A Wild Camp & A Hill In The Cairngorms Last October: With A Look At The Gear I Used

On the recent October Cairngorms trip I described in my last post Tony Hobbs did an interview with me about the gear I was using. This should be on YouTube soon. I’ll post a link when it appears. In the meantime this is a gear and trip piece about an overnight Cairngorms trip I did last October. It first appeared in The Great Outdoors magazine. I’ve done some minor editing and updated prices.

Glen Feshie in the Cairngorms is special at any time of the year but especially in the autumn. The colours are spectacular, the air is crisp, the haze of summer is over, the midges gone.

This trip I walked down the glen, camped in the mouth of the side valley called the Slochd Mor, and then climbed 857-metre Carn Dearg Mor, an isolated Corbett.

The early afternoon rain had stopped and the sun was breaking through the clouds as I set off along the glen. There was just one more brief shower. which ended with a rainbow curving over the hills. Birches in their bright yellow autumn raiment stood out against the dark pines.

Leaving the main glen I turned into the Slochd Mor and camped out in the open, away from the forest. The sky was still cloudy but soon cleared as the almost-full moon rose. Jupiter shone brightly but the moonlight was too bright for many stars to be visible. I spent several hours outside, relishing the beauty and peacefulness, and left the tent door open overnight so I could look out to the sky whenever I woke. The night was quiet, the silence broken just once when a skein of geese called loudly as they raced overhead.

The overnight temperature didn’t quite reach freezing. I woke to a tent soaked inside and out with dew and condensation. The gentle breeze at dawn was strengthening as I set off and I wasn’t far up the Slochd Mor before I needed my shell jacket, the now strong wind funnelling down the steep-sided narrow ravine.

At the top of the glen I turned towards Carn Dearg Mor. The map showed a path and a track leading up to the ridge. They barely existed. The hillside here has been planted with saplings as part of landowner Wildland’s plan to restore the Caledonian Forest. The traces of overgrown tracks I found suggest these were fading long before this recent planting.  The walk up the hillside isn’t difficult anyway. 

On the ridge I joined a rough vehicle track that led to the little pile of stones marking the summit of Carn Mor Dearg, the fierce wind driving me along. The views are extensive from this isolated hill. To the west clouds shrouded the summits. Across Glen Feshie the Western Cairngorms were dark and sombre. High above a golden eagle drifted in the wind.

The broad ridge descending slowly to Carn Dearg Beag was a delight with easy walking and splendid views. Surprisingly this top has a trig point unlike the higher Carn Dearg Mor. 

I descended from the ridge directly into Glen Feshie, wanting to walk through the bright autumn colours I could see below. Tussocks and deep heather made for quite arduous walking here and I stumbled in hidden holes a few times. The forest was worth the effort though, ablaze with gold and yellow. Some of the big old birches were breathtakingly magnificent. 

 

PLANNING & PREPARATION

Glen Feshie was familiar terrain but I hadn’t been up Carn Dearg Mor for many years and could remember little about it. The map didn’t suggest any difficulties. Whilst the forecast wasn’t for wintry weather I took gear I knew would be adequate if conditions worsened. Longer nights meant more time in camp and possibly walking in the dark so I took two headlamps (easier to swap them over than change batteries) and enough clothing to keep me warm if temperatures dropped below freezing. I swapped the trail shoes I’d be wearing all summer for boots and added warmer clothing, including thick gloves and hat, to my pack. I did save a little weight as out, thankfully, went midge repellent, mosquito coils, and head net. I’ll be happy not to see those again until next summer. Knowing I might be spending twelve hours or more in the tent if the weather was stormy I chose a roomy shelter, saving a little more weight by not bothering with an inner tent, again not needed when there are no midges or likelihood of snow.

EQUIPMENT

Klättermusen Ymer Pack    2.8kg           £509     ****

 

• Likes                         comfort, pockets, recycled fabric
• Dislikes                     heavy, expensive
•  
• Capacity                   75+15 litres
• Materials                   Retina®, Econyl® – 40% Polyamide, 30% Post-Consumer Recycled       Polyamide, 30%  Pre-Consumer Recycled Polyamide, 400D, 251 g/m²
• Closure                     detachable lid, L-shaped front zip, zipped bottom
• Back System            external aluminium frame, harness adjustable in height and width
• Hipbelt                      pivoting, dual-density foam
• Pockets                    external lid, internal lid, 2 zipped side, mesh side water bottle, 2 hipbelt
• Features                   front and top bungee cord, front and top attachment webbing, side straps,
• Size                         adjustable fit, body back length 42 - 54 cm.
•  https://www.klattermusen.com/

