New TGO: Walking the Scottish Watershed, Scandinavian Gear, Snow Camping & Snow Shelters, Headlamps, TGO Awards

The January issue of TGO is out and the theme is, appropriately, snow. On that subject I have a piece on snow camping and building snow shelters. I also review 15 headlamps - an important item at this time of year - and have a look at the influence of Scandinavian gear companies.

My backpacking column is about the next long walk I am planning - the Scottish Watershed. This has been at the back of my mind ever since I read Peter Wright's Ribbon of Wildness two years ago. As the idea won't go away it's time to do the walk, currently planned for May and June next year. I wrote about the book and the watershed in TGO when I first read Ribbon of Wildness. I'll post that piece separately.

Elsewhere in the magazine the snow theme sees Cameron McNeish writing about the Lake District in winter, 10 suggestions for snowy hill walks, Daniel Neilson describing a Glenmore Lodge winter course in the Cairngorms and Vivienne Crow snowshoeing in the mountains above Sarajevo.In the Hill Skills section there is advice on ice axes and crampons, melting snow and navigating in a white-out. And for those who don't like snow there are suggestions for lower hills that are less likely to be wintry plus Carey Davies praising the balmy climate (!) and rejuvenating effect of the Black Mountains in South Wales after an unpleasant stormy and snowy day on the Tarmachan Ridge.

Also away from snow the inaugural TGO Awards are described, Roger Smith worries about UK government proposals for planning that could have a negative effect on the countryside, Jim Perrin praises Timothy Drever Robinson's essay collection Setting Foot on the Shores of Connemara, Daniel Neilson reviews the Eider Neoshell Uphill jacket and the Mountain Equipment Eclipse Hooded Zip Tee and Cameron McNeish reviews 6 softshell jackets.