The Travel Trekker Pro 70 + 17 consists of a large 70 litre rucksack and a small 17 litre daysack. The travel daysack fits snuggly onto the back of the rucksack, secured by clips and is semi-covered by protective flaps, described by Lowe Alpine as a clamshell pouch. This clever design will help to protect the daysack from being accidentally torn off the main rucksack whilst your luggage is being man-handled during your travels.

The ultimate adventure travellers bag. The TFX Travel adjustable back system ensures comfort when carrying heavy loads and yet folds flat for mechanised transportation. The Pro comes with a small day bag for city tours and day hikes. Lowe Alpine.

Travel Trekker Pro 70 – Main Rucksack

There are two carrying handles, one on the top of the rucksack and one on the side. These handles feel strong, and with ample padding so that the bag can be picked up quite comfortably. There is also a detachable strap that enables you to sling the rucksack over your shoulder, so that you can easily carry your travel luggage around when the proper back system is stowed away. However, this strap and its clips seem a bit flimsy.

Lowe Alpine Travel Trekker Pro 70 + 17 Rucksack: The best travel luggage!

Lowe Alpine TFX Travel Back System

The back system is Lowe Alpine’s TFX Travel back system, which can be shut away underneath a zippered panel. When the panel is unzipped it can be rolled up and stored away behind a velcro fastening. It is a little awkward to roll the panel and stuff it away, but having the panel eliminates the risk of the shoulder and waist straps from being accidentally torn off during baggage handling, so it is worth the inconvenience.

The back system itself consists of height adjustable shoulder straps and waist straps. These padded straps are quite stiff but surprisingly comfortable, even when the rucksack is fully loaded up. Adjusting the height of the shoulder straps is relatively simple: unclip the cover and slide the shoulder harness up or down as required, using a wide strap. There are markings to give an indication of where shoulder harness should be for a person of your height. The shoulder straps have tension adjusters and clips so that you can attach the travel daysack in front of you. There is also a chest strap which has a plastic buckle with a built in whistle. With all these features, the TFX back system makes the pack suitable for hiking and is far more than just a means of carrying the rucksack through the airport or across the station.

Rucksack Pockets and Storage

The rucksack has a generous 70 litre storage capacity and is opened by a zipper that runs around the pack in such a way that it opens up like a suitcase. It is possible to lock the zip together with a padlock, providing some security for your luggage.

The Travel Trekker opens like a suitcase and has plenty of pockets

Inside the main compartment of the travel backpack there is a big mesh pocket on the back of the lid, handy for storing dirty clothes. There are also two smaller pockets along the sides that connect together with a clip, which can help to keep your gear tidy. One of these is a mesh pocket and the other is not. Finally there is a large circular bucket pocket which closes with a draw cord. These pockets and compartments enable you to keep your gear reasonably organised without losing the large empty space that you would be use to if using a suitcase. There are also compression straps on the outside of the rucksack, just in case you have some space in your bag when embarking on your travels!

Backpack Luggage Features

It is made from “N630, 1680 Poly Ballistic” Fabric, which is fairly tough, yet still flexible. At 3.5 kg it is a relatively lightweight when compared to other popular luggage such as large wheeled suitcases, but heavier than backpacking rucksacks of a similar size.

A rucksack rain cover is stored in a small pocket at the top of the rucksack, where it is handy for quick deployment to cover your backpack should you encounter a sudden downpour.

There is also a large mesh stash pocket at the front, underneath the daysack storage clamshell.

Travel Trekker Pro 70 – 17 litre Daysack

The travel day pack has a number of features that are particularly suitable for the traveller. There is a hole at the top for a head phone cable with a pocket just inside for your iPod or mp3 player. There are also two secret pockets, one on the front and one at the back, which are ideal for keeping your passport, tickets and other important travel documents. The secret pocket at the front also contains a clip for attaching your keys. As with the large part of the rucksack, it is possible to secure the zipper with a padlock.

There are two mesh pockets on either side of the daysack and a compression strap. The only disappointing feature are the straps, which are very lightly padded and not really suitable for spending a whole day carrying the daysack sightseeing around a city or on a short hike. A small waist strap would also be a welcome addition, if for example you were going on a day hike or cycle ride.

Lowe Alpine Travel Trekker Pro 70 + 17 Review Summary

The Travel Trekker Pro 70 + 17 from Lowe Alpine is a well thought out rucksack which is ideal for gap year and world travel luggage. The large 70 litre backpack has a solid, comfortable and stowable back system with suitcase opening. The 17 litre travel day pack fits securely onto the main rucksack and includes features specifically for the traveller such as secret pockets. The shoulder straps on the daysack could be improved but would be acceptable for most people.

Have you got a Lowe Alpine Travel Trekker Pro 70 + 17 or similar rucksack? What backpacking luggage would you recommend? Tell us what do you think and add to the review. Click on “comments” and let us know!

Why not write a review about your outdoor kit?

In the third century BC Goa was ruled by Buddhists, after which it became feudatory states governed by various rulers and monarchs. The Portuguese took control in 1510 until they were ousted by the Indian Army in 1961. This legacy of rulers have left their mark on the region where there are many historic monasteries, temples and churches and a large number of forts which can be discovered whilst trekking in the Goan countryside.

Trekking in the Sahyadri Hills

Along the whole western side of India, running from Maharashtra in the north through Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and ending at Kanyakumari in the south, are the Sahyadri Hills. Although they are called hills there are many peaks around or above 2000 metres in height. The highest peak in Goa is called Sonsogor which is 1,166 metres (3,825 ft) above sea level. The entire range of mountains is known collectively as the Western Ghats.

Where is Best Hike in Goa?

Dudhsagar Falls Trek

Arguably the best hike in Goa is the spectacular Collem-Castle Rock-Kuveshi trek. This popular hike begins at the base of the impressive Dudhsagar Falls, then moves up to its mid point at Castle Rock and then onto the pinnacle of the falls at Kuveshi. There is a breathtaking view across Goa from the top of waterfall. At 310 metres, Dudhsagar Falls are the highest waterfall in Goa.

To reach Dudhsagar falls you can take the train along the S.C. railway or they can be reached by walking along a 10km dirt road from the town of Mollem. Mollem is located in the east of of Goa, 57 miles from the Goan capital of Panaji.

One of the best hikes in Goa takes you to Dudhsagar Falls. Source: Flickr by amey_hedge

Mollem, Sanguem and Valpoi

There are three towns that are good starting points for hiking in the hills around eastern Goa. These are Mollem, Sanguem and Valpoi.

South west of Mollem is the Dudhsagar falls hike mentioned above. Further downstream from Dudhsagar falls is the Devil’s Canyon. The canyon is small and serene but with strong undercurrents, swimming in the river is not recommended.

The story about this place is that everyday a villager used to ask the canyon’s resident devil for fish by telling him that he had to entertain some guests. The devil who was curious, one day after following the villager saw him munching on the fish himself. He cursed that from then onward no one will be able to catch fish in the canyon, as he was furious at that time. Till today the curse still stands.

To the north of Mollem is Tambdi Surla Temple. This small temple 12th century is made from basalt that has been intricately carved. Devoted to Lord Shiva, it is still an active place of worship.

The whole area around Mollem is part of Goa’s largest wildlife sanctuary called Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary.

From Sanguem in the south east of Goa there are scenic walks which take in the village of Netravali and the Chandrasurya Temple in the Netravali wildlife reserve.