External frame packs just about disappeared over thirty years ago so I was surprised when I was offered one to test earlier this year. The last time that happened was in 1987! The Klättermusen Ymer is a huge pack designed “for longer treks and hikes with a heavier load” and as well as the external frame has a thickly padded hipbelt, lumbar pad, and back pad. I first tried it in the winter with a very heavy and unwieldy load including snowshoes and an Icebox igloo-building tool and found it as good as could be expected floundering through boggy tussocks and patches of soft snow before I could use my winter tools. I didn’t think that was really a fair trial though and wanted to use it on a normal backpacking trip before reviewing it. 

This first autumn trip required enough gear to justify using it, though it wasn’t full. Comfort was good as was stability on the rougher terrain. There are plenty of pockets and I liked having zipped side ones rather than open-topped mesh. For big heavy loads and long trips this is a good pack. It’s made from recycled fabric too. It is heavy and expensive but it should last well.

 

Bach Wickiup 3 tent     1300 grams (with groundsheet)        £720       ****   Recommended  

•  Likes                    roomy, stable, light (without inner)          
• Dislikes                 expensive, not available without full-size inner         

•  
• Flysheet                siliconized ripstop nylon    
• Pole                      TRX Eco Duralumin Jumbo 6 19.5      
• Dimensions            275cm x 220cm, 155cm high point
• https://www.bach-equipment.com

The Wickiup 3 pyramid tent has been a favourite since I first used it seven years ago. Back then it was branded Nigor. That company has since been taken over by Bach Equipment. The Wickiup 3 hasn’t changed however. I especially like this tent when the nights are long as it’s very roomy.

The Wickiup 3 comes with a full-size inner, which pushes the weight up to 1920 grams, and is designed to sleep 3.  There is a 550-gram half-size inner tent for solo use available as an extra. I use this in midge season. Otherwise I just take a silnylon groundsheet, which keeps the weight down to a reasonable 1300 grams for solo use. The groundsheet can be moved around according to the weather too – at the back of the tent away from the door if it’s stormy, angled into the door if it’s calm. I did the latter on this trip, enjoying the views.

Stability is excellent – it has stood up to some big storms over the years – and it sheds snow easily. I didn’t need it for either of those this time but the space was welcome.

The cost is high but it should last well and it is versatile.

 

Sierra Designs Cloud 20 sleeping bag               875g       £300    *****    Best Buy

• Likes                          lightweight, comforter design, foot vent
• Dislikes                      expensive
•  
• Fill                              800fp DriDown
• Shell                           15D nylon ripstop
• Construction                box wall
• Zip                              no
• Length                        regular 198cm, long 213cm
• Rating                         comfort -3C, comfort limit -10C
• https://sierradesigns.cm

This sleeping bag has become my favourite in recent years because of the comfort and versatility.

There’s no zip but the bag still opens wide at the top as there’s a wrap-around comforter than runs over the top half of your body. You can easily wrap this round you for warmth or open it up to cool down. It combines the protection of a sleeping bag with the freedom of a quilt better than anything else I’ve used. I just love being able to fling the comforter aside and sit up and not have to fumble for a zip or a drawcord toggle. On the bottom there’s a large uninsulated sleeve designed for a sleeping mat. I don’t use this as it restricts movement. I find the bag roomy enough that I can move inside, and it stays under me. On this trip the temperature fell to 2° and I didn’t need to close the hood to stay warm. In previous reviews I’ve said the Cloud is one of the most comfortable bags I’ve ever used. It’s not. It’s the most comfortable bag I’ve ever used.

 

Optimus Vega stove       180g                   £105  *****    Best Buy

• Likes                            lightweight, pre-heat tube, inverted canister support
• Dislikes                        nothing
• 
  
• Fuels                            butane/propane
• Burner diameter            4.5cms
• Pot supports width        14.5cms
• Power output                3700 watts/12,624 BTU
• https://www.katadyngroup.com

This stove has been a favourite for cold weather use for many years. It can be used with an inverted canister, which works better in the cold as liquid fuel is fed to the burner where it is turned to gas via a preheat tube that runs through the flame. The Vega has flip-out legs to hold the inverted canister in place. I wasn’t expecting very cold temperatures but I did have a partially used canister of Primus Summer Gas to use up. This is designed for 15 to 40°C and it certainly wasn’t going to be anywhere near that warm. As it was the stove was sluggish until I inverted the canister so it was a good choice.

