Kit me out for
The gear you need for planning a perfect trip
Make 2017 your most exciting outdoors year yet, with a little help from Trail… A MAPS
Clear a space, spread your maps out and you’ll have a brilliant view of the land. This makes it easy to choose the route you want to follow. PICTURED: Harvey Maps Dartmoor North & Dartmoor South £12.95 each
B MOON CHART
If you’ll be camping, it’s helpful to know which phase the moon is in. At its fullest, on a clear night you can often see a surprising amount without a torch. Check it out on www.moonconnection.com PICTURED: Moon Phases Calendar £free
C NORTHERN LIGHTS ALERT
Always wanted to see the Aurora Borealis? Get an alert to your mobile or email to notify you when and where the Northern Lights can be seen. PICTURED: AuroraWatch UK Alerts £free
D MICRO ADVENTURES
If you don’t have the time or cash to get out on a big trip, then consider a mini adventure. Make the most of long weekends – or even just 24 hours. Find inspiration with Alastair Humphreys. PICTURED: Micro Adventures by Alastair Humphreys £17
E NATIONAL TRUST MEMBERSHIP
Get free access to National Trust sites and free parking in its car parks. You’ll also be helping the NT protect these sites for generations to come. PICTURED: National Trust membership £31.50-111
F MUNROS BOOK
A Munro is a Scottish mountain standing over 3,000ft in height. Challenge yourself to tick off all 282 of them (or as many as you can!). PICTURED: The Munros SMC Hillwalker’s Guide £23
GUIDEBOOKS
Fancy a wee bit of exposure? Pick out and plan for exciting walks and scrambles in Scotland. PICTURED: Scotland’s Mountain Ridges by Dan Bailey £18.95
G OS MAPS
Download Trail routes or plot your own with access to Ordnance Survey maps on your phone, tablet or computer with the OS Maps app. PICTURED: OS Maps digital mapping £24pa (FREE to Trail subscribers!)
H SCHOOL TIMETABLE
Avoid the school hols for reduced prices and quieter hills. Find out when the local schools are off through school or council websites. I STRING Take a length of string, place one end at your start point and use it to trace your route. Measure the string against the map scale and – hey presto! – you have a rough idea of distance. PICTURED: The Works Cotton String £1
J TRAIL SUBSCRIPTION
Find inspiration within the pages of this esteemed organ, as well as information on the skills you need for getting out there.You get [G] free, too. PICTURED: Trail subscription from £31 see page 56
K WAINWRIGHT BOOKS
The classic English hillwalking challenge is to climb all 214 Wainwrights. Find a beautifully illustrated run-down of each Lakeland walk in AW’s celebrated Pictorial Guides. PICTURED: Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells by Alfred Wainwright £100
L YHA/SYHA MEMBERSHIP
Save yourself £3 a night by joining the YHA in England and Wales, or the SYHA in Scotland. You’ll be contributing to the hostels’ running and maintenance – especially important in the remoter mountain areas. There are loads of membership benefits, too. PICTURED: YHA membership £5-40
M COFFEE*
Keep yourself well-supplied during planning. Nothing beats mulling over future adventures with a mug of coffee in hand – apart from actually going out on those adventures, of course! (*Other hot beverages are available.)
N NOTEPAD
Jot all your thoughts down so you can keep track of places to explore, plan distances, potential stop-overs, food to take and other essentials. PICTURED: Moleskine Notepad £10.95