It's Silver for George Fisher

the theUpdateUpdate SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71

SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71 georgeﬁ sher.co.uk New summer stock now in! See inside for a full round-up of new clothing and equipment IT’S SILVER FOR GEORGE FISHER

If you’re a company working in the outdoor business then environmental considerations should be high in your agenda. Not just because the products you stock are connected with the mountains, but mostly because people in the outdoor business are passionate about outdoor activities and the environment they play in. At George Fisher we’ve defi nitely got more than our fair share of climbers, runners, skiers, bikers, walkers and backpackers. This is why embedding ‘sustainable management’ into our everyday life at the store has been a natural step, and everyone in the business feels they have a part to play. We all agree we have a responsibility to minimise our impact on the environment, both locally and globally. Andy Airey and Carol Suddaby receiving the CBEN silver award from Louise Back in 2008 we took our fi rst steps towards giving a structure to our Lund (centre) of Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency at the CBEN awards efforts, working with Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency towards their Cumbria Business Environment Network (CBEN) awards. The CBEN over the last year we’ve cut our energy consumption by over 13% and process audits George Fisher against stringent criteria, and we were reduced the quantity of landfi ll waste by over two-thirds, or 77,000 litres. awarded Bronze back in 2008 for work including waste re-use and ethical sourcing of bags. These efforts have helped George Fisher gain CBEN Silver this year, which we’re particularly proud of. Plus we’ve managed to raise £4661 for Nurture The next stage is tougher; as CBEN puts it, “This is an award for Lakeland, our local conservation charity, over the last 12 months. No resting organisations and companies who are prepared to make signifi cant on laurels though - next year we’ll be working harder to try and achieve progress along the road of environmental management”. Two of the biggest Gold! challenges we’re facing at the moment are reducing our energy use, and reducing the waste we send to landfi ll. So by looking hard at what we do, See page 16 for Carol Suddaby’s report on our efforts. SUMMER GEAR NOW IN STORE!

This is always a great time of year because all Bergerud reminds us how to make sure the latest lightweight summer clothing and we stay hydrated in the hills. John equipment is now ready in the store, and the Wickham checks out the ‘do’s and longer days and warmer weather are perfect don’ts’ regarding wild camping, for getting out walking, climbing, biking and we feature product focus and camping. articles on Rab and Royal Robbins. Plus we have a guide to In this issue we have plenty the best mountain shoes, whether of stories about you’re walking or running. new products. Andy Airey looks Plus of course the latest news, and at warm-weather articles from our regular columnists clothing while Lisa Bill Birkett, Mark Seaton and Des Oliver.

phone and website orders received before noon are delivered free overnight georgeﬁ sher.co.uk 1 t 017687 71801 • weekdays only the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71

ALWAYS ONE STEP AHEAD.

At Asolo and W.L. Gore we work together to make the comfort of your feet our business. Our latest footwear range is more than just waterproof, more than just breathable - It is totally ‘climate comfort engineered’ to keep your feet dry and comfortable. The result is a range of footwear designed to give you the greatest comfort, the best fit and the highest quality. So step into the latest Asolo and GORE-TEX® footwear and stay one step ahead.

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2 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71 OUTDOOR LAYERING NEIL MCADIE FROM RAB EXPLAINS HOW REVISITED THE ‘LAYERING STORY’ HAS BEEN UPDATED

Not so many years ago, choosing outdoor clothing for your trip to great example of this is the Rab Vapour-rise jacket which is wind resistant, the mountains was a relatively simple affair. We had all heard of extremely breathable and comfortable through a range of activity levels or layering and the choice of a wicking base layer, warm mid layer and a temperatures. This is the very essence of an active windproof mid layer. waterproof outer shell was straightforward. So far so good, but the problem was that the system lacked fl exibility to adapt to different Other windproof and lightweight options are better climates and meant that you had to wear a waterproof to protect from thought of as ‘stopping layers’. Typically these the wind - even on a dry day. are light to carry, completely windproof and offer more warmth with less breathability. Perhaps Thankfully the last ten years have seen huge advances in fabric technology the ultimate examples are Primaloft insulated offering lighter, more breathable and more fl exible options than ever before. garments, with tiny pack size and low weight yet It’s a complex area however, and a short exploration of the pros and cons of instant warmth (try the Rab Photon Jacket or what’s on offer will help in fi nding the garment most Generator Jacket in this class). Light and warm suited to your activity. they most certainly are, but at the expense of breathability. So play them to their strengths Most of us have worn fl eece and fi nd it lightweight, and carry one for lunch stops, cold summits comfortable and breathable but the wind whistles and overnight camps. through. Replacing this with a windproof mid layer for walking and mountaineering is In conclusion there are now a huge number the crux of the issue. Technical windproof of products out there that let you enjoy the mid layers can be most easily divided into hills without relying on your waterproof as a ‘active layers’ and ‘stopping layers’. windbreaker, but understanding the fabrics Rab Photon Hoodie is crucial to getting the most out of them. Active layers are designed to provide Breathability is the key for active layering, maximum breathability when on the and lightweight warmth is the key for layers move. They will also be windproof, or to pull on when you stop. Combining these will give you the very best of more likely highly wind resistant, and what is now out there on the market to keep you comfortable and safe in the form the ideal mid layer for walking high hills. Have fun! Rab Vapour-rise jacket fells or climbing on multi-pitch crags. A

MAPS FOR FREE? UNFORTUNATELY NOT

Our last issue of The Update includes the standard 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer maps. featured news that a European Instead a new product is to be made available; unfortunately this OS directive might result in Ordnance VectorMap District map is unlikely to have the detail required in rural Survey maps becoming free. areas to make it much use for walking, but we will see.