The low-profile makes the Vega very stable. It’s compact when packed as the combined pot supports and legs curve in round the burner. There’s no built-in windshield but it comes with a separate foil windscreen. The weight is low for this type of stove.

 

BOOTS

 

Keen Circadia Mid  WP      1.28kg (9)     ***1/2                    £115

• Likes               fit, grip, breathability, cost
• Dislikes           forefoot cushioning doesn’t protect against stones
•  
• Uppers            leather/fabric
• Midsole           air-injected high-density foam
• Outsole           Keen.Fusion rubber
• Sizes              6.5-14
• https://www.keenfootwear.com

Keen says the Circadia Mid is a simplified version of the well-proven Targhee boots designed for “beginner outdoor adventurists”. In use I couldn’t tell the difference between the two boots except in the case of the midsole. With the Cascadia I could feel stones through this. I can’t with the Targhees. On this walk I wasn’t on stony ground much so it wasn’t a big issue and otherwise the boots were fine.

The fit is typical Keen with a wide toebox and a narrow heel, which just happens to be right for my feet. The uppers are leather with fabric inserts. Inside there’s a waterproof membrane. In the mostly cool conditions of this trip breathability was good. The terrain varied from forest tracks to steep boggy moorland and wet grass. The grip was fine throughout. The toe bumper is big and hard, which was useful on the descent when I kicked a few rocks hidden in the heather. Overall the comfort was excellent.

These are good boots at a good price. I prefer the Targhees though, simply for the underfoot cushioning.

 

CLOTHING

 

Keela Talus synthetic insulated jacket         570g  (L)      £145       ***1/2

• Likes                 hood, cost
• Dislikes             weight, bulk, fleece side panels
•  
• Shell                  ripstop nylon
• Insulation           60gsm Primaloft Gold, stretch-fleece side panels
• Hood                 adjustable, wired peak
• Pockets             2 handwarmer, 1 chest, 1 inner
• Cuffs                  elasticated
• Sizes                 men XS – 3XL, women 8-20
•  https://keelaoutdoors.com

Expecting a chilly night and hoping to spend some time outside if the sky was clear I wanted an insulated jacket that would keep me warm standing round star watching. The Talus was a test jacket I hadn’t worn before but I was pretty sure it would be warm enough due to the Primaloft fill. It was too, keeping me comfortable over a thin fleece and base layer. I don’t think it’s one for temperatures well below freezing but in the ones just above zero on this trip it was fine.

The design is fairly standard for an insulated jacket. The best feature is the hood, which is adjustable and has a wired peak, far better than the simple hoods found on many similar jackets. The handwarmer pockets are cosy but cut off by a pack hipbelt which wasn’t a problem as I didn’t wear the jacket while walking. The chest pocket is smartphone rather than map size, again not an issue on this occasion. Also not an issue but it could be on other trips are the fleece panels on each side as these aren’t windproof. They are thick, warm, and very breathable but I’d rather have a jacket that was completely windproof.

The Talus kept me warm and I liked the hood. The price is low too. It’s quite heavy for the warmth provided and bulky when packed though.

 

Berghaus Paclite Dynak Jacket   355g (L)     £180   **** Recommended

• Likes                          lightweight, hood, cost  
• Dislikes                      no chest pockets 
•  
• Materials                   2 layer polyester/Gore-Tex Paclite      
• Hood                         adjustable/stiffened peak  
• Front Closure            water-resistant zip with inner flap
• Pockets                     2 handwarmer
• Hem                          drawcord
• Cuffs                         Velcro  
• Sizes                         men XS-3XL, women 8-18 
• https://www.berghaus.com

The Dynak is a lightweight waterproof jacket at a good price. The design is basic but functional.  It’s not a full winter jacket but it is more substantial and a little stiffer than many other lightweight jackets. I thought it would be ideal for this autumn walk when I wasn’t expecting wintry weather but rain and wind were likely. In fact there was only the occasional short shower and I didn’t really need a waterproof jacket for that. However the wind on the second day was cold and strong and the Dynak did a great job of keeping it out and also proved quite breathable.

The hood gives better protection than many on lightweight waterproofs and has a peak stiff enough not to deform in the wind. The pockets are clipped by a hipbelt but still usable. I would have liked a chest pocket but that’s a minor complaint. There are no underarm zips but the adjustable cuffs are quite wide.

