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How Scafell inspired
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1

This month I’ve been...

1 Acquiring the walker’s customary
grizzled patina thanks to a
combination of sun, wind and rain.
2 Enduring a wildly premature
seaside paddle while visiting County
Down to see #walk1000miles partner
Bridgedale’s factory (p24).
3 Spotting a sign of hopefully never
to be repeated times on a gatepost
while walking in the Belfast Hills.

ith very few exceptions, I the one celebrated in this monumental

believe it’s a bad idea to waste issue. UNESCO’s World Heritage List
any time trying to put things in celebrates sites of outstanding universal
order of value. What’s the best value – places it describes as ‘irreplaceable
On the cover
rock album of the ’70s? Okay then, who’s sources of life and inspiration’. Currently Nick discovers the
your favourite child? And as for what’s the 1154 sites long, it’s extraordinary, at times West Wall Traverse
in the Lake District.
best walk in the country? You can tell me all unexpected (the Fray Bentos factory in Our feature starts
you like it’s Tryfan or Cat Bells or the Seven Uruguay, anyone?) and a list which will on page 34.
PHOTO: TOM BAILEY
Sisters, but frankly they’re all good – and never be finished. That seems to me as
today I’m leaning toward the one of three hopeful, and as close a match for the
miles in the spring sunshine I just did under mood of walking – curious, care-taking,
Talk to us!
sustained quadraphonic assault by larksong. compassionate – as can be. There are 28 Share your pics,
Wanting what you have is so much better sites in the British Isles, and in this issue. And questions, have
a natter – we love
than scheming to have what you want – to they make a simply awe-inspiring bucket-list to hear from you:
which you are guided by a mythical pole for those of a mind to see what our part of facebook.com/
named ‘perfection’, and which is inevitably the world and its people can do at their best. countrywalking
always just out of reach. Which is why I’m country.walking
@lfto.com
wary of best-of lists – with the exception of twitter.com/
Guy Procter, Editor countrywalking

IN THIS ISSUE...

Rob Cowen Stuart Maconie Lizzie Weir

Author and poet Rob Ramblers President and Farmer Lizzie Weir looks
speaks to Nick Hallissey longstanding CW columnist after 1600 Cumbrian sheep in
about how lockdown Stuart writes movingly about Ennerdale and spoke to us of
changed the way we the war the weather wages on the marriage of fells and
look outside. our woodlands. farming in the Lake District.
Page 14 Page 31 Page 40

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 3

CONTENTS APRIL 2022

How the Lakes inspired

us to protect beauty
worldwide: Scafell p34

COVER STORIES
33 World class walking
Our epic World Heritage journey begins.
47 Hadrian’s Wall & Saltaire
48 Giant’s Causeway & the
99 27 route cards
33 World Heritage Britain
Causeway Coast

34
34 Thrilling, terrifying, wonderful
The Lake District of the Romantics 50 Canterbury
How hills went from places of terror to paradise. 89 Family gear guide
51 Bath & New Lanark
52 City of volcanoes
60 Tin mines & Blenheim
40 The Lake with the farmers
A long and lovely union of farming and fellside.
Palace
63 Neolithic Orkney
76 Wales’ Iron Mountain
18 Walking vs heart disease
70 Castles of Gwynedd

52 Edinburgh: a tale of two towns

There’s no finer city to walk and wonder at.
& Durham
72 Stonehenge &
‘The rain clouds were
Pontcysyllte becoming ragged,
64 Jurassic world
How to time travel using just your two feet.
74 London
82 Studley Royal Park
twisting and blowing
& Derwent Valley away over Blencathra
76 The Iron Mountain
High on a hill, dawn breaks on the modern age.
85 Ironbridge Gorge
86 St Kilda & Jodrell Bank
and Skiddaw.’
STUART MACONIE p31

GEAR UP FOR SUMMER SUPPLEMENT: Also available at www.walk1000miles.co.uk/summergearguide

4 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 Too pretty 27 NEW ROUTES
to be a city:
Edinburgh p52 Get out more
this month!
Step-by-step directions
and Ordnance Survey
maps for 27 walks
all over the country.
TURN OVER FOR MORE…

REGULARS

11 The View
Things we can’t wait to see, the
PLUS…
amazing power of walking, surprise 8 Special subscription offer
news from Snowdon. 28 Where’s Kes?
96 Classified directory
16 Walking weekend: Llanberis
Two perfect days in the UK’s
98 Quizzes & prize crossword

newest World Heritage Site. 129 Our routes, your walks

130 Footnotes

18 #Walk1000miles
Why walking’s your heart’s hero,
131 In next month’s issue
131 Contact Country Walking
more inspiring stories and money-
Let’s go dinosaur hunting: can’t-buy prizes.
Jurassic world p64
26 Your letters, emails & posts
Why wet days are ace, the
restorative power of walking
and some nice distinctions.

31 Column: Stuart Maconie

Storm season waged a war on our
woodlands. Stuart hopes they get
a chance to recover in peace.

REVIEWS

89 Family gear guide

How to equip your all-terrain tribe
From the belly of The and spread a love of walking, not
‘That way, Dad!’ Family
Blorenge: Iron Mountain p76 memories of endurance. Gear Special p89

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GET
REWARDS: Boxing hares, pizza in Snowdonia, rewatching episodes of
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APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 5
Find a great CUT-OUT
AND-KEEP
ROUTES
walk near you! OUR POCKET-SIZED
ROUTE CARDS
START ON

✁
PAGE 99
Highlights from the 27 fantastic walks in this issue…
SOUTH WEST SOUTH EAST MIDLANDS

Lyme Regis, Dorset/Devon Pulborough, West Sussex Draycote Water, Warks

Beachcombers and bookworms, this is Binoculars at the ready for a family- Waterside bimbling, attractive villages,
a walk for you: an illustrious Jurassic friendly walk through an RSPB nature a railway path: this reservoir circuit has
Coast jaunt from the ‘Pearl of Dorset’. reserve in the beautiful Arun Valley. all the makings of a dam good walk.
TURN TO WALK 2 TURN TO WALK 4 TURN TO WALK 9

EAST NORTH WEST NORTH EAST

Aby, Lincolnshire Bollin Valley, Cheshire Treeton, South Yorkshire

Clear-flowing streams thread this chalky A riparian idyll right next to Manchester There’s spectacle. There’s aroma. And
slice of the Lincolnshire Wolds. There’s Airport? You’d better believe it. And this it’s happening now. Catch the Treeton
even a village called ‘beautiful water’. walk is brimming with history too. Woods bluebell bloom while you can.
TURN TO WALK 13 TURN TO WALK 14 TURN TO WALK 17

WALES SCOTLAND CLASSIC

Snowdon, Gwynedd Ring of Brodgar, Orkney Gleouraich, Highland

Yr Wyddfa the easy-epic-long way: the Step back in time over 5000 years in It’s a lung-buster, but worth every step,
most popular path up Wales’ highest under three miles and explore standing not least for this terrific view over Loch
mountain and the quietest route down. stones in a spectacular setting. Quoich from the first of two Munros.
TURN TO WALK 21 TURN TO WALK 25 TURN TO WALK 27

6 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

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 The View
SIGHTS | SOUNDS | WONDERS | IDEAS | COOL STUFF

Ring in the new

IF AFTER 4.5 billion years in existence, the crowning achievement of planet Earth were
revealed – objectively, definitively – to be a carpet of bluebells in the dappled light of
a British woodland in spring, would any of us quibble? There is surely nothing more
beautiful than their ineffable violet-blue, more transporting than their faint honey
scent, more hopeful than the proof of spring’s perpetual renewal their nodding blooms
provide. Bluebells are in flower for just two or three weeks in late April and early May,
before the tree canopy is clotted with leaves – not quite as one-showing-only as
fireworks night, but scarcely less spectacular and rather less good at drawing attention
to themselves. Hyacinthoides non-scripta bloom in woodlands nationwide (Britain has
half the world’s population) so you likely won’t have to go far for a good bluebell walk.
They flower first in the warmer climes of southern and lowland Britain, before
sweeping north. Bluebell bulbs have contractile roots, rather like the bellows on an
accordion, which they use to draw the bulb down deeper into moister soil as they
mature. Don’t miss out: the websites of the National Trust (nationaltrust.org.uk),
Woodland Trust (woodlandtrust.org.uk), Wildlife Trusts (wildlifetrusts.org), Forestry
Commission (forestry.gov.uk) and RSPB (rspb.org.uk) all flag up their best bluebell
displays in spring. Worth knowing: if there’s no scent, it’s not a colony of English
bluebells. Imported escapee the Spanish bluebell has made inroads into British
populations, has no scent, is paler and its petals don’t curl back in quite the Farah
Fawcett style our natives do. Welcome back to the bombshell blue bell.
PHOTO: DYLAN GARCIA/ALAMY

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 11

 The View

THINGS YOU
Snowdon is getting
1
NEED TO KNOW
THIS MONTH underground parking
Climbing Wales’ highest peak is set to get a lot
more convenient when a new underground car
park beneath the mountain opens next year. It’s
hoped the 120-space facility – accessed via a tunnel
next to Cwm Dyli hydroelectric plant on Snowdon’s
eastern flank – will reduce the visual impact of cars
parked at busy Pen y Pass and congestion on the
A4086. A second phase of the development will
see a lift from the car park to the summit café add
a third option for visitors to reach the roof of

PHOTO: TOM BAILEY

Wales. Spokesman for the project Ebrill Ffwll of
Cadw says prices will be based on comparable
attractions: “We’re thinking somewhere between
Eiffel Tower and Thorpe Park money.”

4
Walking age-
proofs your brain Electrician to
PHOTO: TOM BAILEY

Walking actually changes your

brain – improving your ability
to think and act as you age, a
new study by the University of
Georgia suggests. Different parts
of the brain are active at different
times, depending on what you’re
become king…
…of Piel Island (probably). Submarine
electrician Aaron Sanderson has been tipped
to become the new landlord of The Ship Inn
THERE’S MORE TIME and thus the King of Piel, a tradition
FOR LOST PATHS stemming from events in 1487 when an army

3
doing, but as we age its ability to Great news about 41,000 miles
switch on and off these different of forgotten paths in England:
networks diminishes, affecting Defra has got rid of its 2026
decision-making and presence deadline to get them on the map
of mind. But people who walked or lose them forever. There’s still
more than average retained work to do, but it means more
more cognitive power and even paths walked by our ancestors
reversed any decline. “This is can be saved for us, and for
exciting,” says study lead future generations, to enjoy.
Marissa Gogniat; “Walking is Find out how you can help
where you get the most bang for rescue these historic routes at
your buck, not crazy, high- Don’t Lose Your Way (dontlose
intensity exercise.” yourway.ramblers.org.uk).
hoping to overthrow Henry VII and put
10-year-old Lambert Simnel on the throne
camped on this Cumbrian island. At low tide,
with care, you can walk across the sands from
Walney Island to Piel (or there’s a summer
ferry from Roa Island), where the new
monarch will be crowned by having
buckets of alcohol poured on his head.
See islandeering.com/activity/piel-island-
walk-from-walney-island/ for route details.

5 Butterfly back
from extinction
PHOTO: OUR WILD LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY-

The chequered skipper hasn’t been

seen in the wild in England since
1976 – until now. In 2018, the Back
from the Brink conservation project
brought some over from Belgium to
a secret location, and the population
PHOTO: TOM BAILEY

is now strong enough to reveal

that spot as Fineshade Wood in
Piel Island has a king and a castle. The 14th-
Northamptonshire. See century fortress was built to guard the Furness
forestryengland.uk/fineshade-wood peninsula against pirates and raiders from Scotland.

12 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 TH E WA
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PHOTO: TOM BAILEY

25%
Give Wales a Grand Canyon

D
DIDYOU Plennie L. Wingo set out in April 1931
to walk around the world backwards.
KNOW? He overheard some kids saying there
K L EARN
were no stunt-challenges left to do and realised nobody
had reversed their way around the globe – so off he set THE LI NGO
from Santa Monica, California, sporting a pair of glasses Looking for words to describe
those spring showers?
mirrored so he could see behind. He didn’t make it all
the way, but he got to Istanbul after 18 months, 8000
miles and 13 pairs of shoes, and still holds the world Duke of Spain: Cockney rhyming
record for ‘greatest extent of reverse pedestrianism’. slang for rain, along with Andy Cain,
Ache and Pain, Pleasure and Pain.

Dringey: Drizzle that manages to

C AU GHT O U R EY E soak you right through.

Magical Britain by Rob Wildwood Chwipio bwrw: Welsh word for

whiplash rain.
Giants, dragons, fairies, mermaids and portals to other
worlds, tales of creation, the Mother Goddess, the Devil, Haar: Misty rain off the sea.
Merlin and King Arthur: this book tells the ancient stories of
Raining cats and dogs: Chucking it
more than 650 mystical locations across the nation. From down. Origins are obscure; maybe
Madgy Figgy’s Chair Ladder in Cornwall, where a legendary a corruption of Old English
witch launched both her broomstick and Atlantic storms, catadupe meaning waterfall.
to Dingy’s Howe in the Orkney archipelago where fairy folk
gather on Midsummer’s Eve, it promises to add an enchanting new dimension to Smirr: Scottish word for drizzle so
your walks. £18.99 from wildthingspublishing.com, on sale 4th April. gentle it’s almost a mist, smur south
of the border.

Plothering: Heavy rain falling

L CATI N SC UT
Killing Eve (BBC) straight down.

For four seasons intelligence Blood rain: Drops that are red with
officer Eve (Sandra Oh) and dust particles or algae.
assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer)
Cow-quaker: Downpour so intense it
have chased each other around
shakes cattle. Specific to May, after
the world – @KillingEveSites on
Twitter counts 91 locations in just the cows have gone out to pasture.
one series. One of the best for a Moor-gallop: Wind-blown rain
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

walk is Turville in the Chilterns, across high ground.

where Villanelle takes tea with
the mother of a spy she’s chasing
in season 1. It’s also the village in
The Vicar of Dibley, and its mill is
in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Sunshower: Rain falling from a bright
sky. Some call it liquid sunshine;
others compare it to the union of
cunning animals like ‘fox’s wedding’.

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 13

The View

Dusk-dancers,
snowball fights
and aliens
on the moor
CW talks to author and poet
Rob Cowen about moors, roads
and edgelands – and how lockdown
changed the way we look outside.
THE FRONT COVER endorsement of Rob Cowen’s
book The Heeding says it all.
‘Dazzling,’ says Robert Macfarlane. ‘A book that
will touch many, and be given often: here, take this, “But walking puts you in the liminal space
you must read this.’ between these set scenes. No one else
Country Walking can only agree. In a collection controls it for you, and there’s just no way you
of 35 concise and beautiful poems, The Heeding can remain in your head. Walking unpacks
depicts the spring 2020 lockdown through the you, brings you forcibly into the moment.
prisms of nature, landscape and the thoughts of a “If I’m ever stuck with my writing, I go for a

PHOTO:
walker. The title has several meanings, but it comes walk because I know it will shake out whatever

TO
O:: ROB COW
primarily from the act of taking notice, something the problem is.”
we all did a lot more in those strange months, As you might expect from someone who

OWE
whether it was discovering new local footpaths counts Macfarlane as a fan, Rob’s use of

or just watching butterflies in the garden.
“Lockdown changed how we looked around and
looked outside,” says Rob.
“It felt as though the act of
paying attention to nature was
helping us to survive.”
And just like those of any keen
walker, Rob’s thoughts turned to
the places we couldn’t go. Hailing
originally from Ilkley in Yorkshire
and now living in Harrogate, Rob
acutely felt the severing of his
connection to high, wild places.
In the poem Self-Isolation he
narrates his wife Rosie’s words as
she dreams of getting back to
the hills. In Honeymoon he finds
refuge in memory, recalling their
honeymoon spent walking in
Cornwall and a remarkable find
which has become a keystone of
their lives together. (It’s a great
story; I won’t spoil it here.)
“Walking is hugely powerful
both as something to write about
but also as a way of writing,”
says Rob.
“Walking is unusual. The usual
mechanics of the day are go
here, sit here, do this, buy that,
travel, cook dinner, go to bed.
EN
N
language is breathtaking. Here’s how he
describes a starling: ripple bird, shape-shifter,
dusk-dancer, murmurer, Above:
sky-writer… roof-flocker, aerial- ‘Walking
SELF-ISOLATING clinger… endlessly becoming in doesn’t fit
neatly into
By Rob Cowen the darkening gold. the expected
But perhaps his most haunting pattern of
‘I was thinking,’ you say,
poem is Moor, inspired by behaviours,’
‘when all this is over says Rob
recurring dreams about Ilkley
we should get away for a few days. Cowen.
Moor which fretted Rob’s sleep
Far off. North. Where hills are ‘And that’s a
during lockdown. In the summer,
frozen with the kind of frost great thing.’
you don’t find in towns with lockdown easing, he finally
anymore. Away from this goes back to the moor to show Top:
heatstroke weather, to hard his children Tom and Bea its The Heeding
beauty, rawness and danger. features
hoar-crusted summits
beautiful
and meadows with glinting sprays So, I drag them upstream,
illustrations by
of reeds, where mist steams off Through childhood wood, Nick Hayes,
olive-green lakes. Breaching into blue, including this
To small woods chanced upon metallic air, image of the
in the pleats of fells. Let’s wake heat-clamped grass, reed, ling. Twelve Apostles
in a tent rimed with ice stone circle on
Where curlew mew and the
on the third morning, alone, Ilkley Moor.
Cauldron stink of green
returning to our senses warming
bracken Right:
soup on last night’s fire,
is pure oxygen. Rob’s words
breath and woodsmoke
“It has loomed over my entire and Nick’s
mingling in the trees. art combine
Let’s hurry back tired life, that moor,” Rob explains.
in Starling.
and longing for this bed, “It was the first thing I was
the warmth of these really aware of as a kid because
four walls, the shape of these we played on the flanks of it.
rooms. Not craving their escape.’ It has this strange pull; a mythical
space with cup and ring

14 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

markings, Victorian promenades, Charles Darwin
visiting the spa at White Wells; quarries and peat
bogs. And the ‘Ilkley Moor alien’ [allegedly
photographed by a policeman in 1987]. If you lived
on the edge of the moor you’d get strange-looking
folk knocking on the door asking if you’d ever seen a
UFO. So the place is weird, but it’s my origin story.”
Rob isn’t always a poet. His first book, Skimming
Stones, celebrated simple ways of connecting with
nature, from flying a kite to damming a stream,
while Common Ground was an adventure in the
edgelands, revealing the mysteries of nature in the
green spaces at the edge of towns and cities.
His next book, due out in 2024, involves more
walking. It’s an exploration of the Great North Road,
the medieval superhighway from London to
Edinburgh via York and Newcastle. Rob – who is
aiming to walk most of its original sections –
describes it as ‘the spine and soul of the nation’.
“If Common Ground was about the minutiae, the
Great North Road is going to be the epic widescreen
view,” he explains.
“It can tell you everything about what Britain was,
and is, and might be. Walking it, I’ve realised that
there is not a single square of the land that isn’t
freighted with stories, and I think that’s remarkable.”
To finish, let’s hear from one of the brightest
moments in The Heeding: a poem called Snow
Charm. In it, Rob thinks back to a snowball fight with
Rosie, Tom and Bea on Simon’s Seat in Wharfedale,
on a beautiful winter’s evening, and aims to preserve
this perfect moment while the world is in turmoil.
I only wish some part of us
could remain, out of harm’s
way, frozen in this snow,
as we two age,
and you two grow.
The Heeding is out now in
paperback from all good
booksellers, priced £10 and
worth every penny. Find out
more about Rob at
robcowen.net
I can’t wait to…
… S E E SW I F T S
Look up and you might see the first
swifts arrive on our shores from
sub-Saharan Africa for their
three-month UK summer
holiday – a sure sign for me
that spring has sprung. But
look up you must, because
these birds live almost all
their lives on the wing (even
sleeping). They don’t ask for
much, just warm weather and
a supply of flying insects that
stand no chance against the UK’s
fastest bird in level flight – up to
70mph! And if you don’t see them, you might hear them… they
band together for screaming parties at dusk – much like next-
door’s teenagers – calling loudly and careering at high speeds.
Marie Marsh, Production Editor
… S M E LL W I LD GA R LI C
I walk fast in winter to keep warm,
but when warmer weather
releases me from the marching
spell I wander aimlessly in
woodland and let things
happen to me. Once a
dragonfly perched on my
trouserleg; another time I
smelt this wonderfully
warm cooking smell. It was
wild garlic. Not just fragrant,
but pretty; and not just a trick
of the nose, but it tastes like garlic
too – in a milder, more salad-leaf way
which makes it perfect for sprinkling on pizza or processing into
pesto. The leaves and flowers are edible, but the olfactory blast
is a thing of joy, like spring inviting you to join it at life’s table.
Guy Procter, Editor

… H E A R B U M B LE B E E S
These stripey fluffballs are
PHOTOS: AGAMI PHOTO AGENCY/ALAMY-; PAUL FRANCIS/ALAMY-; KAY ROXBY/ALAMY-

impossibly cute and improbably

airborne, and the sound of
them motoring along is a
sure sign of warmer days.
The rapid vibration (230
beats a second) of their
four wings produces a deep
hum – their Latin name
bombus means booming –
and they often buzz inside
flowers to shake out pollen,
emerging like sugar-dusted
doughnuts. There are 24 different
species in Britain and the earliest are usually queen bees, some
as big as 2cm, out on the hunt for nectar after a winter
hibernating in the soil, and then a new nest site to start laying
their worker eggs. Jenny Walters, Features Editor

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 15

 Walking Weekend

LLANBERIS
The rooftop of Wales and a lakeshore workshop that
Th
roofed the world – walk and wonder in the
UK’s newest World Heritage Site.
W O R D S : D O R O T H Y H A M I LT O N
PHOTO: STEVE BRIDGE/SHUTTERSTOCK
 GREY, GREEN
AND BLUE
Seen across Llyn Peris
from Dinorwic Quarry
The View
is the knuckly tentacle

S
Llanbe
Lla
lla
anbe
n ris
nberis extending north from
ITUATED IN A glacial valley at the foot of
Snowdon down to
Llanberis, with the cliffs Snowdon, Llanberis has enticed travellers to
of Clogwyn Du’r Arddu climb Wales’ highest mountain by its most
peeping behind. gradual route since the 1800s. At the same time,
slate quarrying was expanding on the opposite
hillside. By the 1870s, 3000 men were employed by the
Dinorwic Quarry, blasting and hacking away at the lower
slopes of Elidir Fawr. Roofing slates manufactured here
were transported by rail to Y Felinheli (Port Dinorwic) by
the Menai Strait and shipped around the world.
The quarries are now part of the newly designated Slate
Landscape of Northwest Wales UNESCO World Heritage
Site. Set in magnificent surroundings by Llyn Padarn, the
National Slate Museum at Llanberis tells the story of the
slate industry and the incredible people it employed.
Following the lead of Llanberis’ early tourists, the first
day of our weekend scales Yr Wyddfa by the popular
Llanberis Path. Our return route takes the much quieter
Snowdon Ranger path down a beautiful ridge, before a final
descent through Maesgwm. The next day we start at the
National Slate Museum, housed in the Dinorwic Quarry’s
former workshops (museum.wales/slate). From the car park
you can view the lower Vivian Quarry and its incline before
passing the Quarry Hospital on a gentle walk around the
wooded shores of Llyn Padarn.

The word is…

‘You won’t
go wrong
walking
some of the
83-mile
Snowdonia Slate Trail.’
(snowdoniaslatetrail.org)
Dylan Siddle

‘When spending time in

Llanberis, it’s actually the
PHOTO: ALAN NOVELLI/ALAMY-

law to have a massive

cooked breakfast and a
pint of tea at Pete’s Eats
(petes-eats.co.uk) before
setting off on a walk!’
Stephanie Williams

‘You’ve got to visit the Moel ‘From the National Slate

Siabod Café at Capel Curig.
They do amazing scones
and rock cakes. And in
Llanberis, try the Lone Tree
Café for amazing lunches
and cakey nosh.’
Deb Wesley
For cheap accommodation,
try YHA Snowdon
Llanberis. Currently, only
private rooms are available,
costing from £59pn (yha.
org.uk; 0345 371 9645). For
B&Bs and local campsites,
head to visitsnowdonia.
info/llanberis
Museum, you can head up
the zig-zag path into the
abandoned slate quarries
of Dinorwic. There’s
fascinating history at the
museum, but it’s even
more spectacular to
walk among the old
quarrymen’s houses and
working levels at the top.’
Caroline Hartley Brown
NOW DO
THE WALKS!
Turn to the back of the
magazine and look for routes
21 and 22 for OS maps and
turn-by-turn walk directions.

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 17

 Walk BROUGHT TO YOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

100 0
miles NEW!
2022 2.74 x 365 = walk1000miles.co.uk
2 T-shirts –
turn to
page 23

#WAL K1 00 0M ILE S V HE AR T DI SE AS E
Walking: your
heart’s hero
By lowering your blood pressure, cholesterol and weight, walking staves
off the world’s biggest killer more effectively than any medicine.

H
EART DISEASE IS the world’s biggest killer. Right
now, 7.6 million people across the UK are living with
a heart or circulatory disease and by the end of the
day 460 will have died from it.
Left to chance, it’s something that could afflict any one of
us during our lifetime. But think about this – when you go
on your next walk, you’ll be doing the best possible thing
to prevent this disease from striking you. So says Scarlett
McNally, consultant orthopaedic surgeon and lead author
of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges’ Exercise: The
Miracle Cure, which urges doctors to make patients realise
the power of the medicine dispensed by their own two legs.
“Regular walking is fantastic – it’s probably the best thing
anyone could do, firstly to reduce your risk of ever having a
heart problem, and if you have a heart problem, to reduce
the chance you’ll have complications or difficulties with it,”
she says. “It can also reduce the amount of medication
people need.

“If a drug company

came up with a
medicine as
effective as
exercise, they
would have a
billion-dollar blockbuster
on their hands and a Nobel
prize in the post.”
JAMES RUDD – SENIOR LECTURER IN CARDIOVASCULAR
MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE

18 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 New! Completer t-shirts: www.walk1000miles.co.uk/shop

Key numbers It’s always the right

30 The number of
minutes you need to
walk per day to lower your
risk of heart disease or
stroke by 35%.
460 The number of
people who will time to start!
die of heart or circulatory
You’ve got 12 months to walk 1000 miles
diseases in the UK today
(a quarter of all deaths).
from the day you start – so today’s
ALWAYS the perfect time to begin.

7.6 million. The number

52% The percentage
of people living with
a heart or circulatory disease
in the UK on this very day.
by which regular
walking will reduce your
chances of developing high
1 SIGN UP
Register free at www.walk1000miles.
co.uk/signup. Be sure to tick the box that
blood pressure. says we can contact you or you’ll miss out.
50% less chance of
heart attack in
7  The number of extra
your 50s and 60s when you
walk daily.
years of life expectancy
walking daily can buy you. 2 UPGRADE TO
WALK1000MILES+
See your mileage build on a virtual journey
from Land’s End to John o’Groats, and get
that stunning medal at 1000 miles – £12.99.
“Regular walking www.walk1000miles.co.uk/signup
is fantastic – it’s
probably the best 3 GRAB YOUR CHART
Entering each day’s miles and on your
Progress Chart on the fridge is addictive!
thing anyone Shade a county for every 10 miles

could do.” walked on the map side. You can buy

a double-sided chart for £2 from
SCARLETT MCNALLY – CONSULTANT www.walk1000miles.co.uk/shop
ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON

“Walking affects how well your heart pumps, and because

4 JOIN THE
FACEBOOK GROUP
The friendliest community on the internet iss here
it sorts out fluid shifts – thanks to the muscles in your calves to support you, cheer you, and leave no question
uestion
pumping spare fluid back into your circulation – it’s really unanswered. Join today, and check the Featured
eatured tab:
good for people with heart failure, to keep them as fit as www.facebook.com/groups/walk1000miles miles
they can possibly be.”
Walking also lowers blood pressure – according to the
report responsible for 50% of Ischaemic heart disease. 5 SHOW YOUR COLOURS!
Tell the world the epic quest
you’re on – choose a badge from
“We called our report The Miracle Cure because we
haven’t got medications that can help people like this,” www.walk1000miles.co.uk/shop, get et a
explains Scarlett. “There are amazing medicines out .co.uk/
pledge from www.walk1000miles.co.uk/
there, and I’m not saying people should stop taking them, pledge and a video for your Instagram
agram
but walking is more effective for most people than a lot 0miles.co.
or FB Story from www.walk1000miles.co.
of medication. uk/stories
“For people with long term medical conditions such as
heart problems, it’s far safer to walk than not walk. The risk
of being inactive is greater than the risk of having a rare
6 WATCH THIS VIDEO
Any time you need a lift, remind
yourself of the power of walking to
event when you’re walking.
change lives one easy step at time!
“It’s absolutely proven that being active is part of
www.walk1000miles.co.uk/about
preventing people from getting heart disease, and it
should also be part of the treatment plan.”
Senior cardiac nurse for the British Heart Foundation
Chloe MacArthur agrees: “Being inactive can contribute to
7 GET WALKING!
Anywhere, any time – aim for
2.74 miles total a day. You can even
fatty material building up in your arteries,” she explains. do it (the whole thing) in your lunch
“If the arteries that carry blood to the muscle of your heart hour every day.
get damaged and clogged, it can lead to a heart attack.
If this happens in the arteries that carry blood to your brain,
it can lead to a stroke. Whatever your age, your daily
#walk1000miles activity will make an immediate impact
on your health and protect it in the future too.”
James Rudd, senior lecturer in Cardiovascular Medicine
at the University of Cambridge says it more starkly still:
“If a drug company came up with a medicine as effective
as exercise, they would have a billion-dollar blockbuster on
their hands and a Nobel prize in the post.”

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 19

#WALK1000MILES UPDATE

#walk1000miles
brought me here
There are wonderful places – often very close to home –
waiting for the challenge to help you discover...

‘This is near Folkington, East Sussex.

Just behind me is a steep hill where I
stop and breathe in the views, meditate
or enjoy a coffee. It’s a quiet, barely
walked, footpath that I would never
have discovered had it not been
for #walk1000miles. This image
symbolises a path we can’t see the
end of, but we explore nonetheless.’
Howard Widdison ‘I’d lived in Chelmsford, Essex, for
32 years before discovering this little
wood. While doing #walk1000miles
one day I decided to take a left turn for
‘We’ve lived in mid-Derbyshire for fun. Daffy Wood has wild daffodils and
the last 49 years and it’s only while then bluebells – a lovely little oasis.’
doing this challenge that we found a Fiona Lau
lovely walk not far from home. This is
Starvehimvalley Bridge and fishing
pool which was once the turning circle
for the narrow boats on the Cromford
Canal. It’s a very peaceful spot.’
Joy Meakin

‘Until I discovered #walk1000miles

I was a couch potato with various
health issues. Then it changed my life.
This is Roseberry Topping – my first trig
point, with my husband David. For me,
climbing it was amazing – I felt like I’d
achieved something enormous!’
Ann Grundy

‘Pleasley Park Woods, near

Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. I’d lived
less than two miles from here for nearly
20 years, then last year I finally took
a stile over a wall that I’d walked past
dozens of times. Words fail me at the
beauty of these woods. During my
father’s recent illness they became an
escape from reality for me.’ Gill Harris

‘Snowdon! If it hadn’t been for

#walk1000miles I’d have never given
the idea of walking up such a mountain
a second thought. But I did it, and it’s
still my most memorable walk to date.’
Richard Crooks

20 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 Need support? www.walk1000miles.co.uk/mentoring
THANKS FOR THE INSPIRATION!
‘What more
can I say?’
‘I joined the challenge, did
2000 miles, lost 24lb and met
the love of my life. What more
can I say?’ asked 72-year-old
Ellie Doe.
‘Midway through Covid I was alone
day after day with no shops, coffee
shops, church, or contact with anyone.
I had no purpose in life. But getting
out walking brought me back to
nature and slowly I felt better, fitter
and more confident in myself.
‘When lockdown really cut in I
joined #walk1000miles and loved it.
Being single and completely alone
I really enjoyed the enthusiasm of the
whole gang of walkers. I felt it gave
me courage to get out and walk, then
when I got home I would just look at
all the exploits of others that day.
‘I saw someone on Facebook called
Timon who lived near me and we
started chatting online. We had similar
GOING SOLO
‘Nothing beats the
feeling of achievement’
Sarah Curphey lost motivation to
walk alone after a relationship
breakup. But then she decided to
stop making excuses and to get out
every day, and now feels happier,
fitter and free.
‘I split with my partner in October after
five years. We’d discovered a love of
walking together and it was how we
spent our weekends. After the split
I couldn’t find the motivation to go
out alone. I put on a lot of weight and
didn’t feel great about myself.
‘I’m motivated and
I’ve never been a
member of such a
supportive group
of people.’
interests and began walking together. together and I am just so happy.
We both lost weight – he 12lbs and #walk1000miles is still very important
me 24lbs. to us both as when we walk, we talk
‘It didn’t take long before we were together. That helps us grow together.
on more adventures together as Timon ‘Never be afraid of going for a walk.
planned wonderful daily walks up to No matter how short, or where you go
10 miles then home for a lovely meal. – in town, in the country – someone
I finished my 2000th mile at the top will always give you a smile, a nod or
of Snowdon. Wonderful! Now we live a “hello”.’
‘But in January a friend suggested I
sign up to #walk1000miles and I’m so
glad I did. I decided I was going to walk
every day in 2022 – no excuses – and
that’s what I’ve done. The challenge
gives me that extra motivation, and
I find the stories of the members
incredibly moving and inspiring –
I’ve never been a member of such a
supportive group of people. After just
a few weeks I’d lost 16lbs.
‘It’s not been easy getting used to
walking alone. If I’m unsure of the way,
I haven’t got the opinion of another
person or the feeling of safety I get if walking gets me out of the house doing
I’m not alone. But I’m not going to let something positive for myself so I’m not
any of that put me off because nothing sitting around feeling lonely.
beats the feeling of achievement when ‘Recently I walked up a hill which had
I complete the walk. And while I’m been my nemesis. I’d never been able to
walking I feel a sense of freedom and walk up it without stopping two or three
happiness, and I come back with a times previously, and doing it in one go
completely clear head. made me realise how far I’d come and
‘I’m still getting used to being on my that I was getting stronger and fitter.
own most evenings and weekends. But It felt fantastic!’
APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 21
#WALK1000MILES UPDATE

#MINICHALLENGES

Miles paved
SEEN
N
YOU’VE
V
VE
WON?
N
N?
Email walk1000miles@
k1000miles@
10
countrywalking.co.uk
lk
lking.co.uk
k with
your address
re and a pic of
ress

with gold!
you holding
d this edition
ding
to claim your
precious!

Our monthly minichallenges invite you to do something g sseasonal,

easonal,
silly or highly specific to do to add even more fun to your miless – a
and
nd tthe
he
chance to win a money-can’t-buy golden badge!
#minichallenge6
#minichallenge7

Make a pilgrimage to Badger Do our

Stone on Ilkely Moor scavenger hunt

Joe Graham: ‘I always

Mai-ana Hutchinson
have flint flakes in my
pocket at work as they
come in handy for cutting
Kevin Hardwick
all sorts on the farm.’

Gillian Gee: ‘The proper flint tool

(a real one) I found in our garden!’

Carolyn Hatton: Of the

Barry Plant Michael Hardman
fossil (under the quartz):
Alan Salmon didn’t find the full set, ‘It’s hard to see but it looks
#minichallenge8 but heck, we loved his conework! like some kind of fish.’

Wear shorts #minichallenge9

in the cold
Take an interesting
Leanne Woodhall’s husband
photo of a sheep
seemed quite happy walking 10 Tanya Dutt
miles in -6˚C windchill! befriended
two rather
Salyen Latter
handsome
is still defrosting! Daniela Leinweber
Hebridean
sheep. Father was stopped by a
and son duo, farmer to look at his
Buff and Minty. newborn lamb!

Karl Brown wears shorts

in all weathers: ‘Bare flesh
is the best waterproofing
system out there, or am
I just plodding around
Cambridgeshire showing off
my mighty walker’s calves?’
Susan
Darragh wasn’t
deterred by
Storm Franklin,
no sir! Sue Isles had a staring match with Sharon Edwards found a
a lamb. He won! woolly jumper in North Devon.

22 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 Sign up & get the newsletter: www.walk1000miles.co.uk

#minichallenge10
#

Have an urban
H Do more on your
ur
explore miles & win
treasure!
Spice up your miles with one of our questss this month,
moont
nth
h,
post the result in the Facebook group and our favourite
avourite
20 #minichallenge completers will win a Golden Badge! e!
You have until 28 April for this crop. Minichallenge prizes
Leona Coulter
are a thank-you to readers, which is why you’ll need your
explored CS Lewis
Square in Belfast: ‘There copy of the magazine to claim your prize if you win!
are seven stunning

16
bronze sculptures to TAKE A WATERFALL
Susan Miller walked her home town discover from The Lion, SELFIE
Wigan, a strategic place for a Roman The Witch and The Walk to a waterfall and try to convey
camp – 18 miles from Manchester, 17 from Wardrobe. its drama via your expression or
Chester, 17 from Liverpool (each a day’s pose. This is not a biggest-waterfall-
march for a Roman). wins competition; the best walker-
waterfall ensembles win. #minichallenge16

17 SKETCH THE VIEW

Doodle the scene, and show
us both sketch and view so we can
Sally-Ann Fox took compare. We’ll give equal weighting
28, year 1 students on an to the skilled and the bravely
urban studies trip in rain talentless. It helps cement memories
Michael Crouch noticed a sculpture of and wind. ‘Probably the (and we like a laugh). #minichallenge17
Wild Peter in Norwich – a feral child found hardest won, but also
in a German forest in 1725 and kept as a one of the most
curiosity by King George I at the request
of his daughter Caroline Princess of
satisfying couple of
miles I will do.’ 18 REPORT BACK FROM
A CAVE
Find a cave, bunker or tunnel; go in
Wales. In 1751 he appeared in Norwich a and nd
as far as you dare (and is safe)
was briefly imprisoned in The Bridewell. ll.l.
and share a photo and what you
FREE discovered. Why’s it there? What’s it
WATERPROOF
NEW IN
like? How spooked were you? #minichallenge18
ROUTECARD
SLEEVE*
THE SHOP With every purchase from
www.walk1000miles.
w 19 PICK SOME WILD
GARLIC
co.uk/shop
NEW! It smells pungent but the taste is
* Exclud
Excludes T-shirts
The 2022 mild and agreeable, and it goes a
patch treat in omelettes, salads and on
Show your epic pizza. Get sniffing in some woodland
quest on rucksack,k, near you. #minichallenge19
rug, or anywhere
else you stick yourr
sew-on patches.

Silver badge
20 COLLECT A RAINBOW
OF RUBBISH
Can you find and collect a full set of
For fans of the finer discarded crud? Go for the full
things in life: back ROYGBIV of colours, let’s give our
in stock, now with walks a spring-clean and make our
brooch fastening. miles count for even more. #minichallenge20

T-shirts for
superheroes How to enter
Six designs, three Upload photo evidence including the relevant hashtag
T-shirt styles, lots
in the #walk1000miles Facebook group by 28 April!
of colours.
New challenges next issue and every issue. Got an idea for
www.walk1000miles.co.uk/shop a challenge? Email walk1000miles@countrywalking.co.uk

BROUGHT TO YOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 23

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Made of MORE
More thread, more ingenuity,

PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY

more heart: CW discovers how
Bridgedale turn two miles of yarn
into the pride of Newtownards.

T
HERE ARE TWO miles of yarn – and up to
17 different types – in every Bridgedale
sock. And from the finding of the first
thread’s end to the final taping-up of a new box of 72
pairs, every part of the process takes place in this
densely packed, yet light and airy Northern Irish
factory. Every sock passes through half a dozen
pairs of human hands, each adding their layer of
skill and attention to the soon-to-be finished item.
It’s a dizzyingly detailed process, and in a hall filled
with scores of knitting machines it’s a noisy
environment. But it’s one in which the staff move
about with a kind of purposeful serenity, afforded Above: Your socks
them by the decades of experience most of them have been on quite
have, and the humane oversight of Operations an adventure even
before they leave
Manager Ronnie Hoy, himself a veteran of three the factory.
decades – and many millions of socks. Right: The factory
From this factory every pair of Bridgedales where every
destined for 46 countries emerges – the result of Bridgedale you’ve
a blizzard of dancing needles, cleverly hacked ever touched was
machines and the endless care of people who love made – a storehouse
of sock wisdom.
socks even more than you do. Behold, the making
of Britain’s best-selling, and best-loved walking
socks. There’s more to it than you think.

HOW BRIDGEDALES ARE MADE WATCH THE VIDEO: www.walk1000miles.co.uk/socks

1 Design 2 Bill of materials 3 Yarn checks

Each Bridgedale is designed by Stephen
Connor’s NPD department. A new style – like
the recently launched range for trail runners
– can go through three years of testing and
iteration. Taste in socks is getting brighter
says Stephen; and of his 30-year quest for
perfection: ‘The job is never done’.
U to 17 different yarns go into each sock
Up Y
Yarns come from all over Europe and must be
– and the precise weights and costs of each checked for colour, elasticity and something
c
fibre must be strictly calculated. Once a
fi called ‘crimp rigidity’. Periodically a complete
c
design is finalised, its details, and a master
d sock is tested on a Martindale abrasion tester,
so
ssock, are stored in a reference folder to simulating a week of wear in a fraction of the
si
ensure consistency can always be checked,
e time. ‘We had to stop the last test at 500,000
ti
tens of thousands of socks later.
te cycles. It just wasn’t wearing,’ says Stephen.
c

6 Bulking 7 Boarding 8 Inspecting

Batches of new socks go into a machine
which uses steam to preshrink the sock to its
proper fit. Socks go in long and loose and
come out (in the firm’s parlance) ‘tight’. The
type of Nylon Bridgedale uses (6/6) shrinks
only once to achieve its permanent size.
A
After bulking, every sock is hand-sleeved overr T freshly-pressed socks are next examined
The
metal boards and taken into an automatic
m and paired – all by hand. Inspectors like
a
steamer and presser. Elsie Ritchie’s been
st Nadine examine every sock’s fabric and
N
boarding socks for 15 years. ‘I couldn’t stand
b knitting for flaws. Each examiner checks at
k
up all day like this without my Bridgedales,’
u least 1800 socks per shift. Rejected socks
le
sshe says; ‘I feel proud to work here’. are sold as seconds or donated.
a

24 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022


4 Winding
For its signature Fusion fibres Bridgedale
twists Merino wool and synthetic nylon yarns
together before the knitting – a process
performed by an unresting set of Agtek
winding machines. The combination allows
designs with hybrid properties for different
parts of different socks.
9 Packing
After inspecting, packing – again all done
manually, a pair at a time. The packaging too
is made in Belfast. Packer Julianna Szepvolgyii
has worked here eight months: ‘There’s no
pressure, everyone is kind. I can’t say enough
good things about it,’ she says.
5 Knitting
T
These Italian knitting machines operate 6am
to 10pm; 17 to a person. A 112-needle machine
knits a sock (cuff to toe) in three minutes.
k Quality controller for 2 years
Bridgedale mechanics’ tweaks to feeders,
B ‘I couldn’t believe how
needles, butts, jacks, cams, and sinkers allow
n much goes into the socks.
the machines to ‘Do things it wasn’t designed
th
to and no one has been able to replicate’.
110 Boxing & dispatch
5
54-72 pairs fill a box depending on the sock
sstyle. Each filled box is then fed through
a metal detector on the remote chance a
a best in the world. And the way we’re
needle part has found its way in. Thirty boxes
n treated here is second to none. Little
fill a pallet, and are then wrapped and ready
fi things matter, they really do.’
for the warehouse.
fo
Bridgedale people
Meet (some of) the people who love
your socks as much as you do.
● CHARLIE HOUSTON
Stock controller for 45 years
‘It’s always been a job I
didn’t dislike coming into.
Everyone gets on. I don’t
drive so I walk everywhere.
We’re allowed two pair of
Bridgedales a month. I don’t get
through that many though. They
last forever.’
● CHRISTIAN MCLAUGHLIN
Mechanic for 7 years
‘We do a three-year
apprenticeship here,
then you’re away.
When everything’s
running smoothly you feel
like you’ve won, you really do.’
● PAUL MCCRORY
Mechanic for 47 years
‘I started in the factory
when it was Blaxnit, which
made socks for soldiers in
World War I. It’s the only
job I’ve ever had. People
joining now will retire here I’ll
bet. Our product is just so good.’
● REECE ATKINSON
Knitter for 6 months
‘Everyone is friendly. No
one pesters you. The socks
are just so comfy so they
are. I’ve got friends in the
army who never stop going
on about Bridgedales. Best job
I’ve ever had.’
● NADINE KEENAN
On a good day I inspect
over 2000. I’m quite
disorganised in my own life
so I like the orderliness here.
Outside work I play centre-back for 1st
Bangor football club.’
● RONNIE HOY
Operations manager
‘Ask anyone in
Newtownards and they’ll
tell you “My aunty worked
there”, or “My granda’
worked there”. We’ve people
today who’ve worked here 40
years and more, and they still want to
come to work every day. The reason?
We’re doing a good job. They’re the
APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 25
Your View
WRITE
TO US AT:
Country Walking,
Media House,
Lynch Wood,
Peterborough
PE2 6EA

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

Splish, splash, splosh! Flying solo

Jenny wrote about walking
solo. I’ve always enjoyed it,
because as a teacher for a
large part of my life I had
responsibility for others.
Each summer holiday I
would reward myself with a
lone walk or two in the hills.
The sense of freedom was
enormous, having only
myself to look after for a
change. I always left details
of my route and went
equipped to survive long
enough to hopefully be
rescued in the event of a
mishap. To this day I still
carry enough gear to
survive overnight despite
having family tracking me
with their devices.
Yes, I could fall and have
no companion to come to
my assistance, but it’s a risk
I’m prepared to take for all
the reasons expressed in
Jenny’s article. At 68 I still
get a kick out of leading
others on walks but also try
to have a weekly solo in

Rain, rain, come and play remote countryside.

