The Great Outdoors-Mar24

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THE NORTH FACE ATHLETE ALEX HONNOLD YOSEMITE, CALIFORNIA

Get in touch: [email protected] @TGOMagazine /TGOMagazine thegreatoutdoorsmag.com WELCOME 4 The Great Outdoors April 2024 I’D NEVER heard a sound quite like it. Guttural, deep and demanding attention. e stag’s bellow – that long, low, outward breath signifying strength and superiority amongst other males – took my own away. Floored, I sat in Lyme Park under a pink sky as the late autumn sun rose, with Manchester’s skyscrapers glowing orange in the distance. I had only the rutting bucks and their harem for company. Antlers clashed like cymbals: a cacophony with Mother Nature conducting. I pondered the possibility that there is no purer encounter to be had in the great outdoors than one with the many-legged locals or those of the winged, scaled or furry variety. Yet, I still nd it hard to reconcile the power of the stags with the stats. UK wildlife continues to decline, according to the State of Nature 2023 report, and we bear witness to signicant loss of plants, animals and fungi through habitat loss, development and persecution. As a result, the UK is now one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth. You only need to admire sweeping views from Lake District fells – allowed for by a concerningly treeless landscape – to notice this. Notice, we must. And, indeed, many do. In this issue, nature lovers share beautiful experiences still possible up and down these islands. Jess Jones turns her lens to the Scottish Highlands and beyond (page 36). James Roddie shares advice on encountering the natural wonders of the mountains (page 58). Our experts also map 10 walking routes on which to encounter wildlife, from otters to feral Natural highs goats, across the UK. Wild though these places may seem, this is an illusion. Much of our ‘wild’ life in Britain is managed in some way – for better or worse. Looking across the pond for some really wild inspiration, Mark Waring seeks adventure in Yukon, an 80% wilderness that’s home to collared pikas, hoary marmots and, of course, grizzlies. Find out how he fared on page 48. Back home, the signs of spring are coming, as Ceri Belshaw found on a bikepacking journey across the Cambrian Mountains (page 28). Spring’s approach oen reminds me that 24 April marks the anniversary of the Kinder Mass Trespass in 1932. Perhaps now is an apt time – as Dartmoor National Park Authority heads back to court to defend the right to wild camp – for Mary-Ann Ochota to reect on the new trend for paid ‘wild’ camping pitches and our land justice revolution. Elsewhere, Alex Roddie and Emily Woodhouse get ‘unmoored’ walking the Dartmoor Way. We also announce the winners of e Great Outdoors Reader Awards 2024 (page 22) in which you, the outdoors-going public, champion individuals and organisations actively taking steps to protect and preserve our natural world – amongst other categories celebrating your favourite pubs, outdoor clubs and more! As I sit looking out at snowdrops pushing through a fresh layer of powder from their subnivean slumber, I too am reassured that it is a time for nature to ourish along with our hopes for the future. Photo: Jess Jones Francesca Donovan, Acting Editor @francescaoutdoors Nothing beats seeing wildlife in its natural environment, like this young roe buck in the Cairngorms

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CONTENTS April 2024 20 42 22 Mountain portrait Reader Awards winners -LP3HUULQKDLOVRQHRIRXUĆQHVW ULGJHWUDYHUVHVffl$RQDFK(DJDFK :HDVNHG\RXYRWHG7KHVHDUHWKHEHVWRIWKHEHVW LQWKHRXWGRRUZRUOGDFFRUGLQJWRTGO’s readers On the cover $WWKHWRSRI*UHDW*DEOHèV 3LQQDFOH5LGJH/DNH'LVWULFW Escape Inspiration to get away 8 Pen y Fan Almanac In the outdoors this month 13Creator of the month 14 Reader pages 16 In numbers 17 Opinion 18 Books 20 Mountain portrait 98Coastscript “I felt welcomed in a way I never had when camping elsewhere in the English hills.” $OH[5RGGLHS Photo credit: Meirion Watkin $OH[5RGGLHDQG(PLO\:RRGKRXVH ĆQGGLIIHUHQWSHUVSHFWLYHVLQ'HYRQ Dartmoor 6 The Great Outdoors April 2024

Wild Walks Varied routes across England, Scotland and Wales 77 Strathdearn & the Monadhliath 79 Ardmore Bay 81 Deuchary Hill 83 Cauldcleuch Head 85 Yeavering Bell 87 Y Garn & Foel-goch 89 Rhinog Fawr & Craig Ddrwg 91 Abereiddy to Porthgain 93 St Martha’s Hill & Silent Pool 95 High Peak & Otter Estuary SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE! Turn to page 56 for details 26 Trans Cambrian Way Ceri Belshaw, Sarah Hall and Ray Wood cross the mud-ridden mountains of mid-Wales on two wheels 48 Wildlife essay Jess Jones shares stunning images of wild creatures Yukon Mark Waring explores the remote wilds of Canada’s Tombstone Territorial Park 63 Gear news 64New reviews 66 Hiking daypacks 72%XGJHWćHHFHV “Hiking here is a raw and visceral experience, demanding a huge effort to traverse through dense brush... There’s also the unforgettable fact that it’s home to scores of grizzly bears.” Mark Waring, p50 Gear 36 The latest products & reviews April 2024 The Great Outdoors 7

8 The Great Outdoors April 2024 Contributors & contacts IN THIS ISSUE Jess Jones is a wildlife photographer and former CBT therapist. Living in West Sussex whilst caring for her elderly parents, she has found spending time in nature is the best way to keep herself healthy in mind and body. She hopes her photos increase public awareness of wildlife and encourage people to protect the increasingly fragile environment. She pens a photo essay focussing on her favourite location in Britain – the Scottish Highlands – on page 36. Alex Roddie has been making WKHPRVWRIKLVĆUVWZLQWHUOLYLQJQHDU the Scottish Highlands for 13 years. He moved back to Scotland with his wife Hannah in March last year, and since then has spent a lot of time in the hills – especially the Cairngorms. He’s also been looking back on 2023’s long-distance adventures, and has enjoyed reliving a multi-day walk of the Dartmoor Way with his friend Emily Woodhouse in this issue on page 42. Mark Waring returned to the Yukon last year for a spectacular backpack through Tombstone Territorial Park. It was a tough hike but he was rewarded by an incredible landscape and dynamic weather. Read ‘Ragged Lands’ on page 48. April sees him return to northern latitudes with a ski tour across northern Scandinavia as he crosses from Norway to Finland. His favourite time of the year to be out, he will relish bear-free camping! Nike Werstroh is co-author of several guidebooks published by Cicerone Press and likes to use her writing to share her passion for walking with others. Nike lives with her partner Jacint in Guildford, and when they are not walking in one of their favourite mountain ranges somewhere in Europe, they enjoy exploring the diverse trails in the Surrey Hills close to their home. This issue, we welcome Nike to the Wild Walks team. Complaints – Who to contact The Great Outdoors adheres to the Editors’ Code of Practice (which you can find at www.pcc.org.uk/cop/practice.html). We are regulated by the Independent Press 6WDQGDUGV2UJDQLVDWLRQ&RPSODLQWVDERXWVWRULHVVKRXOGEHUHIHUUHGĆUVWO\WRWKH(GLWRUE\HPDLO at: [email protected] or by post at The Great Outdoors Magazine, Kelsey Publishing, Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent ME18 6AL. It is essential that your email or letter is headed ‘Complaint’ in the subject line and contains the following information: ï Your name, email address, postal address and daytime telephone number. ï The magazine title or website, preferably a copy of the story or at least the date, page number or website address of the article and any headline. ï A full explanation of your complaint by reference to the Editors’ Code. If you do not provide any of the information above this may delay or prevent us dealing with your complaint. 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10 The Great Outdoors April 2024

Pen y Fan, Bannau Brycheiniog/ Brecon Beacons “This photo was taken on a springtime wild camping trip in Bannau Brycheiniog/Brecon Beacons. My boyfriend and I pitched our tent near Pen y Fan, hoping for a nice sunrise. Sadly, the weather forecast wasn’t very promising and we did not have high expectations. But, to our utter surprise, we awoke in the morning to the most stunning cloud inversion rolling over the plateau and down into the gently lit valley below. We were surrounded by a herd of semi-wild ponies grazing the tougher grasses up there... I have never grabbed my camera faster!” Alexa Dénes @_eat_sleep_travel_repeat April 2024 The Great Outdoors 11 Escape

ALMANAC A poplar hawk moth perching on Lira's nose Cleaning rivers DQGĆQGLQJ treasures An elephant hawk moth An encounter ZLWKDNLQJĆVKHU Wattle fencing in London LIRA VALENCIA was “always curious about nature” – despite having little contact with wildlife in the South Croydon ats where she grew up. at didn’t stop her seeking out creepy-crawlies. At local parks, some kids enjoyed the swings whilst she hunted ants. In her grandparent’s little urban garden – “it felt like the countryside for a child like me who barely touched grass!” – Lira explored “carefree” and discovered a love of snails. She recalls “that excited, tingly feeling when I saw their strange eyes staring back at me!” Lira would mark shells with a dot of her grandma’s nail polish in the hopes she’d spot her favourites again. Without knowing it, she was using an ecological ‘markcapture-release’ method of measuring population size – a natural scientist. ese early encounters instilled in Lira the “duty to protect living creatures”. Upon discovering birding, her care for the natural world deepened and she was inspired to study Zoology. Now 28, Lira is a London Wildlife Trust Ranger at the Walthamstow Wetlands. Professionally, this journey wasn’t a walk in the park. With no connections or guidance on entering the environmental sector, Lira explains the pathway becomes “more complicated when you’re from a low socio-economic background with little nancial support”. She worked two jobs to save enough money to support volunteer work for Birdlife Malta and on Skomer Island. Oen, Lira was tempted to give up and look into oce jobs, especially when “lack of representation made me question if I was aiming for something unachievable.” Insecurities and seeds of doubt were planted as “almost everyone I met... looked and sounded nothing like me.” But social media helped Lira nd community and commonality. Now, tens of thousands follow this ‘Urban Wildlife Queen’ as she documents daily life as a Ranger and tries “to break the narrative of what a nature-lover looks and sounds like.” Although she alone can’t represent all urban people, it’s a start, she says. Lira is grateful that her prole also nancially supports the work she does in the fundingstarved sector she loves so dearly. Yet, the great outdoors is the most consistent thing in Lira’s life; a judgementfree “healer, companion” and the only place where “noise, chatter and self-criticism” can be silenced. She works on her local community garden and watches seasons change at the wetlands as ecological collapse and the climate crisis give cause for sadness and frustration. “I'd be lying if I said I always have hope... But much of my motivation for protecting wildlife stems from knowing how humans depend on a healthy ecosystem for our own survival.” And yet, “A person who’s dealing with the pressures of life may not have the privilege to care about the loss of a bird they’ve never heard of.” So, Lira continues to advocate for education and teaches children about nature. “Most children have a snail stage,” she says, “I just never grew out of mine.” Q Follow the adventure @outsidewithlira LQëHKLçV APRIL 18 BOOKS 17 OPINION 20 MOUNTAIN PORTRAIT 16 IN NUMBERS 14 READERS’ PAGE Urban wildlife enthusiast Lira has been dubbed ‘Croydon’s David Attenborough’ Photography: Lira Valencia LIRA VALENCIA London Wildlife Trust Ranger and birder O F T H E MONTH &UHDWè April 2024 The Great Outdoors 13