 

BAM Newal Bamboo Walking Trousers  575g (36)   £79 ***1/2

• Likes               comfort, pockets, environmentally friendly
• Dislikes          slow drying, heavy
•  
• Fabric             350gsm 65% organic cotton/33% Viscose bamboo’2% Elastane
• Pockets           2 open hand, 2 zipped cargo, 2 open rear
• Waist              belt loops
• Sizes               men 30-38
• https://www.bambooclothing.co.uk

I have mixed feelings about these trousers. They are very comfortable and pleasant to wear. But they also soak up moisture and are slow to dry, as you’d expect, given they’re made from cotton and viscose, both very absorbent materials. This was the first overnight trip with them and the legs did get wet setting up camp as there was plenty of damp vegetation around the site and I did kneel on the wet ground a few times. The next day when I put the trousers on the wet areas felt cold though they soon warmed up and once I was walking eventually dried in the wind. I think overtrousers would be needed more often than with quick-drying trousers in showery weather. I wouldn’t wear the Newals again if much rain was likely.

The trousers are also quite heavy and warm. On hot days I’d quickly overheated in them. On this trip they were ideal. My legs never got sweaty or cold. The fabric isn’t fully windproof – I can blow through it with a little effort – but it was adequate for the cold wind high up.

I like the open hand pockets – no zips to grate on cold hands – and the cargo pockets are useful. The fabric has a slight stretch so they move with you. The fit is quite loose anyway.

Photographic note: images taken during the trip with the Sony a6000 camera and Sony 18-135 and 10-18 lenses, and the OPPO Find X5 Pro smartphone

 

Five Days in the Eastern Cairngorms: an incredibly shrinking trip ends in a big storm

Coire na Ciche, Beinn a' Bhuird

Sometimes plans don’t quite work out. Sometimes they fade into the distance, always about to happen. Sometimes they change into something completely different. I’d planned on walking the Cape Wrath Trail in around three weeks in September and early October. Then various events occurred as events will, and the start date had to be pushed back a little. No big deal. Then it got pushed back a little more. Then I caught covid. It was mild and I was only ill for a few days but the recovery time afterwards took days and days and days. A commitment in October came up. My time for the CWT was squeezed. I didn’t want to feel under any pressure to rush so I dropped the plan for now. Instead I’d do a two-week walk in the Cairngorms, a circular walk closer to home I could more easily shorten if more commitments came up or the covid recovery took longer still. It did. The Cairngorms fortnight was shortened to ten days.

Tony in Glen Quoich

Tony Hobbs was joining me for part of the trip. Originally that was half-way along the Cape Wrath Trail. Now it was in Braemar. Covid recovery dragged on. The five-day walk to Braemar became a more direct two days then no days at all. I drove instead. The three-week trip was now down to a maximum six days and instead of having an aim there was now no plan other than to wander into the Eastern Cairngorms and see what we felt like doing, what the weather did, and how my covid recovery held up.

In Glen Quoich. Thanks Tony for taking the picture

From the Linn of Quoich we wandered through the lovely woods beside the rushing Quoich Water, full of recent rainfall. The autumn colours were just beginning. Light showers fell. A rainbow arced over the trees. It was very peaceful and calming. We splashed through side streams and then the Quoich Water itself, our trail shoes soon soaked. They would stay that way for the rest of the trip.

First camp, Beinn a' Bhuird in the background

Our first camp was beyond the last trees and gave spacious views of Beinn a’ Bhuird and Ben Avon, though we couldn’t see the summits of either of these vast mountains. The ground was boggy and bumpy, oozing water at every step, and it took a while before we found dryish, flattish ground on a small island with a little overflow channel barely trickling down one side and the main Quoich Water racing down the other.

Where's the view gone?

Rain had me closing the tent doors for the night. I opened them to dark grey skies, clouds down on the hills, and more rain. The overflow channel was a proper little stream now. The forecast, obtained via the Garmin InReach Satellite Communicator, suggested a dry though breezy afternoon.

Dubh Lochan

Deciding to stay here a second night wet set off with light packs for the magnificent corries on the east side of Beinn a’ Bhuird, which I hadn’t visited for many years. I had thought of continuing to the summit but the strength of the wind as we gained height soon quelled that idea. Coire an Dubh Lochan was an impressive destination anyway, the dark rippling water backed by a ring of great cliffs, a wild and wonderful place.

Dubh Lochain

We descended beside the burn that runs out of the lochan into the smaller pools called the Dubh Lochain. The views back were superb, a reason to stop and look frequently. The evening in camp was windy but clear. High above white clouds streaked across the sky.