As a family, we love to be outdoors, in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales at half
exploring new landscapes and term I wondered how the week would
experiencing the freedom of being go. Thankfully, the Dales stayed safe
alone with the hills whatever the enough to be outside and we had the
weather. My favourite walks nearly most amazing time in this stunning
always involve the need to embrace part of the world. What better way
our changeable British climate, to make the most of heavy rain than
whether it’s negotiating boggy to visit some of the most spectacular
ground, enjoying a glimpse of blue waterfalls in the country – the kids
sky and stunning views or getting were mesmerised! There’s also no
blown around by unsuspecting gusts better feeling than ending a long walk
of wind! Persuading my youngest in the snow and rain with a cosy pub
child to join me on these adventures and roaring log fire. Here’s my six-year-
is not always easy so when we found old making the most of the puddles!
ourselves in the middle of two storms n, Sheffield
Stacey Robson,
The possibilities are
endless, enhanced by the
routes described each
month in Country Walking.
I enjoy good health which
I can confidently put down
to walking – and a hip
replacement which also
straightened my spine by
giving me legs of equal
length! I must close now,
the sun is shining!
Phil Jackson, Pudsey

A BERGHAUS WATERPROOF JACKET FOR STACEY!

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

26 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 The View

A map of heaven
You wrote: ‘If you were confined to just one Ordnance
Survey map for the rest of your life, you would probably
feel somewhat chuffed with Explorer 141.’
Indeed I do! We moved to Somerset 14 years ago, and
I began to discover a new world of limestone hills and
peat-clad moors which offers a choice every day: up or
down? In winter I go for the limestone hills, the rugged
cliffs, the Iron Age forts which command views over
miles of lush countryside and offer glimpses beyond the
old Severn Sea to the snow-capped mountains of Wales.
In summer, I head for the Levels and Moors, a watery
landscape festooned in apple blossom and criss-crossed
by rhynes which spread a lattice of shimmering trails
through the hay meadows where meadowsweet still
jostles with the deadly, firework-headed water dropwort,
the air ripples with the call of the curlew and marsh
harriers quarter the skies. And if I tire of all that, there’s
the coast, with its folded rocky shoreline and stony, grass-
topped promontories. A whole world in a single map.
In memory of the traces my footsteps leave on the
landscape, I mark my trails with coloured lines on
Explorer 141. My aim is to walk all the footpaths within
reach of my home. I followed the Cheddar Gorge route
again after reading your article – there’s never anyone
there, really, in February: just the goats, the ravens, and
the wind. And whenever I go away, of course, I take
your routes with me – and keep walking.
Alison Morgan, Wells, Somerset

Walking
W lki through
th
h h a storm
t
Many years ago I lost both my parents, within months of each
other, to aggressive terminal illnesses and the shock of the
loss stopped me in my tracks. For a long time, I could barely
put one foot in front of the other to get through the day.
Then one sunny autumn morning my husband persuaded me
to put on my boots and go for a walk.
It was the start of something. Slowly, step by step, mile by
mile, I walked my way through the grief. Over the year that
followed, I clocked up almost a thousand miles. Then one
day, I paused and realised I could hear skylarks again, see the
view, smell the fresh cool air.
The storm had finally passed, but my love of walking never
has. I’m still in the same pair of boots, old and battered now,
Another
but with more than a few tales to tell. And me? I’m, happier good turn
and healthier, thanks to the healing power of walking. I loved the article about
Julia Welding, by email map reading in the
Spring issue and
excitedly told my
daughter the things I’d
In the darkest hour relearned. When I told
I felt compelled to contact you to say thank you for her the bit of advice
such a wonderful magazine. My husband (and walking that everything in black on
on the
th
he map
map can
can be seen
see
eenn on the
the
partner) sadly passed away suddenly two weeks ago ground (apart from place names) she noticed that that’s not
aged 51. Your Spring edition has given me hope I can completely true. She reminded me that on OS Landranger
walk alone and take comfort in the nature around me. (1:50,000) maps parish boundaries are marked in black too
I’m participating in the walk1000miles challenge but are not visible on the ground, and I know this to be true
again, having walked 1828 miles in 2021! from when her and her sister were doing DofE; her sister had
I’m so pleased I subscribed to Country Walking planned their route along a parish boundary but of course
magazine as it continually gives me inspiration, and there was no path there! Thankfully it was picked up by their
especially at this horrendous time. assessor at the planning stage, but it would be an easy error
Karen Thorpe, Norwich to make for a novice map reader.
Helen Watson, by email

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 27

Views in brief Love him to the
moon and back
but all he ever
does on walks is
moan! Stay home
love. Nelly Boo

Stronachlachar, Loch
Katrine to Inversnaid Six months post-surgery, after
and back yesterday. being told I’d never walk again....
Heather Dunnell the top of Snowdon! Becky Brooks

On reflection... Soup with a view.

Sandra Chubb Rebecca Johnson

When a friend joins Cheers! 8 miles today

you on the walk! – my longest walk so
Rachel Ambler far. Katie Sell

The R word
Flicking through my copy of
Spring CW and saw Nick
Where’s Kes?
Hallissey’s confession about Every month
being a secret trail runner. our favourite
Me too Nick! It’s such an
invigorating way to enjoy
spaniel Kes
the outdoors. I often find goes walkies
myself thinking ‘this walk somewhere in
would make a great run’. the issue, and
My favourite upside is that
you can do a good bit of
we want him
mileage in two or three back! Can you
hours, then head off for help find Kes?
coffee and a late breakfast.
Alison Miller, Kes the conker-
North Yorkshire colour Cocker is an
inveterate explorer, often finding his way into the
GREAT
unlikeliest of places when we’re busy putting PRIZES
the magazine together. In fact he’s hiding out WORTH
in this issue for you to find! Spot him (not OVER £47
on this page) and you could win over £47
worth of Mountain Paws goodies – just email
the page number where you found Kes,
along with your address, to: ifoundkes@
LFTO.com by 22 April 2022 putting ‘Kes
April’ in the subject line. And congratulations
to Jocelyn Miles from St Albans who spotted
Kes next to the Gannel Burn on page 31 of the March issue,
and wins this month’s prize!

28 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 The View
Mistaken
M isttak
ken identity
identity
I have to say that I really enjoy your magazine and read it
from cover to cover each month. You have inspired me to
do the 1000 in a year and I am well on target for that –
even in my 70th year!
Your articles are always interesting and I enjoy hearing
about where others walk. Nick Hallissey’s piece about Norfolk
was particularly interesting to me because I lived there for
over 25 years and regularly visit family in the county.
However, unfortunately there is a mistake in the label for the
wild flower it features on page 83. The image is not of purple
loosestrife as the caption says. Purple loosestrife, Lythrum
salicaria, has six narrow petals in flowers growing in whorls
up the stem. The flower you show is a woundwort, Stachys
species. It looks as if it is marsh woundwort, S. palustris,
especially as it was seen by water but I wouldn’t like to say for
certain without more detail. But needless to say it is definitely
not purple loosestrife.
Carol Wilson, by email
Love is in the hair
I spotted these adorable two when out walking on
Valentine’s Day.
Karen Hayton, by email
KESWICK
MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL
20TH – 22ND MAY
Your Ultimate
Hiking Weekend
Kick off the summer festival season in style at Keswick
Mountain Festival (KMF) from 20-22 May, based at the
Festival Village in Crow Park, with the backdrop of
Derwentwater and the Lake District fells.
KMF is now one of the UK’s best-loved outdoor festivals
and attracts thousands of visitors to the iconic fells and
lakes of Cumbria with its unique mix of live entertainment,
sports races, outdoor adventures, high profile speakers,
taster activities, exhibitor stands, KMF Accessibility Zone,
and camping for all of the family.
KMF’s 2022 schedule of sports and outdoor races and
challenges includes 18 confirmed walking, running,
cycling, swimming, and multi-sport events over two days.
Well established favourites like the 3 Peaks Hike, adidas
TERREX Trail Runs, Back O’Skiddaw Cycling Sportive and
Aquasphere Derwent Bay Swims return, alongside more
recent additions like the Hell In The Fells Gravel Ride,
Coledale Hike and Walla Crag Walk. The full schedule is
available on the KMF website.
Huey Morgan – DJ, raconteur, author, producer,
broadcaster and Fun Lovin’ Criminal – will headline in the
Festival Village on Saturday 21 May. A regular presence on
BBC 6 Music and Radio 2, Huey will bring his New York
Lower East Side sensibility to Cumbria with a DJ set at
KMF that will join the dots between funk, soul, disco,
classic hip hop and rock ’n’ roll. Headlining on Friday 20
May will be English working class Celtic-folk-punk band
Ferocious Dog, bringing a high energy live reputation that
reflects the group’s roots and name.
KMF has a wide range of ticket options for each night
of live music or for the whole weekend. Everyone who
enters a sports or outdoor event at KMF will also receive
a ticket for one of the nights of entertainment in the
Festival Village.
TICKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT
WWW.KESWICKMOUNTAINFESTIVAL.CO.UK

Stuart Maconie
Storm season waged a war on our woodlands.
Here’s hoping they get the chance to recover in peace.
I
“ ’VE NEVER BEEN on a battlefield. But I imagine
this is what a battlefield feels like.” Richard
Tanner, the forest ranger interviewed on the
lunchtime news was standing at the edge of what had
once been a thickly wooded stretch of hillside near
Wray above Windermere. The lake below looked as
serenely lovely as ever. But the sight immediately
before it was one of utter devastation; trees ripped up
and scattered in ugly piles, jagged stumps, thickets of
twisted, tangled branches in waves of mud, the huge
root plates of fallen trees, many of them bigger than a
car, strewn around impacted with earth and rocks.
The storms of late February – Dudley, Eunice and
Franklin – were the crescendos of a caterwaul of wild
weather that has wreaked havoc all winter, beginning
with Storm Arwen in November. That dealt a fatal
blow to the crested beech at Wray Castle – the UK’s
biggest – one of thousands of sylvan casualties of the
season of storms. When we count the cost of these,
we rightly focus on people and property. But the
storms that seem to come to these shores with
increasing regularity and ferocity also wreak havoc
and bring devastation to our woodlands and forests.
I had plenty of time to reflect on this on February
18th as I crossed England by train at a snail’s pace.
My train was over three hours late and subject to
speed restrictions, diversions and tribulation as the
winds raged around us. From the window I watched a
strange landscape pass slowly by. The countryside was
scarred and pitted with snapped and severed giants,
littered with fallen trunks and branches. I couldn’t
help but think that being out there would have been
terrifying as woods splintered and plummeted
around you or collapsed across the roads. Three
people had been killed by falling trees overnight.
Watching gales tear through his beloved Shropshire
escarpment, the poet A E Housman wrote: ‘On
Wenlock Edge the wood’s in trouble; His forest fleece
The View
the Wrekin heaves; The gale, it plies the saplings
double/And thick on Severn snow the leaves.’ Woods
have been in trouble all across Britain these last few
months. Some eight million trees are thought to have
If you do go been felled by Storm Arwen. Dudley and Eunice,
down to woods sounding like a quaintly cosy pairing from a sitcom,
today, it’s just
about the right
added several thousand more. Franklin followed a
time of year for day later and in Fletcher Moss in Didsbury the Mersey
garlic mustard. burst its banks and water crashed into the suburbs
I find its cousin through denuded woodland. Evacuations began.
wild garlic too When I eventually made it to my Cumbrian
slimy for garlic destination, the wind had dropped so I headed for
bread – sorry to
my local forest. It was dusk and the rain clouds were
those I’ve
inflicted it on beginning to become ragged, twisting and blowing
– but this gives a away over Blencathra and Skiddaw. In summer, this
peppery kick to would be the golden hour. But tonight, the twilight
soups and stews. was silvery wet and deep blue. Walking along the
forest road, I saw the damage. Branches scattered
like shrapnel in the high treetops. Big, old trees were
strewn in the ditches. I thought with a shiver about
red squirrels, our shy feisty little friends – their dreys
in the trees could never have survived.
The ranger was right. What I saw in Greystoke
Forest was not so much redolent of the beautiful
English countryside as the Somme or Passchendaele.
I remembered something Vaughan Williams had
said about his Pastoral Symphony, that it was not an
evocation of the Cotswolds, but of nocturnal battlefields
of WWI Flanders; haunting in their desolation.
As in Flanders, the land would repair itself. After
the Great Storm of 1987, when hundreds of thousands
of trees were lost, the tactic of leaving the woods to
regenerate naturally and not ‘tidy up’ was the right
Hear Stuart one. Wildlife loved the fallen, decaying wood. Re-
on Radcliffe
and Maconie,
germination happened more quickly and copiously
BBC 6 Music, than it would if all the debris had been removed. Last
weekends, night woods, squirrels and humans were in trouble
8am to 10am. across the land. But for now, an armistice.
ILLUSTRATION: STEVEN HALL
APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 31
 World class
walking
Our
O ur 28
28 World
World H
Heritage
eritage S
Sites
ites m
make
ake ffor
or
a spectacular grand tour of what makes
the UK great – and walking wonderful.

S
OMETIMES IT TAKES an outsider’s perspective
to see what you really have. Looking at the UK
through the eyes of UNESCO – the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization, a body bent on promoting peace and
enlightenment through appreciation of the best of our
world and works – makes us bristle with pride and see
afresh the riches we are all heir to. Packed into this
compact family of islands: so much beauty, so many
stories of human ingenuity, such deep draughts of history;
such natural wonder and vaulting ambition. Packed into
this special edition: profiles of all 28 of the World Heritage
Sites in the British Isles. What a bucket-list it makes –
and what better way to banish the cataracts
and inconsequences of everyday existence,
and see the true grandeur of life, than
to explore them on foot?

OUR 28
WEST WALL
WORLD
TR AVERSE HERITAGE
Discover a route
on Scafell that’s
SITES
PHOTO: TOM BAILEY

everything the
Romantics loved
about the Lakes.
APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 33
◆ THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT

‘O my God!
What enormous
Mountains these
are close by me!’
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Scafell, 1808

The Lake District earns its World Heritage stripes for

two reasons. One is the ‘careful harmony’ of nature and
farming.* The other is a group of writers and thinkers
whose words transformed the Lakes from place of
terror to Paradise on Earth – and inspired us to
protect beauty all across the world.
WORDS: NICK HALLISSEY PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY

*of which more later…

 DISCOVER Scafell

GO WEST,
YOUNG MAN
Left: Samuel Taylor
Coleridge, who climbed
Scafell in August 1808

PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

and earned his place in
mountaineering history.
Main image: Our very
own intrepid Romantic,
Nick Hallissey, scaling
the West Wall Traverse
on Scafell Crag in 2021.

C
OLERIDGE DIDN’T KNOW about
the West Wall Traverse. But he would
have loved it.
I’m on it now, teetering on a ledge
path no wider than myself. Above to
the right is a sheer grey crag. Below to the left is
a 200ft drop. I’m finding a way up and through
the highest and sheerest cliff in the Lake District.
If I had to sum it up in three words they’d be these:
Thrilling. Terrifying. Wonderful.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge would agree with all
three, and that is (at least partly) why the Lake
District is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Lakes has the rare distinction of double-
pronged membership of this elite club. On the one
hand, it’s because of the way the landscape is
managed. But the other prong is cultural: it
celebrates the 19th century writers and thinkers
who transformed the perception of the Lake
District from fearful wilderness to Paradise on
Earth. More than that, they urged us to cherish and
protect its beauty. To see that landscapes like this
had value beyond commercial price, and to keep
them open and accessible for all. Those were pretty
momentous ideas for the 1800s; in fact they are the
very ideas that underpin the whole modern-day
concept of World Heritage Sites.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge was one of those writers.
There were many others: William and Dorothy
Wordsworth, Robert Southey, Thomas de Quincey,
Charles Lamb. But today, Coleridge is my guy. It’s
unfair to say that the others were more concerned
with pretty places and daffodils (the Wordsworths
were quite happy to explore the higher fells, even if
their writing favoured the gentler scenery of valleys
and meadows), but Coleridge is the true crag-rat of
the bunch. The thrillseeker. The Keith Moon. And
the mountain we are on – Scafell – is his mountain.
He came to Scafell on Thursday August 5th, 1808,
on the fifth day of an incredible nine-day walk
encircling the Lakes via its highest and most
dramatic fells. He called it a ‘circumcursion’.
He documented the whole thing in letters – often
written in situ – to his other obsession of the time,
Wordsworth’s sister-in-law, Sara Hutchinson.
The letters express Coleridge’s awakening to the
ideas of beauty and awe that would become the
cornerstones of the Romantic and Picturesque
movements, and eventually win UNESCO’s highest
honour for this place.
And up here, something happened to him which
passed into legend.

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 35

 TOUGH NUT ‘Before me all the off the entire northern side of the mountain.
TO CR ACK The only ‘paths’ through it are those I’m
Above, clockwise mountains die away’ following: the scree-chute incline of Lord’s
from left: Staring
up at Scafell Crag
First things first: Scafell is not Rake, the thrillingly exposed West Wall
from Lingmell Gill; Scafell Pike. The latter, which I can see Traverse, and the steep, stony and blood-
starting the slithery, across the chasm, is the highest peak in red gully of Deep Ghyll. And they all
flaky climb up England, and one of the busiest. Scafell is involve a bit of scrambling.
Lord’s Rake; and its dodgy sibling, hitched to the Pike via Coleridge didn’t know about this route. At
approaching Hollow
a rocky curtain called Mickledore. Rightly the time, no one did. In fact, guided only by an
Stones, with Scafell
Crag looming up classed as a separate mountain, it’s the second unreliable map, gestures from shepherds and his
to the right. (Pike’s highest peak in England, a mere 46ft lower than the wits, Coleridge barely knew what he would encounter
Crag, part of Scafell Pike. Yet its summit attracts a fraction of the Pike’s on his walk from one peak to the next. He started
Pike, is on the left, visitor numbers – or those of Helvellyn, Skiddaw or that day at Wasdale Head and came up Scafell the
with Mickledore
Great Gable, for that matter. trudgy way via Burnmoor Tarn. Then, struggling to
in between them.)
Why? Because this is the toughest mountain in see a way to get down and continue on to the Pike,
the Lake District to climb. The others all offer an he ‘discovered’ what is now the most notorious
array of ascent and descent loops, and their tops are accident black spot in the Lake District, and
reachable without putting hand to rock. Not Scafell. somehow survived it. You’ll be pleased to know we
THE R AKE It has only one direct and walkable circuit, from aren’t going that way, although we’ll see it later. But
DISTRICT
Wasdale Head via Burnmoor Tarn, descending via we are doing the next best thing; the route he would
Top right: The epic
view from the first
Green How – but it’s a steep, dull trudge. You can also have approved of if only he’d known it was here.
col of Lord’s Rake. hike up from way over in Eskdale, via Great Moss You see, this route is everything the Romantics
Said Wainwright and Slight Side, but that’s an immense and complex loved about the Lakes. Drama, terror and beauty.
of the Rake: ‘Many nine-miler with many a navigational hazard. They called it the sublime: the sense that fear and
and varied are the Other than that, you have to do it this way: from wonder could be felt at the same instant when
profanities that have
Wasdale via Lingmell Gill and Hollow Stones. beholding such sights as this. And even after 200
been uttered on this
desperate treadmill.’ And the reason it’s such a tough nut to crack is years of subsequent writing, photography and film,
But it’s worth it for what’s sitting on this side: Scafell Crag, where I am Scafell Crag has lost none of its power to conjure
moments like this. perched right now. The crag – 600ft high – blocks terror and wonder.

36 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 DISCOVER Scafell

THE NAME OF
SCAFELL
Coleridge’s letter makes
vague reference to a
local theory that Scafell
might be higher than
Helvellyn or Skiddaw,
but there is no sense
that anyone understood
that Scafell and its
neighbour were the
highest mountains in
England. And Scafell
Pike, being barely visible
from any valley, had no
name of its own. Its
name was added later
and simply means
‘Scafell’s pike’ – literally,
the rocky peak by
Scafell. Only in the late
1800s, when the Pike
was definitively
established as the
highest point in England,
did ‘Scafell Pike’ come
into more common use.
As for pronunciation: it’s
scaw-fell, with equal
emphasis on both
syllables, whether you
mean Scafell or Scafell
Pike. There: now you
know more about
Scafell than Coleridge
did. (Though that
doesn’t take much.)

You could also argue that it’s only because ‘The frightfullest cove WORD
of Coleridge that we can use routes like this HERITAGE
one. Thanks to what happened to him on that might ever be seen’ Insets left and
far left: William
his way down, he is regarded as one of the And here we are at the summit. The least Wordsworth and
founding fathers of rock-climbing in the visited of the high Lakeland tops. When his sister Dorothy.
Lakes, and it was rock-climbers who Coleridge reached it, he was likely one of Theirs might have
discovered and pioneered this route, the first humans to do so; local shepherds been a gentler take
because it carried them to the finest had little interest in reaching for the on the Lakes than
Coleridge’s, but they
climbing pitches on the crag. summits. ‘Nobbut a fleein’ thing could get up
still understood the
That doesn’t mean walkers don’t belong here. theer,’ is how a former landlord of the Wasdale power and beauty
In the 1950s, guidewriter and avowed non-climber Head Inn spoke of Scafell. of peaks like Scafell.
Alfred Wainwright scaled Scafell this way and Having disproved that, here Coleridge wrote to PHOTOS: WIKIMEDIA
COMMONS; CHRONICLE/
found it fascinating. Writing of Lord’s Rake in Sara: ‘O my God! what enormous Mountains these ALAMY-
The Southern Fells he said: ‘The Rake is unique, are close by me! … here I could lie warm, and wait
and one’s fellwalking education is not complete methinks for tomorrow’s Sun.’
until its peculiar delights and horrors have But he didn’t, because he set off to descend, and
NB: Neither the
been experienced.’ promptly discovered what lay in his way: Scafell West Wall
Lord’s Rake has had a peculiar history since then. Crag. The thing we’ve just climbed up. He summed it Traverse nor
Wainwright’s words brought it superstardom; over up as ‘the frightfullest cove that might ever be seen’, Deep Ghyll are
the next 40 years the floor of the Rake was ground and decided there was absolutely no way down it. (He marked on OS
into a stony, slippery, slithery mess. Then in 2003, was right; the exit of Deep Ghyll, where we came up, maps and they
a rock pinnacle partially collapsed at the top of the looks impossible as a descent, and it pretty much is). aren’t shown as
Rake, making it unsafe to climb. But about five years This led Coleridge to the gentler slope to the east paths. To do this
ago the pinnacle collapsed completely, opening the of the crag, and into mountain infamy. From up here, route you’ll need
Walk 15 this issue
classic route up again. It’s steep, flaky and loose the slope appears to be a simple and direct descent to
and the illustrated
underfoot, and scrabbling up it can feel purgatorial. Mickledore. And indeed it is – very direct. The slope
essay in
But for walkers of a slightly Coleridgean persuasion, eventually gives way to a 30ft sequence of vertical Wainwright’s
it’s still terrifyingly delightful, as is the Traverse drops onto narrow ledges, with an even deeper Southern Fells.
that follows, and the Ghyll which follows that. abyss to the right. It’s now called Broad Stand.

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 37

 A (BRIEF) In both descent and ascent, this bastion of
TUSSLE WITH gruesomely tilted rock has lured in scores of
BROAD STAND
At Mickledore, you
unprepared wanderers, and called out innumerable
can take a brief, Mountain Rescue teams. But instead of tracking
cautious look at the back up the slope and seeking another way down,
bottom of Broad Coleridge gave himself to fate and simply
Stand via ‘Fat Man’s dangle-dropped himself down the five pitches of
Agony’. Coleridge
Broad Stand. It was basically controlled falling.
came down this way.
He was bonkers. How he survived with limbs intact was beyond him. ‘The loveliest spot that
So let’s not do that. The only safe way to descend
HIGH STUFF to Mickledore is via the steep, eroded path down to man hath ever found’
Looking across to Foxes Tarn (a puddle with a boulder in it), and then This route is, of course, the hairiest way to
Mosedale and Pillar a further descent down a boulder-strewn gully to appreciate what the Romantics thought about the
from the summit
plateau of Scafell.
meet the path coming up from Great Moss. Then Lakes. There are countless gentler options. For the
a steep re-ascent to Mickledore. It’s a mammoth full Wordsworth experience (and the full gen on the
detour, and gruelling. Told you Scafell was a toughie. Romantics in the Lakes) you need Grasmere and
But once we reach Mickledore, we get to gawp Rydal, particularly Dove Cottage. To see daffodils
at Broad Stand from below, and understand where the Wordsworths did, visit the shore of
Coleridge’s madness. A fit and daring walker can Ullswater near Glencoyne in the full flush of spring.
go as far as squeezing through the access cleft But I reckon Scafell sums up the urges, passions
known as Fat Man’s Agony and climbing to the first and convictions of the Romantics just as truly as
platform above it. But go no further, as it’s above Glencoyne or Grasmere. They almost literally lived
this point that the angles become evil and the drops and died for the beauty of mountains like Scafell
calamitous. This is where, in descent, Coleridge and the lessons they had to teach us. Prior to them,
fought the sublime and somehow won. Many others the rest of the country thought of the Lake District
THE BIG VIEW have not. A hasty retreat back through the cleft is as a place of outright terror. Daniel Defoe passed
From the far side of rewarded, as Wainwright said, ‘by the pleasure of through in 1724 and considered it a lucky escape:
Mickledore, you get
going on living’. Down from Mickledore we go, back ‘The wildest, most barren and frightful [place] of
this stunning view of
Scafell Crag (to the down to Hollow Stones, and all the way back down any that I have passed over in England,’ he declared.
right) and Broad to the haven of Lingmell Gill and the sweet
Stand (circled). sanctuary of Wasdale Head.
THE SUMMIT
OF AMBITION
Opposite page:
Topping out
on Scafell, with
Scafell Pike in the
background.

The hills, said Defoe, had ‘a kind of inhospitable
terror in them… all barren and wild, of no use or
advantage either to man or beast’.
Skip forward a century and Wordsworth is
calling Grasmere ‘the loveliest spot that man
hath ever found’. In The Prelude he cries out, ‘The
blessing of my life, the gift is yours, Ye mountains!’,
while Coleridge writes to Sara: ‘O how I wished for
health and strength that I might wander about for
a month among these places, so lonely and savage
and full of sounds!’ And Southey describes Lodore
Falls as ‘rising and leaping, sinking and creeping,
swelling and sweeping, showering and springing,
flying and flinging’.
Together, they recast the Lake District not as a
hostile wilderness but as a teacher, a guide and
a muse; a place where beauty could be studied,
understood and venerated, whether you were
strolling among daffodils or clinging by your
fingernails to Broad Stand.
As the UNESCO citation says: ‘The Romantic
engagement with the Lake District generated new
ideas about the relationship between humanity and
its environment… the idea that landscape has a
value, and that everyone has a right to appreciate
and enjoy it. These ideas underpin the global
movement of protected areas and the development
of recreational experience within them.’
That ain’t exactly poetry, but I’m pretty sure
Coleridge would be happy with it.
DISCOVER Scafell
A sort of gambling
A modernised and abridged version of Coleridge’s account of
descending Broad Stand. You can find the full version courtesy
of Lancaster University at bit.ly/broadstand
‘There is one sort of gambling to which I am much addicted.
When I find it convenient to descend from a mountain, I am too
confident and too indolent to look round until I find a track or other
symptom of safety; but I wander on, and where it is first possible
to descend, there I go, relying upon fortune for how far down this
possibility will continue.
[Descending Scafell] I came to a smooth rock about seven feet
high. I put my hands on the ledge and dropped down. In a few yards
came another. I dropped that too and yet another. Looking down,
I saw but a succession of these little precipices.
I began to suspect that I ought not to go on, but though I could
with ease drop down a smooth rock seven feet high, I could not
climb it, so go on I must.
The next was twice my height and the ledge at the bottom so
exceedingly narrow that if I dropped down upon it I must of
necessity have fallen backwards and killed myself.
I lay upon my back to rest, and was beginning to laugh at myself
for a madman, when the sight of the crags above overawed me.
I lay in a state of almost prophetic trance and delight and blessed
God aloud for the powers of Reason and the Will, which remaining,
no danger can overpower us. O God, I exclaimed, how calm, how
blessed am I?
I arose, and continued.’
Plan your trip
WALK HERE
Follow Walk 15 in this issue
– but be warned, we’ve graded it as
a rare Extreme route for obvious
reasons. For the easier route via
Burnmoor Tarn and Green How,
download Scafell at walk1000miles.
co.uk/bonusroutes. There we’ve
also put some gentler walks in
the footsteps of the Romantics, Trust campsite at the head of
including Seldom Seen (for Wast Water (nationaltrust.org.uk/
Glencoyne, where the Wordsworths wasdale). Alternative options a bit
spotted their daffodils) and further out include the Bridge Inn
Rydal Water (starting from the at Santon Bridge (019467 26221,
Wordsworth centre at Dove santonbridgeinn.co.uk, doubles
Cottage in Grasmere). from £90) and the Bower House
at Eskdale Green (019467 23244,
GETTING HERE bowerhouseinn.com, doubles from
Wasdale Head is at the end of £80) – both are excellent. Dining
the single road up Wasdale at the options at all three are always
farthest western edge of the Lakes, reliable; try the Cumberland
accessible from Ravenglass. sausage and mash at the Wasdale
Head (£14) or the Moroccan lamb
WHERE TO EAT, pudding at the Bower House (£15).
DRINK & STAY Even if not staying at the Wasdale
The obvious option is the Wasdale Head Inn, a drink in its famous
Head Inn (019467 26229, wasdale. Ritson’s Bar (above) is something
com), which has doubles from of a rite of passage.
£130. It also offers self-catering,
a campsite and a separate B&B MORE INFORMATION
at Lingmell House. But being so i For general tourist
famous and well-located it fills up information go to visitlakedistrict.
quickly. There’s also the National com and lakedistrict.gov.uk/visiting
APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 39
 ◆ THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT

Lizzie Weir, En
nne
erd
rdal
ale,
ale, 202
0 2

Th other
The h pillar
ll off the
h Lake
k District’s Worldld Heritage status
is the coexistence of farming and nature. It’s not always an
easy marriage – but at its best, it can be beautiful.
WORDS: NICK HALLISSEY PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY

ONE VALLEY, WITH

SO MANY STORIES
Looking up Ennerdale
from Angler’s Crag, with
Bowness Knott seen across
Ennerdale Water and Pillar
further up the valley.

F
ROM THE SUMMIT of Crag Fell, you
can see the entire story of farming and
industry in the Lake District.
There are patchwork fields away to
the north-west, where the fells fall flat into
lowland. Below is Ennerdale Water – a natural
lake, but adapted for water abstraction, so it’s
part reservoir too. Way down to the south-east
are the depths of Ennerdale, where a century
of conifer plantation is slowly giving way to
something new. At the head of the valley are
peaks like Great Gable and Brandreth, whose
slopes were mined and quarried for slate, copper
and graphite for generations.
And then there’s the bleating.
It’s coming from behind me, to the south, from
the lonely summits of Grike, Whoap, Lank Rigg
and Heckbarley. Together these make up a vast
upland pasture called Kinniside Common, and
what I’m hearing is the sound of its primary
tenants. The creatures who’ve shaped and
landscaped the Lake District as we know it.
Sheep. Specifically, Herdwicks.
This huge story is the second plank of the Lake
District’s World Heritage status: the coexistence
of farming and nature. And if you read the
UNESCO citation, one concept comes up again
S OVER Enn
DISCOVER
DISC
DI Ennerdale
and again: harmony. ‘The
combined work of nature and
human activity has produced a
harmonious landscape,’ it says.
And later: ‘The harmonious
beauty of the English Lake
District is rooted in the vital
interaction between an agro-
pastoral land use system and the
spectacular natural landscape.’
Now, there are more than a few
voices who will query the word
‘harmonious’ when it comes to
land use in the Lakes. You don’t
have to read too widely or do too
much Googling before you hear of
the huge, competing pressures of
farming and conservation that bring debate FARMING
and even acrimony to this fragile place. WITH NATURE
Farmers Sam
There are farmers who feel they face an
Rawling and Lizzie
existential threat from diminishing subsidies Weir look after 1600
and profit margins that are wiped out by Cumbrian sheep
supermarket price wars. Then along comes the – but they’re also
supposed ‘urban elite’, telling them their farms careful custodians of
have ‘sheepwrecked’ the landscape and that the environment too.
rewilding is the only way forward – at the cost
of their way of life.
APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 41
 FROM SHORE
TO SUMMIT
Setting out beside
Ennerdale Water,
with Angler’s Crag
in view to the left
up ahead.
Nowhere is this spelt out more starkly than in the
writing of George Monbiot, who believes the World
Heritage award was a calamitous error. ‘Stand back
from the fells and valleys… and what you will see is
the great damage farming has inflicted,’ he wrote
in 2017. ‘Wet deserts grazed down to turf and rock;
woods in which no new trees have grown for 80
years as every seedling has been nibbled out by
sheep; dredged and canalised rivers, empty of
wildlife; tracts of bare mountainside on which
every spring is a silent one. Anyone with ecological
knowledge should recoil from this scene.’
It’s true that centuries of intensive farming have
impacted on the ecology of the Lakes. But it’s also
true that Monbiot’s phrasing was insensitive and
inflammatory. For a more nuanced, compassionate
and constructive view, read RSPB manager Lee
Schofield’s new book Wild Fell, which tells the story
from the point of view of Ennerdale’s eastern twin,
Mardale. It speaks candidly about the conflicts and
anger these issues have caused. But it presents a
vision of hope, showing that in one valley at least,
farming and conservation are today coexisting
productively. Or check out The Lakes with Simon
Reeve (on BBC iPlayer as we went to press) in which
our favourite wandering Adonis explores the whole
situation with kindness, equanimity and great hair.
But I’m here in Ennerdale for several reasons.
One is the huge range of visible land uses. Then
there’s the fact that Crag Fell is just a great walk.
The lakeside stretch is lovely and the view from
little Angler’s Crag is sublime. Higher up is the
exciting traverse path that weaves through the
fascinating Pinnacles; and up top is that glimpse
into the world of the Herdwicks.
LANDSCAPE
GARDENERS But also, I’m here because I want to chat to the
Herdwicks such owners of those Herdwicks, who live down at the
as those grazing western end of the lake. Sam Rawling and Lizzie
on Kinniside have Weir, of Hollins Farm: two people who’ve done all
become icons – they can to bring some genuine harmony to the story.
but they’ve also
been accused of
“I just want to say ‘come and see what we do’ to
PHOTO: WAYNE HUTCHINSON/ALAMY-

‘sheepwrecking’. everyone who passes,” says Lizzie.

“There’s such a story behind farming in these
FLAT EARTH valleys, so many amazing people. And I’d also like
Between the shore to show that we don’t just farm; we look after the
of Ennerdale Water
environment too. We’ve used subsidies and
and the coast, the
landscape flattens payments to cut our production, reduce our flock,
into dairy farmland. build up strong hedgerows, plant trees and create
wildlife corridors.
“It’s all part of a balanced approach, which I think
is the only way you can do it.”
Sam is especially proud of those wildlife corridors.
“A red squirrel can come out of the pub in
Ennerdale Bridge, cross our farm, and get two and
a half miles without interruption,” he explains
(and I get the sense he’s tried the journey himself).
But the bare fact remains: while conservation
subsidies help, a farm has to farm or it dies, and
Sam and Lizzie make no apologies for their
livelihood. “You’ve got to feed the family, and you’ve
got to feed the nation,” says Lizzie.
Sam’s family has farmed at Hollins since at
least 1545, when Henry VIII was busy dissolving
monasteries. Little wonder he bristles at sentiments
like Monbiot’s.

42 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022


“It’s a strange feeling when someone comes along
and says ‘everything your family has been doing for
hundreds of years is wrong and you’ve ruined the
place; we want to change it all because our opinion
matters more,’” he explains.
“We didn’t ruin it. We loved this landscape and
still do. All we’ve done is what was needed to put
food on the table. For everyone.”
Lizzie is also from farming stock; her family has
farmed in Borrowdale for generations. The couple
have around 1600 sheep, of which almost 1200 are
Herdwicks that live most of the year on the fells,
either on Kinniside Common or Starling Dodd and
Herdus, across the valley. The Herdwicks are
brought down to the valley at key times of year
including lambing (spring), shearing (summer)
and breeding (or tupping) in the autumn. The rest
of the time they’re up there, wandering about and
delighting walkers with their friendly faces and
inquisitive bleating.
“They are incredible; there’s nothing up there but
rock and lichen and mist, and yet they’ve evolved to
thrive on that,” says Sam.
“And they change depending on where they’re
grazing. If you go into Wasdale, where the
underlying rock is hard granite, the wool will be
black and blue and as bristly as a wire brush. In the
south Lakes, where the land softens to limestone
and peat, the wool gets lighter and softer.
Sometimes you can look from one hill to the next
and see two very different types of Herdwick, and
you know the landscape has changed under them.”
They’re also hefted. This ancient practice
involves training each ewe and its lambs to
recognise their ‘home’ fellsides so they become
disinclined to wander further. This explains why
there are so few fences or walls on the high fells.
“Other flocks become like walls,” says Sam.
“One flock holds the next flock in place.”
That said, he adds, the hefting system is ‘starting
to blur’ because farmers are reducing their flocks as
part of the environmental push. If one flock can’t
see the next, those walls disappear and the risk of
wandering increases.
DISCOVER Ennerdale
That’s when the lack of fences becomes a problem. PINNACLE OF
“If one of ours starts wandering from the top of ACHIEVEMENT
Herdus, it can get right across the Buttermere (Above and below)
The traverse path
valley and over into Borrowdale,” Sam points out. along the Pinnacles,
“The first place it would get stopped would be the a very surprising bit
gate at the bottom of Cat Bells, about 14 miles away.” of drama on quiet
(That sounds like a great walk for a human; we little Crag Fell.
could call it the Herdy Hop.)
Thankfully a tradition remains which can offset
some of the wandering: the shepherd’s meet. Each
spring, farmers gather to trade tales from the
winter and literally take stock, returning errant
sheep to their owners. In the autumn, they meet
again for sales and fairs, when the summer grass
has put the sheep into their best condition. It was at
one such show that Sam and Lizzie met.
The valley in which they farm, Ennerdale, is
extraordinary. There’s no public road, only a forest
track running the six miles from Bowness Knott
car park to Black Sail Youth Hostel. It’s a long old
hike, but once up there, you’re presented with some
of the most stupendous sights in the national park:
the soaring north faces of Pillar and Great Gable. WILD & WISE
It’s also there where you can see ‘rewilding’ Lee Schofield’s book
happening. Go back 20 years and the valley was Wild Fell offers a
thoughtful view
dense with conifer plantations, mainly Sitka
of the competing
spruce. The planting was a post-war phenomenon, pressures of farming,
designed to restock England’s timber supplies. conservation
That’s changing. It’s still forested, but not nearly and tourism.
 THE OLD MAN as thickly, and if you look carefully you’ll see fresher
OF CR AG FELL plantings of native broadleaf trees such as birch,
Encountered on the oak, willow and juniper, designed to reinstate some
traverse path, this
distinctive menhir
of Ennerdale’s lost biodiversity.
frames some lovely But while Sam and Lizzie applaud the project in
photos of the lake itself, they view the broader conversation around
and the hills beyond. rewilding with scepticism.
“First of all, planting broadleaf trees up there isn’t
rewilding, because you’ve still got to have someone
WOZDUL nurturing them. To me, that’s just a different form of
& JAL’AID land management,” says Sam.
“But the bigger point is, this isn’t a wild
Speaking to Sam
environment and it hasn’t been for as long as
and Lizzie is a
magnificent exercise
humans have existed here. So when they start
in understanding talking about large-scale rewilding, with apex
Cumbrian predator reintroductions like lynx or beavers or
pronunciation. Here even wolves, that’s when I lose patience with it.”
are a few to try out next It’s for this reason that Lee Schofield suggests
time you’re that way… that the word ‘rewilding’ could be quietly retired.
Wozdul: Wasdale The focus, he says, should be shifted away from
Borodle: Borrowdale massive and incendiary concepts like predator
See’wet: Seathwaite reintroductions towards a patchwork of small-scale
Jal’aid: Dale Head projects like wildlife corridors, re-wiggled rivers,
regenerated wetland and diversified woodland.
Such initiatives should be driven at local level,
he adds, with farming communities being engaged
and paid decently to work alongside conservation
agencies. Compromise, not conflict.
It’s a view that Sam and Lizzie broadly share,
especially given their own environmental projects.
But as Lizzie says, it’s all about the balance. And the
finance: currently wool prices are rock-bottom; we
as consumers demand to pay less for our food than
most other European countries; supermarkets pay
less and less to farmers in their bid to undercut each
other; and young Cumbrians find themselves forced it. The quality of food we produce. The care we take
out by sky-high property prices. with the landscape. If I could be at this gate saying
THE NEWLY
NAKED VALLEY “We want to farm alongside nature,” says Lizzie. that every day, I would.”
For almost a century, “We don’t want to farm thousands of sheep and As I say farewell and make my way out of
Ennerdale was hundreds of cows. But we do need to make a living. Ennerdale, I’m left with many a deep thought and
densely forested, “It comes down to what you pay farmers for. If you an urge to tread carefully in every sense. Yes, in
and some of its make it so that the only way farmers can make some ways the UNESCO designation does rather
conifer belts can be
money is by farming intensively, that’s what will glibly gloss over the situation on the ground in the
seen here. But they
are being scaled happen. But it’s not what we want and not what Lakes today. It probably does miss the layers of
back to restore most Lake District farmers would say they want. nuance that exist in this delicate state of affairs.
biodiversity. “That’s why I want people to come and see what But does that mean the Lakes shouldn’t be a
we do. How hard we work and the pride we take in World Heritage Site? Of course it doesn’t. We should
 DISCOVER Ennerdale

‘This place could

change the world’
Another powerful voice in the
Lake District farming debate
is that of James Rebanks,
a Matterdale farmer who
found fame through Twitter
(@herdyshepherd) and
expanded into a series of
thought-provoking books about
how we steward the countryside.
James’ farm is a model of
what could be: he and his family have re-wiggled
streams, planted 6000 trees, cut pesticide use and
regenerated their soil by rotating their pastures. But
it’s partly James’ writing fame that has funded those
projects, and for most farmers that isn’t an option.
He says if we’re to address the problem across the
board, it has to start with the price of food.
“To an extent we are addicted to cheap food,” he
explains. “Cheapening food does away with small
farmers, small businesses, a whole bunch of jobs that
are associated with slightly more expensive food.”
He acknowledges that changing that situation
brings problems, not least for people on low
incomes. No one wants to make the cost of living
harder. But he believes that if anywhere can be the
starting point for change, it’s the Lakes.
“In the early 19th century, through Wordsworth
and others, this place changed the way we think
about landscape. And I think what’s happening now
is it’s being reinvented again. I believe passionately in
this landscape’s ability resonate out and change the
world, and I hope we can do that again.”

feel proud that this landscape has been judged to sit

alongside Machu Picchu, Easter Island and the
Great Pyramid. And of course it deserves the
highest level of protection we can give it, because
Plan your trip
WALK HERE
there’s nowhere like it on Earth. We just need to THE WORLD Follow Walk 16 in this issue for a great walk
sort out exactly what that protection involves, and OF THE HERDY to the summit of Crag Fell.
ensure it protects people as well as place. Look west from the
Just as my thoughts are in danger of getting too top of Crag Fell and GETTING HERE
you’ll see Kinniside
deep, I hear something. Bee-e-eeh-eeeh. Somewhere Ennerdale is one of the quietest areas of the
Common, the upland
above me there’s a Herdwick lamb who has Lake District because it’s so remote from anywhere
grazing area of
absolutely no idea what he’s at the centre of. except the Cumbrian coast. The start of our walk
Sam and Lizzie’s
is a 20-minute drive from the nearest major
I smile, close the gate carefully, and walk on. Herdwick sheep.
population centres, Cockermouth and Whitehaven.

