It has come to the time of year in North West England that dry sunny days are rare. I saw one coming up and arranged my work around it and set about planning a day walk in the Yorkshire Dales. In the wetter months, the Dales is a great place to walk because the underlying limestone means it is almost free of mud if you avoid the motorway which is the Three Peaks “Challenge” route and a couple of over moist spots. On a previous walk I had walked past the entrance of Crummack Dale and was entranced by it’s beauty. The combination of limestone outcrops and different coloured vegetation ranks this small Dale as the one I rate as the most beautiful on the whole National Park. Having chosen a route up the Dale and across the limestone pavement to the North, then came the question of what to use as a return route. The valley to the West (Ribblesdale) is not very attractive at this point, and so I plotted a route which took me along the length of the ridge from Park Fell (where I camped in June) to Ingleborough.
Flashback – my last visit to Park Fell in June 2025
Ideally I would have descended via Little Ingleborough so as to enjoy walking through Trow Gill, but I needed to keep the walking time down to around 5 ½ hours so that I could complete the loop in daylight. Thus my descent from Ingleborough had to take a section of the motorway which leads to Horton. Nevertheless this proved to be the best day walk I’ve enjoyed in months – filled with exclamations of delight!
When I return to Crummack Dale, and I certainly will, I will do so when there is more light and extend the route via Trow Gill, not only to enjoy this beautiful feature, but also to keep off the Three Peaks motorway which was the only lacklustre section of my route.
Description
There is parking for 4-5 cars next to the track to Alum Pot just north of Selside. I parked here and walked a short distance on the B6479 to meet a footpath that takes you across the fields to meet up with the path up the NE end of Park Fell. The sheep were friendly and the natural limestone supporting wall named Bent Hill Rigg on the map was really attractive. There is something about the texture of limestone that appeals to me. I was soon at the ‘Wild Ingleborough’ Ranger buildings and turning left up the steep drag which would be over half of my days height gain.
On reaching level ground, rather the heading to the Trig Point as I did last time, I took the path the right, aiming to make the best of the views down into Twisleton Dale and across to Whernside and the Scales Moor pavement. It is around 2 ½ miles along this ridge from Park Fell to the Ingleborough summit.
I was going to skip the summit, but the sun was so glorious, and I had started my day an hour ahead of plan, so I continued to the shelter cairn / cross on the summit and sat down for an energy bar. On my return, to pick up my path to Nick Pot, the temperature of the wind was brutally cold. I had to use my buff and hat together to fashion a balaclava as any exposed skin hurt. The descent to Nick Pot was unremarkable and I was very pleased to turn off on the Dales High Way route towards Crummack. I’ve enjoyed this section before, did this time and will again. I would like to re-walk the Dales Highway again in the next couple of years. I had my lunch with a view over Crummack Farm and into Crummack Dale itself – glorious!
The pictures of the different views and features of Crummack Dale itself are more eloquent than words so I’ll allow them to speak…
What is worthy of note, is that when you climb out of the head of the valley and over the Scar to the top, you find yourself on something akin to a miniature High Cup Nick. And like its’ big brother they is a area of flat grass running right to the edge of the Scar which is crying out to be camped on. What views you would have, down the Dale, and up to Ingleborough in one direction and Pen-y-Ghent in the other. I’ll be back!
Traversing around the top of the Scar opened up ever better views of Pen-y-Ghent and whilst navigating over the clints and grykes required significant concentration the limestone pavement was interspersed with sections of grassy path meaning the rough of sections of the path never became annoying. A final climb to Beggars Stile brought me within a few hundred meters of my outbound route, but the aim of the day was to explore my favourite Dale, not to be efficient.
Pendle Hill seen over the limestone pavement
I soon joined the Pennine Bridleway (which would be an awesome route for a horse tour) and was on my ‘walk out’ to Selside. Often a walk out is a necessary evil, but not in this case. Whilst nothing could compare to the views within Crummack Dale, I still had Pen-y-Ghent laid out before me and a wide smooth path underfoot. Navigated my way through the farm at Borrin was a challenge due to a number of options and a lack of signs. I’ll know the right way to go next time!
What a great day it had been. Whilst the days are shorter in the winter, the low sun and quality of winter light really shows the texture of the landscape and the rock at its very best. Next time I’ll get up even earlier so I can start walking before the sun rises and be able to extend my route via Trow Gill. Even without this, it was a truly excellent day.
This two day walk started from Bampton, where it is possible to park at the Memorial Hall for a modest donation – Overnight parking options in the Lake District are very limited, and this opened up a walk to joining the Roman Road of ‘High Street’, onwards to the eponymous peak and the surrounding fells.
Day 1 – Bampton to Kentmere Pike : 12 miles / 930 m HG
Different from most launch points in the Lakes, this walk starts over farmland and offered an easy shallow gradient ascent up to the 670 m Wainwright of Wether Hill. I wanted to go for a two day walk in the East of the Lake District because the ground is easier on the feet than the preponderance of exposed rock one finds in the West of Cumbria. Whilst Wether Hill is nothing remarkable in itself, as soon as you reach the top a view over to the Helvellyn range suddenly opens up to you.
This view then keeps your company all the way onto the top of High Raise which, today, was awash with people pushing mountain bikes up to the summit. Why one would choose to push a bike to the top of a hill escapes me, when you could more easily walk up without one…
Having woken early to drive up to Cumbria from Lancashire I choose to have an early lunch on High Raise, eating oat cakes and drinking in the view.
With most of the height gain now behind me it was an easy walk along the ridge. Looking West it was possible to see Great Gable poking out from a cloud inversion. The cloud had not yet settled into the nearer Patterdale or over Haweswater.
At the col I got a superb view down Riggindale to the head of Haweswater, which is where I went with Mrs W for her Birthday Walk the previous year
Looking East it was possible to pick out the tracking station on top of Cross Fell, shining pure white in the sunshine. This brought back happy memories too. I was soon on Mardale Ill Bell where I collected my water for the night. Normally I seek out flowing water, but that was not an option here. The stagnant tarn did not look appealing, but I knew in theory (and would find later to be true in practice) that my Sawyer Filter would render it safe to drink.
The water looked much less appealing on closer inspection!
On Harter Fell I again enjoyed the views, and turned off of the main drag to walk a section of the Kentmere Horseshoe out to Kentmere Pike. The view from Harter Fell had been dramatic…
… So as I walked out towards my planned camping spot my mind was tinged with regret that I had not simply pitched on Harter Fell itself. However, this regret proved unwarranted. Whilst the view that greeting my upon first arrival at Kentmere Pike was only modest, I could not have even dreamed how that was to change as the sun set. I pitched my tent and enjoyed reading my book in the evening sunshine.
