A Look At The July Issue Of The Great Outdoors

 

In the July issue of The Great Outdoors, which is in the shops now, I have a trip report and gear review on a two-day walk in Glen Affric in the spring. 

Also in the gear section Lucy Wallace and James Roddie each review four three-season sleeping bags.

The main features begin with six experts describing their best and worst Wainwright routes in the Lake District (some controversy here!) followed by James Forrest looking at ten hills Wainwright didn't include in his guides.

Much further north David Lintern thinks about the true meaning of 'open access' on a round of the Strathfarrar Munros.

In Wales new TGO content editor Will Renwick describes his tough solo trip over all 189 mountains in his Welsh homeland.

Overseas editor Carey Davies learns some lessons in the spectacular Picos de Europa in Spain.

The issue opens with wonderfully moody image of Langdale in the Lake District, taken from Loughrigg Fell by Mark Pickersgill.

Creator of the Month is Kate Appleby whose social enterprise Adaptive Adventurers to create space for more to enjoy the outdoors. Trail of the Month is the Cambrian Way, described by Will Renwick. In the Comment column Rachel Hewitt looks at the lost history of suffragette-mountaineers and how it is relevant now. Jim Perrin's Mountain Portrait is Cairn Toul, one of my favourite local Cairngorm hills. In her report from her walk round the coast of Britain Emma Schroeder welcomes spring and encounters dogs. In the Skills pages mountain leader Mike Raine looks at how to hike in the heat.

In keeping with the Lake District theme the Wild Walks section has six outings in the area. James Forrest does a high level loop above Crummock Water, Alex Roddie climbs Bleaberry Fell and High Seat, Norman Hadley climbs Dow Crag and The Old Man of Coniston, Vivienne Crow ascends Sergeant Man via Steel Fell, Ian Battersby goes up Branstree and Selside Pike, and Emily Woodhouse takes a long way up Scafell Pike.

Away from the Lakes, Stefan Durkcaz tackles Ben Chonzie and Auchnafree Hill in the Southern Highlands, Roger Butler wanders over Llangullo and Pitch Hill in the Welsh Borders, Tim Gent visits a remote ruin on Dartmoor, and Fiona Barltrop has a coastal walk from Hartland to Bude in Devon.