WHERE TO EAT, DRINK & STAY

The village of Ennerdale Bridge has two
fine pubs. The Fox and Hounds (01946 861373,
foxandhoundsinn.org) has doubles with breakfast
from £105 and main meals like ham, egg and chips
for £8.95. The Shepherds Arms (01946 861249,
shepherdsarms.com) has doubles with breakfast
for £112 and main meals like steak and ale pie for
£12.50. And Hollins Farm itself is planning to open
new accommodation this year – keep an eye on
@lizzieweir on Instagram for updates.

MORE INFORMATION
i For general tourist information, go to
visitlakedistrict.com. And for more about the
Lake District’s World Heritage status, go to
whc.unesco.org

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 45

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 DISCOVER Hadrian’s Wall

◆ FRONTIERS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

Hadrian’s big, brave wall

The Romans were hardly less scared of what lay beyond the wall than Westeros was.

T
HE ROMANS REFERRED to
Britons as the ‘furthest people of
the world’, imagining them as a
band of blue-faced savages adrift in an
unknown sea, doing unspeakable things
to each other amid foul weather and
fouler food. Wearing animal skins,
swapping wives; topless, dyed and
tattooed – the very idea of them horrified
the civilised Roman sensibility.
The Caledonians in the north were
even worse – ‘They dwell in tents, naked
and unshod, and possess their women
in common’ wrote Roman historian
Cassius Dio; ‘They can endure hunger
and cold and any kind of hardship; they
plunge into the swamps and exist there
for many days with only their heads
above water’. A terrifying foe – and the
more the Romans thought about it, the
more they thought perhaps it wasn’t
worth conquering the whole island.
Better to shut the really scary folk away
and never have to look them in the eye
again. Cue Hadrian’s Wall: 73 miles long,
up to six metres high and three deep, it
was built in six years from AD122, by
15,000 men and as Roman historians
were happy to confirm, was definitely,
definitely the right thing to do. Said a
slightly over-reaching Procopius: ‘To the
south of the wall there is a salubrious air,
moderately warm in summer and cool in
winter. But on the north side everything
is the reverse, so that it is impossible for
a man to survive there even a half-hour.
Countless snakes and serpents and
every other kind of wild creature occupy
this area as their own. If any man
crosses the wall, he dies straightaway.’
Today it is the best-preserved Roman
frontier in the world, and one traversed
by the excellent, week-long 84-mile
Hadrian’s Wall Path – a National Trail
since 2003. But completers will want to
know the World Heritage designation
actually yokes the wall together
with two other boundary-marking
companions – the 37-mile mostly turf
Antonine Wall (an ultimately abortive
attempt to move the frontier further
north) and the 342-mile Upper German-
Raetian Limes (a less martial border
between the Roman Empire and the
tribes of northern Europe).
WALK HERE: Turn to route 20.

PHOTO: TOM BAILEY

WAS IT WHITE?
Some evidence suggests
the wall may have been
brightly whitewashed.

◆ SALTAIRE
The model town of Saltaire in Shipley
pointed to a better way of doing business.
A model village
F
OR A BRIEF time in Victorian Britain a species of
businessman bloomed which believed a happier,
healthier workforce was a Good Thing – and was
prepared to build big to prove it. Bradford’s Titus Salt was
a shining example – a textile maker (and the town’s biggest
employer) who in 1851 moved his entire workforce of
thousands into a purpose-built model village, complete
with smart sandstone houses, running water, communal
bathing, library, reading room, concert hall, billiard room,
science laboratory, gymnasium, hospital – a readymade
lifestyle fit for a London gent nevermind a West Yorkshire
PHOTO: IAN DAGNALL/ALAMY-

millworker. Today the remarkably preserved Saltaire

(named for its creator and the river next to which it sits) is
WORK & PLAY still a beacon of enlightened urban planning – and makes
Sanitation, leisure, longer an inspiring alternative start to the Dales Way, to which
life-expectancy: Saltaire
brought the lot into
a linking path of seven miles connects it directly.
millworkers’ blighted lives.
WALK HERE: Turn to route 18 in this issue.

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 47

 ◆ GIA
GIANT’S CAUSEWAY & CAUSEWAY COAST

‘A remnant of chaos!’
It has befuddled and bewitched for centuries – and Giant’s Causeway
is just the start of the adventure on the dramatic Antrim coastline.

W
RITING
R
RIIT
TING OF
TING OF THE
TH
HE Ca
Caus
Causeway
usewew
way y in
in 1842,
1842
18 42, into
t tthe
into
in he surrounding
he su
urrro
roun
ouunndi
ding
dinng chalk
cha k landscape.
ha lk lan
ands
ndsca pe. Scientists
dscaape
ds pe. Sccie
S
Scieientntis
nt isttss
ists CR AZY
William
Will
Wi llia
iam
am Thackeray
Thac
Th acke
ckeera
ray said:
said
sa id:: ‘When
‘W
Whe
henn th
thee now
now know
no know
kn w the
hee columns
th co umnss formed
ollum for
orm because
meed be
m becaaus off tthe
u se o he
he PAVING
world was moulded and fashioned out way it cooled, from the surface down, creating ‘Discovered’ by
a bishop in 1692,
of formless chaos, this must have been the bit tension in the rock eventually relieved by a mass rumoured to be
over—a remnant of chaos!’ The world certainly shattering into near-perfect hexagonal cracks. completely moved
doesn’t get any more written-by-Roald-Dahl, It’s a phenomenon that can also be seen at Fingal’s to America in 1907,
directed-by-Spielberg than this. To visit the Cave on Staffa in the Inner Hebrides. In fact the on the cover of Led
Giant’s Causeway is to have your intellect two sets of columns were created in the same Zeppelin’s Houses
of the Holy in 1973.
stumped and imagination fired: the natural world volcanic episode – and it was Irish mythic hero
What a ride.
just isn’t supposed to turn out 40,000 hexagonal Finn McCool (who lent the cave his name) who
columns in a Minecraft-like building frenzy. once provided the explanation for the Causeway’s
But so it did, between 50 and 60 million years creation – it was the remains of a vast bridge
ago, when a volcano burst and basalt lava poured between Ireland and Scotland.
 DISCOVER Northern Ireland

Today the Causeway forms the centrepiece of ttakes

ta a you on a thrilling adventure through history
Northern Ireland’s only World Heritage Site, and ffrom r Portstewart to Ballycastle, via the Causeway
enjoys the protection it once so sorely lacked. itself,
it t the magnificent mediaeval ruin of Dunluce
Souvenir hunting was commonplace in the 19th C
Castle and the spectacular rope bridge of Carrick-
century, and it was even rumoured in 1907 the aa-Rede.
- It’s a walk of dramatic cliffs, sandy coves
Causeway was to be quarried out entirely and aand broad bays, setting the Causeway in its proper
relocated to Philadelphia. Though no such plan context. Pleasantly challenging, but not a gruelling
co
was in fact underway, men with hammers and eepic,
p navigation is straightforward and lodgings
pry-bars did lever out whole columns, which eeasy to arrange – leaving your imagination free to
ea
eventually made it to the USA, and are still to be populate this weird and wonderful landscape with
p
found in museums and private collections. a fitting cast of giants, myths and monsters.
Though the World Heritage Site covers just
the four-mile stretch of coast managed by the WALK
WA
W LK H E: Download Giant’s
HERE:
ERE:
ER s Causeway
Caus
Ca usew y from
eway
National Trust, the 33-mile Causeway Coast Way wa
w
walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes
lk10
lk 1000
00mi
mile
less.co
co.uk/
uk/bo
bonu
nusr
srou
oute
tes

‘The natural world isn’t supposed

to turn out 40,000 columns in a
Minecraft-like building frenzy.’

PHOTO: S-F/SHUTTERSTOCK

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 49

◆ CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL, ST AUGUSTINE’S ABBEY & ST MARTIN’S CHURCH

The Pilgrim’s Tale

Walk to the seat of English Christianity, and in the footsteps off many
thousands of pilgrims, thinking pious (and occasionally bawdy) thoughts.

T
HE MUCH-MARRIED Wife of Bath, the
chivalrous Knight, the bawdy Miller, the
virtuous Parson, the Prioress, Merchant,
Clerk and more make up the entertaining band of
pilgrims walking their way along the Kent Downs
in The Canterbury Tales. When Chaucer was
writing in the late 1300s, pilgrimage was huge and
Canterbury its crux, welcoming more devotees
than any other shrine in Europe bar Rome.
It was from Rome that St Augustine came in 597,
dispatched by the Pope to teach Christian faith to
England’s pagan Anglo-Saxons. The first services

PHOTO: IMAGEBROKER/ALAMY-
were held at the Church of St Martin, and soon
an abbey was built nearby, later dedicated to
Augustine. St Martin’s still stands – the oldest
surviving church in England – but the abbey was
seized by Henry VIII in 1538 during the Dissolution
of the Monasteries. Its stones were stripped, its
library destroyed, and 1000 years of learning and
devotion left as ruins.
Both are part of this World Heritage Site, but it’s were worn to a curve by centuries of pilgrims; feet CHARITABLE
a third place of worship that dominates: the vast that also wore lines into the surrounding chalk DONATIONS
(235 feet high, 515 long) and ornate cathedral. hills which you can trace on the Pilgrims’ Way – Above and below:
Building the awe-
Established by St Augustine in 597, the original 153 miles from Winchester, 90 miles from London, inspiring cathedral
building now lies under the floor as successive eras or on a 7-mile loop from Chartham. at Canterbury was
have left their architectural mark, culminating in largely funded by
the Bell Harry Tower in the late 15th century. WALK HERE: Find a Chartham to Canterbury pilgrim donations.
Murder and miracles made Canterbury a centre route at walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes
of pilgrimage. In 1170, Archbishop Thomas Becket
was killed in his cathedral by Henry II’s henchmen,
at a spot now known as the Martyrdom. Miracles ‘Feet wore lines into the hills
were soon reported and within three years Becket
had been canonised. The stone steps to his shrine
which you can trace on the
Pilgrims’ Way.’
PHOTO: IMAGEBROKER/ALAMY-

50 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 DISCOVER Bath & New Lanark

◆ CITY OF BATH

A golden skyline
Roman swank, Georgian splendour and green hills on every horizon.

‘O H! WHO CAN ever be tired of Bath?’

exclaims Catherine Morland,
the wide-eyed heroine in Jane
Austen’s Northanger Abbey. The author herself
apparently had mixed feelings about Georgian
England’s ritziest city. Like fantastically rich
rout cake, it can have an overpowering effect.
A neoclassical extravaganza in buttery Bath
stone, the city’s celebrated streets, crescents
and squares were laid out by architects and
developers in the 18th century. They aspired
to build the most beautiful city in Europe and
wanted their designs to harmonise with the
Cotswold Hills enfolding the River Avon. The
Georgians flocked here for the same geothermal
springs around which the Romans had earlier
established a spa town called Aquae Sulis. It was
centred on the elaborate bath complex that gives
the present city its name. At the southern end of
the Cotswold Way, it is where you’ll also find DOUBLY
Bath’s medieval abbey. For a more leisurely REMARK ABLE
constitutional with stirring views over the city, Bath is actually a
World Heritage Site
head up to Bathampton Down for a skyline trail.
twice over. It is also
listed as one of 11
WALK HERE: Download the Bath Skyline walk Great Spa Towns
from walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes of Europe.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
◆ NEW LANARK

‘The most important experiment’

Workers of the world owe much to an industrial utopia powered by the River Clyde.

W
HILE JANE AUSTEN and her ilk
enjoyed the high life in Somerset, a
very different planned community was
taking shape downriver from the picturesque Falls
of Clyde in Lanarkshire. Industry, not opulence,
was its purpose. New Lanark was founded in 1786
by the benevolent industrialist David Dale in a
brief partnership with Richard Arkwright (the
cotton tycoon, whose earlier Cromford venture you
can read about on page 83). But it is the utopian
reforms implemented by Dale’s son-in-law, Robert
Owen, that make this model mill village globally
important. As manager from 1800, Owen ran New
Lanark as a social enterprise. Or as he put it: ‘the NEW THINKING
most important experiment for the happiness of the Far from being
PHOTO: TOM BAILEY

human race’. Ten-hour days, compulsory education, dark and satanic,

worker welfare and fair food pricing all started here. working and living
conditions at
New Lanark were
WALK HERE: Download New Lanark & Falls of radically humane.
Clyde from walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 51

 ◆ OLD & NEW TOWNS OF EDINBURGH/THE FORTH BRIDGE

A tale of two towns

Built around extinct volcanoes, with a bridge twice as long as
Ben Nevis is tall: there is no finer city to walk – and wonder at.
W O R D S : J E N N Y WA LT E R S

T
CAPITAL HE LAST TIME I went to Edinburgh I nudging up against the ‘planned Georgian’
VIEWS walked 63 miles in a week. Scotland’s layout of the other that saw UNESCO award it
Edinburgh has been capital is that kind of city, irresistibly World Heritage status in 1995.
the capital city
of Scotland since
drawing you along a steep cobbled The history – and almost everyone who visits
at least the 15th lane, down a flight of steps, through a narrow – begins on the Royal Mile. It’s the backbone of
century, and both wynd between stone tenements, into a square Old Town, descending gently east along a ridge
its Old Town (centre lined by Regency townhouses,
tow
ownhnh
nhou
houseses,
s, u
up
p to from
from the
the ec i y cast
it
city caast
stle
castlele on
on its
its craggy
it cr plinth to the
and left) and New hig
iggl
gled
glle
eddy-
y-pi
p ggle
pi
a viewpoint over higgledy-piggledyggle
gg ledy
dy P la
Pa lace
ace o
Palace off Hooly
lyro
yro
r od
odhohou
Holyroodhouse. u Its topography
(right) can be seen
from Calton Hill.
urr
rrouun nd
rooftops to the surrounding din
din
ing hills.
ing h llls.
hi s. At
At it
itss was forged
was f rg
fo rged
ed by
by fire
fi e and
fir a d ice. Castle Rock is
an
core lie two towns,s, Old
O d an
Ol a
andd New,
New, a
Ne and
nd
d iit’s
t’ss
t’ the plug
the plug
ug ofof a 350-million
350
35 0-mi
0-mi
0- millllio
llio year old volcano,
io
the ‘organic medieval’
ie
eva
v l’l streets
strree
eets
tss of
of one
onne its dolerite
its dole
do
doleeri
ritte
eh ard
ar
hard d en
enououg
ou
enough g to split the ice-

“Of all places for

a view, this Calton
Hill is perhaps
the best.”
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
 DISCOVER Edinburgh

sheet that arrived 30,000 years ago, and

shelter that tail of softer rock beyond. Cliffs
climb to 260 feet on three sides and the rock’s
defen
defensive n potential has been exploited since
Iron
Ir ron A Age folk put a fort on top. Today’s citadel
is tthe he culmination of centuries of construction
and
an
a nd conflict
c and has seen more sieges (26) than
an
any ny o other in Britain. It looks both forbidding

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
and
an do oddly natural, as if its dark walls simply
grew
gr eww like moss from the crag it stands on.
It sshelters the city’s oldest surviving
building
bu uilildd – a tiny chapel from 1130 dedicated
tto St
to o St Margaret – and Britain’s oldest crown
jewels,
jje ewe
w the Honours of Scotland, which had
tto be
to be hidden in a medieval latrine during where the Act of Union was signed in 1707, DR AW
World
W
Worl
Wo orrll War II. It has witnessed events both dissolving Scotland’s national government THE LINE
m
mo m
momentous (Mary Queen of Scots giving birth until it returned in 1999 in a new building at A nugget for
map fans: what
to J
to a
James in 1566, who was later crowned the the bottom of the Royal Mile. That design would become the
fi
fir
firstrst
s monarch of Scotland and England) and divides opinion like Marmite, as does the Ordnance Survey
ffarcical
farc
faarc
rcii (when the Jacobites attacked in 1715 W Hotel in New Town, a shimmering swirl started life at
w
wi
with t a ladder too short to scale the ramparts).
th likened to a poo emoji and target of a petition Edinburgh castle
T
Tuu to walk down the Royal Mile – which
Turn to ‘Pit Googly Eyes Oan The Jobby’. in 1747, as William
Roy worked on his
stre
st rett
re
stretches one Scots mile (1.8km) along Castle- The history flows under your feet too. Military Survey of
hill
hi l , Lawnmarket,
hill, L High Street, Canongate, A heart in the cobbles by St Giles marks the Scotland, aka the
A
Abbe
bbe
Abbey e Strand – and you’ ll be knee-deep in site of the Old Tolbooth, an infamous jail also Great Map.
curi
cu riio stories (and a fair few shops selling
curious known as the Heart of Midlothian. Locals used
ttartan
ta rta
rtta souvenirs). The Camera Obscura to spit at its door; some still spit on the heart.
is Ed
is Edinburgh’s oldest visitor attraction, Over the way is Mary King’s Close, where it’s
luri
lu rn
ri
luring crowds to its live projections of the said sick residents were walled in and left to
city
ci
ity
t s
city skyline since the mid 1800s. St Giles die during the plague of 1644. In the 18th
Cath
Ca th
Cathedral, the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is century the City Chambers were built on top,
wher
whher John Knox pounded the pulpit in
where burying the abandoned close and its ghosts.
the
th e 16
1
the 16th century to urge Scotland from Outside Holyroodhouse, the palace where
Catholicism to Protestantism; his home is a pregnant Mary Queen of Scots saw her
further down the road. Parliament House is secretary Rizzio stabbed to death, three

PHOTO: ROBERTHARDING/ALAMY

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 53

 metal Ss lie embedded in Abbey Strand. They mark
the sanctuary line of the now-ruined abbey, offering
protection to all who could sprint across it faster
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
than the bailiffs, while onlookers placed their bets.
Learning fragments of the city’s story is
fascinating, but so is just walking and looking.
Space on this ridge was limited, and the Old Town
once bound by defensive walls, which meant
buildings could only grow up. Some climbed as high
CHAIN LETTER as 14 storeys and minimal acreage was wasted on
The Heart of side-roads. Instead, narrow stepped wynds were
Midlothian marks wedged between the tenements, fanning out in a
the site of the old ‘fishbone’ pattern from the Royal Mile.
jail. It’s also the title
of a novel by Sir
Drop south down Castle Wynd from the top of the
Walter Scott, one of mile and you’ll reach Grassmarket, once the site of
Edinburgh’s many the city’s livestock market, and its gibbet. A short
famous authors. walk beyond is Greyfriars Kirkyard, resting place
In 2004, it became of many notable residents, the world’s worst poet
UNESCO’s first City
of Literature.
(more on him later), and a Skye terrier called
Greyfriars Bobby who watched over his owner’s
CIT Y SIGHTS grave for 14 years before being buried by his side.
Opposite page, Not all buried here stayed buried. In the 1800s,
clockwise from top: surgeons paid good money for cadavers to dissect
St Giles Cathedral
and bodysnatchers dug up fresh corpses to sell.
is dedicated to
the patron saint of Some graves still have the mortsafe cages built to
lepers; the Water of protect them. And two men, the notorious Williams
Leith winds a leafy Burke and Hare, took to murder: killing 16 and
thread through Dean selling the bodies to Robert Knox. When captured,
Village; the stone
Hare turned on his partner and later vanished;
fronts of New Town
glow in the setting Burke was hanged and his corpse publicly dissected.
sun; narrow wynds Things are less grisly if you drop north from the
reveal enticing slices Royal Mile, down into Waverley Valley which
of view from the divides Old Town and New. Once flooded by North
Royal Mile, which Loch, it’s now lawns and flowerbeds in Princes
is one Scots mile
(1.8km) long.
Street Gardens, with Waverley station at its eastern
end, named after the novels of Edinburgh icon Sir
Walter Scott. He called this dividing glen the ‘great
arena’ and a monument to him rockets 200 feet and
six inches in Gothic splendour above it, the largest
tribute to a writer in Britain, second in the world.
It was the winning entry in a design competition in
1836, and it wasn’t the city’s first.
In with the new
By the start of the 18th century Old Town was full.
Tenements were crowded, some collapsed, and the
CLIMB HIGH streets were plagued by sewage, disease, crime. In
The tall tenements 1766 a competition was launched to design a New
of Old Town jostle Town on the fields to the north, and a 26-year old
tightly up the called James Craig won with a tidy gridiron layout.
slope above
Waverley Valley.
Its primary streets – Princes, George, Queen –
PHOTO: BRIAN JANNSEN/
would run along the ridge above Waverley Valley,
ALAMY with a garden square dedicated to St Andrew at one
end and St George at the other. The names honoured
the king, George III, and the union between Scotland
and England, although St George’s Square was soon
renamed after the queen, Charlotte. Where the Old
Town expanded organically over centuries, this New
Town was artfully planned and built in 50 years.
Walking through one is like exploring the dark,
twisting paths of an old-growth forest; walking
through the other is like promenading through an
elegantly planted parterre. Both are brilliant.
Princes Street is the New Town’s most famous
thoroughfare, open to the valley on one side, with
the Old Town jostling up the slope beyond. On its
other side, it’s now mostly chain stores, but head
deeper into the grid and the Georgian architecture
gracefully asserts itself. Charlotte Square, designed
by Robert Adam, is particularly elegant; Bute
House on its north side is the official residence of
the First Minister of Scotland.
But for me the delight lies away from the main
streets, in places where the shops thin, the bustle
hushes, and you can easily imagine how the freshly-
built city might have looked. House prices show
how many people want to live here now, but initially
people had to be lured to New Town with a £20
incentive to build. John Young was the first, and his
court on Thistle Street still stands.
Others followed: 1½ million cartloads of earth
were dug for the New Town’s foundations by 1830
and tipped into Waverley Valley to form a crossing
to the Old Town. The Mound is now home to
numerous buildings including the National Gallery.
And the city kept growing. First came the
Northern, or Second, New Town, running down the
slope to Edinburgh’s main river, the Water of Leith.
Then the Eastern, or Third, New Town, spread to
the hem of Calton Hill, while to the west, the ancient
milling settlement of Dean Village was drawn into
the capital and got a spectacular gorge-spanning
bridge by Scottish engineer Thomas Telford.
This northern part of the World Heritage Site is
my favourite. The sandstone buildings lift with the
same neoclassical poise, but a bit more curve and
tilt to the streets makes for surprise views and
secret corners, and the Water of Leith bounds it
with a leafy, burbling thread of birdsong.
Edinburgh’s expansion influenced urban planning
across Europe and in the late 18th century the city
was a hotbed of ideas on every subject. Adam Smith
(economics), James Hutton (geology), Adam
Ferguson (philosophy), Robert Burns (poetry), and
more were all part of the Scottish Enlightenment
and French philosopher Voltaire noted: ‘We look to
Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation.’
 DISCOVER Edinburgh

PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 55

 ‘Its im
immmense rust
st--red
gir
ird
ders st
ste
ep out across the
water in three great archche
es.
It looks like Meccano, but
on a whole other scale…’

DOUBLE I find it hard to recommend a specific route
CHECK around Edinburgh because it’s a place that rewards
The Forth Bridge stravaiging, a Scots word meaning to wander. The
was built twice:
first at the steel
magic lies in letting the city draw you where it
yards to make sure wants to, through Old Town and New. But do climb
everything fitted Calton Hill. It’s topped by an eclectic assortment
perfectly. Then it of buildings including the unfinished National
was dismantled Monument inspired by the Parthenon in Athens,
and shipped out
the City Observatory, a Greek temple and the
over the water and
constructed again. Nelson Monument which Edinburgh author Robert
Louis Stevenson ranked ‘among the vilest of men’s
handiworks’. But he also said – ‘Of all places for a
view, this Calton Hill is perhaps the best’. Up here
you can see for miles across Auld Reekie, the
Athens of the North, up to the city’s beloved summit
at Arthur’s Seat and down to the Firth of Forth –
and another World Heritage Site.
Across the bridge
Over a mile wide. Up to 200 feet deep. The Firth of
Forth is a hell of an obstacle for anyone leaving
Edinburgh and heading up the east coast. Catch
a train to Dalmeny, walk down to the estuary’s
southern shore and you’ll find the view filled
with twinkling water. North Queensferry on the
OLD AND NEW opposite bank is just a distant line.
Baker, Fowler But obstacles inspire creative solutions. It’s
and Watanabe thought the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus
demonstrate the
lined up 500 boats to make a walkable crossing.
cantilever: the
principle wasn’t new, In the 17th century George Bruce of Carnock
but the material – tunnelled far out below the firth after coal; in 1964
steel – was. miners made it all the way under, linking Valleyfield
and Kinneil collieries with a tunnel over two miles
long. And of course there were ferries. The first
regular service began in the 12th century; piers
were built in the 18th century on what was by then
the busiest crossing in Scotland; and in 1850 the
world’s first floating railway crossed the firth, a boat
with tracks in its deck so trains could roll right on.
It was the work of engineer Thomas Bouch, who
was asked to design a bridge for the railways, then
the primary arteries of Britain’s transport network.
The foundation stone was laid in 1878, by the island
of Inch Garvie which you can see halfway across
the firth. But that bridge was never built.
Further north there’s another great estuary: the
Firth of Tay. Its railway bridge opened that same
year, a procession of ironwork piers which Queen
Victoria travelled across and awarded its designer a
knighthood. But just after Christmas 1879 a storm
hit and the bridge collapsed, plunging a train into
the river and killing all 75 people on board. The
public enquiry concluded it was ‘badly designed,
badly constructed and badly maintained’ and its
engineer – Thomas Bouch – at fault. His plans for
the Forth were abandoned; he died a year later with
his reputation ruined. The locomotive fared better:
hauled out and put back in service bearing the
macabre nickname The Diver. And the disaster
inspired a poem regarded as one of the worst ever
written, by William McGonagall who we met
earlier in Greyfriars Kirkyard.
Of course, a Forth Bridge was built. Walk along
the Queensferry shore and its immense rust-red
girders step out across the water in three great

56 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 DISCOVER Edinburgh

PHOTO: ZOONAR GMBH/ALAMY

arches. It looks like Meccano, but on a whole other decompression sickness, or what divers call the OVER
scale: 53,000 tonnes of steel, 6½ million rivets, bends. These men knew it as Caisson’s disease. AND OVER
120,000 cubic yards of concrete faced with granite From these piers the three towers grew up and Painting the Forth
Bridge has long
two feet thick, making what was then the longest out in balanced symmetry until the spans linked been a metaphor
cantilever bridge in the world (and still holds across the void. Men had been working 100 feet for a never-ending
second), stretching 8094 feet end to end. Stand it up below the sea; now they were 361 feet above it. task, but a new glass
and it would be near twice the height of Ben Nevis. Climb the pavement onto the Forth Road Bridge and coating means it
Gustave Eiffel called it the ‘greatest wonder of you’ll get an inkling of that height. Completed in can now go 25 years
between spruce-ups.
the century’. UNESCO, when awarding it World 1964, this 8241-foot long suspension bridge crosses
Heritage status in 2015 called it ‘a masterpiece of the firth half a mile west of the rail bridge. The
human creative genius’. There were doubters – newer bridge is the only way to walk across the water
artist William Morris called it ‘the supremest and it’s a great platform for studying the full span of
specimen of all ugliness’ – but I’m with Eiffel. its famous neighbour. If you’re not panicking, that is.
There’s grace in its web of steel, and the story of its
construction is astounding.
Sirs Benjamin Baker and John Fowler took the
project on. They’d already collaborated on the
world’s first underground line in London, and both
served as president of the Institution of Civil
Engineers. The idea of a cantilever bridge wasn’t
new, but they demonstrated its principle with two
piles of bricks, two chairs, and a central seat
supporting engineering graduate Kaichi Watanabe.
It had never been attempted at this size though,
and the man tasked with turning blueprint to
bridge was contractor William Arrol. The
foundations took three years. Colossal metal
cylinders were lowered to stand on the river bed;
water was then pumped out to provide a dry space
to excavate until these caissons hit bedrock. The
deepest needed compressed air at the base to keep
the Forth at bay, forcing workers to pass through an
airlock. Come up too fast and they could suffer

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 57

 PHOTO: GEORGE ROBERTSON/ALAMY
For acrophobics this may be a challenge; it was GOING OVER
for me. It feels like there’s a whole lot of air below Three bridges
your boots, and expansion gaps between the plates now span the firth:
the Queensferry
of the walkway offer direct glimpses of the estuary Crossing (left), the
far below. Passing buses make everything shake, Forth Road Bridge
and you might even see workers swinging from (centre) and the
harnesses under the roadway. original rail (right),
For the 4500 briggers who worked the Forth always known simply
as the Forth Bridge.
Bridge, each day was perilous. One log book
recorded 26,000 incidents of sickness and accident, FRESH LOOK
and 73 men died during construction. Their names The unusual view
are now etched on stone memorials on both shores. from Ferryhills on
The youngest was 13, a boy whose job was to fire the the north shore is
rivets until red-hot, then throw them to another to one of 10 protected
sightlines to the
hammer in place. There was occasional respite. A bridge.
local paper reported a cèilidh with three pipers on
the bridge, and the Hawes Inn in Queensferry used
to line up 200 pints on the bar at shift’s end. And
on 4th March 1890, the final rivet – this one gold-
plated – was hit home by the Prince of Wales, later
Edward VII, as he opened the Forth Bridge.
Then, 127 years later a third bridge opened.
Look west and you’ll see the Queensferry Crossing,
built to take the strain from the road bridge, which Plan your trip
by the early 2000s was struggling with traffic WALK HERE uk, dorm beds from £19, rooms
volume and corroding cables (it’s now buses, Find two Edinburgh walks at from £32). Visit Scotland has a
taxis, bikes and people only). During construction walk1000miles/bonusroutes; turn comprehensive guide.
Queensferry’s 2113-foot central deck was briefly to Walk 24 for a Forth Bridge walk.
the longest free-standing cantilever in the world, WHERE TO EAT
before the sections linked. Its fans of pale cables GETTING HERE Great food at every turn;
look almost ethereal, and the three bridges together Frequent trains to Edinburgh personal favourites include vada
Waverley from London (4.5 hours), pau at Dishoom (dishoom.com) on
make a masterclass in engineering.
Glasgow and Aberdeen, and to St Andrew Square, gelato flavours
Looking back from the far side, the Forth Bridge Dalmeny and North Queensferry like spiced pumpkin and cherry at
glows like autumnal bracken against the steel-grey on either side of the Forth Bridge. Mary’s Milk Bar (marysmilkbar.com)
firth, its curves echoed in the Pentland Hills beyond on Grassmarket and epic cinnamon
Edinburgh. As part of World Heritage designation, WHERE TO STAY buns from The Pastry Section
10 key views of the bridge were identified and the Options for every budget (pastrysection.com) in Stockbridge.
one from Ferryhills here in North Queensferry from opulent suites at The Witchery
takes a striking, end-on angle. There’s talk of being By The Castle (thewitchery.com, MORE INFORMATION
able to climb up over those arches one day. But for doubles from £450pn!) to i See visitscotland.com or call
now it’s back along the rails, across Scotland’s most Edinburgh Central Youth Hostel in Edinburgh information centre on
New Town (hostellingscotland.org. 0131 473 3820.
famous bridge and into the city Sir Walter Scott
fondly called ‘Mine own romantic town’.

58 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 ◆ CORNWALL & WEST DEVON MINING LANDSCAPE

Tin machines
They taught the world how to mine and they’re the backdrop to every
twist of Poldark. Welcome to the home of the Tin & Copper Rush.

D
EFINE A MINE. Round here
it’s easy, according to a local
saying: ‘A mine is a hole
anywhere in the world with at least
one Cornishman at the bottom of it.’
And there was a period from 1700
to 1914 when that was pretty much
the truth. You see, the marvel of this
World Heritage Site is not just the bold
new engineering and the even bolder
men who took it underground to rake,
blast and chip out the peninsula’s vast
reserves of tin and copper.
It’s how the expertise that flourished
here was exported. It’s estimated
that there are at least 175 locations
around the world where Cornish
miners and engineers went to export
their (literally) ground-breaking
techniques and technologies. San
Francisco, Santiago, Cape Town,
Adelaide: today there are Cornish-
rooted families thriving across
the globe because their ancestors
showed the world how to mine the
way Cornwall did.
The greatest innovation of them
all was the high-pressure steam
beam engine, developed by proud
Cornishman Richard Trevithick
at the turn of the 19th century. By
creating a compact, high-powered,
low-maintenance engine, he made
it far quicker and easier to pump
seawater out of the coastal mines of
Cornwall, making them faster, safer
and more efficient.
And it didn’t take a great leap
to transfer that expertise to

‘What we’re left with are the

relics, located in incredible
scenery from teetering
clifftops to secluded valleys.’
PHOTO: ANTHONY BROWN/ALAMY-

POWERHOUSE
The South West Coast
Path running past
Wheal Coates near
Porthtowan. (‘Wheal’
is Cornish for mine.)

◆ BLENHEIM PALACE

From one battle to another

Landscape masterpiece, birthplace of Churchill – but born of some serious strife…

W
ALKING BLENHEIM
PARK today, you’d never
guess it was created against
the backdrop of a series of massive rows.
It looks like the epitome of elegance and
beauty – and you can walk for miles
around the estate without having to pay
an entry fee. But the backstory is pretty
sour. The palace was to be a gift from the
Crown to John Churchill, 1st Duke of
Marlborough, in recognition of his
heroics during the War of the Spanish
Succession, culminating in the Battle
of Blenheim (an area of Bavaria in
Germany) in 1704. But it all went
pear-shaped when the Duke chose Sir
John Vanbrugh (fresh from his design
of Castle Howard in Yorkshire) as the
architect, rather than his wife’s choice,
Sir Christopher Wren. Not only did
Vanbrugh and the Duchess quarrel
bitterly over the design, so did the
nation, with a major row over the state
funding for it all. And although the
palace remains Vanbrugh’s design, his
gardens and parkland were later redone
by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.

60 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 DISCOVER Cornwall & Devon

PHOTO: TOM BAILEY

locomotion: Trevithick’s engines led WHERE ’S AIDAN?
ultimately to the birth of steam The atmospheric ruins
trains, changing transport forever. of Botallack Mine stand
The industry may be gone now in for the Poldark family
mines in the hit
– Cornwall’s last tin mine closed in BBC series.
1998 – but what we’re left with are the
relics, all of them located in incredible
scenery from teetering clifftops to There may not be Cornishmen at the
secluded valleys. Ten areas make up bottom any more, but as holes in the
the World Heritage Site; nine are in ground go, few have made more of an
Cornwall, plus part of the Tamar impact around the world than these.
Valley in West Devon. Favourites
include the Botallack Mine, perched WALK HERE: See Route 1 in this issue
on the cliffs near St Just. Over its and find Morvah to Sennen Cove at
lifetime, this mine – whose tunnels walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes
extend far out to sea – produced
around 20,000 tonnes of copper,
14,500 tonnes of tin and 1500
tonnes of arsenic (used in paint and
weedkiller) and employed hundreds
of  locals. Or the mines of the Great
Flat Lode, which plumbed the vast
inland seam that lies beneath
Camborne and Redruth.
The materials mined here were

PHOTO: HELEN DIXON/ALAMY--

useful beyond measure, in their day.
Tin plating was used in construction,
canning and munitions. Copper was
used to protect the hulls of ships, in
cookware, and later for electrical
wiring. And it could be blended with
tin to create bronze. The full story is
told via the Cornish Mining website FLOR A , FAUNA – AND A WHOLE LOT OF STEAM POWER
(cornishmining.org.uk), which breaks Sea thrift growing among the ruins of the Levant Mine near St Just. Its museum includes the
down each of the ten areas. world’s only Cornish beam engine still operated by steam on its original site.

Despite this undignified start, Blenheim

remains a triumph to most modern eyes.
UNESCO cites it as the archetype of the
English Baroque style, and also notes its
importance as the birthplace of Winston
Churchill in 1874. So it didn’t do too badly
in the end. Fun fact: Blenheim is the only
palace in Britain not to be owned by a
Royal or a bishop.

 
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

WALK HERE: Download Blenheim Park

at walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes
A BATTLE WITH THE BUILDER
The Duchess refused to let Vanbrugh visit his
finished masterpiece. He managed to get in
once, in secret, when she was away.

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 61

 DISCOVER Orkney

◆ THE HEART OF NEOLITHIC ORKNEY

Ancient metropolis
The technology of the residents of Orkney 5000 years ago
should have us turning our maps of Britain on their head.

I
F YOU’VE EVER felt disappointed in yourself
for the difficulty you find in wiring a plug or
putting up a level shelf, perhaps best look away
from what they were doing in Orkney 5000 years
ago – with considerably less access to the internet

PHOTO: FRANCESCA TAYLOR/SHUTTERSTOCK

and B&Q. The Heart of Neolithic Orkney recognises
the astonishing ingenuity of some of our ancient
forebears on the Orkney mainland, 10 miles off
the far northern coast of Scotland some 200
generations ago. It comprises four sites – the
130m-wide, ditch-encircled Ring of Brodgar, the
towering 6m-tall Stones of Stenness, the giant
chambered tomb of Maeshowe (whose interior is
flooded with light at the Winter Solstice) and the
village scene of Skara Brae, complete with stone
beds and dressers; all of which predate Stonehenge
and the Pyramids, yet rival both for significance. years, it was littered with pottery, tools, sacrificial RING OF
Archaeologists say it’s a neolithic treasure trove animal bones and even traces of mineral-based red, BRODGAR
which eclipses anything in the country, or indeed orange and yellow paint, suggesting an interest in 36 stones, described
in 1846 as looking
the rest of Europe, and marks this bleakly beautiful interior decoration that was wholly unexpected. like a gathering of
spot – now treeless, but then shaded by hazel, birch It’s unknown what the purpose of all this really stern and shaggy
and willow – as the unlikely capital of ancient was, but one thing is for certain: the discoveries druids, survive of an
Britain. It’s only become more significant since on Orkney mean we need to turn the map of Britain original 60.
UNESCO’s recognition in 1999, archaeologists upside down when considering the ancient order of
SK AR A BR AE
later discovering between the Ring of Brodgar and things. Wonderful food for thought on a walk here: Covered passages
the Stones of Stenness a six-acre entirely man- it’s London and the south – not these islands – allowed residents
made temple complex called the Ness of Brodgar. which were backward and remote. to visit neighbours
Constructed with dead-straight walls built to a without going
standard that would not be replicated for a thousand WALK HERE: Turn to Route 25 in this issue. outside.

‘Built to a standard
not replicated for a
thousand years.’
PHOTO: M. VINUESA/SHUTTERSTOCK

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 63

 ◆ DO
DORSET & EAST DEVON COAST

Jurassic world
The Jurassic Coast is 95 miles of geological razzmatazz,
185 million years in the making. Here’s how to discover
its most awe-inspiring highlights…
W O R D S : M AT T S WA I N E

T
IME-TRAVEL DOESN’T NEED a
worm hole or light-speed spacecraft,
just a pair of walking boots and a sense
of adventure. Set out east on the coast
path from Orcombe Point near Exmouth and you
are beginning a journey through 185 million
years of Earth’s history.
Stretching for 95 miles, the Jurassic Coast
is known for its incredible array of geological
wonders, from the red sandstone sea stacks of
east Devon to the chalk formations of old Harry
in Dorset. The horseshoe of Lulworth Cove
perfectly illustrates the sea’s ability to sculpt
the landscape, while the crumpled strata of
nearby Stair Hole were formed by the same
PHOTO: JAMES OSMOND/ALAMY
West Bay made famous by TV’s Broadchurch
and the fossil-rich hunting grounds of Lyme
Regis, the backdrop to Kate Winslet’s 2020
film Ammonite.
At various points in its history, it has been
a shallow tropical sea, vibrant marshland The title Jurassic
is actually a
and a scorched desert. And that means a
misnomer. The
bewildering array of prehistoric life waiting rocks of east
to be discovered with every cliff slide on this Devon and Dorset
constantly shifting landscape. span three
And if millions of years of prehistory and the geological time
evolution of life on our planet isn’t enough, periods, the
you ’ll also find incredible wildlife and historical Triassic, Jurassic
drama, as well as clifftop pubs and strategically and Cretaceous,
placed seafront ice-cream stalls. known

tectonic shift that created the Alps. The Jurassic Coast became Britain’s only collectively as the
Mesozoic Era
This stretch of coastline boasts geological natural World Heritage Site in December 2001
– the age of the
celebrities: the Insta-friendly arch of Durdle (most are cultural, one is both). Here are six dinosaurs.
Door at sunrise, the crumbling, sandy cliffs of locations to get you started.

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WALK ONE
TRIASSIC REDS
Ladram Bay
The red sandstone of east Devon’s sea cliffs was
deposited during the Triassic era, some 200
million years ago, when this was a baking desert
close to the equator. But even in that harsh
environment plants grew alongside flowing rivers.
The cliffs here are a rich, oxide-red and buried
within this Otter sandstone you’ll find
rhizoconcretions: the fossilised roots of those
ancient plants.
The highlight of this walk is the impressive sea
stacks to be found at Ladram Bay. These were
formerly arches – like Durdle Door – and the last
one collapsed less than 100 years ago in 1925.
Geological connoisseurs will also spot signs of
cross-bedding. These are thin, curved layers
in the rock that are cut across each other and
DISCOVER The Jurassic Coast
indicate that sediment was deposited by rivers
that changed direction over time.
There are caves to explore and some of these
may have been used by local smuggler John
Rattenbury who in the early 1800s used Ladram
Bay as one of his key locations to bring contraband
ashore. And as you head up the River Otter keep
your eyes peeled for England’s only wild beaver
colony. These eco-engineers mysteriously
appeared in the area in 2008, but they are now
part of a reintroduction project monitored by RED HOT IRON
Devon Wildlife Trust. The sea-stacks at
Ladram Bay were
formed when Devon
WALK HERE: Download Sidmouth & Otterton and was desert, and their
Beer & Branscombe routes from walk1000miles. hue comes from
co.uk/bonusroutes iron oxide.
APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 65
 KING OF ROCK
Monmouth Beach is
named after the duke
who landed here in 1685.
He wasn’t after fossils; he
wanted James II’s crown.
WALK TWO

FANTASTIC BEASTS
Lyme Regis
You don’t need an expert eye to discover fossil
remains here. Stride across Monmouth Beach
and you’ll spot giant ammonites anchored to the
shoreline just waiting to be admired. But there is
nothing quite like turning over a rock to discover
a perfectly formed fossil and knowing you are the
first person on earth to see this echo of a life from
many millions of years ago.
Mary Anning (1799-1847) was just 12 years old
when she discovered the first English ichthyosaur
on the shores near Lyme Regis. Searching the blue
lias and Charmouth mudstone cliffs along this
stretch of the coast she also discovered plesiosaur
and pterosaur skeletons and made huge
contributions to our understanding of prehistoric
life, although she was given little credit for her work
during her lifetime.
It is such an important area because this is where
the Triassic rocks of East Devon give way to the
Jurassic beds of blue lias – a mixture of limestone
and shale layers. These rocks were deposited in
a tropical sea rich in marine life, so you could
stumble across anything from fish and insect to 
PHOTO: MARTIN BACHE/ALAMY

the remains of dinosaur and ichthyosaur. New

discoveries are still being made today and this area
has been described as one of the best fossil hunting
sites in the world.

WALK HERE: Turn to Walk 2 at the back of this

magazine for a loop of 5⅔ miles at Lyme Regis.

