There was a time, many years ago, when it seemed like I was kitted out head-to-toe in Berghaus gear. I don’t think this was a conscious choice, it just seemed that Berghaus gear ticked all the boxes for me. Now Berghaus, like many other gear manufacturers, have gone through some purple patches over the years and have churned out some mediocre kit. These days, through listening to users and working with athletes such as Leo Houlding they produce some excellent and innovative gear. I should really write a review of the Mount Asgard Hybrid, but I’ve only had it a month or so … but what a very comfortable and impressive month it has been. Now, as impressed as I am with that particular bit of Berghaus kit, I need to tell you about a very different bit of Berghaus kit, the Freeflow 20.

Berghaus Freeflow 20

I’m no stranger to the Freeflow system. Around the time I was getting into the outdoors, I bought a Freeflow III 35+8 from the Reading branch of Cotswold Outdoors. I’m pretty sure that I had read a review of it in some outdoor rag extolling its myriad virtues and duly made the trek to Reading to have look at one. I have to be frank with you and say that, before even entering the shop, I was pretty sold on the concept of the Freeflow system and its promise of a sweat-free back. To his great credit the Cotswold sales assistant showed me alternative packs, but a combination of inexperience of outdoor gear and a degree of gullibility regarding gear reviews (“but it is in a published magazine, it must be true”) meant that this purchase was almost a forgone conclusion. It was just a matter of trying it on to see if it was comfortable … but more of that later. All you need to know for the moment is that when I was playing around with the Freeflow 20, my opinions were informed by years’ worth of using the Freeflow 35+8.

The Freeflow 20 provided to me uses the Freeflow IV system and, in an effort to see if anything had changed, I dug out my old Freeflow III pack for a quick comparison. There don’t appear to be any radical differences between the two iterations. The Freeflow IV seems to have less mesh on the backsystem and the Microbreathe shoulder straps of the Freeflow III have been replaced with a much more open EVABreathe construction. All of which suggests that the whole harness is much more breathable than before. Unfortunately, being winter, I couldn’t really test this in any meaningful way. However, I can’t see that it would be any less breathable than the Freeflow III system.

Apart from the Freeflow back system, the main features of the pack are as follows:

The entry to the bag is via a panel that zips open to around half way down the bag. This makes it easy to access stuff in the bottom of the bag and is something I quite like in daysack sized bags. Inside the bag is a key clip and a sleeve for a 2 litre hydration system, although I doubt that it would be easy to fit a full 2 litre bladder into the sleeve, but I’ll come back to that.

The other zip on the bag is one that I really don’t like in any way whatsoever. Rather than put a small zipped pocket at the top of the bag, Berghaus have chosen to place a vertical zip down the front of the bag. With the bag full, putting stuff into this pocket becomes a real chore. This is probably a good thing as it discourages the use of the pocket. Why is that a good thing? For the simple reason that I wouldn’t want to put anything of great value in there. I don’t trust the pocket not to spill its contents as soon as it is unzipped.

The only other external features are a couple of pole holders and a couple of stretchy side pocket. All-in-all a very simple bag with just the Freeflow IV system to make it stand out, but does it make it stand out in the right way? Again, I’ll come back to that later.

Thanks to a really nasty chest infection that kept me on a short leash for about 6 weeks I didn’t manage to really use the pack much. Used as a daysack to hold a few bits and pieces for a holiday stroll through the woods and beside a stream it did what it stayed pretty anonymous – but that’s not a bad thing, in fact it is exactly what you want. It sat on my back and stayed out of the way despite being relatively lightly loaded. Other packs with flexible backs tend to underperform when underloaded and so this was a definite plus for the Freeflow 20. However, it was also my experience with the, quite frankly, ridiculous front pocket. My walking companion also carried the bag for a bit and declared it to be comfortable.

So a reasonably successful first outing, but what about when the pack is stuffed? Well to cut to the chase, not so successful. I will admit that I was being slightly ambitious in trying to use it for a day on the hills in the winter, but I know that I could use my Osprey Talon 22 in a pinch and so I at least attempted to pack it out. This is where the downside of the Freeflow IV system starts to show itself; that lovely gap that lets air pass between the pack and your back only exists because of a high degree of curvature in the Freeflow back system. This means that the bottom of the bag, where the hip-belt connects, is essentially dead space. It also means that effectively using the rest of the space in the bag is much more difficult than it should be. This is something I experienced throughout the years of using the Freeflow 35+8, but with the larger pack it was manageable; with the smaller pack it is frankly annoying. I mentioned earlier that I doubted it would be possible to fit a full 2 litre bladder into the bag – the highly curve back system is the reason why I think this. A partly filled hydration bladder is reasonably flexible – it would be easy enough to get one into the Freeflow 20 – but a full hydration bladder is a different beast; it fights back, it doesn’t want to slide into that little space, it wants to be free and I’ve fought that beast many times, I didn’t even bother challenging it with the Freeflow 20.

Despite having to resort to one of my other rucksacks for the day I threw the Freeflow 20 in the back of the car and passed it around the folks I was spending the day with. Apart from the colour (which is pretty funky), the Freeflow 20 struggled to really catch anyone’s imagination. The comments could be summed up thus: comfortable, too small, and good for a small daysack in a hot climate – and that last comment is probably where this pack would really come into it own. If you were looking for a daysack to take on a summer walking holiday, where you didn’t have to carry much, but you wanted easy access to water and sun-cream stashed in one of the side pockets, then this pack is worth a look.

However, if you think this pack might be for you then get yourself down to an outdoor specialist retailer and try it on. Try on the other bags too. See which ones feel comfortable. Back in Reading, with the Freeflow 35+8 I was sold on the bag already and wasn’t interested in the alternatives, but my shopping companion that day had a very different experience – the Freeflow just didn’t work, it wasn’t comfortable at all. Although I bought the Freeflow 35+8, I wouldn’t buy the Freeflow 20 – but, like that day in Reading, everyone is different and it might be perfect for you. You won’t know until you try it though, will you?

(PS – for those who remember the question I posed at the start. The answer is, yes, I know someone who will get plenty of use from it! Just not me!)

A word about Power Stretch before we go any further – Polartec have this to say about Power Stretch:

Ideal for all sporting activities – from jogging to mountain climbing to equestrian pursuits – where maximum freedom of movement, and clean profiles are desired. Adaptable to changeable weather conditions, Polartec® Power Stretch® garments make an excellent base layer and can be layered over lighter garments, or serve as warm outerwear.

The fabric has a fleece inner face that traps air and provides touch points to wick moisture to the smooth outer face where the moisture spreads out and evaporates – Polartec claim that Power Stretch dries twice as fast as cotton. The smooth outer face is also wind and abrasion resistant. Combined with the 4-way stretch the aim is to create a garment that is close fitting and highly breathable, which keeps your skin dry when you sweat.

The aforementioned opportunity came about courtesy of GO Outdoors and after perusing their range of thermals I asked them to send me the Rab PS Zip top, which is Rab’s take on a Power Stretch top. Now let’s get one thing straight, this top is tight, very tight, but that’s how it is supposed to be. Even so, as I pulled the size large top over my head I had a few brief moments wondering if I had made an awful mistake. A few moments of fiddling later and everything was comfortably in place, and I do mean comfortably; despite it’s figure hugging cut the 4-way stretch of the Power Stretch fabric makes the garment very comfortable to wear. Getting the top on and off is made easier by the very long front zip – probably a full ½ zip – which also provides a venting option in the case of overheating.

