The July issue of The Great Outdoors is available now. I just have a couple of reviews in this issue - a smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7, and a water bottle, the SilverAnt Ultralight Titanium. Also in the gear pages David Lintern reviews 8 solo tents and Alex Roddie tries 10 backpacking meals.
The Skills section is in conjunction with Glenmore Lodge whose instructors cover summer weather, river crossings, and bivvying. There's also a piece on Scotland's first British Sign Language navigation course.
The heart of this issue is a powerful, grim. and salutory story by Francesca Donovan about the time her husband-to-be became seriously ill with heat stroke on a walk in Eryri/Snowdonia. This is a great essay. Read it and be warned.
In another emotional piece Norman Hadley reflects on what it means to inherit and pass on a love of the outdoors.
In the third long feature in this issue Charlie Jarvis tackles a historic section of the Alta Via 5 in the Dolomites, a story illustrated with some dramatic photographs by the author and Giulia Vidori.
The issue opens with a wonderful photograph too, a beautiful dawn on the Isle of Mull by Eilidh Cameron.
Also in the magazine Adya Misra, paddle coach and founder of People of Colour Paddle, is Creator of the Month; Francesca Donovan reviews The Lost Paths by Jack Cornish; Mary-Ann Ochota asks whether walking and talking is a solution to mental health problems in the Opinion column; Jim Perrin praises Beinn Tarsuinn on the Isle of Arran in his Mountain Portrait; Vivienne Crow looks at what a weekend in Ambleside has to offer walkers; and in her Notes From The Edge Emma Schroeder argues that feelings of awe help when the walking gets tough.
The theme of Wild Walks is ones you can do using public transport. In the Scottish Highlands Stefan Durkacz takes the train to Corrour station on Rannoch Moor and climbs Glas Bheinn and Leum Uilleim; Alex Roddie's train journey takes him to Blair Atholl and an ascent of Beinn Mheadhonach; and Ian Battersby explores Ben Cruachan, the 'hollow mountain' from the Falls of Cruachan station. In the Lake District Vivienne Crow walks the long Helvellyn range, catching the bus to and from each end; James Forrest combines train and bus on another long linear walk, from Windermere to Patterdale; and Roger Butler takes the train to Broughton-in Furness, walks over Black Coombe to Silecroft, then catches the train back to Broughton. In the Yorkshire Dales Vivienne Crow uses the spectacular Settle-Carlisle Railway for a walk over Ingleborough and Ian Battersby does a circular walk over Blea Moor and Great Knoutberry Hill from Dent Station, England's highest mainline station. In Eryri/Snowdonia Fiona Balrtrop takes a train and a bus for a walk over the unfrequented Tarren Hills. Finally down in the deep south Nike Werstroh takes the train to the North Downs Way and Box Hill.
Hi Chris, quick question on the XCover 7. So it looks like you take the cover off to replace the battery, from what you have seen how good is the seal around this to allow it to achieve IP67, especially after repeated opening and replacements?
ReplyDeleteI'm in the market for a new phone for the hills so this is one I am considering. But have you come across the Oukitel WP35 5G Rugged Phone 11000mAh battery?
Hi David, I only had the XCover 7 for a few months and then had to return it to Samsung. However my XCover Pro is now four years old and the seals look fine. I've changed the battery many times. The XCover7 looks much the same so I imagine it will last as well. I don't know the Oukitel. The specs look good other than the weight. I guess the huge battery means one less power bank to carry but I think it might feel heavy in a pocket.
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