WALK THREE

GOING FOR GOLD

Golden Cap
Golden Cap is the highest point on England’s south
coast: a podium of gleaming sandstone 626 feet
(191 metres) above Lyme Bay. A climb to the top is
taxing but on a clear day you are rewarded with
PHOTO: TOM MEAKER/SHUTTERSTOCK

views that stretch from Portland Bill down towards

Start Point on the south Devon coast.
At its base is dark grey mudrock from the
Jurassic era, while the top is made of greensand
formed around 100 million years ago during the
Cretaceous period. As it is exposed to daylight the
minerals that first give it its green hue turn gold:
hence the name, Golden Cap.
Starting from woodland on Langdon Hill you
walk past the deserted parish of Stanton St Gabriel, bullet-shaped belemnites – the remains of ancient RUNNING UP
then as you steer down Stonebarrow Hill to the squid-like creatures. THAT HILL
South West Coast Path, steel yourself for one of the The rock is notoriously crumbly though – 2020 This is the location
of Britain’s most
biggest ups on this roller coaster trail. You’ll find saw a thousand tonnes fall close to the beach just southerly fell race,
the summit surprisingly flat, because during the along the coast – so the National Trust ask you keep the Charmouth
Cretaceous period this was an ancient river terrace back from the foot of the cliff below and away from Challenge: a
that left behind the gravelly deposit you find today. the edge up top. gruelling slog over
Back down on the shoreline, the base of the Golden Cap.
cliff is jam-packed with fossils, particularly closer WALK HERE: Download Golden Cap from
to Charmouth where there are ammonites and walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes

66 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 DISCOVER The Jurassic Coast

WALK FOUR FROM ST PAUL’S

TO THE UN . . .
PORTLAND THRILL Portland stone has
Isle of Portland been used in some
very fancy buildings.
This is the most southerly point on the Jurassic
Coast, a little island of limestone tethered to
the mainland by a narrow seam of Chesil
Beach. Jutting out almost six miles into the
English Channel, its mild climate boasts an
array of wildlife and is a hotbed for migrants
and rarities.
There are over 300 species of bird here, 30
species of butterfly and an eye-watering 720
species of moth. Stone quarries are excellent
locations to search for butterflies and exotic
bird species like hoopoes, wrynecks, turtle
doves, ortolan buntings and bee-eaters.
Portland stone has been used since Roman
times and it has played an important role in
British architecture. This white-grey limestone
has been used widely in a range of buildings from
St Paul’s Cathedral to Buckingham Palace and as
far afield as the UN Headquarters in New York. a visit to Portland Bill
ill lighthouse,
ligh
hth
house, to ALMOST
ALM OST
The island feels surprisingly remote and the climb the 153 steps to the top. From here, on a AN ISLAND
best way to discover it is on a circular walk clear day, you have excellent views that take in Portland hasn’t
quite escaped from
using the South West Coast Path, but there are almost the full extent of the Jurassic Coastline. the mainland; it’s
a host of smaller paths that allow you to explore still attached by
its history and wildlife further inland. And no WALK HERE: Download an Isle of Portland route a thread...
walk here would be complete without from walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes

PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY

 WALK FIVE

ARCH APPEAL
Durdle Door
A collision between the tectonic plates of Africa
and Europe some 25 million years ago pushed
the Alps and Pyrenees skyward but their impact
was also felt on what is now the Dorset coastline.
Its legacy is most visible in the short section
between Lulworth Cove and the iconic
limestone arch of Durdle Door.
The corduroy U-bend crumple at Stair Hole
shows how the strata of the rock were bent and
contorted by this tectonic battle, while a band of
rocks visible at low tide at Man o’ War Bay are
some of the last remnants of limestone pushed
upwards during that process.
Dorset’s most iconic (and arguably the UK’s
photographed) natural feature is Durdle Door.
It is linked to the chalk mainland by a rocky
isthmus, constructed from a geological cocktail
of greensand, sandstone and Wealden Clay.
There’s lots to be said for getting here early in
the morning to see the sunrise through the arch War Bay,
Bay an excellent spot for a snorkel or swim.
swim IN A NAME
and then to take a dip in the waters of Man o’ End with an afternoon climb to the top of Bindon This idyllic cove is
Hill over Lulworth Cove, where in summer you known as Man o’
War Bay.
might just spot the eponymous Lulworth
‘Tears for Fears and Skipper butterfly. And if you need a playlist for MAKE THE
Billy Ocean both used your walk, consider a Tears for Fears and Billy MOST OF IT
Ocean mash-up: they both used Durdle Door as The arch of Durdle
Durdle Door as a a backdrop for their music videos in the ’80s. Door will eventually
fall into the sea so
backdrop for their WALK HERE: Download Lulworth Cove & Durdle
get your pics while
you can.
music videos in the ’80s.’ Door from walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes
PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY

WALK SIX
CHALK DAZZLE
Old Harry Rocks
Stand on the cliffs above Old Harry Rocks and look
east on a clear day you can see the Needles on the
Isle of Wight. These two famous landmarks are
formed from the same continuous line of chalk that
runs under the sea – a band of white limestone
formed some 65-100 million years ago as
microscopic plankton were compressed on the floor
of what was once a tropical seabed. It runs on west
as a strip of high ground – the Purbeck Hills – via
Corfe Castle to Lulworth Cove.
Possibly named after local pirate Harry Paye
(1360-1419), Old Harry is a gleaming wedge of chalk
that has become one of Dorset’s defining
landmarks. Any walk should offer views from
multiple angles. Sunrise from the shoreline at
Studland or on a late saunter from Swanage are
both good choices, but any route has to take you up
DISCOVER The Jurassic Coast
PHOTO: LISSJ/SHUTTERSTOCK
onto Ballard Down to gaze down on this series of DARE DEVIL
stacks, as you try to ignore the vertiginous drop. The chalk stacks
Up here you’ll often spot hunting peregrine may be named after
a local pirate, or
falcons, cormorants and black-backed gulls.
after Old Harry, the
You may also see pods of dolphin, seals and even Devil himself, who
enormous sunfish cruising the waters below. And legend has sleeping
as you head back down to Studland at the end of the on these rocks.
day you can explore the historic WW2 remains of
Fort Henry, a training ground for D-Day landings
that once played host to Churchill, Eisenhower
and Montgomery. And if you want to sharpen your
thirst before a really well-earned pint, you can
stroll out across Godlingston Heath to find the 400
ton block of sandstone known as Agglestone Rock.
WALK HERE: Download Studland & Old Harry
Rocks from walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes
APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 69
 ◆ CASTLES & TOWN WALLS
OF KING EDWARD IN GWYNEDD

Royal

PHOTO: UNKYFOOD LONDON -

ramparts

PAUL WILLIAMS/ALAMY-
What happens when a genius architect
meets a king with deep pockets and
an enemy? These castles is what.

O
N BISCUIT TIN lids and in endless childhood
doodles, castles decorate the earliest reaches of our
imagination. We don’t know how lucky we are. Nowhere
else in Europe can rival Wales for medieval military architecture –
mega-structures so well preserved, spectacularly sited, and just
downright castly they’ve imprinted on our collective imagination.
Commissioned by Edward I, all four of these martial masterpieces were
designed, and construction directed, by a single man born in the foothills of
the alps – James St George – in a period of less than 50 years from 1283 to
1331. They were intended to dominate and colonise the Welsh, and were so
ambitious they bankrupted the English king. But what a legacy they left.

Caernarfon
ONE OF THREE castles begun by Edward in 1283 (along
with Conwy and Harlech) and as his administrative centre
in Wales it was built big, with walls encircling the town.
It cost around twice the annual tax receipts of the whole
of England. But what a lot the King got for his money!
PHOTO: ROBERTHARDING/ALAMY-

A magnificent statement of polygonal-towered power,

between Snowdon and the Menai Strait. It last
saw fighting in 1646, and was ordered to be
demolished in 1660 – though understandably,
it seems nobody could face starting the job.

WALK HERE: Download

Caernarfon from
walk1000miles.co.uk/
bonusroutes

Harlech
ROUND-TOWERED, BEACH-fringed, knoll-topping,
impossibly romantic Harlech sits high above the Irish Sea,
triangulated by Snowdon to the north and the Rhinog Hills to
the east. With 200ft drops to the sea, and a ditch dug out of the
rock on its landward side, it was a formidable prospect for an
attacking army, and it withstood the siege of the arch enemy
who inspired its construction – Madog ap Llywelyn – in
1294-95. But in 1404 it fell to Owain Glyndwr, after its
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

resident garrison discovered to its regret it possessed only

three shields, eight helmets, 10 pairs of gloves and four guns.

WALK HERE: Download Llanbedr & Harlech from

walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes

70 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 DISCOVER Castle country

◆ DURHAM CASTLE & CATHEDRAL

Beaumaris
‘A perfect
HOW DO YOU follow three castles you built ten years ago
everyone agreed were masterpieces? This was James St
George’s answer. Like other concentric designs, it was really two
castles – one inside the other, with four gatehouses, 18 towers,
300 firing positions and a moat. It was a moneypit – 400 masons,
2000 labourers, 200 quarrymen 30 smiths and carpenters, a
garrison of troops and materials all to pay for, and at a time when
little city’
Edward I’s attention was drifting to Scotland. It was never finished. So says Bill Bryson of William the
WALK HERE: Download Beaumaris from walk1000miles.co.uk/
Conqueror’s wall in the north.

A
bonusroutes TIGHT BEND in the river Wear almost
completely encircles one of the world’s most
precious survivals from the Norman age
– the peninsula containing Durham Castle and
cathedral. Built at the behest of William the
Conqueror in 1072, the castle was a bulwark against
attack from the north, and home to the Bishop of
Durham. No ordinary cleric William Walcher –
instead, the new king decreed, he would be a
‘Bishop prince’, with the power to hold parliament,
mint coins and raise taxes – and an army. Most of
all, to stop the Scots getting any ideas about paying
a visit. So successful was the fortress (built from
stone quarried from the cliffs on which it stands),
it was the only Norman castle never to be breached.
Since 1837 it has been home to one of Durham
University’s 17 colleges, and though it’s a working
academic institution, walking tours (£5) are held
several times a day (dur.ac.uk/durham.castle).
Beyond the city the treasures of the Durham Dales
await – including High Force, Cauldron Snout and
surrounding high, lonely hills.
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

WALK HERE: Download Durham from

walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes

EMPOWERING
THE REGIONS
Durham’s cathedral
Conwy was the workplace
of Bishop prince
NESTLED AT THE mouth of the Conwy and the foot of – and bulwark in
the Carneddau mountains, Conwy Castle is an eight- the north – William
towered fortress that obliterated the site of an old Walcher.
Cistercean monastery and parked an almighty tank
on a favoured lawn of Welsh princes. Its construction
included the building of a wall around the neighbouring
town, and the work was carried out by hundreds of
English craftsmen, hired each summer season at
Chester, and who then walked the 40 miles to
work. You can still make a complete circuit of the
battlements today, and if you do – look down. Conwy
has the earliest surviving examples of ‘machiolations’
– holes through which quicklime (medieval napalm)
could have been dropped on unwelcome visitors.

WALK HERE: Download Penmaenmawr to Conwy

from walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes
PHOTO: TOM BAILEY

‘Designed – and construction

overseen by – one man in a
period of less than 50 years.’
APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 71
 ◆ STONEHENGE, AVEBURY & ASSOCIATED SITES

Henge country
Wiltshire’s enigmatic earthworks and stone circles never fail to fascinate.

M
ANY HAVE WONDERED
who built it and puzzled
over how. But the biggest
question surrounding the great
stones arranged in monumental
rings on Salisbury Plain has always
been why? Why build Stonehenge?
Early antiquarians proposed
a timekeeping function and it’s a
PHOTO: ROBERTO LA ROSA/ALAMY-
theory borne out by a recent study
published in the journal Antiquity.
Bournemouth University’s
Professor Tim Darvill explained
how new analysis indicates ‘the
site was a calendar based on a
tropical solar year of 365.25 days’,
hinting at cultural links with the
Mediterranean. But there’s much we
still don’t know. We do know that
Stonehenge was built in several
stages, beginning with the henge
(the circular bank and ditch 330 feet
in diameter) about 5000 years ago.
The 25-ton upright sarsens and
lintels, and smaller bluestones
sourced from the Preseli Hills in
Pembrokeshire, were added in the

◆ PONTCYSYLLTE AQUEDUCT & CANAL

The stream in the sky

It’s bold. It’s ingenious. It’s the engineering marvel that will turn your legs to jelly.

S
TRIDING ACROSS THE bosky
Dee Valley in the top right-hand
corner of Wales is an undisputed
wonder of the Industrial Revolution.
Eighteen tapered stone piers bear the
weight of 19 cast iron spans and a trough
over 1000 feet long – a giddying 126 feet
above the white-water River Dee at its
highest point. Every day, 11 million
gallons of fresh water flow over it,
quenching Cheshire’s incredible thirst.
Opened in November 1805, the
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (say ‘Pont-ker-
sulth-tay’) is still the highest navigable
aqueduct on the planet. One of many
early plaudits came from Sir Walter
Scott, who called it ‘the stream in the
sky’. And it astonishes tourists even now,
with many walking trepidatiously across
it on the queasily narrow towpath. This
geography-defying feat of waterway
engineering made the name of Thomas
Telford, though equal credit goes to his
boss William Jessop, senior engineer for
the never-completed Ellesmere Canal.
The finished sections and westward
feeder spur from Trevor Basin are today
known as the Llangollen Canal. The
World Heritage Site designation covers
its remarkable first 11 miles downstream
 DISCOVER Stonehenge & Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

‘Fascinating every culture that came

afterwards, Stonehenge hasn’t always
been treated with reverence.’

late Neolithic, from around 2500 BC.
Fascinating every culture that
came afterwards, Stonehenge hasn’t
always been treated with reverence.
Up until 1977 tourists were free
to clamber over it. In previous
centuries, visitors would chisel off
souvenirs. It’s even thought that Sir
Christopher Wren carved his name
into Stone 52. Over a million people
now file around it every year, but
few explore the wider ceremonial
landscape of Salisbury Plain, which
encompasses the earlier parallel
ditches of a cursus nearly two
miles long. This cluster of ancient
monuments forms only one part of a
World Heritage Site – 17 miles away
at Avebury, an even larger henge
girdles Britain’s biggest stone circle.
There’s also a mysterious chalk
mound called Silbury Hill – Europe’s
tallest prehistoric man-made hill.
WALK HERE: Turn to Walk 3 and
download a 6¾-mile Avebury route at
walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes

WALKING
IN THE AIR
Vertigo sufferers,
you’d better sit this
one out. Crossing
the aqueduct takes
a head for heights.

from Horseshoe Falls, where water from

the River Dee is siphoned into the canal
network. You can follow it to Chirk, where
PHOTO: EDDIE CLOUD/ALAMY-

a mighty stone duct straddles the Ceiriog

Valley, parallel with a railway viaduct.

WALK HERE: Turn to Walk 23 for a

6-mile Pontcysyllte saunter. For routes
at Horseshoe Falls and Chirk, head to
walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 73

 Thames’ gems
You can bestride the hemispheres and get up close to some giants
of history in a weekend’s walk by the world’s most storied river.

L
ONDON IS ONE of just a few cities
globally to have four World Heritage Sites:
Greenwich, the Tower, Westminster and
Kew Gardens. All of them stand on the banks of
the Capital’s great river, which means you can
walk one to the next along the Thames Path.
The first three pack into a nine-mile stretch,
with Kew something of an outlier 11½ miles
to the west (though you can shave a bit off by
cutting straight across Barnes Common).
Put together they make one heck of a heritage-
packed weekend, just over 20 miles with easy
transport links at Greenwich (DLR/national
rail) and Kew Gardens (District Line).
Some of it will be like walking though a
gripping episode of Horrible Histories with
vanished princes, royal executions and flesh-
eating plants. And much of it will be beautiful:
grand Gothic palaces, elegant parks and rare
orchids, as you explore sites that have witnessed
great discoveries and events that changed the
course of the Capital’s, and the nation’s, history.
‘All four stand on the banks of the
Capital’s great river; you can walk
one to the next on the Thames Path.’

◆ ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW

The green planet

DAVID ATTENBOROUGH HAS been boggling
our minds with his recent BBC show about
plants, and Kew is the place to keep exploring the
wonderful, weird world of botany. It holds over
eight million items – 60,000 living plants, plus
preserved specimens and documents – in what
is the ‘largest and most diverse botanical and
mycological collection in the world’.
Established in 1759 by Princess Augusta, the
gardens have been shaped by numerous notable
landscape architects including ‘Capability’
Brown, and span a world of habitats from
Alpine rock garden to Palm House to
Japanese garden, arboretum to carnivorous
plants to aquatic garden. You can even get into
the canopy, 59 feet up on the Treetop Walkway.
Joseph Banks was the driving force
that turned Kew from a pleasure garden
to a centre of botanical research. He was on
Captain Cook’s Endeavour voyage (1768-71) and
returned with over 1000 species never before seen
in Europe; he later commissioned explorers to
collect specimens from around the world. And
some are extraordinary to see: a Madagascan
palm that flowers once after 50 years and then
dies, a corpse flower that lures insects with its
putrid odour, and lily-pads six feet across.

SHIP SHAPE
Techniques borrowed
from ship-building
were used to build
the Palm House.
PHOTO: MANFRED GOTTSCHALK/ALAMY

74 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 DISCOVER London

◆ TOWER OF LONDON

Jewel in the crown

IF WALLS EVER could talk, these are ones you’d
want to listen to. The first, at the White Tower,
were built by William I soon after he conquered at
Hastings in 1066. Expanded to luxurious royal
dwelling, and infamous prison, these stones saw one

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
king murdered at prayer (Henry VI); three queens
executed (Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and Jane
Grey after just nine days on the throne), and they
could tell you what really happened to the Princes
in the Tower (12-year old Edward V and his little
brother) who vanished without trace, presumed
SENT TO THE TOWER
killed by their uncle Richard III, or by Henry VII.
Elizabeth I, William ‘Braveheart’ Wallace, Sir Walter Raleigh, Thomas
Guarded by ‘Beefeaters’ and ravens – if the birds ‘Wolf Hall’ Cromwell and Guy Fawkes were all incarcerated here.
leave it’s said the kingdom will fall – the Tower
sheltered the Royal Mint
for 500 years, an armoury
and a menagerie, and still
protects the Crown
Jewels.

THE NEW
BELL TOLLS HORIZONS
The bongs of Big Admiring the
Ben mean the symmetry of
sound, as well Greenwich Park,
as the sight, of with Canary Wharf
Westminster is topping the city
famed. skyline beyond.

◆ MARITIME GREENWICH

Walk the lines

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

OUTSIDE THE ROYAL Observatory you may find a queue to

◆ PALACE OF WESTMINSTER &
WESTMINSTER ABBEY INCLUDING SAINT
MARGARET’S CHURCH
Seats of power
MONARCHY, RELIGION, DEMOCRACY: all are key
to this World Heritage Site. Since the 11th century,
Britain’s kings and queens have been crowned at
Westminster Abbey, wed and buried too. Next door,
St Margaret’s is known as the ‘parish church of the
House of Commons’ and those Commons can of
course be found inside the Palace of Westminster,
along with the Lords, and over a thousand rooms.
The floor area tops 1.2 million square feet.
Its neo-Gothic grandeur is best seen from the other
side of the Thames, or on the bridge across, to get the
full span of its near-1000-foot river frontage, with the
tower holding the bell of Big Ben at the northern end.
The first palace was constructed here in the 11th
stand astride a line in the ground. It is the Prime Meridian (and
International Date Line), the 0° line of longitude where eastern
hemisphere meets western and you can have a foot in each.
This Greenwich knoll was also where astronomers Robert
Hooke and John Flamsteed discovered how to measure Earth’s
movement, and helped develop global navigation.
Walk towards the river, down a sweep of grass (once a royal
hunting park), and there’s another important line: the Grand Axis
around which the buildings are arranged in perfect symmetry.
The nearest is the Queen’s House designed by Inigo Jones and
Britain’s first Palladian building. Beyond are twin domes and
long ridgelines of the Royal Hospital, now Old Royal Naval
College, which was designed by Christopher Wren and Nicholas
Hawksmoor. The park was landscaped by André Le Nôtre and
with its buildings, UNESCO explains, it showcases ‘English
artistic and scientific endeavour in the 17th and 18th centuries’.
WALK HERE: See Route 5 in this issue.
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

century, but a devastating fire in 1834 meant it had to

be rebuilt. Work began on this one, designed by Sir
Charles Barry, in 1840 and it took more than three
decades to complete what is one of the Capital’s most
famous views.

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 75

 F
ROM THE BRIDGE at the top of
Cwm Ifor the valley walls fan out,
like arms flung wide to say would
you look at this view? A fledgling
brook runs under my feet and burbles off into
the leafy depths below. Hedges and copses
◆ BLAENAVON chequer the low hills beyond, while the
INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE volcano-mimicking angles of the Sugar Loaf,
and the long ridges of the Black Mountains,

The Iron
shadow the horizon. Three hundred years ago
it would have looked much the same, but the
intervening centuries looked very different.

Mountain
Out of darkness, fire, sex
and superstition came the
makings of the modern world.
W O R D S : J E N N Y WA LT E R S PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY

76 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022


The two biggest clues lie over the other side
of this hill in the town of Blaenavon, where
you can see the abandoned furnaces of an
ironworks and the rusting headstock wheel of
the Big Pit coal mine. There are clues here too:
paths that trace the routes of old tramways,
rockfaces that have clearly been quarried,
wildflowers growing from heaps of discarded
slag, heathery dips made by early surface
mining for iron ore. In the 18th century this
quiet patch of Wales became an epicentre
of the Industrial Revolution and UNESCO
recognised the global importance of its story
– extraction, manufacture, transport,
SCOVER B
DISCOVER
DISC
DI Blaenavon
settlement – at the dawn of the millennium. COUNTRY
But what first drew industry to this rural ROCK
place? Sat at the north-east corner of the An industrial story in
a beautiful setting;
South Wales Coalfield, it holds all the raw the view from Cwm
ingredients needed to make iron: ore, Ifor ranges deep into
limestone, coal. In 1787, three men leased an the Brecon Beacons
area of land known as Lord Abergavenny’s National Park.
Hills – 12,000 acres that spanned Coity
Mountain, Gilwern Hill and the Blorenge –
and set up the Blaenavon Company.
They weren’t the first to mine here. The
hummocky terrain around Pwll Pen-ffordd-
goch, or Keeper’s Pond, where I started my
walk, is the result of hushing for iron ore
IRONS IN THE FIRE
Furnaces, cast house, water-balance tower, cottages, truck shop:
the works at Blaenavon show what life was like for ironworkers.
APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 77
 DUCK which began at least a century earlier. Small dams
OR GROUSE were built to collect water and then released in a
Pwll Pen-fford-
rush; the torrent scoured away the top soil to reveal
goch supplied
water to Garn the mineral veins. But Thomas Hill, Thomas
Ddyrys foundry. Hopkins and Benjamin Pratt really meant business.
It’s also known as Within two years they had three blast furnaces
Keeper’s Pond; the roaring at Blaenavon. The design made the most of
gamekeeper lived the hilly terrain, built into the slope so materials
nearby when the
ironmasters used the
could be tipped in at the top, and they used steam
Blorenge for grouse instead of water to drive the bellows, a technique
shooting. that was barely a decade old. As soon as the
ironworks opened it was one of the biggest in Britain;
PULLING
TOGETHER by 1812 it had expanded to five furnaces (there were
Inset illustration: eventually six) making 14,000 tons of pig iron a year,
A tramway as it so called because the molten metal was poured into
would have looked moulds that resembled a sow suckling her piglets.
in its heyday, with I’m walking the Iron Mountain Trail Part One, an
horses drawing carts eight-mile route through the northern part of the
of limestone, coal
and iron.
World Heritage Site, around the bulging, heathery
slopes of the Blorenge and up to its summit (Part
Two explores the south and the two can be linked to
make a 12-miler). It was a short drop from Keeper’s as an adit mine (a horizontal working) in Blaenavon,
Pond to the bridge at Cwm Ifor, and my onward path but they later kept on digging until they hit fresh
rolls along a beguiling grassy shelf above the valley, air on this side, making the longest tunnel of its
tracing the route of Hill’s Tramroad. Within a few kind in Britain.
yards I’m looking for ruins in the undergrowth At its busiest, the limestone supported a village
beside it – maybe a blacksmith, maybe a pub – and of 300 people with a pub astride the Monmouth/
spot tiny wild strawberries among the rocks. Brecknock border: you only had to move tables to
The tramway was built around 1817 by enjoy the county’s differing licensing laws. Their
ironmaster Thomas Hill to link Blaenavon with the houses are gone – demolished in the 1960s – and the
Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal at Llanfoist, quarry is now home to bats and peregrine falcons.
OLD WAYS and with two other key locations that soon come The tunnel was a two-way street. Limestone was
Hill’s Tramroad, and into view. The first, away to my left, is Pwll-du, drawn south to the Blaenavon furnaces; pig iron
the canal below, where a chiselled grey cliff indicates a quarry. was brought north to the foundry at Garn Ddyrys,
fell out of use after Limestone was cut from the hill and carried to the and an intriguing rocky tor shows I’m nearing the
the railway (part
top of the face by an ingenious water-balance lift. site. It is in fact a shapely heap of waste, or slag,
of which is now
a heritage line) Up there it was carted into a tunnel: horses didn’t known locally as the Monster. The forge here
reached Blaenavon only draw trams around the hill, they went 1½ turned pig iron into less-brittle, more rust-resistant
in the 1860s. miles right through it. The Pwll-du tunnel started wrought iron. The process was devilish. Workers
had to stir, or puddle, molten metal for hours to
expose it to air and burn excess carbon. When it
finally ‘bloomed’ into a solid state, they beat it with
steam hammers to remove further impurities,
with every strike spraying white hot metal.
These works also supported a community
300-strong, and once across the B4246 I discover
the crumbling walls of Garn Ddyrys Row, and a few
yards further on the site of the Queen Victoria Inn
where a party in 1946 got so wild the floor caved in
and pitched the revellers in the cellar.

Hill’s Tramroad then glues itself to the 370m
contour line for over a mile, touring round the
plump belly of the Blorenge. It is an absolute joy to
walk – a grassy balcony with ringside views across
the wide scoop of the Usk Valley to Skirrid Fawr,
Sugar Loaf and Table Mountain. Stretches of path
have square stepping stones down the middle –
sleepers that once held the rails in place – and in
one place the tramway route dives through a cut
and cover tunnel (it’s a Scheduled Ancient
Monument so you’re asked not to enter).
Another route hugs a contour lower down the
slope: the Brecknock & Abergavenny canal.
Completed in 1812, it linked to the Monmouthshire
canal at Pontymoile to give Blaenavon iron a route
to Newport, and the world beyond. But first you had
to get the cargo 250m down the hillside from
tramroad to waterway. Cwm Craf is like a giant
thumbprint in the northern slopes of the Blorenge,
and a winch house once stood in it, at the top of the
first of three inclines that dropped to the wharf at
Llanfoist. Laden trams were attached to a loop of
chain threaded through a brake wheel; the carts
coming back up were sometimes empty, sometimes
loaded with beer from the local brewery.
You can take a detour down beside the inclines;
locals once used them as paths, but it was a risky
business. The Hereford Times reported a lucky
escape when a woman leapt out of the path of a
DISCOVER Blaenavon
CAST
IN STONE
Pocked and rusty
red, this lump is slag
(waste) from Garn
Ddyrys Forge.
HERE BE
MONSTERS
The slag heaps
make intriguing tors
like the one known
as the Monster,
which has also been
likened to a chicken,
a frog and a squirrel.
runaway cart, commenting ‘she presented rather
a ludicrous sight – her gown, cap, &c, streaming in
the winds, and her mouth open’.
Running on around the hill, I stumble into a
deliciously peaceful oasis, with a moss-green pool
tucked up into steep wooded slopes. The Punchbowl
is a natural glacial cirque, but its lake is held by a
man-made grassy bank. Its name may reflect its
bowl-y curves, or perhaps its history as a venue for
bare-knuckle fighting in the late 18th century.
Violence was often part of life in these hills. The
early 19th century saw the rise of a group called the
Tarw Scotch, or the Scotch Cattle, who encouraged
– and enforced – solidarity against the mine and WILD HEART
ironwork owners, and a unified front against poor Wildlife now thrives
pay and conditions. Letters in blood-red ink around Blaenavon;
wild strawberries at
addressed ‘all Colliers, Traitors, Turncoats’ who
Cwm Ifor, red grouse
broke strikes, threatening to draw their hearts out on the moors, and
and fix them on the horns of a bull. Those who didn’t the vanishingly rare
comply received ‘midnight visits’ from ‘herds’ of Silurian moth has
men disguised in cattle-skins who would smash also been spotted.
windows and furniture, burn curtains and clothes,
and paint a bull mark on the front door. Sometimes
‘Hill’s Tramroad glues itself to the
370m contour line for over a mile…
It is an absolute joy to walk.’
APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 79
 the residents were beaten, although how
often or how badly, is unclear. One
newspaper reported a man’s blood soaking
the floor, when he had just a cut to his finger.
From the Punchbowl, I wind up a rubbly
lane beneath ancient beeches. Burned to
charcoal, trees like this would have fired the
early ironworking process. But then much
older plants – ones that grew 300 million
years ago and had been turned to coal – became the
TIP GIRLS
dominant fuel. The first shaft was dropped at Big
Above: An exhibition
at Big Pit reveals Pit, on the other side of the hill, in 1860, linking to
the work of women older workings below ground. Coal was extracted
in the mines, above for 120 years and it is now one of only two mining
and below ground. museums in Britain where you can take a tour
(Runs to Sep 22.) underground and begin to imagine what life was
FIGHT like in the pitch below.
OR FLIGHT A government report in 1842 catalogued many
The Punchbowl once dangers. One was air: coalbed methane, or firedamp,
rang with the sounds could explode, while other gases and dust damaged
of bare-knuckle
the lungs over time and few miners lived beyond 40.
fighting, including
a bout that went 42 But as long as there was enough ‘fresh’ air to keep
rounds. Now you can a candle alight, work went on. Another was space:
listen for warblers, the height of the tunnels depended on the depth of
cuckoos and the each coal seam and some were so low miners had
laughing call of to crawl, dragging a cart behind them, or pushing it
green woodpeckers.
with their head. ‘The hair is very often worn off ‘I stumble into a
bald,’ reported one collier, ‘and the part is swollen gorgeous peaceful oasis,
so that sometimes it is like a bulb filled with spongy
matter, so very bad... that they cannot bear it with a moss-green pool
touching.’ Then there were rockfalls, collapses,
floods and freak accidents, like the man caught in
tucked up into steep
a chain and hurled 300 feet into a pit where he was wooded slopes.’
‘literally dashed to atoms’, according to a report in
The Hereford Times.
It’s no wonder miners were superstitious. We intercourse where he worked.’ Shortly after the
might be glad to spot a robin, or a dove, but these report, all children under 10 were banned from
‘corpse birds’ were thought to foretell disaster and work underground, and women of all ages, although
many refused to work if they saw one near the pit. some were able to make a living as ‘tip girls’ sorting
As I climb grassy paths up the brackeny Blorenge, rocks above ground – Big Pit is currently running
the contrast of that dark world with the wide views an exhibition about them. Others moved to the local
and fresh breeze is stark: the hill’s name may even brickworks, turning the local fireclay into blocks to
come from old Saxon blore, meaning wind. line the furnaces and to build the town.
Children as young as four worked in the mines, The burgeoning iron industry drew people from
A CUT ABOVE and women. One manager commended the ‘great across Britain and Ireland, and Blaenavon grew
The jumbled grassy strength and patience’ of the ‘robust and fearless throughout the 19th century to more than 14,000
slopes of The girls’, but most were scandalised: ‘I am certain people. Manager’s houses were grand – one was
Tumble contrast
that the girls are worse than the men in point of known simply as Ty Mawr, or the Great House;
starkly with the
sharp limestone morals, and use far more indecent language. It workers’ cottages were cramped and lacked
angles of Pwll-du unbecomes them in every way… they learn neither facilities. Different trades often lived on different
quarry. to knit nor sew. I have known myself of a case streets – colliers on one, ironworkers on another,
where a married man and a girl had sexual stablemen on another – but there were community
buildings too: a school (now the World Heritage
centre), a Workmn’s Hall, and St Peter’s church with
its cast-iron font, cast-iron pillars and iron-capped
tombs in the graveyard. I wonder if they ever sang
All things bright and beautiful: the Blorenge is
thought to be its ‘purple-headed mountain’.
A triangulation point marks the summit at 1841
feet, from where I can see a great wheel of view that
includes Pen y Fan, the highest peak in the Brecon
Beacons. An adjacent Bronze Age burial cairn
shows the human history of this area spans
 DISCOVER Blaenavon

ROCK WORK
BLORENGE
The hill’s name is
a rare rhyme for
orange; it may come
from Saxon blore for
wind, Welsh plor for
pimple or Middle
English blure for
blister.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
BIG PIT
Underground tours
at the National Coal
Museum are all led
by ex-miners.

millennia, although it’s these last centuries that had

global impact. Welsh metal made engines, tools,
machines, bridges, ships and railway lines around
the world; workers from Blaenavon took their
Plan your trip
expertise to countless countries; and the Gilchrist- WALK HERE 792829, oakfieldbnb.com) in
Thomas method developed here in 1878 Download guides to the Iron Blaenavon talks about its friendly,
Mountain Trails at visitblaenavon. knowledgeable hosts, Paul and
transformed how everyone made steel. American
co.uk Tours at Big Pit National Coal Heidi – and its comfy rooms, great
industrialist Andrew Carnegie paid a quarter of a
Museum are free but must be location and delicious cooked
million dollars to use the process and said: ‘These booked (museum.wales/bigpit); breakfasts. Doubles from £80pn.
two young men, Thomas and Gilchrist of Blaenavon, small entry fee to Blaenavon
did more for Britain’s greatness than all the Kings Ironworks (cadw.gov.wales/visit/ WHERE TO EAT
and Queens put together. Moses struck the rock and places-to-visit/blaenavon- Butterflies Bar & Kitchen
brought forth water. They struck the useless ironworks). (01495 791044, butterflies
phosphoric ore and transformed it into steel.’ blaenavon.com) bills itself as
For 30 years the skies burned as the furnaces GETTING HERE Blaenavon’s hidden gem but its
manufactured steel, but the boom went bust. It Blaenavon is 5 miles south- Welsh black steaks (from £18),
west of Abergavenny; the walk motherclucker burgers (£15) and
became cheaper to import ore, and to work it at
starts at Keeper’s Pond a mile Korean cauliflower ‘wings’ (£15)
the coast rather than move it inland. Weakened by
north of Blaenavon on the B4246, are so well-renowned you’ll need
poor management, Blaenavon’s metal works shut in or you can walk from Abergavenny to book. There’s also a cafe at
the early 20th century, its coal mines towards the to Llanfoist and up to join the trail. the World Heritage Centre with
end. I trace a path back through the heather and X24 bus runs frequently from gorgeous views across the valley
wimberry to Keeper’s Pond, across a plateau once Newport, Cwmbran and Pontypool (01495 742339).
managed as a grouse moor by the ironmasters and (all have rail stations) to Blaenavon.
still the furthest south in Britain you might see a MORE INFORMATION
red grouse. Nature is gradually reclaiming much of WHERE TO STAY i See visitblaenavon.co.uk or
the landscape – even the area’s spoil heaps are Everyone who stays at the call the World Heritage Centre on
4-star Oakfield B&B (01495 01495 742333.
attracting wildlife – but these hills will always have
a story to share with those who walk them.

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 81

 ◆ STUDLEY ROYAL PARK INCLUDING THE RUINS OF FOUNTAINS ABBEY

The great splicing

Medieval monastery + Georgian paradise = some very special scenery.

S
FIND YOUR TUDLEY ROYAL PARK is beautiful enough Aislabie in 1693. And when Aislabie’s career went
ABBEY PLACE all by itself, but the fact that it also contains pear-shaped in the financial scandal of the South
Once one of the one of the best-preserved Cistercian Sea Bubble, Aislabie retreated here, to his seat just
wealthiest churches
in the land, now the
monasteries in Europe is what puts it squarely south-west of the Yorkshire town of Ripon, and
prize asset of one of on the world stage. dedicated his life to creating a garden paradise.
the finest landscape It’s a wonderful mish-mash, this one. The early He did. Described by the National Trust as
gardens in the world: part of the story is Fountains Abbey. Founded in ‘tranquil yet playful’, the water gardens comprise
Fountains Abbey, 1132, it operated for 407 years, becoming one of the some 800 acres of lakes, viewpoints and temples,
in the parkland of
Studley Royal.
wealthiest monasteries in England – right up until all gathered around the meandering path of the
it was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539. River Skell. The abbey ruins are the focal point
The grounds in which it sat were then given over of it all: possibly the world’s largest and grandest
to a succession of lords and MPs, until it fell to John garden ornament.
PHOTOS: BAILEY-COOPER PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY

‘The abbey ruins are
the focal point of it all:
possibly the world’s
grandest and largest
garden ornament.’
As with Blenheim earlier, parts of the estate are a
paid-entry attraction and rightly so, but there are
also miles of freely walkable trails all around the
site, revealing many of those exquisite viewpoints.
But perhaps the greatest lesson of Studley Royal
Park is Aislabie himself: after being brought down
by Parliamentary scandal, he didn’t try to cling on,
brazen it out or wheedle his way to a comeback.
He went home and created something beautiful.
Modern politicos of all hues, take note.
WALK HERE: See Walk 19 in this issue.
DISCOVER Abbeys, parks and mills
◆ DERWENT VALLEY MILLS
The mills of
the moguls
A beautiful valley where the world
of the factory changed forever.
I
T’S NOT TERRIBLY glamorous to reward an
area for being ‘the birthplace of the modern
factory system’, but it means a lot here in
Derbyshire. It wasn’t just that the mills of the
Derwent Valley (from Matlock Bath southwards
through Cromford and Belper, down to central
Derby) revolutionised the production of cotton and
silk. It was how their owners treated the workforce.
Here, magnates like Richard Arkwright and
Jedediah Strutt built not just technologically
advanced mills, but safe housing for workers and
their families, with schoolrooms and churches
alongside. They believed in keeping their labour
force healthy, and that children should be able to
read and write before they started work among the
looms. Conditions were of course still fairly brutal,
as any of the museums along the trail will tell you,
but it was certainly an improvement on anything
prior. And while this wooded, twisting valley may
nestle just outside the Peak District National Park,
it’s by no means short of wonderful walks, such as
the one which loops around Cromford – hub of the
whole operation – in this issue.
WALK HERE: See Walk 11 in this issue.
PHOTO: SIMON ANNABLE/SHUTTERSTOCK
KING COTTON
Belper North Mill was
built by Jedediah Strutt
and opened in 1786;
the current building is a
replacement built by his
son William in 1804.
APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 83
 DISCOVER Ironbridge Gorge

◆ IRONBRIDGE GORGE

Symbol of an age
How the Industrial Revolution turned a picturesque
Shropshire gorge into the powerhouse of an Empire.

M
ANY PLACES AROUND the world
claim to be ‘the birthplace of the
Industrial Revolution’, and the truth is
there isn’t really a single place where it began.
But Ironbridge Gorge has a stronger claim than
most, and that’s why it’s a World Heritage Site.
It was in this mineral-rich sandstone gorge on
the River Severn in Shropshire that ironmaster
Abraham Darby built a blast furnace powered by
coal-derived coke (rather than charcoal) in 1704.
This turbocharged the process of smelting iron,

PHOTO: TOM BAILEY

which could then be floated downriver and
exported round the world. This single process
was both a technological quantum leap, and the
means by which the British Empire became the
dominant force in global politics for almost 200
years. But as the foundries of Coalbrookdale, The first ever cast-iron bridge in the world. OLD LOOK …
Broseley and Madeley sprawled, it became A bridge which was not just a functional The Iron Bridge as
obvious a bridge was needed to link them. It had structure but a power statement; an advert for seen from Rotunda
View. The bridge
to be single-span, so as not to restrict the flow of the skill of the Shropshire ironmasters. In 1781,
was painted grey
cargo-carrying river traffic, and strong enough the Iron Bridge opened. The world trembled, and for over a century.
to stand against the steep, unstable walls of the those three ironmaking communities united
gorge. To architect Thomas Farnolls Pritchard, under one new name: Ironbridge. Today the … NEW LOOK
the answer was easy: an iron bridge. foundries may only remain as museums, but Recently, archivists
the bridge stands strong, and what was once a discovered it was
originally painted
‘The bridge was not just a roaring hellmouth of acrid smoke and noise is red-brown, so after
once again a tranquil wooded gorge whose edges a major restoration
functional structure but are criss-crossed by picturesque walking trails. and paint job, it
reopened in 2019
a power statement; an WALK HERE: Download Ironbridge at with its new (old)
colour scheme.
advert for the skill of the walk1000miles.co.uk/bonusroutes

Shropshire ironmasters.’
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 85

 ◆ ST KILDA

Edge of the world

The Scottish islands that prove the best things in life aren’t easy.

S
T KILDA IS possibly the most
spectacular World Heritage
Site in the British Isles, but the
archipelago is so remote that only
5000 people set foot here in your
average year (while 15 million make
it to the Lakes and Jurassic Coast).
From most angles you might wonder
if a foothold is even possible: its
cliffs wall up over 1000 feet from
the North Atlantic and its grassier
slopes have the forbidding tilt of a
pool table propped against a wall.
But there is some level-ish ground
on the south-east of the main island
of Hirta, around a notch sheltered
from the prevailing winds (which
can top 140mph) and waves (which
can top 50 feet). Village Bay is where
visitors land and, of course, where
the village was. People lived out
here, 100 miles west of the Scottish
mainland, for 4000 years, growing
barley, farming sheep, but mostly
relying on sea birds for food,
feathers and fuel.
A million gannets, puffins, petrels,
fulmars and other birds gather in
cackling colonies on the cliffs of
Hirta, Dùn, Soay, Boreray and the
nearby sea stacks – the rocks all
remnants of the rim of an ancient
volcano. We should warn you the
skuas can divebomb walkers, so take
care as you explore. A track leads
up to a saddle and Mullach Mòr;
otherwise it’s off-path adventure,
with a wary eye on those cliffs.
Nobody lives on St Kilda any more.
After a series of failed crops and
illnesses, the remaining residents
requested evacuation in 1930.
Most people now come for the day to
spend a few unforgettable hours on
Hirta (boat trips start at £220). But
you can also book with the National
Trust for Scotland, who inherited
the islands from the Marquess of
Bute in 1956, to camp under dazzling
stars on this wild splinter of
Scotland (£20pn, nts.org.uk).

‘Fromm most angles you might wonder if a foottholld is even

possi
sib
ble: the cl
cliif fs wall up over 1000 feet f rom the Atlantic.’
PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK; RICHARD BURDON/ALAMY-
 DISCOVER St Kilda & Jodrell Bank

◆ JODRELL BANK OBSERVATORY

An ear on
the universe
The dish that’s been tuned in on
Radio Cosmos since 1957.

A
HARD LIFE NYONE WHO’S EVER stood on any high
Above
Ab
A b and left: St Kilda point in the western Peak District will
now,
n o and when people know Jodrell Bank, or specifically its
called
c
caa it home. It’s the Lovell Telescope. Stare out across the Cheshire
only
o n World Heritage Site Plain and there it is, gleaming white and colossal.
in
n Britain recognised for
Up close it is captivating: 290ft tall, its dish 250ft
its
ts outstanding natural
it
n cultural value.
and
a across. The array includes several dishes but the
Lovell, completed in 1957, is the star of the show. Its
job is to seek out radio waves: emissions generated
from cosmic bodies and events ranging from
pulsars to supernovas. When the telescope is
pointed at a radio source, waves arriving from it are
intercepted by the dish and focused to a small box
on the central tower, where they get channelled to a
receiver. UNESCO calls it ‘a masterpiece of human
creative genius’. Plus it has a Discovery Centre
and a very walkable arboretum. It is of course the
youngest of Britain’s World Heritage Sites (opened
in 1957, awarded 2019). What a whippersnapper.

WALK HERE: There are no rights of way nearby

so you’ll need to pay the entry fee. But it’s a
fascinating experience, and the arboretum makes
a lovely little walk in the shadow of an icon.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

GEEK OUT
The Lovell Telescope is
a shrine for Doctor Who
fans: Tom Baker fell off
it in 1981 and turned
into Peter Davison.

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 87

 Family gear

Family Ge a r
Specia l
F
ROM HEY DUGGEE
to Encanto, the world of a
2022 young person is filled
Whether you’re with heroes exploring the
outdoors. And on a good day,
carrying a future a family walk is the greatest
adventure of them all. That can even be
walker or trying true on the grimmest of days – because
to keep up with an if the crew is properly kitted out, even
wind, rain and muddy puddles can’t
excited explorer, stop the fun. (In fact, muddy puddles
might be the best part.)
here’s the kit that The right outdoor gear can even
Gear
Geear Badge
a ge from Squirrel Club (if you
Bad
know, you know) by tracking down the
best kit to keep your junior squad
warm, dry and comfortable, whatever
the sky brings you. And then we got
the kids to test it. Because, as we all
know, they’re the harshest critics of all.
About our reviewers
Matthew Pike is a Country Walking
contributor who moved to mid-Wales
hoping the hills, rivers and lakes would
inspire his kids to love the great

will make a real inspire them to want to get outdoors

difference to your
adventures.
R E V I E W S B Y M AT T H E W,
DYL AN AN D E LIS PI KE
more – you’d be amazed what a pair of
‘proper’ walking shoes or a jacket with
Peppa Pig’s face on it can do to their
appetite for adventure.
So whether you’re a parent or
grandparent, the cool uncle or the
stepmum with all the good ideas, this
is the guide for you. We’ve earned our
outdoors. Dylan, who’s four, loves
to climb hills (so long as he can see
the top and there’s the promise of
chocolate). Elis is a toddling nearly-
two-year-old, who’s often only happy
when he’s outside, and is fascinated
by everything from buzzards
to sheep poo.