Whoopee, we all cried. However The situation with users having to pay for the same Landranger and just before Easter the government Explorer mapping twice, for instance for use on computer and then on released details of the free mapping GPS, remains completely unchanged. Having dangled the prospect of to be available under the new OS free maps in front of us, perhaps it is now time for Ordnance Survey to OpenData scheme. Much to our review its pricing? ViewRanger mapping app on the iPhone disappointment this no longer

3 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71 GEAR ROUND-UP Andy Airey reckons we’ve got it covered when it comes to summer sun

Here comes summer… hopefully! We must deserve a good both blending organic cotton with 55% hemp. The fl attering cut of the summer this year after the recent washouts. Surely a proper Island Top (£49) and the linen-like fabric mean this has been a real winter should be followed by a proper summer - if that’s the case favourite; combine it with the Island Pant (£69) to make your easy then we are prepared! wear/easy care set for hot weather travel or those balmy summer evenings. Our range of Royal Robbins clothing has proved to be the most popular for years; the combination of colour, fabric and design has hit For those of you who want to project a positive the nail right on the head. Best seller this season has been their Cool environmental statement then go for Patagonia’s Mesh range; Royal Robbins Cool Mesh fabric is now a blend of regular Live Simply T-shirts; organic cotton of course, men and organic cotton, it has a much softer handle get a deer print and women a guitar, we have a than its predecessors and the open mesh couple of colours of each and both men’s and weave ensures that it is ideal for hot summer women’s versions cost £29. days when you need to fi nd comfort. If you need functional clothing for mountain Women gain three Cool Mesh pieces in a activities then you require something quick-drying selection of colours - a Short and harder-wearing than cotton or hemp. Without Sleeved Scoop Neck doubt this year’s most popular legwear has (£30), Three-Quarter been the Mesa Pant from Mountain Hardwear. Sleeved Shirt (£35) Constructed from durable nylon canvas Royal Robbins 3/4 Sleeved and Pants (£35). and incorporating Mountain Hardwear’s Mountain Hardwear Cool Mesh Shirt Women’s Mesa Pant Feedback says patented micro-chamois lined conical that the Three- waist, these well-designed trousers are the mountain Quarter Shirt is the favourite as it works as the enthusiast’s fi rst choice. Both men and women can pick from the perfect travel top, it looks smart and it’s just easy to standard Mesa Pant (£45) or the convertible version (£55) – both wear. Men get a couple of Cool Mesh Shirts (£35) in styles come in three leg lengths, so you’re certain to fi nd a perfect either plain obsidian or green stripe – you’ve got fi t . the choice to dress up or down, but whatever you Royal Robbins men’s Cool choose you’ll stay cool and comfortable. Mesh Shirt When you need to cover up against the sun look out for the long- sleeved shirts from Mountain Hardwear; women have the Canyon For many years Patagonia has been in the vanguard of the Shirt (£40) with fl ip-up sun protection collar, mesh-backed panels for environmental movement, not just for the outdoor market but also for ventilation and a sun protection factor of +30. Men get the Ravine business in general, and this has led the company to develop clothing shirt (£50) with features similar to the Canyon, but also with the ranges that are more environmentally friendly than its competitors. additional benefi t of stretch fabric. For this summer, 100% of our range of Patagonia clothing is recyclable through their Common Threads To top everything off how about a hat from Lowe Alpine? They have Programme and every piece is made with developed quite a reputation for creating innovative headwear. The environmentally-conscious fabrics. Desert Hat (£22.50) looks like a standard brimmed sun hat, however the lightweight zip contains a secret… a Patagonia’s classic A/C hidden fabric fl ap that covers the back Short Sleeved Shirt (£49) of your neck. The Jungle Hat (£32.50) has is still there for men – the a similar zip but this time it conceals fi ne weave cotton allows a large mosquito head net – must be maximum airfl ow so it acts ideal for summer evenings in Scotland! like air-conditioning for your skin, great for humid summer As we have found over the last couple days. As well as a range of years a sunny British summer is Lowe Alpine Desert Hat Patagonia A/C Short Sleeved Shirt of organic cotton pieces, anything but guaranteed, but when it women also get the does get hot we have the clothing and accessories that will Island Top and Pants, Patagonia Island Top help protect you from the sun and remain comfortable.

4 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71 HYDRATION AND ENERGY Lisa Bergerud considers ﬂ uid and fuel for those long summer days

By now it’ll be a little clearer if we’re having a decent If you’re already aware of the need to re-hydrating while being active you might like summer or not! At the time of writing we’ve just the Octane XCT (£50) with its 2 litre bladder and the experienced a mini heatwave here, with many people ability to fi t small rainwear, map and energy bars - suffering from not re-hydrating properly. You don’t have to perfect for a longer trail run or bike ride. be a top-class athlete to take hydration seriously - we all need water to work! Source Systems is new to us this season but well- established in the hydration market, offering a Enter the Camelbak range of easy-to-use bladders and foldable bottles. Flow Meter (£25). Do They also have a natty little device called a you remember to drink? Convertube (£15) which enables you to screw Or just drink too much a drinks tube and bite valve onto an ordinary all at once, which will water bottle – again, no excuse not to drink probably be too late to be little and often. Better and longer-lasting legs effective. Reservoirs help to Camelbak Octane XTC for the days to come! Camelbak Flow Meter encourage us to drink little and often but you never Something people often overlook is the need to clean and look after hydration know how much is left in it, bladders after use! We sell brushes for the tubes, and dryers that help hold the bladder until that fi nal dry slurp…. open to aid drying. Looked after carefully they last for years; my Camelbak has just had its 12th birthday, now there’s value for money. The Camelbak Flow Meter is an ‘intelligent hydration gauge’ which measures the amount consumed and amount remaining in your For those of you who are always looking for better on- reservoir. You can also set it to calculate the estimated time to the-hill performance why not try one of High5’s great empty, or personal hydration goals. Designed for athlete training, yet options - the EnergySource 2.2kg drum (£25) contains very useful to many of us who don’t hydrate enough. ‘Super Carbs’ which help to deliver more energy and better hydration. If you’re endurance training try High5 If you wait until you reach that summit 4:1, an energy and hydration drink with protein for use before you have a drink then the during and after exercise. Great if used for long distance chances are you’ll be thirsty, with races or multi-day events - a 1.6kg drum costs £28. thirst signalling that you’re already starting to dehydrate. Also now from High5 we have an easy-use pack of 20 You stop and drink half your tablets called ZERO sport electrolyte drink. This is zero bottle of water. Only part of this sugar, caffeine free and anti-cramp. I’ve been using this will be absorbed and the rest will in the hot weather, it is very light and soft tasting and fi nd its way out (which requires exceedingly easy to use; plop a tablet into a 500ml bottle Source Widepac hydration bladder you to fi nd a tree or wall to and off you go! hide behind, also a problem!). If you’ve never used a drinking Now we’ve sorted out hydration and energy, here’s your Camelbak Day Star system but prefer a smaller ‘no- challenge. Harveys Maps have a brilliant selection of long- fuss’ daypack, Camelbak makes distance walking routes (£11.95), with maps and extra the women’s specifi c Day Star or information printed on tough polyethylene. The clear-to-read the men’s Cloud Walker, both are 19 litre capacity and come complete map is broken into sections with useful information alongside, with a 2-litre bladder and rain cover for £55. You’ll be surprised at take a look but it’ll be hard to decide which one to do! Cumbria how easy it is to drink little and often, with the body absorbing water Way, Dales Way, Great Glen Way, West Highland Way, Hadrian’s at the optimum rate. Wall or The Coast to Coast… no need to fl y anywhere for your summer holiday! High5

