Of course, sometimes it is down to the actual route having appeal and not so much the literary merit of the guidebook walk at all!

The first three are all from the same guidebook,  Ridges of Snowdonia  by Steve Ashton and published by Cicerone. The book has hardly changed in content, other than updating essentials, since I first borrowed this from the library in the mid ’80s. That makes me feel old. There’s a route page for each one, but no description unfortunately. You’ll just have to buy the books, and each one mentioned below is a gem. A couple are out of print, but readily available second hand. though some of the prices asked on-line are extortionate as I paid not much more than a fiver for each of my Wild, Classic and Big Walk books.

The Nantlle Ridge – The classic ridge walk without doubt, and he provides the vanilla version from Rhyd Ddu over to Garnedd Coch, over all the best bits and omitting that little upstart – Mynydd Graig Goch. The beauty of this book, and I cannot see why others haven’t followed suit, is that there’s a reasonably clear description of the route and, the inspiration of a personal account of each walk. Read this in mid 80s, did the walk early 90s.

The Moelwynion – Setting off from Dolwyddelan, he takes the route up via the forest and to Llyn y Foel, Daear Ddu and follows the route around to Allt Fawr, before recalling how he managed to get a lift to the start from this point. I’ve done all of this walk, but not the single walk he did that day. Ironically, when I did descend to the Crimea, we also managed to get an unexpected lift to here we started! The route could be improved by continuing onwards over the outlying Moel Farlwyd, Penamnen and finally Y Ro Wen before descending to Dolwyddelan. A longer walk, but much better on the feet than six kilometres of tarmac.

The Rhinogydd – Ashton does, admittedly, do them the easy way. He starts off in Cwm Bychan and then follows the entire ridge to Abermaw (Barmouth). While the walk is well described, there is the issue of returning to the start. Ashton also loses marks for not starting off the route by traversing the badlands between Rhinog Fawr and Moel Ysgyfarnogod. Though starting from Cwm Bychan and turning left for the badlands as opposed to right for the not-Roman Steps is rather masochistic.

Across the Migneint - by Harold Drasdo (p234)  in Classic Walks – out of print. I don’t even know why this one’s here. Probably as I think I ought to get out and do it, and partially for the same reason as people run those races with barbed wire and mud. Crossing this area seems like a penance in some ways, though one to keep for either dry or frozen conditions, and possibly with a very wild camp at one of the lonely lakes.

The Lochaber Traverse  (p70)- Ken Wilson and Richard Gilbert in Big Walks - out of print. An epic walk if ever there was one. Over The Ben, CMD, Aonach Mor, Beag and finally the Grey Corries; that’s one walk you’d have to try. I did a few springs back, even adding on some more hills above Loch Treig to the first day. Snow did unfortunately put paid to the attempt, but we got the Grey Corries in. This is one to try again in the not too distant future.

The Saddle and the Forcan Ridge (p175) – in Irvine Butterfield’s classic tome – The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland Vol 1. Enigmatically named volume 1 thirty years ago, this is still a standalone volume. The cover of the original had a shot of the Forcan Ridge, with even more impressive images of the walk accompanying the route, which was all I needed. A lofty peak, rocky exposed ridge and plenty of green made it look like somewhere I’d like to walk. Unfortunately, the new book has a new cover – while equally impressive just isn’t the original. Ihave no plans to do this walk any time soon as it’s just too damn far north! Though a week or so in Glen Shiel is nothing to be sniffed at, but I can’t see how it would be practical without driving there. The shot below is the same as the book’s cover, only less green!

 © Copyright John Bennett and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Do you have a favourite guide book walk?

Add it below and we may add the best ones to the routes database!

Not only is she running it, she’s doing it the proper way – off path. She won’t be taking the easy way, but instead will start off in Cardiff before setting off on the South Wales Coast, Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, north on the Ceredigion Coastal path and then on to Snowdonia, Llyn, Anglesey and the rest of the North Wales Coast. Then, it’s back down the Offa’s Dyke path in order to return to the start. All in 42 days of just under 40km a day – or just under a marathon a day on average. The closest I’ve got to that was some time in 1985, and then they changed the name to Snickers…

Dragon Run 1027 will start in Cardiff bay on Saturday 24th March. From here, Arry will head West to tackle the run in a clockwise direction, finishing back in Cardiff bay on Saturday 5th May. The overall aim of the run (apart from to finish in some sort of unbroken state!) is to raise £25,000 for Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff which has treated friends and relatives of both Arry and Guy, and Gozo CCU Foundation, which cared for both of Arry’s parents prior to their passing away. To do this the pair are holding fundraising events in the time leading up to the run, arranging collections on the route and seeking corporate sponsorship for both logistics and charitable donations. If you can help in any way with support, please contact them on… 07958 778424, or dragonrun1027@gmail.com.