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
PHOTO: TOM BAILEY

of going to press.

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 89


REGATTA
Minnow Printed
Wellies
RRP: £30 Target Price: £12
Sizes: 5-2½ Weight per boot: 380g
These are really helpful for when your
kids are starting to take their boots on
and off by themselves. The handles are
great for getting their feet right in, and
the cotton lining is smooth too, so the
foot slides in and out with ease. Dylan
finds these very comfortable, and they
keep him stable even in the rockiest of
puddles. The outsole is slightly abrasive,
which means there’s good grip, though
the toe end feels a little on the thin side.
There are no arguments when it comes
to waterproofness, but the inner lining
has just started to come off, which
might affect future comfort. Overall,
they’re good boots that make it quick
and easy to get outside. regatta.com
VERDICT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
SCARPA
Terra S Kid GTX
RRP: £75 Target Price: £68 Sizes: 9¾-5 Weight per boot: 269g
For tackling tougher terrain, these
boots are certainly worth considering. is wonderful, as it allows him to wade
For starters, they look the part,
which makes Dylan feel like a proper
mountaineer. They’re well padded
around the ankles, the midsole is firm, on easy paths. But these boots really
and the boot feels sturdy. They have
decent lugs and excellent grip (Dylan
hasn’t slipped so far, no matter how
90 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022
PHOTO: TOM BAILEY
KEEN
Younger Kids’
Targhee Shoes
RRP: £65 Target Price: £55
Sizes: 7-12
Weight per shoe: 239g
Keen helpfully divide their
children’s range into Youngerr and
Older, and these ‘younger’ shoesoes are
really versatile and comfortable.
ble.
They’re quick to put on when your
young ’un is eager to get outside,
id and d
they’ve got a nice springy midsole and quicker to manage than normal
and excellent grip underneath (even lacing, but is still a little fiddly for
wet decking isn’t a problem!). They’re four-year-old Dylan. Perhaps when
flexible, so they’re good on a range he’s a couple of years older, that
of terrains, and for leaping from rock won’t be a problem. Overall, this is
to rock. They also offer very good a fantastic shoe whether it’s for a hill,
toe protection and the Keen.Dry track, garden or shopping trip.
waterproof membrane works well. keenfootwear.com
The pull cord-style lacing is easier VERDICT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
hard he tries). The Gore-Tex membrane ne
through puddles almost like he’s in
wellies. They’re light enough to be
worn comfortably around town or
come into their own when it’s time forr
adventures in the hills. scarpa.co.uk
VERDICT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
 Family gear

Waterproofs
MOUNTAIN
WAREHOUSE
Samson Kids’ Jacket
RRP: £40 Target Price: £20
Size options: 2-12 years
Weight: 387g
This is a great waterproof coat that’s
as useful for school as it is on the
trail. The hood is easily adjustable
for variance of head size, and the
poppers at the base of the hood
have done a brilliant job of keeping
Dylan well protected in stormy
weather. He says he always feels
snug in it – the fleece-lined collar is
comfy, and the mesh lining keeps it
breathable so neither it nor he gets
too sweaty. There are four pockets,
which are great for kids who like to movement. All the essentials are
collect things as they walk (Dylan present and correct here – and
does). The jacket feels a little more at a bargain price.
rigid than some waterproofs, but mountainwarehouse.com
it doesn’t seem to restrict his VERDICT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

SPRAYWAY REGATTA
Hergen Junior Jacket Peppa Pig Mudplay
RRP: £45 Target Price: £30 Puddle Suit
Size options:2-15 years Weight: 244g RRP: £50 Target Price: £20
This jacket weighs virtually nothing, yet does Size options: 6 months – 6 years
just about everything you want it to. We’ve Weight: 313g
tested it in prolonged spells of rain, Regatta’s tie-in with the all-conquering
and Dylan has always stayed dry. Peppa has been a real coup: a perfect
When the Hergen is zipped marriage of Peppa’s inspirational kid
right to the top, he’s also well appeal and Regatta’s outdoor nous. This
protected against driving rain. waterproof puddle suit keeps Elis dry,
The hood fits snugly – no even in persistent rain and when wading
matter how hard the through puddles where the water level
westerly tries, it can’t blow is higher than his boots, thanks to the
it off – and it has a peak tight elasticated ankle cuffs. And
that means droplets although it’s lightweight, it’s nicely
don’t fall onto his face. padded, so he’s cosy when it’s cold.
The elasticated cuffs Getting the suit on is straightforward
also do a good job of – once you’ve got one leg in, the rest is
keeping water out, and a doddle, as it zips from ankle to chin.
the two pockets are both The dinosaur teeth and the picture of
zipped and of a decent George add to the appeal for Elis. Ankle
size. This jacket not only hooks for wellies might have been a
looks the part, but it does good addition, but otherwise this suit
the job you want it to is hard to fault – Elis is ready in one
magnificently. sprayway.com hassle-free minute, and it offers him
VERDICT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ incredible freedom. regatta.com
VERDICT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 91

 FUN
FACT
Sleeping outdoors
helps kids sleep better
– and improves their
adaptability so they

Snug stuff
can sleep
anywhere!

VANGO
Starlight
Junior Sleeping
Bag
RRP: £40 Target Price: £30
Max user height: 150cm Weight: 1.28kg
Dylan loves his Starlight Junior sleeping bag to the point
where he insists on using this, rather than his duvet, on his bed.
It’ss w
It well
elll in
el insu
insulated
sula
late
ted
d th
thro
throughout,
roug
ugho
hout
ut wh
whic
which
ich
h ke
keep
keeps
epss hi
him
m sn
snug
snug,
ug as d does
oess th
oe the mummy shape.
shape
His head is also nicely swathed in the hood. There are great little details too,
including loops that allow you to hang it out, a ‘secret’ pocket inside for storing
midnight snacks, and a zip guard to prevent the zip from snagging. The suggested
minimum usage temperature starts ts from 88˚C, so it’s really only for summer use if
you’re in a tent. But from head to tail it’s a fine addition to a family camping trip.
gooutdoors.co.uk
VERDICT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

BRIDGEDALE
All Season Junior
Merino Comfort
Boot Sock
RRP: £10.50 Target Price: £10.50
Sizes: 12-5 Weight: 43g
When you first unwrap these
socks, you can’t help but give
them a pull. Straight away, they
feel strong and stretchy,
particularly around the ankle area.
They hug Dylan’s feet beautifully
and have kept him comfy on
numerous craggy walks in the
cold. The extra padding around
the toes and heel protect him
when on firm ground and pointy
rocks, and he’s never complained
about cold feet despite some
bitter conditions (which isn’t
surprising given that the socks are
31% merino wool). The heel is well
cupped and the socks have never
slipped during a walk. If you want
your child to enjoy long days out
with comfy feet then I couldn’t
recommend these enough.
bridgedale.com
VERDICT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
ISBJÖRN
Penguin Snowsuit
RRP: £180 Target Price: £117
Size options: 1-7 years Weight:
770g (92cl), 1017g (122cl)
Never in your life will you be
as envious of your child as
when they’re wearing
one of these. The
Penguin suit is so
soft and padded
that even on the
coldest days the kids
will gladly play outdoors for hours.
It has a detachable hood that’s
fleece-lined, there’s an adjustable
elasticated waist, and an ankle
hook so boots stay in place. If
you’re concerned your child will
grow out of the snowsuit after
one season, Isbjörn have
ingeniously designed it so you
can extend the arms and legs
by 3cm. If you want your kids
to love the outdoors all
winter, these are definitely
worth the investment. Our
only question is: why on
earth don’t they do these
in adult sizes?!
littletrekkers.co.uk
VERDICT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

92 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022


Other awesome stuff
DEUTER
Climber 22L Backpack
RRP: £58 Target Price: £58 Weight: 707g
On a four-year-old, this looks like an
expedition pack. Dylan loves wearing it
because he looks like a hardcore hiker.
The adjustable shoulder straps make it
easy to fit, and having waist and chest
straps means the weight is well
distributed. The main pocket is
spacious, and there are two more in the
lid and another two mesh pockets at the
CAMELBAK
Eddy+ Kids Bottle 400ml/14oz
RRP: £16 Target Price: £12 Weight: 145g
This bottle refuses to leak even when
you open the straw and turn it upside
down (which we did). The rubber
mouthpiece (rather like that on a
hydration bladder) keeps liquid safely
contained. It’s easy for Dylan to flip it
open and shut, and the carry handle is
a useful addition too. So far the bottle
has proved indestructible, despite
being dropped repeatedly. Another
plus is the inner straw is wide enough
Family gear
TREKMATES
Reflect Glove
sides for drinks and snacks. At the Junior
moment, there’s too much room for RRP: £16 Target Price: £13
anything a four-year-old might carry, Weight: 26g
but this will change as Dylan gets older. These gloves look great – the
It really is an excellent pack for kids who spider design on the palm is a nod
are into proper outdoor adventures – it’s to the ladybird spider whose
even hydration-system compatible and conservation efforts are being
has walking pole straps. deutergb.co.uk supported by Trekmates, while
VERDICT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ the camo-effect on the back is
reflective. They appear small, but
the stretchy fabric means they’re
comfy and close-fitting. There are
two seams around each finger,
making them very ergonomic.
This, combined with the close fit
and thin material, means they can
be rather fiddly to put on, but the
gloves give you full freedom of
movement and d have good grip
too. They keep p the
cold off well,
though are
perhaps not
suitable for
really icy
weather. But if
you’re looking
for lightweightt
gloves that keepep
the chill at bay,,
while offering
excellent
dexterity, then
these are fab. trekmates.co.uk
VERDICT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
to clean with a pipe cleaner (unlike ke
other bottles where this can get
grimy). Probably the only slight
quibble is that the mouthpiece iss a
hed,
little tricky to reinsert once washed,
but considering its amazing non-spill-spill
abilities and built-to-last quality, this
should never put you off buying one
of these fantastic bottles.
camelbak.co.uk
VERDICT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 93
Child carriers
T
HE CHILD CARRIER is essentially
a rucksack with a built-in seat for
little adventurers from six months
to around four years. And it’s one of
the strangest new worlds that a parent
finds themselves entering. How does it
work? How does it stand up? How do
I put Junior in? And how do I stand up
with it? But once you’ve got to the
bottom of these (hopefully with help
from a good instruction manual and an
online video), a child carrier opens up a
whole new world of adventure for you
OSPREY
Poco LT
RRP: £275 Target Price:: £240
Weight: 2.45kg Reviewed wed by: Matthew & Elis Pike
This is a wonderfully efficient
fficient carrier, seconds. Considering its diminutive
both for walking and travelling. It’s
small and light, and smaller still
when it packs away, resembling a
medium-sized backpack whose
straps are hidden behind a zip-away
cover, which in turn tucks into a
pocket when not in use. And yet it
stands very solidly. Getting Elis in is
easy, the only straps being around
the shoulder (these look back-to-
front but work very well), although
his feet often get a bit snagged when
taking him out. The sunshade is
simple to set up – it literally takes
94 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022
and your little one. They get to ride in
style, look around, drool on a built-in
pad and fall asleep when it all gets too
much. You get to wander along, barely
feeling the weight, and enjoying the
delighted gurgling sounds coming from
somewhere behind your ears. And as
they grow, they can split their time:
starting off on foot, then hitching a ride
in the carrier when they feel tired.
Basically, a good child carrier is the
best way to build a happy new walker.
Here are three which do it in style.
size, there’s plenty of space in the
main pocket for nappies, wipes,
spare clothes and food. The
elasticated hip pockets provide easy
snack access, but there are no side
pockets to store drinks. It also lacks
foot stirrups (which are handy for
keeping wellies on his feet). But it’s
very comfy for both child and adult,
so if you want a great carrier that
takes up very little boot space, this
might be the one.
ospreyeurope.com
VERDICT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
THE KNOWLEDGE
THE WEIGHT
Obviously as Junior grows, you’ll feel the
weight more. But don’t just opt for a
cheaper, lighter carrier, because the
important factor in all three on this page
is the harness system: they might be a
bit heavier as units, but they disperse
Junior’s weight carefully using the
harness. The best advice is to start using
one early so you gradually get used to
the weight change as Junior grows.
THE LIFTING
Nothing quite prepares you for the weird
experience of hefting your child, who’s
sitting in a rucksack, onto your back.
Ideally have another person around to
help, but if you’re alone, there are two
main ways of doing it.
Option 1 With Junior safe and secure
and the straps to your liking, put your
lifting arm through the shoulder strap,
lift via the carry handle (palm upwards),
put the other arm through its shoulder
strap, and ‘hoik’ (technical term) the
pack into place so the shoulder straps
take the weight. Connect the harness to
distribute the weight properly.
Option 2 Sit down, clip on the harness
like any normal rucksack, then use your
hands to lift up from the floor and stand.
 Family gear

LITTLELIFE
Cross Country S4
RRP: £190 Target Price: £170
Weight: 2.89kg Reviewed by:
Matthew & Elis Pike
A fab carrier with stacks of luxury y
features, including a mirror in thee hip
pocket, well-padded straps for both
adult and tot, and a soft, washable
ble
drool pad decorated with animals ls
which keeps Elis amused. The Cross ross
Country is fairly light and stands solidly:
it lacks a kick-stand like the otherr two
have, but it stands by itself and iss
especially stable when you use the he ‘foot
cave’ at the base while you load. Its rain
cover (optional extra) and sunshade ade are
both effective, if a tad fiddly. Andd getting
Elis into place can also take a while,
ile, as
there are several straps required to anchor
him down. But he’s really comfy once he’s
PHOTO: RYANDAVIESPHOTO.COM

in. The strap settings for the grown-up

wn-up can
also be changed with ease, which h is handy
for when you switch from one personerson to
another. Best of all, it stays comfyy for mile
after mile, it’s loved by both us and
nd Elis,
and it comes at a reasonable price ce too.
littlelife.com
VERDICT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

DEUTER
Kid Comfort Pro
RRP: £300 Target price: £265
Weight: 3.68kg Reviewed by:
Mike & Felix Roberts
Small and light, this isn’t. But sturdy
and comfortable it is. And given the
choice, I’d go for that every time when
it comes to carrying wriggly kilograms
on my back. The 24kg max payload
(22 for the child, 2 for the rest of our
load) means this is a carrier that’ll see
us through until Felix has the stamina
to join us on two feet. It’s a patient
PHOTO: MARIE MARSH

child (not mine) who’ll sit tight while

you make all the necessary strap
adjustments on the first ride, but
once set up, the loading process is
quick, easy and reassuring. There’s a
buckle and slide system for altering
the fit depending on your height, so one of the perils of a good, close
switching between parents is possible fit. Adjustable stirrups are
on the go. The kick-stand clicks in designed for the child’s comfort,
and out when you need it. The wide but if there’s a way to persuade a
padded hipbelt has zip pockets big toddler to keep their feet in them,
enough for snacks, tissues, a phone I’d like to know it. With the seat and pillow had a nap-test seal of approval.
and the included mirror. The large straps at the right settings, this A handy sun roof is included, but rain
zipped front pocket carries everything doesn’t feel like an issue, and they’re cover available to buy separately
else. An aircomfort mesh sits against there for when Felix is old enough to (£25). deutergb.co.uk
your back but expect to feel warm – know what’s good for him. The soft VERDICT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 95

Yorkshire Dales Self-guided Walking Holidays in Co Wicklow, Ireland
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Based at Loughdan 4* Guest House
Fully inclusive Guided or Self-Guided tours,
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walking@loughdanhouse.com
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EXPLORE NORTH DEVON COAST

Pattard is in an area of outstanding natural beauty
where you can explore the North Devon Coast
between Hartland and Hartland Point. Walking
routes available straight from the doorstep and
a short stroll to the South West costal path. The
cottages are well equipped and dog friendly. Tuck
Friendly, experienced Walk Leaders make your walking holiday flexible, into some delicious food at our onsite restaurant.
hassle free, sociable and one to remember for years to come. Find out more
www.pattard.co.uk or 01237 441311
Discover more at www.secrethillswalking.co.uk or call 01694 723600

Cottages
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throughout Scotland
Pets Welcome
Short Breaks Available
01463 719219
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To advertise in
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 FOOTPATH
HOLIDAYS

CAT HOLE COTTAGES

YORKSHIRE DALES
Beautiful Dales scenery,
superb cottages,
great walks.
Tel: 01748 886366
Email: judith@catholecottages.com
www. catholecottages.com

CRANFORD HOUSE
Keswick Guided & Self Guided
Comfortable, friendly guest house close to town
centre. Ideal base for walkers and cyclists.
We also offer secure cycle storage
Walking Holidays.
and packed lunches. A family run company now in our
Tel: 017687 71017 39th season.
www.cranfordhouse.co.uk
View our full schedule of
GUIDED WALKING walks online.
HOLIDAYS IN WALES
Explore the spectacular scenery, history & wildlife of the Pembrokeshire
Coast or Brecon Beacons. Daily walks with Welsh speaking guide.
01985 840049
Full-board with delicious food, croquet, coracling, etc. Relaxed house-
party atmosphere. 7, 6 or 4 nights. Singles, couples & groups all welcome. www.footpath-holidays.com
For brochure ring Richard: 01873 810970
or visit www.dragontrails.com
footpath.holidays@gmail.com
 Crossword & puzzles

Tea break PRIZE CROSSWORD By Will Adams

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 SPRING ANSWERS
Walking wordsearch 8

9 10 11
10 wonders of walking Britain – JUST
and one bonus one FOR
FUN
12 13
Y L P N Q H O L M E D U N E S
A S G A P I N G G I L L M A D 14 15 16
R A P S W W T V U F C B D S K
S F B F T K I H G I T Q W A L 17 18 19 20

D T W X S Q R S Y X Z J R C I 21
MARCH WINNERS
Lindsay Healy, Shepreth
D L A L H X U U T N Q Q S H N 22 23 24 Keith Imeson, Cheltenham
L T R C U M B I E M P T C U D Clare Hurcomb, Caterham

J S V J P H T V R U A R F A I 25 26 27 Spring issue winners will

be published next month.
Q V B O F O L R C A U N J L S
J R K W Q I L H Y H I D S A F 28 29 Full terms and conditions can be
found at greatcompetitions.co.uk
N E A L U M G L C F V N L L A
B H O S C
G A N K H P D C X
I A S A I A W G U R
I Q N E I N
Win Cicerone guidebooks
Three lucky winners will each get to select two
K O R E U U O Y I U D P P N E guidebooks from Cicerone’s range, including
D R S I L S X A E B G H F N K The National Trails of England, Scotland and
Wales and Walking in Arran. For more details,
● SUILVEN ● HIGH CUP Tel. 01539 562069 or visit www.cicerone.co.uk
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PHOTO: MARTIN FOWLER/ALAMY-

ACROSS DOWN
1 Romeo and I step out with clergyman 1 Pledge penny – more is unlikely (7)
(6) 2 New deadline has no end – perfect!
4 Sterilising product left in sands? (6) (5)
9 See 10 across 3 US politician oddly stern on a
10 & 9 Unusually, Tom Heaton is out Dartmoor hill (7)
(3,2,4) 5 Most recent is not the earliest! (6)
JUST 11 Fifty per cent back this spa city (4) 6 Our Mr Bate redesigned Westonbirt,
FOR 12 Spring flower – love it to bits! (6) perhaps (9)
FUN
Where is this? 13 Traipses around with pies and tarts?
(8)
7 Impetuous type – result of wearing
a woolly hat? (7)
Country: ____________________ (Apprentice) 14 Mark a birthday, perhaps, with new car 8 Be totally determined to redirect gits
(Beetle) (9) not on path! (4,2,7)
National Park: ___________________ (Master) 16 Some trainers use Downs initially as 15 Completely absorbed composing
place to breed horses (4) song: ‘Reeds’ (9)
Specifically it’s: _________________________
17 Walkers need these to finish all the 17 Periods of instruction, but not as
_______________________________ (Maestro) long walks! (4) much on top of Snowdon (7)
18 Maybe at home with Sue, the person 19 Possibly as new as Welsh city (7)
you live with (9) 20 In need of drink, possibly try this (7)
22 ‘Villa’ is hotel? Surprise! (8) 21 Wandering miles round Penarth Head
Last month’s answers 23 Scared? RAF scrambled to assist (6) is not complicated (6)
PHOTO: PAUL RICHARDSON/ALAMY-

25 Back in the hills, go by marshy areas 24 Narrow hilltop eroding badly –

(4) not on! (5)
26 Underwear that breathes quickly? (5)
27 Nightfall sees first of ducks on Welsh
river (4)
28 Completely soaked, poor Desmond
loses top of map (6)
WHERE IS THIS? 29 Very seldom are there no openings for
✁

Gaping Gill, Yorkshire Earl Grey blend (6)

Dales, England

98 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 27 ROUTES with Ordnance Survey Maps

APRIL 2022

FREE
Waterpro
ro of
with eve
r
order fro y
wa m
co.uk/sho
p

SOUTH
WEST

SOUTH
EAST

MIDLANDS

EAST

NORTH
WEST
PHOTO: SPK/ALAMY

NORTH
SLOW WITH THE FLOW EAST
The River Yare meanders past
Reedham on a breezy day in
the Norfolk Broads. Walk 12
trails the river from this spot.
WALES

Wandering free
Ancient ways in the Cotswolds l Bluebell woods on
SCOTLAND

Sheffield’s doorstep l Moor and forest tracks in the

IRELAND
Glens of Antrim... and more great walks for April
WALKS
Find a great walk near you...
25
SOUTH WEST

SOUTH EAST

01 Cornwall Great Flat Lode Walk MIDLANDS

02 Dorset Lyme Regis EAST

03 Wiltshire Stonehenge NORTH WEST

27
04 West Sussex Pulborough FAMILY
WALK NORTH EAST
05 Greater London Greenwich
WALES
06 Oxfordshire Hailey & Ramsden
24 SCOTLAND
07 Hertfordshire Ashwell & the Mordens
IRELAND
08 Herefordshire Weston under Penyard
09 Warwickshire Draycote Water 26
20
10 Shropshire Ironbridge
11 Derbyshire Cromford 16
15
12 Norfolk Reedham 19

13 Lincolnshire Aby 18

14 Cheshire Bollin Valley 14 17 13

22
15 Cumbria Scafell 11
21 23
16 Cumbria Crag Fell
10 12
17 South Yorkshire Treeton 09
18 West Yorkshire Saltaire 07
08
06
19 North Yorkshire Fountains Abbey
05
20 Northumberland Walltown Crags
03
21 Gwynedd Snowdon (via the Llanberis Path) 04

22 Gwynedd Llyn Padarn 02

23 Wrexham Pontcysyllte Aqueduct Route 01

24 Fife Forth Bridges & Inverkeithing Bay updates

25 Orkney Islands Ring of Brodgar Skipton, N. Yorkshire, Mar 22, Walk 16 – Rights of way at start (Engine Shed/
26 County Antrim Cargan Ings Lane) currently closed for culvert works until 24 April 22. No diversion.
CLASSIC Whitchurch & the Llangollen Canal, Ches/Shrops, Mar 22, Walk 13 – Stiles: 14
27 Highland Gleouraich ROUTE If you spot a route which needs updating, email cwroutes@bauermedia.co.uk

How to use GRADE

Our routes are graded easy, moderate, challenging
or occasionally extreme, depending on distance,

your routes terrain, elevation and ease of navigation. Easy and

moderate walks are usually less than 8 miles with
relatively gentle gradients. The table below shows
WALK INFORMATION how we grade our more challenging walks:
An estimate of how long the route will take,
based on a pace of about two miles per hour, TERRAIN: Min 2000ft ascent, sustained
steepness and rocky or boggy ground.
challenging

with allowances made for slower, hilly routes.

NAVIGATION: Good map-reading and
N
W

OUR EXPERTS
compass skills required in places.
S
E

All our routes are written by experienced and

knowledgeable walkers who are experts at A DISTANCE: Route is between 8-12 miles
finding the best walks in their area and B from start to finish.
describing them clearly.
TERRAIN: 3000ft+ with sustained steep
ABBREVIATIONS ascent/descent; possible scrambling.
extreme

We have abbreviated left to L and right to R.

NAVIGATION: Sound navigation skills
N
W

required; route may be trackless.

S
E

GRADIENT PROFILE
Check the ascent and descent (hilliness) of A DISTANCE: Route is more than 12 miles
the route with a quick glance at this profile. B from start to finish.

CW routes online MAPS (on reverse of route card)

Follow the red route marked clearly on the map.
and on your phone! It’s essential to take the relevant Ordnance
Country Walking has partnered up with Survey map with you in case you get lost and
Ordnance Survey’s OS Maps to bring you inadvertently leave the area covered by our map.
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

100 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022


01 GREAT
CORNWALL
FLAT LODE WALK
Distance: 7¼ miles/11.7km Time: 3¾ hours Grade: Moderate
E E
SE TURE 60
A G
FE PA
ON
CHOSEN BY…
ROBERT HESKETH
The Great Flat Lode
Walk is a well-signed
and scenic walk/cycleway,
rich in industrial history.
Recognised as one of the
world’s best preserved historic
mining landscapes, this area
south of Redruth was
intensively exploited for
copper and tin between the
early 18th and early 20th
centuries, as its many ruined
engine houses and mine
buildings testify. The route
circuits Carn Brea, a granite
topped hill surmounted by the
90ft high Basset Monument
in memory of Francis Basset,
mine owner and philanthropist
and is named after the
enormous vein (‘lode’) of tin
600
400
metres
200
0 0
km 0 2 4
Looking north to PLAN YOUR WALK
Carn Brea.
PHOTO: ROBERT HESKETH
ROUTE
Start/parking South
Wheal Frances car park,
grid ref SW682394,
postcode TR16 6JX
Is it for me? Some short
exploited here. The lode was ascents/descents, much of
unusual in running only 30 it level. Well signed, but
degrees below the surface, many turns and junctions
whereas most lodes dived Stiles None
steeply underground at around
PLANNING
70 degrees, necessitating
Nearest towns
deeper and deeper workings. Redruth & Camborne
The Great Flat Lode yielded Refreshments King
90,000 tons of high quality tin Edward Mine café
concentrate and employed (The Croust Hut)
thousands of men, women and Public toilets None
Public transport Buses 45
children from the 1870s to the and 42 (from Camborne/
First World War. Falmouth) to Piece near
start, plus others to stops
1 Start
Turn L onto gravelled trail.
Walk past South Wheal
near route (gocornwallbus.
co.uk). Trains to Camborne
and Redruth, plus T1/T2
buses from Truro
Frances. Continue past two Maps OS Explorer 104;
further engine houses. Landranger 203
2 ½ mile/0.7km
Reaching lane turn L Continue into bridleway. Follow
signed ‘Great Flat Lode Walk’. this R past engine house.
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18
SOUTH WEST
SOUTH WEST
02 LYME
DORSET/DEVON
REGIS
Distance: 5⅔ miles/9km Time: 3-4 hours Grade: Moderate
E E Lyme Regis harbour. PLAN YOUR WALK
SE TURE 64
A G
FE PA
ON
PHOTO: FIONA BARLTROP
ROUTE
Start/parking Holmbush
car park, Pound Street
(A3052 west side of Lyme
Regis), grid ref SY337920,
postcode DT7 3HX
CHOSEN BY… which leads to NT’s Ware Cliffs Is it for me? Woodland,
FIONA BARLTROP property. Go through gate and field and riverside paths,
From the historic and keep ahead, joining Coast Path country lanes, town, sea
picturesque seaside (CP). (Down to L CP descends wall, ups and downs.
South West Coast Path
town of Lyme Regis (birthplace through woods to car park and
and East Devon Way, and
of famous fossilist, Mary Cobb harbour, return route at River Lim Path – info from
Anning) this walk combines end.) In next field continue on Lyme Regis TIC or online
a stretch of the South West CP at intersection, with fine Stiles 7
Coast Path with an inland coastal views on ascent looking
loop through the countryside back. Bear L at Crow’s Nest PLANNING
to Uplyme, passing under along track (now in Devon), Nearest town Lyme Regis
Refreshments Plenty of
an impressive viaduct and soon reaching Undercliffs
choice in Lyme Regis:
returning by the River Lim. The National Nature Reserve (info Harbour Inn (01297
final leg along the seafront can panel on R). Carry on ahead 442299); Talbot Arms,
be extended to the end of the
sea wall to the north-east and
on the famous Cobb harbour
ignoring permissive footpath
(to Chimney Rock) that forks R
and follow track to next turning
Uplyme (01297 443136)
Public toilets Car park
at start
Public transport Trains to
wall in the other direction. on R signed for Chimney Rock Axminster, buses to Lyme
and Ware Lane. Regis, including Jurassic
1 Start
At far end of car park from
entrance head along private 2 ¾ mile/1.2km
Turn R uphill via steps to
Coaster (firstgroup.com)
Maps OS Explorer 116;
Landranger 193
➥ road, Pine Walk, then path Chimney Rock outcrop. Cross ➥
GRADIENT PROFILE
600
400
metres
200
20 km 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
✁
 DORSET/DEVON
02 LYME REGIS
SOUTH WEST
OS Explorer map 116 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
5
3 OPTI
4 6
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
stile and head across field to
Ware Farm Manor drive and
road (Ware Lane). Turn L to
A3052. Cross straight over and
continue along Gore Lane for
500m, passing turning on L for
Hill Farm.
1½ miles/2.4km
3 Fork L on footpath to follow
field edge, then descend to
lane. Turn L and carry on along
lane below Horseman’s Hill on
L. Pass to R of cottage at end
continuing along bridleway and
down field to road.
2¼ miles/3.5km
4 Turn R along Cannington
Lane going underneath disused
railway viaduct (comprising 10
arches of concrete, this carried
Axminster and Lyme Regis
Light Railway, 1903–1965).
Keep ahead at junction
ignoring turning on L. At next
1 RT
STA
2
junction, as lane curves R, fork
L. At crossroads keep ahead
along an access road briefly.
3 miles/4.6km
5 Fork R joining East Devon
Way and follow path down to
Uplyme, keeping ahead across
footbridge past cricket club
and village hall to road. Turn R
and shortly at Talbot Arms car
park L signed for Lyme Regis.
Cross next road and carry on
along path which follows River
Lim valley back to Lyme Regis.
Cross road and continue along
Mill Lane and path down to
thatched Old Mill. At junction,
cross footbridge, then continue
across field and over Lim again.
Path enters wooded area then
joins access road. Keep straight
on at Horn Bridge on Windsor
Terrace. Cross another road,
continue across footbridge
and carry on to next road
APRIL 2022 CORNWALL APRIL 2022
01 GREAT FLAT LODE WALK
SOUTH WEST
OS Explorer map 104 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
7
9
8
10
ONAL
6
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
5 STAR
1 T
DATE WALKED
DATE WALKED
2
(Mill Green), following it round
4 3
to road junction. Keep ahead
crossing road to continue along
Riverside Walk to Town Mill.
4½ miles/7.3km DON’T MISS... 2½ miles/4km 5¼ miles/8.2km
TIME TAKEN
TIME TAKEN
6 Follow Mill Lane uphill, R 5 Continue ahead for 8 Turn L at next bridleway
into Coombe Street then L on King Edward ‘Carn Athen’. Turn L for ‘Harley post to lane. Turn L as signed.
Monmouth Street towards Mine Museum, Farm’. Cross the next lane and
church. At T-junction cross with its two continue ahead. Do not cross 5½ miles/8.8km
road, turn L then R through engine houses and the bridge. Turn R to a lane. 9 Turn sharp R and uphill.
churchyard to far end (superb extensive collections Turn L along the lane, then L
view). Follow path down to sea of mine machinery. into a path as signed. Turn R. 6 miles/9.7km
wall. Turn L to extend walk or R Follow the lane as it curves 10 On meeting road, cross
to Cobb harbour and car park. 1 mile/1.5km to the L. into Copper Lane. Take next
R at CP sign back uphill and 3 Turn L at next lane. path R. Follow it past mine
retrace steps to start. Continue into track past engine 3½ miles/5.7km ruins.
house. Take the next R by 6 Here the Great Flat Lode
YOUR RATING
YOUR RATING
mine chimney. Walk divides. Walk ahead along
VIEW THE WALK ON VIEW THE WALK ON
OS MAPS ONLINE: lane. Turn first R, then take first OS MAPS ONLINE:
1½ miles/2.4km L to join Cycle Route 3 with
walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes
4 Cross lane as signed, or Carn Brea on your R.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH divert to King Edward Mine IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Museum. Meeting lane, turn L, 4¾ miles/7.4km
then R after 50m. Take first 7 When path divides, keep R
© Country Walking April 2022
© Country Walking April 2022
bridleway R. Descend to lane. ‘Mining Trails’.
✁

03STONEHENGE
WILTSHIRE
Distance: 6 miles/9.6km Time: 3 hours Grade: Easy
E E
SE TUR E 72
A G
FE PA
ON
CHOSEN BY…
NIGEL VILE
This walk enables
Britain’s best-known
ancient monument to be
viewed from a distance, within
its natural setting, far away
from the hustle and bustle of
the tourist traffic. Salisbury
Plain is, after all, a landscape
of open vistas and expansive
views, something that cannot
be appreciated from within the
narrow confines of the stones
themselves. Along the way
lie a number of important
archaeological sites, including
Durrington Walls, Woodhenge,
the Cuckoo Stone, the Old
King Barrows, the Avenue and
the Cursus – a linear enclosure
that early antiquarians
believed was a venue for
600
400
metres
200
0 0
km 0 2 4
Stonehenge from PLAN YOUR WALK
The Avenue.
PHOTO: NIGEL VILE
ROUTE
Start/parking Woodhenge
car park, grid ref
SU151433, nearest
postcode SP4 7AR
Is it for me? An easy,
Roman chariot races. It’s truly gently undulating walk on
a walk through the pages of bridle tracks and over the
ancient history. open access ground of
Salisbury Plain
Stiles None
1 Start
Walk along the road, passing
the entrance to Woodhenge
PLANNING
Nearest town Amesbury
on the L, before passing a Refreshments A few
gate into the Cuckoo Stone minutes’ drive from the
enclosure. Walk across this start is Durrington’s
field to a gate in its far R Stonehenge Inn, with an
exact replica of the
corner. Bear L and drop down ancient stones in its
to a track, the course of an garden (01722 433186).
old army railway line, and More choice in Durrington
follow this track to the L. In and Amesbury
0.75km, and 100m before an Public toilets None
Public transport Bus X5
electricity pylon, pass through
Salisbury-Swindon stops
a gap on the R to join a track.
Follow this track – signposted
to the ‘Old King Barrows and
close to the start on
the A345 Mon-Sat
(salisburyreds.co.uk)
Stonehenge’ – for 1.2km, Maps OS Explorer 130;
before keeping on the track Landranger 184
as it bears R.
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
SOUTH WEST
04PULBOROUGH
WEST SUSSEX
Distance: 5¼ miles/8.5km Time: 3 hours Grade: Easy
Along the WildArt Trail beside the
Arun between points 2 and 3.
FAMILY
WALK
CHOSEN BY…
FIONA BARLTROP
Situated in the
beautiful Arun Valley,
the RSPB Pulborough Brooks
Nature Reserve is well worth a
visit with a wide variety of
birds, as well as other wildlife,
to be seen in each season.
There are two trails at the
reserve, the 2-mile Wetland
one, which takes in a number
of hides as well as viewpoints,
and the 1½-mile Heathland
Trail. Do allow time at least
for the first, and bring your
binoculars! The reserve is ideal
for families, with a children’s
play area, too, plus activities
and events through the
year. The walk starts from
Pulborough a couple of miles
➥ to the north and follows the
600
400
metres
200
km 0 2 4
✁
SOUTH EAST
PLAN YOUR WALK
PHOTO: FIONA BARLTROP
ROUTE
Start/parking Pulborough
station, grid ref TQ043186,
postcode RH20 1AH or
Lower Street car park, grid
ref TQ053185, postcode
waymarked WildArt Trail from RH20 2BQ. Or parking at
the station across the Arun RSPB Pulborough Brooks
Valley to the reserve, the Is it for me? Gentle walk.
South Downs forming a Parts of the Brooks can
flood. Shorter loop from
beautiful backdrop in the
distance. Not far from the
visitor centre you’ll pass
car park: 3¾ miles/6km
Stiles 3
the lovely old church at PLANNING
Wiggonholt. Footpaths along Nearest towns Billingshurst
the east side of Pulborough and Storrington
Brooks are followed for the Refreshments White
Horse Inn (01798 872189),
return. If coming by car, the Oddfellows Arms (01798
section to/from the station can 875282), both Pulborough.
be omitted by starting from RSPB café (01798 875851)
the village car park, shortening Public toilets Pulborough
the distance by 1½ miles. station; RSPB visitor centre
Public transport Trains
from London Victoria.
1 Start
Exit station car park through
gap in fence by cycle parking
Compass Bus 100 Burgess
Hill to Horsham. Also
request stop at RSPB
area and turn L on pavement Maps OS Explorer OL10;
beside road past industrial Landranger 197
estate. Continue along enclosed ➥
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
 WEST SUSSEX APRIL 2022 WILTSHIRE APRIL 2022

04 PULBOROUGH 03 STONEHENGE

SOUTH EAST
SOUTH WEST
OS Explorer map OL10 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop OS Explorer map 130 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop

path to road and turn R to

A29, church on R. Cross and
continue along road opposite
to fingerpost. Fork R down
ST
surfaced path to main road/ 1 AR
T
A283 and turn L for ¼ mile.
ST 2
A 1
R AL
¾ mile/1.3km T T
ST
2 Turn R down Barn House AR
T
Lane to its end. (If starting at
village car park, from entrance 4
walk along R-hand side of it to 3
2
far corner where steps lead
down to lane, and turn L.)

©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22

©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
Continue ahead through gate
across meadow, bearing left at

DATE WALKED
DATE WALKED

waymark to junction with

another path. Keep ahead
across footbridge, continuing
beside Arun on R, then bear L
at fingerpost along grassy track
to go through a kissing gate 3
beside a field gate. Follow track
uphill passing gates either side,
which provide access to the

TIME TAKEN
TIME TAKEN

G
RSPB’s Wetland trail (entry fee ARKIN 1¾ miles/2.8km 250m. Follow this track to the Follow the enclosed path
ALT P
payable at Visitor Centre for 2 In 75m, turn L at a junction R for 0.6km to a point where opposite for 0.8km to a gap
non-RSPB members). Keep with another ‘King Barrows’ the track has started to drop on the L by an MoD sign. Turn
ahead across field to another sign. Follow this track, it bears downhill and there are hand- L up to a handgate and enter
gate and continue along L along the way, to reach an gates either side of the track an enclosure that was passed
footpath to 12th-century track. Turn L down a few steps for village car park continue to information board about and a Cursus information earlier in the walk. Walk
Wiggonholt Church on L. to follow enclosed footpath to Brooks Way on L). Keep ahead ‘The Avenue’ and a handgate board. Continue down this diagonally across the middle
kissing gate. Keep ahead past and just after private drive fork on the R in 320m. Pass through track for 75 m to another pair of this field to a gate and
2¼ miles/3.6km Banks Cottage on R, good L continue on track/bridleway this gateway and walk across of gates. the road by the Woodhenge
3 Turn R at WildArt Trail views of Brooks on L. on L, parallel to lane, rejoining the field ahead, dropping monument, before turning R
waymark just after church route back to station. downhill to reach a handgate 3½ miles/5.6km back to the parking area.
down broad grassy path 3¾ miles/6km in a fence in 0.5km. Beyond 3 Pass through the handgate
YOUR RATING
YOUR RATING

between fields and continue 4 Further on cross footbridge this gate, walk ahead to on R and walk across to the far
VIEW THE WALK ON VIEW THE WALK ON
along path to RSPB visitor and bear R on waterside path, OS MAPS ONLINE: another information board L corner of field ahead – this is OS MAPS ONLINE:
centre. Retrace steps to church. soon bearing L along R-hand before bearing L to walk the course of the Cursus. Pass
walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes
Cross stile at top (church down side of field to gate and stile. uphill towards Stonehenge. On through a gate, cross a small
fenced path to L), cross drive to Cross stile and follow enclosed IN ASSOCIATION WITH reaching a fence in front of this paddock to another gate and IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Old Rectory and follow footpath path, joining drive leading to monument, turn R and follow follow the left edge of the next
ahead. Continue to track and main road. Turn L and after ½ the line of fences that wind field for 0.8km to a gate and
© Country Walking April 2022
© Country Walking April 2022

bear R to junction with another mile fork R up Rectory Lane (or their way to a gate and track in track that leads to a crossroads.
✁

