FIRTH OF FORTH It may seem an unlikely choice for a walking break, but the Scottish capital really goes to town at Christmas, and there is striking hiking right on the doorstep. Our festive weekend whisks you from the city to the sea.

74 GRASSINGTON, YORKSHIRE DALES Whether you're a Santa or a Scrooge, it's impossible to resist the Dickensian festival in Wharfedale's cutest town.

Costumed capers continue throughout December – and for delectable Dales walking, Grassington's a gift.

78 LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE WOLDS

Photo: Archwhite/Alamy

Lincoln's cobbled cathedral quarter comes straight off a Christmas card – especially from December 6th-9th, when 250 stalls stacked with stocking-fillers hit town. It's the biggest and best Yuletide market of them all.

DECEMBER 2012 COUNTRY WALKING 71

DESTINATIONS | GRAND CANYON

TOTAL GUIDE: THE GRAND CANYON

The

only way is down It’s one of the most incredible sights on Earth – and the best way to get to know the Grand Canyon is to hike down into its ancient heart.

Words: Sally Hawkins

I

Photos: Kerry Hixon; Oleksandr Buzko/Alamy; Marjorie McBride/Alamy

AM HOPING FOR awe at the very least. The kind of mind-blowing, life-changing feeling of wonderment promised by the enthusiastic Americans on our journey from Phoenix to this large crack in the northwest corner of my Arizona map.

I jostle my way through groups of tourists at the South Rim and look down. The cracks and crannies of the Grand Canyon are dusted with snow. The purples, greens and oranges darken into ominous shadow far, far below. A rush of excitement nudges into terror: “We’re hiking down there?”

“And out again,” my partner adds, helpfully.

The National Park Service warnings about dehydration, heat stroke and death play on my mind as we take the early morning shuttle to the South Kaibab trailhead. We meet other walkers heading to the bottom, all of us insisting that we’ll go at our own pace, certain we’ll be the last ones down due to various ailments and attitudes.

After stopping for a few photos, my partner and I do find ourselves at the back of the pack. In the crisp morning sunlight it feels like we’re alone, on an expedition into undiscovered territory. Only if we look down do we see our fellow walkers zig-zagging their way into the shadows. We stop at lookouts like Ooh Aah Point, where a view of the eastern canyon opens up and triggers that exact response.

We study the faces of those passing us in the other direction, for clues about what to expect: “It’s not as painful going up, that’s one thing,” says one. I won’t understand what he means until later.

The South Kaibab Trail runs for 11 kilometres and drops nigh on 1,500m. The canyon comes at you from all angles, a series of cliffs, slopes and ridges that make it impossible to see the bottom until you’re almost there. When we first spot the Colorado River it looks thin and inconsequential, but the evidence of its destructive force is all around us. Over the last 17 million years its water has carved this immense fissure in the Earth’s crust.

Our feet have been angled downhill from the minute we stepped off the bus and our thighs are starting to feel it. »

Clockwise from main picture: Jaw-dropping views from the South Kaibab Trail, past the rock stack of O-Neill Butte and across the canyon beyond; a welcome sign for weary hikers; a suspension bridge carries you across the mighty Colorado; a saguaro cactus – its bloom is Arizona's State Flower, and it dots the desert as you travel north from Phoenix.

DECEMBER 2012 COUNTRY WALKING 85