Valpoi is located in the north east of Goa. From Valpoi you can take a 15 km trek eastwards to Krishnapur Canyon in the heart of the forest. This tranquil area contains water pools and rock formations amongst the trees.

The main attraction in the vicinity of Valpoi are the peaks of the Vagheri Hills…

Vagheri Peaks, Sattari Taluka

Goa’s northernmost region is called Sattari and this is the region (taluka) where Goa’s highest peaks are located. These are, in order of height:

1. Sonsogor (Sonsogad) – 1,166 m
2. Catlanchi Mauli (Katlanchi Mauli) – 1,107 m
3. Vagheri (Vagueri) – 1,067 m
4. Morlem (Morllengod) – 1,036 m

From the Chorla Ghat you can see across the mountain forests of Goa. Source: Flickr by Saleel Kudchadker.

The name Vagheri comes from the fact that region was home to the striped Tiger (Panthera Tigris). Sadly the striped Tiger no longer roams this area and is virtually extinct in the forests of India.

Inside the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary is the historic-heritage natural rock fort of Satregad, which makes an interesting place to visit on a trek in Sattari. The fort is called Satregad due to the presiding deity Sateri.

Detailed information about the region of Satteri can be found in this post about the Madei/Mandovi River in Goa.

Maps and Organised Treks

To get a rough idea of the locations within Goa, have a look at this tourist map. It shows mainly beaches, but also some of the wildlife sanctuaries, forts and temples.

More detailed tourist maps and walking guide books can be found at Stanfords and The Map Shop.

As well as booking through private tour operators such as GTTH, it is possible to go on treks organised by Goa Hiking Association and the Youth Hostels Authority of India.

When to go Hiking in Goa

The best time to hiking is Goa is from October to December, following the monsoon and during a time when the weather is pleasant.

The monsoon season, when there is very heavy rainfall, is between June and September. During the monsoon season, clouds moving eastwards are forced upwards by the Sahyadri Hills which causes the rain to fall. The average rainfall is between 3 and 4 metres. In some regions the rainfall can be as much as 9 metres. For comparison, The average annual rainfall for the Lake District is over 2 metres, with localised highs of 3.3 metres in Seathwaite and 5 meters at Sprinkling Tarn. So if you are hiking in Goa during the monsoon you will need your waterproofs! However, during the monsoon season there is also the opportunity to see spectacular waterfalls. In Goa’s neighbouring state of Karnataka are the Jog Falls on the Sharavathi River. Jog Falls are the highest plunge waterfall in India, with a height of 253 metres. Also in Karnataka are the Kunchikal Falls, which are the highest tiered waterfalls in India. As mentioned above, the highest waterfall in Goa are the 310 metre Dudhsagar Falls, on the Mandovi River.

By the coast the climate in Goa is humid and tropical. The relative humidity is usually above 60%, even during the dry season. During the winter temperatures in Goa range from 16 ºC to 34 ºC whilst in the summer you can expect temperatures between 27 ºC and 37 ºC. However, go up into the mountains and the climate becomes more temperate. Temperatures can drop as low as freezing point in the winter. Therefore you will require warm clothing as well as clothing for hot weather.

Hiking in Goa: Wildlife

The forests on the mountains of Goa provide excellent habitat for wildlife. Source: Flickr by vm2827.

If you are interested in birdwatching there are plenty of opportunities to for you to get out your birding binoculars, since there are over 275 species of birds to be seen!

Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary

The Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary covers 240 sq km. There are a vast array of mammals, birds, butterflies and replies. Permits must be obtained from the Range Forest Officer in the town of Mollem.

Mammals include barking deer, Bengal tiger, leopard, bonnet macaque, flying squirrel, porcupine, spotted deer, wild boar and wild dog.

Birds include the Goa state bird called the Ruby-throated yellow bulbul Emerald dove, Fairy bluebird, Greater Indian hornbill, Indian black woodpecker, Grey-headed myna, Golden oriole, Paradise flycatcher, Racket-tailed drongo, and three-toed kingfisher.

Butterflies include Malabar Tree Nymph, Tamil Yoeman, Southern Birdwing and Crimson Rose.

There are many reptiles and snakes, such as the king cobra, Indian rock python, Indian cobra and Bronzeback Tree Snake.

Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary

Not all of the wildlife sanctuaries are in the mountainous regions of Goa. Around the coast there are many estuaries, creeks and wetlands that are a haven for birdlife. Located on the Chorao Islands the Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary covers an area of approximately 1.8 sq. km. Streams and tributaries flow around mangroves where many species of birds can be seen, for example parrots, cormorants, egrets, kingfishers and eagles. Beware there are also crocodiles!

Hiking and Wildlife in Goa

There is a lot beautiful countryside in Goa and an amazing amount of wildlife. Hiking, trekking and bird watching are popular activities for both tourists and locals, so there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy a great hike in Goa.

The idea of a universal, constructed language is not a new one. Esperanto is fully fledged language developed in the 1870s and early 1880s by Dr. Ludovic Lazarus Zamenhof. It has as many as 2 million speakers in about 115 countries. Esperanto is phonetic language with simple pronunciation, largely consisting of root words that can be expanded into tens of thousands of words with prefixes, suffixes and compound words. Whilst many people would consider it beneficial for the world to share a single language, Esperanto is unlikely to be adopted as our universal language in the foreseeable future. Even if it was taught universally to all school children, it would be a long time before enough people could speak Esperanto for it to be really useful on a worldwide scale.

There are also condensed, constructed languages, such as Toki Pona which was published in 2001 by linguist Sonja Elen Kisa. Toki Pona has small vocabulary based upon 125 root words and was apparently designed to shape the thought processes of its users.

An alternative way to enhance communication for travellers could be for everyone to learn the crucial vocabulary in four the most widely spoken languages, i.e. English, Chinese, Arabic and Spanish. However, this would require four times the amount of effort and would inevitably offend speakers of other languages.

The 100 Word, World Language

We decided to lay down a template for the construction an auxiliary language that would benefit anyone travelling to a foreign country. In order to develop an indispensable travel language we asked ourselves:

1. What is the smallest possible lexicon?
2. How many words are needed and how many words can everyone possibly be expected to learn?

The answer that we decided upon in both cases was a convenient 100 words. Before we could decide upon which words are crucial for communication and therefore should be included in our vocabulary, we needed to create a few basic rules.

Essential Minimum Language Rules

In order to create an auxiliary language with a minimum workable word list a few rules were established, as follows:

Proper nouns, i.e. place names and people’s names, would not need to be included in the vocabulary.

Anything that must be spoken is a “word”, so numbers and punctuation may need to be included as words.

Many languages use tones and inflexions. Tones can be used to give the same word multiple meanings. This could effectively increase the number of “words” available, however tones may be too difficult for some people to pronounce. It would also make the simple language more complicated with more word meanings to learn and more chance for confusion. Besides, a compound word is still a new word which must be learnt and would effectively increase the vocabulary. Another example of this is raising your voice at end of sentence to imply a question, however it is clearer if a “question word” is used instead.

Some words have more than one meaning in one languages, but they probably will not in another language or they have different other meanings, so each word in the vocabulary must have only one meaning.

The number of compound words contained in the lexicon must be minimal. People think in different ways, so combining two words to make one may result in logical word for some people but it might be meaningless or absurd to other people.

The language needs to be kept it as simple as possible, with as few grammatical or other rules as possible. Conversation would largely be related to asking for information, help or things. Therefore with regards to grammar and sentence structure, little will really be needed other than to bear in mind that in different languages word orders can be reversed. Therefore if the person you are speaking to does not understand, try reversing the order of words in the sentence.