05GREENWICH
GREATER LONDON
Distance: 5¾ miles/9.25km Time: 3 hours Grade: Easy
E E
SE TUR E 74
A G
FE PA
ON
CHOSEN BY…
PHOEBE TAPLIN
The uncompromising
urban cityscape near
the start of this walk and
green Greenwich Park near
the end form two wildly
different tastes of London.
The contrasts are at their most
piquant in two of the capital’s
most spectacular views: across
the docks, the O2 dome and
towers of Canary Wharf from
the swaying gondola of a
cable car high above the
Thames and a softer view of
the hilly park and elegant
neoclassical naval college from
the world-famous Royal
Observatory at Greenwich.
1 Start
Exit from Royal Victoria DLR
600
400
metres
200
0 0
km 0 2 4
Specatcular views from near PLAN YOUR WALK
the Greenwich Observatory.
PHOTO: PHOEBE TAPLIN
ROUTE
Start/parking Royal
Victoria DLR station,
grid ref TQ386792,
postcode E16 1BZ
Is it for me? Mostly level
station and turn R along
Seagull Lane. Cross Western
Gateway and turn L beside
urban walking. Greenwich
Park can be confusing.
Shortcut by river between
water to Emirates Royal Docks points 4-6 could turn route
into two shorter walks
cable car station. Swipe in with
Stiles None
contactless card (£3.50) and
ride over Thames. Turn R out PLANNING
of station at far end and walk Nearest town London
under line of cable car along Refreshments Huge choice.
Edmund Halley Way to the River Gardens Café; Pavilion
waterfront. café, Greenwich Park
Public toilets Near point 5
and near Royal Observatory
2 1 mile/1.6km
Turn L along Thames Path
in Greenwich Park
Public transport Trains to
with river on R. Continue along
surfaced path as it loops
Royal Victoria at start and
Cutty Sark at end. DLR
back via Westferry. To
around Greenwich Peninsula
with the O2 dome on L and
views of Canary Wharf R
avoid cable car go to North
Greenwich tube at point 2.
Options for bus, Tube,
across water. Continue beyond overground and even boat
slipway near Intercontinental Maps OS Explorer 162;
Landranger 177
Hotel and keep on beside
water, past golf range onto
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
SOUTH EAST
06HAILEY
OXFORDSHIRE
& RAMSDEN
Distance: 11 miles/17.5km Time: 5½ hours Grade: Moderate
The ash avenue near
Wilcote at point 8.
CHOSEN BY…
MARTIN MARAIS
Ancient byways
criss-cross the
Oxfordshire Cotswolds. Three
such sunken and wooded
tracks meet just north of
Hailey, where this walk begins:
the Roman road of Akeman
Street and the probable
drovers’ routes of Pay and
Saint John’s Lanes. It’s a
figure-of-eight walk offering
intimate moments and glorious
views across the Wolds.
1 Start
With Church of St John
behind, go L for 20m and turn
R down farm track between
two houses. Turn L at end of
➥
garden on L. Follow footpath,
past playing fields to Delly End.
600
400
metres
200
km 0 2 4
✁
SOUTH EAST
A
B
PLAN YOUR WALK
PHOTO: MARTIN MARAIS
ROUTE
Start/parking Park in
lay-bys off Hailey main
road, grid ref SP354126,
postcode OX29 9UF
Is it for me? Easy walking
2 ½ mile/0.75km
Follow road to R, then turn
L past 1921 Peace Memorial.
on tracks, lanes and fields
Stiles 14
It celebrates the safe return PLANNING
Nearest town Witney
from WWI of two sons and
Refreshments Lamb and
five nephews of Mrs Phipps
Flag, Hailey (01993
of Hailey Manor. Turn R onto 700694); Royal Oak,
Wood Lane and follow it for Ramsden (01993 868213)
160m to footpath on R (easy to Public toilets None
miss). Follow field boundaries Public transport Bus X9
and cross field, turn L at far Witney-Chipping Norton
serves Hailey Mon-Sat
side of field and follow (pulhamscoaches.com)
boundary keeping hedge on L. Maps OS Explorer 180;
Landranger 164
3 1¼ miles/2km
On leaving field turn
diagonally L across tarred road
and onto footpath (St John’s
Lane, which along with Pay
4 2 miles/3.4km
At junction with B4022,
cross onto concrete drive to
Lane, is believed to have been R of house. Here you cross
a drovers’ road, for pigs in Akeman Street – a Roman
particular). In spring look for
bluebells and primroses.
road linking Fosse Way near
Cirencester (the important ➥
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
 OXFORDSHIRE
06 HAILEY & RAMSDEN
SOUTH EAST
OS Explorer map 180 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
5 7
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
Roman town of Corinium
Dobunnorum) to Watling Street.
Beware B4022 is a very fast
road. Continue onto footpath.
3¼ miles/5.2km
5 At small cluster of houses
at end of Pay Lane turn sharp L
onto sunken lane. At end of
lane continue straight on. At
junction turn L through metal
gates onto track (Akeman St).
5½ miles/8.7km
6 On meeting B4022, walk L
along grass verge to junction.
Cross B4022 R and follow road
(Akeman Street) to Ramsden.
6½ miles/10.2km
7 In Ramsden, cross High
Street bearing R to Wilcote
Lane. Where lane turns R, bear
L onto footpath. Follow it into
wood and along field edge as it
4 2
6 A
3
2 becomes cobbled Ballast Quay
1 10
RT
STA
swings S. At hedge turn L.
Continue on at next field and
turn R at third. Follow field
edge past house. Beyond it,
go R through gate into wood.
Walk diagonally through wood
to stile beside road.
7¼ miles/11.7km
8 Cross road and follow
gravel drive between houses.
Continue on path through trees
and avenue of ancient ash trees
(thought to be over 300 years
old), past Lady Well. Cross two
fields. At Bridewell Farm, turn
R, walk diagonally up field.
Turn L into next field (waymark
is easy to miss). Follow path to
North Leigh Lane, turn L. Follow
lane, continue straight on along
Farm Lane into New Yatt.
9 miles/14.7km
9 At end of Farm Lane, turn
APRIL 2022 GREATER LONDON APRIL 2022
05 GREENWICH
SOUTH EAST
OS Explorer map 162 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
rougher path. Follow fenced 1
concrete path L and R through STAR
T
industrial area. At junction,
8
turn R back to river, where
willows grow incongruously
along the shore. C
A
BL
E
2½ miles/4km C
R
3 Keep on along Thames
Path to reach newly resurfaced 3
area past Enderby House pub
and playground. Walkway
and passes Cutty Sark pub, old
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
9 power station and castle-like
Holy Trinity hospital. Continue
DATE WALKED
DATE WALKED
along narrow Highbridge
Wharf and Crane Street.
3¼ miles/5.25km
6 4
R and immediately R (New Yatt 4 At Trafalgar Tavern, turn L
Lane). Continue until you leave into Park Row. Keep straight ISH
FIN
village and turn L onto footpath over Romney Road, past
next to entrance (cattle grid). elegant Queen’s House, and
Continue through horse fields through gate into Greenwich
TIME TAKEN
TIME TAKEN
and along edge of arable fields. Park. At next junction, head
diagonally L up One Tree Hill
10 miles/16.2km (actually several trees). At top,
10 Walk diagonally across keep straight with views of 5
ridge and furrow pasture. Turn Vanbrugh Castle (built by the
L onto road, then R to Chapel architect of Blenheim Palace). 4½ miles/7.25km 5½ miles/9km
Lane. Where Chapel Lane turns Then just before gate, turn 5 Without leaving Greenwich 6 Turn briefly L on riverfront
L, turn R between Grass Ground diagonally R along middle Park, turn R along broad and L again, back past boat,
Farm and Cottage and behind path signed Tennis Courts. Blackheath Avenue to into Greenwich Church Street.
farm turn L. Follow path, turning Follow path uphill. Turn L Pavilion café, viewpoint and For DLR, turn R into alley just
R onto road to start. through gate and follow observatories. After Old after Waterstones.
winding path ahead through Observatory and Prime
YOUR RATING
YOUR RATING
Flower Garden. On far side, Meridian, head L through
VIEW THE WALK ON VIEW THE WALK ON
OS MAPS ONLINE: turn sharp R and soon L into bollards and follow path OS MAPS ONLINE:
trees. Follow path beside fence downhill. Turn R at bottom
walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes
of the deer park. Keep going along avenue to National
IN ASSOCIATION WITH on any path, exploring this Maritime Museum and L past IN ASSOCIATION WITH
lovely area, to emerge through museum. Turn R onto King
small gate at far end near William Walk and follow it past
© Country Walking April 2022
© Country Walking April 2022
Blackheath Gate. Cutty Sark.
✁

07 HERTFORDSHIRE/CAMBS
ASHWELL & THE MORDENS
Distance: 9 miles/14km Time: 4½ hours Grade: Moderate
Ashwell Street on the
way back to Ashwell.
CHOSEN BY…
JO SINCLAIR
Ashwell’s timber-
framed museum
epitomises the handsome
heritage of this Anglo-Saxon
settlement. St Mary’s church is
impressive, with an ornate
tower, octagonal lantern,
leaded spire and medieval
graffiti, with Latin inscriptions
referring to the plague, and
a sketch of Old St Paul’s
Cathedral. Note the local
Totternhoe ‘gingerbread’ stone
brickwork in the wall next to
Crumps butcher’s shop at the
start. A quiet back lane leads
from north Hertfordshire into
Cambridgeshire across
farmland to the Mordens. You
return along Ashwell Street,
an ancient byway, to reach the
600
400
metres
200
0 0
km 0 2 4
A
B Distance: 7½ miles/12km Time: 4 hours Grade: Moderate
PLAN YOUR WALK
PHOTO: GEOGRAPH/MICHAEL TROLOVE
ROUTE
Start/parking St Mary’s
Church, Ashwell, grid ref
TL 266 397, postcode
SG7 5LY. On-road parking
Is it for me? Quiet country
village beauty spot Ashwell lanes, arable farmland,
Springs and the village lockup, open countryside with
built in 1800. little shelter
Stiles None
1 Start
Head north from St Mary’s
past the Bushel and Strike pub,
PLANNING
Nearest town Royston
Refreshments High St
downhill along Mill Street. Join
the footpath straight ahead
where the road curves R.
shops, Bushel & Strike pub
(01462 743984), Three
Tuns (01462 743131), Rose
Follow the field edge to & Crown (01462 239365)
in Ashwell. Pubs in Guilden
Northfield Road. Turn L onto and Steeple Morden
this quiet lane and keep Public toilets None
walking all the way up to
Mobb’s Hole Farm.
Public transport Trains
from Hitchen/Cambridge
to Ashwell & Morden sta,
then walk or bus 202
2 2½ miles/4.1km
Turn R just beyond the
farmhouse onto arable fields
Mon-Fri (a2bbusandcoach.
com) to village. Or bus
90/91 from Letchworth/
(signposted Guilden Morden). Royston (intalink.org.uk)
Aim straight ahead to
hedgeline. Cross plank bridge
Maps OS Explorer 208 &
193; Landranger 153
to grassy track. The footpath
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18
SOUTH EAST
08 WESTON
HEREFORDSHIRE
UNDER PENYARD
CHOSEN BY…
ALISON GASTER
This energetic
jaunt explores the
countryside to the south of
the bustling market town of
Ross-on-Wye. With short,
demanding ups and downs,
sweeping field vistas, idyllic
cottages and steep coniferous
hillsides, it makes for a superb
walk full of variety.
1 Start
Walk through churchyard
and out onto lane. Turn L up
the lane then onwards to follow
bridleway for approximately
¾ mile. Passing a farmyard on
your R, continue on the grassy
track. Enter field and keep to
top edge to the woodland.
➥ Turn R along R-hand edge of
600
400
metres
200
20 km 0 2 4
✁
MIDLANDS
The view between PLAN YOUR WALK
point 5 and the end.
PHOTO: ALISON GASTER
ROUTE
Start/parking Weston
under Penyard Church,
off School Lane, grid ref
SO632232, postcode
HR9 7QA
woods, then very soon follow Is it for me? Woodland
path into and through woods. tracks, field paths, quiet
At T-junction with wider forest lanes, one short, steep and
track, turn R. At R-hand bend, slippery section
Stiles 8
cross stile L to descend along
L-hand field edge. PLANNING
Nearest town
2 1¾ miles/2.8km
Go through the kissing gate
at the end and fork L through
Ross-on-Wye
Refreshments The Weston
Cross Inn, Weston under
the woodland to a gate. Turn L Penyard (01989 562759)
Public toilets None
to cross stile by stone barn. Public transport Frequent
Drop down through two fields, buses (No.33) between
then cross two stiles into the
woods. Follow path along the
edge of the woods. Joining a
Hereford, Ross-on-Wye
and Weston Under
Penyard (Stagecoach
West, 0871 200 2233)
farm track at end, walk around
field edge and down to Castle
Brook House.
Maps OS Explorer 189;
Landranger 162
3 3 miles/4.8km
At end of driveway, turn
footpath sign on your L, but
enter field immediately beyond
R along road. Ignore public through gap and walk up L ➥
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
 HEREFORDSHIRE
08 WESTON UNDER PENYARD
MIDLANDS
OS Explorer map 189 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
2
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
3 community pub the Three Tuns
field edge. Exit at top corner to
join a lane. Turn L along lane
for approx. ¼ mile. Just before
the stone cottage, turn L down
a metalled lane. At end of
stone wall, turn R into field,
passing a cottage and its
garden on your L. Cross
footbridge and stile into woods
and continue upwards on the
sunken path. Cross forest track
and take stile opposite into
field. Strike off diagonally up
and over the brow (to the L of
a telegraph pole).
4 miles/6.4km
4 Cross stile and take
footpath beyond into the
woods. Take care on this steep
and slippery route down,
looking out for the fascinating
1 RT
4
weathered sandstone outcrops
as you go. Cross stile and
head down L-hand field edge
to a farmyard. Walk through
farmyard, cross road and take
footpath opposite over cattle
grid. Continue along track for
some distance, passing many
pretty cottages. At Yew Tree
Cottage, follow woodland path
ahead. At crossroads of paths,
go straight over to ascend and
emerge at Palmers Hill House.
Continue on the track to reach
a lane. Turn L along lane to a
crossroads.
5 miles/8km
5 Continue straight on. Just
before Pool Hill cottage, turn
L through gate and keep to
R-hand edge through 3 fields.
APRIL 2022 HERTFORDSHIRE/CAMBS APRIL 2022
07 ASHWELL & THE MORDENS
SOUTH EAST
OS Explorer map 208 & 193 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
DON’T MISS...
STA Ashwell
Museum, which
boasts 10,549
items in its collection. 2
3
across the next arable land
makes a sharp dog-leg to R
(church spire on L), then L to
next hedge. Exit R onto track.
Keep ahead to join High St via
Swan Lane. Turn R. Beyond
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
find Buxton Lane on L. Walk to
DATE WALKED
DATE WALKED
end of byway.
5 4 miles/6.8 km
3 At Trap Road turn R on 4
footpath. Go L over footbridge
and R along hedge to Guilden
Morden following fenceline and
Turn R along lane to the village edge of White Ponds Wood.
of Pontshill. At T-junction turn Keep going, stream on R. Turn STA
RT
TIME TAKEN
TIME TAKEN
L. On the bend, take footpath R L along edge of community 1
into field. Walk down R-hand conservation area to tennis
edge and exit at bottom courts. From tennis pavilion go
corner onto lane. Take footpath through to village hall straight
opposite to eventually cross a ahead to the village. Turn R on
stream and emerge into field. Hay Street to parish church. with tennis court and house on R on Kingsland Way and R to
Keep to R-hand edge to stile at Cross to Cheyney St opposite L. At small asbestos barn take High St Visit Ashwell Springs,
end. Take diagonal line across war memorial. Take alleyway field paths towards trees and on L just beyond Three Tuns
next field. Continue in same FP on R. Follow a diagonal tiny cottage. Beyond cottage pub. Walk through to Hodwell
direction, cross lane, remaining waymarked path south east join track called Ashwell Street. past village lockup back to St
on path back to the start. to The Green via a spinney, Mary’s and the start.
bearing R along back of 6½ miles/10.7km
YOUR RATING
YOUR RATING
houses. Turn R at footpath 4 At Gatley Farm, turn R
VIEW THE WALK ON VIEW THE WALK ON
OS MAPS ONLINE: marked ‘Ashwell St 1 mile, onto Ashwell St, heading west OS MAPS ONLINE:
heading for Ashwell Street via to Station Rd and Flitton’s Farm.
walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes
Gatley End. Aim for distant Cross straight over to byway
IN ASSOCIATION WITH rooftop (white cottage to R). (St Mary’s church spire straight IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Ignore path into trees above ahead). Continue on Ashwell
stream; keep to field edge. Street into village and cross
© Country Walking April 2022
© Country Walking April 2022
Follow edge of horse paddocks Station Rd keeping ahead. Turn
✁

09DRAYCOTE
WARWICKSHIRE
WATER
Distance: 6¾ miles/10.9km Time: 3 hours Grade: Easy
CHOSEN BY…
CAROL
BURKINSHAW
Lying in rolling
countryside, south of the town
of Rugby, Draycote Water is a
reservoir owned and operated,
since 1970, by Severn Trent
Water to supply water to
Rugby and Coventry. It’s also
home to a sailing club, a trout
fishery, a small country park
and birdlife aplenty
(unfortunately, dogs are
not permitted around the
reservoir, but may be exercised
in the country park). This
leisurely stroll starts at the
Visitor Hub, and heads west
along the reservoir’s 5-mile-
long shoreline, to cross the
dam wall to the valve tower.
Leaving the dam, you dip into
600
400
metres
200
0 0
km 0 2 4
PLAN YOUR WALK
PHOTO: CAROL BURKINSHAW
ROUTE
Start/parking Draycote
Water car park, Kites
Draycote Water. Hardwick, Rugby, grid ref
SP465692, postcode
CV23 8AB
the delightful hamlet of
Draycote, where you connect
into the disused Rugby to
Is it for me? Easy
navigation on good,
mainly level, tracks/paths.
Leamington Spa railway track. Dogs are not permitted
Departing the line, you cross around the dam, but may
be exercised in the
Draycote Meadows SSSI and country park
then Whitefields golf course to Stiles 2
the village of Thurlaston,
perched on a ridge above PLANNING
Draycote Water. Descending Nearest town Rugby
back to the reservoir you walk Refreshments Draycote
Water Visitor Hub
waterside back to the hub. Public toilets Draycote
Water Visitor Hub
1 Start
Exit car park R to Visitor
Hub, and pick up surfaced lane
Public transport Buses
63/64 Rugby-Leamington
(Stagecoach) serves
A426/entrance to
to rear of this building. Should
Draycote Water, and bus
you wish to explore beyond the 25 Rugby-Coventry
described route, a gate behind
the lane leads into the country
park and its Hensborough Hill
(National Express
Coventry) to Thurlaston
Maps OS Explorer 222;
viewpoint. Pass sailing club and Landranger 140 & 151
remain beside Draycote Water
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18
MIDLANDS
10 IRONBRIDGE
SHROPSHIRE
Distance: 4¾ miles/7.75km Time: 2 hours Grade: Easy
E E
SE TUR E 85
A G
FE PA
ON
CHOSEN BY…
SIMON WHALEY
This short, circular
walk through history
has lots to keep enquiring
minds entertained (allow extra
time for diversions). Stroll
across the world’s first iron
bridge, pass the remains of
Bedlam Furnaces (where the
iron for the Iron Bridge was
cast), then escape into Lloyd’s
Coppice, with its flowers and
trees and mysterious seasonal
pools. You next follow the
Silkin Way under the Great
Hay Incline, following a steep
railway linking a canal with
the river, before crossing back
over the Severn via a second
iron bridge. Then chuff your
way back along the disused
➥ railway line.
600
400
metres
200
20 km 0 2 4
✁
MIDLANDS
The Iron Bridge spanning the PLAN YOUR WALK
River Severn near point 1.
PHOTO: SIMON WHALEY
ROUTE
Start/parking Ironbridge
car park (charges apply),
grid ref SJ672033,
postcode TF8 7JR
Is it for me? Paths,
1 Start
Take the Iron Bridge across
the River Severn, turn L down
woodland stone paths,
disused railway lines
Stiles None
hill, then turn sharp L onto a
riverside path, under the Iron PLANNING
Nearest town Ironbridge
Bridge. Pass the old Coracle
Refreshments Ye Olde
Shed, used by a local family to Robin Hood Inn (01952
make coracle boats during the 433071), The Brewery
20th century, before bearing L Inn (01952 581225),
up steps to a road. Turn R, and The Woodbridge Inn
follow pedestrian path along (01952 882054)
Public toilets Behind
the B4373. Explore Bedlam Ironbridge Post Office,
Furnaces on L. Pass Ye Old High Street and Maws
Robin Hood Inn (L), and where
road turns R over bridge,
continue ahead onto minor
Craft Centre
Public transport Arriva
Midlands 8/8A Telford to
Bridgnorth (Mon to Sat),
road. Follow for 200 metres.
18 Telford to Much
Wenlock, Mon-Sat, 19/19A
2 1 mile/1.4km
Turn L at road junction,
and  climb to kissing gate into
Shrewsbury to Telford,
Mon-Sun (arrivabus.co.uk)
Maps OS Explorer 242;
Lloyd’s Coppice (signed Blists Landranger 127
Hill and Coalport). Follow path ➥
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
 SHROPSHIRE
10 IRONBRIDGE
MIDLANDS
OS Explorer map 242 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
1 3
RT
STA
5
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
through trees. At signed
junction, bear L and then,
soon after, at the next junction,
turn sharp L up wooden steps
(signed Coalport). Climb two
more flights of steps to reach
another junction. Turn R, then
soon fork R towards properties.
Take kissing gate and drop to
a track. Turn L to road. Cross
carefully, bearing diagonally
L across car parking area,
towards Gate 6 of the Blists
Hill Victorian Town. Take
minor path on L, dropping to
steps, and then turn L to join
Silkin Way.
1¾ miles/2.8km
3 This foot and cycle path
heads through a well-lit tunnel.
Drop gently, as the path bears
L. Ignore side paths. Pass under
the Great Hay Incline and
continue. (To visit Coalport
2
China Museum – ceramic
demonstrations, walk inside
a bottle kiln - turn R at next
junction.) Otherwise, continue
ahead along path, signed to
Coalport. Ignore other side
paths. The track narrows, then
passes the Brewery Inn (R).
Continue under a bridge, and
follow between walls to reach
a track. Turn L, then fork R
onto Silkin Way, close to River
Severn. At road, turn R, across
Coalport Bridge.
2¾ miles/4.5km
4 Opposite the Woodbridge
Inn, turn R, through kissing
gate onto Severn Way. Follow
wide track as it bears L and
climbs, then turns R onto a
disused railway track. (To visit
Maws Craft Centre – over two
dozen craft units, cafe and
toilets – take second turning on
APRIL 2022 WARWICKSHIRE APRIL 2022
09 DRAYCOTE WATER
MIDLANDS
OS Explorer map 222 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
2
3
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
START
DATE WALKED
DATE WALKED
1
4
R). Follow the trackbed into to the valve tower, the ‘tap’ second bridge – Popehill Lane second R onto Church Lane.
open area overlooking River that regulates the flow of water below – double-back L down When lane bends L by church
Severn. At road junction, join into the reservoir from the to road, and head L under pass through unsigned gate
pedestrian path (on R-hand River Leam and local Stanford railway bridge. Soon, when ahead along L-hand field
side) and follow road, passing and Brownsover reservoirs. lane swerves R, branch L perimeter. At pumping station
TIME TAKEN
TIME TAKEN
St Mary’s Church (R). Follow through gate to Warwickshire negotiate gate R of works into
road around buildings to 1¾ miles/2.8km Wildlife Trust’s Draycote woodland. Cross footbridge
junction, and continue ahead, 2 At end of dam wall, just Meadows (information board). and go R through gate to
dropping gently to Jackfield beyond valve tower, go L, Make for gate, signed tarmac track close to Draycote
Railway Gates. signed Leamington, down bridleway, in far R-corner of Water. Head L, and in 50m
tarmac track. When this arcs L, meadow, walk through trees, bear R across grass to
4 miles/6.5km maintain direction on marked and then trace L-hand field waterside footpath. Turn L,
5 Carefully cross road to cycleway that later swings R to boundary. Stick forwards on and branch R onto signed
rejoin the disused railway track Popehill Lane. Walk L along fenced path to track at Oakfield Boardwalk to surfaced track.
for the final 1200 metres back road into Draycote to trace Barn that heads across Go R, and stick with reservoir
to the car park. stream. At triangular junction Whitefields golf course. back to Visitor Hub.
go R, and when lane bends L
YOUR RATING
YOUR RATING
climb stile ahead into field. 4½ miles/7.2km
VIEW THE WALK ON VIEW THE WALK ON
OS MAPS ONLINE: Walk diagonally L to stile in 4 On meeting lane continue OS MAPS ONLINE:
field corner back out onto into Thurlaston. Shortly after
walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes
Popehill Lane, and turn R 10m. footpath L, divert R onto signed
IN ASSOCIATION WITH path opposite Laburnum Lodge, IN ASSOCIATION WITH
2½ miles/4km to trace L-hand field edges and
3 Turn R along disused enclosed path to Thurlaston’s
© Country Walking April 2022
© Country Walking April 2022
railway line. 50m after crossing Main Street. Walk L and take
✁

11 CROMFORD
DERBYSHIRE
Distance: 4 miles/6.4km Time: 2 hours Grade: Easy
E E
SE TUR E 83
A G
FE PA
ON
Leawood Pumphouse
on Cromford Canal.
CHOSEN BY…
CAROL
BURKINSHAW
Cromford sits at
the northern gateway to the
Derwent Valley Mills World
Heritage Site, which spins a
revolutionary yarn of the
birthplace of the modern
factory system along a 15-mile
stretch of the River Derwent.
At Cromford in 1771, Sir
Richard Arkwright established
the world’s first successful
water-powered cotton
spinning mill. He went on to
construct two further mills in
the village that also became
a model industrial community.
From the Cromford Canal’s
wharf you pass the Cromford
Mills and climb up through
Cromford village to join the
600
400
metres
200
0 0
km 0 2 4
PLAN YOUR WALK
PHOTO: CAROL BURKINSHAW
ROUTE
Start/parking Cromford
Wharf car park, Mill Road,
grid ref SK300570,
postcode DE4 3RQ
Is it for me? Good tracks,
High Peak Trail. Opened in ascent on roads/lanes,
1829, this former early railway descent of former railway
line – the Cromford & High line, level canal towpath
Peak – was an engineering Stiles None
masterpiece based on canal
PLANNING
principles, with inclines acting
Nearest towns Matlock
as a substitution for locks. and Wirksworth
You then track the long Sheep Refreshments Wheatcroft’s
Pasture Incline down to the Wharf café at start; choice
Cromford Canal at High Peak in Cromford, High Peak
Junction. After a short detour Junction visitor centre
Public toilets Start car
to the waterway’s Leawood park, Cromford Mills,
pumphouse, the towpath Cromford A5012/A6, High
then returns you to Cromford Peak Junction
Wharf to complete the loop. Public transport Bus 140
Alfreton-Matlock, 141
Ripley-Matlock (Littles),
1 Start
Exit car park entrance L onto
Mill Road, passing entrance to
216 Matlock-Bonsall
(Stagecoach). 6.1 The
Sixes Derby-Bakewell.
Cromford Mills and Arkwright’s Trains to Cromford
one time home – Rock House. Maps OS Explorer OL24;
Cross road, go R and shortly L Landranger 119
into Cromford village. In 20m
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
MIDLANDS
12 REEDHAM
NORFOLK
Distance: 4 miles/6.4km Time: 1½ hours Grade: Easy
The River Yare
at Reedham.
CHOSEN BY…
JO SINCLAIR
A village by the River
Yare in the Norfolk
Broads, Reedham has much to
intrigue and delight: from rare
wildlife and engineering
curiosities to craft beer and
boats. It boasts the only river
crossing for motor vehicles,
cyclists and pedestrians
between Norwich and Great
Yarmouth – Reedham chain
ferry. The chain was hand-
wound before the ferry was
motorised in 1950. Reducing a
road trip by up to 30 miles, the
service may attract queues in
peak season; for the rest of the
year Ferry Road is a quiet back
lane. You’ll walk back to the
Reedham past reedbeds to
➥ reach Riverside, a picturesque
600
400
metres
200
km 0 2 4
✁
EAST
PLAN YOUR WALK
PHOTO: WIKICOMMONS/STEVE KNIGHT
ROUTE
Start/parking £3 parking
at station car park, Station
Drive, grid ref TG413022,
postcode NR13 3JF
Is it for me? Ferry Road
quayside with pubs and cafe. may be busy in peak
Leaving the Wherryman’s Way season. Marshy riverside
(WW) the route ascends to paths, pavements, lanes
a rare phenomenon in the and field paths
Stiles None
Broads: hill views. Marsh
harriers and Chinese water PLANNING
deer roam the marshland of Nearest town G. Yarmouth
this village named after its Refreshments Reedham
reedbeds; you might spot Ferry Inn (01493 700429);
them as you look down on the The Lord Nelson (01493
swing bridge. This marvel of 700367); The Ship (01493
700287); Cannell’s by
Victorian engineering carries the River coffee shop
the railway to Lowestoft, Public toilets Holly Farm
swinging into action to let Road (limited opening)
pleasure boats through. Only Public transport
eight of the wherries it was Norwich-Lowestoft
Wherry Line trains to start
designed for survive, but if
you’re lucky you might see one
of these classic Broadland
Maps OS Explorer OL40;
Landranger 134
sailboats out on a jaunt.
Further on, St John the Baptist remains. Now five miles from
church was built on a Roman the sea, this spot was a port
site using stone from Roman until the land was drained. ➥
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
 NORFOLK
EAST
12 REEDHAM
OS Explorer map OL40 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
STA
RT
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
Start
1 From car park cross to Ferry
Road. Walk 1km to the Ferry
Inn, passing marshland with
views of Cantley Sugar Beet
factory on R. At Reedham
Ferry and the Ferry Boat Inn
join the Wherryman’s Way
(WW) riverbank walk in the
direction of Reedham village
(river to R). The raised bank
footpath passes drainage milll,
leading to Station Road via a
boardwalk at the end. Turn R
onto Station Road.
1½ miles/2.4km
2 Turn R at war memorial
onto Riverside. Walk along the
riverfront to the Ship Inn. Go
under the bridge. Continue to
1
2 4
the last cottage. Turn L uphill.
At Holly Farm Road turn R,
past the back of the houses.
At what looks like a dead end
continue through to reach
Reedham Marina and reedbeds.
Just beyond the last building
on L turn L up Low Common
Road. Cross the railway line to
Church Dam, leading to St John
the Baptist church.
3 miles /4.7km
3 For an interesting stop,
take a look at the church, or
take longer to visit Pettitts
Animal Adventure Park and
the Humpty Dumpty Brewery
(L from Church Dam). Return
to Reedham by retracing your
steps to the rail crossing and
APRIL 2022 DERBYSHIRE
11 CROMFORD
MIDLANDS
OS Explorer map OL24 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
3
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
DATE WALKED
head R at Market Place along
narrow lane. Pass Boat Inn to
walk beside Greyhound Pond,
a former mill pond. Turn L at
Low Common Road. Turn R T-junction onto A5012/Water
TIME TAKEN
onto Church Footpath above Lane on opposite side of pond
the railway line. At Holly Farm to B5036/Cromford Hill.
Road turn R, stopping on the
railway bridge to take in views ½ mile/0.8km
of Norton Marsh, the swing 2 Go R uphill – North Street L
bridge and the signal box. was where Arkwright’s built his
Continue beyond School Hill first workers’ housing – and
and Middle Hill. Turn R before turn L onto marked restricted
the war memorial on field-edge by way/Bedehouse Lane.
path. Go L at cottage and then Branch R at fork to ascend
L again to return to start. footpath along outer edge of
village. Later route jinks R and
YOUR RATING
L to Barnwell Lane. Continue
VIEW THE WALK ON
OS MAPS ONLINE: opposite, for Black Rocks,
climbing to Baker’s Lane.
walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes
Turn L, and swing R and L up
IN ASSOCIATION WITH to T-junction. Bear L, signed
High Peak Trail. Lane becomes
track and beyond gap at side
© Country Walking April 2022
of gate trace footpath through
✁
RT
STA
1
trees. At woodland fringe
ignore stile ahead and turn R
through wall gap onto High
Peak Trail.
1½ miles/2.4km
3 Walk L, with a vista over
the Derwent Valley taking in
Cromford, Matlock Bath and
Willersley Castle, a mansion
house commissioned by
Arkwright to replace his Rock
House property, although he
died before its completion.
Pass disused engine house
at summit of Sheep Pasture
Incline and begin descent 1:8
in between rocks and tall trees
towards Cromford Canal.
Just before the A6 is the
Catch Pit for runaway wagons,
which could reach 120mph.
Go under main road to reach
High Peak Junction/former
railway workshops.
APRIL 2022
DATE WALKED
2½ miles/4km
4 Cross canal, which was
completed in 1794 and ran
for 14½ miles from Cromford
Wharf to the Erewash Canal at
TIME TAKEN
Langley Mill, which linked into
the Trent. Turn R 300m to pass
Wharf Shed to Lea pumphouse.
This tall-chimneyed structure
was erected in the mid-19th
century to house a steam
pumping engine to increase
water supply to the canal.
Return to High Peak Junction
and continue for 1 mile along
towpath to start.
YOUR RATING
VIEW THE WALK ON
OS MAPS ONLINE:
walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
© Country Walking April 2022

13 ABY
LINCOLNSHIRE
Distance: 6 miles/9.7km Time: 2½ hours Grade: Moderate
Passing trees
between Swaby
and Belleau.
CHOSEN BY…
CAROL
BURKINSHAW
Meander across
the eastern fringe of the
Lincolnshire Wolds AONB to
explore four pocket-sized
communities set amid
secluded valleys, rolling hills
and spring-fed chalk streams.
Worldwide there are around
200 of these watercourses,
85% of which are exclusive
to a belt of chalk that runs
from Dorset up to the
Yorkshire Wolds. These clear
streams, apart from being very
attractive, are home to some
of our most threatened plants
and animals. From Aby, this
figure-of-eight route heads to
Belleau – meaning ‘beautiful
water’ – and passes through
600
400
metres
200
0 0
km 0 2 4
PLAN YOUR WALK
PHOTO: CAROL BURKINSHAW
ROUTE
Start/parking Considerate
roadside parking on
School Lane (signed
village centre off Main
Road), Aby, grid ref
the former estate of its once TF410783, postcode LN13
moated manor house to South 0DR. Or, seek landlord’s
Thoresby. Next the steep-sided permission to use the
Swaby Valley guides you to Railway Tavern car park,
Aby. Also, limited off-road
the outskirts of Swaby.
parking on Church Lane,
Returning to Belleau, you South Thoresby
then walk through the broad Is it for me? Well-marked
Great Eau Valley to the route on field paths/tracks
(may be muddy in parts)
18th-century Claythorpe
watermill (admission fees
apply, but café open to all).
and quiet lanes
Stiles 10
PLANNING
1 Start
From junction of School
Lane/Main Road (Railway
Nearest town Alford
Refreshments Railway
Tavern, off route, at Aby
Tavern 100m L) walk across and Claythorpe Mill café
Public toilets None
field opposite to trace
Public transport Bus 8
churchyard boundary (church Alford-Louth (Hunts
demolished). Divert R in field Coaches) serves start,
corner to cross footbridge, and South Thoresby/Swaby
go R over second footbridge. Maps OS Explorer 274;
Turn L by stream. On meeting Landranger 122
track head R to lane at Belleau.
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18
14 BOLLIN
CHESHIRE
EAST
VALLEY
Distance: 5 miles/8.1km Time: 2 hours Grade: Easy
Row of cottages at Styal – model
HISTORY
WALK
CHOSEN BY…
CAROL
BURKINSHAW
Quarry Bank Mill
(National Trust) lying in the
delightfully wooded Bollin
Valley, just south of
Manchester Airport, was
the rural location chosen by
Samuel Greg to thread
together one of the early
Industrial Revolution’s most
influential cotton empires. For
much of this walk you trace
the twists and turns of the
Bollin, which runs from the
Peak District’s Macclesfield
Forest to join the Manchester
Ship Canal near Lymm. At the
beginning of the walk, you’ll
pass first the mill owner’s
home (Quarry Bank House)
➥ and then the mill, regarded as
600
400
metres
200
20 km 0 2 4
✁
NORTH WEST
PLAN YOUR WALK
village to Quarry Bank Mill.
PHOTO: CAROL BURKINSHAW
ROUTE
Start/parking Quarry
Bank Mill (National Trust)
free car park, Quarry Bank
Road, off B5166 at Styal;
grid ref SJ836830,
one of Britain’s best-preserved postcode SK9 4LA. Or, car
textile factories. And towards park at The Carrs, off
the end of the walk, you’ll B5166, grid ref SJ839821
pass through Styal village, Is it for me? Undulating
woodland and field paths/
which Greg turned into a
tracks
model community, and the Stiles None
Apprentice House.
PLANNING
1 Start
With back to visitor centre,
walk R 50m to National Trust
Nearest town Wilmslow
Refreshments Quarry
Bank Mill
Public toilets Quarry Bank
sign and turn R through Mill and The Carrs car park
yellow-waymarked gap to
driveway. Descend L to pass
Quarry Bank House (mill
Public transport None
to start, but bus 88
Altrincham-Macclesfield
owner’s residence) to mill. (D & G Bus) serves
Mobberley Road/A538
At signpost at end of mill,
junction
a short detour R (Garden & Maps OS Explorer 268;
Mill Meadow) offers rewarding Landranger 109
views of the complex, but route
is ahead through gate (picnic/
play area), which leads into Heron’s Pool Bridge and at fork
woodland to trace Bollin. Cross stay R with Bollin. ➥
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
 CHESHIRE
14 BOLLIN VALLEY
NORTH WEST
OS Explorer map 268 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
5
4 3
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
¾ mile/1.2km
2 Pass through gate and go
R over Bollin to The Carrs car
park. Turn R over the Bollin
again and maintain direction,
signed Lindow Common,
gently ascending to road. Go L,
and then in 30m divert R onto
restricted byway. Later this
becomes surfaced and when
lane bends R stick forwards to
Broad Walk. Go R, L at
T-junction and then R in 20m
onto unsigned path to A538.
1½ miles/2.4km
3 Join Mobberley Road
opposite, and in 100m,
opposite Sandiway bungalow,
branch R through gate. Follow
clear path to lane by farm.
Stay forwards in field opposite,
go through gate and in 30m
turn R through another gate.
3
Track wire fence L to the field.
Aim R towards cream-coloured
house and go R, unsigned,
under bushes to road.
2¼ miles/3.6km
4 Walk R 50m and then L on
to signed track. Approaching
property ahead, move R of
house to rough track, which
bends L to gate. Follow R-hand
field edge to signpost, and
divert R over footbridge and
middle of field. Drop down
through trees and trace path
that winds to A538.
3 miles/4.8km
5 Cross road and enter
Airport Inn’s car park, bear L
over Bollin and in 10m divert R
into Styal Country Park. After
bridge, follow track on outer
fringe of trees, back into wood.
APRIL 2022 LINCOLNSHIRE APRIL 2022
EAST
13 ABY
OS Explorer map 274 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
¾ mile/1.2km
2 Go L, and beside church
climb stile L. Track ridgetop
50m and then veer R 30m to
ladder stile. Bear diagonally L
6
over field to next stile. Drop R
1 10m and swing L across field.
Maintain direction over
STA 2
RT following field and through
woodland to lane.
1¼ miles/2km 1
Turn L over bridge and
T
2 in 50m turn R, signed South
TAR
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
S
Thoresby. Just after metal 3
tower bear slightly L to gate
DATE WALKED
DATE WALKED
5
and stick forwards with fence
R to gate at South Thoresby.
Continue 20m, and jink L and
R in front of church to walk
across garden of The Old
A steep stretch of up/down School Room. Keep ahead,
steps guide you over Bollin/ crossing track and field, to lane.
Giant’s Castle Bridge. Descend 4
to intersection, then head R on 2¼ miles/3.6km
TIME TAKEN
TIME TAKEN
track to cross Oxbow Bridge. 4 Turn R, and then R again
Stick forwards at triangular at next two junctions. Go L
junction, climb then wind down at church back to the gate
to Chapel Bridge. Bear L to exit you entered village at earlier. veer L up field. Maintain and then immediately after
woodland and continue to Branch L, marked Swaby, to direction in next field, passing former railway bridge turn L.
Styal’s Norcliffe chapel. Turn gate, descend to footbridge small copse, and continue to Go diagonally R across field to
R by war memorial and keep and negotiate stile into field. lane. Turn R, and then L at the hedge corner. Trace the
direction, passing Apprentice Cross marshy area to marker T-junction through Belleau. L-hand field edge, and divert
House L, to visitor centre. Go R, post and make for far-R field Shortly after Brook Farm go R on zig-zagging enclosed
signed mill, and in 50m retrace corner. Walk R and curve L R at finger post over field to path to lane. Go R back to
steps L to car park. beside the spring to meet cross footbridge. the start.
bridleway. Proceed L up
YOUR RATING
YOUR RATING
through Swaby Valley to 4¾ miles/7.6km
VIEW THE WALK ON VIEW THE WALK ON
OS MAPS ONLINE: join the lane. 6 Walk R along field border. OS MAPS ONLINE:
Nearing end of field bear L,
walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes
3½ miles/5.6km and after house climb stile R.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH 5 Go along lane for 30m Join track L to lane. Turn R, IN ASSOCIATION WITH
then turn R, signed Belleau, stay forwards at T-junction –
through trees. Divert R 30m Claythorpe Mill R – to next
© Country Walking April 2022
© Country Walking April 2022
along field boundary to then road intersection. Head R,
✁

15 SCAFELL
CUMBRIA
(VIA LORD’S RAKE)
Distance: 5½ miles/8.8km Time: 5½ hours Grade: Extreme
E E
SE TURE 34
A G
FE PA
ON
CHOSEN BY…
NICK HALLISSEY
This extremely
challenging (but
thrilling) walk follows in the
footsteps of the Romantic
poets – but not the gentle
Wordsworths. This is about
Samuel Taylor Coleridge and
his reverence for the blend of
beauty and terror symbolised
by the Lake District’s most
rugged mountains. They don’t
come much more rugged than
Scafell, which Coleridge
himself climbed: England’s
second highest peak (after
Scafell Pike) but far harder to
tackle, thanks to the immense
rock-wall of Scafell Crag. To
get through it, you’ll need to
use the scree-chute of Lord’s
Rake and the steep gully of
1200
800
metres
400
0 0
km 0 2 4
W N
S E
Peering down from the PLAN YOUR WALK
top of Deep Ghyll.
PHOTO: TOM BAILEY
ROUTE
Start/parking Wasdale
Head village green
(donation), grid ref
NY186085, postcode
CA20 1EX
Deep Ghyll. After the summit Is it for me? Extremely
comes a steep descent to challenging mountain walk
Foxes Tarn and re-ascent to to 3163ft including the
steep scree chutes of
Mickledore for a gawp at Broad
Stand, where Coleridge cut his
teeth as a rock-climber. This is
Lord’s Rake & Deep Ghyll.
Two short scrambling
sections. Good navigation
one of the most challenging skills needed. Avoid in
routes we’ll ever print – but if wintry conditions. See
you’re ready, it’s stunning. Wainwright’s Southern
Fells for a breakdown of
the route up Scafell Crag.
1 Start
Follow lane S towards lake.
Where road bends sharp R,
Stiles None
PLANNING
turn L through L-hand gate of Nearest town Whitehaven
pair of gates ‘Scafell Pike via Refreshments Wasdale
Lingmell’. Follow path over Head Inn at start/finish
Public toilets By hotel
field, then cross footbridge over
Public transport None to
river. Turn R through kissing- start. Shuttle bus operates
gate and follow wider of two sporadically in summer
paths to climb over shoulder of (check lakedistrict.gov.uk)
hill. After brow, path descends
slightly to Lingmell Gill, where it
Maps OS Explorer OL6;
Landranger 90
meets path from Brackenclose.
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18
NORTH WEST
NORTH WEST
16 CRAG
CUMBRIA
FELL
Distance: 3½ miles/5.6km Time: 3½ hours Grade: Moderate
E E PLAN YOUR WALK
SE TURE 40
A
FE PAG
ON
PHOTO: TOM BAILEY
ROUTE
Start/parking Bleach
Ennerdale Water from the pinnacle Green car park (free) at
on Crag Fell’s northern slopes. western end of Ennerdale
Water, grid ref NY085153,
postcode CA23 3AS
CHOSEN BY… pasture for the best part of Is it for me? A few steep
NICK HALLISSEY 1000 years. ascents/descents and an
Here’s a real exposed fellside, but paths
are clear on the ground
overlooked gem of
the Lake District. Crag Fell sits
at the south-west edge of
1 Start
Exit car park through gate,
signed ‘Ennerdale Views Trail’.
Stiles None
PLANNING
Ennerdale, and is often Follow track to lakeshore. Nearest town Whitehaven
mistaken for the far higher Where path splits, turn R, Refreshments None on
(and more distant) Pillar due crossing footbridge. Pass route
to their similar outlines. This through kissing-gate and follow Public toilets None
Public transport None
lovely ascent heads out beside
Ennerdale Water before
climbing to the outstanding
lakeside path, which soon
starts to climb gently. After
short distance, take fainter
to start
Maps OS Explorer OL6;
Landranger 89
viewpoint of Anglers’ Crag, path branching R and climbing
then taking a thrilling traverse steadily up hillside towards
route up to the summit of Crag Anglers’ Crag. At skyline, turn L path (not marked on OS map).
After first rise, path splits.
Fell. The views over Ennerdale to reach summit of Anglers’
are superb. It’s also a fine Crag for fantastic views over Take R path which becomes
example of why the national Ennerdale Water. an exciting but narrow traverse
park is a World Heritage Site: beneath Revelin Crags (again,
up top you’ll look out over
Kinniside Common, which has 2 1 mile/1.6km
Retrace steps to pass, then
not marked on OS), passing a
prominent finger of rock at one
➥ been an upland grazing continue ahead (S) on obvious point. Path continues around ➥
GRADIENT PROFILE
600
400
metres
200
20 km 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
✁
 CUMBRIA
16 ENNERDALE
NORTH WEST
OS Explorer map OL6 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
ST
A
RT
1
5
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
3
shoulder of hillside, gaining 1½ miles/2.6km
ridgeline where it meets a 3 Turn L and climb steeply
more substantial crossing path. up flank of Crag Fell. Where
path splits, take R path for best
High on views (though both forks lead
Angler’s to summit). Continue along
Crag. summit plateau to reach large
cairn at highest point (1715ft).
Fine views over Ennerdale
valley and Kinniside Common.
2 miles/3.3km
4 Retrace steps down
hillside. Ignore junction of
outbound path and continue
downhill on main path to reach
fenceline. Continue descending,
soon crossing Ben Gill (two
streams). Continue on path,
soon crossing stile to enter
PHOTO: TOM BAILEY
plantation area.
APRIL 2022 CUMBRIA
15 SCAFELL (VIA LORD’S RAKE)
NORTH WEST
OS Explorer map OL6 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
RT
1
STA
2
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
DATE WALKED
4 4
1 mile/1.6km
2 Go through kissing gate
and continue uphill by gill.
2¾ miles/4.5km Cross stream and continue on
TIME TAKEN
5 Continue descending on flagged path up Brown Tongue.
path. Where path splits (just Path splits from main Scafell
above a wide motor track), take Pike path at the 550m contour
R fork and descend to track. line on map, just north of Black
Turn R on track, soon veering L Crag. Take R path, heading for
to pass through gateway. At looming Scafell Crag, climbing
junction with wider track, turn into large corrie (Hollow Stones),
L on track, which soon veers L eventually passing house-size
(N). Ignore junction L, and stay boulder, to reach prominent
on track as it veers R to reach cairn at grid ref NY207070.
entrance to car park.
2 miles/3.3km
YOUR RATING
3 Extreme sections. Turn R
VIEW THE WALK ON
OS MAPS ONLINE: and follow faint path ascending
scree bank, reaching base of
walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes
crag where Lord’s Rake opens
IN ASSOCIATION WITH up to R. Enter Rake and climb
with care; beware loose scree.
At col at top of first rise, do not
© Country Walking April 2022
continue on Rake but turn L on
✁
rocky terrace path (West Wall
Traverse) heading E away from
Rake. (Path not marked on OS
map but clear on ground.)
Traverse enters Deep Ghyll.
Turn R and ascend ghyll – steep
and full of loose stones with a
short scrambling section near
top. Emerge on saddle near
Symonds Knott. Head SW over
saddle to reach Scafell summit.
2½ miles/4.1km
4 Retrace steps across saddle.
At lowest point, turn R on path
marked by cairns, descending
steepy on eroded path to reach
Foxes Tarn (puddle & boulder).
Turn L on path down gully
between high rock walls to
meet path coming up from
Cam Spout. Turn L, climbing
sharply. Where paths split,
keep L to ridge of Mickledore.
APRIL 2022
3
5
DATE WALKED
3 miles/5km
5 Pause to observe rock wall
of Broad Stand to L. Turn R
along Mickledore, passing
TIME TAKEN
Mountain Rescue stretcher box,
to reach large cairn towards
far end of ridge. Turn L and
descend on steep path back
into Hollow Stones. Pick up
outbound route descending
Brown Tongue. Cross beck and
continue descent to kissing-
gate. Go through gate, take R
path climbing to brow of hill.
Retrace steps to start.
YOUR RATING
VIEW THE WALK ON
OS MAPS ONLINE:
walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
© Country Walking April 2022

17 TREETON
SOUTH YORKSHIRE
Distance: 5¾ miles/9.25km Time: 2½ hours Grade: Easy
Bluebells in Treeton
Wood, near Point 2.
CHOSEN BY…
JAMIE SMITH
Beginning in fragrant
woodland, carpeted
with bluebells and wild garlic
in spring, this walk takes on a
watery character in its latter
miles. It wiggles down to the
path that runs along the shore
of Treeton Dyke before tucking
across the River Rother and
around the Waverley Lakes.
These man-made lakes are
relatively new, created from
the spoil of Orgreave Colliery.
Plant life, birds and insects
have rapidly colonised this
post-industrial site.
1 Start
Head uphill, ascending Wash
Field Lane, to turn R at T-
junction onto Front street,
600
400
metres
200
0 0
km 0 2 4
PLAN YOUR WALK
PHOTO: JAMIE SMITH
ROUTE
Start/parking Roadside
parking on Washfield
Lane, Treeton, grid ref
SK432875, nearest
postcode S60 5PU
which soon runs into Wood Is it for me? An easy walk
Lane, and follow the pavement along well-defined
E out of the village, passing woodland paths and
Treeton Grange. In short permissive paths around
lakes. Muddy underfoot
distance, reach and turn R
after heavy rainfall
onto path into Treeton Wood. Stiles None
After a short distance path
bears L, and then runs parallel PLANNING
to the road. Nearest town Rotherham
Refreshments Shops and
pubs near route, plus the
2 1 miles/1.7km
On reaching edge of woods
and field, take path that turns
Bee Hive coffee shed near
Point 6 at weekends
Public toilets None
to R. Path runs parallel to the Public transport Bus 73
edge of the field. Follow it until
eventually descending, and
then bear R, passing along
from Rotherham/Sheffield
to Treeton, plus X54 from
Sheffield (firstgroup.com).
Other bus routes and
the bottom of woodland. See Sheffield-Lincoln Line
ramsons here in spring. trains serve Woodhouse,
3 2 miles/3.2km
Arriving at edge of woods,
near route after Point 4
Maps OS Explorer 278;
Landranger 111 or 120
go through gate and cross
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18
NORTH EAST
18 SALTAIRE
WEST YORKSHIRE
Distance: 6 miles/9.7km Time: 2¾ hours Grade: Moderate
E E
SE TUR E 47
A G
FE PA
ON
CHOSEN BY…
CAROL
BURKINSHAW
Saltaire – a place
name that combines the
surname of its Victorian
founder Titus Salt and the river
beside which his visionary
utopian industrial empire
stands – was designated a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
in 2001. Today, the textile
tycoon’s gigantic Salts Mill
houses art exhibitions,
including a permanent
collection of Bradford-born
David Hockney’s work, shops
and eateries. From Saltaire’s
railway station, this route
explores Salt’s model
community, then passes Salts
Mill and Roberts Park, with its
➥ commanding statue of Titus.
600
400
metres
200
20 km 0 2 4
✁
NORTH EAST
Bingley from Dobrudden PLAN YOUR WALK
Farm on Baildon Moor.
PHOTO: CAROL BURKINSHAW
ROUTE
Start/parking Park at Salts
Mill (free, check opening
times saltsmill.org.uk), or
P&D on Caroline Street,
BD18 3LF or Exhibition
You then climb beside the Road, BD18 3JW. Free at
Shipley Glen Tramway (built Shipley Glen Tramway,
after Salt’s time in 1895) to BD17 5BN. Saltaire Railway
explore the green recreational Station grid ref SE139380,
postcode BD18 3LQ
lungs and extensive views
Is it for me? Moderately
on the doorstep of Salt’s undulating, good
millworkers – the tree-dotted woodland paths, canal
Baildon Bank, Baildon Moor towpath and roads
and the plateau heathland Stiles None
of the steep-sided, woody
PLANNING
Shipley Glen. And finally, the
Leeds & Liverpool Canal
returns you to Saltaire.
Nearest town Shipley
Refreshments Choice in
Saltaire and Old Glen
House pub and tea rooms
1 Start
With back to railway station
turn R to cross railway line and
on Shipley Glen plateau
Public toilets Salts Mill,
Caroline Street car park
Public transport Saltaire
immediately go R along Albert is well served by buses
Terrace. All streets in Salt’s and trains on Skipton-
community were named after
the man himself, his wife and
children, along with Queen
Bradford-Leeds line
Maps OS Explorer 288;
Landranger 104
Victoria and Albert. At end of ➥
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
 WEST YORKSHIRE APRIL 2022 SOUTH YORKSHIRE APRIL 2022

18 SALTAIRE 17 TREETON

NORTH EAST
NORTH EAST
OS Explorer map 288 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop OS Explorer map 278 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop

DON’T MISS...
START
1
Relax on a
30-minute 4
6
cruise from
Saltaire along the
Leeds & Liverpool
Canal on the
narrowboat Titus 3 3 2
(check operating
times saltairetripboat.
5
wixsite.com).