Readers’ page Share your views, your experiences and your favourite photos [email protected] Postal address The Editor, The Great Outdoors, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent ME18 6AL. Please include a phone number and postal address. LETTERS Social media ALMANAC TGO: Three Generations Outdoors We hear from a recent subscriber about her father who inspires both her outdoor pursuits and her new reading habits I grew up appreciating time in the outdoors, thanks to my parents, who regularly took my sister and me to the Peak District. I still go hiking with my dad – and not just because he treats me to a slice of cake at the end of a long walk! It was on such a walk that he spoke of reading TGO back when it rst launched. Being outdoors resets and relaxes me. It’s made me stronger both physically and mentally. I’ve walked distances that I hadn’t considered before, and hiked in all weathers. I’ve become more resilient as a result. I have children of my own now, and we head outdoors when we can. One lunch break, I was missing my outdoors x so I picked up a copy of TGO and decided I should probably subscribe. March’s issue was my rst as a subscriber. Still getting over a winter cold, I was feeling very sorry for myself. Reading about the Stiperstones reminded me I’d been looking at visiting Shropshire, and I’ve now started planning a family weekend away. I’ve no doubt TGO inspired my dad all those years ago to further explore the mountains. As a kid, I remember a photo of him at the top of Tryfan and thinking one day I would do that. For my 40th birthday I not only reached the summit, but I had Dad by my side. And now, as I read TGO, I wonder what mountains I might climb that will inspire my children. Nicola Barnes @walking_wander_woman/Instagram A half day on Blencathra We love hearing about your (half) days in the hills. Here’s one reader’s account of walking above the clouds in Lakeland... It was a lovely, sunny but cold and frosty day so a walk with views was demanded. Travelling to our parking spot we went through several patches of thick mist. Taking the gently sloping route via Blease Fell to the summit of Blencathra, the views opened out with some wonderful cloud inversions, predominantly Derwent Water when we looked south. e ground on the summit was frozen solid so we skirted round Atkinson Pike. We headed o in a westerly direction to another summit point that Wainwright described as the “type that only appeals to sheep”. You have guessed correctly: it was Mungrisdale Common! e ground here would have beneted from being frozen, but it was not. To complete the circuit, we then followed the track on the eastern side of Glenderaterra Beck to head south, taking a few minutes to look down on the spoil heaps and ruinous waterwheel pit of the Glenderaterra mine. Guy N Hindley Photo credit: Guy N Hindley Photo credit: Nicola Barnes Cat Bells is a controversial fell. When we shared a photo of its views down to Derwent Water and over to Skiddaw on our social media feeds, it became clear that many either love its accessible views or loathe its well-trodden paths. So we asked you for your favourite and least liked Lakeland fells. Here’s what you said... Mike Thompson (Mike Thompson/Facebook) ê,WGHSHQGVRQ\RXUGHĆQLWLRQ of fell. If you stick to the 214 [Wainwrights] then Armboth Fell is a shocker and Pavey Ark is my favourite via Jack’s Rake. If you include the Outlying Fells and the Birketts, there are some really rubbish ones. Carron Crag springs to mind, being entirely covered in dense conifers so absolutely no views at any point including the trig. Pointless hill!” John Beamson (john.beamson.90/Facebook) “There’s no such thing as the worst fell or peak – just the individual mindset that takes them on.” Andrew James Galloway (shutlingsloe/Facebook) “There are far worse fells in the Lake District and beyond. Mungrisdale Common, anyone?” Craig-Fin #FUDLJBĆQB,QVWDJUDP “My favourite is either Great Gable or Pillar – but it’s a hard one to decide.” John Hathway (@Jhatter13/Instagram) “Cat Bells boasts one of the best views in the UK.” Nevermore Hiker (@nevermore_hiker/Instagram) “My least favourite is Bleaberry Fell / High Seat – the bog between them is horrible. The Old Man is a favourite. Once you’re up, you have so much more to explore. Over to Down Crag, across the ridge to Brim Fell and beyond, the views are incredible.” Stew Hume (@overlap.uk/Instagram) ë&DW%HOOVZDVP\ĆUVW/DNHODQGIHOO so it still holds a special place for that reason. It’s overwhelmingly well-trodden, though.” An inversion worth sharing Posing with dad by Tryfan's Adam and Eve stones 14 The Great Outdoors April 2024

[below] Paul Skea (@skeapaul/Instagram) “This was taken just after sunset in the Cheviot Hills, Northumberland, during a period of intense Aurora activity, which was forecast. The area is home to some incredibly dark skies with low light pollution, which helped me to choose my camp location that night. It was one to remember, for sure.” Your adventures this month You may think mountain phenomena and wondrous weather are the domain of our Earth’s alpine regions. Indeed, they can be rare here in Britain åEXWQRWXQKHDUGRIDVWKHVHUHDGHUVFDQFRQĆUP:HèYHEHHQWUHDWHGWRVRPHLQFUHGLEOHVSHFWDFOHVRYHUWKHDXWXPQDQGZLQWHUVHDVRQVMXVWJRQH DQGVRPHRI\RXPDQDJHGWRFDSWXUHWKHPRQFDPHUD,I\RXèUHNHHQWRVHHFORXGIRUPDWLRQV%URFNHQVSHFWUHVDQGPRUHIRU\RXUVHOIćLSWRSDJHfl to learn how to predict their occurrences. [left] Millie Eliza Bell (@millieelizabell/ Instagram) “I was in utter disbelief when I saw nacreous clouds on an afternoon walk in Derbyshire. These very high clouds are quite rare in the UK, only forming when the temperature in the stratosphere is low enough to turn moisture into liquid or ice crystals, creating these absolutely mesmerising colours. 'HĆQLWHO\RQHWLFNHGRIIP\EXFNHWOLVWë [below] Catherine Bradley-Stevenson (@colossalcatpeaks/Instagram) “We embarked on the Miners’ Track up to Yr Wyddfa and (sweatily) found ourselves passing through the cloudy mist. An instant sea of calm – a cloud inversion – surrounded XVDQGĆOOHGHYHU\QRRNDQGFUDQQ\ZLWKLQ the valley. A Brocken spectre appeared to us as we witnessed multiple summits eerily yet HOHJDQWO\ćRDWLQJDERYHWKHFORXGë [above] Tom Green (@tomgreen_photography/Instagram) “An amazing morning inversion at Winnats Pass in the Peak District. I’ve been there many times in all conditions, but none quite as spectacular as this particular morning.” April 2024 The Great Outdoors 

ARCHIVE “Better public transport means the still large numbers of people without cars, currently severely disadvantaged, can also get out more easily to enjoy the countryside, which could improve their quality of life enormously. And the countryside, the natural (or at least semi-natural) environment would start to heal.” ROGER SMITH The Great Outdoors,April 2001 IN NUMBERS View THE FROM HERE 6ZDUë)Hç Photo: Ronald Turnbull Despite fewer conrmed incidents in 2022 than in 2021, raptor persecution is an ongoing problem and the majority (64%) of the incidents occur in connection with land managed for gamebird shooting, says the RSPB’s Birdcrime 2022 report (published 24 November 2023). Amongst the victims are buzzards, red kites, goshawks, hen harriers, peregrine falcons and white-tailed eagles. All these species are protected by laws designed to help our rarest and threatened species. But these gures only show conrmed incidents. e actual gures relating to the illegal shooting, trapping and poisoning of protected birds of prey are likely to be much higher as crimes oen take place in remote areas. RSPB report links raptor persecution to land managed for gamebird shooting 61 Photo: Shutterstock 2 INDIVIDUALS CONVICTED &KZ ZWdKZ WffiZ^ffihd/KEͳ RELATED OFFENCES IN 2022 If you see suspicious activity, nd evidence of illegal traps or nd a dead or injured bird of prey in suspicious circumstances, please call the RSPB’s condential Raptor Crime Hotline on 0300 999 0101. C O N F I R M E D I N C I D E N T S OF RAPTOR P E R S E C U T I O N IN UK IN 2022: ï 46 in England ï 8 in Wales ï 4 in Scotland ï 3 in NI ï 12 incidents in North Yorkshire ï 6 incidents in Norfolk ï 5 incidents in Suffolk Worst counties for confirmed incidents of raptor persecution: Natural highlights in the hills this month HEN HARRIER TO SEE THIS SLIM BIRD of prey ŲǕǕǕffiffiĽ,ļ ffiǕffiǕǕffi summertime upland moorland home ǕǕǔffiǕ ffiffił ǔǕffi\+ females and males care for their young, ǔffiǕǕffiǎ ffiǕǔffiǔǕŕŲǕ ǕffiffiǕffiffiǔĽffiffiļ\ !ǔffiffiǕffi  ǕffiǕǔffiffiǕffiǕĨ ǕǕǔffiǔĽǕffiǕļĨ Ǖǔffiffiffiffi\ 1ǕĨffiĨǕffiűǕ\ According to the RSPB, the hen harrier (Circus cyaneus) is the most intensely persecuted of all UK birds of \1ŕǕǕǕffi particularly in areas dominated by Ǖǔ\fflĨ hen harrier gets its name from its ŕffiŖǕǕ ǔffiǕǕǔffiǕǕffi \5ĨǕ"ffiffiňņňňĨ/0.+ and Natural England data reveals that 39 UK hen harriers have been killed ffiĽǕǕǕffiffiļ\ In Scotland, hen harriers breed in &Ĩffiffi2Ǖffiffl Hebrides, parts of the Highlands and ffiǕ02ffi\ Smaller numbers are resident amongst the uplands of North Wales and  ffi\fflǕ Ųffiffiǔffi\ confirmed incidents of 108 raptor persecution in the UK in 2021 VICTIMS BY SPECIES 16 BUZZARD 10 RED KITES 8 GOSHAWK 6 PEREGRINE 6 HEN HARRIER 2 SPARROWHAWK 1 BARN OWL 1 TAWNY OWL ϭ^,KZdͳffiZffi OWL 16 The Great Outdoors April 2024 ALMANAC ON THE LOOKOUT

Photo credit: David Guest AS THE DARTMOOR wild camping battle rolls into the courts again, my thoughts turn to language. Dartmoor National Park Authority has asked that people call the contested activity ‘backpack camping’. The term ‘wild camping’ is being muddied, it says: used to describe people pitching on inappropriate sites and leaving a mess. ‘Backpack camping’ does a better job of describing the activity – carrying everything in and out yourself, using a small, unobtrusive tent to ensure minimal impact on nature and other people. We haven't agreed on a term for the ‘bad’ kind of camping. ‘Fly camping’ sounds a bit cool and unconstrained. ‘Dirty camping’ is no better. Maybe we shouldn’t award it a name. Simply call it littering and criminal damage. I think it no accident that the landowners trying to prevent wild camping on Dartmoor (and media outlets sympathetic to their braying) used the ‘wild’ term to describe littering and antisocial behaviour. Muddy the GHĆQLWLRQVDQGVHHGWKHLGHDWKDWHYHU\RQH accessing the moor might cause harm. Then, it seems reasonable that landowners want to protect nature from these hordes of would-be ĆUHVWDUWLQJOLWWHUGURSSLQJWUHHFKRSSLQJ ne’er-do-wells. Language is a powerful tool. Whilst wild, er, backpack camping has a showdown in the Supreme Court, another debate brews. Is it ‘wild’ if landowners charge people to camp on their land? There’s the ‘Almost Wild’ guide, and the ‘Nearly Wild Camping Directory’ and newcomer on the block, CampWild. The latter is bolder with the language, claiming to be a ‘wild camping platform’ working with ‘land custodians’ to ‘unlock a network of spaces in nature’. Pay for your pitch and you can go ‘behind private gates, into lands unexplored, nature unspoilt… hidden away for generations’ but now ready for adventure. I don’t suppose it’s what the CampWild founders intended, but their language doubles down my certainty that we urgently need a land justice revolution in this country. Unlock private gates and give me access to nature, yes. But not because I’m paying for the privilege – because access to nature and land is my right, as a citizen. Until we achieve this in law, do these wild/ wilder/almost wild camping providers have a role to play? I’ve spent plenty of nights wild camping in the hills and lowland spots – once, memorably, under a hedge in Surrey. On my own in a bivvy bag, arriving late and leaving early, I usually get away with it, undisturbed. But ‘tolerated-yet-technically-trespassing camping’ can be stressful. If I’m with my kids, I want more certainty: something as close to wild camping as possible (no shower blocks or mown lawns) where we can pitch at 2pm and womble off at 10am, secure in the knowledge that no-one’s going to tell us to leave. Building a new relationship between the public and land managers requires trust. This is where wild-ish camping platforms might add value. Landowners worry about who is on their land and what they’re up to – these SODWIRUPVUHDVVXUHWKHPWKDWZHèUHQRWĆUH starting, litter-dropping ne’er-do-wells. And if there is a problem, they have a management authority with whom they can raise the issue. Over time, a growing network of land managers will trust campers to leave no WUDFHDQGIROORZZDVWHDQGFDPSĆUH management rules. Seeing is believing. 7KH\èOOLQćXHQFHRWKHUODQGRZQHUVWKDW actually, responsible wild campers aren’t bad or dangerous. A growing baseline of trust and familiarity can give us scope to move the conversation on. Reconnection to nature shouldn’t require a booking platform and a paywall. Money for responsible public access should come from the public purse – a ‘public good’ that’s on a par with habitat restoration and sustainable agriculture. But whilst the law in England and Wales is as it is, this is an imperfect but practical interim. Language matters. But the bigger prize is a transformation of land access rights, everywhere, for everyone. To achieve that, we need land manager allies – ones that we might, perhaps, ĆQGRQWKRVHERRNLQJSODWIRUPV „Mary-Ann is a broadcaster, anthropologist and British Mountaineering Council hillwalking ambassador. Find her @maryannochota Can paid ‘wild camping’ deliver the land justice revolution we need? Mary-Ann Ochotaasks whether paid ‘wild camping’ platforms can further the land justice revolution we so badly need, as a wealthy landowner plans to return to court to remove the right to wild camp on Dartmoor OPINION By Mary-Ann Ochota A pitch-perfect morning on Dartmoor April 2024 The Great Outdoors 17 ALMANAC