Or visit the website – www.dragonrun1027.co.uk

Itinerary - Daily Breakdown Dragonrun1027 (pdf)

Well here’s a new folding helmet that should become available some time in 2012. This would be ideal when you’re on a trip and just want to secure your lid without it taking up an entire backpack in the process.

It’s probably not going to be much use for those of you who choose to hurtle yourselves off mountains at 100kmh, but for the more leisurely cyclist they’d suffice.

No pricing information yet, and as they’re a French company there’s no mention when if ever they’ll be available in the UK.

For more information, visit this link.

Yet soon, all devices could potentially become waterproof with the new Waterblock™ coating from HzO that was unveiled at the recent CES in Las Vegas. This new technology coats the insides of your devices with a nanotechnology coating that renders them waterproof. This can be applied, at the manufacturer’s end, to anything from mobiles to tablets and this sort of protection will without a doubt become standard for outdoor electronics in the next few years.

This could mean the increased use of lightweight tablets in place of your usual GPS devices, or perhaps they’ll look more like tablets? Without a doubt, having an A4 electronic map on a tablet can’t be compared to the small screens on most GPS devices and is only bettered by a proper paper map (which itself has drawbacks). With tablets now commonplace, were they to be made waterproof I’m sure more would be tempted to try them out on the hill.

As usual, when we’re feeling lazy, there’ a nice little video we poached off the internet that demonstrates the coating in action on an ipod and a speaker that still works while immersed.

Tomorrow is the Stop SOPA Strike, and while it is a US law the implications are global.

I was going to sit here and explain why we as a UK site are taking this action, but itscharlieroberts.com has blogged a post that puts it better both than I am able or am bothered to.

So the bottom line is that Mud and Routes, Walk Eryri and Walk up Snowdon will all be unavailable from 5am to 5pm tomorrow.

1 – Ziploc bags. Despite the fact that using plastic bags is not environmentally friendly, I’m yet to find a proper alternative. Certain items can be carried in those Biokips containers, which I find essential for coffee and the like. Ziplocs can be used for taking individual portions of food and anything else you might need to keep away from other items. You can use them for organising each days’ meals as well. They’re certainly reused a few times and are essential as a sealed bag for taking rubbish and in some cases items that need double bagging for hygiene purposes off the hill safely. If anyone knows of any biodegradable versions, then please let us know in the comments and we’ll give them a go.

2 – Talc (in a ziploc!). If you’ve ever suffered hot, sore sweaty feet on a long walk then you need to know about this trick. You need a ziploc large enough to fit your foot in comfortably and a small amount of talc in the bottom. Placing your hot, sweaty feet into this is a pleasure only experiencing can explain. Not only that, but it’s yet another trick against developing blisters. It weighs next to nothing.

3 – Duct Tape. You either know all about this or you don’t. Duct tape, duck tape or whatever you want to call it is nature’s band aid. Well, not quite nature’s, but you get the idea. Fixes anything from boots and waterproofs  to rucksack straps, even tent poles. I’ve even used it to repair a leaky water bladder and one pair of running shoes I own is roughly 45% duct tape and proud of it. About the only thing you can’t fix with this is your stove and pot. Closely related to the handful of cable ties that should be in any repair kit.

4 – Dry Bags. As glamorous as Steve Buscemi in an evening dress, though arguably more useful on the hill. If you haven’t got a set of these, plus a huge pack liner, you’ll suffer in the rain. Pack covers are handy, but not perfect while your ruckasck for a long trip is unlikely to be very waterproof. The clever option is a waterproof pack liner, coupled with individual dry bags for essential bits of kit within this. You can even pack your damp tent inside the pack with the dry bag  if you have to (you’ll have to put it somewhere!). A pack cover is the icing on the cake. If you use them a lot, treat them as disposable. You’ll need to replace them every year or so, but they continue to provide useful water-resistant stuff sacs for many years to come for less mission critical bits of kit. The Exped Dry  Bags come highly recommended.