©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22

©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
Albert Terrace turn L on Albert
Road, and then take second L

DATE WALKED
DATE WALKED

into Titus Street. After crossing 1

George Street, drop L at STA
RT
junction with Victoria Road.
Pass railway station and United 4
Reform Church to reach Leeds
& Liverpool Canal, which is
straddled by Salts Mill. Go over Head R to follow the school’s top of Shipley Glen, passing
canal bridge and footbridge perimeter fence to road Bracken Hall Countryside
over parallel Aire into Roberts Centre, to reach Old Glen fields for short distance to Ground, heading N, following 5¼ miles/8.5km

TIME TAKEN
TIME TAKEN

Park (detour to explore). At 2½ miles/4km
crossroads exit park R, veer 3 Turn R, and take second L
immediate L to green, stay L to onto Hope Lane. When lane
road and turn L. bends R, swing L, signed
bridleway, climbing past
¾ mile/1.2km Dove Hall to Hope Farm. At
2 In 50m bear R on bridleway intersection shortly after farm
that ascends beside Shipley negotiate gate R. After next
Glen Tramway from bottom gate trace wall across Baildon
to top station. Turn R to join Moor. When wall ends remain
Baildon Bank. Stick forwards at forwards to cross entrance
barrier descending to junction. track to caravan site, making
House pub and tea rooms. enter Hail Mary Hill Wood, and edge of fields. As path bears L 6 Follow the path, crossing
Turn R, and wind down to follow path heading W through in ascent, turn R, along path to over the metal bridge spanning
road. Go R and L onto woods, going straight over at pass through metal gate, turn R the River Rother, and then
Glenwood Avenue. When crossroads ignoring any routes onto red cinder track. Follow immediately turn R, passing
road bends L, head R to Aire. ascending to the L, continuing track descending E, to turn N through a metal gate, and
Go L, negotiate footbridge, SW, eventually descending to beside River Rother. continue along good path to
and remain forwards to canal. reach T-junction at Treeton reach and cross the Railway
Walk L, leave canal at Saltaire, Dyke. Turn L, and follow path 4¼ miles/6.75km Bridge. Descend to meet and
go back over canal bridge beside Dyke to go through 5 Bear L onto good path follow the road, before then
and keep ahead to return to metal gate, then continue to (can be a little waterlogged ascending NE to return to
the start. pass through second metal after rain) heading initially in the start.
gate further along, heading S a SW direction, following the
YOUR RATING
YOUR RATING

Stay L to contour hillside and for wall corner. Follow wall and along Falconer Lane beside path to eventually head in a
VIEW THE WALK ON VIEW THE WALK ON
later walk close to Green Road. then maintain direction to OS MAPS ONLINE: terraced houses. north easterly direction around OS MAPS ONLINE:
Go L at fork to T-junction. To descend moor, crossing metal the recently created Waverley
walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes
R is footpath sign off Green track, to Glen Road. 3 miles/4.8km Lakes. The route passes over
Road, but route doubles back L IN ASSOCIATION WITH 4 At T-junction with B6200, a small footbridge and then IN ASSOCIATION WITH
uphill. At intersection briefly go 4¼ miles/6.8km turn R and follow footpath W, eventually returns to the Red
L and branch R at junction to 4 Cross road, and head L following road, and in ½ mile circular cinder path that runs
© Country Walking April 2022
© Country Walking April 2022

climb steep steps to school. along any of paths along the turn R on path into Recreation beside the river.
✁

19FOUNTAINS
NORTH YORKSHIRE
ABBEY
Distance: 5½ miles/8.9km Time: 2½ hours Grade: Easy
E E
SE TUR E 82
A G
FE PA
ON
St Mary’s Church
reflects in the lake.
CHOSEN BY…
CAROL
BURKINSHAW
In 1986 Fountains
Abbey and Studley Royal
Water Garden was awarded
World Heritage status in
recognition of the park’s
impressive array of
architecture, constructed over
800 years, and its stunning
setting. Lying just west of the
cathedral city of Ripon, this
estate, now in the care of the
National Trust, is home to the
most complete and extensive
Cistercian monastic ruins in
the country, the landscaped
Georgian Studley Royal
Water Garden, the Jacobean
Fountains Hall and a deer park.
Starting out from the visitor
centre, much of this walk,
600
400
metres
200
0 0
km 0 2 4
PLAN YOUR WALK
PHOTO: CAROL BURKINSHAW
ROUTE
Start/parking Free
Fountains Abbey National
Trust Visitor Centre car
park (for opening times
check www.nationaltrust.
packed with variety and org.uk), off Abbey Road,
interest, falls within the grid ref SE272686,
boundaries of this 822-acre postcode HG4 3DY, Or,
park. So, it provides either an use West Gate car park
signed from visitor centre
excellent introduction to the
entrance
estate, or a relaxing way to Is it for me? Easy
round off a great day out, navigation on gently
but it does not provide undulating good estate
access to the paid entry (free parkland paths/tracks/
for National Trust members) driveways, plus quiet lanes
Stiles None
areas of the site – the abbey,
gardens and hall. PLANNING
Nearest town Ripon
1 Start
From roundabout at visitor
centre entrance turn L along
Refreshments Visitor
centre restaurant
Public toilets Visitor
centre
lane/parallel hedge-enclosed
path. At road T-junction turn L
and heading downhill, bend
Public transport Various
buses serve Ripon and
then transfer to bus 139
sharp L and R to cross Skell. (dalesbus.org)
Pass West Gate entrance car Maps OS Explorer 285 or
park and, now climbing, curve 299; Landranger 99
L at junction.
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18
NORTH EAST
20NORTHUMBERLAND
GREENHEAD & WALLTOWN CRAGS
Distance: 6 miles/9.4km Time: 2½ hours Grade: Moderate
E E
SE TUR E 47
A G
FE PA
ON
CHOSEN BY…
JAMES DEBOO
Designated a World
Heritage Site by
UNESCO, the ruins of Hadrian’s
Wall are unquestionably at
their most spectacular where
they surf the craggy swell of
the Great Whin Sill across the
Pennine Hills. At Walltown,
near the village of Greenhead,
this tabular layer of dolerite
(known as whinstone) was
blasted for road stone. The
quarry closed in 1976 and is
now a country park. It’s here
this walk begins, near the
Roman Army Museum.
Milecastles and turrets
punctuate the march east along
the national trail that follows
the Roman Empire’s northern
➥ frontier above Walltown Crags.
600
400
metres
200
20 km 0 2 4
✁
NORTH EAST
Approaching Walltown PLAN YOUR WALK
Crags along Hadrian’s Wall.
PHOTO: JAMES DEBOO
ROUTE
Start/parking P&D parking
at Walltown Country Park,
grid ref NY660654,
postcode CA8 7HF
Is it for me? Grassy paths
Having drunk your fill of wide and tracks, and tarmac
views across the border footpath/cycleway. Some
country of Northumberland wet and muddy sections,
National Park, you turn south the roughest in the first
half, and lots of tall stiles
into the once militarised zone
Stiles 6
behind the wall. At Greenhead
you can refuel at the tea room PLANNING
before you’re reacquainted Nearest town Haltwhistle
with the wall at Thirlwall Refreshments Greenhead
Castle (a ‘thirl’ being a hole Tea Room (016977
47400); hot and cold
big enough to let a sheep
drinks and cold snacks at
through). Now an ivied ruin, peak times at Walltown
this 12th-century stronghold Country Park at the start
was built with stone robbed
from the Roman defences.
(01434 605555)
Public toilets At the start
Public transport Go North
East service AD122 (end
1 Start
Leave car park past visitor
centre and follow public
March–end October)
Maps OS Explorer OL43;
Landranger 86
footpath signs to Hadrian’s
Wall. Climb to stone bench,
then go L through kissing gate: to meet the ruins of Hadrian’s
climb alongside a drystone wall Wall. Follow Hadrian’s Wall NE ➥
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
 NORTHUMBERLAND
20 GREENHEAD & WALLTOWN CRAGS
NORTH EAST
OS Explorer map OL43 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
5
4
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
for 900m, passing a Roman
quarry and crossing Walltown
Crags before descending
towards King Arthur’s Well.
Go R, S, to meet road.
1 mile/1.8km
2 Go L, SE, past a cattle grid.
After 300m, take a bridleway S
across a cattle grid to a new
house. Keep L, through the
gate, and cross the field S.
Through a gate bear R, SW,
to another gate beneath old
quarry works. Follow the grass
track, bearing S towards Fell
End. Reaching a fingerpost
veer L to a wall corner, then
skirt a wall S to a driveway to
the B6318.
2¼ miles/3.7km
3 Cross road, then ladder
stile opposite. Follow bridleway
T
R trees. The abbey was founded
A
ST
1 from York, but seeking a
S along wall, then cross ladder
stile R (SW) onto footpath.
Cross field and ladder stile to
road: go R for 500m. Cross
B6318, join foot/cycleway E and
continue 1.5km into Greenhead.
4 miles/6.2km
4 Cross river, pass Greenhead
Tea Room, cross railway line
and keep ahead up Greenhead
Bank. Beyond a gate bear R
across the golf course
footbridge and follow the edge
of the golf course through
trees: cross the third ladder
stile onto the Pennine Way,
then re-cross at a ladder stile
to follow the Pennine Way and
Vallum E to the B6318.
5 miles/8km
5 Across the road take the
footpath through a gate
APRIL 2022 NORTH YORKSHIRE APRIL 2022
19 FOUNTAINS ABBEY
NORTH EAST
OS Explorer map 285 or 299 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
¾ mile/1.2km
2 In 200m go L at signed
bridleway to ascend beside
the abbey wall, with views of 6
2 Fountains Hall and maybe
glimpse of the abbey through
in 1132 by Benedictine monks
stricter routine they turned to 5
the Cistercian order. By the
mid-13th century Fountains
Abbey had become one of ST
AR
3 Britain’s wealthiest religious T
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
houses. The mansion house,
built after the Dissolution of 1
DATE WALKED
DATE WALKED
the Monasteries, was partly 4
constructed using stone from
the abbey’s remains. Negotiate
gate and cross field.
3
towards Thirlwall Castle. 1¼ miles/2km
Through another gate, cross 3 At far side of field turn R. 2
the footbridge and follow Go through next gate and trace
Tipalt Burn upstream. A gate outer woodland fringe. At end
TIME TAKEN
TIME TAKEN
leads to a track by Thirlwall of wood arc L around
Castle: go R across footbridge farmhouse. Beyond another
and climb past Holmhead, gate, turn R, L, R (marked) in through trees to path junction. turn L back into Studley Park.
following Hadrian’s Wall Path/ between farm buildings to Detour 20m ahead to The Lake. After East Gate maintain
Pennine Way signs. Follow enter field. Follow its R-hand direction up arrow-straight
the earthwork uphill, over field boundary and at hedge 2½ miles/4km driveway to St Mary’s church.
ladder stile and across field corner maintain direction and 5 Return to intersection and Just beyond church and obelisk
to road. Cross the road and descend towards woodland. A branch L to wander through leave park via gate ahead. Turn
follow the path to return to tree-lined path leads to ruins of steep-sided Seven Bridges immediate L, and return to
the start. parkland entrance L. Valley (only five bridges visitor centre on woodland
remain) beside Skell. Exit park track (frequent signs).
2 miles/3.2km into Chinese Wood and,
YOUR RATING
YOUR RATING
4 Join grassy track across ignoring footbridge over Skell,
VIEW THE WALK ON VIEW THE WALK ON
OS MAPS ONLINE: deer park – home to red, fallow swing L up through trees. Later OS MAPS ONLINE:
(most numerous) and sika deer continue with open views –
walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes
– passing small pond R. At Ripon Cathedral R – along
IN ASSOCIATION WITH marker post at brow of hill, track, passing Plumpton Hall. IN ASSOCIATION WITH
drop diagonally L, with much
larger pond L, and curve 3¾ miles/6km
© Country Walking April 2022
© Country Walking April 2022
slightly R to gate. Swerve L 6 On fringe of Studley Roger
✁
 21 GWYNEDD
SNOWDON (VIA THE LLANBERIS PATH)
Distance: 11½ miles/18.5km Time: 6 hours Grade: Challenging
E E
SE TUR E 16
A G
FE PA
ON
Snowdon summit, Glaslyn and
Llyn Llydaw from Bwlch Glas.
CHOSEN BY…
JULIE ROYLE
This is a satisfying
day out on Yr Wyddfa
(Snowdon) which offers some
real contrasts. The outward
route is the Llanberis Path, the
easiest but probably most
crowded walk to the top. To
compensate for this it provides
fantastic views, including the
Menai Straits, the Glyderau
and the Carneddau, plus,
closer to hand, Cwm Brwynog,
Llyn Du’r Arddu and the
fearsome but celebrated cliffs
of Clogwyn D’ur Arddu,
known to generations of rock
climbers as Cloggy. The return
route is the often blissfully
quiet Snowdon Ranger Path
which offers grand views of
Mynydd Mawr and the Nantlle
1200
800
metres
400
0 0
km 0 2 4
A
B Distance: 5 miles/8km Time: 3 hours Grade: Easy
PLAN YOUR WALK
PHOTO: JULIE ROYLE
ROUTE
Start/parking Bus stops
and car parks are by
A4086 at southern end of
village, grid ref SH581600,
postcode LL55 4TD
ridge on an enjoyable descent Is it for me? Well-defined
to Llyn Cwellyn, where there’s mountain paths, mostly
a YHA hostel, a bus stop and a stony but also grassy;
dangerous when icy or
station on the Welsh Highland
Railway. To complete a
Llanberis circuit, however,
snow-covered
Stiles None
this route leaves the Snowdon PLANNING
Ranger half-a-mile above Nearest town Llanberis
Llyn Cwellyn, striking out Refreshments Hafod Eryri
northwards instead on the should reopen summer
relatively little–used but 2022; future plans of
Halfway House unknown;
excellent Maesgwm Path choice in Llanberis
which climbs to Bwlch Public toilets Llanberis;
Maesgwm then undulates Hafod Eryri (when open)
smoothly along below Foel Public transport Gwynfor/
Goch, Moel Cynghorion and Dilwyns buses 85/86 from
Bangor and 88 from
Moel Eilio to Llanberis.
Caernarfon; Sherpa S1/S2
from Pen-y-pass, Llanrwst,
1 Start
Walk south by A4086,
following signs for Snowdon
Betws-y-coed, Capel Curig
Maps OS Explorer OL17;
Landranger 115; Harvey
Path, then take lane R, opposite Snowdonia North
Royal Victoria Hotel. Climb
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18
22 LLYN
GWYNEDD
WALES
WALES
PADARN
E E Snowdon from the viewpoint PLAN YOUR WALK
SE TUR E 16 above Llyn Padarn near the start.
A G
FE PA
ON
PHOTO: DOROTHY HAMILTON
ROUTE
Start/parking Slate
Museum and Gilfach Ddu
car park, Llanberis, grid ref
SH585604, postcode
LL55 4TY
CHOSEN BY… split and learn about the Is it for me? Woodland
DOROTHY industry that roofed the world. paths and tracks
HAMILTON (some rough), lanes
and lakeside track and
Starting from the
National Slate Museum, this
walk around Llyn Padarn takes
1 Start
Have Llanberis Lake Railway
on your right and walk towards
meadows, suitable for
young children who can
cope with stony paths
in the beautiful sessile oak a large notice board with signs Stiles None
woodland of Coed Dinorwig as for Quarry Hospital and Padarn
well as a level walk/cycleway Lake Walk. Follow a gravel path PLANNING
and meadows alongside the a few paces then take path R to Nearest town Llanberis
lake. You’ll be rewarded join a broad track and go uphill Refreshments Café at
Slate Museum, choice
with glorious views of the to a viewpoint. Climb the steps in Llanberis
surrounding mountains. Llyn to the Quarry Hospital and Public toilets At start and
Padarn is one of the deepest bear L to pass the Old (seasonal) near car parks
lakes in Wales and is home to Mortuary and follow a path as you return
the Artic Char, a rare fish that into Coed Dinorwig. It rises Public transport Bus 85
from Bangor, bus 88 from
has survived from the last Ice gradually with views of the lake
Caernarfon, S2 from
Age. Don’t miss a visit to the below. After a viewpoint the Betws-y-coed and
free National Slate Museum,
where you can see a huge
waterwheel, former quarry
path descends, passing paths L
to a former woollen mill and
ruined cottages. Go through
Pen-y-Pass to Llanberis
(bustimes.org)
Maps OS Explorer OL17;
workers cottages, workshops, the gate ahead to cross a Landranger 115
➥ watch films, see slate being footbridge over Afon Fachwen. ➥
GRADIENT PROFILE
600
400
metres
200
20 km 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
✁
 GWYNEDD
LLYN PADARN
WALES
22
OS Explorer map OL17 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
3 START
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
1 mile/1.4km
2 Follow the stony track
uphill and keep ahead,
following white waymarks to
have, eventually, fields R.
Continue along the track and
pass under a former slate
incline. The track winds around
and, as it bends R, leave it to
go ahead on a path and up
steps to a gate. Turn L along
the lane and walk downhill,
passing a few houses and the
Llanberis Lake Railway
terminus to join a road.
2¾ miles/4.4km
3 Cross a bridge and
immediately turn L on an old
4
road to have superb lake and
mountain views. Pass through
two gates to have the lake
nearby L and after more gates
emerge on a road. Turn L and
before a bend take path L
descending to join a broad
track – the former Llanberis-
Caernarfon Railway, now
known as the Lon Las Peris
cycle track. Go L and pass
a pool on R and an old
boathouse L. Go under a
bridge and through a wide
cutting to soon have lagoons
and car park L. Emerge on
the access road, pass another
car park and continue along
the pavement.
APRIL 2022 GWYNEDD APRIL 2022
SNOWDON (VIA THE LLANBERIS PATH)
WALES
21
OS Explorer map OL17 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
DON’T MISS...
1
The remains
of Dolbadarn
Castle
overlook Llyn Peris
just a short walk from 3
Llanberis. The castle
guards the route
between Caernarfon
and Dyffryn Conwy
and was probably
2 built by Llywelyn ap
Iorwerth in the early
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
13th century.
DATE WALKED
DATE WALKED
steeply until you can take
Llanberis Path, signed L. The
T
AR route is unmistakable, all the
ST
way to the summit. When you 2
1
reach Bwlch Glas, just below
the summit, you’ll see a
standing stone, inscribed
‘copa’ (summit). Look on the
TIME TAKEN
TIME TAKEN
other side to see the words with a steady climb to the cross Afon Hwch. Stay on
4 miles/6.5km ‘Cwellyn Snowdon Ranger’. pass but once that’s out of the the bridleway/farm road as
4 Pass Llanberis village car This marks your way down. way it’s effortless. A bridleway, it continues to climb L.
park and go L beside the lake, But first proceed to the summit it was resurfaced in spring Proceed to junction, then leave
passing a children’s playground and enjoy the amazing view 2021, and descends very bridleway and take gated road
R. Cross two footbridges and before retracing your steps. gradually round the flanks R. Follow it down to Llanberis.
take L fork to continue through of Moel Eilio. (NB If you are Fork R at the junction on to
meadows to join wider path. 5 miles/8km tired and haven’t left a car in Pen-y-bont then R on High
Turn L to cross footbridge 2 Once back at Bwlch Glas, Llanberis you don’t need to Street, past the shops, pubs
separating Llyn Padarn and join the Snowdon Ranger Path. return there but can continue and cafés back to bus stops
Peris then go L to start. Cross the railway, turn R, then downhill from the junction and car parks.
soon L, at another standing for a few minutes to Cwellyn
YOUR RATING
YOUR RATING
stone. Just keep descending, to pick up a bus – the S4 to
VIEW THE WALK ON VIEW THE WALK ON
OS MAPS ONLINE: below Clogwyn Du’r Arddu Caernarfon, Pen-y-pass and OS MAPS ONLINE:
and above Llyn Ffynnon-y- Beddgelert – or even a steam
walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes
gwas, to eventually reach a train, though pre-booking may
IN ASSOCIATION WITH major junction below Bwlch be required for that). IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Maesgwm. Turn R, signed
‘Llanberis 4.5km’, on the 10 miles/16km
© Country Walking April 2022
© Country Walking April 2022
Maesgwm Path. It begins 3 Pass through gate and then
✁
 SCOTLAND
23 PONTCYSYLLTE
WREXHAM
24 FIFE
WALES

AQUEDUCT FORTH BRIDGES & INVERKEITHING BAY

Distance: 6 miles/9.5km Time: 3 hours Grade: Moderate Distance: 5¼ miles/8.5km Time: 2-2½ hours Grade: Easy
E E Walkers and a narrowboat cross PLAN YOUR WALK E E Forth Rail Bridge viewed over PLAN YOUR WALK
SE TUR E 72 the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
SE TUR E 52 North Queensferry from the
A G A G
FE PA FE PA Forth Road Bridge (point 6).
ON ON
PHOTO: DOROTHY HAMILTON

PHOTO: RALPH STORER

CHOSEN BY…
DOROTHY
HAMILTON
The Pontcysyllte
Aqueduct is the centrepiece
of the 11-mile-long Llangollen
Canal World Heritage Site.
Built by Thomas Telford and
ROUTE ROUTE
Start/parking Pontcysyllte Start/parking Ferrytoll
Aqueduct car park, grid park & ride car park,
ref SJ273426 postcode reached from first exit
LL20 7TU on A90 on north side
Is it for me? Towpath, Queensferry Crossing,
River Dee. On far side continue lanes, some pavements CHOSEN BY… 10mph sign keep L on path grid ref NT124820,
to footbridge next to liftbridge. and path beside the River RALPH STORER by marker post to reach Fife postcode EH10 7DU
Cross it and bear R, soon Dee, short climbs This circular walk Coastal Path (FCP) signpost. Is it for me? Excellent
leaving the canal to join B5434. Stiles None along the Fife Coastal Go L on path that twists paths, minor ascents,
one steep
Path begins unspectacularly between trees and bushes to
PLANNING Stiles None
2 1 mile/1.6km
Walk downhill and cross
the old bridge over the River
Nearest town Ruabon
Refreshments Pontcysyllte
by the inner shores of
Inverkeithing Bay and gets
better with every step. As you

reach promontory jutting into

Inverkeithing Bay. PLANNING
Chapel Tea Room (01978 Nearest town
William Jessop between 1795
and 1805, the 1,007 ft long
trough stands 126 ft above the

Dee. Veer R to walk uphill

and take the path R signed
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Pass

812786) near Trevor

Basin, snacks at Ty Mawr
Country Park

wander through Carlingnose

Point wildlife reserve, you’re
treated to sensational views
2 1 mile/1.6km
FCP now turns R to follow
unsurfaced road beside shore,

River Dee. As well as crossing
the spectacular aqueduct, this
route takes you to several
great viewpoints of this
engineering masterwork.
1 Start
Leave car park at the R
corner and bear L to take path
Public toilets Trevor Basin
below the trough and go uphill disabled car park and Ty
to Trevor Basin. Bear R, passing Mawr Country Park
the visitor centre, and before Public transport Nearest
road bridge, go R into the train station Ruabon; T3
disabled car park. Directly Barmouth-Wrexham and
No5 Wrexham on A539
opposite, go through kissing
300m from Trevor Basin
of the Firth of Forth and Forth
Rail Bridge. Having gone under
this iconic feat of cantilever
engineering, you walk out
along the Forth Road Bridge
high above North Queensferry.
North Queensferry
Refreshments At car park
and in North Queensferry.
Try Rankin’s Café & Deli on
with views to Edinburgh as well Main Street (01383616313)
as along Forth Estuary. After Public toilets At car park
road ends at house, track Public transport
continues, climbing into trees Numerous coach services
to become woodland path. This along A90/M90 to start
(stagecoachbus.com), plus
leads to beautiful, wide, sandy
local buses. Trains from

gate to footpath signpost.

Bear L to follow enclosed path
around corners to another

Maps OS Explorer 256;

Landranger 117
1 Start
Exit car park and cross road.

bay (Port Laing) backed by

houses. Note WWI plaque on
first house. At far end of bay,

Edinburgh to North
Queensferry station, after
Point 4 (scotrail.co.uk)
under road bridge to Trevor signpost then go L in the Go L then first R under railway path climbs steadily to fork Maps OS Explorer 350;
Basin. Continue with canal R to direction of Cefn Mawr a kissing gate where you bridge (Ferryhills Road). Take with info board for Carlingnose Landranger 65
cross the aqueduct above the Industrial Village. It leads to turn R along New Road. ➥ first L (Cruickness Road). At Point Wildlife Reserve. ➥
GRADIENT PROFILE GRADIENT PROFILE
600 600
400 400
metres

metres
200 200
0 0
km 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 km 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

✁
 FIFE APRIL 2022 WREXHAM APRIL 2022

FORTH BRIDGES & INVERKEITHING BAY PONTCYSYLLTE AQUEDUCT

WALES
24 23

SCOTLAND
OS Explorer map 350 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop OS Explorer map 256 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop

1⅔ miles/2.7km
RT
3 Branch R to leave main STA
path and rejoin further along. STA 2 1
RT
Branch path runs through 1
Reserve, crossing ecologically
important lime-rich grassland 3
at foot of impressive crags of
Carlingnose Point. After
rejoining main route, path
descends towards Forth Rail
Bridge. Just before reaching 4
bridge, branch sharp L on
path that descends to road at
North Queenferry’s East Bay.

©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22

©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
Go R along grassy waterside to
reach another road on far side.

DATE WALKED
DATE WALKED

L here is Sea World. Turn R and 5 3

follow road under Forth Rail 5
Bridge to R bend. Leave road
for cobbled alley on L to reach
2
main village street at Rankin’s
Café. Detour L down to North
Queenferry’s South Bay for 4
spectacular views beneath
Rail Bridge. 2¼ miles/3.8km soon bear R along Short Lane. reach the River Dee. Turn R

TIME TAKEN
TIME TAKEN

3 At a junction, turn R over Pass Middle Street on R then and when surfaced path bears
2¼ miles/3.5km a stream then R along Mill go L downhill along tree lined sharp R, go L on path signed
4 On return to main street, Lane. Bear R at a house then Hill Street with glimpses of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Stay on
detour first L to Town Pier to 6 immediately L to ascend River Dee and woodlands the path closest to the river
view R L Stevenson’s 1817 Light narrow enclosed path. At the below. On reaching the B5605, and soon have great views of
Tower. Return and continue up top go L then R up a few steps, cross to opposite pavement the aqueduct. Take the stepped
main street to crossroads at of steps and spectacular view 3¾ miles/6km veering L to a road opposite and turn R. Take Cae Gwilym path uphill alongside the pillars
top. Go straight across up The of Forth Road Bridge and 6 Retrace steps along the the Queens Hotel. Bear R, Lane on L and, after passing to join your earlier path to
Brae (signpost FCP). A steep newer Queensferry Crossing. wide walkway, which continues ignore the immediate road under a railway bridge, go L Trevor Basin. Walk on under
climb zigzags sharply L then R. Descend steps to reach N end all the way back to the car park descending R, and continue into Ty Mawr Country Park. the road bridge to car park at
On R bend, note ancient spring of Road Bridge. at the start. along the road to take Plas the start.
of Jubilee Well on L. At fork at Kynaston Lane on R. Pass a 4 miles/6.4km
YOUR RATING
YOUR RATING

top of hill, don’t go under 3 miles/4.7km school, go under a railway 5 Go ahead to pass visitor
VIEW THE WALK ON bridge and walk uphill to a centre then bear L through
VIEW THE WALK ON
railway bridge on R but keep L. 5 Go L to follow wide OS MAPS ONLINE: OS MAPS ONLINE:
Road rises through housing walkway out along Road road junction. gate to pass animal enclosures.
walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes
estate, bearing L to T-junction. Bridge to first tower in the Continue downhill through Mini
Go R to next T-junction, then L middle of Forth for high-level, IN ASSOCIATION WITH 3¼ miles/5.2km Beast Wood, bearing L over IN ASSOCIATION WITH
to community centre. Path panoramic views over North 4 Cross the road and turn stream to track. Turn R, pass
continues around grassy area Queenferry, the other Forth R then soon go L uphill along dovecote R, and keep L to soon
© Country Walking April 2022
© Country Walking April 2022

to reach top of several flights Bridges and the Estuary. Park Road. At a fork, go L and walk beside Cefn Viaduct and
✁

25 RING
ORKNEY
OF BRODGAR
Distance: 2¾ miles/4.5km Time: 1 hour Grade: Easy
E E
SE TUR E 63
A G
FE PA
ON
Ring of Brodgar.
CHOSEN BY…
TAYLOR ST JOHN
This short walk past
two standing stone
formations – part of the
Heart of Neolithic Orkney
World Heritage site – provides
a perfect introduction to the
5000-plus year history of the
Orkney Islands. A flat, easy to
navigate route, it follows a
stretch of tarmac road
connecting two sites and also
passes the Ness of Brodgar
– an active archaeological dig
(in the summer) that is
uncovering a Neolithic village
similar to Skara Brae.
1 Start
From the Brodgar car park,
follow the boardwalk toward
the B9055 road. Cross the
600
400
metres
200
0 From Cargan Picnic Area
km 0 2 4
PLAN YOUR WALK
PHOTO: TAYLOR ST JOHN
ROUTE
Start/parking Free
parking at Brodgar car
park off B9055 in
Stenness, grid ref
HY293137
road, then go through gate and Is it for me? Flat paths,
turn L to follow path with road field and tarmac road.
on your L heading diagonally Some wet ground. Ring of
toward the Ring of Brodgar. Brodgar inner path closed
at times for regeneration
(outside path available)
2 ¼ mile/0.3km
As you approach the
standing stones, turn R to
Stiles 1
PLANNING
follow either the inner or outer Nearest town Stromness
path (depending on which one Refreshments Standing
Stones Hotel (01856 850
is open at the time) around the
back of the Ring of Brodgar.
You can detour here toward the
449) in nearby Stennness
Public toilets None on
route. Nearest in Stenness
Salt Knowe. Halfway around and Ferry Rd, Stromness
the stone circle, bear R to cross Public transport Frequent
grassy field past the Comet buses (X1, Stagecoach
Scotland) Stromness-
Stone and rejoin B9055 road.
Kirkwall, and you can
request a stop at Stones
3 ½ mile/0.9km
Turn R on road. Pass the
Ness of Brodgar archaeological
of Stenness); from here,
follow the walk in reverse
Maps OS Explorer 463;
site on R. Continue straight on Landranger 6
over a causeway between Loch
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
SCOTLAND
26 CARGAN
COUNTY ANTRIM
Distance: 10 miles/16km Time: 5 hour Grade: Moderate
CHOSEN BY…
PHOEBE TAPLIN
Buzzards glide over
moorland slopes
and sheep graze below. This
entire circuit runs along quiet
country lanes and forest tracks
so you don’t need to worry too
much about boggy ground. In
rainy weather it could be
bleak, while in sunshine it’s
glorious. Before you set off
from the car park, take a little
turn around the short path
there, through some lovely
beech trees and down by the
river. It’s a great contrast with
the later landscapes of the
walk, which are mostly high
and wild, with a legacy of
earlier mining works. If you
➥
have a car or a lot of stamina,
the walk would combine well
with a visit to the waterfalls in
Glenariff Forest Park.
1 and along lane for a couple of
Start
car park (just before you reach
✁
IRELAND
A
B
View towards Cargan PLAN YOUR WALK
from Drum Woods.
PHOTO: PHOEBE TAPLIN
ROUTE
Start/parking Cargan
Picnic Area car park
(just before village on
main road), grid ref
D 15692 16887, postcode
the village on the road from BT43 6RA
Ballymena), turn R along Is it for me? Quiet country
pavement of main road lanes and gravel forest
towards Cargan. Watch out tracks so it is not muddy,
but can be hard on the
when crossing bridge, where
feet after a while. Short
there is no pavement. At
crossroads, before colourful
village mural, turn L into
stretch beside main road
to and from car park
Stiles 5
Legagrane Road.
PLANNING
Nearest town Ballymena
2 ¾ mile/1.2km
Soon crossing stone
bridge, climb road through
Refreshments Snacks and
hot drinks from extensive
shop in Cargan garage,
houses. At junction with further along road from
Tuftarney Road, turn R and, at crossroads
end, R again into Skerry East Public toilets In Cargan
Road. At small car park near garage
Public transport Bus 150
stone bridge, detour R up runs from Ballymena
gravel track to see Drum
Woodland Trust site.
bus station to Cargan
crossroads (point 2 – start
there) four times a day
(Ulsterbus, Translink)
3 2 miles/3.2km
Return to road and
continue over cattle grids, past
Map OSNI Glens of Antrim
Activity map
small stands of pine and old
mining sites. Keep straight up up track towards radio mast,
following the first of many
miles. When lane eventually arrows signed Dungonnell Way
swings R, fork L over stile and that lead back to Cargan. ➥
 COUNTY ANTRIM APRIL 2022 ORKNEY APRIL 2022

26 CARGAN 25 RING OF BRODGAR

IRELAND
SCOTLAND
OSNI Glen of Antrim Activity map Buy maps at: mapshop.nidirect.gov.uk OS Explorer map 414 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop

DON’T MISS...
1
The metal STAR
T
Drum
sculpture,
created by Ned 4
Jackson Smyth 5 2
in 2001 for the
3
Woodland Trust’s
Drum Woods site near
point 3. One walker
called it ‘Antrim’s

THUNDERFOREST/OPEN STREET MAP CONTRIBUTORS

answer to the
Angel of the North’

©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22

(pictured below).
3 6

DATE WALKED
DATE WALKED

4 miles/6.4km 5
4 Keep on up gravel forest 2
track past old, new and 4
part-cleared plantations. 1 7
At junction, fork R, sticking to

ST
6

AR
main track. Cross stile and B14

T
Ballymon Road and walk L
of Harray and Loch of Stenness. 1½ miles/2.4km DON’T MISS...
along verge for a few steps.
Just before the Stones of 5 Cross stile to enter fenced
Turn R over stile, R again onto

TIME TAKEN
TIME TAKEN

5 miles/8km
track and follow it L past
5 Turn L onto another gravel
conifers. Follow stony track
track and follow it straight
down through trees. Turn R at
over stream and stile up into
T-junction over stream near
Glenariff Forest Park. Keep
barns and silos. Follow track R
straight for more than a mile.
uphill and then L. Near main
Turn R at junction onto similar
road, climb wood-topped
gravel track, leading up and
section of fence and turn R
out of forest. Keep straight
beside A43 for 100m.
over stile and continue on path
across open moorland.
through hills, sheep fields and Stenness, turn L off the road field. Continue diagonally The other sites
occasional farmhouses for a onto a grass path signposted across field and pass the that make up
couple of miles. ‘Barnhouse Neolithic Village’. Stones of Stenness. Pass the Heart of
through gate at far end of Neolithic Orkney,
9½ miles/15.5km 1¼ miles/2km the field to rejoin B9055. including Maeshowe
7 Eventually, turn R along 4 Follow path straight until Chambered Cairn and
larger lane through houses you reach the small settlement 1¾ miles/2.8km Skara Brae (booking
back into Cargan. At reconstruction. Then return to 6 Turn R to follow B9055 recommended, see
crossroads, turn L back the path and backtrack until straight back to the Brodgar historicenvironment.
along main road to return to you reach a stile on L. car park. scot for more info).
car park or R for bus stop.
Stones of Stenness.
YOUR RATING
YOUR RATING

7 miles/11km
VIEW THE WALK ON VIEW THE WALK ON
6 Turn R on moorland lane OS MAPS ONLINE: OS MAPS ONLINE:
and follow it L with views of
walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes
Dungonnell Reservoir. Near
dam at end of reservoir, turn IN ASSOCIATION WITH IN ASSOCIATION WITH
R on lane. Walk past water
works and wind turbine.

PHOTO: PHOEBE TAPLIN

© Country Walking April 2022
© Country Walking April 2022

PHOTO: TAYLOR ST JOHN

Follow the lane as it winds

✁

27 GLEOURAICH
HIGHLAND
& SPIDEAN MIALACH
Distance: 7½ miles/12km Time: 6-8 hours Grade: Challenging
ROAR OF THE WILD
CHOSEN BY…
DAVID MARSH
Gleouraich and Spidean
Mialach are are two
magnificent Munros on the shore
of Loch Quoich, in the vast, empty
region between Fort William and
Glen Shiel. Both mountains are
served by excellent stalkers’ paths
PHOTO: DAVID MARSH
Loch Quoich from
Gleouraich’s summit.
which make the ascent and descent
easier than might otherwise be
expected. That said, this is still a
very strenuous walk with 1200m of
ascent in a remote and unforgiving
area. Indeed, just to the west is
Knoydart, a rugged and roadless
peninsula regarded as the UK’s last
wilderness. Although mainly grassy
W N
S E
on their southern flanks, both
Munros are lined with dramatic
corries on their northern side and
connected by a 3km-long ridge
which doesn’t drop below 730m.
To the south is Loch Quoich which
was dammed in the 1950s for a
hydroelectric scheme. The loch
forms a constant backdrop to the
SCOTLAND
CLASSIC
WALK
entire route, providing, of course,
the weather is clear. As this is the
wettest part of the country, with
around 3.5m of rain a year, that’s
not always the case. But on a fine
day the quality of the stalkers’
paths means your eyes can be fixed
on the sublime views rather than
where you’re putting your feet. ➥
✁
 HIGHLAND
27 GLEOURAICH & SPIDEAN MIALACH
SCOTLAND
OS Explorer map 414 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop
Start
1 Take the stalkers’ path
directly opposite parking area.
This climbs through trees and
rhododendrons, to emerge
onto open hillside just after
passing beneath power lines.
Continue on now superb path
as it zig-zags gaining height
rapidly to reach Sron a’ Chuillin
which is termination of ridge
coming down from Gleouraich.
1 mile/1.5km
2 Follow stalkers’ path up W
side of Druim Seileach ridge
with sensational views L down
to Loch Quoich and Knoydart
peaks beyond. After descending
slightly to a shoulder at 814m,
the path climbs steeply NE,
Loch Quoich from the start
of the stalkers’ path.
PHOTO: DAVID MARSH
1200
800
400
metres
0
km 0 2 4
through increasingly rocky
terrain, onto the summit ridge
where it fizzles out. Walk SE
along the ridge for 300m to
reach the large cairn that
marks Gleouraich’s summit.
2¼ miles/3.7km
3 Follow ridge in a roughly E
direction, which descends
slightly before climbing again
to the subsidiary top of Creag
Coire na Fiar Bhealaich. From
there use clear stalkers’ path to
descend steep slopes down to
Fiar Bhealach. Then continue
along the ridge SE, climbing
relentlessly, passing a 977m
top to reach Spidean Mialach’s
996m summit, marked by
another large cairn.
GRADIENT PROFILE
6 8 10 12
APRIL 2022
CLASSIC
WALK
4¼ miles/6.9km PLAN YOUR WALK
Descending towards Loch Fearna
4 Leave summit on a SW
from Spidean Mialach’s summit.
bearing, using faint path,
aiming initially for R side of
Loch Fearna below to avoid
the steepest ground of Coire
Glas but, as height is lost, aim
more to R side of rocky hill
beyond loch. Pick up stalkers’
path that begins by confluence
of several watercourses at grid
ref NH050037.
5½ miles/8.9km ROUTE
5 Follow clear but sometimes Start/parking Lay-by for
boggy path downhill, passing a handful of cars on the
DATE WALKED
beneath power lines entering unclassified road running
trees and rhododendrons along the north side of
Loch Quoich, grid ref
PHOTO: DAVID MARSH
before terminating at road.
NH029030
Turn R and walk 400m on the Is it for me? Excellent
road to start. stalkers’ paths, albeit
3 occasionally boggy, with
some steep, pathless
walking on grass and rock
on the ridge and a
considerable amount of
TIME TAKEN
ascent and descent
Stiles None
4 PLANNING
Nearest town Fort William
Refreshments None
2 Public toilets None
Public transport None
5 Maps OS Explorer 414;
Landranger 33; Harvey
Mountain Map Knoydart
ST
A
R
T
YOUR RATING
VIEW THE WALK ON
1 OS MAPS ONLINE:
walk1000miles.co.uk/cwroutes
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
14 16 18 20
©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2022 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 004/22
© Country Walking April 2022
OUR ROUTES YOUR WALKS
Tackled one of the routes published in
Email your
Country Walking? Send us a picture and a picture, along with
a few words about
few words on your experience: you could win the walk and your
a fantastic prize from Ordnance Survey. contact details to
cwroutes@
bauermedia.
co.uk
THIS
MONTH’S
PRIZE
WINNER

S
08 ALVESTON
WARWICKSHIRE

MIDLANDS
1

ALVESTON, Route 8, March 2022

A route so close to home was hard 2
➥

to ignore. There were stunning

✁
09UPPINGHAM
RUTLAND

MIDLANDS
& LYDDINGTON

views across rolling countryside.

