Helen Skelton encourages us all to get out and go wild on
Adventure awaits in Britain’s beautiful countryside – so why not lace up your boots and embark on an exhilarating autumn walking challenge, says Countryfile presenter Helen Skelton
It’s hard to put into words how much of a sense of freedom I get from being outdoors and in the wilderness. If I’m surrounded by buildings and manmade structures for too long, I get a bit anxious and claustrophobic. I need to see a field, a lake, a river or a mountain stretching out in front of me.
Spending time outdoors is a grounding experience. The landscape is humbling: it makes you realise that you’re at the mercy of the elements and nature. I like nothing more than getting to the end of a day spent outdoors and feeling the ache in my limbs and windburn on my face from a long walk. It helps me sleep, boosts my appetite and is far more rewarding than a session in a gym.
There are so many incredible walks to choose from all over the UK. We live on a tiny island, relatively speaking, but the landscapes we have here easily rival some of the most beautiful in the world. We are extremely lucky: on our doorstep we have beaches, cliffs, moorlands, rivers, hills and mountains. Trying to decide which location to explore is often more difficult than actually exploring it.
And we are also blessed with changing seasons: thanks to the colours, the light and the weather, the same walk can feel very different depending on the time of year you do it. For me, the most rewarding of the four seasons has to be autumn.
HUES IN THE HILLS
The best thing about autumn is the colour. As the landscape becomes a dense tapestry of red, gold and orange, it suddenly seems as though there are more leaves, more trees and more woodland. Harlow Carr Gardens near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, and the Meanwood Valley Trail out of Leeds, West Yorkshire are both wonderful places to experience all the subtle variations in colour.
It is also my favourite time of year to walk in the hills. The Scottish Highlands are, without a doubt, at their best in autumn, when the mountains turn from green to rich purples and oranges.
But for breathtaking views whatever the season, I’d recommend Cow and Calf Rocks on Ilkley Moor in West Yorkshire. It’s quite a challenge climbing them, which is why doing so feels more daring than a normal walk and offers an adrenaline rush that you don’t get from following a gentle path. It’s perfect if you want a workout as well as fresh air and gives you the chance to get up high and take in a view that changes all year round. And what a view. It’s a very welcome reward after such a steep climb.
Otley Chevin in West Yorkshire is another challenging climb that offers beautiful yearround views (and, like Cow and Calf Rocks, is within easy reach of the nearby town). But being Cumbrian, my heart will always belong to the Lake District. I grew up walking those fells in all weathers and seasons, and I think there is nothing more special than a big hill walk that gets your lungs burning and brings you to a view you’ve never seen before.
THE EDGE OF DANGER
When hill-walking, it is the unpredictability of the terrain and the challenge of finding a route that appeals to me. I like the small element of risk and that there are consequences to getting it wrong. It sounds strange, but I think I thrive on a sense of danger. Out on the fells, especially as the days get shorter, you have to take responsibility for yourself. This includes being skilled in navigation and ensuring you have the right kit, as I have learned over the years. Always tell someone your planned route and what time you expect to be back. Take a waterproof and an extra layer – a light down jacket is a sensible option. Good boots with ankle support and grippy soles are perhaps the most important item of clothing at this time of year, when the ground is damp and it’s easy to slip.
I love walking up Blencathra in the Lake District. I can remember my gran explaining to me when I was little how it looks like a horse’s saddle sitting on the horizon. I can’t tell you about one route up or down, because I’ve climbed it so many times and have so many happy memories of it. The beauty of Blencathra is that it can be as difficult or as easy as you want. As a teenager, I would sneak out of school early with my friends and scramble up the fell near Mungrisdale to go wild swimming in the tarn.
When I was training for an adventure to the South Pole and I needed to build my strength and endurance fitness, I used to
“I like the small element of risk and that there are consequences to getting it wrong”
cycle from my parents’ house in Kirkby Thore to the bottom of the fell and start my ascent from the A66. I think the first section is by far the hardest, as it’s so steep. In summer you need to be ready to dodge sheep and weave through bracken. Then the path winds around to the back of the first fell and flattens out towards a gorge. That’s when the walk for me really starts. You can’t see any roads, buildings or anything manmade. The landscape swallows you up and you’re surrounded on three sides by the Lake District’s most glorious fells.
The most challenging route to the top of Blencathra is Sharp Edge. It’s a true scramble and at times you’ll be on all fours trying to keep your balance on the jagged rocks. Some people use ropes; I rely on nerve. I won’t lie that I find it nail-biting, but that’s why I love it. Going up is definitely easier than coming down, which is rare in mountain walking. I once stupidly went up on a bad day, and when wet, those rocks are treacherous. I wouldn’t advise that!
PEAK EXPERIENCE
Even if you don’t choose Sharp Edge, the climb to the summit is still testing. The steps and stones are large – for my legs, anyway. You need both lung and leg power. But arriving at the top is like popping up into one of the best views in the Lakes. While you’ve been climbing, the view has been hidden and you can’t imagine where you are heading. When you reach the top, you can suddenly see for miles. I can sit for hours looking at the view, and I have done.
Whatever the weather, I recommend taking a sweet treat and a fleece for the summit. Even on a sunny day there can be a nip in the air. In autumn or winter, when there might be snow, it can be bitingly cold. But one of the most comforting and satisfying things about an autumn or winter walk is that you have the perfect excuse to curl up beside the fire once you’re home.