PATAGONIA Stonycroft

RRP: £90 Target price: £82

For a US brand, Patagonia have been giving their trousers some wonderfully Lake Districty names recently: Causey Pike, Stonycroft and High Spy are all part of their newest range, and you’ll find their namesakes (two hills and a gill) just outside Keswick. It’s a neat way to explain what these trousers were designed for: UK hillwalking. The Stonycrofts (women’s High Spy) are tough, robust and a little bit stretchy; not so technical that you feel obliged to scale an Alp, but far above the basic remit of walking trousers. There are five zipped pockets (2x waist, 2x rear, one cargo – but it’s too narrow to take an OS map), and you get articulated knees, DWR finish and UPF 40 sun protection woven in. The hems aren’t adjustable and they flap a little, but there’s a clever inbuilt belt that adjusts the waistline quickly and easily. It’s a classy package, and its nylon content is 67% recycled, in line with Patagonia’s eco-friendly focus. Only one quibble: noise. They are swishy and slightly crinkly, which isn’t great if you’re a keen wildlife watcher. But in all other respects, a slick and hard-wearing option for happy fellwanderers. NH