Directly after eating dinner the mist started to descend and hover around the tent, but then as the sun dipped below the horizon, the temperature dropped sharply and all the mist rolled off of the fell and pooled in the valleys.
Prior to the mist rolling spectacularly away
The speed at which is rolled off the hill was something I was blessed and amazed to experience. But more spectacular scenes were about to unfold with one of the finest sunsets I’ve seen in the UK.
Day 2 – Kentmere Pike to Bampton : 14 miles / 280 m HG
I slept soundly for ten hours and awoke to an equally impressive sun rise and clear views over the local cloud inversion.
By 0730 I was back on the trail and loving the views into the cloud blanketed valleys.
My route descended into Mosedale and passed the Mosedale Cottage Bothy, a dwelling originally built to serve the elevated, but now redundant, quarry it sits below.
At this point I still had a further 9 miles to go, but the local scenery was by this stage unimpressive, and then invisible as I descended down into the cloud. Whilst I really enjoyed my walk to this juncture, this route out was less interesting on the ground than it had looked on the map. I wonder if I might have been better simply to go back out the way I came in, or at Gatescarth Pass (NY 473, 093) to drop down to the head of Haweswater and then follow the Coast to Coast path along the West shore of the Haweswater Reservoir?
I got my head down and upped my pace to get back to Bampton in time for a late lunch. Even though the walk-out was a bit of a slog, it had been an excellent weekend, offering great views which were enhanced still further by the spectacular sunset and sunrise over the cloud inversion.
This walk was another chance to use my Atompacks Prospector (Mo) pack which again proved really comfortable and very practical. I’m not like the popular YouTube influencers who change their gear more often than their socks, having put a good deal of thought and life experience into my kit choices, my only recent purchase has been the Atompack. Tried and trusted gear used on this trip included.
Tent – Hilleberg Enan : The best all round solo tent I’ve ever come across.
Stove – Alpkit Koro : A canister gas stove, and thus practical at all temperatures
Water filter – Sawyer Squeeze : Easy to use, easier to backflush than most other models too which bodes well for a long service life. The bags that come with it are very poor, but my substitute one litre HydraPak bladders have proved excellent.
Sleep Mat – Thermarest Prolite Apex : A little bit of luxury and something that allows me to take my sleeping bag beyond it’s theoretical temperature limit.
Sleep Bag – Rab Neutrino 200 : I’ve never owned a bag as well thought out and well made as a Rab, the 200 is good down to 4 C which covers a lot of the UK season in an ultralight package.
Jacket – Paramo Torres Activo : Heavily water resistant, light, packable and good down to 7 C when inactive (like a down puffy jacket but way more practical and machine washable)
The Dorset Coast Path forms part of the larger South West Peninsular Coast Path (SWCP), which at approx. 630 miles is the longest National Trail in the UK. Twice voted the ‘Best Long Distance Path in the UK’ by members of The Ramblers Association, it is a true gem.
As a Scout in the 80’s we regularly went backpacking, but of these walks the first one I actually enjoyed was a three day section of the Dorset Coast Path. Not only were the views and the variety of landscapes inspiring, it was the first multi-day walk I can recall doing without pain which probably explains the special place it has in my memory. Enjoying this walk sparked the interest to complete the whole SWCP over the following five years and from that grew a life long love of long distance trail walking.
Formally, the Dorset Coast path starts at Poole Harbour then heads West as far as Lyme Regis. For easy of public transport connections, and the lack of desire to walk the 3.3 mile Studland’s Beach section I started my walk in Swanage and walked to Charmouth.
Day 1 – Swanage to Worbarrow Tout – 16 miles
My bus dropped me outside of Swanage Station at 0940 and within five minutes I was on the coast.
Walking through Swanage brought back halcyon memories as I had spent my many summer weekends here as a child. Unlike the coastal resorts of the North West, Swanage remains well maintained, tasteful and attractive. I was soon at the lighthouse at Anvil point, away from the town and enjoying cliff top views
I took a break at Dancing Ledge and enjoyed watching groups of youth learning how to climb, abseil and coasteer. Dancing Ledge is noted for the tidal swimming pool which was blasted out from the rock shelf many years ago for the use of local prep schools. I enjoyed swimming in this as a child and seeing the anemones living in the shallows. The next highlight was the Winspit Quarry. We walked here a a family in 1981 and I still remember the excitement of seeing people set up the area as a film set for an episode of Blake’s 7, my absolute favourite TV programme of the time. Despite my begging, my parents would not let me stay on to see the filming. I had to wait a long four months to see that episode screened and recognise the location.
Just as in 1981, I could not linger, so I walked on to the top of St Aldhelm’s Head where I could enjoy a view over Chapman’s Pool whilst eating my lunch.
After lunch, the 100’s of steps which are etched into my childhood memories of this area meant that my walking pleasures were now hard won. The views down the coast, the patterns in the cliffs and the sight of sailing boats plying down the coast are all fabulous though. I am pleased to say that the path to the top of Houns Tout (the headland shown above) has been rerouted and opened after a significant cliff fall closed the original path in April 2024.
There are no campsites directly on the coast on this stretch. Originally I thought I would walk inland to the campsite at Worth Matravers but because I was able to get an earlier bus than I originally planned I had the opportunity to walk further than I had initially scheduled. Long story short, I reasoned that for a wild-camp the least populous and least tourist infested area in the next few miles would be the Lulworth Ranges so I walked on.
After collecting water at Kimmeridge Bay I entered the firing range which is not active in the school summer holidays. I found a good potential pitch approaching the top of Tyneham Cap, but for reasons beyond my ken I continued on. Momentarily I regretting this decision as there was nowhere flat to camp for the next 30 minutes, but lady luck shone on me as I reached Worbarrow Tout where I found a quiet picnic area next to the beach. There was a CCTV camera watching the bay (!) but I found a spot outside of it’s range and pitched up for the night. One of the rangers did rock up later that evening, but he simply smiled and gave me the thumbs up.