The back of this zip is covered by a soft fabric that blocks the wind from coming through the zip and ensures a nice soft next-to-skin feeling. The zip extends right up to the top of the high neck, which is high enough to cover the neck, but which sits comfortably below the chin. There is a second zip on the Rab PS Zip top, which closes the single chest pocket on the left hand side. The inside of this chest pocket is lined with a thick mesh, but with a pocket “floor” of a solid material, presumably for durability. Having said that, I’m not sure I’d ever want to actually put anything in this pocket. For that matter I’m not even sure what could be put in this pocket without causing some sort of discomfort. Now there’s a word I didn’t think I’d be using in relation to the top, because I found the garment extremely comfortable to wear. At the end of the long arms you get two holes for the price of one in the form of thumb-loops. Thumbs loops are an opinion-splitter, some people love them and some people hate them. I can see both sides of the argument as I have a top where the thumb loops don’t work, but on the Rab PS Zip they work brilliantly.

On the hills with the Rab PS Zip

Now when I say comfortable I have to clarify what I mean by that and in what conditions I felt comfortable wearing the Rab PS Zip top. Rewind to a cold Tuesday morning when I drove down to the Mournes and picked up my mate Tim on the way. We had discussed a rough route of where we wanted to go, but when we got down to the hills the sight of some of the more nearby peaks covered in snow made us change our plans. Most people reading this will be familiar with that pre-walk routine of changing socks and tops and stuffing things into packs – all the usual stuff. One of the first things I did was to pull off my t-shirt and Mountain Hardware micro-fleece and pull on the Rab PS Zip. I was wearing it as a baselayer and while we got the rest of our gear together I felt comfortable in the chilly morning air. By comfortable I mean that I was not noticeably cold or warm, things felt just right. As we started to climb our first hill this feeling of comfort persisted. The  close fit of the Power Stretch material against my skin kept in a nice layer of warm air while wicking away any moisture that I was producing. As we gained a little altitude the wind picked up a little bit, but the smooth face fabric kept the wind at bay until we stopped for a quick snack, at which point I pulled on my Rab Stretch Neo for a little extra wind proofing. We continued on, while the clouds began to gather and fresh snow began to fall.

On top the the hill! The Rab PS Zip and Rab Stretch Neo combine perfectly for total comfort … except for the snow in my eyes!

At the summit of our first hill the wind was strong and drove snow into both Tim’s eyes and mine during the obligatory summit photographs. The stinging bite of ice in my right eye was the only discomfort I was feeling, the combination of the Power Stretch and the Stretch Neo seemed to be a perfect partnership. Pushing on and off the first mountain we hit the second mountain and Tim told me to “go for it”. Earlier in the year I had worn the Mountain Equipment Firefox Active Shelljacket and I knew that if I hit this hill hard I would be sweating just as hard by the time I reached the summit. I’m not saying this is an applies-with-apples comparison as Active Shell with a merino base layer in the summer is clearly not the same as a NeoShell jacket with a Power Stretch base layer in the winter, but what I can say is that at no point during the ascent did I feel overly warm, nor did I feel clammy let alone sweaty. At the summit I put my hand inside the base layer and felt my back; there was the merest suggestion of moisture on my skin and the Power Stretch felt dry. I had to wait for Tim for about 5 minutes in the stiff summit wind and during that time I continued to feel comfortable, although based on our next stop I think this was because I had generated enough heat to keep me going for that short stop. Our next stop was in the shelter of some crags for lunch and while I was still comfortable, the extended stop in sub-zero conditions made me wish I had a nice Primaloft jacket in my bag to throw on over the top of my shell.

One more easy summit and we were standing looking at the last summit of the day, but with the snow underfoot we had made slower progress than we had hoped, so we dropped down into the valley and out of the snow line. The feel of the day changed, especially when the rain started and the light began to fade, but we had both expected to be finishing the walk in the dark so out came the head torches. About 7 hours after we started we were back at the car and having a feel of each other … get your minds out of the gutter please! I had just felt inside the Rab PS Zip and it was totally dry, yes that’s what I said totally dry, and just to make sure I wasn’t imagining it I asked Tim for his opinion. He quickly corroborated my assessment. The bottom line here is that I know that my normal setup of a merino base layer, with a fleece mid layer and a GORETEX hardshell would have left me damp to a certain degree at the end of a day like that. Not so the Rab PS Zip. As I mentioned at the start, I had heard good things about Power Stretch and I can now add my voice to those who have gone before me and praised its virtues … at least in its incarnation as the Rab PS Zip. This is going to be my new winter base layer. If I need to add warmth then a light base layer underneath might be all I need. As for the Stretch Neo … that’s for another review, watch this space!

The specs of the Rab PS Zip are as follows:

Originally I bought these in a bit of a rush as I was looking for a shoe in which to walk the West Highland Way. As it turned out I stuck with my old North Face Prophecy IIs and the Wild Cats sat in their box for a month or two until I realised that the Mourne Seven Sevens was coming up fast and I needed to get out and improve my hill fitness.

Among folk looking for a lighter hill shoe, Inov-8 shoes have a good following in the UK; but to date I’ve just not found a pair that fit me properly and I know some other people who have started to look elsewhere. One of these is the author of the excellent blog Summit and Valley – Martin Rye – who consistently gives good gear reviews and when I was looking at shoes for the West Highland Way and saw the bright yellow Wild Cats, his comments about La Sportiva came back to me.

The most immediate impression when I pulled them on was how great the fit around the heel was. This is the problem with a few brands for me, they just don’t fit around the heel very well. Not so the Wild Cats! This is due to what La Sportiva refer to as a “trans-kinetic heel stabiliser”, but which to you and me is just a proper heel cup. This really holds your heel in place and provides a great deal of stability for the foot … but that was just the first impression in the shop, how did they perform on the hills?

The first time out with the Wild Cats was on a training walk for the Seven Sevens and I was playing catch-up with a couple of guys who started half an hour before me. Starting at Carrick Little car park, I set off up Slieve Binnian with the intention of walking the Mourne Inner Horseshoe. Initial progress was comfortable and it was good to be moving at a reasonable pace, with quick and easy foot placement. The grip on the peaty path and grassy side-tracks was good while the boggy bits were easily bypassed or jumped over. At the summit of Slieve Binnian a quick text showed that my quarry was still a good half hour ahead of me and I ran along the top of Binnian and down towards the foot of Slievelamagan. A network-interrupted phone call revealed that I had made up some time, but a fast ascent of Lamagan meant that I stopped for a drink and a bite to eat at the summit. Coming off Lamagan and over Cove, the steep descent confirmed my suspicions from the descent of Binnian – either the shoes were a poor fit at the forefoot or I needed to adjust the laces. A quick re-lace and things were feeling much more stable on the rest of the descent. By this stage I had given up hope of catching my quarry and relaxed into a slightly easier, but still fast paced walk. Reaching the Brandy Pad I decided to walk a steroid infused version of the Mourne Inner Horseshoe  and headed straight up Slieve Commedagh and then followed the Mourne Wall  to summit Slieve Donard and then south toward the Bog of Donard. Ignoring the minor track to the summit of Rocky Mountain I followed the wall down to Long Seefin, where I crossed the stile and followed the minor track back to road. A short march along the road and I was back at the car. Twenty-four or so kilometres in around 6hr 45min and I was sitting in the boot of my car knocking bag some SIS Rego.