Book NEW REVIEWS ANYONE who has visited the Scottish Highlands and seen rst-hand the croing communities has no doubt imagined themselves living on and maintaining a cro. Like the o-grid cabin sitting deep in the woods, it’s a dream most won’t explore but will always wonder about. In Windswept, Annie Worsley takes the ‘what if’ out of the idea and shares a year in the life with the reader, documenting the experience using the natural world as an indicator of time. Aer many years living on Red River Cro and taking copious notes on each natural interaction, Annie has compiled excerpts into an almanac of sorts, showing the realistic and romantic tribute to life in the Highlands. Adventurers at heart, Annie and her husband Rob spent their spare time exploring the mountains; but aer a mysterious illness took its toll on her health, Annie was conned to the cro and surrounding areas, watching the natural world thrive and buzz around her from conveniently placed sitting spots, including a small, home-made bench overlooking the sea. Windswept tells the cro’s past, present and potential future stories, with every sense painstakingly described to place the reader squarely in the howling wind and the seasonally shiing colours. Annie doesn’t just live here; she’s explored the history via an old book by a previous inhabitant; she lives with the cro, not on it. She studied how it works, the order of nature and how each animal, ower and insect interact with each other throughout the year, using the data to improve biodiversity and soil quality for future generations. Split into seasonal sections, starting at September’s equinox, each part is broken down into experiences relating to that time of the year. With so much information on changing colours, smells, ora and fauna, this book isn’t necessarily one to read in one sitting. It’s hard to take it all in as it feels like you live the year with Annie on the cro. Descriptions of the landscape throughout the book are oen compared with parts of the human body, with vivid and intense imagery. ese illustrations personify the cro, showing it living and breathing along with its inhabitants. ose with experience of the Highlands will be familiar with the respective seasons they visited, particularly the Highland midge! We nish the book at the same point we started: the autumn equinox – ready to begin the cycle again. Megan Carmichael Photo credit: Annie Worsley Windswept by Annie Worsley Published by William Collins Books, £16.99, hardback Evening falls on Red River Croft, Wester Ross Deer crossing the old path from South Erradale to Badachro 18 The Great Outdoors April 2024

ALMANAC Photo credit: Alex Nail THE VAST AREA of mountainous country that makes up the Letterewe and Fishereld Forests in the NW Highlands of Scotland has long been known as the Great Wilderness. It’s spectacular, rugged and remote, and has some of the nest scenery in the UK. Alex Nail set out to produce a photographic account of this challenging region. He succeeded magnicently. is book is a stunning collection of breath-taking images that capture the landscape in all seasons and all moods. Photographing these mountains is not easy. e terrain is rugged and the distances long. In the Introduction the author says he walked around 420 miles, usually with a heavy pack, and spent around 50 nights camping in remote locations. Many camps were on or near summits, even in winter. e Scottish weather meant that not all trips were a success, with low cloud, rain and strong winds sometimes ending any hope of decent photographs. e dreaded midges made an appearance too. Alex says he hasn’t tried to show the statistically likely conditions, which would mean many grey skies, but the area at its most resonant. It required true dedication and much patience to take the dramatic images in e Great Wilderness. e heart of the book lies in the splendid photographs, and many hours can be spent looking at these and marvelling. ere are also fascinating stories of some of the trips that resulted in these pictures. ese show the careful planning and skill that go into producing such glorious images. Viewpoints, oen unusual and little-visited, are selected, compositions meticulously chosen, hours spent waiting for the right light. Many of the photos didn’t come easily. Reaching some places – such as the remote Munro A’ Mhaighdean in the snow in December The Great Wilderness by Alex Nail Published by Alex Nail Publishing, £49, hardback and available from alexnail.com – required determination and hard work. Mountain skills were needed as well as photographic ones. e photos are in four geographical groups from north to south, each with a map and text. You can see how the images relate to each other and roughly trace some of Alex’s journeys on the maps. Careful design ensures the photos complement each other. ere’s also a fold-out map of the whole area created and hand-embellished by the author. is book is a great achievement. Chris Townsend A' Mhaighdean, the most remote Munro April 2024 The Great Outdoors 19

THE FIRST TIME I heard of Aonach Eagach (‘the notched ridge’) was in the bar of the Manchester Arms, which used to stand on the corner of Wellington Road and Petersgate in Stockport. I’d tail along there on ursday nights throughout my teens in the hope of a li at the weekend to somewhere interesting. Usually these lis were to the Mynydd Mountaineering Club’s cottage in Crafnant – a cosy little den oen thronging with boozy old idlers (though not all of them by any means were thus!). But one Hogmanay, I struck lucky and was oered a place in an old side-valve Ford Anglia bound for Glen Coe. It was to be my rst trip to Scotland. I’d borrowed a Stubai ice axe, had innumerable woollen jumpers knitted by my mother and aunts, plus a pair of Ellis Brigham mountain boots, gaiters and molecord breeches, and on the Friday night I was duly picked up from a street corner in Cheetham Hill. We spent the next ten hours crawling up the A74 to Glasgow and the heater didn’t work. On Loch Lomondside we stopped at a snack-bar that sold stewed tea and a mysterious delicacy called a Scotch pie. I had two. “What kind of pies do you have?” I’d politely asked. “Aye, meat!” came the gru response. Eventually we were crawling and slithering across a snowy Rannoch Moor, before dropping down with relief into Glen Coe. By now the sun was infusing the grey tones of Bidean’s stately bulk to the west as we pulled into the parking at GR17335674, by Hamish MacInnes’s cottage at the head of Glencoe, from which Wade’s Road over the Devil’s Staircase climbs over to Kinlochleven. is is the way by which the navvies involved in the building of the Blackwater Reservoir clattered between the valleys in their hobnails, and many of them died of cold and exhaustion along the way. On our wintry dawn back in the early 1960s we piled out of the car, stretched and stamped, and set to on the ascent that led to the start of our objective. ough I didn’t know it at the time, the wise old heads who’d planned this jaunt had done their homework. East to west is certainly the best option, as you’d realise if ever you’d chosen to ascend the rough scree west of Clachaig Gully. e record of accidents along Aonach Eagach over many years makes interesting reading. You might think, as you cruise down the road to Loch Achtriochtan, that the plethora of dingy gullies which seam the ridge’s southern face might oer favourable options. ey don’t. As the cowardly King Mark of Cornwall screeches in Malory’s Morte D’Arthur, “And but we avoid lightly there is but death”. ere have certainly been too many of those hereabouts over the years. I remember from my Liverpool days hearing of the deaths of the brilliant young university climber John Clements and his companion Tim Osgathorpe in one of these gullies at Hogmanay 1966. ey were approaching the cornice. John sent Tim ahead. He fell, his crampons penetrated John’s skull and together they fell hundreds of feet and both were killed. It still happens, too. Only last year, a roped party of three died whilst trying to retreat from the ridge down this side. ere is a route o the ridge by way of the vast stone shoot just east of Meall Dearg, but could you nd your way down it in swirling mist and encroaching darkness? And don’t even think of using it for ascent. Here’s what that wise old bird of the hills, Irvine Buttereld, had to say of that notion: is should only be used as a last desperate measure, as the scree is the most diabolical imaginable and the passage by no means easy. Better to plan your day carefully, be up on Am Bodach early as we were on that long-gone January day, and pace yourself over its two Munros and its climactic traverse of the ‘Crazy Pinnacles’ until you arrive at the descent that takes you from beyond the maw of Clachaig Gully to lead you down grassy slopes directly to the Clachaig Hotel. Along the way what you’ll encounter is certainly one of the nest of all British ridge traverses. Yes, it’s arduous, dicult, prolonged. In winter conditions it deserves its grade of Scottish Two; and, as I’ve mentioned above, it is very committing and long. Make sure you’re up to it. e summer path used to be quite faint, but in these overpopulated times it has become very well marked and worn. e section between Meall Dearg and Stob Coire Leith is as ne and dramatic as anything you’ll nd outside of the Black Cuillin. Most place it as the nest and most dicult scrambling ridge on the Scottish mainland, though I’m not so sure – I’d want to put in a word for both Liathach and An Teallach, which are both more majestic hills. But there’s no doubt that Aonach Eagach belongs in this elevated company. Just don’t take it lightly. I’m glad I found my way onto it in my spring-heeled youth and under wise greybeard guidance. I was lucky. Make sure you don’t become one of those who were not fortunate and who did not make it safely down to the valley. It may not be all that dicult a technical undertaking, but you’ll know you’ve had a good day out if you reach the end aer eight or ten hours of some of the hardest going you can nd even in Scotland. MOUNTAIN PORTRAIT Jim Perrin ffiffiǕǕű0ǕǕǕǕĽǕŕ ļŖffiǕǔffiffiǕǕffi AONACH EAGACH “It may not be all that difficult a technical undertaking, but you’ll know you’ve had a good day out if you reach the end after eight or ten hours of some of the hardest going you can find even in Scotland” 20 The Great Outdoors April 2024 FURTHER INFORMATION Map: The Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer sheet 384 ‘Glen Coe and Kinlochleven’ covers the area. Further reading: Read WH Murray on the Clachaig Gully and you’ll soon understand why it should be avoided. Facilities: A pub at either end! Take your pick between the King’s House ±ĹÚƋĘåĬ±ÏʱĜč챉:kå±ÚåųeƵ±ųÚœĜĹĹåųØĹŅĬ域ěŅųÏųååŞŅýƋŅ ƋĘåāåŸĘŞŅƋŸŅü8ŅųƋœĜĬĬĜ±ĵĜüƼŅƚűųåƋʱƋƵ±ƼĜĹÏĬĜĹåÚţ

The Aonach Eagach ridge: start early, and do not take it lightly Photo credit: Shutterstock April 2024 The Great Outdoors 21

THE GREAT OUTDOORS AWARDS 2024 Mountain Bothies Association volunteers e volunteers of the Mountain Bothies Association (MBA) maintain simple shelters for the use of all who love wild and lonely places. e MBA’s Neil Stewart told e Great Outdoors: “anks to all who voted for us. e award recognises the work done by all our volunteers – the Maintenance Organisers, those who so readily attended our work parties, and those members who work so hard on the administrative side of the Association. It is because of their eorts that the 100-plus bothies that the MBA maintains throughout Great Britain continue to oer shelter in remote areas for all who seek it.” Fran Pearson of Kitsquad Kitsquad provides second-hand adventure, hiking and camping gear to low-income individuals. Founder Fran Pearson told TGO: “is is amazing and very unexpected. ank you so much to everyone who voted for me. I absolutely love running Kitsquad. But without the generosity of the outdoor community, Kitsquad would simply not exist. So, this award is a reection of everyone who has supported Kitsquad.” THE GREAT OUTDOORS Reader Awards is the UK’s biggest democratic celebration of the best of outdoor culture. Twelve years ago, we launched our rst annual awards – and our readers have been championing the people, places and businesses that make our adventures better ever since. An overwhelming 44,000 votes were cast this year – more than double last year – demonstrating the growing breadth and ever-burgeoning brilliance of Britain’s outdoor community. Once again, we opened e Reader Awards across 15 categories including the Open Outdoors award, pub of the year, campaigner of the year, brand of the year, and more. What makes these awards dierent – and gives extra kudos to the winners – is that it’s you, the outdoor-going public, who decide the results. Only your nominees make it onto the shortlist, and your votes decide the winners. e nominee with the most votes in each category receives a Winner award, whilst the nominees with the second- and third-most votes both receive a Commended accolade. Your votes also are a barometer of our community’s collective needs, passions and concerns when it comes to preserving our natural environment, opening up better access to all, and empowering all adventurers to get the most out of their own time outdoors. Congratulations to all those shortlisted – and, of course, to 2024’s TGO Reader Awards commended nominees and winners. T H E E X T R A MILE AWARD CATEGORY BRITAIN’S MOUNTAIN RESCUE TEAMS (England, Wales, Scotland, plus independent Scottish Mountain Rescue) An incredible 71% of voters wanted to honour every single volunteer who is on call, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to rescue those in need in the mountains. Bill Glennie, Scottish Mountain Rescue Chair, told e Great Outdoors: “We are thrilled to know how much the readers of TGO appreciate the eorts of Mountain Rescue volunteers. Our 25 Mountain Rescue Teams provide a vital free service responding to emergencies in the outdoors, but we wouldn’t be able to provide this service without the support of the public.” Mike Park, CEO Mountain Rescue England and Wales, added: “e volunteers of Mountain Rescue are seeing growing demand across the country... so we hope those who voted can also do their bit to plan ahead and share safety advice with friends and family.” Photo credits (from top): Girls on Hills / Nadir Khan Meet your 2024 TGO Reader Awards winners 22 The Great Outdoors April 2024

