The Great Outdoors March 2022

ONE JANUARY DAY, about 12 years ago, I walked up a snow-covered Ben Lomond, lost my bearings in a whiteout, and ended up fumbling my way out of a steep-sided ravine that I definitely wasn’t supposed to be in. I’d like to chalk that one up to inexperience; but I was reminded of this moment as recently as this summer, on a very different kind of day, when I ran out of water on a solo wild camp on top of Aonach Beag at the end of a long, freakishly hot day, got thirsty, and gambled on slithering a good 200 metres or so down the side of the mountain in the dark to where the map told me there was a water source (thankfully, Ordnance Survey wasn’t lying to me). Neither…

Chris Townsend Our gear editor Chris has been enjoying snowy weather in the Cairngorms. He spent the winter solstice on Cairn Gorm itself and was enthralled by an optical illusion – a Fata Morgana – that made it appear there was a range of Monument Valley-like pillars and towers on the horizon. He also camped out on the vast expanse of the Moine Mhor in the western Cairngorms under a huge starry sky. He’s looking forward to many more such camps this winter. Back at his desk he’s writing a book about his favourite mountain range – the Cairngorms! Lucy Wallace Regular TGO contributor Lucy has had a fairly quiet few weeks, getting out locally in the Arran hills and waiting for winter to reboot after a spell of unnervingly mild weather. But…

“This is the exposed and windswept ridgeline of Ramshaw Rocks, located on the south-western edge of the Peak District National Park. “This area is often overlooked by visitors in favour of its more famous neighbour ‘The Roaches’, which sits less than a mile to the west. But for those seeking a greater chance of solitude, Ramshaw Rocks is surely a better location; and to my mind it is more picturesque. “The local Millstone Grit, or gritstone – a type of hard, coarse-grained sandstone – has been weathered over time into interesting formations. “I was in place well before dawn in sub-zero temperatures to capture the glow of first light as I looked south towards the town of Leek.” alannovelli.co.uk…

IN THE FRAME Jos Mahon TOP: AN TEALLACH Medium: watercolour 14x38cm BOTTOM: THE STACKS OF DUNCANSBY Medium: watercolour 14x38cm DRAWN TO WILD PLACES and the remote Highlands and Islands, Jos Mahon skilfully depicts the ruggedness of the mountains with smooth, bold strokes of watercolour. “I combine my love of walking and painting,” Jos notes. “Packing my paints and sketchbooks in my rucksack is as essential to me as all the other kit you need for a day backpacking. I work on the spot, braving, and exhilarated by, the elements as I paint.” Both paintings were created whilst Jos embarked on the End to End expedition (Land’s End to John o’ Groats), which took over four months. “The works shown here are from the last stage of the walk – Fort William to John o’ Groats – taking…

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Share your views, your experiences and your favourite photos tgo.ed@kelsey.co.uk Postal address The Editor, The Great Outdoors, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent ME18 6AL. Please include a phone number and postal address. Oozing quality I am a Mountain Leader, an International Mountain Leader, a DofE Assessor/co-ordinator and a hillwalker for 60 years. I’ve just renewed my subscription to The Great Outdoors and my February edition landed on my mat today. I felt I had to contact you to say how every issue just oozes quality. The standard of photos, artwork and content make for a quite outstanding publication! I occasionally buy (note, not subscribe to!) a rival publication and the difference is marked. That magazine looks cheap, sensationalist and so patronising in comparison that I really must resist buying further…