La Sportiva Wild Cat - the soles after their first use

So how about the shoes? And how about my feet? Well bear in mind this fact: I had never worn these shoes outside before and I had just walked 24km with 1611m ascent and descent. The shoes showed no sign of excessive wear on the sole and all the lugs were intact. There was quite a bit of dirt on the mesh uppers consistent with some of the boggy ground I had made my way through around the Bog of Donard and Rocky Mountain. There was a tiny bit of damage to the mesh uppers that had occurred during meeting of shoe and rock, but nothing serious or unexpected. My feet were fine; no pain, no hot-spots, no blisters. They felt better than they would had I just walked the same route in my Meindl Vakuums, in fact they felt great.

The second outing was a different route and different weather conditions. I’d exchanged the clear blue skies for cloudy greyness and dry(ish) tracks for rain soaked hills. Starting in Newcastle the route took me up Slieve Donard via the Black Stairs, along to Slieve Commedagh and along the Brandy Pad to Slieve Bearnagh, then following the Mourne Wall to the summits of Slieve Meelmore and Meelbeg. At this point I descended Meelbeg to the east, skirted Meelmore and back over Bearnagh once more, then along the Brandy Pad to the Saddle and back down to Newcastle. This 26km route showed a few different facets of the Wild Cats. Firstly, the grip that had so impressed me on mud and grass was awful on wet rock. That’s maybe not too surprising as many shoes are rubbish on wet rock, but I’d had high hopes for the FriXion® X-Axis sole unit; it’s supposed to be a sticky climbing rubber compound! The second thing, which again is pretty obvious, is that there is very little toe protection on the Wild Cats. There is a rubber toe bumper, but when a rock tips over and lands on your foot there is literally only mesh and sock to absorb the impact … let’s just say I was lucky. The third thing is that the yellow rubber on the sides of the soles is stupid; it is just painted on and after a little use it starts to flake off. This is merely cosmetic, but it gives the impression of a poorly made shoe. Once again my feet, which had got properly wet from early on in the route, were totally dry and comfortable by the time I got to the end. Mesh shoes might let in the water, but they also let it out again very quickly and high wool content socks (in this case merino wool) keep your wet feet warm and comfortable while they dry out.

The third outing for the Wild Cats was the Mourne Seven Sevens - hit up the link to read all about an epic hill day covering all of the major peaks in the Mountains of Mourne – but without describing the route here, it was a mix of forest trail, hill tracks, wet granite and deep boggy ground. At no point did the La Sportiva Wild Cat shoes let me down.  My feet got wet and they dried out, they kept me secure on the downhills (I avoided steep wet granite!) and allowed me to power up the uphills. Only once did I turn an ankle, but no damage was done and my feet felt just great at the end. By this stage, however, the shoes themselves were beginning to look a bit tatty; as far as I can tell it’s just cosmetic though.

The La Sportiva Wild Cat shoes are part of the La Sportiva “Mountain Running” range and these are definitely more of a running shoe than a hill walking shoe, but there is definite potential for use on long distance paths and lightweight backpacking. The heel cup, which I think is superb, is stiffened using a thermoplastic urethane fashioned into what La Sportiva call a “Transkinetic Heel Stabilizer”; whatever it is called, it works. The fit of the shoe is on the wide side of medium; which provides a comfort fit, although possibly at the expense of some performance around the forefoot. Continuing the comfort theme, the sole unit is a beefy affair and provides a lot a cushioning. The extra height and 12mm heel-to-toe drop won’t suit everybody though, especially those who prefer a minimalist experience. At 690g for the pair, the Wild Cats are the same weight as the Inov-8 Terroc 345 and while this may not be considered lightweight by some people they are more than light enough for me. Although the pair I bought were constructed with a mesh upper, they are also available in a GORE-TEX lined version. For me, the mesh uppers provide a superbly cool foot experience and I’m not sure that a GORE-TEX lining would improve that, especially when water over-tops the shoes and floods the inside.

If you are a mountain/fell/trail runner then these are definitely worth a look. If you are a lightweight hiker then these could be a great shoe if they prove to be durable enough – something that I can’t answer just at this point in time, but I’ll report back later as I put more miles under my Wild Cat clad feet.

As the Mourne Mountains came into view I was disappointed at how much I could see of them – where were the rain clouds? Once I’d found somewhere to park, I had a quick munch on a GO Bar and pulled on my Meindl Vakuums – it was time to give the Wildcats a rest and I needed to get used to wearing boots again for an up-coming trip to Wales. The weather was overcast and there was a fair amount of cloud on Slieve Binnian so I had hopes of getting some rain, but I left the Firefox in my bag for the time being. Setting off at a brisk pace I made good time and passed a couple of groups who were taking a more sensible approach to Binnian and I was soon generating a lot of heat and moisture – no need for the jacket just yet though.

Nearing the summit I caught up with and passed Joe, who I had met for the first time on the Seven Sevens, but a quick explanation of what I was doing and a promise to see him at the top and I was pressing on. Fifty-five minutes after leaving the car I was on top of the hill and in more of a breeze so I pulled on the Firefox to keep me from chilling down too quickly.

Mountain Equipment Firefox

The Firefox is made from GORE-TEX Active Shell – the lightest and most breathable membrane from GORE-TEX to date. Regardless of whether a garment is made by Mountain Equipment, Haglöf (pronounced “hag loof” by the way!), Berghaus or any other manufacturer , the fabric comes from Gore and is then made into the final garment by the manufacturer (in this case, Mountain Equipment) … er, seems obvious, so why am I telling you this? Well it allows Gore to exert a certain degree of control over the final product. This is good in a number of ways – think quality control for example. With regard to Active Shell it means that Gore can specify that any jacket made from GORE-TEX Active Shell weighs under 400g. This then, is a light jacket – in fact the Firefox comes in well under the limit at just 320g. The jacket I had was a medium and with just a long-sleeve merino base layer underneath the active cut felt just right. The body was short and close fitting without being restrictive, while the articulated and pre-shaped sleeves were long enough without threatening to engulf my hands if I undid the velcro fastenings (which are high quality and easily adjustable). The front zip on the Firefox, a water resistant YKK affair, is one way zip – presumably there is no real need for a two-way zip on a jacket like this and to add one would just add weight. Where extra and unnecessary weight has been added is under the arms. The Firefox, like other active cut jackets has a high cut under arms, which improves the performance of the waterproof/breathable membrane; so why – in a jacket that is made from such a breathable fabric – have pit zips? Aren’t the large ventilated chest pockets enough? The answer, apparently, is that the European market demands them! Coming back to those chest pockets for a moment – they have water-resistant zips and are backed with mesh pocket bags in case you do need to store something inside them. The hood, which has a stiffened plastic peak, is great in terms of volume and adjustability, but I found that the roll-away closure didn’t work too well and my carefully rolled hood soon started flapping around uncontrollably. At the other end of the jacket a hem draw-cord allows for whatever degree of close or loose fitting that you prefer.

