The Great Outdoors

1 week ago | thegreatoutdoorsmag.com | Francesca Donovan

“Everything beyond that wall is the national park,” said Derek, the driver who’d picked us up from Cork airport and driven us into Killarney town where we were to stay for the Wander Wild festival weekend in early April. It was a pretty stone wall, well maintained, mossy in all the right places. On the brief hour’s journey north-west through the undulating landscape of West Ireland, Derek explained that he’d visited Killarney National Park two decades ago on holiday from Poland.

1 week ago | thegreatoutdoorsmag.com | Francesca Donovan

The humble bothy provides shelter and camaraderie in the most remote landscapes in the UK. Some hillwalkers seek them to enjoy warmth, others to be a part of their shared history. Either way, bothy nights are sure to provide some of your finest mountain evenings spent in front of the fire. Here is a selection of the best bothy walks in Britain as well as detailed routes explaining how to reach your overnight destination.

1 week ago | thegreatoutdoorsmag.com | Alex Roddie

You don’t have to head to the biggest mountains to find enjoyable rock for scrambling. One such hill is An Groban, a rugged and rocky peak of 383m that punches far above its weight. It’s situated above the delightful Flowerdale Glen, well known for its waterfall and wildflowers. The peak is mostly rock, and home to a number of climbs as well as some easier scrambles thanks to its friendly slabby rock.

2 weeks ago | thegreatoutdoorsmag.com | Katy Dartford

In Eryri/Snowdonia’s wild and weathered Ogwen Valley, between the flanks of Tryfan and the Glyderau, stands a solid stone building that has witnessed a century of British climbing history. This May, Helyg – Britain’s oldest purpose-acquired climbing hut – is 100 years old. Helyg was obtained by the Climbers’ Club in 1925 and has been the launchpad for countless adventures, a shelter from Snowdonia’s storms and a gathering place for generations of climbers.

3 weeks ago | thegreatoutdoorsmag.com | Francesca Donovan

Elli Schneider grew up in Germany, spending Summers in the mountains. But it wasn’t until adopting her dog Otto, during a difficult lockdown, that she truly discovered trail magic. Otto is a stray who had been shot before being taken in by a shelter to spend his days in a cage. This is all Elli knows of his past, but their shared present on the trail is specia.