Home//Country Walking/April 2017/In This Issue
Country Walking|April 2017WelcomeIn an issue dedicated to the wonders of walking, it’s important to say there are many more we can never hope to capture. Because unlike these objective wonders – the inverted mountains, wizard’s fingers and all – many of the profoundest wonders walking will ever give you will be unique to you; will be epiphanies that resist being related; experiences that can be put into words about as well as giraffes can be put into car seats. Because while it makes for a great cover and a treat of an issue, to praise Britain’s wonders doesn’t mean we think the value of a walk can be plotted on a linear scale from minor to majestic which roughly matches the distance from your everyday experience. A snatched lunchtime stride round the…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017SHOULD I TRY TO SOFTEN MY FEET AFTER A WALK, OR TOUGHEN THEM UP ?Lots of people have asked us this via Facebook, so we took the question to Michael O’Neill, consultant podiatrist and spokesman for the College of Podiatry. He says: “If you’re a regular walker (or becoming one) and you’re in boots you’re comfortable in, your feet will become blister-resistant naturally.“The problem arises if your habits suddenly change: if you start doing a lot more miles, or climbing mountains when you’ve only walked on level ground before. That’s especially true if you’re in new or long-neglected boots.“Blisters come from friction, which is exacerbated by moisture, which is why applying surgical spirit before a walk can help: it has an immediate constricting effect on the glands that otherwise produce about an egg cup of sweat a day per foot. But after a walk,…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017TOP FIVE WELSH LEGEND WALKS1 LOVE ON THE ROCKSPoor old St Dwynwen. Falling in love with a chap called Maelon but blocked by her father’s refusal to countenance the match, she then gets given a potion (by an angel) which turns Maelon to ice. She then prays for him to be released; he is, but she adjourns to a tiny island off Anglesey to live a chaste life. Her island – Llanddwyn – has since become a shrine for lovers. www.tiny.cc/legendarylandscapes2 THE GIANT’S TOOTHAnd poor old Bica the giant. Legend has it that Bica was suffering from such terrible toothache that he spat out the offending tooth in anger and it landed on the beach at Llangrannog. The weathered rock you can see as you walk the Wales Coast Path along the beach is…3 min
Country Walking|April 2017SEDBERGHDENNIS KELSALL lives in Lancashire and is a long-time contributor to Country Walking. He’s also the author of numerous walking guides.“ Set between the Howgill Fells and the western Dales, Sedbergh has long been a gateway town. A castle has guarded the road to the hills, perhaps from Saxon times, and the town has been a centre of learning since its famous school was established in the 16th century. The old market traded livestock, farm produce and wool. Wednesday remains the day for the lively open-air market, and more recently Sedbergh has become a book-lover’s paradise, with eight shops to browse. On top of all this it’s a ‘Walkers are Welcome’ town as well, with excellent routes radiating in every direction.”`Walk 1Where to start: Cautley lies some 5 miles north…3 min
Country Walking|April 2017A spotter spotted...My Spring issue of CW arrived to help chase the flu away, so a short walk with the spotting challenge page was just what I wanted. A few steps in and I saw a woodpecker beating out Morse code on a pole. Must be an omen!The local copse is already carpeted with wild garlic leaves under the hazel catkins and above them a flock of long tailed tit* like fluffy pink lollipops flit in the oak tree. Into the fields and I hear skylarks but where? Squinting up and suddenly there they are, tiny melodious specks against the sun.On the harbour a flock of geese swoop past but they will leave soon as suddenly as they came. I will miss their constant chatter but then the turtle doves’ waterfall call…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017WHERE’S KES?In the March 2017 issue of Country Walking, Kes went to Leicestershire and took a walk in Bradgate Park, where she tried to blend in with the deer grazing beneath the turret of Old John on page 55.Congratulations to Trudi Green from Towcester who spotted him and wins over £45 of goodies from Lifeventure. Find Kes somewhere in this issue (not on this page!) and you could win too – just email the number of the page where you spot Kes to ifoundkes@lfto.com by April 27th, 2017, putting ‘Kes April’ in the subject line.Find full terms and conditions at winit.livefortheoutdoors.com…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017WALKING WONDERSThe Old Man of Storr, Isle of SkyeChosen by… Jenny WaltersLIKE A GIANT finger, it beckoned. Maybe Storr’s Old Man knew he must do something remarkable to draw my eye on Skye, an isle jammed with wonders from Red Cuillin to Black, coral beaches to the Quiraing. I pulled in and stepped steeply up to the foot of the monumental basalt pinnacle. It pierced the air 165 feet above me, presiding over a melee of fractured rock and baize turf beneath a formidable rampart of cliff. I’d never seen a place like it.This sublimely shattered world is the work of an epic landslip. 24 layers of volcanic rock stack 1000 feet deep atop the Trotternish Ridge, and the softer sedimentary rock beneath has buckled under the pressure. The scarp waves…20 min