5 – Microfibre Duster. Cheap and cheerful, you can get a 4 pack for a couple of quid from the supermarket, and essential for cleaning pots and pans on the hill. If you can clean the worst of the pot with what nature provides (grass, gravel is excellent for scouring) then you just dry off with one of these before packing them bone dry into your pack. It’s able to soak up liquids, even when already damp, means it can mop up spills or water ingress into the tent. They even come in a selection of colours if that’s important to you.

The screen resolution is 1280×800 and it can play 1080p HD videos from youtube without breaking into a sweat thanks to the quad core Tegra 3 processor. Battery life for the tablet alone is around 10 hours, or about 18 with the docking station. It’s even going to ship with the latest Android OS – Ice Cream Sandwich. Now that’s the good bit.

It appears that there’s been a bit of a hoo-ha with Asus claiming they’ve sent stock, Amazon claiming they haven’t. All I bloody know is that it won’t be on my doorstep tomorrow morning! Poor show on everyone’s part. I suppose this is the sacrifice we’ve got to pay for the latest technology, rather than sleeping out in front of the Apple store for the latest gadget in a new colourway.

Looks like the net’s seething with this at the moment - Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime UK delay blues: When is yours arriving? let alone the forums on Amazon – here.

So while we’d hoped to review this on the hill during a wild camp this weekend, it looks like you’ll have to wait before seeing this on the hill.

Nikwax have decided that the only real wax they sell is to be discontinued! We’ve never been overly impressed by their aqueous wax. Ideal for the organised walker who loves nothing more than cleaning and proofing their boots after every trip. We found that it starts letting the leather wet halfway into a days’ walking, while not causing wet feet it does add weight to the boot. The old skool wax on the other hand will keep your boots perfectly dry all day. That protection lasts for a good few walks, and reproofing becomes something to be done occasionally, a few times a season. Almost a ritual to be done on those dark winter evenings when you’ve nothing better to do and you can spend a goodly few hours giving your boots a bit of a spruce.

To put this to the test, I proofed my favourite pair of Meindl Burmas with both. The liquid wax I found to be rather messy, and it seemed to take an awful lot of the wax in order to proof one boot (I should have weighed the tube!) It was also difficult to remove all the excess, leaving the boot in a right mess. The old skool wax, even if it stinks, applies with little or no waste. Using your fingers you can get it into all the nooks and crannies, and it just seems to be absorbed by the boot. The result is very similar, as you can see from the images, but with the liquid wax leaving a residue even after a lot of work removing the excess (I couldn’t be bothered removing any more). I also think that I could have applied more of the old skool wax and that I’d been miserly in its application.

The left boot is old skool and the right one in the new liquid wax (which, of course is opposite on the image below if you’re easily confused).

To test them out, a few wet yomps seems an ideal method. Plenty of mud and wet ground to give them a proper going over.

First Walk – Moel Eilio, damp if not wet. I expected both boots to bead exceptionally well from the off, with the issue being durability. This they both did and by the walk’s end they were both wetting out a little, with the old skool appearing to be faring a little better, but looking at the next image you’d be hard pressed to take the call.

Following week we did the Carneddau, and again it seemed that both waxes were very similar and didn’t last half as long as I thought it had in the past. So the head to head had to go longer term. I’m convinced that as it was the first time these boots (after 1200km use!) were waxed with anything but the puny aqueous wax, that it’ll need a few more applications to get to full strength, so two more weekends, two sets of proofing and three damp walks will see if there’s any difference. So far, despite my gut instinct, there appears little between them.

Re-waxing them, we were back on the hill, but this time I’d taken a bit more care applying to both boots. Again, conditions remain exceptionally wet underfoot and both boots were wetting out by the end of the day. However, the image below was taken half way around the walk and the old skool wax was still repelling mud and water when the newer stuff was wetting out. The following day while both boots looked damp, the olds skool wax boots felt dry on the outside compared to the other pair that  were still damp.

The 'old skool' wax on the left is still beading...