Essential Travel Words Vocabulary

Ideally, to create a 100 word world language, a brand new set of universally pronounceable words should be created for this vocabulary. Creating new words is outside of the scope of this article, so English words have been used to create the essential travel words vocabulary. In some cases there is not a direct English equivalent word. In these cases, the word “word” has been added to another word to convey the overall meaning, e.g. polite word and insult word.

General Words

1. plus – meaning “yes”, as well as being a positive word to express something good, something large or something that you want something. So “plus cost” would mean expensive, “plus object” would mean a large object and “plus coffee” would mean that I want to have coffee.
2. minus – meaning “no”, as well as negative word to express something bad, something small or that you do NOT want. So “minus cost” would mean cheap, “minus object” would mean a small object and “minus coffee” would mean that I do not want to have coffee.
3. question word (this word is added on the end of a sentence to make it question)
4. I
5. you
6. we

“we you” could be used for they and “we I” for us.

7. male
8. female
9. spouse
10. parent
11. adult
12. child
13. help!
14. police
15. hello / goodbye word
16. polite word (meaning both please and thank you)
17. sorry / apologies word
18. insult word
19. repeat (to ask someone repeat the phrase – they should know the language of course, but they may well have a strong accent!)

Counting System

20. zero
21. one
22. two
23. many

In order to count higher than two, numbers would be created as follows:
“two one” = three
“two two” = four
“two two one” = five etc.

24. So that it is possible to express large numbers, there must be a word to say that you are dictating number the digit by digit

Alternatively Roman Numerals could be used, since there are relatively few “words” needed, i.e. I, V , X, L, C and M. You would still need “zero” however.

Time and date

25. day
26. month
27. year

Days and months can be referred to using the counting system:
“day one” is Monday
“day two” is Tuesday
“day two one” is Wednesday
“day two two” is Thursday

28. hour
29. minute
30. immediately
31. future
32. past

Communication

33. telephone
34. internet

Nouns

35. toilet
36. place
37. drug ( “plus drug” would be a medicinal drug and “minus drug” would be a narcotic)

Verbs

38. need
39. eat
40. drink
41. sleep
42. worship / meditate
43. sex
44. smoke
45. criminal act

Adjectives

See plus and minus above.

46. hot
47. cold

Shopping Words

48. cost (to ask how much just say “cost” and the “question word” and point to object.)
49. currency / cash
50. credit card
51. shop

Food and Drink Words

53. carbohydrates (bread, potato, pasta, rice, noodles)
54. meat / fish / protein
55. diary products
56. vegetables
57. salt
58. sweet / sugar

If you are a vegan, you can get passport with a translation into many languages: http://www.vegetarianguides.co.uk

58. water
59. tea
60. coffee
61. alcohol
62. soft drink
63. restaurant / pub / bar

Essential Travel Words

64. passport
65. visa
66. validation ( “plus validation” means valid, “minus validation” means invalid)
67. embassy
68. walk
69. bicycle
70. motor cycle
71. underground train / metro
72. train
73. bus
74. taxi
75. car
76. plane
77. slow down!
78. ticket (for a return ticket you would need to say name of starting point, destination and starting point)
79. hotel
80. hostel
81. make a booking word

The station would be “train place” and airport would be “plane place” etc.

Direction Words

82. left
83. right
84. straight ahead
85. back
86. over there

For up and down, “plus” and “minus” can be used.

Health Words

87. doctor
88. hospital
89. pain
90. nausea / diarrhoea
91. fever
92. allergy

You can point to body parts to show the doctor where the pain or problem is.

If you have a serious health condition or allergy it would be wise to get multi-language translation containing details of any health risk.

Weather

93. weather (“plus weather” for good weather, “minus weather” for bad weather)

It is only the British who go on about the “bloody weather” all the time, so there is no need for any other terms relating to weather!

Camping, Walking and Climbing Words

Since this is an outdoor gear blog, we obviously need some words to help ensure that we can participate in outdoor sports.

94. tent
95. campsite
96. climb
97. mountain
98. crag
99. footpath / trail
100. map

Words that didn’t make it

It is quite tricky to limit the number of words required for effective communication. Here are some that did not make our vocabulary: it, heavy, light, want, give, have, gender, work, meet, animal and dog.

Try having a conversation!

We have tried to have some basic conversations, for example asking to book a hotel room for 2 adults for 3 nights, which was possible. However asking whether the price of the room included breakfast tested the language to it limits!

What do you think? Are there any words that we should have included or that we should omit from our lexicon? Let us know, click on “comments” below.

Phrases that didn’t make it

An additional idea for the creation of an auxiliary travel language is that phrases could be condensed into single words. Below are a few phrases that we could have included, but thought better of it. Just for fun!

1. Please may I pitch my tent in your garden?
2. My rucksack is packed with dehydrated stew
3. Your waterproof jacket is extremely elegant
4. My walking boots produce a foul odour
5. May the force be with you
6. The truth is out there

According to David McCreedy, author of The Four Essential Travel Phrases website, the phrases every traveller should know are:

1. Where is my room?
2. Where is the beach?
3. Where is the bar?
4. Don’t touch me there!

The last phrase is obviously of the utmost importance, particularly if you’ve already had answers to the first three.

Just for Fun! Below are some YouTube clips relating to language mix ups.

Fawlty Towers – The Germans

At 3 minutes 55 seconds into this YouTube video, hopeless hotel owner Basil Fawlty thinks he can speak German. Unfortunately when his guests tell him that they wish to hire a car “Wir wollen ein Auto mieten”, Basil thinks that they are offering to go and get some meat.

Monty Python – Dirty Hungarian Phrase Book

A scheming publisher has deliberately mistranslated phrases in a English – Hungarian phrase book.

Ben Nevis Escape Route

If you are planning to walk up to the top of Ben Nevis the first thing you need to know is the escape route from the summit. Regardless of the weather in the valley or on the mountain tops when you start your hike, by the time you reach the summit the weather may have closed in, resulting in near zero visibility. This has happened to me.

There are two dangerous gullies which must be avoided. Falling down them is likely to result in fatal injuries. They are Gardyloo Gully and Five Finger Gully. To avoid these gullies, from the summit trig point follow a bearing of 233 degrees for 150 metres (roughly 100 double steps), and then a bearing of 284 degrees. These are magnetic bearings that should be followed directly from your compass alone.

Ben Nevis summit seen from Gardyloo Gully. Source Geograph. © Copyright Angus and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence.

What is the Best Route up Ben Nevis?

The route that most people take up Ben Nevis starts in the valley of Glen Nevis, near the campsite. The footpath is well maintained. It runs along the side of Meall an t-Stuidhe, up towards the Lochan. At 640 m there is a T-junction where you turn right and head south across Red Burn, before the path zig-zags up a boulder field on the side of Ben Nevis. The final approach to the summit is a more or less a straight run up a gently undulating plateau. The route back down is simply the reverse. This tourist route is known as the Pony Track or the Motorway, due to the number of walkers on it! As a rough guide it takes about 9 hours to walk up and back down the mountain.

The first half of the Ben Nevis ascent is green and pleasant, the second rocky and mountainous. Source: Flickr by coda.

There are also scrambling, mountaineering and climbing routes to the summit, such as Carn Mor Dearg Arete.

