The Great Outdoors December 2020

THE BEST THING about walking is the feeling of freedom. This is odd in a way, because walking is a pretty limited way of getting around – hence why we invented wheels and wings. But the real ingredients of freedom are nothing to do with speed or convenience; at the heart of it, I think, is the sense of truly inhabiting yourself, of being confident of your place in the scheme of things. For me, this arrives most readily when I’m on foot, and particularly when I’m stepping out on a backpacking journey. That feeling of heading into some splendid part of the world, carrying everything I need on my back, knowing I have nothing to do for the next whatever number of days except walk and soak up the glory…

Jenny Tough A specialist in fast and light expeditions, Jenny Tough has completed three world-first mountain range traverses. She is currently working on a project to fastpack, solo and unsupported, across a mountain range on every continent – read her account of her latest extraordinary journey in this project on p30. She is also on a mission to get more people outside and challenging their own comfort zones, particularly women and girls, which she has championed by launching a book called Tough Women: Adventure Stories. Pete Elliot Pete is a freelance photographer, videographer and writer based in Southampton. Driven by exploring new places and meeting new people, he loves to travel near or far and is content simply being outdoors with a camera in his hand. You can often find him spending long…

“The forecast for overcast skies didn’t look promising for hillwalking or photography. However, the Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) forecast for the Cairngorms mentioned that areas above 1100 metres (3600 feet) might be above the clouds. The only place to be, if that was the case, was on the Cairngorm plateau – so I headed up for a high camp not far from the summit of Ben Macdui. “Waking to a cloud inversion, I forgot breakfast, leapt out of the tent and headed back up the mountain. From its slopes I took this picture looking south down a mist-filled Lairig Ghru with the Munros of Carn a’ Mhaim, Bod an Deamhain and Beinn Bhrotain catching the early sun.” christownsendoutdoors.com…

Size: 70x70cm Medium: acrylic on canvas IN THE U.K., we’re no strangers to eating fish and chips in the car while the cold rain lashes around outside. However, we’re not always treated to a spectacular view like this one. “I fancied fish ’n’ chips one evening at Longniddry Bents,” explains Rebecca Dover. “We sat in the car to eat, and marvelled at the spectacular sunset unfolding before us. I loved the shafts of light and shadows that projected over Arthur’s Seat, the city skyline and the Forth Rail Bridge.” Living in East Lothian, Rebecca takes inspiration from the unpredictable Scottish sky. “The sky and weather are constantly changing – the same stretch of coastline can look completely different each day. “The light was challenging in this piece as there were particular shafts of light…

www.tgomagazine.co.uk/awards It’s that time of year again! Vote to recognise your favourite people, brands, businesses, campaigners and more in The Great Outdoors Awards 2020 Established in 2012, The Great Outdoors Awards have a simple purpose: to recognise the very best in the British outdoor world. Pubs, people, places, brands, organisations, and more – our awards help you, the British hillwalking public, to give something back to those that help us all get the most out of our time in the hills and mountains. The awards are divided between the Gear of the Year Awards, which are chosen by expert judges, and the Reader Awards. Our Reader Awards are unique to the UK in being 100 per cent public-nominated and public-voted. We set the categories, but you choose the winners. GIVE SOMETHING BACK The year of…

MANY OF US remember school residentials at outdoor education centres; they are a vital part of British education, and can often give school children their first, transformative encounter with the outdoors. But a combination of the ban on overnight school trips, gaps in the government’s coronavirus support offering and continued coronavirus restrictions have created a toxic cocktail for outdoor education centres – and the instructors who work with them. Early in October, the government was warned that 15,000 jobs could be at risk and outdoor education capacity permanently lost if the school travel sector closure continues. UK Outdoors, the industry body for outdoor learning and activities representing over 5,000 individuals and organisations, has appealed to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resume overnight educational visits. Despite boarding schools, hotels and hostels all operating…