Ultimately, the older wax does perform a little better than the newer stuff. This is down to how little waste and mess there was applying the tin. It also did a better job of repelling water, though I’m certain that it wasn’t as effective as it could have been. My previous boots (identical to these!) were proofed with the tin from the off and they’d only need proofing every few weeks, while these boots have only just been waxed properly for the first time and that the protection will improve with each application. I think that the exceptionally wet conditions recently have contributed to this as well.

TL;DR – The old skool tinned wax is certainly the one I’d prefer on my boots as it’s easier to apply and lasts a little bit longer. The new stuff still provides effective waterproofing, but is messy to apply, though may be the greener option of the two (though coming in a plastic tube, this is not clear).

You will need:

• Tech Wash (or Soap Flakes)
• TX Direct Wash in
• Some manky Paramo waterproofs in need of a wash and proof.
• Your choice of sink or Washing Machine. Beware using the proofer in the bath or spilling any on the floor as it makes surfaces very slippery.

Note – you can get proofing and washing products from other companies, but we chose to go with the Nikwax products for the primary reason that you proof and dry as opposed to proof and then apply heat to activate the proofer. I neither own or desire a tumble drier. We may however, run a test to compare different types in the near future to see whether the extra step is worth it.

1 – Ensure your washing machine is clean of detergent residue. You should clean the drawer out fully and I find it useful to run the machine through a high temperature cycle without detergent in order to get rid of as much residue as possible. Detergent is your waterproof’s enemy, with conditioner being it’s second in command! We find that running a load of tea towels or similar through at high temps with soap flakes does the job.

You may do the next step using soap flakes, which can be difficult to find. We found that it does a reasonably good job, but after many washes it left a residue and didn’t clean very effectively. Tech Wash does a better job, and maybe a balance of both could be the best way if you’re washing them out every weekend, perhaps a weekly wash in soap flakes and a tech wash and proofing every 4 weeks.

We used tech wash – and it’s simply a matter of putting the 2 or 3 items in the machine and adding the stated amount depending on your water type. You can get away with 3 items if they’re the lightweight variety, as I often do, but be careful not to overload the machine or it won’t be as effective. It’s usually a coat, trews and baselayer. We’re lucky in having very soft water, so it goes further! We use a delicate synthetic cycle to be safe. We’re not sure if they’re delicate but they’re certainly one of the most expensive items you’ll ever put in a washing machine (excepting that time your mobile found its way in).

2 – Proof ‘em! You now put on another cycle, adding the stated amount of TX – Direct proofer into the drawer (100ml for soft water and 2 items). Now there is a use but date on the bottle. I ignored this on my 5 litre bottle, thinking that this is just marketing. I’ll vouch for Nikwax that it’s wise to heed their advice after my waterproofs gradually ceased to live up to their name. It seems like the proofer separates out and I was finding sticky little balls, similar to wood glue on my newly proofed items. Using new proofer, my waterproofs are back to as new and bead wonderfully.

3 – Dry them on the line and that is it! You don’t need to tumble dry and line drying in the sun can be good for killing off bacteria in the fabric, and reduce smell. Not to mention being cheaper and more environmentally responsible.

Washing waterproofs for the first time can be daunting, but for Paramo gear it’s a very simple matter. Next time you wash them, you probably won’t need to proof as well, and you’ll probably be fine to proof every 3 or 4 washes, but you’ll need to work that one out yourselves as it depends on how grimy the gear is before you wash it, the water and other factors.

If you find that your gear is really in need of some TLC, then Paramo recommend dry cleaning the item first before following the steps above. I did this, but found that it didn’t really get the jacket any cleaner than it was and there was still some soap residue. I reckon only a bit of manual scrubbing with a soft brush will get rid of this.

So What is Couch to 5K?

It was developed by Josh Clark, who wanted a plan that could get even the most unfit person into running gradually. With the Couch to 5k your body will get used to running slowly and so you won’t just end up collapsed 200 yards down the road, vowing never to run again! It works by mixing walking and running to build up stamina over time. For example in the first week you will start your workout with a brisk five minute walk, then begin alternating a minute of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for around half an hour. The plan is spread over nine weeks, with three runs per week. Each run is a realistic half an hour, with a day of rest in between. To see the full nine week plan visit http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

Couch to 5K Podcasts

The NHS has created podcasts to help motivate anyone undertaking the Couch to 5k. They guide you through the workout, making is easier to know exactly when to run or walk. They also include some music to motivate you further (although I’m not sure it is to everybody’s taste!) If you want to download the podcasts for free go to NHS Podcasts.

