A Look At The February Issue Of The Great Outdoors

The first issue of The Great Outdoors in 2022 is out now. Due to the vagaries of magazine publishing it's the February issue, the January one having come out last December. I've very little in this issue (there'll be much more in the next one), just a brief look at how my favourite winter jacket, the Paramo Aspira, has lasted over the years. This is part of an advertising promotion for Nikwax, which is the way magazines now have to function to survive as so much direct advertising has gone online to Google, Facebook and others. The independence of gear reviews won't change though and any promotions like this one will be clearly flagged. 

With gear reviews you'll see more names this year as the team has been expanded and there are now seven of us. In this issue Alex Roddie and Judy Armstrong review men's and women's down jackets. 

There's quite a mix of other material in this issue and as always I've enjoyed reading it. I don't see it until the issue is published so it's as new to me as any other reader.

In the main features Meera Dattani selects some excellent multi-day hiking trips in Britain and beyond (there's a few I fancy); Katie Featherstone goes on a backpacking trip in Iceland; Roger Butler explores the Carneddau in winter; and also in the snow David Lintern traverses the Loch Lochy Munros (brilliant photos).

This issue also has The Great Outdoors Readers Awards for 2021. Fifteen different categories cover everything from Campaign/Campaigner of the Year to Walkers' Pub of the Year.

In shorter pieces the Route of the Month covers the Arrochar Alps, with a map by Jeremy Ashcroft and photos by James Roddie; the Comment Piece has David Lintern looking at the issues behind 'corporate rewilding'; and Jim Perrin's Mountain Portrait describes Ben More on the Isle of Mull.

In the Wild Walks section Alan Rowan tackles the two Munros  Mayar and Driesh in the Eastern Highlands in winter conditions; Stefan Durkacz has a coastal walk on the Dalmeny Estate on the edge of Edinburgh; Vivienne Crow has an icy walk over three little hills above Coledale in the Lake District; Steve Eddy discovers some local paths in the Wye Valley; and Fiona Barltrop has a rare snowy walk on the South Downs.