5 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71 MONTANE GOES THE EXTRA MILE Light weight lessons from experts Montane

One of our favourite brands – and one of yours judging by how popular their products are - is Montane. This is a British company that has successfully carved out a niche in the ultra-lightweight outdoor market, creating well-thought- out products that Montane’s Litespeed H2O is the world’s lightest weigh very little, yet waterproof jacket offer top quality.

George Fisher is a Montane ‘Pro Store’, which essentially means that we stock a wide range of Montane products and know what we are talking about! We spend a good deal of time with our suppliers and indeed they work regularly with our shop-ﬂ oor staff, training and ensuring we fully understand their products. With Montane, ‘Pro Store’ status means that our staff have received extra product knowledge training both in store, and on the hill.

Famously Montane makes the world’s lightest waterproof jacket, the Litespeed H2O (£75) which is an excellent running top and a favourite with fell runners, adventure racers and ultra runners. It also makes a perfect ultra-light waterproof to stash at the bottom of your rucksack, just in case of a summer storm - we stock both men’s and women’s versions.

Other classic lightweight products include the Featherlite Pants (£45) and the Featherlite Smock (£45).

In late July the Montane Lakeland 100 Ultra Tour of the Lake District (UTLD) kicks off. This annual event encompasses the whole of the Lakeland fells, including 6300m of ascent and run entirely on public bridleways and footpaths. Inspired by the gruelling Ultra Tour of Mont Blanc the tour is just that, a 100 mile circular visiting the most picturesque valleys and dales that radiate out from the central fells. For those who fancy something shorter but still challenging, a 50 mile route runs in tandem.

Montane supports the event because it very much ﬁ ts with their own philosophy - the company is owned and run by people with a passion for outdoor performance sports in challenging and inspiring places. The Featherlite Pants pack pretty small!

6 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71 WILD AT HEART John Wickham looks at wild camping ‘Do’s and Don’ts’

are above ‘the intake’ (the highest fell wall) and well away from any habitation. Can I bring my friends? Keep the number of tents to a minimum, only one or two in the same location, and bright coloured tents are not encouraged. This prevents the fells from looking like Glastonbury Festival and bringing with it the associated mud and erosion…

Relight my fi re Although the idea of sitting round a campfi re is a nice one, it can have some really negative impacts on the environment. There is little fuel on the fells The beautiful Lakes – wild camping only on the high fells so open fi res are diffi cult to start and will leave unsightly burnt patches. Have you ever wanted to break free from the confi nes of the campsite, The ash will also alter the pH of the soil and upset the local ecosystem. In pitch camp when others are wearily trudging down to the car and enjoy the summer, dry bracken can easily catch fi re and the underlying peat can a stunning sunset as you settle down to a night of solitude? Well, if you smoulder for days. This has resulted in some signifi cant fell fi res that have have that dream but wondered about the wild camping ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ devastated the local ecosystem. Open fi res are therefore best left for valley then read on! campsites with proper fi re pits.

Where can I go? Leave only footprints, take only memories In the Lake District as in the rest of England and Wales, you have no right to Carry out everything you carry in. Obviously don’t litter, but this includes camp anywhere other than designated campsites in the valleys. However things that you might think of as biodegradable. The most obvious culprit there is a convention in the Lakes that tolerates wild camping as long as you is banana skins which actually take years to break down, and consequently litter some of our most popular fells. If you need to move rocks around when pitching your tent, return them to their original position when you are leaving. This avoids rocks being left in rings once you have removed your tent. Similarly rather than dig a moat round your tent, choose an area of ground that is as dry as possible and drains naturally.

EXCLUSIVE PACKAGE! Sanitation DAKOTA® 20 AND OREGON® 450 Where to ‘go’ in the outdoors has always been a bit of a conundrum, but there TOUCHSCREEN GPS COMPLETE WITH are a few deﬁ nite things to avoid. Make sure you are at least 30m/100 feet FULL GREAT BRITAIN 1:50K OS LANDRANGER MAPS from any water sources, ensuring that you don’t contaminate them. Any results should be buried with a trowel for similar reasons, and using toilet roll that is especially biodegradable is ideal.

Further Reading There’s a very useful ‘Where to go in the outdoors’ leaﬂ et from the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, available via their web The I-Pood trowel – choose your favourite colour… site www.mcofs.org.uk Also check out the Lake District National Park web site www.lakedistrict.gov. OREGON DAKOTA 450 20 uk with wild camping covered under ‘accommodation’. £400 £350 Useful products: Sea to Summit produces wild camping essentials such as the Ipood trowel (£18), the Outhouse Toilet Roll Holder (£10) and Travel Hand Wash

www.garmin.co.uk/garmin-gb-discoverer (£3).