Sunny day on Slieve Binnian

Just as I had zipped up the Firefox, a fellow who arrived at the summit from the opposite direction said hello to me and addressed me by name. As if meeting someone I had only met on the hills once before wasn’t coincidence enough, this turned out to be a family who I had been walking with more than a year before and it was their first time out on the hills since then. After chatting for a while I realised that, despite having been very sweaty, I didn’t feel clammy or uncomfortable.

By this stage, Joe and his nephew had arrived and I walked on down and off Slieve Binnian with them at a comfortable pace. At the foot of Slievelamagan we parted company and I pushed up to the summit in 25 minutes, breathing hard, generating a lot of heat and wishing that there was some rain! At the top of Lamagan I stopped at the summit cairn and dropped my Osprey Raptor 10 on the ground. I knew that I had been sweating hard, but I still didn’t feel uncomfortable. Putting my hand inside the jacket my baselayer was soaked – you might at this point be thinking that the talk about the breathability of Active Shell was all hype and no substance, but hang on a moment and think about what is going on; even if I hadn’t been wearing the Firefox I would have been covered in sweat, the real test for the fabric is how long I would remain that way. The answer was soon obvious as I felt a chill on my back. All GORE-TEX is windproof, so I wasn’t experiencing the sort of windchill that would be expected with a wind permeable garment like a fleece. What I was experiencing was the evaporation of my sweat as it was being transported through the membrane to the outside of the garment – this was breathability in action. What is interesting here is that eVENT has long been considered the most breathable of the waterproof and breathable fabrics on the market. Wearers of eVENT garments are often warned that they might find the extra breathability causes them to be colder – has Active Shell caught up with eVENT in the breathability stakes?

The cloud rolls in ... but no rain

While not discomforted by the chill on my back, the cloud prevented any views from the summit and I walked on at a more leisurely pace. Coming down off Lamagan I decided to cut the day short and descended towards Cove Lough and Lower Cove. Just as I was reaching the crags at the edge of Lower Cove I was hailed by a couple who had come out without a proper map and become disoriented in the thick mist. After a dangerous skirting of the crags they were more-or-less at the point where they could safely descend, but I offered to walk with them until their route back to their car became obvious. When Percy Bysshe came in sight I said my goodbyes and pressed on alone at a quick pace. Arriving back at the car the first thing I did was to remove clothing to make myself more comfortable … and so I  pulled off my boots and socks, not the Firefox. Apart from playing around with the various packet and pit zips, It had remained zipped up since I had put it on and I still felt comfortable even now. Taking the jacket off, the inside felt vaguely damp rather than wet and my baselayer was noticeably drier than it had been at the top of Lamagan – for a jacket to allow a baselayer to dry out like this shows a high degree of breathability.

Getting wet, but staying dry

The only problem with the day was that, like the first attempt at testing the Firefox during the Mourne Seven Sevens, there was no rain. Never mind, there’s always garden hoses! Now a garden hose is not a perfect replication of rain. It can certainly provide a large volume of water, but it won’t necessarily replicate the sort of wind driven rain that we’ve probably all encountered in the hills. What I can say is that the durable water repellent finish (which had been revived before wearing the jacket by washing in Nikwax Tech Wash and then Nikwax TX Direct) beaded up nicely and the water resistant zips didn’t let in any water even when being blasted directly with the hose. I did end up with a slightly wet tee shirt after getting a faceful of water, which then dripped down my neck … but that was nothing to do with the jacket!

Active Shell jackets are promoted for “fast and light” activities and the features and performance of the Firefox certainly lend weight to this positioning of Active Shell within the waterproof and breathable market. The breathability of the Firefox impressed me tremendously and I felt comfortable all the time I was wearing it. At 320g I was impressed by it all the time I wasn’t wearing it as well!

The problem, if there is one, with Active Shell is the doubt surrounding the durability of the fabric. It would be unreasonable to expect that it would be as durable as Pro Shell Ascendor II, but it is clearly not even as durable as Performance Shell. How do they stack up against Paclite? The conventional wisdom at this stage suggests that Active Shell jackets won’t stand up to extended use with a heavy backpack. But they are touted for use in adventure races, so where does the line get drawn? If they can stand up to a mountain marathon can they stand up to ultra-lightweight hiking? Sorry folks, no answers here, just questions. Only time and experience will tell.

The question remains, would I buy one? The answer … at a retail price of £200, is that I’m tempted. I think that as a summer jacket with a baselayer and a light midlayer it would be a great hard shell for those light days with long miles. However, for winter use I’d need to go up a size to accommodate thicker layers for the really crap days. So although I’m tempted, I’m not tempted enough just yet.  As much as I like this superlight, extremely breathable and small packing jacket … oh, and did I say I think it looks great too, especially in the green with blue zips … I’m waiting. Waiting to see just how durable the fabric is!

If getting up early for an epic day on the hills is your idea of fun, then the annual Mourne Seven Sevens may well be worth adding to your list of outdoor challenges. But what is the Mourne Seven Sevens? Well the clue is in the name – the challenge is to start in Newcastle and visit all +700m peaks in the Mountains of Mourne before ending up back in Newcastle. The route is entirely up to you and the summits can be visited in any order you want. The only restriction is that the checkpoint at the Ben Crom dam must be visited before a strict cut-off time. More specific information is provided at the end of this article.

For some people the challenge is simply to finish back in Newcastle having reached all seven summits, while for others the challenge is in beating their previous best time. For the ultra competitive, including runners in the NIMRA Championship, the goal is beating everyone else’s time!

This year (2011) was my first attempt at the Mourne Seven Sevens (as a walker, not a runner) and with only a couple of recent quality hill days under my belt I was feeling dreadfully under-prepared. The weather forecast had suggested that it could be a very wet day on the hills and so I borrowed a Mountain Equipment Firefox jacket as a lightweight alternative to my aging Berghaus jacket (a waterproof jacket is one of kit requirements for the event). I then proceeded to negate the benefits of having an ultralight (sub 400g) hard-shell by stuffing my Osprey Talon 22 with too much food. It was a rookie mistake, but I figured that if I broke an ankle I could at least stave off hypothermia a bit longer while waiting for help.

As always I went to bed later than I should with such an early start the next morning, but once up I prepared a Mountain Fuel Morning Fuel for breakfast, washed down with a coffee and then set off in the car for Newcastle. As the mountains loomed in the distance the weather, which had been very wet the day before, looked to be better than expected – the summits were still in cloud, but the cloud base was higher than it could have been. I arrived at Donard car park around 6:30am and soon met Tim and couple of other guys – all Mourne Seven Sevens veterans – who I would spend various amounts of time throughout the day. After registering and picking up my “race” number I pulled on my La Sportiva Wildcats, made a few last minute adjustments and set off for the starting point.