Our second dawn came with dark clouds hiding the summits again and a gusty breeze. Hoping for the same weather as the day before we set off up the glen aiming for Beinn a’ Bhuird or Ben Avon, maybe both, we’d decide later. What we actually decided though was to go back down. At the narrow gap between the mountains called The Sneck the wind was blowing hard and we were in a damp cloud. The summits lay another 200 metres higher. A navigation exercise in a buffeting wind didn’t appeal.

Soon after we started down rain began, slowly becoming heavier and heavier. Back in the tents we listened to an hour of it hammering on the flysheets. We’d made the right decision.

First camp. Beside the overflow channel

Spending all afternoon and all the next night in our small tents didn’t appeal either so we decided to move on once the rain eased. The choice was to go back down into the forest or over a low pass and down Glen Gairn. We went for the latter. That was not the right decision.

The walk was uneventful. There was a breeze but no rain. We camped at dusk by a side stream, a pleasant spot with spacious views.

A few hours after darkness fell the wind began to pick up and was soon roaring down the glen. The noise on the tent was deafening. I would get no sleep. I was using a makeshift pole to hold up the tent. It quivered somewhat alarmingly. I think it would probably have survived the night but I didn’t want to wait eight hours to find out so I roused a reluctant Tony and persuaded him we should move.

Over the years I’ve done this quite a few times, rather too many in fact. I’d rather be walking in the dark than waiting for dawn in a shaking tent. This night was dry and mild and I felt happier outside the tent than in it.

Shelter!

About a kilometre down the glen we found a locked shooting lodge. One end gave shelter from the wind though and I suggested we bivvied here. For extra wind protection I used the ultralight bivi bag that’s been on every walk for many years but is hardly ever used. Tony managed to pitch his shelter though he had to crawl to get in.

I slept a little and was certainly more comfortable than I’d have been at the earlier camp. The wind was still strong at dawn. A track led over the hills to Deeside, reaching a height of 750 metres. Here Tony’s anemometer recorded a wind speed of 35mph, enough to affect walking.

Calm in the woods

Once down in the woods we found a sheltered site beside a stream. It was the most comfortable of the trip. The forecast though was for heavy rain for the next two days with a Met Office warning for floods. This would be our last night.

The stream in the forest the morning after the rain began

As predicted the rain began at dusk. By morning the nearby stream was a raging torrent. The track beside the Dee was sometimes in it as the river had already spread over its flood plain. Fording the side streams tearing down the hillsides wasn’t difficult. A few hours later it might have been. I was glad to reach the cars. The three-week trip had become a five day one. But it wasn’t one I’d forget.

I wrote more about the last day in the rain and the floods of that weekend in this post. 

More images from the trip:

Stream crossing

Rainbow over Glen Quoich

Tony in Coire an Dubh Lochan

Dubh Lochan

View back to Beinn a' Bhuird

First camp

Photography note: most of the images were taken with the Sony a6700 camera with the Sigma 18-50 f2.8 and Sony 10-20 f4 lenses. Raw files processed in DxO PhotoLabs 7.

On the last day I only took a few photos with my smartphone and none with my camera. Reaching the cars and then a cafe in Braemar were uppermost in my mind!

Tom Mor is mastless no more!

The new mast

Back in August I wrote about how the removal of a prominent communcations mast from the top of a local hill, Tom Mor, made it look wrong as I'd been seeing that mast on the skyline for 33 years. I now had, I said, a changed view to get used to.

Well now there's a mast again. A new bright white one. I saw it for the first time on a stroll today but I'd already been told it had been erected and that it was for local broadband. The last mast wasn't for the public. It always seemed ironic to be able to see a communications mast yet have terrible communications. 

Maybe when the mast is active there'll be reliable fast broadband. At present I have two networks, both of which are intermittent. BT Broadband is the most reliable but has a maximum speed of 1.5mb and usually runs at less than 1mb. Vodafone wifi loses connection more often but usually runs at around 5mb and has been known to reach 10mb. Please let there be decent broadband!

In the meantime Tom Mor looks right again!

Mastless!

The old mast

Rains, Floods, Rivers, Climate Change

River Dee flood plain

The rain began in the evening. For two days it fell steadily. The big rivers rose, spread over flood plains (as they should). Hill burns became torrents, roaring and crashing down. The sky was dark, the hills hidden.