Country Walking|April 2017CATCH THESE TWO TOO...The ornithological orchestraWhen spring warms the earth and trees begin budding, Britain’s birds greet the new season in full voice. Slip outdoors for a morning walk, while the rest of the world still sleeps, and have a listen. Like an orchestra, it builds; starting with a few lone voices in the dark then reaching a crescendo as everyone joins the fray. The first birds begin to sing an hour or so before sunrise. A robin usually takes the first solo, joined soon after by flute-like blackbirds and song thrushes. These birds are the worm-eaters, so there may be truth in the old saying after all. Next come the wrens, dunnocks and great tit*, joined lastly by a percussion of house sparrows and finches.Dawn might seem like a bad time for…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017Twisted rock & TANGLED ROOTSHAVE YOU HEARD about the rainforest on England’s south coast? No? Well okay, it’s not actually a rainforest – but some say the Undercliffs between Axmouth and Lyme Regis are the closest thing you’ll find in Britain. Sheltering a warm and humid microclimate, they’re a geological fallout zone smothered by feral woodland; yet far from being impassable, this natural wonder is tactfully traversed by the South West Coast Path. Forgive me for borrowing Lou Reed’s oft-quoted line, but this really is a walk on the wild side – a primordial promenade hidden beneath the clifftops of east Devon.As you drift east out of Seaton on the road over the River Axe, the town’s esplanade comes to an abrupt end where the estuary’s briny waters slice beneath the slumbering cliffs up…7 min
Country Walking|April 2017SOUND BITESThe tiny lesser water boatman (pictured) is one of the loudest animals on Earth, making sounds equivalent in volume to a full orchestra. Most of the noise is lost in the water, but humans can still hear them ‘singing’ from the riverbed.Traditionally the Japanese would appreciate insect sounds as we do birdsong, keeping crickets in cages to hear their music.According to American soundscape artist Bernie Krause, dawn follows Darwin’s timeline of evolution. It begins with insect noise, then reptiles and amphibians, then birds, and finally mammals.Krause also says Amazonian tribes can use forest sounds as a natural GPS to navigate through the forest at night. They know where they are, which animals are nearby and the direction those animals are heading, without being able to see.The song of the blue…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017Nothing Civil about itA LONG TIME ago, in a field not far away… it is a period of civil war. King Charles I’s reign hangs by a thread. A 20-year power struggle with Parliament is reaching a crucial encounter.The fractures form two decades earlier when the King, frustrated by restrictions placed on him by the House, decides to run Britain alone, fuelled by the belief he has a divine right to rule. But when the Scots invade northern England the King realises he hasn’t the funds to resist them.Needing more money he reforms Parliament in 1640, but the two sides clash repeatedly. The Royalists (Cavaliers) and the Parliamentarians (Roundheads) each form an army, splitting the allegiances of regions, villages and families across the country.The Civil War officially begins in 1642 and it’s the…7 min
Country Walking|April 2017Plan your tripWALK HERETurn to Walk7in this issue for your full route guide and map.GETTING THERENaseby battlefield lies just north of the A14, five miles south-west of Market Harborough. You can register to use the on-demand County Connect bus (www.county-connect.co.uk) which serves the area, or catch the no. 60 from Northampton to Welford (Mon-Sat), just to west of recommended walking route. Northampton and Market Harborough both have train stations.WHERE TO STAYThe Red Lion (01858 880011, www. redlionwinepub.co.uk) is a popular village pub in Sibbertoft with two comfy, self-contained studio flats, complete with kitchens. Doubles from £60/ pn, including continental breakfast provisions.WHERE TO EATYou can prep your own dinner in the flats, but the scent of cooking will likely lure you down to the Red Lion’s restaurant where the seasonally-changing menu might include…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017RUNNERS UP“Trash treasure of the day was this samurai sword. Looked very real from a distance though happy to say it was made of plastic!” Matthew“Can you spot Lily the litter troll?” Emma Stanley“Litter picking today by the River Avon in beautiful Bredon. Can you see my badge?” Pat Arnold“Starting out on my litter picking session I found this pile of coins! As it was quite near a pub I presume someone had a good night. £3.25 to go to local charity!” Malcolm Shirley“Working together, bless!” Carol Page“Not a bad litter haul. Lots of local volunteers came out to help too.” Lindsay White…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017Across The GRANITE ISLE“ We descend through warm earthy beech woods, among bouldery streams where bubbling water caresses vast rocks patterned with mint-green… ”INDEPENDENT BY NATURE, Corsica broke free of the Alps about twenty million years ago to slowly migrate across the Mediterranean. It’s a fascinating island crossed by several hiking routes, including the GR20 which is allegedly Europe’s most gruelling trek; a 180km goat-track that scrambles north to south across the highest peaks in the alpine chain. By contrast the Mare a Mare Nord is a challenging but more manageable mule-path which takes you from east coast to west, 157 km through beautiful mountain country from Moriani Plage to the fishing port of Carghese.It’s on the first evening of our 11-day trek that we get a true taste of the island wild.…6 min
Country Walking|April 2017THE KNOWLEDGEEXTREM-LY GOODThe Pravitale we tested is part of Berghaus’ venerable Extrem range. This is the high-end specialist enclave of Berghaus, and it’s been around since 1986, when the blue, yellow and red Trango jacket became a smash hit for serious hillwalkers. Normally you pay a premium for products with the word Extrem on as they are designed for, and tested by, mountaineers. But in this case the Pravitale, at £70, represents excellent value.IS SOFT SHELL BETTER?In technical terms, yes. When it comes to mid-layers, soft shell is more adaptable than fleece, especially if it’s working in tandem with an outer layer. Plus most of them are water-repellent whereas fleece is not. So why buy fleece? One word: cosiness. No soft shell will give you that instant, huggy hit of warmth…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017WelcomeFROM THE HIGH boulder fields of the Lake District (like this one, on Great Gable) to the swampiest, boggiest field-paths of Gloucestershire, the Country Walking team loves to give kit a good bashing about. If it’s rocky, soggy, mucky, murky, dusty or gloopy, we’ll be out in it – because it’s exactly what you’re doing, too. Tricky