You could take it at the easiest level and just get out walking more. Even if you’re a proper weekend walker, getting an hour or two’s easy walking in during the week helps burn calories, gets your legs going and has a lot less impact than running.

If you’re just setting out, then try this article especially if you’ve not done any exercise in a while. If you’re a little fitter, then perhaps you can start off on country walking and enjoy the countryside. There are a few routes here to get you started (though mainly Wales and the Marches at the moment – this coverage is continually improving).

Of course, there’s also running, that makes an excellent way to get fit if you do it properly with an appropriate training plan.If you don’t then you’ll just get injury upon injury and unless you’re a glutton for punishment, will go find something else to do instead. One tried and tested method is the Couch to 5K method. This is designed for anyone who hasn’t run – as the name suggests literally from sitting on your sofa doing nothing to completing your first 5k. Emma’s written an article to get you started here.

It’s good to have a goal before setting off, so registering for a race might be one way to inspire you. You’re probably better off starting off with a 5k or 10k initially, building up to longer races as your fitness improves. If I’ve persuaded you to keep that cash rather than shelling out on an expensive gym membership, then a GPS watch can help motivation. Of course, some will argue that you don’t need anything more than a normal watch and you should run by time not distance. I find that since using a GPS watch, I try variations on my runs where I know immediately how far I’ve added. Without it, I’d have stuck to the route in case I bit off more than I could chew.

Of course, you could always go on one of the many fad diets out there. If you look at this link, then you’ll realise that this is probably not a realistic option for me. Often people are taken in with these, when all they need to do is use a bit of common sense and moderation at mealtimes. Cutting down my cereal portions in the morning and avoiding the mid-morning sausage roll from the snack trolley along with portion control on my evening meal will be my main actions. Avoiding crappy empty calories such as crisps and fizzy drinks and eating more fruit and possibly veg (though I’m hoping pork pie can be classified as a veg) along with an active lifestyle and a ban on take aways should be all I need to do.

Personally, I’m hoping to get back running in the next month as I’ve been struck off since November. At least though, there’s always the mountains, and even If I can’t run I can still get up in them hills (if not quite doing the challenges I’d like)

Shangri-la 3 and Nest - just because it’s a tipi and, like a fez, they’re cool.

Klymit inertia Sleeping Mat- Mad as a bag of cats, cutting edge sleeping mat from this company from across the pond.

OMM 32 Classic Pack – Keeping with the yellow theme, here’s a pack that’s really seen it all. We’d buy a new one, but they’re only available in blue, and blue’s boring.

Kelly Kettle We certainly had fun testing this bit of kit out last spring. Not the easiest bit of kit to use, but rewarding and useful in the right conditions. Honorourary yellow.

GSI Mini Espresso Maker - We may not have been overly impressed with this in the end (it’s green, not yellow), but it was tested on my favourite wild camp of 2011. In fact, along with my Snowdon and Glyderau wild camp, this was the only one I had both a decent evening and morning during the whole year. Lets hope for a better 2012.

And Finally, in typical Mud and Routes tradition, here are just a few more selections to ensure any number given in the post is hopelessly inaccurate.

Android Apps – we did a comprehensive review of all the free running apps  in June and the second lot following in July, along with the best Outdoor and Mapping apps.

1 Run a race you’ve never done before. The Snowdonia Marathon entries for 2012 open today so why not take up the challenge? Or if you’ve never run, why not challenge yourself to do a 5 or 10k this year?

3.5 / 5  Nice and steady and you’re there.

2 Start fell running – Fed up of running on the flat, take it one step further. Choose a fell run`that appeals and train for it. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a race, you could aim to run your favourite summit and then look at a race?

2 / 5 Too much like hard work, I’m going to need to lose the extra stone from Christmas first!

3 Up your mtb level - Take on that black or downhill course you’ve always chickened out of! Maybe the Beast of Brenin, or even better to devise a wilderness route and complete it as a bikepack.

