From its history in radical protest into the modernity of social media communities, group adventure is having a renaissance.
Hillwalking sometimes feels the domain of an isolated figure in a landscape looming large. But historically, some of the most important walks were done in groups – out of the industrialisation and deprivation which propelled movements such as The Ramblers into nature. Groups laid the groundwork for us to venture outdoors. Nowadays, the group adventure is having a renaissance from groups born out of the online realm to those gathering in protest of inequalities across our countryside by way of others seeking a safe space in nature. There’s something freeing about a friendship forged in fells, empowering about solidarity sought outdoors. Here, we celebrate our friends in high places.
Main image: Ali and his friend Scott perch on the Bhasteir Tooth in the Black Cuillin | Credit: Ali Fahran
Highlights of this issue:
- Five outdoors folk pay moving and insightful homage to their friends in high places
- Fern Leigh Albert considers the common ground found during Dartmoorian protests
- Hanna Lindon relives nostalgic adventures in the Pyrenees alongside her two daughters
- Andy Wasley – a lifelong solo backpackers – braves his first Swiss group walking holiday
- Want to try your first multi-day trek? Ingrina Shieh shares her mistakes so you won’t repeat them
- Mary-Ann Ochota considers misconduct and mountains of misplaced ego on Everest
- Enjoy a walking weekend in Sedburgh with guidance from Vivienne Crow
- Our experts map 10 scrambles to get in touch with Britain’s best hills and mountains
PLUS: Jim Perrin paints a portrait of Mullaghmore; honest and trusted reviews of the best hiking shirts and family tents; our reviews of new outdoor books to inspire; and encounter the sounds of nature as you haven’t before thanks to sound artist Dan Fox and his outdoor installations.
Read more:
Friends in high places: Sharing a passion for the outdoors is what we do here at The Great Outdoors… and it’s what many of you do when you’re not reading this magazine, too! We asked readers, leaders and fellow outdoors lovers what’s so special about flocking together.
“I have a theory I’m calling Summit Secrets. I firmly believe that when you’re hiking up a mountain with others, especially those you don’t know very well, we begin to reveal ourselves. The combination of altitude, views and the sense of elation and achievement after a steep climb all give way to a sense of expansiveness, openness and a need to share that intensity of feeling with others. When I walk in groups, the closer we are to the summit the more I find out about people’s inner worlds; their passions, regrets and dreams. I feel the same urge to share too, even with those I barely know. Then we descend towards ‘real life’ and the discussion changes; we close up a little. What was shared on the summit stays there, secrets hidden amongst the quiet rocks and wheeling birds.”
Common Ground: Photographer and access activist Fern Leigh Albert has been documenting the wild camping campaign on Dartmoor. Ahead of their next legal challenge, she describes the journey so far, alongside her evocative images that conjure the spirit of coming together.
“By now, we were highly organised, a diverse group of individuals who had become a tight knit community. Young and old, old outdoor hands and complete novices, families with young children. During this time, I had met an entirely new group of people who were just as passionate about Dartmoor as I was. It was hugely inspiring to see physical action make a difference, proof that when people come together change is possible. The campaign had also inspired an incredible plethora of artworks, music, puppetry, storytelling, photography, Morris dancing and poetry. After winning the High Court appeal, people gathered at Haytor to celebrate. Winning the case brought hope and justice; two things which when combined create a powerful elixir for further change…”
The High Life: Solo hiker Andy Wasley takes to Grindelwald’s Swiss alpine trails with six strangers on trip that would challenge the way he has chosen to experience mountainous landscapes – until now.
“We had been shrouded in mist for hours, six strangers walking through summer snow. With each step we seemed to catch the landscape coming into being, as rocks, rivers and wildflowers assembled themselves through the pall. Through the steady beat of our footsteps, we had tuned in to a soundscape to make up for lost views: birdsong, the surge of meltwater, and a whistling call that seemed to follow us into the murk. Then: clarity. A parting in the clouds revealed shocking beauty – the monstrous bulk of the Eiger, looming far across a valley floor dressed with steaming woodland and cattle-cropped meadows. The Swiss Alps: a hard-won spectacle made more memorable by a trip that had challenged the way I experience hikes…”
Full Circle: Wistful for pre-family Pyrenean adventures, Hanna Lindon takes her kids for a walking holiday around the splendid Cirque de Gavarnie. But can the new reality live up to the memories?
“Gavarnie’s cirque echoes with nostalgia. It was here that I discovered hut-to-hut hiking, with its blissfully long, solitary days walking and nights of camaraderie and conversation. There was a three-day circuit around the French-Spanish border that I’ll never forget, not least because it nearly ruined me. It’s funny how the grind of gruelling ascents, 12-hour days and nights bunked up next to snoring strangers can somehow dissolve into one of life’s rosiest memories. It wasn’t long after that trip that I had kids…”
Wild Walks: Is there any better way to feel grounded and connect with our landscape than through touch? But while tree hugging, river swimming and forest bathing lack the element of adrenaline many mountain-goers crave, scrambling provides the perfect cocktail of technicality and lofty tranquility. Our Wild Walks experts bring you 10 fine scrambling routes representing the most fun you can have in the mountains without ropes.
“Pinnacle Ridge is a unique opportunity for the Lakeland scrambler to get into positions of extreme vertiginousness without excessive rock gymnastics. For many people, this grade 3 arete will be on the limit of what they can comfortably solo. The holds are reassuring but the situations are sensational. If you prefer the security of a rope, it makes a fine outing, with plenty of suitable sling anchors, as the name might suggest. On seeing the “cannon” from below, seasoned scramblers might get a sudden reminder of the cannon on the Tryfan north ridge. The Welsh scramble is much more sustained, of course, if at a much easier grade. Both rely on providing reassuring holds at just the right moment for their charm. Pinnacle Ridge is also notable for its photogenic finish with the stunning backdrop of the Helvellyn coves across the deep trench of Grisedale…”
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