CATEGORY O U T D O O R P E R S O N A L I T Y OF THE YEAR BEN FOGLE ere will be few readers who aren’t familiar with this award-winning broadcaster and adventurer who publicly campaigns for the protection and preservation of wildlife globally as well as raising awareness on climate change. Ben told e Great Outdoors: “I am thrilled to be voted the winner. I have been an outdoorsman all my life. It is humbling and very generous of TGO readers. ank you!” CHRIS PACKHAM Famed for decades of work as a naturalist and television presenter (e Really Wild Show began in the 1980s), Chris Packham has tirelessly championed nature and the environment behind the scenes. From his ‘Fox of the Day’ tweets to co-founding Wild Justice, a not-forprot company that ghts for better deals for UK wildlife, he’s also supported a plethora of conservation eorts. Chris told e Great Outdoors: “I am very attered to have been voted the winner. You can rest assured that I will continue to do everything in my power to protect the natural world, speaking up for people and for wildlife.” Elaine Ryrie (aka Fat Ass Lass Adventuring) Elaine, who survived cancer last year, describes herself as “a plus-sized person showing they can have fun outdoors.” Elaine told TGO: “I am completely overwhelmed but also very grateful to those who've voted. It really does mean so much to me that plus-sized people are being recognised and valued in the outdoors community. 2023 was just the very beginning for me and I can’t wait to share more of my adventures this year.” Hamza Yassin Hamza Yassin, a wildlife cameraman and presenter known for his role as Ranger Hamza on CBeebies as well as his work on Countryle and Animal Park, in the words of one voter, “makes me want to get closer to nature.” An advocate of raising awareness for dyslexia, this passionate birder also recently released a children’s book, Be A Birder, to encourage the young generation to enjoy a deeper love of nature. Photo credits (from top): Tom Bunning / Hamza Yassin / Elaine Ryrie Photo credit: Right to Roam Right to Roam 2023 saw the Save Dartmoor campaign come into eect when Alexander Darwall, a Dartmoor’s sixth-largest landowner, successfully brought a case against the national park to put a stop to wild camping on the moors. e Dartmoor National Park Authority won an appeal against this devastating decision, thanks in part to Right to Roam’s tireless campaigning. As of January 2024, the campaigning continue as Darwall challenges the decision. A spokesperson for Right to Roam said: “Many thanks to TGO’s readers. 2024 will be a crucial year for achieving the bold, comprehensive access reform we sorely need in England and Wales in order to reboot our relationship with the natural world. We’re up against some of the most powerful people in Britain – so every bit of support we receive really helps!” The Ramblers Britain’s leading walking charity opens the way for walkers, advocating wellbeing outdoors and remapping forgotten paths. Carol Flint, Head of Marketing for e Ramblers, told e Great Outdoors: “ank you to everyone who voted for the Ramblers. is is great recognition of the campaigning work Ramblers groups across England, Scotland and Wales do to open the way for everyone to walk in nature. 2024 will be an important year for opening up access to the outdoors with a UK general election on the horizon. e Ramblers will continue to campaign strongly to protect and improve our path network, and create more opportunities for people to access nature.” Photo credit: The Ramblers Photo credit: Supplied C A M P A I G N O R C A M P A I G N E R OF THE YEAR CATEGORY April 2024 The Great Outdoors 23

THE GREAT OUTDOORS AWARDS 2024 WALKERS’ P U B OF THE YEAR CATEGORY CLACHAIG INN, GLEN COE Nestled in the famous glen of impossibly craggy peaks and razor-toothed ridges, e Clachaig is a hillwalking institution. With Bidean nam Bian and Aonach Eagach on its doorstep, you’re sure to meet climbers and hikers galore sharing tales of the day’s epic adventures over the live music by the re. One voter said, “I’ve got great memories of ending up at the Boots Bar of Clachaig inn aer a long day in the hills.” Old Dungeon Ghyll, Great Langdale Steeped in climbing history, the ODG is beloved by all who venture to Great Langdale, in the shadow of the Pikes. Voters keep returning to enjoy its “unchanging authenticity”, and the sta are always welcoming to weary, muddy boots and paws aer a big day in the fells. Drovers Inn, Loch Lomond With live music every weekend and a convenient location for a pit stop at the north end of Loch Lomond, e Drovers Inn got your commendation. Whilst one reader complimented the “atmosphere and great food” another admired the surroundings. e taxidermy-stued bar is full of character and Scottish charm, and friendly sta are waiting to welcome you. REAL FOOD CAFÉ, TYNDRUM Many voters said the same thing about the Real Food Café, summed up by this comment: “e café is always warm and welcoming. ey are always keen to make improvements, and you can tell that they really care about their customers, their sta and their community.” e gluten-free food options and accessibility were praised, along with the facilities for dogs, boots and bikes, and its location on the West Highland Way. Sarah Heward, Founder of e Real Food Café said, “Situated as we are in Corbett and Munro paradise, and at the halfway point on the West Highland Way, we are in an ideal and beautiful location for walkers and mountaineers. We are delighted to win this award in recognition of the café’s popularity with the walking fraternity and to y the ag for Scottish walking and mountaineering. We are very grateful to our team for their enthusiasm and hard work, and of course to our customers!” The Bothy, Braemar A bright and charming spot in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, e Bothy is the perfect dog-friendly spot with views over the River Clunie for a quick bite during your visit. It won 13% of the reader vote with one reader commenting on the fruit scones, the friendly smiles and the tranquil setting. Moel Siabod Café Situated in the centre of Capel Curig in the heart of Eryri, the Moel Siabod Café opened its doors in Spring 2012, and since fed and watered those seeking the freedom of the outdoors in North Wales with a smile. It became the area’s mecca for climbers and hillwalkers alike, who seek refuge from the weather or fuel for adventure under its roof. e café closed its doors in 2023, but readers have paid their respects to this much-loved Photo credits (from top): Girls On Hills / Steph Wetherall / Shutterstock institution with their votes. GIRLS ON HILLS Girls on Hills empowers women with the skills and condence necessary to become independent in the mountain environment. Keri Wallace told TGO: “We are delighted to win this award – especially in the Open Outdoors category, which means so much to us. Inclusivity is central to everything we do at Girls on Hills; empowering women through hillwalking and Every Body Outdoors e EBO team works to tackle systemic issues around size inclusivity. Steph Wetherell, cofounder of EBO, told TGO: “is recognition means so much – thanks to everyone who voted! We started as a group of ve women with a simple mission: to improve the availability of plussize outdoor kit. Since, we’ve grown into a thriving community with volunteers all over the UK leading walks and leading the way for plus size representation in the outdoors.” The Scout Association According to one reader, e Scouts “do so much in encouraging young people to try so many dierent things in the outdoors”. is is just one reason as to why they won just under 20% of the reader vote in the Open Outdoors Award category. mountain running, as we strive for equity in the great outdoors. We’d like to thank all our followers for joining in, liing each other up and supporting the advocacy work we do.” C A T E G O R Y THE OPEN OUTDOORS AWARD 24 The Great Outdoors April 2024 CATEGORY W A L K E R S ’ C A F É O R R E S T A U R A N T OF THE YEAR

H O S T E L O R B U N K H O U S E OF THE YEAR CATEGORY CAMPSITE OF THE YEAR CATEGORY W A L K E R S ’ A P P OF THE YEAR CATEGORY Glencoe Youth Hostel Just missing the top spot, Glencoe Youth Hostel is set in one of Scotland’s most spectacular and historic glens. is alpine-style hostel is a popular base for walkers and climbers of all abilities. One reader said, “It is such a friendly place with great sta and a fab welcome, and the lounge is so perfect to relax in and look at the amazing scenery.” Skiddaw House In a close third place comes Skiddaw House, situated at 470m on the northern slopes of Skiddaw, and one of the highest and most remote hostels in the UK. But the welcome is still warm, says one voter. Another adds, “It is a unique spot nestled on the anks of Skiddaw with unbeatable views and experiences on oer!” Warden Sue Edwards said, “anks to everyone who has enjoyed their stay at Skiddaw House and voted for us. We hope to see you again up here, and we look forward to meeting you if you are planning Photo credits (from top): Red Squirrel Campsite / Ailidh Beaton, Ridgeline Prints your rst-time stay with us soon!” LOCH OSSIAN YOUTH HOSTEL, FORT WILLIAM Graham Sheach, Marketing Manager at Hostelling Scotland, told TGO: “We’re absolutely delighted to have both Loch Ossian and Glencoe Youth Hostels recognised in this year’s awards. Over the last year it has been fantastic to see hostelling grow in popularity, with occupancy levels ahead of pre-pandemic levels, and these awards are denitely the cherry on the cake. Jan, omas and their teams are over the moon!” RED SQUIRREL CAMPSITE, GLENCOE Between the excellent facilities, campres and dipping spot, as well as the friendly sta who go above and beyond, Red Squirrel is your winner once again. Managers Sandi and Matt MacLeod said: “e Red Squirrel campsite team are hugely grateful for winning this award second year in a row. It’s been a great two years turning the campsite around, and we are looking forward to the 2024 season.” Glenbrittle Campsite “e scenery is breathtaking and sta go above and beyond, plus the campsite is always tidy with lean facilities,” said one voter of this previous TGO Reader Award winner. Founded in 1961, Glenbrittle is located on the rugged west coast of the Isle of Skye at the foot of the Cuillins. Last year, it just missed out on commendation but this year received 15% of the reader vote. Great Langdale Campsite (National Trust) Rachel Johnston, the National Trust’s Head of Holidays, said: “e team at Great Langdale Campsite, like all National Trust campsites, keep guests at the heart of everything they do. With a well-stocked shop, fantastic facilities and a well-established team with great local knowledge, Great Langdale has stepped up and ensured thousands could enjoy their holiday. I’m thrilled their hard work has been recognised.” AllTrails AllTrails, the app that provides detailed, handcurated trail maps, plus reviews and photos crowd-sourced from a community of over 20 million outdoor enthusiasts, is commended again. Gareth Mills, AllTrails UK Country Manager, said: “We are incredibly honoured that AllTrails was once again selected by TGO readers as a top walking app. Our UK community continues to be passionately engaged, contributing more than 1.2 million reviews across more than 28,000 beautiful and iconic British trails.” Walk Highlands is new app allows you to nd nearby walks across Scotland and download route descriptions plus GPS mapping to your phone before you head into the hills. e app’s founders Paul and Helen Webster told TGO: “We were thrilled that our completely free app for nding and following walks in Scotland could make the runner-up slot as the best UK walkers’ app. Although we knew it was really popular in Scotland, we thought it unlikely that people living in England and Wales would have heard of it!” OS MAPS Claiming the top spot again, the OS Maps app must be running out of space in its trophy cabinet. Nick Giles OBE, Ordnance Survey’s MD for Leisure, said: “We’re incredibly proud to win this award for sixth year in a row. is award means a huge amount to OS, especially the hard-working team behind the scenes at OS who keep OS Maps relevant and ensure that it is the best it can be to aid walkers on their outdoor adventures. We never rest on our laurels, though, and are about to unveil a series of improvements to the OS Maps app to make it even better for 2024.” April 2024 The Great Outdoors 25

