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The Cobbler – the upstart of the south

The Cobbler – the upstart of the south

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Popularity is bestowed on some hills due to their arresting appearance regardless of their altitude; Stac Pollaidh is an audacious example and so is the Cobbler, which scores on an additional front due to its southern Highland location, thus accessible to the masses from the Scottish Central belt. To describe the mountain as being like a triple-peaked alpine aiguille is perhaps an exaggeration, despite being part of the grandly titled ‘Arrochar Alps’ and, if transported to Skye, The Cobbler would…

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The Coniston Fells – a mountain or a massif?

The Coniston Fells – a mountain or a massif?

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The Old Man of Coniston is the crowning peak of southern Lakeland and one of the most popular ascents in the Lake District. When viewed from the shores of Coniston Water, the mountain exerts a massively dominating presence, although the Old Man is merely the highest point (and only that by supposition) amongst a compact range of seven summits, each offering equally rewarding exploration. For that reason, this particular ‘Worthy’ is not a solitary hill but a collective, under the…

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The Long Mynd – Shropshire’s Blue Remembered Hills

The Long Mynd – Shropshire’s Blue Remembered Hills

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I would guess that few dedicated hillwalkers pay the Shropshire Hills much attention because Shropshire has no mountains, but it does have hills with mountainous attributes, and quite a fine selection there are too. The region also boasts a bewildering myriad official designations with blurred boundaries, which attest to the value of these hills, including an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a National Landscape, a Natural Area and a Natural Character Area. Certainly, beauty and distinction are intrinsic traits for…

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Pewsey Downs – A Wiltshire Wanderland

Pewsey Downs – A Wiltshire Wanderland

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Hills don’t need to be mountains to provide walking pleasure and this exploration of the Wiltshire Downs is an excellent example. In my view the Pewsey Downs are probably the finest representative in the county (and arguably the country) to showcase the charm of the chalk downland amidst a quintessential English countryside setting. These hills may attract a rating of 67 but to miss them would leave a hole in your outdoor education and they are therefore awarded full Worthy…

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Yr Eifl – Snowdonia’s Miniature Rival

Yr Eifl – Snowdonia’s Miniature Rival

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Commonly called ‘The Rivals’, rather appropriate for this group of three pointy peaks thrusting from the ocean and jostling for attention, the name is merely an anglicised adaptation from the pronunciation rather than a direct translation. In the modern Welsh language, there is no such word as Eifl and it perhaps derived from olden days when it is thought to have described a Trident or Fork, which is certainly an apt physical description. The hills form the highest land on…

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Arenig Fawr – The Belvedere of Snowdonia

Arenig Fawr – The Belvedere of Snowdonia

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Arenig Fawr gains its place on the Worthy list principally through the attractive combination of altitude, isolation and the consequent superiority as a viewpoint. As an ascent, the route via Llyn Arenig Fawr is a rewarding walk and the summit is a fine place to be. Beyond that, the mountain’s other faces are less distinguished, although this quiet, unpretentious slice of Wales definitely deserves to be on your to-do list. Located towards the eastern fringes of the Snowdonia National Park,…

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The Dark White Edge – Peak Perfection

The Dark White Edge – Peak Perfection

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A ‘peak’ is a pointed mountain top, so whoever bestowed the name Peak District upon the upland terrain at the southern rise of the Pennines was a little over enthusiastic, for the majority of the higher hills there are not peaks at all, but moorland giants. Nevertheless, there are peaks in this widely varied national park, albeit relatively diminutive ones, found primarily amidst the limestone country. However, you will not find any on this outing, which in fact only loosely…

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Craig Cerrig Gleisiad – a landscape of the lost world

Craig Cerrig Gleisiad – a landscape of the lost world

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Within sight of the bustling caterpillar assault of the masses on Pen-y-Fan, the serenity of Craig Cerrig Gleisiad is emphatic. Aptly described as an ‘atmospheric amphitheatre’, this National Nature Reserve is a delectable discovery in the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Here, trees, shrubs, rare arctic-alpine plants, wildflowers and peregrine falcons have colonised the vertiginous slopes creating an extraordinary environment. It’s a fine little hill to climb too and despite the compact proportions resulting in a sub 70…

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Hartland Peninsula – a coast for connoisseurs

Hartland Peninsula – a coast for connoisseurs

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The Hartland Peninsula is a special slice of coastline, where North Devon passes the baton to North Cornwall. For our purposes, the whole route from Clovelly to Bude could be considered an excellent walk, although we trim the ends by commencing at Blackchurch Rock and terminating at Duckpool Beach. According to the Hartland Peninsula Association, the section from Hartland Point to Bude is generally regarded as the toughest on the whole 630-mile South West Coast Path. I’m not sure I…

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The Compelling Case For The Coast

The Compelling Case For The Coast

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Hillwalking isn’t just about climbing hills. Those who solely climb hills are missing out on an equally enjoyable means of ascent and descent – the coastline. There are coastal mountains of course but the summits rarely consist of a trig point directly suspended above a sea cliff, making their coastal status dubious. On the other hand, coastal walks seldom attain the lofty altitudes of mountains, although height alone is not a classification for Worthiness. Quality is the key. It is…

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