Sunset over Worbarrow Bay
Day 2 – Worbarrow Tout to Redcliff Point – 12 miles / 4 pints
I woke to a beautiful morning view over the bay –
As I started my day I walked past a number of other potential wild camping spots which were more isolated than that which I’d used. Camping in the middle of the Flower’s Barrow Hill Fort might have been a fun option and far enough from the tourist track to have no one hassle you. The first highlights of the day were the iconic Lulworth Cove and the even more famous Durdle Door
Durdle Door
Man o’ War Cove
Roller Coaster
The path did a long of rising and falling and I was glad to have a light pack (11.5 kg including food and water). Lunch in the sunshine on White Nothe overlooking Ringstead Bay was beautiful. I hatched a plan to have a short day and enjoy a couple of beers and dinner in the Smuggler’s Inn in Osmington Mills. I can report that the Badger Beer and even their Helles Larger was very good. The food was disappointing and overpriced however – more of an calorie top up rather than a pleasurable meal. Next time I’d enjoy the beer and boil my own water for a rehydrated meal. My plan to stay in the local campsite was scuppered because they were full. So once again I was on the hunt for a wild camping pitch.
I passed through a ‘pop up’ glamping site with lines of white bell tents. I could not but feel sorry for the poor exploited souls staying there. The coastal field was significantly sloped. Assessing the pitches I saw, I’d estimate that only around 20% were on ground level enough to consider camping upon. Then there were the showers…
Shocking. I bet it wasn’t cheap either. I quickly dismissed the ideas of asking for a backpacker’s pitch because of the way they were cynically exploiting so many families. A review of the map suggested that the very tip of Redcliffe point should be flat and far enough away from the path to be secluded and not cause any negative impact.
The map didn’t lie, and I had a better pitch than any of the glampers – in my case with a fabulous view across Weymouth Bay to the Isle of Portland.
Day 3 Redcliffe Point to West Bexington / Cogden Beach – 23 miles
Despite its’ feeling of splendid isolation, Redcliffe Point was only a 20 minute walk from the outskirts of Weymouth and I was soon yomping along the seafront prom at a good pace. On the previous evening I had reviewed the weather forecast, which promised even more hours of sunshine than it had a week previously and, now, absolutely no chance of any rain. Once in the town centre I found a really helpful sub-post-office which could sell me a giant padded envelope into which I stashed my waterproofs and my trousers (fear not, I had my shorts on!) which I posted home. My windproof was good enough insurance against the unlikely event of a shower.
As with my last traverse of the SWCP I opted to skip walking around Portland Bill. When I had walked this section at sixteen the narrow sightedness of youth had convinced me that walking the shorter distance along Chesil Beach would be a better option that taking the official somewhat wiggly path on the edge of the mainland. I did not make that mistake again. Walking along ten miles of loose pebbles had been akin to torture. This section of the coast, between Portland and Abbotsbury was a lot less attractive than that which I had enjoyed up to now. On the positive side were the massive number of blackberries available next to the path. I ate so many as to only want a modest amount of lunch at midday. The views picked up once again whilst I was walking along the top of the Hanger into Abbotsbury. I pondered asking to camp in the Abbotsbury pub beer garden, but the quality of their beer selection was very poor indeed so I didn’t ask, didn’t have a beer, but instead got an excellent sorbet from the very fine Farm Shop Cafe.
By this point I had covered 19 miles, but the sugar in the sorbet gave me a welcome boost and I set off again with regained vigour and the aim to get to the well reviewed seafood restaurant in West Bexington. Very sadly, and despite a prestigious pace, I missed last orders, I had now walked 22 miles so did not fancy a two mile diversion inland to my planned campsite at Punchknowle. Whilst I would have loved a shower, all I really needed was a hot meal and to go directly to bed. Thankfully it was possible to take a footpath through the fields directly behind the extension of Chesil Bank from this point Westwards and avoid walking along the pebble bank. One I was far enough out of West Bexington I soon found somewhere suitable to for my tent, but it felt too early to risk a pitch. It was a glorious evening so I sat on top of the pebble bank and cooked my dinner and enjoyed my book.
I had a (well needed) wash in the sea and just as the light faded I pitched my tent and was soon dead to the world.
Day 4 – Cogden Beach to Charmouth – 12 miles
I awoke to another glorious sunny morning. I shook the internet and found that there were a number of cafe options in West Bay, so having missed out on a fine meal the previous night I opted to simply have a mug of Earl Grey to start the day and to treat myself to breakfast once in West Bay. I was back on the trail by 0630.
My route took me past the large campsite at Burton Freshwater.
I could hardly believe that people sought to get away from their crowded cheek by jowl housing in the South East to enjoy a break in an area with an even higher population density. The contrast to where I had pitched on the past three evenings could not have been more stark.
In West Bay I soon found my breakfast cafe (a sister establishment to the farm cafe in Abbotsbury) Whilst they were not yet formally open, they were happy for me sit on their terrace and use WiFi to review my options for the end of the day – would I stay in the campsite I’d already identified on the outskirts of Charmouth (the end of my planned walk) or had my early start meant I would be able to get a train back to Preston that very evening?
At a squeak before 0900 a motorbike roared up to the cafe, this turned out to be the breakfast chef. My Ultimate Breakfast Bap delivered exactly what it promised, I could not have hoped for better. With my tank refilled I set off. I had been really looking forward to this next, and my final, section of cliff path. I have strong memories of dragging myself, laden with a ca. 21 kg pack up to the top of Golden Cap some 28 years prior. How would my performance compare today?
I had a few more tops to cover before coming to Golden Cap itself.
Looking back…
Nearly there…
Headlands prior to Golden Cap
The cliffs East of West Bay
I had a couple of rest breaks on my way up to the top, but today that was due to the heat rather than the weight I was carrying. As the highest point of the Southern facing section of the SWCP, Golden Cap feels like a place of significance. Someone kindly offered to take my photo in front of the view, but looking at the result I am now in two minds whether this is how I would want to be remembered!
I now had just three miles until the end of my Dorset coastal walk. With the exception of the Chesil Beach section it had been wholly glorious. I was now racing along, full of joy and with the expectation of being able to get an evening train back to Preston at a sensible hour (little did I know what SW Trains still had in store for me…) I was delighted to have covered 12 miles and yet still caught the 1303 bus to Axminster railway station. My Ultimate Breakfast Bap really had delivered!
Final thoughts
The coast around the Isle of Purbeck is surely one of the very finest sections of coastline around the UK. Additionally, having the freedom of reviewing the map mid afternoon to decide where I would stop that night (rather than having a rigid schedule) took me right back to when I had walked the SWCP the first time. One of the great pleasures of backpacking is having with you all you need, so you can walk as little, or as far, each day as the mood takes you.
Apart from the shear pleasure of the scenery and the opportunity for warm nostalgia what I took away from this walk above all else is how the sense of scale of places and terrain in our memories can become out of proportion with reality. I remember the Kimmeridge Ledges as been a half day section of flat path, whereas it is only 3km in length. I recall 1000’s of steps up and down the headlands but the reality was in the 100’s. That is just two examples of features which were written much larger in my memory than I experienced re-walking this path some 28 years later.