Tim was a short way ahead of me in the queue for the starting checkpoint and so my first couple of hundred meters were at a steady run in order to catch up with him. Starting too fast was one of the things Tim had warned me against and it was probably a stupid thing to do considering I hadn’t even really warmed up. Settling down into the slower-but-still-too-fast pace I parted company with Tim and the rest of the nearby walkers at the first bridge by staying to the west of the river. At the Ice House the Black Stairs route to the summit of Slieve Donard briefly tempted me, but with plenty of miles ahead of time I opted for the more conventional route up the Glen River towards the Saddle and on up the Mourne Wall.

Reaching the summit of Slieve Donard in around 1hr 12mins I had the single biggest climb of the day behind me. At 850m, Slieve Donard isn’t a big peak, but in the immortal words of the song, the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea, so ascending Slieve Donard from Newcastle means ascending almost its full height. I must admit I lingered at the summit of Slieve Donard for longer than I should, but the marshalls were good for a laugh and I was conscious that I still had six other hills to bag before I was finished. My lingering had allowed Tim to catch up with me a bit and we passed each other as I was heading back down the Saddle, where I waited for him and we headed up Slieve Commedagh together. The cloud was persisting and there was a stiff wind at altitude, but it wasn’t raining and the Firefox stayed in my bag. Tim and I stayed more-or-less together and we came off Slieve Commedagh down to the Brandy Pad, which took us along to Hares’ Gap and up Slieve Bearnagh. We were now almost 7 miles and 2½ hours in, but there was no time for anything more than a drink before the steep and slippy descent of the western spur of Slieve Bearnagh before heading straight back up Slieve Meelmore where we punched our own race numbers (it’s the only unmanned checkpoint) and on to Slieve Meelbeg. At the summit of Slieve Meelbeg we left the Mourne Wall behind and dropped of the hill in a roughly southerly direction towards the Bencrom River. Following the river resulted in properly wet feet for the first time of the day as we splashed through boggy ground, which at times proved to be quite deep. Following the river between Ben Crom and Doan, we descended to around 300m before heading east towards the Ben Crom dam where we arrived to the encouragement of the marshalls just after 11am.

The dam across the Ben Crom Reservoir, which is an essential checkpoint, is a popular stopping point because there is certainly no shortage of water – there is a bucket on a rope that can be dipped into the reservoir – and the wall provides somewhere sheltered and reasonably comfortable to sit down for a few minutes. However, the midges were out in full force and so eating a banana and refilling my water bottles was done with a certain amount of cursing and much more haste than was desirable. Tim and Joe had been even quicker than me and had already started climbing up towards the saddle between Slievelamagan and Slieve Binnian, but a quick burst of pace had me back in contact with them. On reaching the saddle Tim suggested that I dump my bag and collect it again once were had done Binnian and were retracing our route to continue on up Lamagan. I should have listened to him, but I’m a bit pig headed at times and I felt that if I had packed more weight than was necessary than that was quite literally my burden to bear. I have to admit that it was around this point that I began to regret being so conservative about possible food requirements and the consequent weight of my pack. Tim kept saying I was “one tough guy” to be carrying that much weight, I’m sure he was being polite, “one dumb guy” would have been more accurate.

With the summit of Slieve Binnian bagged and a fresh bottle of PSP-22 within reach in the side pocket of my pack we set off at a slow run along Binnian and past the Castles. The weather, which had remained cold and cloudy up to that point, now broke into a much sunnier and warmer day with good views over most of the High Mournes. By this stage we were being passed in both directions by the runners, who had started later than the walkers and who were following a different route. Back once again at the saddle I was starting to really feel the effort. Facing me was the sharp, hard pull up Slievelamagan and I stopped for another 10 minutes to take on more food and fluids. Tim, who hadn’t stopped was now making good time up Lamagan and I wouldn’t speak to him again until I saw him in Newcastle. My own ascent of Lamagan was a much slower than normal 30 minutes despite the rumours of free Kit Kats at the summit. The final checkpoint of the day was a welcome psychological boost – all the hills were done, all that was left was to walk back to Newcastle. The free Twix – the rumours were wrong! – were also welcome and I sat down to munch through them.

The route along Slievelamagan, Cove and Slieve Beg towards the Brandy Pad is a well worn track, but not one that needs to be followed for the Seven Sevens. Unnecessary ascent and decent can be avoided by skirting around the summit of Cove, but without thinking I followed the normal route and lost time and expended unnecessary energy before I realised my mistake. Nonetheless, by the time I had reached the Devil’s Coachroad I had realised that I could potentially finish in under 8 hours. Before the event I had been very publicly – and honestly – stating that I would be happy to finish with my ankles intact and I’d be over the moon to finish in less than 9 hours, so the possibility of finishing in under 8 hours was a challenge I couldn’t resist. I began to push hard up the short stretch of the Brandy Pad to the Saddle which were the last few metres of ascent for the day … and it was here that I rolled my ankle and the thought of failing to finish, or limping home in 15 hours flashed through my mind. As my ankle rolled over and I felt the stretch I dropped to take the weight off it and performed a kind of two footed hop. Months of wearing trail shoes rather than boots had, however, strengthened my ankles considerably and  a few cautious steps later showed no pain and the incident was soon forgotten … well almost forgotten, it was with a little more caution that I continued on my way.

Coming down the Glen River towards Donard Wood I had a good view of the Red Arrows, which were displaying over Newcastle for the Harry Ferguson Festival of Flight. However, I was working the percentages and running on any ground that looked safe enough for tired legs and tired mind and I wasn’t going to risk another turned ankle or missing the 8 hour target and so only stopped briefly to watch the display while I took on some fluids. Reaching the forest road by the “first” bridge I settled into an easy jog towards the car park. If there was a sign pointing to the finish across the grass at Donard Park I missed it and ran on through the car park to the cheers and congratulations of some of those who had finished before me. Reaching the tent where I had registered all those hours ago I had to ask where the finish was and I was pointed to the other side of the tent – which I would have run straight up to had I crossed the grass! With my bib handed over I sat down on the grass and exchanged a few pleasantries with Jim Brown and “posed” (insofar as such a thing is possible while lying on grass) for a photograph. I had already stopped my Sports Tracker app and knew that my official time should be under the 8 hour mark, but when I was handed my certificate it was confirmed – my official time for the day was 7h55min, a time I later found out was just inside the top 50 out of a field of just over 300 walkers.

After a short search I had hunted down Tim, who had finished 15 minutes before me and there was much mutual congratulations and hand-shaking. In a moment of candour Chris (Tim’s brother, who had finished 6th out of all the walkers) and I admitted that we both found the moments after finishing to be incredibly emotional. It was a real high and I wonder if it was akin to the high that long distance runners experience, after all I had (according to my GPS app) just walked a shade over 20 miles and with a cumulative ascent just shy of twice the height of Ben Nevis. Worryingly we were all talking about what we would do differently at next year’s event …

Some more information about the Mourne Seven Sevens:
The Mourne Seven Sevens is organised by the Spartan Red Socks and is an annual event – the proceeds after expenses are donated to charity – most notably the Mourne Mountain Rescue Team.