terrain? Bad weather? Pah! CW readers are out there in the profound and beautiful belief that neither of those things should spoil a good walk. And if you’ve got the right kit for your needs, they never will. So this Yearbook is your at-a-glance guide to everything we’ve tested in 2016-17, with revisions and updates based on longer-term use. In each chapter you’ll find tips on what makes a great product, our favourite…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017Waterproofs CLASS OF 2017QUECHUAFORCLAZ 100 £40An outstanding budget buy. Has most of the features you’d expect from a much pricier jacket; only let down by a cheap mesh interior, floppy hood and heavy, chunky zips. www.decathlon.co.ukREGATTAGRISEDALE HYBRID £100A perfectly priced, well-featured waterproof that uses Regatta’s own IsoTex fabric but also offers a good degree of insulation through the torso. Look for big discounts right now. www.regatta.comJACK WOLFSKINCHILLY MORNING £110As its name suggests, this one offers insulation as well as waterproofing. A joy to wear on very cold, wet days, but the main zip is unprotected and the jacket heats up quickly on sustained hill-climbs. www.jack-wolfskin.comMOUNTAIN WAREHOUSEGLACIER EXTREME £120The RRP is £120 but you will usually find this jacket for a lot less in MW’s high street stores. A longer-length cut and big, snuggly…3 min
Country Walking|April 2017Walking shoes CLASS OF 2017COLUMBIA VENTRAILIARAZOR £85Sleek and superlight, these make your feet breathe a sigh of relief on summer strolls. Water is kept out by the OutDry membrane. Not for high hills, but great on softer ground. www.columbiasportswear.co.ukMAMMUT WALLGUIDE LOW £100A rigid mountain shoe with no waterproof membrane; ideal for hot days on high summits. Will need some breaking in before it feels really comfy, but great thereafter. www.mammut.chKEENDURAND LOW £125These are just immense fun. Again a reduced version of a great boot, the Durands are built like bumper cars so they love rock-hopping but they are also comfy and relatively airy too. www.keenfootwear.comANATOMS1 SKYETRAIL £90Fabulously comfortable straight from the box, and great on most terrain. The tri.aria membrane is perfectly trustworthy too. Not the toughest or most supportive, but full of spark.…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017Rucksacks CLASS OF 2017VANGOBOULDER 45 £4545L, £45; can’t say fairer than that. Has a simple padded back system so less bulky than most larger packs, and still holds a lot. Perfect for a gentler trail like the Thames Path. www.vango.co.ukCRAGHOPPERSEXPEDITION 60 PLUS 10 £90The marketing and styling of this are all linked to travel rather than hiking, but it’s as good on the Pennine Way as it is on a flight to Kathmandu. www.craghoppers.comQUECHUA FORCLAZEASYFIT 50 £65This one gets all the basics right; takes loads of kit, feels secure and stable, and spreads weight evenly. But the foam padding gets a bit sweaty and the material is flimsy. www.decathlon.co.ukVAUDEBRENTA 50 £110Scores highly for ventilation and stability, but it lacks extra storage compartments and the mesh divider doesn’t hold the back system away from…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017Base Layers CLASS OF 2017QUECHUATECHWOOL 155 £15High quality at a bafflingly low price. You’ll usually pay a hefty premium for merino wool, but not here. Not as great at handling moisture as pricier blends, but a good buy. www.decathlon.co.ukSNUGPAK2ND SKINZ £20A loose-fitting unisex top, with great wicking courtesy of its Coolmax fibre. It’s weightier than most but the fabric means you shouldn’t overheat. A superb all-rounder. www.snugpak.comSHERPARINCHEN £30One for hot and humid days when you want maximum breathability and freedom of movement. Comes with an antimicrobial treatment from Polygiene. And its name means ‘treasure’ in Tibetan. www.sherpaadventuregear.co.ukCRAGHOPPERSVITALISE BASE T SHIRT £18A gossamer-thin polyester top that manages moisture brilliantly; Rachel wore it up some of Scotland’s gnarliest peaks last summer and barely felt any overheating going on. The material also feels gorgeously soft against the…3 min
Country Walking|April 2017Accessories CLASS OF 20171000 MILEBREEZE SOCK £12A gossamer-thin sock that works beautifully if you’re in walking shoes. And comes with a promise that it will last 1000 miles or your money back. www.1000mile.co.ukTREKMATESCAIRNGORM GTX GAITER £30Easily the winner of our gaiter test and still going strong, lapping up the mucky mud of March. Great design and Gore-Tex too. www.trekmates.co.ukMERRELLALL OUT BLAZE SIEVE CONVERTIBLE £75An excellent, hard-wearing walking sandal with a soft footbed and an absurdly long name. www.merrell.com/ukLEKI MICRO VARIOPOLES £145 (pair)You can get good poles for £50, but these superlight foldaway ones are great for trails: un-noticeable when you carry them; robust when you use them. www.leki.com/ukWIGWAM MERINO LIGHTHIKER SOCK £19Wigwam make an outstanding range of socks; this low-calf variant uses its soft merino to magnificent effect on long summer hill walks.…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017PLEASE DON’T BE A TOMB RAIDER!Heritage experts have issued ‘a very gentle plea’ to walkers not to add to cairns in the North York Moors – because most of the stones come from ancient burial mounds.Cairns, or heaps of stones serving as waymarkers, are a common sight on the moors. But many of them were created from the remains of resting places dating back as many as 4000 years.“We know it can feel like an obvious thing to do,” says historic environment specialist Linda Smith.“You pause for a breather by a cairn and there’s some rubble nearby, so you might pick a stone and add it to the heap. But in fact the ‘rubble’ is usually part of a burial mound or a defensive fortification, possibly going as far back as the Bronze Age.“For some…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017FOR YOUR BEDSIDE TABLEWildlife on your DoorstepFrom glow worms to grass snakes, Mark Ward’s terrific book is a practical guide to getting up close to nature, wherever you live or go walking. He’ll tell you where to look for grebes doing the famed ‘weed dance’, and even how to tempt badgers into the open in broad daylight (clue: no strong cosmetics).