I loved this walk the first time, and this time with a much lighter pack I loved it even more. With today’s materials and equipment designs you can have more comfort than was possible in the 1980’s aided by only having to carry 60% of the weight. This was the first ‘longer ‘walk I’d done with my Atompacks Prospector pack and with the pack loaded to capacity it was still extremely comfortable. Furthermore, the non-traditional aspects of its design made it very convenient to stash and access my gear, more so than a traditional pack design. After five years or regular use I continue to love also my Hilleberg Enan tent. For me it has the perfect balance of robustness, weight (1200 g) and space to be a secure, comfortable shelter that you know you can trust in a wide range of weathers.
Sometimes when you have the chance to get away for the weekend the weather in the fells simply isn’t that great. Then it’s a good idea to have a low level walk in your back pocket. This time I headed to Shropshire to explore the area around The Long Mynd.
Day 1 – Church Stoke to Stipperstones : 10.5 miles / 560 m HG
I had planned a shorter first day because I knew I would be starting the day with a 2 ½ hour drive. As it was, I woke early and actually starting walking at 0930.
The view back to Church Stoke
My first climb up Todleth Hill gave me a lovely view of the shapely Roundton Hill. Sadly as a descended Toldeth Hill the track I planned to take was very clearly labeled as ‘not a right of way’. There were so many of these signs on Day One wondered if I had strolled back in time to the heyday of the Third Reich. A cheeky diversion got me from a dead-end footpath (why?), over a fence and onto a pukka footpath parallel with my original planned route. Navigation of the next section continued to be something of a challenge as the bracken was tall and the path little walked.
Roundton Hill
However, as I started up Corndon Hill I left all these challenges behind me and was on a typical mid-Wales hillside which reminded me of where Mrs W taught me to ride a horse – high above the Wye Valley in Powys. Corndon proved a shapely hill with great views
Now it was time to descend into the valley and cross over to the Stipperstones ridge. Shelve Pool was very attractive and would have made a good place to camp for the night, where it not so low in elevation and surrounded by “Keep ‘orf ma’ land” signs. The next place of interest was the attractively named hamlet of The Bog. This was a former lead mining area and has an excellent visitors centre.
The cafe looked good (I just had a drink) and the information displays were surprisingly interesting even for a techy such as myself. So often such displays focus solely on the social history of the area. This is interesting, right enough, but they are not the whole story of an industrial area. I want to know about what was was being made or mined for, the geology which facilitated this and something about the engineering making this possible. All this was there there to be learned in this case. In addition the building had a clearly labeled outside tap which is such a blessing to walkers in low level areas where you you would be ill advised to harvest the river water due to the potential for contamination with agrochemicals
With my water stocks replenished I climbed the modest 150 m to get me onto the Stipperstones ridge. This ridge is notable for a number of silica outcrops along its spine.
The ridge was very popular with families which is great, except when you are looking for somewhere flat, quiet and unobtrusive to pitch a tent. My research had suggested that the area close to Shepherd’s Rock (SO 373,999) should be promising and so it proved to be. It was a warm and sunny afternoon so when I’d found a flat pitch, with a view of the Long Mynd and away from the path I stopped a read my book for an hour. An earlier than planned start, of course, meant and earlier than planned finish. Then to my good fortune a large black cloud filled the sky and all the families ran for cover fearing rain. The rain never came, but neither did the visitors return so I pitched up and made dinner.
It proved a quiet, undisturbed spot with fine views back down the ridge and over onto the Long Mynd. Anticipating rough ground I had chosen to bring my freestanding tent (Soulo – reviewed here)
Day 2 – Stipperstones to Plowden : 14 miles / 360 m HG
The descent into the next valley then gentle climb onto the Long Mynd was attractive.
In terms of interest close to hand, and views further away Day One proved the better. The top of the Long Mynd is pretty much featureless, and sadly the excellent views it must often afford were obscured by haze that day. All was not lost though, as my walk coincided with an endurance equestrian race so I was passed by many happy riders from mid-morning onward.
The easy terrain was a chance to step up the pace and I was easily achieving an average of 3.5 mph. Half way along the Mynd was a second unexpected highlight, the Midlands Gliding Club. This had escaped by notice during my planning. I got the full experience, seeing a glided by towed up for take off and seeing another land. The club offers an alternative route to the footpath which would otherwise go right across their runway, and not only was it is respectful to use the permissible path, it had so much more to offer. Since it is close to the edge of the ridge the views across Powys are immeasurably better and it also takes you via their clubhouse which offers toilets and a cafe open to the public. I left a generous deposit and walked on.
As I approached the end of the ridge I realised I hadn’t taken any real rest break all day, so I sat down at the top of the final descent for a snack and to drink in the views (the haze had by now significantly cleared). I was lost in my own thoughts when I saw a horse trot by, fully tacked up but without its rider. Something, I reasoned, was not right! It stopped 50 m ahead of me, so I opted to speak nicely to it and see if I could restrain it. It was a calm and very well mannered animal but was significantly (albeit not life threateningly) injured. I discovered later that it had run through a barbed wire fence and ditched its rider. Now I had an injured horse and needed to decide what to do. Thankfully, before I had time to ring the event organisers number which I had shaken from the internet, two other riders appeared who had a better number to call and we collectively agreed that I walk the horse down to the next checkpoint where there would be a vehicle waiting to take it to see an equine vet. Having been taught horse handling by Mrs W really paid off that day.
So an unexpectedly dramatic end to an enjoyable walk in the Shropshire Hills. The cloud had remained 1000’s of feet above the tops and I’d had a varied, attractive and interesting two days. I hitched a lift back to my car with a delightful woman who worked for a local agricultural charity, dropped the roof on my car and enjoyed a sunny drive home back to Lancashire.
I found a solution to using a hydration tube clip with the narrow webbing on Atompacks shoulder strap webbing. Inspired by the variety of uses which my current brewing client has for cable ties, I found they were an easy answer here too.
The North of the Peak District – known at the Dark Peak – has a number of small inland cliffs or ‘Edges’. These facilitate great views over the interleaving valleys and are often punctuated with attractive rock formations formed from the local Gritstone left behind where softer shale layers have been eroded away.
The route I choose had a number of objectives:
Link together as many named Edges as I could in a two day route.
Allow me to try, for the first time, my complete set of ‘ultralight’ backpacking kit
Using this ‘fast and light’ approach allowed for more miles per day (18 miles on day 2) – but with ease and comfort.