The Official Stats:
Distance 18mi (29km)
Ascent/decent: 8100ft (2495m)
Typical duration: 10-12 hours
Starting time: 7:00-9:00am
Entrance Fee (2011): £10

The checkpoints visited are as follows (in no particular order):
Slieve Donard: 850m
Slieve Commedagh: 765m
Slieve Lamagan: 704m
Slieve Binnian: 747m
Slieve Meelbeg: 708m
Slieve Meelmore: 704m
Slieve Bearnagh: 727m
Ben Crom dam: n/a

The heights are taken from the 1990 edition of the Mournes OSNI 1:25k map, which showed the height of Slieve Meelmore as 704m. The next edition of the map showed a more accurate height of 687m, but still marked the summit incorrectly. The current version of the map has now placed the summit correctly!

You need to be at least 18 years old to enter and there is a specific kit list that must be taken with you. This includes the obvious items such as a map, compass, waterproof jacket and so on. However, none of these will help you if you haven’t prepared in advance! Work on your hill fitness, make sure you know how to navigate … and remember to have fun while doing it!

The following is my own route for the day, but many walkers did it the other way around, while the runners took a different route again. It’s up to you!

What is it?

What’s in the box?
The Fenix PD30, a belt case, a wrist strap, spare O-rings, a spare button cover, a warranty card and an instruction leaflet

What are the important facts & figures?
There are two modes: turbo and general.

• Cree XP-G LED (R5) with a lifespan of 50,000 hours
• Beam distance: 127m
• Uses two 3V CR123A batteries (Lithium)
• 118mm (Length) x 21.5mm (Diameter)
• 53g without batteries and 88g with batteries
• Digitally regulated output – this maintains constant brightness as the batteries discharge
• Patented physical structure avoids circuit damaging from reverse connection of battery
• Anti-roll, slip-resistant body design – Impact resistance: 1.5m
• Capable of standing up securely on a flat surface to serve as a candle
• Made of durable aircraft-grade aluminum
• Premium Type III hard-anodized anti-abrasive finish
• Toughened ultra-clear glass lens with anti-reflective coating
• Waterproof to IPX-8 standard (2m)

How does it work?
The operation is pretty simple. The button (or switch) is on the tail cap and can be operated with the thumb or a finger. Pressing the button until it clicks turns the torch on and off. With the torch switched on a half press of the button changes the intensity of the output. So far so good. To change the mode from general to turbo the bezel (on the end opposite the button) is tightened with a clockwise turn (and loosened to change back to the general mode). If the general mode is selected then the torch switches on at the Low (10 lumen) setting soft pressing the button cycles through Low > Medium > High > Strobe and then back to Low intensity output. Regardless of the intensity selected, tightening the bezel switches on the 257 lumen Turbo Mode, while loosening the bezel always returns the torch to the Low intensity setting in the General Mode.

The Fenix PD30 attached to the harness of an Osprey pack

How was it tested?
I have been using an Alpkit Gamma head torch for some time and the plan was to see how well the Fenix PD30 R5 worked as an alternative in conjunction with the Ortec “Head-Strap Turn”. The setting for the testing? A shortish night hike and a nightlong marshalling of the Action Medical Research Mourne Mountain PLOD.

The day of the PLOD was miserable, heavy rain and very dark skies made it feel as if it was a rainy December day in Belfast. I spoke to a few people who were buying last minute bits of kit for the event and the weather was pressing on their minds. By the time I had got home and packed my bag the rain had eased and my first glance of the Mournes as I drove south showed clear summits and the possibility of a great night on the hills. After signing in and attending the marshals meeting at the Burrendale hotel, myself and my fellow marshals headed off to Tollymore Forest Park from where we would be transfered to our insertion points. The other marshals for the Hares’ Gap checkpoint had decided they wanted a shorter walk in than had been planned by the event organisers and headed for Meelmore Lodge, but I hooked up with Aidan and Seamus from the Lowland Rescue team and headed to the Bloody Bridge with the marshals from the other checkpoints. Aidan and Seamus were checking the route for safety and marking it out with cyalumes (glow sticks). As we were walking the route in reverse I was able to help out with second guessing where the competitors could take a wrong turn and we worked well as a team to ensure that nobody would get lost or wander into a dangerous river crossing (the rivers were in spate after the heavy rain earlier in the day). Working out sight lines in reverse made for slow going and somewhere between the quarry and the Bog of Donard the Fenix PD30 made its first appearance in the fading light. Strapping it to the Ortec Head-Starp Turn was easy work, the elastic velcro held the torch snuggly in place on the strap and the adjustable angle made it easy to illuminate the right bit of ground in front of my feet although I left it switched off until after we had passed the Bog of Donard checkpoint where the marshals were already set up and getting ready for some food and sleep.

Approaching the head of the Annalong Valley, we looked to the south west and realised that rain was not far away with Slieve Binnian’s torrs already shrouded in grey. The rain soon arrived – hard, heavy and cold – and with it came a mist that reflected the light of our head torches back at us. In retrospect I missed what could have been a good use of the torch in that I could have used it hand-held. The advantage of doing this in the mist is that it improves the visibility in the same way that a car’s low-slung front fog lights work better than the higher main beams. Instead I grabbed my waterproof shell from my pack and pulled my hood up over the torch. This is how I would normally wear a head torch with a hood, with the front-and-central position of the unit sitting comfortably under the wired peak of my hood. The side position of the Fenix, which had been totally comfortable up to that point, suddenly became a problem. If I turned my head to the right, the torch would disappear into the hood and get stuck there. I could have placed the strap on the outside of the hood – the Fenix is waterproof after all – but the rain stopped before I tried this. I’ve since tried it at home and all I can say is that while it works, it’s not particularly comfortable as it feels quite restrictive.

After checking in at the Saddle checkpoint we carried on along the head of the Annalong Valley with the rain and the mist clearing. As we were trying to work out sight lines for the cyalumes in reverse the ease with which I could switch from the lower power setting to the more penetrating higher powered beams proved extremely helpful in looking further ahead. I briefly switched on the Turbo Mode and all I can say is, wow, it’s bright!

By the time we reached Hares’ Gap we were running low on cyalumes, but more importantly the Lowland Rescue guys had the clicker for the Sheep Pens checkpoint and they shot off while I greeted my fellow marshals. It was by now 1am and I hadn’t had any food so priority number one was to get the stove on. As I know the route so well I hadn’t needed to check the map at any point, but now with 4 other people milling around and a couple of hundred competitors heading our way, I reached into my pocket and brought out the Fenix AD301-R red filter adapter. Red light doesn’t affect night vision and so is great when you need to check a map or doing anything close to hand where the light of a torch is going to reflect into your eyes. It’s also great for not blinding other people when you look at them! The filter slipped on easily, but securely and provided more than enough light on the low setting for cooking and writing down competitor details as they passed through the check point. My only concern would be how easy it might be to misplace or lose it while it’s not attached to the torch.

With my late arrival at Hares’ Gap it was about 5am before I was able to get my bivvy bag out and attempt to get some sleep. By that stage it was already light and so I missed out on the chance to try out the Fenix Camping Lampshade – but I’ll be trying this out as soon as I can.