£15, www.amazon.co.ukStrange Labyrinth‘A book about a forest, that is like a forest.’That’s Will Ashon’s sell for his anarchic ‘biography’ of Epping Forest, often described as the wilderness on London’s doorstep. Ashon started out as a music producer and journalist, and here he tells how the tangled forest has attracted, haunted or transformed a horde of cultural figures including the poet John Clare, sculptor Jacob Epstein and 70s punk band Crass. Outlaws, dissidents and…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017The Inside Track...WHY I LOVE IT...It’s empty! Even at the height of the season you are unlikely to meet many, if any, people in the Howgills. It’s a very healing place, giving you time to think and get your head together. The walking is easy and it’s a landscape with a rich natural and social history.DID YOU KNOW?The Howgills were the early stomping ground of trailblazing geologistAdam Sedgwick, who was born in Dent and educated at Sedbergh School. It’s fascinating to follow his footsteps intoSettlebeck Gill and see the exposed rock strata that he first studied here.FOR FINE DININGWe’re really lucky to have this great little gem of a bistro here calledThree Hares, which has just been included in The Good Food Guide . They bake their own artisan bread, and serve…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT WALKING 500 MILES?I was having some issues at college when my mum suggested I have a go. It’s good fun and a great way to take photos. It helped me with my mental health and fitness – and helped me catch lots of Pokémon in odd places!Henry Clark, 16I am fitter, thinner and it has given my husband and I a hobby we both enjoy. I spend more time outside enjoying the countryside now. I hibernate in winter normally, and hate it, but this year I was out walking and loving it!Susan Goldsmith, 59The Black Dog has walked with me for a long time – now I’m more optimistic and confident AND fitter. And two miles a day is really nothing. I ended up doing 700.Andy Mills, 55Since having done the 500…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017Your ViewRock around the coastI wanted to tell you about Overend Watts (below left), my walking hero, who recently passed away. He was best known as the bass player in the band Mott the Hoople, and I only learned of his walking exploits when I attended their reunion gig in 2013. I saw his book The Man Who Hated Walking on sale in the foyer and was intrigued. It tells the story of his first long-distance walk along the South West Coast Path. When his music career finished he ran a shop selling retro clothing but by the early 2000s he couldn’t compete with the internet and found himself at a loose end. Having read Mark Wallington’s book ‘Coastal Walkies’ he decided to give it a go. He was in his…6 min
Country Walking|April 2017Stuart MaconieI NOTICED IT ONE evening, getting up from the writing desk having decided that ten straight hours bashing the keys had earned me a wee dram of something lovely from Islay. Even in my haste to get to the drinks cabinet (i.e. the little cupboard under the stairs where I keep my stash), I couldn’t help noticing a small nagging pain in my ankle, causing me to hobble. I don’t mind being slightly unsteady on my feet after a few Laphroaigs, but not before the cap’s off. I put it down to some awkward cramped position that I’d held my foot in at the desk all day and thought no more.Day by day, over the past few weeks though, the situation has mildly worsened. “You’re limping,” colleagues would say. “Like,…3 min
Country Walking|April 2017Catch it while you canStep into the blue this spring for one of Britain’s most spectacular shows, but hurry or you might miss it...“The Bluebell is the sweetest flower , That waves in summer air: Its blossoms have the mightiest power, To soothe my spirit’s care.” THE BLUEBELL, EMILY BRONTËIT’S ALL TOO easy to put things off in life and I don’t just mean the washing up. Walks you want to do can get postponed, even when you’re desperate to see that view or climb that hill. It’ll still be there tomorrow or next week, you tell yourself. But some wonders won’t wait. Some insist you pull your boots on – leave those dishes – and skip out the door for a walk right now.Bluebells bloom for just two or three brief weeks each…5 min
Country Walking|April 2017Find bluebellsHyacinthoides non-scriptabloom nationwide so you likely won’t have to go far for a good bluebell walk. They flower first in the warmer climes of southern and lowland Britain, and then the blue sweeps north. The websites of the National Trust (www.nationaltrust.org.uk),Woodland Trust (www.woodlandtrust.org.uk),Wildlife Trusts (www.wildlifetrusts.org),Forestry Commission (www.forestry.gov.uk)and RSPB (www.rspb.org.uk) all flag up their best bluebell displays in spring.You can also download free step-by-step guides at these gorgeous bluebell locations from www.lfto.com/cwroutes:Rannerdale Knotts in Cumbria; the woods near Sevenoaks in Kent; the banks of the River Brock on a loop over Beacon Fell in Lancashire; Bottom Wood in Buckinghamshire’s Chiltern Hills; Welcombe in Devon; Ty Canol wood in Pembrokeshire; the Avon Gorge near Chatelherault in South Lanarkshire.Or turn to Walk 3 in this issue, for a walk at Blockley Woods in…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017Walk. Stop. Listen.“Sound can stimulate memory and imagination in a unique way. It’s multidimensional and is, in many ways, more powerful than an image. ”IF, ON YOUR walking ventures, you encounter a man placing a microphone into a cow pat, the likelihood is it’s Chris Watson. And there’s no need to give him a wide berth. There’s a perfectly straightforward explanation: he’ll be trying to record the sound of dung flies mating.The renowned wildlife sound recordist has been capturing nature’s noises for more than 50 years; an activity he says has greatly enhanced his experience of the outdoors. He believes it’s important to actively listen and embrace the sounds around us, but that the social side of walking can make that difficult.“If you’re in a group,” he explains, “people are talking and…4 min