The Route
I chose the start and end points because they were connected by the railway. Because of the time it would take to drive to the start on day one, I split the distances unevenly (i) to allow for later start on the first day and (ii) because I’d seen photo’s of a great wild camping spot next to Back Tor. Because of the distance split and location of water sources, it made sense to do the walk East to West even though this meant initially driving to the end of the walk furthest from home.
Day 1 – Hathersage to Back Tor – 12.5 miles / 630 m height gain (HG)
After a very enjoyable drive over Snake Pass with the roof down, I arrived in Hathersage at 0945 and was walking by 1000. I had located two convenient places to park for 48 hours in the town, either in the railway station car park (only £2 / day and allowable for up to 7 days) or on Dore Lane.
An easily found footpath starts from near the railway station which steadily climbs, up through areas of woodland, to Hathersage Moor and then along the bottom of Burbage Rocks – my first Edge. The weather was glorious and there were many school groups out learning to climb up or abseil down these rocks. Stanage Edge was equally popular and more attractive still.
Stanage Edge
First sight of Burbage Rocks
I stopped for lunch after around 7 miles and was now free of the crowds. The next 2 ½ miles was a necessary joining section to get me to Derwent Edge (Edge 3) but the sun was cracking the flags so it was simply lovely to be out and to have such a light pack on my back (6.5 kg base weight plus ≤1 kg of water). Once I had ascended onto Derwent Edge the scenic highlights came thick and fast in the form of a number of really attractive gritstone tors. Wheel Stones, White Tor, Salt Cellar, Cakes of Bread and then my destination for the night, Back Tor.
I found three attractive places to pitch around the base of Back Tor. The wind was light and many flies were around so I choose the most exposed pitch so the breeze would keep them away. I would still be in the lea of the Torr with the weather coming from the East and have a ringside position to see the sun set over Kinder Scout.
Option 3
Option 1
Option 2
Having arrived at around 1530, I waited for a while before pitching my shelter. It was really lovely to sit on top of the Tor with my book and enjoy a dram of some orange infused Moonshine (whisky which is less than three years old) which I had helped design and made with one of my clients the previous Autumn. What could be a more apposite beverage on a fast and light weekend than dehydrated beer?
I enjoyed the sunset then drifted off to sleep. Rising and falling with the sun works really well for me.
A really positive feature of the Lofoten tent is being able to prop the door open as an awning, it would be too bold to say that this makes this micro shelter practical, but it does give the views you’d get from a tarp, with the wind protection of a tent and space to store you pack away from any dew or rain (so long as wind is not too strong).
Day 2 – Back Tor to Glossop – 18 miles / 500 m HG
I woke at 0530 to a glorious morning and was packed up and back on the trail just before 0700. My route initially took me downhill to the shore of the Derwent Reservoir where I collected water from a feeder stream, then it was back up to high ground again – this time Howden Edge. Reviewing the OSM map whilst writing this account I see that there are paths (albeit not formal footpaths) that could have taken me around the Abbey Brook ‘Clough’ without need to descend anywhere near as far. Worth noting. However given the prolonged dry period we had been enjoying would I have found water at the head of the brook?
Howden Edge was the least remarkable of the Edges on this walk, but it was not without it’s pleasures. More grit stone features and a great view to the, frankly very odd, Emley Moor Transmission Tower. This mast has the proud claim of being the tallest freestanding structure in the UK. Born in the same year as this author, it is now Grade II listed. I await my call from the Secretary of State for Culture…
The next high point, physically and metaphorically, was Bleaklow Stones were I enjoyed lunch in the lea of a rock which closely resembled a whales tale.
From this point it was mostly a ‘walk out’ with the final highlight being Dowstone Clough which marked the start of my winter wild walk to Kinder in 2023.
Then it was an easy stroll downhill into Glossop.
Getting back to the start – a useful lesson learned…
A major factor which defined this walk was the ability to return to my car using the train. However on the evening of the first day I thought I’d just check how much extra it would cost to get an Uber back rather than the train. The answer was just an an addition £2. (Suggesting that the either the rail fare was too high, or the Uber price too low – I suspect both to be true) In addition, because the train journey would involve heading into Manchester to get a second train back out to Hathersage, an Uber was a considerably faster option and one which allowed me to get home to my family in time for tea.
This hitherto unrealised option should open up many more linear walk options, since the cost difference between public transport and an Uber (for a 2-3 day walk) is so modest I / you do not need to be restricted to simply walk between places with a rail or bus connection; Termini served by Uber could offer yet further options.
My Fast & Light kit for this walk
(click through the links to see my more detailed review of each individual item)
Tent – Nordisk Lofoten – more of a luxury hooped bivvy than a tent in reality.
* Pack weight (inc. everything except water) 6.5 kg.
Let me say that again, just 6.5 kg plus 1 kg of water! Coming from an era when we worked on the basis of aiming for pack-weights just shy of 1/3 of your own bodyweight (25 kg for me) this pack-weight is nothing short of amazing, especially when you consider that the only compromise I made was to use a micro tent. The Lofoten, with a real world weight of 600 g (once you’ve added practical pegs and a polycro footprint) and a ultra-low packed volume offers benefits well worth the price you pay in interior space for three season 2-3 day walks. I would be unlikely to take it away for a week of backpacking, but my two days walks significantly outnumber my longer trips.
The pack, new to me last autumn, was supremely comfortable and proved highly practical. I could have got all my kit into a 40 L pack, but I have the 50 L pack as it is very little heavier than the 40 L version and it means I can also use it for longer tips or in the winter.
My sleep system did not compromise comfort in any way. In the UK it is surprising for how much of the year the temperature does not drop below the 4 C comfort rating of my Rab bag. If I expect to experience a borderline temperature I simply opt for a winter sleeping pad, a pair of long johns and some down socks, the extra weight of which is less than the 200 g of going for the next warmest bag in the Neutrino range.
Littledale Edge offers views not only into Littledale but also Newlands Valley to the North and Buttermere and the big fells beyond the lake to the South. I first walked this edge in the winter of 2020/21 but found myself in the cloud and missed out on the views. Two further attempts confirmed what I had previously suspected, that the the inside of all clouds look identical. After two months of near constant leaden saturnine skies over Lancashire my soul yearned to see the sun. Thankfully early January opened up a two day weather window. Faster than Elon Musk could tweet something inappropriate, I was packed and driving up the M6 aiming for Uzzicar just South of Braithwaite.
My route involved a challenging first day in terms of height gain, but a much easier second day. I split it this way to make the best of the weather and the availability of water for the overnight stop.