Conclusions

The Fenix PD30 attached to the Ortec Head-Strap Turn

The Fenix PD30 exudes quality. The variable intensities of the (nicely uniform) beam make it a versatile tool. It works well with the Ortec Head-Strap Turn, although it is let down by its performance when used with a hood. At a combined weight of 123g the torch and head-strap combo is actually lighter than my Alpkit Gamma and certainly more versatile, although this versatility and quality comes with a much higher price tag. The main problem with the Fenix PD30 isn’t build quality, or performance, or even the price, the main problem is the fact that it uses two lithium CR123A batteries. Although they are high performance they aren’t particularly cheap, nor are they as easy to get hold of as AA or AAA alkaline batteries which is a consideration if your travels take you to places where batteries of any kind are difficult to get hold of. One option here would be to buy high quality rechargeable lithiums, or an excellent ultra lightweight alternative from the Fenix stable would be the LD01, which uses a single AAA battery, although with a lower light output as a result. Despite this my overall impressions of the Fenix PD30 are good and I’ll be giving it a longer term test over the rest of the summer.

The Fenix PD30, Ortec head strap, red filter and camping lampshade were provided to me for review without obligation by Eden Webshops and all of the items are available on their website.

Slieve Donard Challenge – Sunday 14th August 2011

Join Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke on a one day trek to the peak of Slieve Donard in County Down, while raising vital funds through sponsorship to support the work they do for people with chest, heart and stroke illnesses. The Challenge is part of their “Up or Down” fundraising event, which gives you the opportunity to climb Slieve Donard or abseil 110ft  down the Europa Hotel in Belfast

The 3 hour route up Slieve Donard passes waterfalls, pools, the ice house and the saddle before ascending to the 850m summit.  This is a wonderful opportunity to participate in a group walk to the top of Northern Ireland’s highest mountain. If you like meeting new people, enjoy a bit of exercise and amazing views, then sign up today.

COST: £20/per person (non refundable deposit) including:-

• Tea, Coffee + biscuits before the trek
• Guided walk to the summit
• BBQ in Donard Park

£100 minimum sponsorship.

For further details of this event, the Europa Hotel abseil, or to register contact Pauline Millar:
Telephone: 028 9026 6705
Email: events@nichs.org.uk
Or txt ‘Donard’ to 07841150949

Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke
21 Dublin Road
Belfast
BT2 7HB

The first look at the Fenix PD30 R5 …

The PD30 R5 Specs:

• Cree XP-G LED (R5) with life span of 50,000 hours
• General/turbo mode selected by turning the bezel
• General Mode: 10 lumens (126hrs) – 67 lumens (17hrs) – 124 lumens (7hrs) – SOS
• Turbo Mode: 257 lumens (2hrs 37mins) – plus strobe setting
• Digitally regulated output – maintains constant brightness
• Powered by two 3V CR123A batteries (Lithium)
• 118mm (Length) x 21.5mm (Diameter)
• Made of durable aircraft-grade aluminium
• Hard-anodized finish
• 53 gram (excluding batteries)
• Waterproof to IPX-8 Standard (2m underwater)
• Toughened ultra-clear glass lens with anti-reflective coating
• Push-button tail cap switch
• Capable of standing up securely on a flat surface to serve as a candle
• Anti-roll, slip-resistant body design
• Included accessories: holster, lanyard, body clip, two spare o-rings, and a rubber switch boot

Adult, nymph and two tick larvae. Image courtesy of www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk

Many years before that, when I worked as a Clinical Scientist, I would get the weekly disease surveillance reports, on which would be listed a very low number of cases of Lyme disease (Borreliosis). I knew that ticks were a vector – a means of spreading a disease from one host to another – for the bacterium that causes Lyme disease and so over the next week or so I looked out for the characteristic rash that develops with infection. I also kept the tick in a pot so that if I needed to go to a GP, then I would be able to say, I’ve been bitten by a tick – here it is – I think I have Lyme disease. Fortunately, the rash never developed and I didn’t fall ill.

Back in the days when I cursorily scanned the disease surveillance reports it is almost certain the number of cases of Lyme disease was being severely under-reported. It was a little-known disease even among the medical community. Even now Lyme disease is not very widely known about, although several groups have worked hard to raise awareness of the risks of tick-borne infections – there are more diseases than just Lyme disease – and the outdoor and farming communities are more aware than the general populace.

Comparative sizes of the various stages in a tick's life-cycle. Image courtesy of www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk

Now despite my background in infectious diseases – I’m also the author of several publications on tuberculosis – I didn’t really know much about the ticks that carried Lyme disease. I was aware that there were different species of ticks and I’d had encounters with ticks of varying size, some large with red-an-black torso and some tiny. I assumed that these were different species of ticks. One evening on Rathlin Island, sitting around a table in the sunshine with a number of other RSPB volunteers I pulled a tiny tick from between my fingers. I knew it was a tick, it was properly embedded and when I pulled it out I could see its little legs waving about. But a couple of people around the table claimed it was far too small for a tick. I had removed numerous larger red-and-black ticks from my clothes that day and mentioned this to my companions, whose opinions on the tiny tick ranged from a “baby” tick to a different species. I reckoned at the time that it didn’t matter if it was a juvenille or a different species, a tick was a tick and I wasn’t letting it feed on me or risking an infection.

On my recent walk along the West Highland Way, I wild camped in a secluded location by the shores of Loch Lomond. Having pitched my tent I found that my hands and trousers were covered in tiny ticks, hundreds of them! I meticulously removed all of them from my bare skin and as many as I could from my trousers and then liberally applied Autan, which is supposed to be effective against ticks. The following evening I stopped at a campsite and used their showers in order to properly check myself for embedded ticks, but before showering I pitched my tent and as I tightened the guy lines I spotted a red-and-black bodies tick crawling slowly across the flysheet. I decided it was time to find out more about ticks.

From left to right: larva, nymph, swollen nymph, adult female, adult male, swollen adult male, swollen adult female. Image ©www.tbe-info.com

What I found was: yes, there were many species of ticks; but that the tiny ticks and the larger ticks were merely different stages of the life cycle. But what does that mean from a practical perspective? What you, as a reader, are probably thinking is, does it matter what size, shape, colour or age a tick is? Let’s look at some quick facts:

• There are hundreds of species of ticks worldwide, but in the UK there are 15 species known to attach to humans
• The most common tick to attach to humans in the UK is Ixodes ricinus: also known as the Sheep tick or Deer tick
• The ticks that attach to humans in the UK do so in all 3 stages of their life-cycle: as larvae; as nymphs; and as adults
• Ticks are most active between April and October, but can be active all year round
• Lyme disease is just one of the infections that can be passed on, and infections can be passed on by all 3 stages of tick
• When a tick attaches it is getting a blood meal that lets it grow into the next stage, if it feeds on infected blood it can pass it on at the next feed
• It is important to remove a tick without getting any of its stomach contents regurgitated into the puncture site
• Most people who are bitten by a tick do not develop any disease symptoms, either because they weren’t infected or they have asymptomatic disease

Removing a tick with tweezers. Image courtesy of www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk

The last fact is … well, it’s the bottom line! When you have been outdoors in an area where you might come into contact with ticks you should check yourself, thoroughly, for ticks and remove them properly. There are a number of old-fashioned methods of removing ticks that should not be used. These methods, such as smothering the tick with petroleum jelly, swabbing it with alcohol, or burning it with a match, all increase the risk of passing on an infection by stressing the tick and causing saliva and stomach contents to be regurgitated into the site of attachment. The only safe ways of removing a tick are by using a pair of fine-nosed tweezers (using the correct technique) or by using a specialised tick removal tool. To remove a tick using tweezers, grab the tick as close to the skin as possible – do not grab its body – and pull directly up, without twisting. I use these Tick Remover Pincers from Life Systems.