7 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71 BY ROYAL APPOINTMENT Royal Robbins – great name, great clothing

Royal Robbins is one of the greatest American adventurers of all time. Aged just 17, he made the ﬁ rst US rock climb graded 5.9 (about British E1 standard) and went on to make many more ﬁ rst ascents particularly during the Yosemite Valley ‘golden years’ in the 1960s alongside legendary partners such as Yvon Chouinard and Tom Frost. Moving on, he then become a well-known kayaker.

Inspired by his adventures and the general lack of proper outdoor equipment and apparel in the 1960s, Robbins decided to create a clothing brand alongside his Royal and Liz Robbins in Yosemite, late 1960s wife Liz that would suit his and any other adventurer’s lifestyle. through the mountains of Peru on the Inca trail, riding through the plains on Africa on safari, or exploring the hidden pleasures of Marrakech. Royal Robbins today is a company that prides itself on producing clothing Royal Robbins clothing goes that extra mile; you’ll ﬁ nd secret pockets, made using high-quality branded fabrics zip secure pockets, discreet venting, fabrics that wick, fabrics that offer such as Coolmax, Supplex and Tactel you sun protection, fabrics that are crease resistant, that are lightweight that you can rely on to take you on and packable and above all look great. So whatever your adventure, Royal Royal Robbins men’s Cool your own adventure; whether trekking Robbins enables you to do it in comfort and style. Mesh Shirt

/ER]SR7LSI

8 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71 JAPES ON THE NAPES Des Oliver reﬂ ects on the many ways to climb one pinnacle

The word ‘aiguille’ top block. Once you reach the Shoulder, a level section just over halfway is of course French up and a place you can belay, there is a choice of ways to get onto the top for needle, or rock block. A wrinkle on the corner can be used as a foothold but it means placing pinnacle, and it the foot fl at against the rock – tricky to say the least. When I fi rst made this is the well-known move I found it very demanding and confi dence was lacking, but I had the Napes Needle I assistance of a toprope and that helped morale. Once you have completed wanted to describe this move you are standing on a narrow ledge known as the Mantelshelf and and all the you shuffl e round the corner until you can reach the edge of the top and pull different ways it up onto the summit. The belay is made by looping the rope around the top can be climbed. block!

The ﬁ rst ascent, by A recent glance through the Fell & Rock Club guide to Great Gable rock climbs WP Haskett-Smith, shows that there are ten routes on the Needle, which would certainly make was made via the Mr Haskett-Smith gasp in amazement that ‘his’ pinnacle has been climbed in Wasdale Crack (now so many different ways. In addition to those already mentioned there is The graded Hard Severe) Wasdale Roof (E3), Crowley Route (HS), Lingmell Crack (HS), Sick Heart River a prominent split in (E2) and The Perimeter (VS). the lower part of the Des Oliver on Direct Obverse Route in 1952 pinnacle. Since that I should mention that the top block is in fact loose and in my day, when we eventful day many different ways to the top have been recorded. There’s The took a newcomer to the top, we would rock the top block to initiate him (or Arete, probably the easiest way to the shoulder and The Obverse Route (both her) as an introduction to the Needle. During my rock climbing days the Hard Severe), with the Direct Obverse the most difﬁ cult (Hard Very Severe). Napes climbs were visited many, many times and we got to know the Needle There is also the Girdle, a circular traverse around the needle just below the intimately. I have even climbed it by moonlight, which was breathtaking. The antics were all part of the fun when we were playing on the Needle, including the most dramatic game of constructing an aerial ropeway from the Needle to Needle Ridge. I’d say that the Needle has probably had more people climb on it than any other piece of rock in the Lake District. ICEBREAKER SUMMER 2010 RANGE INSTORE NOW

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“Eros” on the needle

9 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71

THE MOUNTAINS Colin Prior, arguably the U

What was your earliest mountain experience? Probably when I was six years old, climbing a hill in the Campsie Fells called Dungoyne What are you most proud of? My wife and family, and having been able to shape my life around my passion. At my last exhibition in London, I looked around the gallery and I suddenly realised that without a stable family behind me I would never have achieved what I have done – it’s so easy to miss the things that matter. Tell us about your most treasured piece of kit. A Fuji GX617 panoramic camera – it has been the instrument that has defi ned my career and I continue to work with it. Despite the advancements in digital photography, it remains the camera of my choice. SCREE PANT Are you fi t enough? softshell Marmot’s Scree pant is a lightweight, As fi t as I need to be, but not fi t enough. If I spent more time in the versatile softshell trouser that excels in all types of outdoor activities. mountains with the weights I normally carry, I would be a good deal fi tter and that would make my mountain excursions less taxing! Our M3 softshell fabric blocks wind, repels water and breathes easily to help What’s in your lunchbox? keep you comfortable all day long. Simple – a cheese and ham sandwich on brown bread and a Danish pastry. RRP - £75.00 Cereal bars and Mars bars are excellent mountain fuel. (Men’s and Women’s fit) Who would you most like to climb a mountain with and why?

Available from George Fishers. I have no real desire to climb a mountain with anyone other than myself. For me it’s about connecting with the landscape; I like to seek out and explore wild places. What’s the most expensive piece of kit you’ve ever bought? A Seitz Roundshot panoramic camera. Precision made in Winterthur, And other selected quality outdoor retailers. Switzerland, it uses Hasselbald optics to create panoramic images up to 360 degrees on 120 Rollﬁ lm. The body cost £8,000 without the lenses and weighed so much that it was impossible to carry anywhere. I shot one image with it from the top of Beinn Airigh Charr in the Letterewe Forest on a spectacular July evening and that was the end – too heavy and complex and I sold it and amazingly only lost £1400!