Country Walking|April 2017MORE CIVIL WAR WALKSThe Battle of Edgehill, WarwickshireOctober 23, 1642In a nutshell: The first major battle of the Civil WarThe full story: The Royalists were situated on Edgehill itself: a prominent position but a vulnerable one, as the drop was rather steep for its horses. The Parliamentarians, based on a modest ridge at Kineton, were on the defensive, as many of their cavalry had not yet arrived. The Royalist horsem*n charged through on the right wing, forcing the Parliamentarian cavalry to retreat. But rather than turning its attention to the Parliamentarian ground troops, the Royalist cavalry lost its discipline and chased the Parliamentarian horses, while the infantry took part in a battle where neither had the upper hand. By the time the cavalry returned it was too late to launch an attack, and…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017Thespring clean litter-picking machine!HUMAN BEINGS ARE a messy lot, but though a few million acts of thoughtlessness have left us with a big litter problem, so a few thousand more of thoughtfulness can begin to change the habits of the herd. Why? Because we’re a suggestible bunch too, and just as litter breeds litter, so picking breeds people who choose to pocket their trash, rather than adding their increment to the ‘inevitable’ heap. And so it’s proving – anecdotally we’ve found locally our trails stay litter-free longer and longer between picks, and you’ve been magnifying the effect and recruiting allies across the country.Of course we’re not kidding ourselves we can cure litter, but with the millions of miles we’ll be walking this year, we do have an opportunity to make the patient look…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017“We find it so rewarding”Friends Nick, John and Julia from Warwickshire were inspired to slay their local litter dragon – and it seems acts of minor heroism are catching...How did walking and litter-picking come together for you?We started walking about six years ago by doing the Yorkshire 3 Peaks, but now we’re doing #walk1000miles and we’ve got a local 2.8 mile daily circuit that’s just enough to keep the target in sight. Doing it so often we noticed the litter more, and we decided to clear it. It was a bigger job than we thought, but we finally conquered it.How has spring cleaning changed your approach to walks generally?As well as making special trips, which we will continue to do, in future we’ll always carry a bag so we can pick as we go,…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017Plan your tripGETTING THERECountry Walking took the Eurostar (www.eurostar.com) from London to Lille and the TGVonto Marseille (£140 return/ pp). From Marseille, we took a night ferry to Bastia and returned by night ferry from Ajaccio (€35/pp each way, www.corsicaferries.co.uk). The journey was a delight and took 22 hours from London. Most flights between the UK and Bastia or Ajaccio take about six hours with a change in Paris. Prices start at about £45/pp one-way (www.easyjet.com) or compare options at www.skyscanner.net.GETTING AROUNDFrom Bastia in the east, we took the bus (www.corsicabus.org) to the start of the trail at Moriani Plage, walked the path to Carghese, then bussed to Ajaccio. Bastia, Ajaccio and Corti are also connected efficiently by the delightful Corsican railway (www.cf-corse.fr).WHERE TO STAYWe carried a small tent. It’s forbidden to…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017BEST OF THE RESTMOUNTAIN LIFESnowdon£26Really simple, affordable fleece from high street entry-level emporium Mountain Warehouse. No frills, but will see you right for everyday walks. www.mountainwarehouse.comCRAGHOPPERSHazelton£50The textured ‘brick’ face fabric (sometimes called ‘waffle’) is great for holding in the heat you need while venting excess. Sweatshirt styling means it’s good for daily life too. www.craghoppers.comRABFirebrand£100We reviewed this last year and loved it, with its soft pile fabric and terrific warmth-to-weight ratio. And no price increase this year, which is good. www.rab. equipmentPÁRAMOBentu£115Superb soft-and-fuzzy fleece which combines with the Bentu windproof jacket (£100) as an insulating and shower-proof combo. www.paramoclothing.com…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017Waterproof JACKETSPOCKETSWhere there’s a zip, there’s a chance of those sneaky little droplets getting in, so always make sure the pockets take as much precaution against that as possible. That might mean a strip of waterproof tape over the top of the zip or, on cheaper jackets, a flap of fabric above and/or below the zip. Also check whether the pockets are obscured by the hip-belt of your rucksack; chest pockets are often handier in that respect.CUFFSA well-made cuff helps keep out water and wind when it’s awful, but unwraps neatly to help you vent heat in between the showers. Some jackets use a simple cinch-cuff but most use a Velcro tab to maximise adjustability.LENGTHThis jacket has a scooped back or drop-tail, i.e, the back is longer than the front. This…3 min
Country Walking|April 2017Walking SHOESLACINGIn theory, the further down the shoe the lacing goes, the better the fit will be. Some lighter shoes use drawcords instead of laces; this saves weight and makes the process quicker and easier, but means you can’t do up the shoe as precisely as you would with laces. The Zen Pro’s laces are lightweight but still reassuringly chunky – be wary of ultra-thin laces as they can be fiddly to do up securely and may wear out more quickly.FLEXSome shoes we’ve tested are more like sawn-off boots with all the rigidity you’d expect from that idea. Others are so light and flexible you can almost bend them in half. Even if you like tougher footwear, it’s worth trying a softer, suppler shoe when the weather heats up. They may…3 min
Country Walking|April 2017Large RUCKSACKSSTORAGEHow much can it carry, and where can you put it? Some packs have one vast compartment (easy storage but also hard to find individual items) while some have as many as eight or nine (more organised and spreads the weight better, but it becomes easier to forget what went where). One tip is to check the colour of the interior: if it’s black it’s going to be very hard to find things inside; a lighter interior means your kit is a bit easier to see where that packet of Penguins is.OPENINGMost larger packs use a buckle-closing lid and a drawcord to close the main compartment (rather than a zip, as on smaller packs). This makes it easier to open the pack wide and stuff in bulky items. Some packs…3 min