Using a tick hook or loop. Image courtesy of www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk

Rub the wound site with an alcohol wipe and put the tick in a sealable plastic bag (I use an old 35mm film container), write the details of the date and site of the attachment and keep for several weeks until any symptoms of infection become apparent. You can then take the tick with you to your GP and explain the situation accurately. If you use a specialised tool, such as the highly recommended O’Tom Tick Twister, follow the instructions that came with the tool; you should treat the wound site and removed tick in the same way. Don’t forget to wash your hands afterwards.

But hang on a minute, isn’t prevention better than a cure. How does one stop getting bitten by a tick in the first place. Well let’s start by understanding a little more about the tick’s life-cycle. We already know that the ticks that attach to humans in the UK pass through the stages of larvae, nymph and adult. The adult female, once it has had it’s blood meal drops off its host – which is probably a large mammal, like a sheep, deer or human – and then lays thousands of eggs. In the springtime these eggs hatch and the larvae climb up grass stems to the very tip, where they cling one with some legs and hold out their forelegs ready to grab onto any passing animal that brushes by the grass. The larvae feed, then drop off, moult into the nymph stage and then climb up another stem of grass ready to grab on to another passing animal. The nymphs repeat the cycle to become adults, which then repeat the cycle, with the females eventually laying more eggs.

In order to prevent being bitten by a tick it then makes sense to avoid walking through long grass. But assuming that as an outdoor enthusiast this is unaviodable, then wearing long trousers – possibly tucked into socks – and long sleeved tops helps. But even then it is often unavoidable to walk around in shorts and nobdy tucks their trousers into their socks anymore. The use of an insect repellent then becomes more important. DEET based products are effective but harsh on the skin and tend to damage plastics. Some citronella containing products may help, but I’m not aware of any that have well founded efficacy claims. Icaradin based products are supposed to be as effective as DEET but have none of the less pleasant characteristics. My own personal preference is Autan Protection Plus, it is effective against midges for up to 8 hours and against ticks for up to 4 hours. Of course the other thing to do is check your clothes and exposed skin for ticks if you are in a area that you suspect might be a tick hotspot – flick the little buggers off before they have a chance to embed themselves.

Got a nasty tick story to tell? Tell us by adding a comment below!

For more information on ticks, the diseases they carry, how to deal with them and how to spot the signs of infection see the following websites:

• Borreliosis and Associated Diseases Awareness UK
• Lyme Disease Action
• The International Scientific Working Group on Tick-Borne Encephalitis

Leaving Kinlochleven

Despite the odd behaviour of the local drivers I slept well once again, although my sleeping bag was far too warm and I only zipped it up when I woke just before dawn. The day was threatening to turn sunny and I made getting up and packed into a leisurely affair in the hope that the sun would dry out the tent. I unclipped the dry inner tent and packed it separately and chatted to the chap who had been camped close to me while we both waited for some sun or a breeze to dry things out. Despite the brightness behind the clouds the sun was refusing to break through and I eventually rolled up the wet fly-sheet ready to set off. I had popped some ibuprofen with breakfast to combat the pain in my shin, which had worsened overnight, but which wasn’t going to stop me finishing the West Highland Way. I set off at at modestly late 9:30am, an hour later than I had intended. As I joined the track leading up the hill out of Kinlochleven I realised that I had now walked the whole of the West Highland Way, just not as a through-hike. Any hope of a clear sunny day faded as I climbed up into a misty drizzle. Four miles later I stopped at the ruins of Tigh-na-sleubhaich for a quick snack and a drink and briefly considered putting on waterproofs. It wasn’t really raining heavily though, I wasn’t really wet and neither was I cold, so I pressed on for another 2 miles until the strengthening wind started to chill my hands and I pulled on waterproof trousers and windproof gloves. I was happy to just let the rain bead-up on my merino top. Entering the forest – or what’s left of it – in the shadow of Meall a’ Chaorainn, I spotted other walkers sheltering in the trees and walked on hoping to find a quieter spot to stop for a hot drink. Failing to find somewhere better, I stopped by the information board overlooking Lochan Lunn Da-Bhra where the Way leaves the old military road and heads through the forest towards Glen Nevis. The wind made my gas stove flare spectacularly when I lit it, but I failed to take the hint and didn’t use my windshield while the water boiled. As I picked up the pot full of boiling water, my fingers were scorched by the hot metal handles. I dropped the pot, somehow without spilling any water, and looked at the blisters that had instantly appears on my fingers. Strangely there was very little pain and, after finishing my coffee, I packed up and pushed on to cover the last 7 miles. Unlike my fingers, my shin … or shins were painful. My left shin has started ache somewhere in the last few miles and as I descended down into the now bare forestry plantation I realised just how sore they had become. It wasn’t painful climbing up hills, but as I passed the side-track for Dun Deardail and Ben Nevis came into view it struck me that it was all painful downhill from here, well at least the next 3 miles until I reached the road through Glen Nevis. Walking downhill slowed me up considerably, but I was soon met by some family members who had arrived in Fort William the day before and so I had company for the last few miles.

The Original end of the West Highland Way

Eventually the rather unprepossesing end of the West Highland Way at the roundabout at the north of the town was reached and the obligatory photographs were made. I don’t know the exact reasons for moving the end of the Way into the town, but I gather that this original end was a bit of an anti-climax and most people needed to walk into the town anyway. The last mile or so through the town took a strangely long time and it was a little odd to be finally standing next to the new official end of the West Highland Way. I like what they have done with it: there is a proper “finish line”, complete with lights for those finishing after dark; a neat route map in the paving stones; and somewhere to sit with a statue of a walker massaging a tired foot providing a decent photo opportunity. I’d walked all this way and so I wasn’t going to rush away, not that I felt like rushing anywhere. I felt great, really quite fresh and strong and my feet were fine.

The End! (and the shoes)

I had worried about twisting an ankle at some point and I hadn’t even come close. The only fly in the ointment was the pain in my shins. I chatted with 3 mountain bikers who had just finished the West Highland Way and who were setting off in canoes the next morining to do the Caledonian Canal to Inverness. I arranged for a lift back to where I was staying that night, but I had some time to kill and I wandered slowly back through the town until I reached the Grog & Gruel where I stopped for a celebratory pint of Fraoch (pronounced Fru-ach), an excellent traditional Scottish heather ale, and had a second pint bought for me by a gentleman who had been walking with Andy (see St Fillan’s Chapel on day 4). We chatted for a while until he had to join his wife and I finished off my pint while advising a group of Aussies who were on a whisky pub crawl of Fort William. I drained my pint and walked out into the early evening light, this West Highland Way was over and as I walked down the street I thought about the Great Glen Way … it starts here you know …

My feet weren't sore at all!

Not everybody walks the West Highland Way!

A well derserved pint of Fraoch in the Grog & Gruel

Distance: 16 miles

• West Highland Way – Day 1
• West Highland Way – Day 2
• West Highland Way – Day 3
• West Highland Way – Day 4
• West Highland Way – Day 5