THE GREAT OUTDOORS AWARDS 2024 O U T D O O R F I L M O R FILMMAKER OF THE YEAR CATEGORY I N D E P E N D E N T RETAILER OF THE YEAR CATEGORY NEEDLE SPORTS (KESWICK) On Keswick’s Main Street, this climbing gear specialist stocks everything from maps to trekking poles and harnesses, as well as an abundance of knowledge and experience from sta. Shop Manager Trev Suddaby told e Great Outdoors: “ank you to everyone that voted for us and our customers past and present. We really enjoy helping our customers get just the right clothing and gear for climbing, walking, and running in the hills.” Outside (Hathersage) Hathersage’s Outside is situated in the heart of Peak District gritstone climbing territory. One reader complimented the shop’s “great range of stock” as well as its friendly and knowledgeable sta. Cairngorm Mountain Sports (Aviemore) One of Braemar Mountain Sports’ three stores, the Aviemore team won your votes this year. Martin Bell, Marketing Manager for BMS, told TGO: “We’d like to thank all our customers for their continued support and our sta for the amazing job they do. Hopefully we’ll see you all soon in store.” SCOTLAND’S MOUNTAINS Murray Wilkie is a Munro- and Corbettbagger who lms his hiking, climbing, mountaineering and wild camping adventures in Scotland for the YouTube channel Scotland’s Mountains. Murray said: “I really did not expect to win anything and this was a huge surprise! anks to everyone who voted and also who tune in to watch the weekly videos – it is very much appreciated. Stay safe out there!” Grizzly Gaz is YouTuber – real name Gareth Lee – is on a journey into local history and folklore, wild camping along the way with his French Bulldog, Fenzel Washington. He told e Great Outdoors: “I’d like to thank everyone that watches my silly YouTube videos – you guys are awesome! – and my dog, the real star of the show. I couldn’t this without you! ere’ll be plenty more adventures this year so stay tuned!” WildBeare “Lone parent and lone wolf” Claire champions everyone’s right to roam responsibly and sleep under the stars. Her blend of camping resourcefulness and humour won your votes. Claire said, “ank you! I can’t believe I’ve been commended in this category of talented outdoor lmmakers. I’m excited for new places to explore, new challenges and lots of beautiful nature along the way.” IN HER NATURE: HOW WOMEN BREAK BOUNDARIES IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS BY RACHEL HEWITT Rachel Hewitt’s own lived experience as an ultra-runner is interwoven with timely research of the Women in the Hills Network and the voices of other outdoorswomen across eras to create informative, essential reading on women’s mountaineering wrapped within a profoundly personal memoir. She told TGO: “I wrote In Her Nature because I wanted to give voice to women’s experiences of the great outdoors, past and present. ese experiences haven’t always been given the visibility they deserve. I’m delighted that this intention resonates with readers, and I hope that the book might inspire more women to assert their right to be strong, free and active outdoors.” Cook Out by ‘The Fell Foodie’ Harrison Ward “A huge thank you to all those who voted for Cook Out in the TGO Reader Awards. I’m so chued to be awarded the runners up prize in the Outdoor Book of the Year category. I can’t quite believe this little hobby of mine has led to honours for my debut book. anks must also go to Vertebrate Publishing, Kenny Block for the photos, and Lisa Edwards for making the book happen in the rst place. Congratulations to all the others who were nominated.” The Hidden Fires: A Cairngorms Journey with Nan Shepherd by Merryn Glover is homage to Nan Shepherd is peppered with ecological updates, sociopolitical interpretations and reframings to include previously omitted stories or correct halftruths. It is not only beautiful but perhaps even more important reading for modernday hillwalkers than e Living Mountain itself. Merryn told TGO: “It’s hard to imagine anything more arming than passionate outdoor lovers like TGO readers giving e Hidden Fires a thumbs up. I’m honoured that you are with me in spirit. ank you!” Photo credits (from top): Murray Wilkie / WIldBeare / Trev Suddaby 26 The Great Outdoors April 2024 CATEGORY O U T D O O R B O O K O F THE YEAR

O U T D O O R C L O T H I N G A N D EQUIPMENT BRAND OF THE YEAR CATEGORY CATEGORY CATEGORY RAB Beloved for its transparency on environmental impact as well as its quality kit, Rab is your winner in 2024. Jon Frederick, Marketing Director at Rab, said: “We are incredibly honoured. [is] is a true testament to the trust our community places in our gear and equipment. Seeing individuals pursue their mountain activities with the same passion that drives us at Rab is the biggest inspiration for our commitment to craing top-notch outdoor products.” Once again, thank you to every single one of you who nominated and voted for your favourite outdoor people, organisations and places in The Great Outdoors Reader Awards 2024. Congratulations to your winners and all those shortlisted. To read more from your winners, commended nominees and for the full shortlist please visit thegreatoutdoorsmag.com or use the QR code. Alpkit Readers praised Alpkit’s dedication to inclusivity as well as stylish, durable, aordable kit. CEO David Hanney said: “ank you! ese awards are the Oscars of the outdoor industry... It’s such a motivation and inspiration to be commended and the whole team is absolutely delighted.” Montane Matt Ray, Communications Manager and Global Copywriter, said: “Montane is honoured to be recognised by discerning TGO readers! We strive to create timeless, high-performance apparel and equipment... whilst making responsible choices to reduce environmental impacts. We are grateful for the aection that TGO’s readers have for our outdoor spaces.” C H A I N R E T A I L E R O F T H E YEAR ONLINE RETAILER OF THE YEAR Mountain Warehouse “ey make fab aordable products, which I have bought many of this year and our local store has a team of sta who are friendly and helpful,” said one voter, of Mountain Warehouse. Mark Neale, the company’s Founder and CEO, said: “We’d like to thank the TGO readers for their support as we continue on our mission to help everyone enjoy the great outdoors.” Tiso With “excellent sta” and a “brilliant range” as well as “consistently high standard of knowledge and customer service”, Tiso gets your commendation. A spokesperson told TGO: “We take great pride in our sta expertise, quality of product range, retail environment, colleague welfare and customer service. We are proud of the values laid down by our founders, which continue to guide us today.” COTSWOLD OUTDOOR Cotswold Outdoor exists to help you ‘make the right choice'. One voter noted the “great range of stock” and the “sta who are interested, knowledgeable” and “always on hand to help.” AlpineTrek Alpinetrek – the UK arm of bergfreunde.de – has been operating for almost two decades, delivering expert advice from a dedicated team of outdoor enthusiasts based in Germany. Voters love the great-value winter gear. SportPursuit e team at SportPursuit hunts down the best deals available online from a wide range of quality outdoor brands, making them available to those who take up free membership. Voters appreciated the aordability of high-end kit on oer. ULTRALIGHT OUTDOOR GEAR TGO readers – particularly those of the fastpacking and ultralightweight communities – love this outdoor clothing and gear specialist, which boasts a massive range of backpacking, trekking and adventure racing kit. Voters praised the expert advice and plentiful reviews as well as the trusted specs available to shoppers looking to make informed decisions. Ultralight’s Dan Pearson said, “ank you to all who voted for Ultralight Outdoor Gear. As a small independent retailer, this result is a really big one for us and the team are thrilled. UOG was founded on reducing weight to make adventures more fun, having the widest choice of the best gear and delivering amazing service. We really appreciate this recognition and hope all the TGO readers enjoy their adventures in 2024.” Photo credit: Dani Hug/Rab April 2024 The Great Outdoors 27

When Ceri Belshaw and Sarah Hall set out to cross Wales by bike, nothing could have prepared them for the wild wind, wet, and relentless mud. They soon discovered that company was key to getting through some of the toughest mountain bike miles of their lives BIKEPACKING THE Trans Cambrian Way is one of the great Welsh journeys, as rich in landscape and adventure as a traverse of the Rhinogydd on foot or a circumnavigation of Anglesey by sea kayak. Crossing Mid Wales through the remote and empty uplands of the Cambrian Mountains from Knighton on the Wales-England border to the Irish Sea is normally undertaken over three or four days. Around 70% of the 160km route is unpaved, with 3700m of elevation. e terrain can be unforgiving, and the kilometres hard-won on a fully laden bike with camping gear, especially if the ground is wet. Ceri and Sarah chose to up the ante by setting o in February. e dates were in the diary and time booked o work, so barring a named storm – of which there have been plenty so far this year – there was no backing out. Having survived to see hopeful signs of spring amidst the relentless mud, Ceri recalls the joint adventure, a challenge better undertaken in company when the days are short and the going tough. A further, fresh perspective from Sarah follows. THE TRANS CAMBRIAN, ACCORDING TO CERI e Trans Cambrian Way is a dierent beast in the winter months. Nothing could prepare us for the relentless mud that we encountered shortly aer leaving Knighton on that rst morning. Although conditions were overcast and mizzly, we were in high spirits. Snowdrops lining the initial country lanes were a sure sign that spring was just around the corner. e mellow start soon faded and was replaced by a steep, muddy, tractionless climb that seemingly went on forever. Riding was not an option, so we resorted to pushing our fully loaded bikes uphill, taking two steps forward and on occasion sliding one step back. is would be the theme for most of the day. It was hard gra, but we relished the challenge. Eventually we made it to the top of the ridge and were greeted with panoramic views and an enormous sky. GLADIATORS We pushed on, up and over for the next several hours, climbing more steep, grassy slopes laden in mud. It felt like I was constantly trying to beat the travelator from the gameshow Gladiators. Knee-deep mud ruts led us into the forest above Rhayader. It took some time to emerge from the forest and we were both covered head to toe in thick mud. Who needs to pay for a spa treatment when you could just go and ride the Trans Cambrian in winter?! e long descent into Rhayader meant we could WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: CERI BELSHAW & RAY WOOD Home for the night above Elan Village Who needs a spa when you have Welsh mud on tap? Cambrian Mountains April 2024 The Great Outdoors 29

Big skies loom over the Claerwen Reservoir track “We experienced an intense range of emotions that far outweigh the stats on paper...” ADVERTISING PROMOTION 30 The Great Outdoors April 2024

replenish some of those spent calories. Upon entering the pub, we were promptly handed two bin bags to sit on. I couldn’t blame them one bit; we were lthy, and I’m surprised they even let us in. Leaving the pub was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, but we needed to nd a spot to pitch our tent for the night. e going was slow with our heavy bikes and the light was distinctly fading, but we still had a fair way to go to get to our campsite. Lucky the new MSR bikepacking tent only took a quick two minutes to put up. Once settled, a coma-like sleep followed. SUBLIME SOLITUDE Day two was always going to be a highlight. e Land Rover track leading up to the Claerwen Dam in the Elan Valley is always fun and technical, despite how ooded it was in places this time round – there was no keeping our feet dry here – and we navigated our way along as best as we could without falling in. e Afon Claerwen that runs alongside had even burst its bank at one point, such that the track and river were one. We made good progress and quickly approached the dam with its mesmerising overspill. A climb on tarmac brings you to the beginning of one of the most beautiful tracks around that runs alongside the Claerwen Reservoir. It feels wild, and the scenery is sublime. You oen don’t see a soul for miles. Reaching its end, the light was beginning to fade. e day felt terribly short. I suggested forgoing the next grassy slog in favour of a pit stop at the Tei Inn in Ffair-Rhos. is saved us some time, plus we were able to warm up and rest. e route took us through Cwmystwyth and up a steep, broken road in the dark before carefully descending it. Since the last time I had a go at the Trans Cambrian, sadly some has been washed away, leaving a skinny tarmac section and deep ruts on either side. We crossed a footbridge and entered the dark Hafren Forest to camp for our second night. FAST DESCENT It may have been a drizzly start to our nal day, but a fast descent to Llangurig meant a second breakfast and coee to boost our spirits. e village Post Oce here is great and I’ll oen call in when I’m on my travels. e next section alongside a small river on singletrack, before a gradual climb into the forestry, is notably pretty followed by a swooshing descent. We ew downhill for a little while until reaching the ford. Some years ago – my rst crossing – I went full steam ahead on my fully loaded bike and fell straight in. e second was on my rst attempt at the Trans Cambrian Way, and I crossed when it was high and very cold. If only I had known about the little bridge that we discovered nearby this time! A CIVILISED APPROACH Aer taking the civilised approach, Sarah and I continued along a quiet forest road towards the village of Staylittle where we could resupply. is next section was exceptionally tough. e wet and wild weather came in fast as we made our way up onto the ridge towards Glaslyn. It was so windy we couldn’t stay upright with our bikes and had to push even on the at in places. Aer a steep descent into a ravine, we made the decision to press on to Glaslyn and then hit the mountain road to Machynlleth, as progress would have been far too slow and it’s certainly not the sort of place you would want to be in that weather if anything went wrong. e section from Glaslyn to Dovey Junction would have to wait for another time. It was the right decision. Riding back along the road Cambrian Mountains April 2024 The Great Outdoors 31