10 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71

ACCORDING TO... e UK’s most well-known landscape photographer ALEX HONNOLD, BORNEO PHOTO: JIMMY CHIN

What’s in your backpack? Too much! Sleeping bag, Therma-Rest, Pot, Teapot, Stove, Gas Cylinder, Sigg Bottle, Hat, Fleece, Food, Head-Torch, Camera Bag, 1 body, 2 lenses, Tripod, fi lm, exposure meter. In all, usually 52-54lbs. What’s the worst thing about walking? For me it’s always about weight – it’s unlikely to change but I often long for the freedom that others enjoy unburdened by camera kit. What does the fi rst post-walk beer taste like? Personally, beer has never agreed with me. Bowmore 12 year old malt is my reward after a big day out – I can think of no better way to take the outdoors, indoors. What is the most important lesson you’ve learnt? That the two key tenets of success are self-belief and hard work, without which even the most talented individuals will achieve nothing. GPyeS or no? I refer to maps – for me a GPS is simply another gadget and more weight. What will you do next? I am currently working on an international photographic book project. I am also keen to communicate the nuances of the natural world to younger generations who have largely lost touch with the outdoors and nature. In reality many have no empathy with the ‘environment.’ Colin and his brother on Dungoyne What makes you stop smiling? The contempt, which many people hold the natural world in - the lighting of indiscriminate fi res, often at the base of a tree, or leaving a circular stone fi replace on a beach, dropping litter without the slightest thought, or THE NORTH FACE® SPRING 10 RANGE OF CLOTHING chopping down trees for fi rewood. We must promote the ‘No Trace’ ethos and leave a wild place the way we entered it – without any signs of us ever AND EQUIPMENT NOW AVAILABLE AT GEORGE FISHER having been there.

11 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71

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12 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71 BEST FOOT FORWARD Finding the best outdoor shoe this summer

The great news for hill walkers and runners is that continued For those who like a bit more technical action we have two of the competition amongst outdoor companies to design better and finest shoes for Lake better shoes is giving us the opportunity to choose from some District scrambles. La fantastic products. This year those companies have excelled Sportiva has brought out themselves, and we have some great shoes in our boot room. the ultimate approach/ scrambling/climbing First consideration of course is - waterproof or not waterproof? footwear in the Ganda Mostly the answer depends upon usage. Runners will want a non- (£155) which is a waterproof shoe that offers maximum airfl ow and drains water technical shoe with a rapidly, while walkers will prefer a shoe that keeps your feet dry - close fit that laces all La Sportiva Ganda which in practice means there will be a waterproof/breathable lining the way down to the toes such as Gore-tex. like a rock shoe, and indeed uses sticky rubber with a dot pattern sole. The Ganda Guide (£175) is a In the general walking category, Meindl has mid-height version of the Ganda with a beefed-up created some great designs including the sole ideal for approach routes, via ferrata and Karma (£115) and Nebraska (£110) both mountain scrambling. using Gore-tex linings and available in men’s and women’s versions. The Karma For the trail and fell runners we recommend is particularly popular due to its wide fi t, three major manufacturers; Salomon, La which gives greater comfort to many people. Meindl Women’s Nebraska Sportiva and Inov-8. Salomon’s Speed Cross (£85) is aimed squarely at runners looking for traction and Salomon is well known as speed with grip coming from v-shaped lugs that bite a mountain athletics company but it has also into the terrain. The rear foot lugs are positioned in the opposite produced some excellent walking shoes. We direction so that they dig in as you descend. The Speed Cross also particularly like the women’s Tiana boasts a very comfortable upper that means your foot always GTX shoe (£100) with a Gore feels nicely supported. lining, or those who prefer a non-lined shoe can opt La Sportiva have one shoe aimed more at trail runners; the for the women’s Elios (£80). Raptor (£80) with its mesh upper, cushioned sole and super sticky For men there’s the Elios with a outsole for grip; and another shoe aimed at fell runners, the well- Salomon Elios Gore liner (£95) or without (£85). established Crosslite (£75). The Crosslite has gained Best Buy awards from Runner’s World and Trail Magazine, providing amazing Keen shoes are all about warm-weather traction and an excellent comfort and their women’s Shasta lightweight snug fit. (£70) is a great non-lined and breathable summer Inov-8 shoes are famed design that makes an for their grip and ideal all-around shoe performance, and the for exploring canyons, Roclite 295 (£80) doesn’t scrambling up sand disappoint. This is a Keen women’s Shasta dunes or just kicking shoe that is designed for around town. Likewise both trail running and Inov-8 Roclite 295 the men’s Voyageur walking with high levels of (£75) has a mesh lining for continual comfort, breathability and airfl ow, a rugged outsole performance - good underfoot cushioning makes the 295 ideal for for sure grip on rough hard surface tracks and trails. The women’s version is the Roclite terrain and a shank for 268 (£70). torsional stability.

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13 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71 HELPING COMMUNITIES IN NEPAL Sock brand Teko is recycling its demo products

Shops like George Fisher who stock Teko products are supplied with a quantity of demo stocks for customers to try, and Teko gathers up these socks every six months for the Teko For Nepal programme.

Gordon Fraser from Teko commented, “We’re very thankful to all the team at George Fisher for being so supportive of the programme. George Fisher was our ﬁ rst retail partner to be involved in this unique social initiative which now also covers Holland, Germany, Switzerland and Australia. Once our demo socks have been used in the store for six months we pick them up, clean them and send them to the porter and Sherpa communities of Nepal”.

Expedition climber and Climb Magazine gear reviewer Tom Richardson has worked in Nepal for the last 20 years leading treks and expeditions during which he has gained a great understanding and respect for the communities of the region. “Helping these communities in this George Fisher store manager Helena Whone (centre) with Tom Richardson (L) and manner means they are able to save their limited funds for medical and Teko’s Gordon Fraser (R) educational needs”, says Tom.

Teko is a relatively new sock brand in the UK but they’ve made a big impression because of their product quality, a strong sustainability stance and the Teko For Nepal social community programme.