Country Walking|April 2017Base LAYERSMATERIALSCotton is bad. Cotton does nothing with sweat and lets it fester on your skin, while letting the draughts freeze you. The tops in this test are either polyester (like this one), merino wool, or a mix of both.COLOURBasic science tells you that black traps heat and lighter colours repel it, but we’ve mostly found that to be a rubbish argument with modern base-layers, because it’s all about the materials. A denser weave makes something warmer; a looser weave makes it cooler – even if the dye happens to be black. So colour is really a matter of taste.EXTRA FEATURESThis is where a good summer top like this one can really excel. It comes with both UV protection and an insect-repellent treatment in the weave, so if you’re taking it…3 min
Country Walking|April 2017Walking ACCESSORIESPADDINGIn summer you don’t need too much of this as it can make you overheat, but you still need slightly thicker fabric around the heel, Achilles and toes. Look for stronger fabric supporting the arch, too.FABRICWalking socks are usually a blend of wool (often merino, which is soft and breathable) and polyester for added stretch. Bridgedale divides its socks into three blends: MerinoFusion, WoolFusion and CoolFusion.LENGTHThe most common length for walking socks is crew, which comes midway up the calf. Anklesocks and liner socks are great in summer as they allow more of your foot to breathe. Liner socks can then be used as a next-to-skin layer beneath a thicker sock in winter, transferring moisture to the outer layer and reducing the risk of your skin rubbing on the inside…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017The ViewVisitAn extremely good pubThis is the George and Dragon in Hudswell near Richmond in North Yorkshire, and it has just been named Pub of the Year by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). Having closed in 2008, it was reopened by the local community and now serves as a library, shop and internet café as well as a pub – and it has gorgeous views of the River Swale too. Use it as the base for a great little walk to the east along Hudswell Bank, before dropping down through Billy Bank Wood and returning along the riverbank. Search online for George and Dragon Hudswell.BecomeA Canterbury PilgrimThe British Pilgrimage Trust will be leading a three-day, 35-mile walk through Kent from Ham Street to Canterbury Cathedral from April 29th. The trip…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017What’s this?Yellow wash is Access Land, but what’s this lovely new pink wash on an OS Explorer map? It’s called coastal margin and it relates to the nascent England Coast Path. It’s similar to Access Land (land opened up under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000) but in fact it relates to the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. This imposed a duty on Natural England to improve access through a ‘margin’ of land close to the coast. The pink wash is rare because the margin usually just hugs the Coast Path itself, but in some areas, like here at Blackhall Colliery in County Durham, it extends landward too. OS say the pink wash is a guideline only; they advise walkers to check local signage on the ground for…1 min
Country Walking|April 201715% OFF AT COTSWOLD WITH THIS MAG!*WITH THE LAUNCH OF #walk500milesthis issue, we’ve teamed up with Cotswold Outdoorto offer EVERY reader 15% off gear bought in any of their 80 stores. You can use the discount as many times as you like until the end of June. Use it to kit yourself out for your #walk500miles challenge (#walk1000miles badge holders like Joe, pictured, already enjoy 15% off) or just to treat yourself!Buy a couple of pairs of Bridgedale CoolFusion walking socks and that’s the price of this magazine more than covered in the saving. Pick up a great pair of all-round walking boots in the form of the Scarpa’s Peaks and that’s £24 back in your pocket; buy a Satmap Active Pro GPS and you could subscribe to Country Walking for a year and a half…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017Doing anything amazing this summer?YOUR BODY IS the most exquisite and sophisticated machine ever made, and it thrives on a simple maintenance regime. But in a world bent on distraction it’s no wonder even that gets neglected. There are any number of businesses ready to sign you up to their service plan. But what no gym chain, diet brand or sportswear firm will tell you is it’s all rather beside the point. Because what scientific study after scientific study, not to mention every rosy-cheeked personal experience you’ve ever had confirms is that nothing beats simply walking as a route to improving your health and happiness. It doesn’t matter what measure you choose to apply, walking anywhere, in any way, wearing whatever clothes you have to hand Makes Things Better.It shouldn’t be a secret, because…3 min
Country Walking|April 2017'IT’S PURE ME TIME’What got you into #walk500miles?I wanted to increase my fitness and discover new places. It was a huge change for me. Only a year previously, a couple of miles would wipe me out, I was massively overweight, with dodgy hips and knees, and seriously unfit. Since doing #walk500miles I try to do 4-5 shorter walks a week, 2–2½miles, usually in the evenings after work. At weekends I do a longer one, up to 10 miles. It can be tricky fitting it in, but it’s pure ME time!What were some of the highs?My first 10-mile walk ever! Felt like a different me, I loved it. And reaching 100 miles was fantastic – probably more than I walked in the last two years! I can now regularly do 20 miles plus, boots…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017VIEWS IN BRIEFWalking the Grand Union Canal , we came across an unusual narrowboat with an SUV welded on at the rear!Steve RichardsThis little one has put a halt to any long walks for the next few weeks. One of triplets, but needed to be removed from mum. I