downhill in fading light was nail-biting. Every gust threatened to sweep us straight across the road on to the other side. Twelve kilometres later we arrived in Machynlleth. We were both elated. Aer donning some warm dry clothes, we made a bee-line to the petrol station over the road for one of the most delicious hot chocolates I’ve ever tasted. ose three days were probably some of the hardest miles I’ve ever cycled in my life due to the wet conditions, mud and darkness. And I’ve been biking for some time. For Sarah on the other hand this was her rst ever proper mountain bike ride. She’d done plenty of gravel riding but hats o to her. She just kept on smiling and bringing the psyche. I couldn’t have had better company. We have promised each other we'll go back in the summer when it’s dried out a bit. It’ll be a dierent world by then. All smiles on the descent from Gro Hill Camp in the shelter of Esgair Ychion forest - a relief to pitch quickly “F*** it… why not?!” „±ų±ĘB±ĬĬŸĘ±ųåŸĘåųųåāåÏƋĜŅĹŸŅĹ ±ƋƋåĵŞƋĜĹčƋĘå‰ų±ĹŸ±ĵÆųĜ±Ĺœ±ƼĜĹƵĜĹƋåų The above expletive was my response when asked if I fancied ELNHSDFNLQJWKH7UDQV&DPEULDQ:D\LQZLQWHUP\ĆUVWH[SHULHQFH on a mountain bike. I’m trying to do more things that scare me, daunt me or stretch me out of my comfort zone. Sometimes you just have to say yes, beg and borrow any kit you don’t have (thanks to MSR and Ray) and accept that you might never feel fully prepared. I’ve had a gravel bike for around nine months – the transition from road riding to gravel opened my eyes to the possibilities of travel by bike. With a few multi-day gravel routes under my belt, such as the Traws Eryri, I was keen to explore my limits further. Although I’d never before ridden a hardtail (a mountain bike that has a front suspension fork, but no rear suspension), it felt like a natural progression from this past year to open up trickier bikepacking routes. 2QLPPHGLDWHUHćHFWLRQDIWHUWKH7UDQV&DPEULDQP\PRVW intense memories are of mud, rain, hard graft and pure joy. Over the three days we spent on the route, we experienced an intense range of emotions that far outweigh the stats on paper. It was a stark contrast of perceived effort to actual distance travelled each day, a reminder of the cliché that it’s all about the journey and not the destination. )URPWKHJHWJRLWIHOWOLNHDFRPSOHWHEDSWLVPRIĆUHRUPXG with terrain that sucked at our tyres, challenging weather and technical sections in the dark. Time warps when spending long days on the bike moving through varied landscapes – it’s all a sepia blur of forestry tracks, muddy grass, rutted singletrack, ford crossings, steep tarmac, rocky terrain, lashing rain and brutal headwinds. Despite all this – or more likely because of this – the psyche was high, character was built, and resilience gained. Ceri was an absolute gem of a riding partner – supporting me where needed, accepting kit faff, being a guinea pig on all the deep puddles and a queen of dynamic thinking (read: route changes due to weather, quick kit hacks and deploying old inner tube for a last-minute Garmin mount). ,WèVDSULYLOHJHWRSXW\RXUVHOILQDSRVLWLRQRIVHOILQćLFWHGçWU\ hard’, and even more so to share that time with a friend. Some of the most poignant moments of the trip were realising when we were both in our own little pain caves with cranks spinning in unison, heavy breathing synchronised, and yet still managing to smile whenever we caught each other’s eye. Overall, I would say that it was an epic introduction to mountain biking and winter bikepacking. Would I do it again? Absolutely. The gates, though… let’s not talk about how many gates we had to open… ADVERTISING PROMOTION 32 The Great Outdoors April 2024

Flooded sections of trail alongside the Afon Claerwen “Upon entering the pub, we were promptly handed two bin bags to sit on.” TRANS CAMBRIAN WAY STATS START Knighton, Radnorshire FINISH Dovey Junction, Powys Distance: ŏƆƆĩĵxŏljƑĵĜĬåŸ Ascent: ƑƗĊîĵxŏljØƆăƆüƋ Highest point:ăŀĊĵxŏŀăljüƋ Time: ƑÚ±ƼŸ Map © Ordnance Survey Cambrian Mountains April 2024 The Great Outdoors 33

Veteran climber, cyclist and adventure photographer Ray Wood explains why you should always expect the worst whilst packing for your next bikepacking trip – and outlines the bits of kit you may not have thought of packing before you head out... Overnight touring under pedal power has been around many years, but recently it’s become widely known as bikepacking, with a OHDQLQJWRZDUGVWUDIĆFIUHHURXWHVZKHUHSRVVLEOHb$URXQGWKH8. WKHUHèVQRVKRUWDJHRILWLQHUDULHVWREHIRXQGUDQJLQJIURPVWUDLJKW IRUZDUGWZRWRWKUHHGD\URXWHVWRDUGXRXVUHPRWHFKDOOHQJHV RYHUDZHHNLQOHQJWKZLWKODUJHDPRXQWVRIHOHYDWLRQJDLQ7KLQN RILWOLNHZDONLQJDORQJGLVWDQFHWUDLODQGEHLQJVHOIVXIĆFLHQW $VLGHIURPWKHULJKWELNHIRUWKHURXWHåRIWHQDSRLQWRI discussion whether a gravel bike or a hardtail mountain bike is EHVWåWKHUHèVDORQJOLVWRIHTXLSPHQWGHGLFDWHGWRWKHDFWLYLW\ VWDUWLQJZLWKELNHOXJJDJH7KLVFDQYDU\IURPH[SHQVLYHFDUERQ VHDWSDFNVWRDKROVWHUVW\OHVDGGOHEDJDWWKHUHDUWRJHWKHU with a frame bag, a top tube bag for items needed at hand, and a KDQGOHEDUEDJ,I\RXFDQDYRLGFDUU\LQJDSDFNWKHQLWèOOIHHOHDVLHU 7KHNH\WRDSSURDFKLQJELNHSDFNLQJLVDVVXPLQJWKDWZKDW FDQJRZURQJZLOOJRZURQJ<RXèOORIWHQĆQG\RXUVHOIDORQJ ZD\IURPDQ\DVVLVWDQFHRUDELNHVKRSHYHQRQWKH7UDQV &DPEULDQRURWKHU8.PXOWLGD\ELNHURXWHV3ODQQLQJ EHIRUHKDQGVKRXOGLQYROYHQRWLQJWKHDOOLPSRUWDQWUHVXSSO\ SRLQWVFDPSVLWHVDQGSRWHQWLDOHVFDSHRSWLRQV b6SDFHDQGZHLJKWDUHFULWLFDOFRQVLGHUDWLRQVIRUHTXLSPHQW $VLGHIURPWKHXVXDORYHUQLJKWJHDURIDOLJKWZHLJKWWHQW sleeping bag and mat, stove (including a lighter) and cooking SRWWKHUHLVDORQJWLFNOLVWRIRWKHULWHPVWRFDUU\ MULTI-TOOL $PXOWLWRROZLOOOHW\RXWDNHDZKHHORIIDQGVROYHYDULRXV PHFKDQLFDOLVVXHV$VSDUHFKDLQOLQNWDNHVXSQRURRPDQGZLOO save the day if you break your chain but you’ll need to have a chain WRRORQ\RXUPXOWLWRROWRUHPRYHDEURNHQOLQN6RPHFKDLQOXEH ZLOONHHSWKHGULYHFKDLQUXQQLQJVPRRWKO\ SPARE HANGER b$VSDUHKDQJHUåWKHSLHFHRIDOXPLQLXPWKDWDWWDFKHVWKHUHDU G«UDLOOHXUWRWKHELNHåLVRIWHQRYHUORRNHG%XWLI\RXEHQGWKH hanger by crashing or dropping your bike then life is suddenly JRLQJWRJHWSUREOHPDWLFZLWKFKDQJLQJJHDU$QGLWGRHVQèWKDYH WREHPXFKRXWRIWUXHWRDIIHFWWKHJHDUV,èYHJRWWKURXJKWKUHH KDQJHUVLQWZR\HDUV6SDUHEUDNHSDGVDUHZRUWKFRQVLGHULQJ IRUORQJHUULGHVDVSDGVFDQZHDUGRZQVXUSULVLQJO\TXLFNO\LQ ZHWJULWW\FRQGLWLRQV INNER TUBE ,I\RXUXQWXEHOHVVW\UHVWKHQFDUU\LQJDQLQQHUWXEHLVVWLOOZLVH HOW TO PACK FOR A BIKEPACKING TRIP in case for some reason the sealant isn’t working or you get a large cut or VSOLWLQWKHW\UH7\UH levers are going to be needed to get the W\UHRQDQGRII$ patch of any durable material on the inside, known as a tyre boot, will let you cover such GDPDJH7KHLQVLGH of a toothpaste tube FDQEHXVHGLQDQHPHUJHQF\*RULOODWDSHLVDOVRXVHIXOIRUWKLVDQG VHYHUDORWKHUSRWHQWLDOUHSDLUV)RUVPDOOKROHVLQDWXEHOHVVVHWXS LWèVZRUWKFDUU\LQJDSOXJNLWWRĆ[SXQFWXUHV,WJRHVZLWKRXWVD\LQJ DSXPSLVQHHGHG EMERGENCY SNACKS +LWWLQJWKHZDOODQGUXQQLQJRXWRIVWHDPLVQèWZKDW\RXZDQW Often resupply points can be a long way apart or a shop may EHXQH[SHFWHGO\FORVHGVRKDYHVRPHHPHUJHQF\VQDFNVWXFNHG DZD\MXVWLQFDVH7KLVZLOODOVRHDVHDQ\DQ[LHW\DERXWUXQQLQJ RXWRIHQHUJ\ ELECTRICALS %LNHOLJKWVDUHDJRRGLGHDHYHQLI\RXGRQèWSODQWRULGHLQWKH GDUN$QGDKHDGWRUFKLVXVHIXOIRUVHWWLQJXSFDPSDQGLQWKHWHQW 3RZHULQJHOHFWULFDOVFDQUDQJHIURPDG\QDPRKXERQWKHELNHWR simply carrying a power bank along with being savvy about keeping HYHU\WKLQJFKDUJHGZKHQ\RXVWRSDWDFDI«RUSXE0RVWELNH*36 units onto which you’ll have loaded your route before setting off ZLOOODVWDWOHDVWKRXUV WARM AND WATERPROOF CLOTHING 1HYHUXQGHUHVWLPDWHKRZTXLFNO\\RXèOOFKLOOZKHQ\RXVWRS SHGDOOLQJHLWKHUWRUHVWRULI\RXPXVWPDNHDWUDLOVLGHUHSDLU $ZDUPMDFNHWLVLQYDOXDEOH,WèVXVXDOWRFDUU\ZDWHUSURRIVLQWKH 8.XQOHVVWKHUHèVDUDUHKHDWZDYH6SDUHJORYHVDQGVRFNVZLOO PDNHOLIHPRUHFRPIRUWDEOH ADDITIONAL LIFESAVERS <RXUEDFNVLGHPD\WKDQN\RXIRUVRPHVRUWRIFKDPRLVFUHDPWR DYRLGWKHGUHDGHGVDGGOHVRUHV7KUHHRUIRXUFDEOHWLHVFDQSURYH DOLIHVDYHUIRUDP\ULDGRIXQIRUHVHHQLVVXHV/DVWDQGSHUKDSVWKH PRVWLPSRUWDQWLWHPLQWKHWRRONLWLVEULQJLQJDFDQGRDQGSRVLWLYH attitude that will make life easier and far more enjoyable when you UXQLQWRSUREOHPV6RORQJDV\RXèUHPRYLQJIRUZDUG\RXDUHZLQQLQJ ADVERTISING PROMOTION 34 The Great Outdoors April 2024

Time for coffee with the PocketRocket Deluxe ultralight stove Packing makes perfect Sarah and Ceri readying to pack away the MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack 2 at the VWDUWRIWKHĆQDOGD\ A home for two on wheels Building on the success of the Hubba Hubba with backpackers, MSR has designed a new model with cycleVSHFLĆFIHDWXUHVåWKH+XEED+XEED %LNHSDFNåVR\RXFDQJRIXUWKHU and stay out longer on two wheels. PACKABLE The waterproof Handlebar Bag is GHVLJQHGWRDWWDFKVHDPOHVVO\WRćDW or drop bars, and removable spacers çćRDWèWKHEDJDZD\IURPKDQGOHEDUV to free up real estate for hands or accessories. A head tube bungee keeps things stable off-road. Shortfolded poles also pack well into packs and panniers. With a minimum weight of 1.4kg, the Hubba Hubba Bikepack 2 is pretty lightweight, too. SPACE As Ceri and Sarah discovered, tough GD\VDUHEHWWHUVKDUHGåEXW\RXVWLOO need room to stretch sore legs and rest. The Hubba Hubba Bikepack 2 boasts a rectangular rather than a tapered footprint, offering good head height and plenty of width wiggle room. The tent feels easily spacious enough for two. STORAGE <RXFDQèWDOZD\VEDQNRQJRRG ZHDWKHUåHVSHFLDOO\ZKHQFURVVLQJ the Cambrian Mountains! Luckily, WKHRYHUKHDGçJHDUKDPPRFNèPDNHV it easy to organise and dry out damp kit. There are option exterior clothes lines, too, and oversized side-entry vestibules in which to store all that gear. Cleverly designed techcompatible pockets even have cable ports for cord management. VENTILATION After a sweaty and rainy day of riding, two large StayDry doors with a built-in rain gutter and kickstand vents offer extra ventilation. No doubt, your bikepacking companion will be grateful. DURABILITY :DWHUSURRĆQJLVHVVHQWLDO in Wales! A PEU fabric coating DQGWDSHGVHDPVåDVZHOODV reinforced patches, stitching at guy points and locking anodised VWDNHORRSJURPPHWVåNHHSWKH elements at bay. Pack your bikes Here, Ray shares four more bikepacking routes to consider... ï Last year, the Traws EryriåDNP adventure through Snowdonia from 0DFK\QOOHWKWR&RQZ\åZDVODXQFKHG$ week-long adventure can be created by linking the Trans Cambrian in to the Traws Eryri. ï The West Kernow WayLVDNPFLUFXODU bikepacking route around the western half RIWKH&RUQLVKSHQLQVXODZLWKPRI elevation along one of the most stunning stretches of British coastline. ï The Badger Divide (a pun on the famous %DMD'LYLGHURXWHLQ0H[LFRLVDNP bikepacking itinerary from Inverness to Glasgow, mostly off-road with a bit of hike-a-bike. ïb,IWKDWLVQèWHQRXJKRIDFKDOOHQJHWKHUHèV always An Turas MorDNPflGD\MRXUQH\ with the Badger Divide as its basis, which carries on after Inverness through the far north of Scotland to Cape Wrath. April 2024 The Great Outdoors 35