At Teko® we produce ﬁne grade organic Merino socks with seamless toes and anatomical heels. Why? Because we believe in only doing what’s best for BEHOLD THE ORIGINAL... you and what’s best for the planet. ...THE TILLEY Teko® is the sock brand of Acknowledged as the finest outdoor and choice for our two national adventure hat in all the world. mountain centres Plas Y Brenin and Glenmore Lodge.

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14 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71 A TRIBUTE TO THE PIONEERING

SPIRIT Bill Birkett remembers two Lakeland climbing pioneers

The history of climbing and the I had the good fortune to meet Pete a few times and, mainly due to the colourful characters involved is a infectious enthusiasm of Bill Peascod, spent a few nights in his company along subject that has long fascinated me with Don Whillans. We laughed a lot and I discovered that Pete was anything (see my ‘Lakeland’s Greatest Pioneers but just a fearless strong-arm character; in his youth he had been a ballroom – 100 years of Rock Climbing’). Ever dancing instructor. I’ll never forget seeing him sit on the fl oor of the Golden since the birth of rock climbing the Rule in Ambleside and put both his feet behind his head at the same time. How ‘sport’ has been developing and do you do that? Pete joked that if anybody should bother to write his biography climbs getting harder. Some of this it should be called “Who Cares About The View?” A title that typifi es both those is due to equipment advances, and heady times, and the man himself. some due to an increasing awareness of what is possible with mental and School teacher Ed Grindley also died in February. He had taken early retirement physical application. And for each from his teaching post in Fort William a couple of years before to spend more new generation of climbers, at the time climbing. His infl uence on the modern era was profound and widespread. forefront there have been a few A qualifi ed Mountain Guide, Ed wrote may infl uential pieces in journals and in Ed Grindley in 1988 outstanding individuals. A few have climbing magazines, was author of the important ‘Winter Guide to Ben Nevis’ become household names. Most are known only within the climbing and ‘Rock Climbs in Glen Nevis’ and was a skilled photographer. community itself. Having been initially mentored by Jackson Corrie and ‘Black Jack’ Thornton, Sadly, within the last few months, two infl uential Lakeland climbing pioneers Ed rose to prominence with ascents of two fi ercely diffi cult routes on the East have passed away. Pete Greenwood was a star of the 1950s, and Ed Grindley Wall of Pavey Ark; Fallen Angel in 1972 and Brain Damage in 1973. He was soon pioneered his hardest routes in the 1970s and 1980s. I knew and laughed with to move on to Scotland and in 1976 climbed the impressive The Clearances on them both and climbed with the latter on a number of occasions. the North Face of Aonach Dubh. In 1981 he opened his campaign on the Skye sea cliffs ascending the formidable Supercharger on Neist Point. I still have the Pete Greenwood died in February aged 78. Latterly of Keswick he was originally description he typed out for me on a piece of yellow paper. from Yorkshire, one of the ‘Bradford Lads’ and a leading player in the post-war group of irreverent working class climbers who produced new standards of Ed continued his development of Skye with fi rst ascents on the stunning diffi culty and initiated a new attitude to climbing. With weekend leisure time vertical architecture of Kilt Rock and went on to develop a number of other now available to the ‘common man’ and independent transport increasingly cliffs. Still on Skye we climbed the fi rst route on the Staffi n Buttresses together available, Pete was one of the group that regularly dossed at the Wall End barn and he continued to produce a host of worthy routes. Latterly he began to take in Great Langdale. Their social centre was the Old Dungeon Ghyll Climber’s Bar. his alpine climbing more seriously, bought a little place in Le Levanche below Argentiere in the Chamonix valley and pioneered Modern Times, one of the best Equipment was basic but there was huge ambition to prove themselves on the rock climbs on the Aiguille Rouge. crags. Pete’s contemporaries included the likes of Paul Ross, Arthur Dolphin, Don Whillans and Joe Brown. Like Pete himself, his routes were mainly bold, But despite all theses impressive statistics Ed was down-to-earth, approachable fi erce and hard. Around the crags of Langdale, Borrowdale and Thirlmere and, in a not dissimilar way to Pete Greenwood, very much a man of the his climbs soon began to occupy centre stage, heralding the new grade ordinary people. Intelligently thoughtful and considerate, generous in of ‘Extreme’. On the East Buttress of Scafell, one of the fi ercest and most many ways to his friends and the climbing community as a whole, he always overhanging mountain crags in Britain, he put up Pegasus alongside the great maintained a healthy irreverence to ego, bigotry, pomp and the status quo. He Arthur Dolphin and the mighty Hell’s Groove. On the latter route, climbed on had a mischievous sense of humour and was a great practical joker with the 24 May 1952, Pete led the fi rst overhanging wide crack which had previously jokes often designed to gently prick and tease the egos of those involved. As defeated the ‘Lakeland Tiger’ Jim Birkett (my father). It was an outstanding a not infrequent recipient of his humour, I smile now at his memory - as will all lead, bold with no protection and incredibly strenuous. who had the privilege to know and climb with him.

Pete felt that people made a personal statement with their climbs and with the manner in which they climbed them. He had strong beliefs regarding the old guard and ‘upper class’ establishment, and was so incensed when no working class climbers were chosen to go on the ﬁ rst successful Everest expedition in 1952 that he named a route Anarchist, on the formidable Raven Crag Thirlmere, to mark his contempt. When Joe Brown made an early repeat of Kipling Groove on Gimmer Crag, he climbed it in the rain and placed a peg (piton) for protection. For Pete this was not the way in which Lakeland climbing should be going, Arthur had climbed this touchstone route without the offending peg, and Pete is accredited with urging others to “spit on the peg and pass it by”.