Day 1 – Uzzicar to Dale Head Tarn : 11.5 miles / 1650 m HG
A friend, Richard, I met via his wild walking blog had posted some beautiful photo’s of a walk on the Derwent Fells whose ascent started from an area of hardstanding / free parking near Uzzicar at NY 232,219 and ascended next to Stonycroft Gill. I ate my breakfast in the car and started walking at 0800, in the pre-dawn light, as I had a lot of ascent and descent which I needed to complete before sunset on one of the shortest days of the year.
This ‘walk-in’ to the first peak has to be one of finest I could name from 35 years of hill walking. So often a walk-in is either very rough underfoot or boggy, and if it is neither of these it is normally rudely steep. The track next to the Gill was modest in gradient, would be dry year round and lovely underfoot. Sadly the pictures I captured could not compare with Richard’s because he had much better light, head over to his article to get see the full glory of this lovely Lakeland Valley.
It was not long before I passed the source of the beck and headed onto the ridge which would take up the serpentine path to the summit of Sail (773 m) and then onto Crag Hill (839 m)
Head of Stonycroft ‘Dale’
The serpentine path
Skidaw & Blencathra from the top of Crag Hill
The walk along Whiteless Edge was really attractive and the views down onto Buttermere and across to High Stile and Mellbreak fuel for the soul.
It was now a steady walk down grassy slopes into Buttermere. It was a bit early for lunch, but the sun was warm and the next section was a good 600 m climb so I sat in the company of a handsome pair of free range Herdwicks and enjoyed New Years Eve left-overs atop oat cakes for my lunch. Next stop Robinson, but I didn’t stop for long because whilst the views were lovely, the wind was brutal with an effective temperature of – 10 C. Finally I was going to get to walk Littledale Edge and enjoy the views – fourth time lucky!
Newlands Valley
A foretaste of day two
Dale Head
Littledale
The path up to Dale Head
I had built up this moment in my mind so much, it would take a lot to meet my expectations, that my knees were a little sore from the long pre-lunch descent didn’t help. Because the sun was now getting relatively low in the sky, relative to the peaks to my West, the better views were down into the Littledale and the Newlands Valleys. It was sobering to think that Buttermere village would not see direct sunlight at all for a period of several weeks every winter. It is only on reflection as I review the photo’s to use for this post that I fully appreciated what a special spot this is. Despite my overblown expectations at the time, I was especially taken with the view of the final climb to Dale Head. It was 1600 when I reached Dale Head summit and thankfully a quick prayer and a couple of ibuprofen had made a big difference to my knees
It was now just ½ mile down to Dale Head Tarn where I planned to camp, it was a steep descent but yielding a wholly unexpected surprise at the bottom. As I was walking to the SE side of the tarn, which looked most promising for a pitch when viewed from above, I came across this…
Nothing I had read, or seen on Geograph, had prepared me for an area of ground which would not have looked out of place on a bowling green (above picture taken the following morning). There was enough space for 2-3 tents and it was clear someone had pitched there the night before me . As is my apanthropic desire, I had the place to myself, but given that it was already -3 C as the sun was setting this should have been no surprise. With water harvested from a lovely fast flowing stream, I could get out of the cold and get some water boiled for a brew. I was pitched and drinking tea just as the sun faded and was replaced by the moon on the opposite horizon.
Winter walking trips like this are where I really appreciate the my Rab Infinity jacket. The Infinity is night and day away from those Rab Puffy jackets beloved of high street fashionistas. Jacket’s do not get ‘comfort ratings’ like sleeping bags, but I can attest that this one is good to keep you very comfortable when inactive at -5 C, as yet I’ve not testing it at any lower a temperature, but I suspect it would be good for another five degrees even when inactive After enjoying my book for a while, I was asleep by 2000.
Day 2 – Dale Head Tarn to Uzzicar via Cat Bells : 6.5 miles / 240 m HG
The cloud came over at some point between 0400 (pee o’clock) and 0700 and the temperature had risen to zero by the time I awoke. I opted not to set an alarm as I only had a half day walk, and the cloud was set to rise during the morning. As I set off the cloud was hovering at around 650 m, some 150 m above my camping spot and it did indeed rise as the morning progressed. I had a lovely cloud free ridge walk ahead of me to take me to Cat Bells.
I took a diversion to admire the view from the top of entertainingly named Nitting Haws (530 m). Despite the name, the area was entirely devoid of superannuated streetwalkers. What I did find was a sublime view over Derwent Water.
The route as far as Maiden Moor (570 m) was gentle and photogenic, but upon descending towards Cat Bells I saw over ten times as many people every five minutes as I had seen over the preceding 36 hours. Were one to repeat this as a long summer day walk it would be better to walk it in reverse if solitude was your aim.
View over Cat Bells with Derwent Water (right) and Bassenthwaite Lake (left)
The scrambling sections down Cat Bells were either icy or greasy from over use, it proved a slow descent, especially in the areas still in the shade. Nearing the base of the hill I diverted off of the tourist track onto the path to Newlands which was refreshingly gentle in both gradient and lacking both ice and people. Once down to the road it was ironic that the most slippery section of my whole route was the minor road from Newlands to Stair.
A bench close to my parking spot proved an excellent place for lunch with a great view back to the Cat Bells which I could enjoy before jumping into the car and heading back to Lancashire.
Equipment comments
Equipment of note on this micro adventure was:
Atompacks Prospector – supremely comfortable for lightweight adventures – review
Hilleberg Enan solo tent – the best all round solo tent I’ve ever owned – review
Built between AD122 and AD128, Hadrian’s Wall was constructed to protect the Northern boundary of the Roman empire. Less time that it would take to get the planning permission for such a project in today’s world! Hadrian’s Wall Path (HWP) uses the route of the wall as its inspiration and runs for 84 miles from coast to coast. The highest point on the path is only 345 m above sea level so it makes for easy walking so long as the weather is kind. The waymarking is excellent, but the collection of water needs to be carefully planned as options are limited.
I chose to walk a 30 mile section between Walton (nr. Carlisle) and Chollerford (nr. Hexham) as this section has the greatest amount of visible wall and is also the highest and wildest section of the path. I had already walked a section of this route in 2019 as part of the Pennine Journey. The character of Southern Northumbria is unique in the UK. The hills are modest in scale and I would describe the landscape as undulating rather than rolling. There are more trees than you see in Cumbria or Lancashire, clustered between areas of grazing land and small pockets of un-farmed fell. But the vista’s are wide and attractive both in character and their uniqueness. Having the ancient wall and mile-castles for company provides an additional layer of interest. Because of the path’s low altitude it is a good option when hill and mountain regions are blanketed by low cloud as they were the weekend I had pencilled in for a wild walk.