Ben Nevis Best Hiking Gear

It is shocking to see what some people wear on Ben Nevis. On the two occasions that I have hiked up to the summit there were lots of people wearing jeans, t-shirt and trainers. Whilst the valley was lovely and warm with late April sunshine, the summit was cold. There was a thick covering of snow over the top 200 m of the summit. The visibility from summit was clear the first time that I there, but the second time that it started to snow and there was a white out. Visibility was down to a couple metres. This experience demonstrates the importance of being prepared for all weather conditions when hiking up Ben Nevis, or indeed any other mountain, such as Scafell Pike in the Lake District.

Kit list for Ben Nevis

Essential Gear and Clothing:

• Rucksack, 30 – 50 litres capacity should be sufficient
• Waterproof Jacket and Trousers
• Fleece Jacket
• Long Sleeved Mid-Weight Fleece Top
• Wicking Base Layer
• Waterproof Gloves
• Warm, Waterproof Hat: a Lowe Alpine Mountain Cap of course!
• Hiking Trousers, such as the Craghoppers Kiwi Trousers. Zip-offs are a good idea when it is warm in the valley, then you can put your legs on when it gets cold further up.
• Two Pairs of Trekking Socks, one thin and one thick.
• Stout Walking Boots
• 2 litre Hydration System
• Packed Lunch
• Ordnance Survey Explorer Map 392: Ben Nevis & Fort William
• Silva Compass

Emergency Survival Equipment:

• Emergency Rations
• Mobile Phone
• First Aid Kit
• Emergency Whistle
• Survival Bag
• Head Torch
• Spare Laces for your Boots

Optional Kit:

• Scarf – provides a lot of extra warmth for its weight
• Spare fleece top
• Gaiters
• Walking Poles
• GPS
• Sun Glasses – the snow gets bright when its sunny
• Sun Tan Cream / Sun Block
• Anti-bacterial handwash
• Flask
• Terra Nova Bothy Bag
• Victorinox Swiss Army Penknife
• Cigarette Lighter
• Camera

It is quite a list, but all this outdoor gear should ensure that you keep comfortable, warm, dry and blister free. Hopefully you will not need any of the survival kit, but its always best to take it.

Crampons and Ice Axe

Is it necessary to take crampons and an ice axe? In winter conditions, yes it is, and it is also necessary to know how to make a self arrest using an ice axe. The YouTube video below, from the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, shows various techniques and is well worth watching.

In late April / early May when I walked up the summit was covered in snow. Providing you keep well away from the edge, the plateau is relatively flat and walking in the snow is easy enough without crampons. There were a few places further down the path which were covered in icy snow patches, several metres in length. At the time I did not have crampons and they would have been useful for these short sections.

It is important to be aware of cornices, where the snow overhangs the edge of mountain cliffs. These can give way under your weight, leading you to fall to your death. As mentioned above, keep well away from the edge when there is snow!

Best Avoided

During the summer months, Scotland is famous for its midges. Fear not, there are plenty of ways to avoid getting midge bites.

And don’t forget to take with you a Model T Ford car, a bed, a wheel barrow, a piano and barrel of beer. All these items have been taken up the top of Ben Nevis for either publicity stunts or just for a laugh. What bizarre item(s) would you take up a mountain? Let us know, click on “comments” below!

There are plenty of excellent countryside walking routes in the UK. Source: Flickr by eamoncurry123.

There are several criteria by which the walking guide websites have been judged, as follows:

• Route choice and searching within the walking website
• Grading of walk in terms of technical difficulty and fitness level required
• Quality of walk description
• Descriptions of points of interests
• Are there any maps showing the walk, or GPS waypoints
• Any inspiring photographs?
• Information about pubs and tea rooms along the route
• Amount of advertising

In order to get an idea about the quality of the descriptions, about 3 or 4 walking route descriptions have been viewed for each website. The quality of the walks themselves is much more subjective. Unless stated, each website has a variety of walks covering a range of terrains, distances and technical ability. Therefore it is up to you to make a judgement about whether you may or may not enjoy a particular walking route.

There are five walking routes planners reviewed in the first part of this article, these websites contain walks that cover most, if not all of the UK. In the second part of the guide to the best walking route planners, hiking route websites that cover specific regions, e.g. Scotland, The Lake District, Northern Ireland and North Wales, will be reviewed.

The walking route planners featured in this article are:
www.go4awalk.com
www.walkingbritain.co.uk
www.walkingenglishman.com
www.countrywalkingroutes.co.uk / www.trailroutes.com
www.walking-routes.co.uk
For those of you who just can’t wait to get to the end:
Best Walking Route Planner Summary

www.go4awalk.com

General / Searching for a Walk

This site is very busy with lots of text on the home page. You can search using a simple search box at the top of the home page, or select from menu options at the top or from a long list down the left hand side of the page. This list includes a selection of pub walks. Using the search box pulls up a huge number of results in a list over several pages, especially if you search using a general term like “Peak District”. Of course this is not surprising, but there is no option to refine your search, which would be helpful. The top two search results when searching for walks in “Northern Ireland” were for walks in the Lake District!

You can also search using a mapping system based on Ordnance Survey maps, which is a useful feature. There is a map of England, Scotland and Wales on which you can click specific OS map areas. Each walk is then represented by a coloured circle, with a number showing the grade of the walk. Move your mouse over a dot and the walk route is indicated. Click on the dot to see summarised walk details appear on the top left of the page. The full walk details are downloaded as a pdf file, which are handy to print out and take with you on your walk. You can also download GPS waypoints from here, if available.

In order to download a walk you must buy credits. For £14.95 you can buy 50 credits. Each walk is worth 1 credit. Walks are updated and you can download the same walk in the future without losing another credit.

Why should you open an account with go4awalk.com? On the join4walks page it clearly states that…

Every go4awalk.com walk is hand-crafted by walking professionals who really know and understand what makes a walk – a good walk.

However, on the “Talk To Us” page, people are encouraged to submit walks and rambles which will be published on the site. So there seems to be a bit of contradiction there!

There are an enormous number of questions on the Q&A page. Although you can search the questions, they would benefit from being put into a directory style structure to make it easier to find the question you are asking.

go4awalk.com - the walking information is good, but its easy to get lost on this website!

Walk Descriptions

The walk descriptions are downloaded as pdf files. There is a summary of the route which includes distance, time, grade and ascent. The walking route descriptions provide a semi-detailed map, showing roads and paths that intersect the route and some features such as pubs and trig points. The map does not show any contours, however there is a diagram showing elevation along the length of the walk which I like. The actual description of the route is quite detailed but it is wholly factual with no information about points of interest. There are no photographs or anything to provide any inspiration. Around the map are lots of blocks of text about various features of the go4awalk.com website, which I find a bit annoying.

It is possible to view photographs of walks which have been uploaded by users of the go4awalk.com website. There is also a section where people are encouraged to share information about points of interest. Since this information does not come with the walk description it can easily be overlooked.

Summary – go4awalk.com

In summary, there are lots of walks featured on go4awalk.com, however I found the website very busy. It is not always easy to navigate the website and I spent a long time looking for information. In particular, trying to find information again that I had found previously was difficult. The descriptions of the walks are thorough but uninspiring. The ability to search by OS map is a the best feature. The pdf downloads are handy to print out to take on a walk, but they could do without so many plugs for the website.

www.walkingbritain.co.uk

General / Searching for a Walk

The presentation of Walking Britain is very clear and easy on the eye. Walking routes can be found using a directory structure focussing on National Parks, National Trails, Areas of Outstanding beauty and Counties & Areas.