don’t mind it for something so cute!Amanda FosterSomebody thinks it’s break time.Teresa HanveyA steady 5 miles today and this little beauty posed for me.Dave MarriottToday’s bimble on Kinder Scout.Craig CarterWe got all dressed up for Storm Doris today.Kerry IrvingPosing on the Miners’ Track on recent Country Walking cover star, Snowdon.DiDi BlackhurstEwe cheeky thing! Crept up on me, confronted me and nibbled my coat!Sue FullerCaught this spooky tree dude staring at me on today’s walk!Janet JonesSaw this and thought of you guys! It hardly…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017Emma BridgewaterI SPENT A HUGE amount of my childhood mooching about outdoors. Some of my earliest memories are of trailing along behind my mum as she pushed my sister and brother in the pram; I felt like a dot under a vast sky, surrounded by fields that went on forever.When I moved to Oxford I soon learned to adore the rivery greenness of a city with so much open space, mostly water meadows, all just waiting to be explored. My brother and I teamed up with a gang of children who lived in our road and took off to Port Meadow, whose 500 ancient acres offered a huge playground for swimming in the summer and skating in the freezing winter.I have gone on collecting favourite landscapes ever since. North Cornwall is…3 min
Country Walking|April 2017On the noseThe scent of a wild bluebell wood is one of nature’s finest fragrances and the only way to sniff the real thing is on a walk: it can’t be harvested legally or distilled naturally so bluebell perfumes are synthetic.Sight is the dominant human sense, and smell (like sound – see p47 and p56) tends to be undervalued, although in Japan the Ministry for the Environment has designated ‘one hundred sights of good fragrance’ where scents like the ‘Japanese beeches and dogtooth violets of Mount Kenashigasen’, ‘a hundred thousand peach blossoms at a glance’ and ‘the scent of rocky coast at Iwami Tatamigaura’ now have protected status.Urban ‘smellwalks’ are gaining in popularity here and among the top tips on ‘odour advocate’ Victoria Henshaw’s website (smellandthecity.wordpress.com) is this: “If you enter an…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017Surely you’re mistaken!Ffyona CampbellWalked around the world using only her feet... and a van.Ffyona earned fame in the 80s after completing four huge walks totalling 19,586 miles across the UK, America, Africa and Europe. She become known as the woman who walked the world – but she was gnawed by guilt, and the by-now bestselling author made a newspaper confession in 1993: after falling pregnant a thousand miles into her US trek she’d begun accepting the occasional lift from her support driver, leaving a few holes in her (still immense) chain of steps. Despite righting the omissions by re-walking the entire country, Ffyona and the spotlight parted by mutual consent. Today she is an expert in hunter-gatherer skills and culture and runs guided wild food walks in Devon: wildfoodwalks.co.ukConsumableYour last mile is…5 min
Country Walking|April 2017Lookalike landscapesThe Mojave on the Kent CoastAn arid shingle beach spread across a vast cuspate foreland, Dungeness could almost be somewhere on the American Frontier if it weren’t for a few conspicuous lighthouses and the looming presence of a nuclear power station. Sun-bleached cottages, rusting rails and skeletal boats litter this surreal landscape. All that’s missing are a few cacti. Yet contrary to urban myth, Dungeness isn’t a desert. It might be one of the driest places in Britain, but conditions here don’t meet the criteria of a desert as defined by the Met Office, who debunked the popular misnomer in 2015. It hasn’t stopped people coming to explore this entrancing place though.WALK HERE: Turn to Walk 5 for a linear 7½-mile trek across the surreal shingle foreland of Dungeness, with…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017Your favourite sounds…“Hearing the first nightingale songin April and knowing they’ve returned to our shores. Gladdens and soothes my heart.” Louise Vickers“That funny crump noise snow makes.” Col Wood“ Traffic fading as I head away from a road. Curlews calling on the marshes. The pitter-patterof rain on my hood as I stay dry. Foghorns in the distance when I walk by the sea in a peasouper. The sound of nothing when I stop and my clothes stop rustling.” Alaric Mose“ Woodpeckersmake me smile – they sound like they’re hammering in a workshop!” Chris Crombie“The chattering of sparrows having a union meeting in the hedgerow. The skwee of buzzards showing off their acrobatics. The song of the blackbird late in the afternoon, telling the others he’s the most important. The stomp of my…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017MORE MORE CIVIL WAR WALKSThe Battle of Marston Moor, Yorkshire July 2, 1644In a nutshell: The biggest battle ever fought on British soil (measured by number of fighters) and one of the bloodiest. A vital victory for the Parliamentarians who secured control of the north.The full story: The Royalists, led by Prince Rupert, followed a retreating Parliamentarian army, who duly attacked when the Cavaliers were preparing dinner. Cromwell’s Parliamentarian left wing made inroads when the Royalist right wing cavalry lost patience and charged over the ditch and rabbit warrens that had been protecting them. The awkward terrain cost them momentum and their front line was battered by Cromwell. But the Royalist left wing fared much better, smashing the Roundheads’ right wing, led by Fairfax, who struggled to negotiate a steep bank. Fairfax sought help…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017PICKS OF THE MONTH! EACH WINS A PAIR OF REGATTA HOLCOMBE LOW SHOES (£70RRP)“Yesterday, on my seven-mile walk I became the ‘poo-bag-in-a-tree’ fairy. That’s what’s in the black sack. I didn’t actually collect the green ones, but I did use the Council website to report a litter problem along a stretch of country lane on a blind bend I wasn’t happy to patrol – and they had it all cleared within three weeks of me reporting it. Very happy to see it works.” Jacqui Saidler“Crack of dawn litter pick alongside Catbells on the Allerdale Ramble – about ⅓ of a bag full in