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESS JONES

MAJESTIC SCOTLAND The scenery across much of Scotland is breathtakingly beautiful, but the drive through Glen Coe and down Glen Etive to the loch is perhaps the route I most highly recommend to anyone who asks. On this one occasion I couldn’t believe my luck meeting this beautiful stag proudly rounding up his group of hinds by the side of the road. I was surprised how unbothered he was by our human presence as we stopped to admire the scene and snapped some shots out of the car window. I have driven the same route numerous times since but have never been as fortunate since. WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, I shared my bed with around 20 dierent toy animals, anything uy was my friend! I was the youngest by eight years in a family of six, and by the age of seven I had earned the nickname of ‘Jessy Longlegs’ for being able to keep up on the regular family hikes we would go on. To those who knew me back then it probably comes as no surprise that I now spend much of my time roaming the countryside at ungodly hours of the morning searching for my subjects – and that, when asked, I have come to describe myself as a wildlife photographer. As a qualied Cognitive Behavioural erapist, I’ve long been aware of the scientic evidence supporting the therapeutic benets of exercise and time in nature, but it wasn’t until a particularly damaging relationship breakup that I fully realised how powerful these healing benets could be for myself. Wanting to escape the quiet at home I found myself out walking more than usual – at rst just the local hills of the Cotswolds where I lived at the time, but then exploring further aeld – and I found my mind raced less and less. Instead of ruminating on unhelpful thoughts about the past I would nd myself thinking increasingly about the routes I would take, and paying attention to where I placed my feet on a slippery slope. Jess Jones’ enchanting images of wild animals going about their daily business are all about empathy. Here, she shares how she sought solace in nature and found a new sense of connection through wildlife photography. April 2024 The Great Outdoors 37

FIELD OF DREAMS [LEFT] With Right to Roam land somewhat scarce in England and Wales, most of my shots are taken from public footpaths. Sometimes, though, a sympathetic landowner will grant me permission to enter and sit quietly on their land – and this was one of those occasions. Playing hide and seek ZLWKKDUHVLQDODYHQGHUĆHOGLV a fun way to spend a morning, but it’s a game they usually win. On this occasion, a curious hare ran up a row towards me before then hopping over into the next row and disappearing. This time, my long lens helped me win! LOVE HURTS [BELOW] We all have those mornings when it is a struggle to get up and out. It was cold and misty, but I knew I needed my nature therapy so I forced myself outside. I am forever grateful I did! Previously I had seen hares boxing from afar, but this morning I got close enough to hear the thuds as the punches landed, and to see the fur ć\LQJ%R[LQJLVWKHIHPDOH hare’s message to the male that she is not ready for his advances. A warning swipe is often enough, but for the more persistent male the message obviously needs to be stronger! CARRIED AWAY e more I was out, the more I started to see: herds of deer or a sleek fox and occasionally – my now rm favourite – the beautiful brown hare. e fastest land mammal in the UK had completely grabbed my attention. I now had a new focus and would set o walking, not to escape my thoughts, but to search for nature’s magic – a pair of brown hares boxing, or a barn owl out hunting. My camera became my constant companion, and I would time my walks to be out at dawn or dusk to coincide with the best opportunities to encounter wildlife, now my reason for going out. Each time I successfully managed to photograph an animal behaving naturally in its own environment felt like striking gold. To carry these sightings home in my camera and experience them again as I went through them on my computer just prolonged the benets, and each time I dig an image out 38 The Great Outdoors April 2024

from my archives it takes me back to the wonder of that encounter yet again. e search for wildlife has since taken me to faraway places such as the Canadian High Arctic – somewhere I thought I would only ever see on the television – but my favourite place of all remains the Scottish Highlands. It was there I rst became aware of the mountain hare, and my love of hares in general was cemented. ese hardy animals are best found on heather moorlands above 300 metres and as their main defence from predators in the winter their brown coats change almost completely to white. Walking in the Highlands when there is snow on the ground and catching sight of a mountain hare in full winter camouage is a magical experience and completely awe-inspiring. “I would set o walking, not to escape my thoughts, but to search for Nature’s magic – a pair of brown hares boxing, or a barn owl out hunting” WHO’S WATCHING WHO? I went searching for wildlife in the mountains surrounding Vancouver with a friend. :HbWUDLSVHGDORQJSDWKV and scrambled across URFNVDQGĆQDOO\VSRWWHGD PDUPRWbZDWFKLQJXVIURP afar. As we got closer it would GLVDSSHDUDQGWKHQSRSXS VRPHZKHUHHOVHSHHNLQJ at us from behind another URFNb(YHQWXDOO\ZLWKRQO\ distant shots, we headed EDFNWRWKHFDUåRQO\WRĆQG another marmot hanging out LQWKHFDUbSDUN8QID]HGE\RXU SUHVHQFHEXWVWLOONHHSLQJ DQH\HRQXVLWFRQWLQXHG foraging around the area, RFFDVLRQDOO\SRVLQJSHUIHFWO\ for us against the beautiful PRXQWDLQEDFNGURS April 2024 The Great Outdoors 39

THE UNWELCOME GUEST [RIGHT] I was taking a breakfast break on a bank somewhere along the South Downs Way when I had a wonderful encounter with a beautiful roe buck. For a while we were unaware of each other’s presence, but he caught a whiff of a suspicious scent on the breeze and came to investigate. I became aware of VRPHPRYHPHQWLQWKHĆHOGDQG instinctively raised my camera. When his head appeared, I had a split second to take a couple of shots before his suspicions of DQLQWUXGHUZHUHFRQĆUPHGDQG he turned and bounded back LQWRWKHĆHOG HEAVEN ON EARTH [LEFT] Trudging up a steep snowy slope before sunrise is not everybody’s idea of fun, EXWbWREHWKHĆUVWKXPDQ to make those footprints in freshly fallen snow is one of my favourite things. Seeing mountain hare tracks as I get close to the summit and catching sight of the ĆUVWRQHDOZD\VPDNHVPH smile. As the sun rises and I sit back and watch the hares, the beauty of my mountaintop surroundings never fails to create such a feeling of awe, peace and happiness in me. It’s my own personal piece of heaven. ISLAND OASIS [RIGHT] In southern England the only places to see our native red squirrels are the Isle of Wight and Brownsea Island. Red squirrels have suffered since the introduction of the grey squirrel, their larger and more robust cousins from America, in the 1800s. National Trust-owned Brownsea Island in spring or autumn is a great day out. Follow the woodland trails to spot these endearing little creatures, and explore the wetland lagoons for a mix of birdlife. It’s an oasis on the otherwise busy south coast.

SAFETY IN NUMBERS [ABOVE] On Canada’s Ellesmere Island, at the end of a long day traversing the frozen ocean, our Inuit guide spotted a herd of musk ox. We hadn’t seen another living creature for three days, so we were very excited. We waited whilst our guide went ahead. Despite our efforts not to disturb the herd, the animals grew nervous and gathered together for defence, watching us carefully. As the snowmobile turned to pick us up the herd started to run, heading straight in our direction before veering away. It was a little scary but an incredible experience. HEALING POWER I read recently that experiencing awe has many health benets. It helps us to be more fully present and mindful, increases levels of oxytocin, which in turn reduces stress, and increases feelings of gratitude and wellbeing. I’m sure most of us who spend time out in nature have experienced the feeling of awe at the sight of a beautiful sunrise or sunset, a cloud inversion or a snow-capped mountain; but I try to remind myself to experience awe in the more accessible everyday things, like a honeybee collecting pollen or an ant carrying 50 times its own body weight. Personally, I feel awe every time I manage to reach the top of a mountain or witness an animal going about its everyday business, unaware of my presence. Awe doesn’t care about our class, gender, colour or creed, and no appointment or waiting list is necessary – look for it for long enough and you will nd. I hope these images oer some proof of that. For me, it’s equally important to increase awareness of the wonderful wildlife that we share our outdoor spaces with, and of the challenges they face as our world changes rapidly. Our fellow creatures need us as much as we need them. FOLLOW THE LEADER [BELOW] I got a tip from a friend about an area in Yorkshire that was well known for owls, and I made a plan to spend some time there. I got lucky on my second morning out walking when I VSRWWHGWKHVHWZRćHGJOLQJ RZOVSUDFWLVLQJWKHLUć\LQJ skills along a drystone wall bordering a wood. As I watched from the edge RIWKHWUHHVRQHRZOćHZ a short distance down the wall towards me, the other following. This happened repeatedly until they both landed not far from me, paused for a moment as they spotted me, before ć\LQJRIIEHWZHHQWKHWUHHV Another magical moment. April 2024 The Great Outdoors 41

42 The Great Outdoors April 2024

Dartmoor Alex Roddie joins local mountain leader Emily Woodhouse for the moors, tors, woodland and gorges of the Dartmoor Way. On the way, they share differing perspectives about camping, nature and what it means to feel at home WORDS ALEX RODDIE AND EMILY WOODHOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY ALEX RODDIE April 2024 The Great Outdoors 43

“...pages of my life have been written on these hills and footpaths” ALEX: I think lockdown was the nal straw. Aer 13 years living in Lincolnshire, my wife and I decided to move back to Scotland. We searched for many months before nding a place in Angus, and in March 2023 we made the move. It coincided with work that required long spells away, and my feet barely touched the ground before I was o again. As I boarded yet another train, it’s probably unsurprising that I ruminated on life’s big questions. Where exactly is home? Where do I belong? is time, however, the train was speeding me somewhere new. My friend Emily lives on Dartmoor and had invited me to visit. It was strange heading south again aer leaving what seemed like moments ago, but I reasoned I could write about hiking the Dartmoor Way for a book project, and I would be in the company of the best guide – a local who knew the area intimately. What was fascinating was just how dierent our experiences of that walk would be… ORBITAL (3 April) ALEX: We began the trail anticlockwise from Tavistock. My preconceptions of Dartmoor had been shaped by e Hound of the Baskervilles, and more recently by the camping controversy. 44 The Great Outdoors April 2024