There is also a search facility where you can search by National Parks or Areas by grade of walk, search for walks near a postcode or grid reference. For some regions, such as the Lake District you can also search by map.

There is some advertising but it is not too intrusive.

Walking Britain - a well presented website with lots of walks.

Walk Descriptions

Each walk has a summary including distance, grade and ascent.

The full description of the walk will depend upon which one you happen to chose and who the author is, which should perhaps be expected since anyone can submit a walk to www.walkingbritain.co.uk. Walk 3209 – Llanfrynach and Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal, is a scanned image of a walking map produced by the Youth Hostel Association. However, most of the walks appear to offer personalised written descriptions.

Some of the walking routes have basic descriptions with little detail. For example, Walk 1182 – Kinder Downfall from Hayfield, the description is short and to the point with only a small amount of additional information. There is not much in terms of additional navigational notes or points of interest. There are photographs, which is always a plus in my opinion.

Other walking routes have more detailed and interesting descriptions, such as Walk 1601 – Bowcombe Down, Ashengrove and Upper Watchingwell from Carisbrooke. This description would benefit from having some headings to make it easier to find your place in the text whilst out walking. It does contain grid references throughout which are useful to relate the text to the map.

There are outline route maps on the website, however these are basic so would need to be used in conjunction with an Ordnance Survey map. There does not appear to be any support for GPS.

Summary – walkingbritain.co.uk

In summary, walkingbritain.co.uk is easy to navigate and not overburdened with text. It is easy to find walks in the area that you are looking at. The quality of the walking route descriptions is variable, some stick to details of the route only whilst other walk descriptions contain photographs, additional interesting points and comments about the walk. It would benefit from having an improved map based search and more detailed route maps.

www.walkingenglishman.com

General / Searching for a Walk

Mike Brockhurst’s Walking Englishman is a popular website which passes on his enthusiasm for walking. Mike has walked all of the routes himself and his descriptions reflect his personal experience. He states that it is…

my intention is to inspire you all to get out and enjoy the country as much as I do. Go on, you won’t regret it.

The site has a simple, straight forward design. The walks can be searched by region or long distance path name from a list down the left hand side of the page. Most of the walks are in Northern England: Yorkshire, The Lakes and the Peak District. There are also walks in Scotland, Snowdonia, Crete and Italy. The walks can be selected from a list within each category by the name, which is either the name of the walk, the place or the mountain, e.g. “The Mosedale Horseshoe”. There is also a one sentence summary of each walk.

The walks are graded into easy, moderate or hard which is denoted by a green, yellow or red circle respectively. There are also a few scrambles which are also denoted with a red circle.

All the walks are free and there is no advertising!

The Walking Englishman - inspiration to get out there and walk!

Walk Descriptions

The walking route descriptions start with a walk summary, including time, distance, ascent, hazards, parking and refreshments. There are OS maps onto which the route has been overlaid. Next there is an elevation profile followed by the Story of the Walk. There is not a huge amount of navigational detail about the walk. The story of the walk really is a story, describing the weather conditions, details about the terrain and the feelings and opinions of those on the walk, especially when faced with technically difficult parts of the walk or scramble. Featuring classic quotes such as…

I stuttered down like a geriatric for the rest of the walk vainly trying to keep up with the two goats ahead of me.

…in the Kinder Scout from Edale route, The Walking Englishman makes a compelling and inspiring read. The are also a number of photographs for each walk which help to visualise the story and the route. For some routes more photographs can be found as slide shows on The Walking Englishman You Tube channel.

GPS Waypoints and Memory Map files from the walk can be downloaded. For some walks a “Route Card” is also available. The route card contains waypoints and some observations.

Summary – walkingenglishman.com

The menu system makes it is easy to find good walking routes on the walkingenglishman.com website, although it is advantageous if you already have a knowledge of the area where you intend to walk. The route descriptions focus on telling the story of the walk, as opposed to describing the navigational aspects of the route. However they do contain interesting details and provide the inspiration for getting out and going walking. Whilst there are a lot of walks featured from the North of the UK there is only the Cornish Coast Path in the South of the country.

www.countrywalkingroutes.co.uk
www.trailroutes.com

General / Searching for a Walk

The walking routes on these websites are provided by Country Walking magazine and Trail magazine respectively, hence they are only available to people who have a subscription with the magazine.

It is possible to search for routes by name, location, post code or grid reference. There is also an interactive map, however this is very basic and only allows you to select from one of nine areas within the UK and Ireland. Once you have a long list of walks you can then refine your search, which is a useful feature. You can search within the results based upon distance from a particular location, walk length and difficulty levels of easy, moderate and hard. With Trail routes you can also search for routes with scrambles.

It is also possible to view walks using Microsoft virtual Earth. This enables you to zoom and pan the map, select to display aerial photography, see a descriptions and open route details. This is a feature that will be improved for the Country Walking and Trail routes website relaunch.

Country Walking & Trail - Lots of good walks, but only if you have a subscription.

Walk Descriptions

The route summary for each walk contains a short written introduction and summarised details such as distance, time needed, difficulty and the magazine issue in which the walk appeared. There is a brief description of the terrain. In the case of Country Walking the number of stiles is given, whilst for Trail routes the total ascent is shown. From here it is possible to view the detailed description, a route map and an OS route map. You can also download a PDF route card, GPS waypoints and Memory Map data. Trail routes also have a elevation profile.

The walk descriptions are quite detailed, in particular pointing out turnings that may easily be missed. There are a limited number of comments about points of interest and the terrain.

Summary – countrywalkingroutes.co.uk and trailroutes.com

There are a good selection of walks across the country. The search facility works well when the refined search is used. The map based search is does not show the location of each walk, which it should do given that the websites support popular, well established walking magazines. This may well be improved upon with the forth coming relaunch of the sites.

The walk descriptions are thorough and of consistent quality, but could contain a bit more detail about interesting features of the walk.

www.walking-routes.co.uk

General / Searching for a Walk

Walking-routes.co.uk is a directory of links to many other websites that contain walking routes. Some of the external websites cover the whole of the UK but many are specific to small areas.

This website has a straight forward design that is quite clear and it is easy to see where everything is. You must like orange.

The home page is split into five main categories based on walk locations, i.e. Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and National Parks. Within each section there is a list of counties and cities or National Parks, with a number in parentheses indicating the number of walking websites in that sub-section. Click on the the sub-section and pop-up window appears containing a list of place names or website names. These are all links to external websites. Clinking one of these links opens the website in a new window. I would prefer for each sub-section not to open in a pop-up window. Also, the sub-section page would benefit from having a map of the area showing place names, since this would help people who are not familiar with the area to get their bearings.

“Walking-Routes” – 100′s of links to 1000′s of walks.

The links are to other websites containing walking route descriptions and not to the walks themselves. This means that there is no easy comparison between walks, in terms of exact location, length, time or grade.

You can search all the sites that walking-routes.co.uk links to using a customised Google search. This displays Google style search results within the walking-routes.co.uk website, providing links to the other websites and walking routes. When you click a link you leave the walking-routes.co.uk website.

There is some advertising but it is not intrusive.

walking-routes.co.uk - a compendium of links to UK walking route websites.

Walk Descriptions

Since walking-routes.co.uk links to lots of other different websites the descriptions of the walks are extremely variable. Its pot luck whether the site that you end up on has good, detailed walking route descriptions or not.

