A Look At The December Issue Of The Great Outdoors

 

The December issue of The Great Outdoors is out now with a supplement on Winter Skills. My contributions this month are a review of Iain Cameron's excellent book The Vanished Ice and test reports on the Montane Prism insulated jacket, the ThruDark SF Skirmish waterproof jacket, and Faff coffee bags.

Also in the gear section Lucy Wallace reviews six ice axes, David Lintern reviews three pairs of crampons, and they each review five pairs of walking trousers.

In the main features six outdoor writers and photographers tell of their winter adventures in Lochaber in the West Highlands; Alex Roddie tackles the Munros above Glenfinnan in winter conditions; Vivienne Crow looks at some easier winter walking in the Lake District; while away from winter James Roddie goes backpacking in Glen Feshie. All these features are illustrated with wonderful photographs.

The issue opens with a lovely photo too - early morning mist in the Gwydir Forest from Clogwyn Mawr in Snowdonia by Alan Novelli.

Also in this issue James Forrest describes the Mosedale Horseshoe in the Lake District; Anna Richards asks three outdoor insrtructors how they've made ends meet during the pandemic; Alex Roddie reviews Alastair Humphreys new book Ask an Adventurer; and Jim Perrin reflects on Corndon Hill in the Welsh borderland. 

In the Wild Walks section Alan Rowan climbs Carn a' Choin Deirg in the North-West Highlands; Ronald Turnbull goes up Humbleton Hill in the Cheviot Hills; Megan Carmichael walks a White Peak circuit; Vivienne Crow walks over Crag Fell in the Lake District; and Fiona Barltrop visits the South Downs National Park.

The Winter Skills supplement, edited by Alex Roddie, is packed with expert advice - an interview on staying safe in the hills with Lake District fell top assessor Zac Poulton; how to be avalanche aware by Jon Jones, the Head of Rock & Mountain at Glenmore Lodge; Plas Y Brenin instructor Will Nicholls on the essentials of winter navigation and 16 steps for avoiding mistakes in winter; mountaineering instructor Rebecca Coles describing the skills for a winter mountain trip using a route on Bidean nam Bian as an example; Mountain Scotland Mountain Safety Adviser Heather Morning's guide on what to do if things go wrong; plus Hanna Lindon on how to climb Mont Blanc; and information on winter skills courses.