Corrie Jackson on Pete Greenwood’s classic route Anarchist (Hard Severe)

15 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71 GREEN EFFORTS AT GEORGE Carol Suddaby describes the efforts we’ve been FISHER making towards sustainability

Every day when I cycle to work, I know I’m lucky to live and work in the Lake District. You only have to look around to realise that George Fisher, and most of the other businesses in Keswick, exist because the Lakes is one of the most beautiful places in the world - so it’s in our interest to do whatever we can to protect it.

For a number of years George Fisher has been supporting the Fix the Fells project to maintain and repair the heavily-used Friars Crag footpath beside Derwentwater. We also have a staff litter- pick on and around Catbells twice a year to clear up after others who don’t care enough. And to help protect water entering the fragile ecosystem around Bassenthwaite Lake we’ve changed all the cleaning products we use in the shop and café to environmentally friendly ones, and taken steps to cut down on our water usage.

These are all things which should help preserve our The George Fisher team on this May’s litter pick local environment, but we’re not just thinking about existing problems in the Lakes. As a business and an Two of the biggest challenges we’re facing at the moment are reducing our employer we have a responsibility to minimise our impact on the environment energy use, and reducing the waste we produce and send to landfi ll. Over the both locally and globally. last year we’ve cut our energy consumption by over 13% by replacing light bulbs, making better use of a timer system for lighting and adopting better workplace practices. Along with recycling all our paper, card, polystyrene, cans, glass and hard plastic, we provide recycling facilities for customers in store for Polartec fl eece, Capilene base layer and organic cotton clothing (via Patagonia), plus batteries, old mobile phones and computer components. We send old unwanted footwear to Nepal where Sherpas make good use of it, and our old uniforms go to Oxfam. We even send occasional odd shoes and boots to the local limb centre. All this, plus our new plastic fi lm baler, has reduced the quantity of waste we send to landfi ll by over two-thirds, or 77,000 litres!

This year we were awarded Silver by the Cumbria Business Environment Network for the positive changes we have made, and over the next year we’ll be working hard to try and achieve the Gold standard. Plans include continuing the process of replacing old energy inefﬁ cient lighting with low-energy ﬁ ttings, replacing existing hand dryers and handtowels with new fast eco dryers, and potentially using our roof space for rain water harvesting and energy production through solar/PV roof panels.

So there have been a lot of changes, and we can continue to make more - and hopefully our business and the environment will continue to beneﬁ t. If you want to learn more about what we are doing for the environment, please visit the George Fisher web site.

Carol Suddaby with our ﬁ rst bales of plastic from the baler

16 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71 STAFF PROFILE: ROGER HILEY In The Backcountry, Our resident GPS expert Having The Right

You’ll usually fi nd me on the Shelter Is Crucial fi rst fl oor tucked in between the waterproofs, Icebreaker base layers and travel gear. Constructed to rigorous standards, Hilleberg tents have been With navigation and GPS too, the top choice of professional adventurers and discerning that makes a full house for my backcountry travelers around the world for over 35 years. favourite hobby of fell walking. From the 8-person Atlas to the solo Akto, every Hilleberg model Living the dream you could say. is precisely designed and engineered to provide the optimal blend It took more years than I care to of reliability, ease of use, versatility, durability and comfort, all mention until we moved from at a light weight. Wales to the Lakes in 2002. All Hilleberg Tents Are... Redundancy from my major employment and the last of the Supremely reliable and easy to use in all seasons children leaving home was the and conditions incentive for my wife Ann and I to move north. We found a cottage in the Built with plenty of room for you and your gear Lakes, Ann took early retirement and I found a job in the one shop that was Made with superior materials for longevity an essential part of any holiday visit. So I’m now customer-turned-staff and Constructed with linked inner and outer tents for enjoying every minute of it. quick, simple, one-step pitching To let our children know how we were getting on I used to post a few pictures Designed and developed in northern Sweden by a on the internet - the cottage renovations, the dogs, the walks we did and company with over three decades of tent design, the friends we met. This has now developed into my second full-time hobby; development and manufacturing experience that of creating a walking web site. Climbing the Wainwright Fells takes Individually set up and quality checked in Hilleberg’s us all over the Lakes and writing up walk reports are my way of enjoying European factory before being shipped each day a second time. See you in the shop, on the fells or maybe even on loweswatercam.co.uk. ROCK OF NAMES Des Oliver

With regard to Bill Birkett’s article Thirlmere – a forgotten landscape (issue 68) and his comments about the Rock Of Names, it really ought to be ‘Rock Of Initials’ because that’s all there is. The boulder Jolanda Linschooten where the initials of the Wordsworth family and friends were chiselled out, was originally near the Cherry Tree Inn (now demolished and submerged). When the reservoir was being constructed the Rock Go to www.hilleberg.com and Of Names was blasted into pieces and the initials were cemented order a free copy of our 2010 together into what was supposed to look like the original above the catalog. Helvellyn side of the road near the Straining Well; from the road it looked like a cairn and access was very difﬁ cult.

When I was Clerk to the Parish Council (St John’s – Castlerigg and Wythburn) the Council had a small metal tablet made to identify the site but I don’t think anyone got to see it. The Wordsworth Trust and the Parish Council, with approval from what was then North West Water Authority (now United WWW.HILLEBERG.COM Utilities), agreed to the removal of the initials to Dove Cottage, Grasmere. They Frösön, Sweden Ŧ +46 (0)63 57 15 50 can now be seen cemented to a slab of bedrock in the garden of the cottage.