4 / 5 This sounds like the most fun, and you can always bypass the tricky bits, right?!

4 – Take a few weeks off work and do a proper long distance path. My choices would be the Cambrian Way, Pennine Way or the Cape Wrath Trail. Though the idea of Offa’s Dyke along with a cosy pub each evening doesn’t sound too unpleasant!

3 / 5 Ok if you’ve got more than the usual 20 day’s annual leave, are retired or single.

5 – Choose a long distance Cycling challenge - Maybe Lands End to John o’ Groats? My choice would be Cardiff to Caernarfon. The usual is fromCardiff to Holyhead, but that’s just strange and leaves me with the problem of returning home. When they decide that the Lands End to John o’ Groats route starts in the Scilly Isles and ends in the far north of the Shetlands, I’ll cycle to Holyhead. Until then, I’ll do my own South-North challenge. Another reason for doing it this way is that you need to book a train space for the bike and I’d rather have an awkward guard this end where I’m a 15km cycle from home than in Cardiff where a return 300km trip may not be quite as straightforward.

4/5  This should get me going out on the bike this spring!

6 – Enter a Mountain Marathon – There’s the Saunders in the Lakes in July, or the OMM just about anywhere at the end of October for the hard nuts. If you’re reasonably fit and can navigate, then it’s worth entering just for the craic. Unless you’re elite though, you have to compete with a partner.

2.5/ 5 It’s hard enough to organise people for a day walk, let alone get them training for this!

7 – Choose a map and walk all the summits on it! Quite a challenge, but check your map first. The Lake District BMC map covers about all the summits in the lakes so if you can complete that one in a year, you’ll be doing well. Other options are the OS Fort William map that contains The Ben, Grey Corries and Mamores. I’ve only got to bag the Mamores and the Aonach peaks, so maybe a little easy? For me, the Snowdonia South BMC map has to be the choice as there are still enough peaks to keep me interested, and it means more lovely routes for Walk Eryri!

4.5 / 5  This sounds like the sort of challenge that’ll get you out and about!  

So it looks like I’ll be completing all the South Snowdonia summits, Cycling from Cardiff To Caernarfon, re-entering the Snowdonia Marathon and tackling some harder MTB routes this year!

How about a decent bottle of whisky? If you know someone who likes a decent single malt, then you should know better than to get them a bottle of Bells or such nonsense. The minimum level we’re talking about is a bottle of Talisker or another of those you see on the top shelf of bars, usually at a fair few quid a shot. I could explain how the water that’s used in the distillation process and the peat enhances the flavour of the uisge and how it gives it more body. Well I can’t, but I know what’s smooth and what gives me that yech face to know what I like when I taste it.

So what’ll it be? You can go for the usual single malts, or you could really go for one of the more expensive whiskys out there – such as this 40 year old Glenfiddich  from Fortnum and Mason. It’ll only set you back a little less than two grand.  Though for that you do get the world’s best whiskey as voted by the world’s leading whisky experts who proceeded to award it a gold medal, which was nice of them.

Michael Jackson stated that:

It makes such good company that I am reluctant to share it.

At that price, I can hardly blame him for hiding it under his coat and sneaking out a sly tot every now and then. Just for the record, it’s not that Michael Jackson.

Of course, your common or garden variety of whisky drinker will not spend that much on a bottle and you’ll find that they’ll be quite happy to open a present containing one of the usual Taliskers, Juras or Glenmorangies of this world. The only time they’ll be happier is a few hours after proceeding to open the contents of said present. Not only will they appreciate it, but the fact that you’re still looking at posts for Christmas gift ideas at this late hour means that a trip over to T**** or A***DA might be your only hope. Unless you want a divorce, then don’t even think of going down their camping aisle, head straight for wines and spirits.

What better gift than the water of life itself, something that’s just too good to crack open and share with Famous Grouse drinkers on the 25th. Better to savour it, to wait until that snow’s fallen and you can get out for a bothy trip, wild camp or even a snow holing expedition. What better way to surprise your companions than to produce that out of your pack as it gets dark, along with a few icicles to drop into it. Pour out three or four large measures, depending on the size of your group and then proceed to drink them one at a time. Well this really is too good to share with just anyone!

It doesn’t get much better than that.