In some cases I found that the site that I clicked through to did not appear to have any walks and that I had to spend time trying to find the walks. In these cases walking-routes.co.uk would benefit from having a link direct to the walks page of the external website.

I did not find any walking routes that were compiled by walking-routes.co.uk themselves.

Summary – walking-routes.co.uk

Since there are links to so many external websites you are sure to be able to find a walk in any area of the UK using walking-routes.co.uk. The directory style search is reasonably straight forward, however, the external links could be improved upon in some cases by linking directly to the walks page of the external website.

Since the links are to external walking websites, rather than to specific walks within the websites, you still have a bit more searching once you are on the external website. Using the custom Google search it is possible get straight to walks in a specific location.

Which is the Best Walking Route Planner?

In order to create the best walking route website you need:

• an easy to use text search facility, including the ability to refine your search
• a simple directory style search facility
• a good map based search facility
• summaries of the walking routes, including distance, time and grade
• detailed descriptions, including grid references and information to help with navigation so that you do not go the wrong way
• information about coping with the terrain in different weather conditions
• quality mapping
• photographs and descriptions of points of interest to provide inspiration
• easy to print route cards
• downloadable GPS waypoints

A feature that could be useful is for people who have done the walk to give a review about it.

There is no definitive best walking route plannar out of the ones that have been reviewed here. If I already had a subscription to Country Walking magazine or Trail magazine then I would have a look at those websites first, but I would not get a subscription just for the walking routes since there are plenty of good walking routes available for free. The Walking Englishman has done lots of great walks and tells a good story, so is well worth looking at. The walk descriptions and pdf downloads on go4awalk.com are good, but I find the website is too busy and its not easy to search for walks, unless you use the OS map based search. The design of Walking Britain is easy on the eye and the search works well, however it could benefit from a better map based search and better maps of the routes. And finally, using walking-routes.co.uk you are certain to be able to find a walk in any part of the country, but you still have a lot of work to do trawling through the external websites that actually contain the walks.

Which ever walking routes planner you chose to find a walk we hope that you will find a walking route that enjoy!

The Adbu Dhabi Adventure Race, climbing in the desert.

Winter is upon us now in the UK. There was a frost this morning and there has been snow on some our higher peaks for some time now. Its time to put on lots of layers and maybe get out our winter accessories. You can’t beat hiking on a sunny winters day, seeing the snow in the trees and on the ground. The fresh, cold air invigorates your face, making your nose go cold. Best of all there is a log fire and a pint of real ale with your name on it, waiting in the country pub at the end of the walk. So why anyone would want to go to Abu Dhabi to take part in a gruelling adventure triathlon across the desert is beyond me…:-)

Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge

The adventure racing triathlon starts today, the 4th, and runs until the 9th of December. The action will start off in Abu Dhabi and take place in the surrounding sea and desert. Teams of varying abilities take part from all over the world, including from the UK. There are 40 adventure racing teams altogether, both males and females, representing 20 nationalities. Whilst many world class top athletes take part, less well known athletes are encouraged too. The race organisers even pay the entry fees and flight costs for a few teams with no previous international adventure racing experience.

The innovative nature of this demanding sporting and cultural odyssey, with its unique emphasis on fairness, accessibility and camaraderie, represents adventure racing’s most exciting opportunity to race against the world’s most international field.

Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge 2009 Itinerary

Each days racing starts and ends at the same place for every team. The Adventure Race itinerary is as follows:

Day 1: Introduction – Quadrathlon. Abu Dhabi, Corniche Beach to Lulu Island and back. A 30 km warm up event featuring biking, running and kayaking, followed by 900 m swim “in case you overheat”.
Day 1: Main event – Sea Kayaking. A 33 km paddle to a small island north of Saadiyat Island. The night will be spent bivouacing on the island.

Day 2: Sea Kayaking. Starting at 6:30 there is a choice of two sea kayaking routes back to Corniche beach. The route choice is either 50 km or 80 km. Bus transportation takes the teams to their overnight desert bivouac at Liwa Dunes, Rub Al Kahli.

Day 3 & 4: Trekking. Again competitor’s have a choice of distance for this next stage. It’s either 70 km or 120 km, but at either distance, the trek through the desert will be a tough challenge, before collapsing exhausted at the end of the day at another desert bivouac.

Day 5: Mountain Biking. There are two mountain bike stages. The first is 33 km to the Qasr Al Sarab. The second is 55 km along a desert trail. Bus transportation takes the adventure racers to the nights bivouac location at Jebel Hafeet, near Al Ain city.

Day 6: Trekking, Mountain Biking and Running. The 21 km trek takes the adventure athletes on an ascent of 700m up the Jebel Hafeet mountain and includes an element of climbing with ropes. From there its a 37 km mountain bike ride into the city of Al Ain Oasis. The last section of the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge 2009 is a 3.2km run to the finish line, at the Al Ain Museum.

Where would you rather be? Biking, running, kayaking and swimming in the scorching hot desert sun or going for a bracing hike in the snow in the UK? Let us know…click on the comments link at the bottom of this post!

The 700 m ascent of Jebel Hafeet Mountain. Photo credit Monica Dalmasso.

If the hot desert environment of Abu Dhabi takes your fancy, you might also be interested in hiking in Afghanistan or taking part in the Marathon Des Sables adventure desert race in the Sahara.

10 Interesting Facts about Abu Dhabi

1. Abu Dhabi is located on the Arabian Gulf, Abu Dhabi is one of the seven United Arab Emirates (See map below.)
2. The main hub of the city of Abu Dhabi is located on a island, 250 m from the mainland.
3. In 2006 the population of Abu Dhabi emirate was just under 1.5 million people.
4. The majority of the inhabitants are expatriate workers and it is relatively tolerant of different religions.
5. Alcohol can be purchased in bars and restaurants within four or five star hotels.
6. Abu Dhabi is twinned with Bethlehem, Brisbane, Houston, Madrid and Minsk.
7. Abu Dhabi is one of the locations where the Red Bull International Air Race where is held.
8. There are frequent sandstorms in the summer months and the temperature often exceeds 35°C.
9. The city of Al Ain is a desert oasis, located 93 miles (150 km) from Abu Dhabi, it is a favourite resort destination for people from the capital.
10. Each Abu Dhabi resident uses 550 litres of water per day on average.

View Larger Map

Thanks to Kraig Becker at the Adventure Blog for bringing the Abu Dhabi Adventure Race event to my attention.

Worcestershire Beacon in the Malvern Hills

At CheapTents.com we are always interested to hear from walkers, climbers and campers about what they have been doing and where they have been enjoying the outdoors. For example, Freddy Phillips recently got in touch with details about his wild camping expeditions. In this post, Steve Dempster praises his favourite walking destination: The Malvern Hills.

The Malvern Hills

– The Heart Of England’s Best Feature!

The Malvern Hills straddle the border between Worcestershire and Herefordshire, running in an almost perfect North-South line for some nine miles. Though of relatively modest height – The Worcestershire Beacon is just under 1,400 feet – and virtually surrounded by the town of Malvern and villages such as Colwall, there is a surprising feeling of remoteness once the ascent begins.

Worcestershire Beacon

Most people visiting the hills for the first time opt for the swift ascent of The Worcestershire Beacon (aka Great Malvern) from Wyche cutting car park. This is a walk for everyone as the path is wide and even and – for the greatest part – tarmac-surfaced! This affords great access for those less able and to get a wheelchair to the top is fairly easy. If you like birds, from here are regularly seen Stonechat, Ravens and even guided-missile-like Peregrine Falcons.