Before the rain

The day the rain started I was camped in a forest not far above the river Dee with my friend Tony Hobbs and his dog Lassie. It was the fourth and last night of a wet and windy trip (I'll tell that story in another post). A pleasantly gurgling burn ran through the trees not far away. After days of wind and rain it was wonderful to sit outside in the calm soothing forest. 

A burn bursts its banks

Then the rain began. Dawn came with a tent dripping with condensation inside and running with water outside. Breakfast inside then pack up, leaving the tent until last, trying to keep everything as dry as possible.

The wet track leads towards the river Dee and Braemar Castle

Knowing heavy rain was forecast we'd already decided to walk out by the shortest low-level route, which was along the track beside the river Dee. At least mostly alongside it as the river had already spread out and sometimes overflowed the track, as did the surging rushing burns in spate as they tore down the hillsides. The water was never too deep or too strong. The next day it could have been. Or even that afternoon. I was glad we hadn't far to go. We didn't linger. The rain ensured that, along with the concern we might meet a difficult ford. I only took a few photos with the phone. The camera stayed in its bag.

Trees in the water on the Dee floodplain

The single track road to Braemar was filling with water in dips but again not too deep for the car. Then the drive home to Grantown-on-Spey was uneventful, just slower than usual on wet roads and, at the Lecht ski resort, in dense fog. Back home drying out gear began. Two days later that's not complete. 

After the storm

The morning after the rain brought drifting mists and occasional sunshine. I wandered down to the river Spey. As expected it was a brown mass of rapid water and had burst its banks in many places. The riverside path was mostly under water, as was a low section of road at one point. In the thirty-four years I've lived here I've never seen the river so high.

Trees in the Spey

The floods are dramatic, frightening, exciting, destructive.They're also worrying when put together with all the other major weather events this year. The effects of climate change are occuring faster than many scientists thought. Action really is needed. 

Excessive rain may not seem a likely result of a warming climate. But it is. As the climate warms it becomes more unstable. The US Environmental Protection Agency says "scientific studies indicate that extreme weather events such as heat waves and large storms are likely to become more frequent or more intense with human-induced climate change". (https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/weather-climate). We can expect more storms like this.

All the photos below were taken along the river Spey at Grantown-on-Spey, October 9

A road disappearing into the river Spey

Where's the path?

Sunshine!

Steps to water

Birches in the Spey

Surging flood water

A Look At The November Issue Of The Great Outdoors

In the latest  issue of The Great Outdoors magazine I have reviews  of the Berghaus MTN Guide MW Hoody fleece jacket and the Osprey Stratus 26 rucksack plus a piece on choosing a three-season sleeping bag. 

On the subject of sleeping Alex Roddie has advice on how to get a good night's sleep when backpacking.

Also in the gear Pages Kirsty Pallas and David Lintern review 'active' insulated jackets for women and men and Lucy Wallace reviews headlamps.

In the long features Hanna Lindon looks at tackling six big walks from across the world, Grant Hyatt describes his life in the Welsh mountains and shares some of his favourite photographs (including a stunning one of a snowy Y Garn under a starry sky), and Jilly Sherlock has an off-season October walk along the Tour of Mont Blanc, also with some superb photos.

This is also the annual The Great Outdoors Challenge issue. As well as entry information there are entertaining tales from this year's Challengers.

In shorter pieces, Creator of the Month is  musician and ecologist Jenny Sturgeon (whose album The Living Mountain inspired by Nan Shepherd's book is superb), Mary-Ann Ochota says veteran wild campers should make space for responsible newcomers in the Opinion column, James Roddie is a guide for a weekend in Aviemore, Jim Perrin praises Beinn Alligin in Torridon in his Mountain Portrait, and round the coast walker Emma Schroeder wonders at what point camping is no longer camping. 

In Wild Walks Alex Roddie describes the Meall a'Bhuachaille circuit in the Cairngorms (which I've done over 100 times!), Vivienne Crow wanders up Broughton Heights and Trahenna Hill in the Southern Uplands and Birkside Fell in Northumberland, Stefan Durkacz explores Cairn Table and the River Ayr in Ayrshire, Ian Battersby links two streams via Hamsterley Forest and Pikeston Fell in Teesdale, and visits Redmire Force and Penhill in Wensleydale, Francesca Donovan climbs Fleetwith Pike from Buttermere in the Lake District, Roger Butler discovers hills and history in the White Peak on Roystone Rocks and Minninglow Hill, Andrew Galloway goes back in time at Castell Dinas Bran and Vale Crucis Abbey in Denbighshire, and Tim Gent walks the Upper Walkham Valley on Dartmoor.