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Super Hill Foods 3 – The Humble Pork Pie

By Dave Roberts   

on September 15, 2011    4/5 (1)

Posted in Outdoor Articles, Walkinghill food, mnom mnom

Super Hill Foods 3 – The Humble Pork Pie

Much maligned by the healthy salad brigade, the humble pork pie is the king of the mountain packup. What else, bar solid lard, can pack so many calories into such a tidy savoury parcel?

Available in many different varieties, the Melton Mowbray is certainly one of the kings of the pork pies, as are the many local varieties you can get.

Some of the service station brands leave a lot to be desired, and we’re naming no names, with the one illustrated being the only edible ones we seem to be able to get around Snowdonia without going to a supermarket. However, the proper butchers’ variety still wins hands down!

Two buffet pies pack discreetly into your overnight pack and are usually ok for the following day, providing you’ve not eaten them the previous night, and pack plenty of calories for the hungry hillgoer. The greedy hiker can even go for the family size, if they so desire, but will either need a knife, big gob or be willing to dislocate their jaw in a similar manner to how a snake eats its prey.

What are the alternatives? Of course, there will be those who say you should feed the body healthily on the mountain, something with whole grain and hummus. In a whipping gale and rain, a sandwich will be pulp before the second bite. There’s so much fat on a pie that they’r practically waterproof and about the only thing that can effect it is if you pack it on the outside of your pack in mid winter and you then have a greasy armpit for the rest of the day (how else am I meant to defrost it?) As for the other options, the sausage roll that’s excellent when cold is a rare beast, and one I’m yet to find. Cornish pasties have too much veg in them, and if you want that sort of thing you may as well take some raw carrot.

And finally,what about the scotch egg? Bright orange and best eaten with a bottle of Iron Bru, the jury’s still out on that one!

What’s good: High in calories and compact.

Not so good: Probably not too healthy and not the best option for vegetarians.

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Dave Roberts

Dave Roberts founded Walk Eryri in 2004, with the aim of providing routes that are off the beaten track. Walk Eryri is now part of Mud and Routes which continues to provide more off beat routes and walks in Snowdonia and beyond. Dave has been exploring the hills of Eryri for over thirty years, and is a qualified Mountain Leader. Dave also established Walk up Snowdon, Walk up Scafell Pike and Walk up Ben Nevis just to mention a few.

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