Walking in the Malvern Hills affords excellent views!

At one time a cafe stood at the top of The Worcestershire Beacon – now long gone – and the only signs of man now there are the Trig. point and the splendid topgraph. To the North lies Worcester, Birmingham and the towering bulk of Shropshire’s Clee Hills. To the South, the ridge of the Malverns stretches away with the Cotswolds Scarp off to the South-East and the Severn in the remote distance (on a good day you can easily see Cheltenham). To the East lies the Severn plain, with Bredon Hill in the mid-ground, last outlier of the Cotswolds – The Malverns are a totally different geological formation, being some 400 million years old. There’s the often-quoted fact that there is no higher ground than the Worcestershire Beacon lying due East – until you get to the Ural mountains. No wonder it’s windy! Then the West – a stunning and far-reaching view over the Hereford landscape and on into Wales and the Black Mountains.

There’s More to The Malverns!

For many people that’s as far as they will ever go – and you really can’t blame them. Yet the Malverns have so much more to show – little-used paths along their flanks, a deer park at the Southern end, secretive woods carpeted with bluebells in spring and much more. And don’t forget the Malvern Springs! Bottled at Colwall, Malvern Water is famous world-wide – and yet there are a number of spouts along the Western flanks of the hills where the water is free for the taking.

To sum up, a visit to the Heart of England would really not be complete without a visit to the Malvern Hills. So why not pay them a visit? If you are looking for further information about walks on the hills or places to stay, do drop in on my website at http://www.countrywalkers.co.uk – it’s got several great Malvern walks on it that you’re free to print off as you like!

Your Favourite Walk?

Thank you Steve for your insight into the Malvern Hills. If you think that you are not familiar with the Malverns, you may be wrong! If you have ever driven along the M5 motorway south of Worcester the profile of the Malvern Hills can be seen dominating the Western Horizon and is an inspiring view.

What about your good self? Where do you like to go hiking, climbing or camping? Let us know using the comments link below, or send an e-mail.

The Khumbu Icefall at Everest Base Camp is the destination for Khumbu teams 1,2 & 3. Source: Flickr by mckaysavage

The Royal Navy Khumbu Challenge is currently under way in the Nepal Himalaya. This is particularly special expedition, since it is the inaugural expedition for Project Fortitude. Project Fortitude is a Royal Navy / Royal Marines initiative which will help service personnel who have been physically injured or who are suffering from psychological injuries. Through Adventure Training, Sport and Challenging Activities Project Fortitude can bring “Opportunity, Challenge, Focus, and Belonging” to injured personnel, which will help with long term rehabilitation. The Khumbu Challenge was officially launched last year by Prince Harry.

Exercise Khumbu Challenge

Five teams are taking part in Khumbu challenge: the Main Team, High Altitude Development Team and Khumbu teams 1 ,2 & 3, with the support of the Rear Link Office in Khatmandu. Altogether there will be 88 personnel taking part in the challenge, about 18 of whom have been injured or traumatised in Iraq or Afghanistan and who are undergoing rehabilitation. Khumbu is the name of the region in the Nepal Himalaya where the exercise is taking place.

The main team arrived in Nepal on the 23rd of September. The aim for the main team is to climb Ama Dablam (6,812 m), which will involve rock climbing, ice climbing and mixed rock and ice climbing. The name Ama Dablam means “Mother and Pearl Necklace.” The main team are all experienced climbers.

Khumbu Challenge Main Team will climb Ama Dablam, one of the most challenging climbs in the Himalaya. Source: Flickr by stevehicks.

The High Altitude Development Team are in the Khumbu to gain experience of high altitude climbing. They will be climbing the summits of Island Peak (6,182 m), Pokalde (5,806 m) and Lobuche East (6,117 m).

Khumbu teams 1, 2 & 3 include personnel who are undergoing rehabilitation. They will be trekking to Everest Base Camp (5,600 m) and climbing to the summit of Kala Pattar (5,545 m), which offers excellent views of Mount Everest and a 360-degree panorama of peaks including Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Kantenga, Thamserku, Tawatse, Pumo Ri, and Changtse.

For Khumbu teams 1, 2 and 3 the challenge will last about three and half weeks in total. Expeditions up to high altitude require acclimatisation in order to prevent altitude sickness. This means that when increasing altitude it is necessary to take rest days. These rest days do not include strenuous activity and only small increases in altitude. Therefore not every day will be a day of hiking.

After flying into Kathmandu, the journey to Khumbu begins with a scenic flight into Lukla airstrip, which is at altitude of 2804 m. From Lukla the hiking can commence. The administrative centre of the Khumbu region is a village called Namche Bazaar (3440 m), which is also at the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park.

It will take nine days of trekking and acclimatisation to reach Everest Base Camp from Namche Bazaar. Below Namche Bazaar there are pine forests, climbing above Namche Bazaar the scenery becomes more mountainous with less greenery. Climbing higher the scenery becomes more rocky and mountains, with snow, glaciers and moraine. Everest Base Camp is situated at the foot of the Khumbu Icefall.

Typical Himalayan Mountain Scenery. Source: Flickr by mckaysavage.

The settlement of Gorak Shep, high in the Himalayas. Source: Flickr by mckaysavage.

Exercise Khumbu Challenge will doubtless be a tough and awesome experience for all personnel involved! Good luck to all taking part!

More details about mountaineering Exercise Khumbu Challenge can be found on the KC09 Website.

The Mountain Equipment Mistral like the Salomon Fast Wing Hoodie is versatile, lightweight, windproof and stowable.

Clothing

The order of the day is versatility. Versatile clothes are essential when space and weight are important, Zip-Off Trousers are ideal when travelling light as they can be worn as a pant or shorts. Wicking items can be easily layered, washed and dried.

Wind Proof Jackets

It is a good idea to take a windproof jacket. For example, jackets such as the Mountain Equipment Mistral at 90g or the Salomon Fast Wing Windproof with roll away hood, will stuff into tiny stuffsacks and have enough style to be used on or off the bike. Dependent on the weather, it is also an idea have some lightweight waterproof clothing.

Cycling Shorts

A must for cycling is to protect yourself and your derrière from chafing. Cycling shorts with their padding, stop chafing and provide shock absorption and wick away moisture.

Now I know that  cycling shorts might not be everyone’s cup of tea, and while Lycra shorts as worn by professionals are the traditional image of cycling shorts, they are not the only option. Increasingly popular today are baggy cycling shorts which have a padded Lycra inner and a baggy outer that look like regular shorts. You can also purchase padded underwear and wear your own shorts or pants, so you can get protection without feeling conspicuous in what you wear.

I suppose if you don’t want to wear shorts you can use raw meat as a cushion as professionals did in the early 20th Century, but you may find your circle of friends reduced.

Zip-Off Trousers

Many cycle tourists have commented on the usefulness of Zip Off Pants, they can be used as shorts and trousers. This enables you to use them when it is warm during the day as shorts for example and at night when cooler as trousers. When purchasing Zip-Off Trousers or Convertible Pants it is worth remembering that whilst they are usually slightly more expensive than standard trousers you do not need to buy a pair of shorts as well, so often they work out cheaper. There are many Zip Off pants in the market but when Cycle-touring a pair that have a high UPF/SPF protection rating would make sense as they would reduce the effects of the sun when cycling.

Head-wear

In the UK it is not compulsory to wear a helmet, although it is recommended for all, especially for children. If travelling elsewhere it is a good idea to check local laws as they may differ.

