Latest TGO: pyramid tents, stupid heavy/light backpacking, Pacific Northwest Trail photo-essay, Friedrichshafen show report

Belatedly, due to connection problems (see last post), here's a look at the September issue of TGO (well, it is still August). My main feature is a photo-essay on my Pacific Northwest Trail walk with a special offer on my book on the trip, Grizzly Bears and Razor Clams.In my backpacking column I write about the weight of gear and going stupidly light and stupidly heavy while in gear I review a selection of pyramid-style tents.And in the Hill Skills section I answer questions on looking after your feet in hot weather (not a problem often this summer in Britain!) and the advantages of 'technical' legwear. There's also a feature written with Daniel Neilson on the new gear we thought the most interesting at the Friedrichshafen OutDoor Show last month.

Elsewhere in this issue I'm delighted to see Jim Perrin praising Edward Abbey's wonderful Desert Solitaire, one of my favourite outdoor books.Vivienne Crow follows the River Esk in Cumbria from its mouth at Ravenglass to its source high in the hills at Esk Hause, an interesting route.Daniel Neilsen goes sea kayaking round the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales and climbs its two little hills, another interesting approach. The most exciting story comes from Hanna Lindon, who describes an unintended night out on the Cuillin Ridge on Skye. Luckily the weather was fine but even so it sounds quite an ordeal. This year is the 400th anniversary of the notorious Pendle witch trials and there have been a number of events marking this. For TGO Carey Davies describes a walk over Pendle Hill and considers this grim period of history. Other interesting features include Roger Smith asking if Scotland's national parks are doing their job well (whilst by no means perfect I think they are doing better than Roger does), a useful key for identifying birds of prey (I suspect an awful lot of buzzards are mistaken for eagles), John Manning's review of 15 mid-range waterproof jackets and Stuart Brooks, chief executive of the John Muir Trust, appealing for walkers to get involved in protecting wild land.