The Great Outdoors December 2021

I USED TO FIND it very difficult to muster anything positive to say about the months between October and April. Surely this is just the season of darkness and drudgery, of streaming noses and scything winds; where the sunlight is frail and frigid, if it even appears at all; where the days are so short they can hardly feel like days at all? Nope. Give me blue skies, sweat, sunburn, a swim in a cool mountain pool, and a glistening amber pint in some appropriately quaint and flowery Lakeland beer garden; that’s all I want from my hillwalking endeavours, thank you very much. Then I experienced what it’s like to go hillwalking on a mountain covered in snow and ice. That mountain was Stob Ban in the Mamores, and the atmospheric details…

Alex Roddie Regular TGO contributor Alex has been spending a bit of time in the Scottish Highlands recently, combining some Munro-bagging with visiting far-flung friends, landscape photography and gear testing for TGO. He’s paid his very first visit to the Fannaichs and has dropped in to the far NW Highlands, Highland Perthshire and the Cairngorms. He’s also had a busy month for TGO, guest-editing the winter skills guide that is bagged with this issue, and contributing a feature on the Glenfinnan Munros on p42. James Forrest Lakes-based TGO regular and adventurous influencer James enjoyed a hiking-packed summer, the highlight of which was walking 500 miles between Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon, setting a new record self-supported time in the process. He also found time for three other classic long-distance trails – the…

“Early-morning mist and fog encase the Gwydir Forest, viewed from the top of Clogwyn Mawr near Capel Curig on a beautiful autumn morning. “The Gwydir Forest covers an area of almost 73 square kilometres, encircling the town of Betws-y-Coed in the heart of Snowdonia. This view looks south-east down the Afon Llugwy valley. On calm autumn mornings it is often filled with morning fog, as cold katabatic winds slip down the steep forested hillsides, mixing with the warmer waters of the river below. After capturing my image, I sat down and enjoyed this tranquil scene for over an hour, mesmerised as the fog ebbed and swirled around the forest. “Climbing out of my car in thick fog nearly two hours earlier, I had no idea of the dramatic and atmospheric scene that…

IN THE FRAME Lindsay Dudley Medium: acrylic on canvas Size: 18x24in ‘Wild seas’ A FURIOUS, frantic sky framing a dark and dangerous sea; Lindsay Dudley brings to life the majestic, monotone fury that can characterise the Scottish coast at this time of year. “Nothing gives me peace like the sound of waves crashing on rocks,” notes Lindsay. “But, I also understand the sea’s power and potential to destroy. This painting attempts to capture that contrast. My obsession with capturing this dichotomy is reflected in most of my work; it’s a lifelong love affair.” Influenced by a childhood spent roaming the coasts across the east and west of Scotland, Lindsay paints seascapes that speak to her when inspiration strikes. “This piece started as a tranquil scene but developed into a wilder and wilder sea. I’m very much…

The Great Outdoors Awards are an annual celebration of the best things in our outdoor world: the people who stand up for causes you care about; the great cafés, campsites and pubs that enhance our adventures; the brands and businesses that set the standards for others to follow. Our tenth Reader Awards have two new categories: film or filmmaker of the year, and the Open Outdoors award, to highlight the importance of education, diversity and inclusion in the outdoor community. We’re printing the shortlists here, but to vote you just need to open up our website, click on the first story, and follow the relevant link. You'll also find the shortlists for the 2021 Gear Awards on our website – these are decided by our expert panel of judges. Winners will be announced…

SNOWY ADVENTURES IN THE ALPS are back on the cards for Brits this winter, after a hiatus last year. The coronavirus pandemic put paid to the ski and mountaineering season in 2020/21, effectively barring British snow enthusiasts from Europe’s high peaks. But, thanks to the easing of travel restrictions and ending of lockdowns this year, Alpine adventures are once again within reach. Are you tempted? Whether you’re into ski touring, ice climbing, winter trekking or bagging 4000ers, returning to Europe’s most iconic mountain range is likely to deliver the tantalising sense of adventure and exploration we’ve all craved during recent times. That’s exactly how it felt for Alex Foxfield, an outdoor writer from Bristol who recently spent a week in Chamonix exploring the Mont Blanc massif. He told The Great Outdoors: “Seeing…