It was lovely on a cold crisp day and
we’ll definitely be back to tread the
2

UPPINGHAM & LYDDINGTON, Route 9, December 2021 1

same paths in the summer. Glorious!
I’m training to be a walk leader and looking for varied practice walking 3 Rosie Stewart, by email
not too far from home. This route represents the best of Rutland; a
great town, lovely villages, top pubs, beautiful countryside, long views, interesting
history and a good workout. The photo is Uppingham towards the end of the walk.
Nigel Streatfield, by email

CAUSEY PIKE, Route 16, May 2021

Having always looking up at this beautiful
mountain and never had the chance to
climb it, I finally decided to do this route
with my family and my dog. Here’s Ruby
22 BRYN
POWYS

Tuesday looking back to Derwent Water

WALES
GLAS

from Causey Pike.



16



CUMBRIA
CAUSEY PIKE

Darrell Matkin, BRYN GLAS, Route 22, 1

NORTH WEST

13 CHESHIRE/SHROPSHIRE
WHITCHURCH & THE LLANGOLLEN
CANAL

Burton upon Trent February 2022

1 2

Interesting history, great 3

➥

views, lots of sheep skulls and

✁

1
➥

thundersnow! Combined with another

✁

➥
route north of Knighton, this made for
a great 20-mile day’s walking!
✁

WHITCHURCH & THE LLANGOLLEN Paul Rochfort, by email

CANAL, Route 13, March 2022
Sitting in the caravan on our first
outing this year we realised this walk
was just down the road. So that was
our day sorted. Here’s Alison by the Win a personalised
swing bridge near the start of a lovely
– but ultimately wet – walk. It was just
OS map!
good to be out there. The sender of our
Ray & Alison Gibson, favourite Our Routes
Newcastle-under-Lyme Your Walks photo
will get to focus
on their favourite
CHELMORTON, Route 12, February 2022 area by winning a
We’ve been past Illy Willy Water many custom-made map
times, but on this occasion it was flowing worth £16.99,
better than ever before. We took a slight courtesy of
detour so we didn’t have to walk along the Ordnance Survey.
main road, and enjoyed the mud on the For more details,
way! Unfortunately the pub was closed or to buy your own
S

12 CHELMORTO
DERBYSHIRE
MIDLANDS

for our trip, but that didn’t spoil a great personalised map, visit
walk in a lovely area. os.co.uk/custommade
1
Janet Tibbit, by email
J
➥

APRIL 2022 COUNTRY WALKING 129

✁
Meanderings we couldn’t fit into the issue, but
which seemed terribly important at the time...

Nick Robb
Hallissey, Holmes,
lmes
Deputy Senior
Editor Art Editor
Miles walked this month: 64 Miles walked this month: 49
I was glad to be able to write
about Broad Stand this issue,
What’s a weapontak?
I’m a sucker for old maps and was

PHOTOS: TOM BAILE

and to reinforce the message,
fascinated by this lovely tapestry
as Alfred Wainwright did, that
map on display at Nottingham
it is NOT FOR WALKERS. I firstt
Castle, showing the area where I
encountered Broad Stand in grew up, on the Nottinghamshire/
1985 at the age of nine, when my parents pointed it out Derbyshire border. I just love the

Y
from Mickledore, along with Wainwright’s charming way each town and village is
illustration of it. It was, they told me, NOT FOR WALKERS. illustrated – so idyllic! As for
(The sign is not actually there, disappointingly – and if it was, ‘weapontak’, I had to Google that
it would be about 12ft high according to the scale of AW’s one – it’s an administrative division
drawing). Since then I’ve seen people being stretchered off it of Norse origin, similar to the term
twice, and read countless Mountain Rescue reports featuring ‘hundred’, used in other counties.
the words ‘Broad’, ‘Stand’ and ‘inexperienced’. On our trip for
this issue’s story (page 34), I went as far up it as Wainwright
did; up to the first platform above ‘Fat Man’s Agony’, to
witness the horror of it and imagine old Sam Coleridge cheating tthe
g th Reaper
e Re
Reap
aper ass
er a
he descended it freefall. I then beat a hasty retreat, thoroughly reassured that it is
NOT FOR WALKERS. I love Coleridge. But the guy was an absolute mooncat.

Note to self: Just in case you missed it, Broad Stand is NOT FOR WALKERS.

Marie Marsh,
Production
Editor
Miles walked this month: 411
Pitted
Pitt
Pitted
ed puz
puzzle
zle
l
I feel fortunate to have visited a handful
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Equally interesting was this curious

of the 28 World Heritage Sites we’ve
stone carving I came across just
dedicated this issue to, with many more outside the churchyard in the
still to discover, but this month I’ve lovely village of Water Newton,
learned there’s even more to know on the banks of the River Nene
about those I’ve already seen. So near Peterborough. What could it
ssed k
maybe I should just start again… I’ve missed ey parts of
key possibly be? The top of a long-
Edinburgh, Durham and even London, but b t it’s
it’ Ironbridge
I b id (page
( 85) that
85) th
h t surprised
i d dismantled stone spire? A high-
me the most. I remember the sharp twist of the River Severn as it wound through rise ‘hotel’ for medieval bugs and
the gorge, and the sign that states: ‘Every officer or soldier whether on duty or not, mini beasts? A remnant of the
village’s Roman past maybe? And
is liable to pay toll for passing over as well as any baggage wagon, mail coach or the
why are some of the holes filled
Royal Family.’ Get your purse out, Liz. But here’s what I didn’t know: an elephant
up? Professor Google failed me
crossed the bridge in 1932 in a circus publicity stunt. That, and there was talk of this time – over to you…
selling the bridge to the scrap man in the ’60s before English Heritage came along!
Note to self: …wonder if any
Note to self: Be a better tourist… unless you want to visit everywhere twice. CW readers can help unravel the
secrets of this mystery masonry?

130 COUNTRY WALKING APRIL 2022

 Next Month
ON SALE 28 APRIL
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MISS AN
ISSUE!
Turn to page 8 and
become a Country
EDITORIAL
Phone 01733 468205
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PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/STEVE_D NP3

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wardrobe Cross the Wicklow Mountains

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AND 27 ROUTES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY

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 Gea r 2022
you’re going, and whatever your budget!

FOOTWEAR • RUCKSACKS • ACCESSORIES • SHIRTS • SOCKS

WATERPROOFS • TROUSERS • SHORTS • AND PANTS!
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 Contents
05 RUCKSACKS
From compact daypacks to
big beasts for the Coast to
Coast and Pennine Way.

B
elieve it or not, these three photos were all taken in July. You know it’s true
because you’ve had July days that looked like each of these, haven’t you? 09 SUMMER
And while we might dream of days that look like the top two (and be over ESSENTIALS
the moon when we get them), there really isn’t anything wrong with the From poles to pants:
one down below, because… everything you need for sweet
summer adventures.
1) You went out and walked anyway – go you!
2) There’s always a damn good chance the day will change, and you’ll be the one 13 FOOTWEAR
who’s out enjoying the magic moment as the skies clear. Everything from super-light
3) Even if it stays like that all day, you had the kit to cope with it. sandals for the beach to boots
And that’s what this guide is all about – kit that’s ready for anything a British for high-peak trekking.
summer can throw at you. Yep there are lots of cool T-shirts, skip-happy sandals 17 SUMMER SOCKS
and flasks to keep your lemonade chilled. But we’ve also got boots that keep the If boots are the hardware,
rain out and jackets the keep the rain off; hats and headbands for a chilly summit, here’s the perfect software to
and zip-off trousers that go from windstopping combats to sunny-afternoon install in ’em.
shorts in the wink of an eye. We’ve scoured that crazy, crowded market out there 21 SHIRTS & TEES
and selected options we think you’ll love, and which are likely to see you right Explorer-style button shirt or
not just for this wonderful, changeable summer, but for many more to come. fast-wicking baselayer? The
Because whatever comes your way, you’ve got this. choice is yours.
The Country Walking Team
25 WATERPROOFS
Unbelievably, it can still rain in
July. But that’s not a problem
COUNTRY WALKING on this page.
SUMMER GEAR 2022
WRITERS 28 TROUSERS & SHORTS
Matthew Pike & Nick Hallissey Keep those hard-working legs
cool and comfy when the
ART EDITOR
mercury’s rising.
Emily Reynolds
PRODUCTION EDITOR --
Marie Marsh Plus: MASTERCLASSES
COMMERCIAL & MARKETING A close look at what makes
Anna Skuse, Katie Kerry the best outdoor kit work
& Angele Karsan so beautifully.

SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022 3

DEUTER
IS FOR
LEADING LIGHTS #deuterforever

FUTURA 25 SL
deutergb.co.uk
 ADVERTISING FEATURE

Rucksacks
From nature reserve to national park:
we’ve got your back this summer.

THE MASTERCLASS A FIT FOR EVERY BODY

The Trail comes in unisex and women’s specific fit (SL).
The women’s fit has a shorter back length, narrower
DEUTER shoulders, and conical-shaped hip fins, which all work
together to provide a better fit for women’s bodies. These
TRAIL SERIES fits, along with the diversity of volumes in the range
(20 litres to 36 litres), means there is a pack for everyone.
We kick off our Summer Gear Guide with the cleverest, most
adaptable and hardest-working piece of kit on any summer

ADAPTABILITY
The close fit of the pack is
comfortable on paths and
trails but also provides a
secure fit for when the
terrain becomes more
steep or technical. The
Trail has space for all you
need for a day out in the
hills and attachments
for your walking poles,
making it a great choice
for all types of walks.

STORAGE
With a lid pocket, internal
valuables pocket, one
zippered side pocket and
one stretch side pocket
there are a variety of
storing solutions. The
two-way zip on the front
allows direct access to
well buried items, even
when the lid is closed.

How much &

where from?
Prices range from £95
to £135. Model shown is
the Trail 28SL (£105).
Find the full range at
deutergb.co.uk

GOOD FOR THE PLANET

The Trail series, like all Deuter packs, is free from
perfluorocarbons, or PFCs. PFCs are harmful chemicals
which have been used in waterproofing products.
Turn over to meet
Instead Deuter use treatments that are 100% free from more rucksacks for
PFCs, yet are still highly water- and dirt-repellent. summer days…

SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022 5

Rucksacks
CLASS OF 2022
QUECHUA
20L COUNTRY
WALKING £10
name, it’s also a great choice
of pack for everyday walks.
That’s extraordinary.
ALPKIT
PACIFIC CREST 55L
1.75kg, and is mega-comfy to
alpkit.com
MONTANE
ORBITON 20 £90
This is a brilliant new pack for
which you can switch between
‘walk’, ‘run’ or ‘bike’, as each is
activity. Its main compartment
is expandable and there’s a
laptop pocket too.
montane.com
KELTY
REDWING 36 £100
US brand Kelty have updated
their most popular pack with
a new ventilation system and
improved frame for greater
stability. Its clever side pockets
allow you to put your walking
poles right through, and you
can stash a jacket under the
bungee cords at the front.
wildbounds.com
6 SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022
COLUMBIA
TANDEM TRAIL 22L
£65
A lightweight option that’s still
equipped with everything you
might want for a summer walk.
There are two water bottle
pockets and it’ll take a hydration
system too. It also has pole
attachments, and the adjustable
chest strap distributes the weight
nicely. columbiasportswear.co.uk
EUTER
/
£90
BERGHAUS
REMOTE HIKE 35 £95
women’s varieties with adjustable
stuffed right at the bottom).
berghaus.com
SALOMON
OUTNIGHT 30+5
£105
A really comfy, versatile
option that’s great if you’re
undertaking steep trails or
a bit of scrambling. It fits
snugly, it moves with you, and
it’s compatible with a hydration
bladder or soft flask. It also has
a detachable lid to help you
adapt your load from one trip
to the next. salomon.com
THE KNOWLEDGE
Every rucksack feels lovely when you try it on in the shop because it’s only
loaded with display padding. If you’re going rucksack shopping, make sure you
take along everything you’d take on an average walk – waterproof, mid-layer,
a lunch box/bag, hat, gloves, first aid kit, map, compass, charger, headtorch –
and ask to load it all up into the pack you like the look of. Only when it’s packed
to the max with everything you’d take on a real walk will you know how well it
really disperses the weight, and how easy it is to find the bits that you buried
down at the bottom.

PATAGONIA RAB
ALTVIA 22L £110 AEON 25L £110
This is both a cool and feelgood
option. Cool because it has a really for day-walks in the mountains.
breathable back panel and shoulder The ABS back panel has been
straps that’ll help keep you
ventilated on the hottest summer
days. Feelgood because
Patagonia have made it from
100% recycled nylon, so it’s a loads of pockets (including an
great purchase for Mother Nature.
eu.patagonia.com and raincover.

JACK WOLFSKIN SHOWERS PASS

TERRAVENTURE 22 RANGER HIP PACK £115
£115
Another pack with serious
eco-cred. Jack Wolfskin say
‘every synthetic fibre, sewing snacks, sun cream and
thread, webbing and trimming, light clothes – plus a
is made from fully recycled mesh water storage
material, as well as all buckles
and zippers.’ It’s also comfy to the bag. The hip belt is
wear and made from tough
stuff. jack-wolfskin.co.uk showerspass.co.uk

OSPREY VAUDE
TALON 22 / TRAIL SPACER 18 £140
TEMPEST 20 £120
A classic day-pack. However and it’s designed so you can
walk at pace for long periods.
The straps feel a bit like you’re
and framed so perfectly, that wearing a vest, so the pack is
they won’t destabilise you. very comfortable and has great
They allow full freedom
of movement, and the from sustainable materials and
breathable backsystem is
a treat. ospreyeurope.com vaude.com

FJÄLLRÄVEN GREGORY
ULVÖ ROLLTOP 30 FOCAL 48 £180
£150 At just 1.18kg, the Focal is
A new, larger version of their amazingly lightweight for a
popular Ulvö 23. It’s waterproof, trekking pack of this size. There
so you can actually store are two fixed back lengths which
electronics inside without the you can adjust to find your
need for a drybag (there’s even perfect fit, and the panels move
a laptop sleeve inside). Its tough with your body to help with
Bergshell fabric is made from stability. The lid is removable,
100% recycled material, and is
highly resistant to abrasion and and there’s a built-in raincover.
tearing. fjallraven.co.uk gregorypacks.com

SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022 7

 ADVERTISING FEATURE

Summer Essentials Sunhats to sweatbands; torches to

trekking poles: everything for every walk!

THE MASTERCLASS
HASSLE-FREE
SEA TO SUMMIT So easy to use: simply fill
as required, roll down the
LIGHTWEIGHT DRY SACK SET top and clip the buckle.

Drybags are simply one of the smartest ideas in the walking

MADE TO LAST
world. Most rucksacks aren’t waterproof, which means that Sea to Summit are proud
of what they create. All
even with a raincover, the important stuff inside is still their products carry a
vulnerable to heavy rain. That’s where drybags work lifetime warranty against
miracles: they keep things clean, organised, easy to find defects in workmanship
and materials to the
and most importantly dry, no matter how much water original owner for the
seeps into the pack. Plus intended life of the
they’re lightweight, product under normal
use. (T&Cs apply, but
hardwearing and almost apparently the guarantee
infinitely reusable. From doesn’t get invoked
valuables to electronics, very often…)
from sandwiches to wet
swimming kit, drybags
are the first and last line
of defence. Here’s
the perfect example.

Made from 70

well as weight.

How much &

where from?
£35; find the complete
Sea to Summit range at
TAKING THE ALL YOU NEED seatosummit.co.uk
TRASH Sea to Summit’s
A popular option is to use Lightweight Dry Sack
the smallest dry sack as a set offers durability and
rubbish bag, both for your reliable weatherproofing
own rubbish and for any for the items that you
litter you might find on a need to protect from the
walk – so you can help to elements in one handy
keep our footpaths clean set, which includes Turn over to find more
without filling your pack Yellow 4L, Green 8L and great accessories for
with loose rubbish. Blue 13L drybags. every walk you do…

SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022 9

Summer Essentials
CLASS OF 2022

LIFESYSTEMS FJÄLLRÄVEN
MOUNTAIN ABISKO WOOL
SUN CREAM £9 HEADBAND
At factor 50+, this cream has been £18
specifically designed to protect your As well as ensuring
your hair behaves itself,
this headband wicks
protection lasts for up to six hours,
although you’ll need to reapply every
two hours when up high or when it’s made from the leftover material from the
really humid. lifesystems.co.uk Abisko Wool Tank Top, so you’ll be helping to
reduce wastage too. fjallraven.co.uk

TREKMATES CROSSFLY
IKON X 6” BOXERS £25

(Saxx, BAM and Páramo), but new

be the most impressive of the lot.

come with a replaceable where you need it, yet brilliantly

underfoot strap and breathable, these are just absurdly
metal hook for attaching comfortable after hours on the go.
to laces. trekmates.co.uk crossfly.com

PRIMUS OUTDOOR
KLUNKEN BOTTLE 0.5ML HELIOS SUNHAT
DOUBLE WALL INSULATION £35
£33 This is a favourite of
Made from stainless steel and vacuum CW writer Philip
insulated with a double wall, this sturdy bottle Thomas. It has a UPF
will keep your drinks well chilled over summer.
Then come winter, it’ll keep your coffee piping
hot. Primus are stablemates with Fjällräven, so
the Klunken’s colour schemes match those of
the all-conquering Kånken backpack.
ldmountaincentre.com

SILVA HYDRO FLASK

SCOUT 3XT HEAD TORCH £35
A lightweight, take-it-anywhere headtorch at a great price.
There’s a powerful light output of 350 lumens, delivered via
Silva Intelligent Light, which is a combination of long-reach
spotlight and close-in floodlight. silvasweden.uk
24OZ BOTTLE £38.95
This will keep a drink nice and cold for up to
24 hour, and hot for up to 12 hours. It’s made
from practically indestructible pro-grade
stainless steel (which prevents flavour
transfer) and has a leak-proof cap. It also
has a limited lifetime warranty against
manufacturer defects. Hydro Flask are a

deliver to the UK, although you can find their

wares courtesy of Mr Bezos at amazon.co.uk

10 SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022

THE KNOWLEDGE
You may look at a UPF number and think, ‘that sounds impressive, but what
does it actually mean?’. UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor and tells
you how much UV radiation from the sun reaches your skin if you’re using this
particular product. If the UPF is 50, only a 50th of UV rays that reach the fabric
get to your skin, so it blocks 98% of rays. A UPF rating of 30 to 49 is considered
very good, while 50 or more (as seen with Lifesystems’ Mountain Sun Cream,
below) is regarded as excellent protection. The NHS has more information
about UPF and sunscreen precautions at bit.ly/nhsupf

CAMELBAK JULBO
FUSION 2L CAMINO SUNGLASSES £60
RESERVOIR £60 You won’t miss a thing with these on – they have ultra-wide
Camelbak have managed to vision to take in the full view, they’re scratch resistant and
make this brand new reservoir they have removable side shields to protect against glare.
(and the three-litre version) You’ll also look amazing, quite frankly. julbo.com
30% lighter than their previous
models. And the valve delivers
20% more water on each sip.
It’s also easy to fill and its on/off
lever prevents leakage.
camelbak.co.uk

LEATHERMAN PETZL
BOND MULTITOOL ACTIK CORE HEAD TORCH £60
The Actik Core is a perfect watch for keen night walkers, from
minimalist in design but has the renowned head torch specialists of old. Adjustable beams
with a maximum of 450 lumens, red light for night vision, USB
a knife, pliers, wire cutters,
to take AAA
for the Leatherman’ bottle batteries too.
cotswold
outdoor.com

icing on the cake.

SMARTWOOL CRAGHOPPERS
SEAMLESS TREKLITE CARBON WALKING
RACERBACK BRA POLES £85 (PAIR)
£60
A bra of two layers – the inner
layer is made from seamless

on the skin, while the outer

layer offers support. The cups suitable both for normal and Nordic

removable padding, so you can get the feel just right. making them a bargain.
smartwool.co.uk craghoppers.com

HELINOX LEKI
SPEED STOOL MAKALU FX CARBON / CRESSIDA FX
An ideal piece of kit for if CARBON WALKING POLES £190 (PAIR)

dry-bottomed breaks as version of Leki’s

top-selling trekking
poles, these offer a
supremely eronomic
Aergon Air grip, a Speed
it, it just pops open and is Lock system for fast
ready in an instant.
nose’ for downhill use.
leki.com

SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022 11


Take your feet to the next level this summer,
THE MASTERCLASS
SCARPA
The Rush TRK looks
utterly modern, with
great design to stand
out on the hills, yet it
comes with the
pedigree of over 90
years of Italian
craftmanship. That’s
what makes it a
superb all-rounder.
ADVERTISING FEATURE
Footwear
and unlock incredible days out.
The Presa sole (developed by
Scarpa’s in-house R&D team)
is made with a high-grip
Supergum rubber compound
giving you excellent grip and
durability. The pronounced
heel and hiking-oriented lugs
aid braking on descents, while
providing grip on climbs.
TREAD LIGHTLY
Weighing in at only 1100g
Product
, thanks
How much &
and the full Scarpa
leather, providing great range at scarpa.co.uk
durability. But it’s also
flexible and breathable,
making it ideal for summer
walking. There’s Gore-Tex to
keep it waterproof while also
dispersing heat effectively. It
Turn over for more
keeps water out, while sweat
that is created inside the quality footwear
boot quickly evaporates. options…
SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022 13
Footwear
CLASS OF 2022

CRAGHOPPERS COLUMBIA
ECO-LITE MID £95 HATANA MAX OUTDRY £110
A sleek, sophisticated shoe from fast-and-light specialists
Columbia, the Hatana offers ‘adaptive traction’ (the grip
follows the ground) and ‘Navic fit’ (a lace
webbing system that keeps your heel
in place), plus their highly reliable
OutDry membrane.
columbia
sportswear.
co.uk

KEEN JACK WOLFSKIN TERRAVENTURE

TEXAPORE LOW £140
Jack Wolfskin have made this shoe as
eco-friendly as possible, with a
recycled inner lining and upper,
and a waterproof membrane
made from both post- and
for, but with enhanced pre-consumer waste.
all-terrain grip and It’s also lightweight
really stunning and really comfy.
underfoot comfort. jack-wolfskin.
keenfootwear.com co.uk

HANWAG
£140 BLUERIDGE LOW £150
Hanwag’s new Blueridge range aims to be a lighter, softer,

HOKA ONE ONE BERGHAUS

ANACAPA MID GTX £150 VC22 MID GTX BOOT £160
If your feet suffer from constant pavement
and track pounding, then these should help
soothe them. They have Hoka’s incredibly
distinctive cushioning and an extended
heel that makes the impact
smoother. The Gore-Tex
membrane will also keep
feet dry and cool.
hoka.com

14 SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022

 NEXT ISSUE: OUR BIGGEST EVER BOOT TEST
30 WALKING BOOTS PUT THROUGH THEIR PACES BY THE
COUNTRY WALKING TEAM. ON SALE 28TH APRIL – DON’T MISS IT!

MEINDL SALOMON
ONTARIO GTX £165 PREDICT HIKE GTX £165
This shoe might be cosy, with its soft footbed, close fit and

and its
flexibility.
meindl.co.uk salomon.

LA SPORTIVA LOWA
TX HIKE MID GTX £170 EXPLORER GTX LO II SHOE £170
A shoe designed to handle the tough stuff – its tread provides

lowa.

And it’s made using 65%

recycled materials.
lasportiva.com

DANNER ZAMBERLAN
TRAIL CAMPO GTX £180
US brand Danner really know how to make a comfy trail shoe.
On this little beauty, the footbed consists of three layers

global.
danner.
com

AKU SCARPA

scarpa.co.uk

SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022 15

“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 All day comfort

Edinburgh’s Expedition

www.lycra.com
LYCRA® DRY TECHNOLOGY www.bridgedale.com
 ADVERTISING FEATURE

Socks for Summer Stay cool and stable in your boots

for mile after mile this summer.

THE MASTERCLASS PROUD

HERITAGE
THE PERFECT
LORPEN Lorpen Socks are
engineered in the BLEND
T3 MIDWEIGHT HIKER Pyrenees where the
Ideally a walking sock
brand has been making
great socks for outdoor needs to be a blend of
Even the ‘perfect’ boot or shoe will only do its best work if toughness, breathability
enthusiasts for over
it’s working in tandem with the perfect sock. In summer your 30 years. and stretch, and the
socks have a host of important jobs to do: keeping your foot secret is in the blend of
fabrics. Here’s the mix that
stable and secure inside the boot; keeping makes the T3 Midweight
its shape so it doesn’t scrunch down Hiker so dynamic…
as you cover those long, lovely • 20% PrimaLoft
• 35% merino wool
miles; preventing those • 35% nylon
annoying rubs that can • 10% stretch nylon
turn into blisters – and with Lycra

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. And
ADAPTABILITY
here’s a sock which gets that The T3 Midweight Hiker
has a great balance
blend spot-on. between insulation
and breathability,
making it a good
companion on
SUSTAINABILITY long walks
throughout
Lorpen is committed to the year.
preserving the
environment in every
aspect of business.
Wherever possible, the
brand uses fibres created
from sustainable and
manageable resources.
They also develop
manufacturing processes
that are sensitive to the
environment and reduce
the amount of
post-production waste at
all levels. How much &
where from?
£22; find full details of
this pair, and the rest of
the Lorpen range, at
lorpen.co.uk

TOP TECHNOLOGY
Lorpen’s T3 technology combines three
layers of different yarns to create a sock
which maximises warming and cooling
properties. The three layers work together to
wick moisture away from the feet, help it to
disperse and protect the feet from abrasion.
STRONG WHERE IT COUNTS
With reinforcement in the sole and
cushioning across the foot, the T3
Midweight Hiker provides added comfort, This way for more
so you don’t have to worry about your feet, great sock options…
even on the longest of walks.

SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022 17

Socks for Summer
CLASS OF 2022
KEELA
ROVING SOCK £10
The Roving Sock (great name)
offers plenty of protection with a
fully-cushioned sole, a cushioned
bridge, plus reinforcement in the heel
and toes. keelaoutdoors.com
1000 MILE
APPROACH SOCK £14
The Approach sock is devilishly clever:
the inner layer moves with the foot,
while the outer moves with the shoe,
reducing friction and blister risk.
1000mile.co.uk
18 SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022
HJ HALL
PROTREK LIGHT HIKE
£10.50
Perfect for summer walking – these are
lightweight, they wick moisture and
they dry quickly so they are soon ready
to go again. hj.co.uk
BAM BAMBOO
WALKING SOCK £15
‘Join the bamboo revolution,’ say BAM.
Made from bamboo and merino, these
socks are beautifully soft, and great at
controlling temperature, moisture and
odour. bambooclothing.co.uk
SHOWERS PASS
TEMPO £12
Cycling brand Showers Pass have
moved confidently into the walking
market. Here’s a low-cut sock providing
‘earth-friendly comfort and durability’.
showerspass.co.uk
CRAGHOPPERS
HEAT REGULATING
TRAVEL SOCK £16
We’re not entirely sure what makes this
a ‘travel sock’ as distinct from a ‘really
good walking sock’ – but it’s definitely
one of those. craghoppers.com
THE KNOWLEDGE
Some brands use bamboo in their socks – particularly BAM, for whom bamboo
is the cornerstone of their whole offering. But isn’t bamboo a type of wood?
Yes, though the bamboo plant also has leaves and a soft inner pith at the
centre of its trunk. These are crushed before being soaked, washed and spun
into a yarn. You’re left with a material that feels really soft and silky, and is
stretchy and excellent at absorbing moisture away from your skin. It costs less
to produce than cotton, and if responsibly farmed and manufactured, it can be
a good eco option too. Bamboo: not just for pandas, then.

EDZ BRIDGEDALE LORPEN

ALL CLIMATE HIKE LIGHTWEIGHT T3 LIGHT HIKER £19
MERINO SOCK £18 MERINO PERFORMANCE A lighter option than the Midweight
Designed to be as handy in winter as £18.50 in the Masterclass, these superb
in summer, these adaptable socks are Can’t say much cos of the long name all-rounders are fantastic in summer
well-padded and great at wicking but: probably the best walking sock in and just as good through spring and
moisture. edz.co.uk the world. That’s all. bridgedale.com autumn. lorpen.co.uk

MEINDL DARN TOUGH SMARTWOOL

MT3 MERINO MAGIC £22
Multi-day walkers take note: these
lightweight socks won’t smell even if
worn on consecutive days, thanks to
the antibacterial qualities of the merino
wool inside them. meindl.co.uk
DECADE MICRO CREW HIKE LIGHT CUSHION £23
£23
These socks can be worn in just about Created for numerous terrains, with a
any weather – they’re really tough, light layer of cushioning across the sole,
and they feel fabulously smooth. extra ankle flex and amazing durability.
absolute-snow.co.uk smartwool.co.uk

SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022 19

Deter midges and mosquitoes away Available from
with the Thermacell Zone Protectors.

Designed for portability and easy

to use, the MR300 gives you no
need for smelly, harmful sprays
or oily lotions.
 Baselayers & Shirts
Keep your cool when it’s warm – but stay ready for anything, too…

THE MASTERCLASS LIGHTWEIGHT

Hardworking though it may be, the
greatest virtue of a good baselayer is in
FORCLAZ not realising you’re even wearing it. At
243g (large), the Trek 500 is featherlight
TREK 500 MOUNTAIN TREKKING considering its sophisticated construction.
LONG-SLEEVED T-SHIRT

to prove it…

ODOUR

nothing beats
merino wool
for dispersing

people away.

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.
decathlon.co.uk
ABRASION RESISTANCE
Your baselayer will often be sandwiched
between your skin and an outer layer,
probably with a rucksack harness pressing Turn over to meet more
down on it too. So look for subtle seams and baselayer options…
a soft polyamide yarn to prevent abrasion.

SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022 21

Baselayers & Shirts
CLASS OF 2022
ROHAN
VAPOUR T £37
This lightweight, airy T-shirt wicks
moisture away from your skin, dries
quickly enough after a wash to wear
the next day, and has UPF 40+ sun
protection, plus an anti-odour finish.
rohan.co.uk
CRAGHOPPERS
NOSIBOTANICAL HULA
£50
NosiBotanical is an extension of Crags’
renowned NosiLife insect-repellent
formula and it’s plant-based (hence the
name); specifically it’s derived from
lemon eucalyptus twigs. Love this shirt.
craghoppers.com
22 SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022
SUB ZERO
ANTI-MOSQUITO £40
If you’re heading to where bloodthirsty
insects roam, this will repel them with
its Superbug fabric treatment. It also
has mesh zones where heat can
escape, plus enhanced wicking.
subzero.co.uk
ZEROFIT
COOL WEAVE £50
Zerofit are primarily known for their
warm winter layers, but here they are
proving they can do summer too. This
has a water absorbing polymer that
shrinks to allow sweat to disappear at
speed. The arms and neck also have a
UPF 50+ rating. zerofit.co.uk
BAM
KAGU £44
The half-zip Kagu is made
predominantly from bamboo, which
makes it really soft and smooth. It also
absorbs moisture and is breathable to
keep you cool as well as comfy.
bambooclothing.co.uk
ALPKIT
CAREON £55
The trekking shirt is a bit of an artform:
a genuine all-rounder that, if it works
properly, you can wear on the hill, on
the plane, in the piazza and in the bar.
Here Alpkit get it spot-on with a soft,
light, fast-wicking shirt that looks great.
alpkit.com
THE KNOWLEDGE
You’ll see many brands explaining that the Durable Water Repellent (DWR)
treatment they use is ‘PFC-free’. DWR is an outer coating that makes water roll
off the fabric, and those that include PFCs (perfluorocarbons) can be very
effective at this. But PFCs are also non-biodegradable, so eco-conscious
companies are trying to remove them. Doing so while maintaining the same
level of performance is proving to be a real headache, but the alternatives
are improving by the year and some companies are hoping to be completely
PFC-free in the near future.

RAB SALEWA ARTILECT

FORGE £55
A slim-fitting baselayer made with a
blend of merino and polyester, which is
quick to dry, breathable and prevents
bad odours. A joy to wear from Day 1 of
a trail to Day 15, with minimal care
needed along the way. rab.equipment
PUEZ HEMP £60
Salewa are never knowingly
undercomplicated, but it works. This
slick, bodymapped shirt is made with
Alpine hemp – a material that’s
impressively durable and has a low
environmental impact. salewa.com
BOULDER £65
What doesn’t this T-shirt do? It’s
ultra-lightweight, it’s made from
soft merino wool, it’s stretchy, it’s
breathable, it’s durable… the list
goes on, and new US brand Artilect
continues to impress. artilect.studio

KEELA PÁRAMO FJÄLLRÄVEN

HERITAGE £65
Scottish brand Keela love to designs
stuff for erratic UK weather conditions.
This classy shirt is rain and wind
resistant, and made from tough stuff.
When it’s warmer you can open the
buttons and adjust the cuffs.
keelaoutdoors.com
KATMAI £75 /
SOCORRO £65 SHIRT
Another superb trekking-and-travel
shirt, the sleek, swishy fabric of this
shirt is cooling and deters insects, while
its three pockets (with hidden security
pocket) allow you to store valuables
safely. paramo-clothing.com
ABISKO TREKKING SHIRT
£110
Perhaps the ultimate in classy trekking
shirts, the Abisko is tough but also so
light and malleable that it can be
packed into its own pocket. Great
storage and ventilation too.
fjallraven.co.uk

SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022 23

 BAMBOO C LOT H I N G . CO . U K

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öŞIJŤÎijðêļijðĕūĕļijŤƼƦƪȏo@@ÎśśīĕöŤūļċŰīīśŞĕêöĕūöIJŤļijīƌÎijðêÎijijļūéöŰŤöðĕijêļijĥŰijêūĕļijƆĕūĒÎijƌļūĒöŞļƙöŞļŞśŞļIJļūĕļijǂoƙöŞƅÎīĕðŰijūĕīƨƥūĒYŰijöƧƥƧƧ

DAWA YANGZUM SHERPA

STRONG AS
YOU ARE.
SHERPA FX.ONE CARBON
 Waterproofs
Remember that picture on page 3? Here’s how to fix a day like that.

SPRAYWA

from Sprayway.

to. The Reaction jacket

has a map-sized chest
pocket, two large
handwarmer pockets
and an inner security
cubby-hole too.

How much &

where from?
£200, find it along
with the rest of the
Sprayway range at
sprayway.com

Turn over for more

options to keep you
dry this summer…

SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022 25

Waterproofs
CLASS OF 2022
QUECHUA
MH500 £70
It would be hard to find another
jacket of this quality at such a good
price. It has a three-layer membrane
to keep the water out, yet is breathable,
with openings at the side where
perspiration is wicked away. The
fabric is stretchy, and the hood has
a lip to keep rain off your face.
decathlon.co.uk
BAM
ROWTOR
LONGAFORD £129
The Rowtor and Longaford jackets
are made from 98-percent recycled
materials, use PFC-free water repelling
treatment, and are also recyclable.
They have a breathable membrane
and ventilation at the back, and are
compact enough to packs into their
own pockets. bambooclothing.co.uk
26 SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022
SHOWERS
PASS SYNCLINE £110
If you want to be seen and safe,
this excellent waterproof has
reflective material so you’re visible
from any direction. It’s lightweight
and has two adjustable core vents,
so you’ll keep cool in a summer
storm. It also has loads of pockets
including two front hand warmers.
showerspass.co.uk
BERGHAUS
PACLITE DYNAK £160
Berghaus’ Paclite range (their cheapest
Gore-Tex offering) has always been
a winner. The Dynak is a new variant
for 2022: a great all-rounder with a
stiffened peak on its adjustable hood,
PFC-free water repelling treatment and
easy-to-adjust hem and cuffs. And
getting a Gore-Tex jacket for under
£200 is impressive now. berghaus.com
MONTANE
PODIUM JACKET £120
Perfect for fast-and-light fans.
The Podium is a supremely lightweight
jacket – just 115g. It comes with its
own stuff sack that, with the jacket
inside, can fit into the palm of your
hand. It comes with an elasticated
hood and partially-elasticated
cuffs so the rain stays out.
montane.com
OUTDOOR RESEARCH
HELIUM RAIN JACKET
£160
This one’s all about robustness. It’s five
times more tear-resistant than its
parent the Helium II, yet also lighter.
As with all Helium waterproofs, it
functions to a really high standard, but
the Helium Rain can withstand even
more being thrown at it than previous
versions. ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk
THE KNOWLEDGE
The main measure of a waterproof is pressure rating called hydrostatic head.
A piece of the jacket material is clamped across the bottom of a vertical tube,
which is then slowly filled with water. Observers then monitor how high the
column of water gets before the material lets drips through. A hydrostatic head
of 3000mm means the column was 3 metres tall before any water came
through. Interestingly, Gore-Tex don’t use the hydrostatic head test as they say
it isn’t very realistic: instead they replicate a full range of outdoor conditions in
their lab and unleash them on a completed jacket.

ROHAN COLUMBIA RAB

FARNE £160
The Farne’s waterproof fabric has two
layers – a water-repellent outer layer
and a fully seam-sealed PU membrane,
which are bonded together to create a
highly effective breathable waterproof.
It’s comfy too, with a loose inner lining
and smooth taffeta in the sleeves.
The cuffs and hem are also adjustable.
rohan.co.uk
AMPLI-DRY £135
Columbia love their in-house
technologies, and Ampli-Dry is but
their latest innovation. As well as
keeping the rain out and removing
moisture from within, this jacket has
four-way stretch so it moves when you
do, and you can adjust the hood, cuffs
and hem for a perfect custom fit.
columbiasportswear.co.uk
ARC ECO £200
An extremely eco-friendly jacket
whose  waterproof fabric is made from
100% recycled polyester, which in turn
can be recycled after it’s reached the
end of its life. Its finish is PFC-free.
Plus there’s an adjustable hood with
laminated peak, fleece-lined chin guard
and large chest pockets big enough
for maps. rab.equipment/uk

PATAGONIA PÁRAMO ARC’TERYX

GRANITE CREST £260
Another product for which the
environment is a key priority – it’s made
from recycled fishing nets to help
reduce plastic pollution in the oceans,
and uses no PFC in its water repellent
treatment. The hood has a laminated
visor so rain misses the face, the zips
are watertight, and it stuffs into its own
pocket. eu.patagonia.com
VELEZ JACKET £300
If you’re bagging summits on steamy
summer days, the Velez is brilliant at
removing sweat and keeping you dry.
It doesn’t just wick away vapour, but
moves liquid from your skin – 80% of
it, Páramo says. Its chest pockets
and upper arm vents are also great
for regulating temperature.
paramo-clothing.com
BETA £320
A highly versatile jacket for a host of
conditions and terrains. The top-level
Gore-Tex fabric is extremely tough and
as waterproof and breathable as you’d
expect for a jacket at this end of the
price spectrum. The fit is trim, but
is flexible and offers freedom of
movement, while the hood adjusts
with just one pull. arcteryx.com

SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022 27

 Trousers & Shorts
Take a giant leap forward this summer (in legwear that’s ready for it).

THE MASTERCLASS

REGATTA
HIGHTON ZIP-OFF
WALKING TROUSERS
Your legs are the turbines that power every move you
make on a walk, from slithering around a churned-up
field path to boulder-hopping on a high summit.

weather is doing.

that’ll take you

from beach to

to show how it’s

tried and tested

Highton zip-offs,

£75 (men’s), £65

them great value. Find

the full Regatta range
at regatta.com and in
stores nationwide.

Check out more great

legwear options here…

SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022 28

Trousers & Shorts
CLASS OF 2022
ALPKIT
TELEKI £45
Alpkit’s Teleki trousers are a tried and
tested summer favourite – especially
in the zip-off format shown here (the
non-convertible version is £40). Tough
enough to handle long hikes, but with
plenty of stretch for hillwalking.
alpkit.com
PÁRAMO
MAUI SHORTS £65
ALIPA SHORTS £75
These cargo shorts are made of the
strong yet stretchy Parameta A
Cotton+ fabric, they offer UPF 50+
UV protection, and they have hidden
storage inside the cargo pocket to keep
valuables safe. paramo-clothing.com
RAB
MOMENTUM £50
These are lightweight and flexible
shorts for summer days, but they’re
wind and water-resistant should you
encounter an unexpected shower or
three. They’re fast-drying too, and they
have an elasticated waistband.
rab.equipment
BERGHAUS
EMBIRA SKORT £65
The Embira skort is made from more
than 50% recycled materials and has
four-way stretch fabric that’s also
breathable, quick-drying and wicks
away moisture. It comes with security
pockets and is water-resistant too.
berghaus.com
REGATTA
HIGHTON TROUSERS £65
The ‘standard’ version of the zip-offs
seen in our Masterclass, these tough
but adaptable walking trousers offer
UPF 40+ protection and are stretchy
and water-repellent.
regatta.com
SHOWERS PASS
CROSS COUNTRY SHORT
£68
Street-to-summit shorts with a splash
of urban chic. They have silicone grip
on the back waistband so won’t slip
even on a sweaty outing, and they’re
body-mapped for a close but
responsive fit. showerspass.co.uk
SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022 29
THE KNOWLEDGE
Breathability. It’s a word that gets thrown at us from all angles as soon as we
step into the gear shop, but what does it really mean? First thing to say is it’s
not really about stopping you from sweating, it’s about handling the sweat
when it happens – and specifically, conducting it away from your body.
The real challenge for clothing manufacturers is to achieve this while keeping
moisture out AND preventing a build-up of condensation. Breathable clothes
work best when they fit close to the body, as this means there are fewer
pockets of colder air that create condensation on the inside of the outer layer.

CRAGHOPPERS PATAGONIA SALEWA

NOSILIFE PRO
CONVERTIBLE II £75
Ideal for warm days with cool mornings
and evenings. These lightweight
trousers become shorts by zipping off
the lower legs, and offer protection
from the sun and bitey critters.
craghoppers.com
ALTVIA TRAIL SHORTS
£80
Patagonia’s eco-concern shines
through again here. The fabric is made
from 86% recycled polyester and the
water repellent coating is PFC-free.
Great freedom of movement and five
pockets. eu.patagonia.com
LAVAREDO HEMP CARGO
SHORTS £85
Salewa want us to go scrambling in
these: they have Durastretch inserts,
seams and gusset panel to allow full
movement. Meanwhile, the soft but
tough fabric is made with 49%
sustainable hemp. salewa.com

ROHAN COLUMBIA FJÄLLRÄVEN

PIONEER CONVERTIBLE
£100
Whether it’s trousers or shorts you
need, these have it covered with their
detachable legs. They offer good
sun and insect protection, and are
comfortably breathable even when
it’s hot out there. rohan.co.uk
FIELD CREEK
CONVERTIBLE £110
New this season, the Field Creeks are
sophisticated zip-offs powered by
Columbia’s Omni-Shield DWR
technology. Plenty of storage too,
including cargo and security pockets.
columbiasportswear.co.uk
KEB SHORTS £135
Last but not least, we finish with an
update to a tried and trusted classic.
Fjällräven have updated their already
excellent Keb shorts by making them
even stronger and closer-fitting, while
using organic and recycled materials.
fjallraven.com

30 SUMMER GEAR GUIDE 2022

 Head for
the hills

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