six miles. When I crossed the end of Derwentwater in the 400m past the Lodore Hotel I filled up the other ⅔ and a complete second bag. More next week.”Brian Stalker“Having walked the Chilterns for 50 years, this year I…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017Walking partyTHE TOP OF THE PARKA pair of twin peaks preside over this national park: Pen y Fan and Corn Du. Like conferring dignitaries, their summits nudge close and mark the highest ground here and in all of southern Britain, at 2907ft and 2864ft. Their stature, the swoop of their sandstone slopes, the park-spanning panoramas from their flat tops all make them irresistible – and popular.And there’s plenty of view to go round. The near ridge steeples over Cribyn, then Fan y Big, and out to Bwlch y Ddwyallt and Waun Rydd: these six tops are the Brecon Beacons that give the park its name. The further miles corrugate over the other three massifs that dominate the area: the Black Mountains (plural) in the east, Fforest Fawr to the west, and…13 min
Country Walking|April 2017Foot notesTim Unwin, Production EditorMiles walked this month: 85Reading Philip’s reference to ‘lookalike landscapes’ in his Undercliff piece on p.55, took me back to a trip to north Devon last year. I’d read that Woody Bay, near Lynton, was a ‘must-see’ for coast-lovers, but was totally taken aback by the rugged, yet lush beauty of the place. It was as if the best parts of some of my favourite places had been woven together to create a hybrid holiday heaven. The greenery was Queensland rainforest thick, the steep, undulating cliffs resembled California’s stunning Big Sur and the houses and cottages peeking out from high up had an almost alpine quality to them. I’m not often lost for words, but for thirty seconds (a record for me) I was stunned to silence…3 min
Country Walking|April 2017Waterproofs OUR TOP FOURCOLUMBIAOUTDRY EX GOLD £120This innovative waterproof uses a different approach to most. OutDry is a waterproof/breathable membrane which is heat-bonded to the external shell of the jacket, rather than being sandwiched between two layers of fabric as happens normally. This makes it lighter and gives the face fabric a soft, vinyl feel. And it has been resolutely waterproof, even in the worst conditions. www.columbiasportswear.co.ukRABFIREWALL £200The Firewall sets the benchmark for everything a £200 waterproof should be. Sleek, slimlined, utterly reliable and packed with sensible features, there isn’t much you can’t like about it. The materials are top-notch, underlined by the three-layer Pertex Shield fabric which is stretchy and very breathable. All three main zips are perfectly placed so that rucksack straps don’t obscure them. The only questionable feature is a…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017Walking shoes OUR TOP FOURHI-TECLIBERO II £60A great option if you want a simple, reliable pair of walking shoes and don’t want to break the bank. The supple suede upper conceals Hi-Tec’s own Dri-Tec waterproof membrane, which works fine in most damp conditions. The upper isn’t as supportive as pricier shoes but they feel comfy from the box. Not really designed for rough ground, but great for country parks, farm tracks and coastlines. www.hi-tec.co.ukMEINDLRESPOND GTX £120These consummate all-rounders have proved hugely reliable over almost any terrain. They have a Gore-Tex membrane but still stay brilliantly breathable, even on a hot midsummer’s day on the South West Coast Path. They’re sturdy too, with reinforcement on the underside and a chunky toe bumper that isn’t fazed by bumps and scuffs. They lack firm ankle support over…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017Rucksacks OUR TOP FOURLOWE ALPINEAIRZONE PRO 35:45 £110The AirZone really has been our pick of the year. It holds a simply immense amount of stuff (including a spare pair of boots I carried on a boot-testing trip) and yet you will hardly notice it’s there. It’s stable, too: it barely wiggles or bounces as you walk, even on the most demanding terrain. And there’s a big side zip for easy access to the main hold. Perfection. www.lowealpine.com/ukOSPREYATMOS AG 50 £170Pennine Way? West Highland Way? Hadrian’s Wall? And carrying everything the whole way? Then behold your pack. The Atmos is packed to the brim with the great features and clever storage, and the AG (Anti-Gravity) harness system holds the whole load in some secret pocket of hyperspace. The stiff, inflexible shoulder straps can become…2 min
Country Walking|April 2017Base Layers OUR TOP FOURCRAGHOPPERS NOSILIFEADVENTURE £45We’ve talked about the clever technology behind it (or in fact within it), but as a walking shirt the NosiLife Adventure performs admirably anyway. It’s an easy-care trek-and-travel shirt with a secret pocket and a hidden sunglasses wipe. The ladies’ version is beautifully cut around the hips, accepting (in fact, relishing) the fact that most lady explorers have curves. www.craghoppers.comPÁRAMOSUSWA £50The exceptional Suswa is made with a silky-soft polyester variant on the Párameta A fabric used in most of Páramo’s technical tops. It’s a neatly-tailored ladies’ walking shirt for hotter days, and it disperses moisture over a wide area to keep you cool and stop you feeling clammy. Comes with UV protection and security pockets too. www.paramo.co.ukSMARTWOOLLIGHT £63In our recent special on Hero Gear chosen by CW writers,…1 min
Country Walking|April 2017Accessories OUR TOP FOURBRIDGEDALE WOOLFUSIONTRAIL LIGHT SOCK £15In truth we could say nice things about any of Bridgedale’s summer socks, thanks to their three different blends which use merino, Enduro Wool, CoolMax and Lycra in varying degrees. But the Trail Light is the best one for all-round walking, whether you’re sliding around in the mud of a Sussex farmyard or skipping over the rocky knobbles of a Lakeland fell. It supports the ankle and forefoot like a cradle, and keeps your foot nice and still in the boot, lessening the risk of rubs and blisters. Best of all, it lasts and lasts and lasts. www.bridgedale.comOS MAPSAPP PRICES VARYAs you might expect from the people who invented the very mapping it uses, the OS Maps app just loves helping you navigate. Functionality is excellent,…1 min