For cycle touring I believe that a Buff is a extremely useful and handy piece of head gear. Originally designed for motorcycling, Buffs can be used in different ways such as a scarf, mask, bandanna, hat or under a helmet etc. Buffs are versatile can be bought with SPF or Thermal ratings, they come in many different designs and are lightweight and pack away easily.

Some Ways To Wear Your Buff - Ideal For Cycle touring

Cycling Footwear

Cycling shoes increase the amount of power when pedalling. Therefore cycling long distances will be easier as your body is more efficient. In recent years manufacturers have released cycling shoes that have recessed cleats, that can be used to ride and explore and have the benefit of looking like walking shoes, trainers or sandals.

Having multi-purpose shoes allows the cycle tourist to reduce weight, gain versatility and have higher pedalling efficiency, an online search of cycle touring shoes will give you an idea of what is available.

Cleated cycle shoes require special pedals, sometimes called SPDs (Shimano Pedaling Dynamics) that physically connect the cycling shoe and the pedal. A less expensive alternative is to use toe clips and regular trainers. Toe clips also increase the amount of power transmitted from your legs into forward motion.

The Lowe Alpine Houdini offers the versatility that a cycle tourist needs, by folding into its own stuff sack.

Rucksacks

It is not sensible to ride your bike for long distances with a rucksack on your back. You will need bike panniers to carry your gear. However, you may not wish to ride your bike everyday. You may wish to go hiking or for a walk around a town or city. When off your bike and exploring, a rucksack could be used to carry your clothes, camera, water etc, the Lowe Alpine Houdini Pack folds into its own stow pocket when not in use, and has a carrying capacity of 16L and is well worth a look.

If you think you may need a larger rucksack then Salomon provide a range of 20 and 25L rucksacks for runners, which are of great interest to cycle tourists as they are customisable, with additional water bottles and pockets. The Salomon XA 25 WP Rucksack is also waterproof.

And Finally

There are lots of items that I have not included here such as utensils, torches, hydration sacks or first aid kits etc., this article is not to provide a list but to make you question what you think you may need, we are all different, the underlying message through out this post and my other cycle touring posts  are adaptability and  versatility.

If you look at Kevin Shannon’s round the world cycle kit list as compared to John Houseago’s for holiday cycle touring you will see how they differ, and why you need to think about what you need.

Happy Cycle Touring!

Best Ever Outdoor, Hiking, Climbing and Gear Posts!

In order to celebrate this achievement we have compiled a list of our favourite blog posts from the year. Some our posts are informative, providing useful information about gear, outdoor pursuits and travel. Some posts provide ideas about where to go hiking, climbing, cycling and mountain biking. The interviews with outdoors professionals provide an exciting incite into the adventures of people who take outdoors sports to the extreme and/or travel to the remotest parts of the world. And some posts are about things that are just plain daft! This brings me nicely onto…

If you go down to the woods today…

The bear sleeping bag was created by Japanese artist Eiko Ishizawa. It is certainly creative but not one that we would recommend for a camping trip to the Scottish Highlands, or to anywhere else for that matter!

Dreaming of Mountain Biking in Aberdeenshire

Continuing on the theme of daft, we like this post about mountain biking in Aberdeenshire. It started off as a strange dream and unfortunately did not progress much further. However, if I take my mountain bike up to Aberdeenshire in the future, I will know where to get some excellent off-road action: Kirkhill Forest Mountain Bike Trail.

Worst blog post ever? Nunataks!

Watch out for these guys! Source: Flickr by lucyfrench123

Yes! This is the worst blog post ever, but it is Ryan’s favourite and it does make us chuckle. That says a lot about our sense of humour here at CheapTents.com!

So, what is a nunatak and why does make a bad blog post? It has something to do with an awful joke and an even worse artists impression!

Running the Marathon des Sables for Charity

From the “light hearted” to “not for the faint hearted”. The Marathon des Sables (MDS) is a 243km running race across the Sahara desert. You need to be extremely tough and dedicated to even think about attempting it. The MDS is the equivalent of 6 marathons in 6 days. Temperatures can reach up to 120 degrees. The terrain is rough, uneven, stoney ground and 20% of the distance is covered on sand dunes. You have to carry everything you need apart from water since it is a self sufficient race. It is commonly dubbed as ‘the toughest footrace on earth‘. In this post Andrew McMaster, tells us about his preparation for the Marathon des Sables 2009.

Interviews on the CheapTents.com Blog

Over the course of this year we have interviewed a number of athletes, explorers, adventurers, climbers and and outdoor industry professionals for the CheapTents.com blog. Firstly we must say a big thank you to all of these people who have given their time up to tell us inspirational tales and give us an insight into their lives! It is extremely difficult to decide which of the interviews are our favourites, but after much debate we have selected those of Paul Bride, Mikael Strandberg, and Dixie Dansercoer.

Paul Bride – Explorer & Outdoor Photographer

Paul Bride is an adventurer and photographer. Paul has travelled the world, going on adventures in India, Nepal, Canada and Vietnam. In this interview he tells us about his passion for photography and how he finds himself in places that he might not return from.

Paul Bride, Ice Climbing in the Rockies

Mikael Strandberg – Legendary Explorer and Adventurer

Explorer and adventurer Mikael Strandberg has travelled by horse, foot and skis through Patagonia, West Africa and Siberia. Mikael spent much the time on these expeditions travelling through uncharted territories, meeting people from different cultures and whilst in Siberia, eating raw, frozen fish.

Dixie Dansercoer: Polar Explorer and Expeditionist

Both the Arctic and the Antarctic are the passions of polar explorer Dixie Dansercoer. Dixie will use any method to explore the extremes of our planet: from mountaineering to mountain biking, from running to powerkite-skiing and from sailing to wind- and kitesurfing. The latest project that Dixie Dansercoer is spearheading is called (Ant)Arctic Matters. This is a travelling expedition that aims to showcase the beauty of polar regions and in doing so, will help us to understand and protect these globally important environments.

Dixie Dansercoer Kite Surfing in the Antarctic

Wild Camping – the law, and the pro’s and con’s…

From the inspirational to the informational, we like to provide useful resources for people who are going out camping, hiking, climbing, biking and of course, advice about outdoor kit. Whilst we have a good deal of knowledge and personal experience in these subjects, we do additional researching for our posts and always find out a thing or two.

The pro’s and con’s of wild camping post shed’s light on the advantages and disadvantages of wild camping, and offers debate on whether it is legal and acceptable. A useful read for anyone thinking of going wild or mild camping.

Where do the MSR Hubbas get their name?

And on the subject of outdoor gear, we like to recommend our favourite bits of kit, point out our favourite technical features and mention favourable third party reviews. There are some special questions, however, that require us to contact the manufacturer to find out some answers…like what on earth is a Hubba?

There are selection of lightweight MSR tents with Hubba in the name. The unique design of the pole system provides the answer. But there is more to this saucy post than the answer to what is a hubba.

Hiking in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco

And finally, this post about hiking in Morocco is a favourite mainly due to the photographs of impressive scenery in part of the world that most people would not normally think of going for a walking holiday. The combination of steep sided valleys, high mountain plateaux, remote villages and a completely different culture has put the Atlas Mountains on my list of places that I wish to visit.

Here’s to the Future

There are many other exciting, interesting, informative, inspirational and daft posts on the blog. Why not take a look through our history archives or search for topic that interests you – you never know what might find!

The first year of the CheapTents.com blog has been a success and long may it continue!