Practicalities
The availability of public transport helped to define my start and end points. The train line from Carlisle to Newcastle shadows the wall but the services are not very frequent linking the smaller stations in between. However, the 685 bus covers the same route once an hour from 0700-2200 from Monday to Saturday and until around 1900 on a Sunday. The current bus fare cap makes this option not only convenient but also a very cheap option. Buses linked my endpoint at Chollerford to Hexham every two hours too, just requiring a short taxi journey from Brampton back to Walton (5 miles, £10).
You do need to plan your water collection carefully on this central section as you only pass through two villages on the route, and the countryside is to low for it to be sensible to gather water from streams because of the likely contamination with agricultural run off and gut displeasing viruses.
Description
Day 1 – Walton to Cawfield Crags : 15 miles / 450 m HG
After an early start from home, I parked the car in Walton and was walking by 0930. With sunset due at 1620 I needed to set a good pace. I reached the first significant section of surviving wall at Hare Hill in just under an hour.
Views into the distance were obscured by mist, but after the village of Banks there were plenty of sections of wall and remains of mile-castle to enjoy.
I had lunch next to the River Irthing which I learned is one of only two rivers crossed by the wall in it’s journey across the breath of England. After lunch, with the mist starting to clear, there were occasional glimpses of blue sky and ever increasing amounts of interest.
Between mile-castles 46 and 45 (NY 668 660) I came across an unexpected facilities block in the ‘tourist’ car park which would have a cafe in the summer but has toilets, and more importantly, drinking water year round. It was then time to ascend Walltown Crags and onto a really lovely section of high ground, prominent wall and lovely views.
I descended to the Cawfield Quarry car park just as the sun set. Here I was able to get water from the excellent toilet block. I had thought I would wild camp somewhere up on Cawfield Crags but instead I spotted a lovely flat and reasonably well hidden spot in the trees at the end of the lake. I waited until it was almost night and pitched. The moon rose attractively for me. An unexpected bonus of this pitch was it being just a 10 minute walk from the Milecastle Inn. This proved a very welcoming hostelry with an open fire by which to toast my feet whilst I enjoyed a rather fine and generously dry hopped ale from Twice Brewed Brewery.
A number of camper-vans had opted to ignore the no camping signs in the car park, so anyone who saw my tent was unlikely to complain.
Day 2 – Cawfield Crags to Chollerford : 15 miles / 350 m HG
My day started with what was probably the most attractive section of the HWP. Up onto Cawfield then Winshield Crags and along a section which coincides with the Pennine Journey path which I walked in 2019. It was then past the sad sight of the Sycamore Gap denuded of its tree. The stump is sprouting though.
Sycamore Gap
Steel Rigg
New hope?
The path above Crag Lough is lovely, and the fort at Housesteads impressive too. The path remains relatively high, with lovely vistas for another 2.5 miles after Housesteads but then becomes less attractive for a few miles as it runs alongside the road. If I were to repeat this walk, and I think I will during a future summer, one option would be to finish at the Mithraeum Temple where there is a bus stop which would take you into Hexham and the train and bus links hubs for your journey back West or to home. When the path gets further from the road around mile-castle 30 it becomes a nicer path with really good views to the East. Looking at my watch I realised I had made really good time and that if I upped my pace a little further, rather than catching the 1640 bus, I should be able to get the 1440 bus. The benefit of an early start. Using the old technique of Scout Pace, where you alternate between walking and then running 50 paces got me to Chollerford with 10 minutes to spare. A word of warning here, if you plan to get the bus into Hexham as I did. The place to catch the bus is directly outside of The George Hotel, not at the obvious bus stop some 20 metres to the North. I almost missed my bus, which would have been very galling after pacing the final 2.5 miles.
Final comments
With the land to the West of my start point being very flat and devoid of any clear evidence of Hadrian’s Wall, then with the route East of my terminus being next to the road all the way into Newcastle I am confident that I walked the most attractive section of the Hadrian’s Wall Path. The views would have been better in better weather, but given the low cloud covering everywhere South of the Great Glen that weekend I made the best of a dry yet otherwise unattractive weather window. I certainly hope to walk a route similar to this again in better weather but will probably need to opt to use a campsite when the days are longer. The countryside is not highly dramatic, but is very attractive because of it’s unique nature, with small attractive youthfully mammillarian hills and clusters of trees punctuating the expansive undulating landscape. The amount of height gain is very modest so this route lends itself to the greatest distances of a fast and light approach.
The Atompacks Prospector (formally the Mo) is an ultralight backpack with a single main section and between three to eight external pockets depending on what you specify. It comes in three capacities 40, 50 or 60 L volume. Of this total volume, each side pocket is said to hold 2.5 litres, but in reality you are likely to use them to support taller items which protrude from the top, thus actually having a much greater volume. The packs come in three back lengths and with three sizes of hip belt so you can be sure to find one that fits you well even if you are an unusual combination of height and girth.
The sacks have a roll top rather than a lid so you lose the pocket you would normally find in the lid. Whilst made from a waterproof fabric, don’t let this and the roll top fool you into thinking the pack is waterproof like an Ortlieb pannier, because the seams are stitched rather than welded and are not seam sealed. You will still need a pack liner or cover to keep your kit dry – as you do with almost every other pack on the market.
An aspect that makes these packs unusual is that you can both buy a standard specification, or you can custom design a pack and alter the colour, pocket combination and strap arrangement to suit your needs.
What makes Atompacks ‘Ultralight’
The main fabric is a 200 g/m2 sailcloth rather than 500d Cordura at 250 g/m2
Roll top rather than snow skirt, lid and lid pocket
Single main section
Lower amount of webbing straps
15 mm webbing straps rather than 19 mm
No zip closures
Elastic cord for side compression rather than straps and clips
Waist belt based on two 15 mm straps rather than one 50 mm strap
Why did I buy one / what are they best for?
I wanted a 45 L pack for 2-3 day self supported three season backpacking adventures. For weekend micro-adventures I enjoy being able to cover longer distances ‘fast and light’ and I wanted a smaller and lighter pack for 8-10 kg pack weights. At 990 grams, my 50 L Prospector is a significant 1300 g lighter than my Macpac 55 L pack. I also wanted something simple, ideally just one main section and one pocket – with customisation one can get close to this.
I’ve used mine on two short trips so far and whilst I have found it extremely comfortable, I suspect I would not want to use a 60 L model with the 12-15 kg more common with winter backpacking trips.
Design features – description and effectiveness.