17 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71 A GRAND TRIP TO THE GRAND ST Our man in Chamonix, mountain guide Mark Seaton BERNARD takes his family ski touring

Mark tows Sophie

Most family trips are stressful for the parents of the 4, 9 and 11- year- eldest, have their own touring skis but Sophie does not yet. The plan was to old Seaton girls who proudly refer to themselves as ‘The Dangerous tow Sophie up behind me on a piece of short rope. In effect she would have Sisters’. Yet throw into the mix an overnight ski touring expedition her own draglift. Jane (my wife) was sceptical about this but I had seen to the mythical Grand St Bernard Monastery and you create a lot of another parent doing the same thing last year and I reassured her we would potential hassle. be just fi ne. What I had not done was actually try the method out and while it was fi ne for Sophie, I found it very hard work. The Grand St Bernard is the highest permanently inhabited building in Western Europe, at 2470 metres. It is situated at the top of Grand St Bernard We plodded up accompanied by the traditional mantra “are we nearly there Pass on the border of Switzerland and Italy. Equally important, it is at the yet”, which started within about 20 seconds of leaving the car. junction of the southern and northern weather systems which collide Our eventual arrival at the monastery was greeted by spectacular views, into each other and produce over 200 days of mist a year. The average no wind and a cloudless sky. We all went inside and were greeted with the temperature throughout the year is 0 degrees and the highest recorded wind customary hot sweet tea. Ideal when you arrive in a blizzard, but not as thirst speed is a staggering 240kph. Added to this a record 26m of snow so far this quenching on a day like ours. year, makes it the avalanche capital of the world. Anyone sceptical about this doom and gloom need only look at the Swiss map which marks the approach The girls are not ones for sitting still so they raced outside to fi nd something as the “comb des morts” – valley of death. really high to jump off into the snow. This happened to be the old morgue. Its use harps back to a time when pilgrims were constantly coming to grief and Not surprisingly we had chosen a blue-sky forecast. We drove from Chamonix their bodies were stored there until the spring when the road reopened. to where we could drive no further because the road was blocked with snow. The girls exploded out of the car scattering equipment all over the hillside It seemed to some passing mountaineers that the girls were doing their best and it seemed to take an age to get them all sorted with their kit - skis, skins, to make sure that the morgue might be used again. I reassured the skiers avalanche transceivers, probes, rucksacks etc. Andrea and Florence, the two that this was ‘normal behaviour’.

18 the Update SUMMER 2010 - ISSUE 71

Chaos rules – getting ready at the car

Dinner was served at 6.30pm – we were the only guests. After dinner Andrea asked if she could give a Recorder Recital. The Abbott said he would be delighted if she could do this during evening prayers. Florence was asked to help ring the very loud bell 10 times to call everyone to prayers. We descended into the incredibly atmospheric and equally acoustic barrel- Professional Guiding Introduction and Organisation vaulted crypt and Andrea played her recorder, which I believe was as moving of Skiing and Mountaineering Pursuits for the monks as it was for my girls and me. After prayers Andrea played a AN INTRODUCTION TO ALPINE duet with Yvon who accompanied her on the guitar. Yvon is probably unique MOUNTAINEERING in being a monk, a very experienced mountaineer and avalanche dog trainer. We retired to our beds about 9.30pm. The bedrooms are just wonderful; very I have devised a ﬁ ve day programme for people who have often thought about Alpine Mountaineering but who are not clear on how to begin. simple but so quiet.

My assumption is that you are reaonably ﬁ t and active but have no or little We awoke to the sound of classical music being piped through the monastery experience of ropes or rock climbing. Our time together would provide you each morning. Florence rang the bell for breakfast and we all trotted down to with all the necessary skills to ascend a variety of alpine summits in safety eat freshly baked bread. I did not want to head out too soon because I knew because you would be in the company of an experienced guide. the snow would be too icy, so we all headed for a look around the Museum.

The programme is intensive and includes three alpine ascents culminating in What I was hoping for is what skiers call ‘spring snow’ - snow that has been the ascent of a major peak and includes over-nighting in an alpine hut. The transformed into a uniformly smooth texture. Once the sun melts the top few maximum client to Guide ratio is three to one. millimetres it becomes the best surface imaginable to ski on - often called The cost of the course is €2000.00 which could be divided between a ‘hero snow’ because it makes you feel you are the best skier in the world. maximum of 3 people. This fee does not include travel and accommodation Eventually at about 10am we ventured outside to be greeted by another but we can arrange it. The transfer time between Geneva airport and Chamonix is just over an hour. beautiful day. We reluctantly said our goodbyes and skied down back to the For more information go to www.markseaton.com or contact car on perfect spring snow - a wonderful way to ﬁ nish the ski season on 24 May 2010. 750, CHEMIN DES GLIERES, CHAMONIX, MONT BLANC 74400 FRANCE

telephone +33 (0)4 50 53 63 77. [email protected] More pictures of the trip can be seen at the Dangerous Sisters Blog, http://dangeroussisters.blogspot.com International Federation of Mountiain Guides Associations

19 the Update SPRING 2010 - ISSUE 70 KESWICK MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL Summer weather brings the crowds to Keswick

With perfect weather and thousands of visitors taking part, the Keswick Mountain Festival’s ﬁ ve days of adventure was packed with loads of great activities, sporting events and inspirational speakers at the Theatre by the Lake. There were a number of competitive elements to the festival this year, with 500 triathletes battled it out in the sunshine and the new Sportive attracting over 270 participants - including a man on a 1947 Raleigh bicycle competing in traditional canvas cycling clothes, alongside modern road bikers with the latest gear! Over 250 swimmers plunged into Derwent Water for the Wild Swim, and 80 mountain bikers took part in the Trailquest. The Festival also offered a number of evening events, with speakers ranging from Sir Ranulph Fiennes and local climber Leo Houlding, to alpine adventurer Andy Kirkpatrick and many more. The Festival organisers are already planning for next year and are looking Bike action at the Festival at introducing more competitions and broadening the range of activities on offer. So watch this space!

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N106822GOR_GFU07_7519.indd 1 28.05.2010 10:56:32 Uhr Published by George Fisher Limited, 2 Borrowdale Road, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5DA Tel: 017687 72178 Website: www.georgeﬁ sher.co.uk Email: customerservice@georgeﬁ sher.co.uk The publishers of Update would like to thank all contributors to this edition, noting that the opinions expressed in submitted articles are those of their authors, and not necessarily of George Fisher Ltd. Editor: Clive Allen Printed by Reeds Printers, Penrith Tel: 01768 864214 Printed on 100% recycled paper