Dartmoor It’s the only place in England where wild camping is explicitly allowed – within certain parameters – but now the long-standing right to camp free on the moor is threatened. Usually when backpacking in England, I’ll ‘stealth camp’ and leave no trace, aware that what I’m doing isn’t legal, strictly speaking. is time I’m visiting somewhere here in England that lets backpackers be themselves – but it’s a fragile tolerance. I’m curious to learn what that feels like. e Dartmoor Way goes around Dartmoor, not over it: an orbit of bridleways, green lanes, ancient footpaths and tarmac roads linking towns and villages with some of the moor’s edgelands. “It won’t be a wild mountain experience,” Emily had warned me, more an exploration of margins and boundaries. Today’s walk has started to li my sense of feeling unmoored. e trees have yet to show leaves, and the woodlands clustering gorge aer gorge still have that bristly, bleached look, all twigs and faded bracken straw. Only the surprising brushstrokes of yellow gorse (or ‘furze’) provide any real vibrance. It’s been a day of texture, not colour: the Dewerstone’s slabby buttresses, the lunar spoil tips of Lee Moor Quarry, the so coat of a Dartmoor pony near Penn Beacon. UNFINISHED BUSINESS (4 April) EMILY: Day two, and so far the Dartmoor Way hasn’t felt like a real expedition – just country lanes and footpaths that I’d normally use to get places. I’ve walked almost all of the Way for one reason or another before, but never in one go. I’d got most of the way around on a three-day leg-stretch before a Covid lockdown –  an emergency camping trip in a trying time – but had to quit early, leaving me with unnished business. Today we’ve ended up camping at a holiday park because the [left] The Dartmoor terrain varies dramatically, from rough moorland to cultivated upland pasture [below left] Some of WKHĆQHVWVHFWLRQVRIWKH Dartmoor Way make use of ancient roads that were never paved [above] Smiles whilst the sun shines [above right] A Dartmoor pony on Sourton Tors ©Crown copyright 2024 Ordnance Survey. Media 051/19 April 2024 The Great Outdoors 45 Maps: OS Explorer OL28 (1:25k), Harvey Superwalkers Dartmoor North and Dartmoor South (1:25k) Route notes: the optional High Moorland Link between Tavistock and Buckfastleigh adds 37.3km (23.3 miles) and 1210m (3970ft) of ascent. Time of year: April to September; many campsites close over the winter Guidebook: Walking the Dartmoor Way by Sue Viccars (Cicerone Press, 2023) WALK THE DARTMOOR WAY START/FINISH Ivybridge is the standard start ±ĹÚĀĹĜŸĘØÆƚƋƵåŸƋ±ųƋåÚĜʼn±ƴĜŸƋŅÏĩ %ĜŸƋ±ĹÏå×ŏƁĊĩĵxŏljîĵĜĬåŸ eŸÏåĹƋ×ĊƗljăĵxŏƑƁŀƆüƋ ‰Ĝĵå×ăěƁÚ±ƼŸ

campsite on the route doesn’t open until ursday and the landlady couldn’t be persuaded to let us in. It’s slightly surreal seeing such a busy summer attraction so empty out of season. Hopefully we’ll make it out to the Teign Gorge by tomorrow night. ATLANTIC RAINFOREST (5 April ) ALEX: A wet day. Slippery mud under our boots as we threaded from eld to eld between hedges of hazel coppice and twisted ash trees. On and o with waterproofs (mostly on). e Way took us through an old and enigmatic stretch of woodland climbing out of Bovey Tracey. ere’s an incredible canopy of ferns and lichens overhead, a jungle of boulders and saplings, and moss as understorey. It’s a remnant of the past, a sliver of primordial-feeling Atlantic rainforest. I dawdled, taking photo aer photo, and I could hear Emily laughing at me from ahead. “What’s funny?” I called to her. “You are! I mean, these are nice woods, but nothing special. ey’re everywhere.” I tried to explain how rare habitats like this were in the context of the UK as a whole, and how most of the places I’ve called home were very dierent. “What you have here is special.” EMILY: Back to normal Dartmoor weather – even now, on the east side of the moor, where it usually rains a little less. I’m nding it hard not to smile at Alex avidly photographing walls and expounding the beauty of random bits of scrub and unkempt hedges. I love it here, of course, but it feels a bit odd and touristy to take pictures of what are to me quite average things. We are brought up to believe that our bit of Devon is the best place in the world, but it’s a quiet and understated pride that’s fostered. So, the whole thing about rainforests has le me with the overwhelming impression not to think more of here, but less of everywhere else. Aer all, it’s only like that because no one thinks it’s special. It’s not from care or ‘management’, but from a lack of it. Why should we control and interfere, fuss and cling? Let the margins run wild! Let the borders be scraggly! JUST CAMPING (6 April) ALEX: We’ve now circumnavigated most of the moor, and although no-one can pretend to know a place from a single visit, perhaps I’m getting the hang of a few of Dartmoor’s subtler charms. It might even be because this hike barely takes us onto the moor itself. e Dartmoor Way almost has the perspective of an observer, carefully circling its subject to soak up various viewpoints, building anticipation for subsequent visits. is trail may not spend much time on the moor, but it certainly packs in some memorable moments. Today’s highlights included the remarkable Hunter’s Path, suspended high above the Teign Gorge – the deepest and most dramatic of the many gorges we’ve seen. I’ve also been spending a lot more time pointing my lens at gnarled trees and waterfalls (much to Emily’s amusement). From the road out of Okehampton, we passed the shattered tower of the castle and joined the network of green lanes that spiderweb the moor. In golden light, we le the trail to climb a prominent tor and nd a secluded, grassy shelf near the summit. 46 The Great Outdoors April 2024

Dartmoor Emily pointed out some large rectangular depressions in the ground – once used for making ice, she said. Our tents were quite hidden from the terrain below, but we could sit on the grass in the warmth of the evening, cook dinner and still observe the play of light deep within the moor. Far below, ponies munched unhurriedly as they ambled between boulders to nd the sweetest grass. “I nd it curious that you actually call it ‘wild’ camping,” Emily said. “To me it’s always been just camping.” Our camp that night was nothing special – and yet it was. I felt welcomed in a way I never had when camping elsewhere in the English hills. A part of that was being with someone who had invited me there, into their home. ere was none of the tension that can accompany stealth camping. Just a few simple hours of peace, sleeping out under the open sky as people have always done. How could such a thing be forbidden? I thought back to my train journey ruminations. Perhaps we belong wherever we nd ourselves – or we can create that sense of belonging if we try. A warm, open-hearted welcome most certainly helps. A CONCISE HISTORY OF WILD CAMPING ON DARTMOOR Never has camping on the moor been disallowed in living memory. This is especially thanks to the Dartmoor Commons Act of 1985, which explicitly enshrined wild camping into law and forms part of Dartmoor National Park’s byelaws. During a review to improve poorly worded byelaws in 2021, the changes went out to public consultation. The Darwalls, landowners on the south moor, sued the National Park on the last day of the consultation. In January 2023, Dartmoor National Park Association (DNPA) went to court and the judge ruled against camping. DNPA immediately negotiated camping access with all affected landowners and minimal changes were made to the permitted camping map (losing half of Stall Moor – Darwall land – and Maristow land near Princetown). On the surface, everything was as it was before, except it’s now costing DNPA money – similarly to how they pay a stipend to landowners for open access. And access could be taken away at any time. In August 2023 the case went to appeal and was turned by the judge in favour of DNPA. However, the permitted camping map was not readjusted back to its former boundaries. In September 2023 it was announced that the Darwalls were appealing to the Supreme Court. The case ZDVJUDQWHGDQGVRWKHUHZLOOEHRQHĆQDOKHDULQJ7KLVLV the last possible court of appeal. EMILY: Heading south now. We’ve passed Drewsteignton, where I had to leave the Way last time, and enjoyed a celebratory hot chocolate in Chagford. In the end, only a couple of hours of the Dartmoor Way were completely new to me. Lovely to be taken somewhere new though – the steep lanes and daodil banks of South Zeal connecting into Belstone Corner. Turning the corner at Okehampton and I’m back in familiar territory. I do love it here. Not so much because of any grand views or rugged beauty, but because I am in it. Pages and pages of my life have been written on its hills and on its footpaths in granite pavements and tumbledown hedges. Perhaps if you stay in a place long enough, you become part of the landscape too. HOME (7 April) ALEX: Our nal day. We decided to go straight over the top of Cox Tor rather than take the Way around its western edge. Emily pointed out a gnarled tree standing proud on the bare hillside. “When we get above it,” she said, “look down. You’ll see a raven’s nest in the upper branches.” is, I realised, was home to her, or part of it: the intimate knowledge of a place that ties memories, associations and personal history to details others might overlook. As we looked down, I asked her if hiking the Dartmoor Way had changed her own perception of the place. Aer a pause, she said, “Maybe it’s helped me to see another side to Dartmoor – all the places around the edge where I wouldn’t make a point of visiting. And perhaps seeing it through your eyes has reinforced how much I love living here.” Aer celebratory pizza, I got back on the train and headed back north to Scotland. Time to begin the process of creating a new home, and with plenty to think about. [left] The impressive Teign Gorge [below left] There's nothing quite like the feeling of taking off boots at the end of the day [right] Sunset from Sourton Tors April 2024 The Great Outdoors 47

Mark Waring is no stranger to challenging long walks, but Tombstone Park in the Yukon Territory has more bears, bushwhacking and wild weather than even he knew what to do with. Luckily, he also found a gentler side to this ‘ragged mountain land’ 48 The Great Outdoors April 2024

YUKON April 2024 The Great Outdoors 49

THERE’S A LOT ABOUT Tombstone Territorial Park that is at out intimidating. Its anglicised name reects the impression it made on the rst Europeans, no doubt catching sight of its foreboding spires on a bad weather day and deciding its massif resembled the headstones of a graveyard, or a place of doomed endeavour at the end of the known world. It still retains that wild, edgy remoteness. Hiking here is a raw and visceral experience, demanding a huge eort to traverse through dense brush, unforgiving talus or spongy mires overlaying permafrost. ere’s also the unforgettable fact that it’s home to scores of grizzly bears, swaggeringly condent in their status as the apex predator. But there’s another side to Tombstone. It’s a place of quiet beauty and reection, and a landscape of shared experience and human warmth with fellow hikers in one of the most striking mountain ranges that I have ever visited. BUCKET LIST TRAILS In August 2023, I made my rst visit in a decade to Canada’s Yukon Territory, for an 11-day circuit. Tombstone Territorial Park lies a little south of the Arctic Circle and within the traditional territory of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in people (‘People of the River’). It’s 2200 square kilometres of wild and dramatic rivers, forests, tundra and jagged peaks, and it remains largely unspoiled. Despite the raw beauty, it’s relatively accessible for the Yukon, lying just o the 1000km Dempster Highway and only a 90-minute drive from the small, Gold Rush-era town of Dawson City. A single trail system connecting three small managed campsites allows for fast-track access right into the park’s heart and the achingly beautiful tarns of Grizzly, Divide and Talus. at trail system is a bit of a ‘bucket list’ hike for backpackers across North America. When I rst came across the name Tombstone it was in Chris Townsend’s book Walking the Yukon, which describes his epic cross-territory hike. Tombstone was a highlight, and Chris’s description had me aching to go there. When Chris pitched his tent in these mountains, they were still the preserve of the few. As their popularity grew, and further to a land settlement between the Territorial Government and the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, it was agreed to limit the impact of hikers with a permit system in the central mountains. Camping there is limited to the small managed sites at Grizzly, Divide and Talus, where there are ten set pitches only. Away from this central zone, though, Tombstone is yours to camp and wander in at will. As I was to discover for myself, you need to be t, competent and well-prepared – Tombstone is tough. BEAR SPRAY & BUSHWHACKING My plan is to follow a seldom-hiked route that will eventually take me up to those high tarns aer a week. But whilst I am way o the beaten track for my rst leg, I begin just like everybody else – at the Tombstone Interpretative Centre. Here, we are all required to check in with the park’s ranger service and to conrm our permits. It’s an engaging place, full of fascinating insights into the ora, fauna and human history of Tombstone. Armed with a cup of Labrador tea, I chat through my route plan with a friendly ranger, before checking my bookings for the three managed sites at the end of the trek. She also issues me with a permit for the backcountry route that will see me follow the Blackstone River. We talk about bears too, and the rangers’ pragmatic attitude is refreshing. I am told that there’s been recent grizzly sightings at two locations, but I’ll be ne if I keep vigilant and camp ‘bear aware’. It’s autumn, and I’m told that the bears “are just chilling out eating berries”. YUKON 50 The Great Outdoors April 2024

[Opening spread] Heading up the Tombstone Valley [above] Hard hiking in the Tombstone Valley [left] Spectacular views towards the Tombstone Massif [far left] Getting food out of the bear barrel Despite that, I’ll admit that as my Dempster Highway ‘taxi’ pulls away from me a couple of hours later, I feel a utter of nerves. e thought of bears waiting behind every corner is doubly unsettling, but I reason that I’m prepared to manage that risk as best I can. Two heavy bear canisters full of food are now nestled in my rucksack and a can of pepper spray sits reassuringly in a holster on my hip. Perhaps most important is the use of my voice, and as I set o, I start a soliloquy that lasts most of my waking hours over the next week. I push into the bush through thick, head-high alder and willow, and the demands of the route become immediately apparent. e area’s Hän name Ddhäl Ch’èl Cha Nän translates as ‘ragged mountain land’, and it’s aptly descriptive of the demanding terrain before me. I slowly head up Foxy Creek and towards my intended camp at Auston Pass over the rst few hours, and the thin line of the Dempster Highway recedes behind me. April 2024 The Great Outdoors 51

“I battle through thick alder, and my progress slows to a crawl.” 52 The Great Outdoors April 2024