Fundamental weight weight carrying design
The Prospector has a plastic frame, kept rigid with an aluminium stay down the centre. This is padded with closed cell foam for comfort. Load lifters, work with the frame to enable you to adjust the proportion of the pack weight which is carried shoulders vs. hips. Weight is transferred to the hips via 100 mm wide padded hip belt with novel dual adjustment straps which independently adjust the tension of the top and bottom of the hip belt. Whilst the two 15 mm straps look very flimsy against the ubiquitous 50 mm single strap design, the end result is the most effective hip belt I’ve ever experienced. Having the ability to hug the belt above and below your hip bones mades it possible to effectively transfer the bulk of the pack weight to your hips without the hip belt having to be uber-tight. Additionally the straps are tightened by pulling inwards rather than outwards which makes adjustment so much easier to achieve.
The above system works supremely well, making this a highly comfortable pack to carry. Some might argue that a frame is not necessary with this size of pack, but do not under estimate how much easier it is to pack a rucksack with a rigid back vs a floppy bag with shoulder straps. This becomes of even greater value when you are seeking to pack your bag inside a small tent. Critically, having a frame allows the use of load lifters, and I learned by painful experience ( Severe trapezius pain carrying the Auguille Bora ) that load lifters are another key facet to a comfortable multi-day pack for me. Whilst their primary purpose is to adjust the weight loading between shoulders and hips, they allow for you to correct for any asymmetry in your shoulders. Whilst I may be unusually wonky (!), statistically it is unlikely that the majority of people are wholly left-right symmetrical and thus most people could probably benefit from load lifters
Take home points: Supremely comfortable pack for 8-10 kg. Frame also makes packing easier.
Pockets
The standard pack comes with two side pockets (2.5 L each), a stretchy pocket on the back, with criss cross bungees over this to carry (dry out) wet items and an unusual stretch pocket on the base of the pack. There is also a stretch pocket on the front of each of the shoulder straps designed to take items up to a 700 ml bottle.
Side pockets – to say these hold (only) 2.5 L is rather misleading, because it is very likely that you will use these deep side pockets to carry items that extend far out of the top of the pockets too – items such as a tent or tall water bottles or a pair of walking poles. I’ve easily stowed my Hilleberg Enan in one of these side pockets. (Out of interest I found I could also get my Soulo into a pocket too, but something of this weight would be better strapped to the top of the pack.) Alternatively, each pocket can hold 2 x 1 L water bottles. Remarkably too, these pockets are positioned so you can easily access them on the move so I have used the second pocket for hat and gloves.
Mine is a custom pack and I did not opt for the bottom stretch pocket. The rear stretch pocket is best filled once the main pack is already full and will readily take a Gore Tex jacket plus several small food items.
I saw having to accept the lack of top pocket as something of a compromise, but I’ve actually found my substitute solution far more convenient. For me the top pocket of a backpacking rucksack is used for small items (so they don’t get lost in the main section) and urgently needed items such as head-torch and first aid kit. I now use a 6 L dry bag for these items, which I stow at the top the pack. In reality most of what I once carried in the top pocket is stuff I need overnight so being able to pull out a single dry bag and fling into the tent is actually rather more convenient. Small food items fit into the stretchy back pocket with my waterproofs.
I opted for just one stretch pocket on a shoulder strap. I wanted to leave the webbing free on the other strap to hold my inReach tracker and a clip for my hydration hose. The stretch pocket is excellent for holding a phone (when it is not raining) or a Garmin GPS when it is. The unusually narrow shoulder webbing proved a challenge on my first walk as my hydration tube clip is designed for standard 19 mm (¾”) webbing and kept slipping off the narrow webbing used by Atompacks. Fortunately I’ve come up with a solution to this, using a pair of cable ties.
Other features
The pack comes with a Y strap to hold items onto the top of the bag. I’ve used this for my sit pad, but would also be excellent for holding a winter tent, jacket, baguette or other bulky item. There are Z shaped bungees on the side of the pack, but I would suggest you would be better to have the optional webbing straps in their place, because the side pockets are so deep that you only really need one strap high up for very tall items such as a tent or poles. Webbing straps offer much more flexibility at very little extra weight.
Hip belt pockets can be bought and fitted as an optional extra. There are webbing loops on the hip belt to clip these to, to prevent them slipping off. I found that my existing Aiguille pouches fit perfectly and can be secured to the loops with climbing cord. Whilst I am generally ‘anti-pockets’, I do find a hip belt pouch useful to have batteries and snacks accessible on the move, but I may try without a pouch on my next trip since I’ve found that the existing side pockets are so easy to access on the move too.
There is a clip inside the pack to hold a water bladder and a port on either side of the pack to feed the hose through. The sternum strap is rather unusual, in that the female part of the clip is attached directly to the shoulder strap and not on the end of a short length of webbing. The clip is thus obscured by the shoulder pocket and clicking it in place is a fiddly new skill which has taken time to acquire.
Take home points: The side pockets are very function flexible. I would have preferred side straps to Z bungees
Conclusions
My primary goals were for a simple, lightweight yet supremely comfortable pack suitable for 2-3 day backpacking / wild walking adventures. Because Atompacks offer customisation I could strip off unnecessary pockets so that ticks the ‘simple’ box and the pack has proved extremely comfortable when carrying 8-10 kg for 6 hour / 15 mile days. I am sceptical how comfortable it would be were you to to carry it’s alleged maximum capacity of 19 kg but that’s just a gut feeling for now. I would advise anyone buying an Atompack to opt for the webbing straps on the side rather than the Z bungee because the Z shape seems to add hassle without adding any benefit. As for the robustness of a pack made from lighter materials, only time will tell, but with my previous packs it has been the hip belt which has worn out first, and on Atompacks this part is easily replaced by the user.
I set out with the aim of chasing a dramatic sunset. Whilst I didn’t get a sunset, I did get a really dramatic sky, a great nights sleep and was then blessed with a wonderful sunrise.
Whilst the East Lancashire is notoriously wet, it really is grand when the sun comes out.
The Prospector has a plastic frame, kept rigid with an aluminium stay down the centre. This is padded with closed cell foam for comfort. Load lifters, work with the frame to enable you to adjust the proportion of the pack weight which is carried shoulders vs. hips. Weight is transferred to the hips via 100 mm wide padded hip belt with novel dual adjustment straps which independently adjust the tension of the top and bottom of the hip belt. Whilst the two 15 mm straps look very flimsy against the ubiquitous 50 mm single strap design, the end result is the most effective hip belt I’ve ever experienced. Having the ability to hug the belt above and below your hip bones mades it possible to effectively transfer the bulk of the pack weight to your hips without the hip belt having to be uber-tight. Additionally the straps are tightened by pulling inwards rather than outwards which makes adjustment so much easier to achieve.
weston.front 