Cape Wrath Trail in Winter

With planning for this winter starting again, I was reviewing my kit list and looking at the things that worked well and what is firmly getting left behind next time. Without doubt the stars of the show were my Paramo smock and salopettes and my PH Designs down sleeping bag. Paramo seems to be one of those “marmite” brands that people either love or hate. All I can say is that I’ve tested mine in what must be some of the most extreme conditions you can find in the mountains and they came up trumps.

Yes, the smock is heavy and warm, but I wear it with just a merino base layer underneath and that suits me fine, even in a blizzard. No waterproof garment will keep you 100% dry when you’re sweating buckets in torrential rain, but I find the Paramo “clears” quicker than Goretex when rain lifts or you stop. The salopettes and smock will be the first items in the bag when I pack again.

The same goes for my PH Designs bag. Rated to -11, it kept me warm enough to sleep when temperatures dropped below -15 (albeit fully clothed). I was worried how it would live with the damp, but it has a water resistant outer that works remarkably well. I have since invested in a few other bits from PH Designs and I love the fact that they are a British company leading the way.

The trusty Hilleberg Akto has also stood the test of time. When I did the recent Saunders Lakeland Marathon the overnight site was inundated with Terra Nova Laser Comps. For me they look a bit flimsy for comfort, but I know lots of people love ‘em. But you know where you are with the Hilleberg, and I always sleep soundly knowing it won’t let me down when the gales blow.

So what didn’t work so fantastically? Well, I got my food supplies a bit wrong and ended up carrying too much of the stuff. Although Wayfarer meals are undoubtedly tasty, they are heavy for a multi-day bakpack. Recently I’ve been trying some of the freeze dried offerings from Expedition Foods and Be Well, which are pretty edible (tasty would be too far to go) and will almost certainly replace the Wayfarer’s in the future.

I’m also going to re-think my boot choice. I went for a sturdy leather boot and Berghaus Yeti Extrem full gaiters. Although the gaiters worked superbly, dampness inevitably sets in after multiple river crossings and it took a week for the boots to dry out fully on my return. With that in mind, I’m going to experiment with a lighter boot (quite possibly something radical like the Montrail Hardrock Mid) and a Gore tex sock combination, with a simpler gaiter. The idea being if you can’t avoid the wet, at least have something that dries a bit more quickly. The lighter boot will still take my Kahtoola crampons which I was glad of on the snowier passes at Christmas. The lightweight Camp ice axe I took proved unnecessary.

And the award for the worst bit of kit? It has to be the Paramo balaclava. The face drawcord is positioned just below where your lips protrude. If you tuck this inside it is uncomfortable, if you leave it outside the balaclava it whips you viciously in the eyes in any gust of wind. Not really sure who field tested that one?

I suspect the SPOT satellite tracking device would be utterly incomprehensible to a man in whose era hobnail boots were considered cutting edge.

SPOT allows you to transmit an emergency distress signal and GPS location via satellite from almost anywhere in the world. The really interesting feature is it’s ability to plot your “live” progress on a Google Map.

Having followed Pete McFarlane’s progress on the West Highland Way I was keen to use this device so readers of this blog could follow my own progress. Also, given that I will be walking long stretches solo, I have a very real need for this device’s core purpose - an emergency fall back in areas with no phone coverage (almost the whole Cape Wrath Trail).

I am totally indebted to the Adventure Trading Post who have very kindly agreed to supply me with a device for the duration of the walk. You’ll be able to follow my progress on maps both on this blog and their site.

I’ll also be posting brief updates from the trail via text, with a full report on my return. Ok, that’s it from me Alfred - you can stop spinning now.

I was a bit surprised to see the Kahtoola lightweight crampon getting slated in the latest edition of Trail magazine.

I’ll be taking a pair with me on my Cape Wrath Trail expedition in a few weeks, and looking at the weather forecasts I’ll need them. The trail, although mostly what could be described as low level has some tricky sections and high passes which snow and ice would render treacherous without the right gear.

However, I’ll likely only need to use my Kahtoola’s for limited stretches, making them perfect in terms of weight and function, where a heavier mountaineering crampon would be overkill. The crux of the argument outlined in Trail seems to be that these crampons would be dangerous in technical conditions. Personally I would take that to be as self-evident as saying it’s a bad idea to wear carpet slippers up Ben Nevis.

As ever it comes down to the right kit, used by the right person in the right place. I’ve got to carry these babies for 200 miles and they strike exactly the right balance between weight and function.

I was reading the latest issue of Trail the other day and in particular the comments of Pete McFarlane, their lightweight expert. He was basically saying that the central tenet of being lightweight was to optimise the performance you need with weight.

Although I still think that the lightweight “movement” if you can call it such a think has led to unnecessary gear faddishness, I thought there was a lot of sense in his words. The main problem I have is that often people seem to compromise performance (and therefore comfort) for the sake of saving a few pounds in weight.

Clearly that’s a personal choice but I’ve often pondered the point of a lightweight jacket that lets you down in torrential rain (which, let’s face it, you’re as likely to get in the UK in mid-Summer as mid-Winter).

My trusty Trangia is a case in point. For years I’ve suffered brickbats from companions about its weight, size and slowness to boil (although I’m not sure why boil times are quite such an issue in the wilderness - I go there to get away from time pressure!).

Yet time and time again the Trangia would triumph over other models lighting and staying lit in a Force 10, and giving me tea whilst my mates where still muttering curses and trying to construct impromptu windshields.

I guess, like so many things, it comes down to personal preference and indeed money. I would always tend to buy the best performing item, almost regardless of weight, but this trip has made me more conscious of the lightweight options.

But let’s not forget you can still enjoy the hills in a £20 cagoule from Millets

The Cape Wrath Trail in winter clearly requires the right gear.

I’m fortunate in that I’ve built up most of the following over many years, although I’ve had to get a few new bits for the trip.

The weather could be weeks of unrelenting rain, snow, fog and probably a mixture of all three. So here’s a list of the kit I’m going to be using:

Camping
Hilleberg Akto Tent - Light, bombproof. This little beauty has given me years of good service. Now discontinued but I’ve seen a few on eBay. The Terra Nova Laser also seems a popular high mountain 4 season tent.
Rhino pegs - Highly recommended! 
Ph Designs Minim Sleeping bag - rated to -10 but I have used it comfortably down to -15 with clothes and a silk liner
Thermarest 3/4 length - 15 years and still going strong! Alpkit do some cheap, but quality alternatives (the same goes for their down sleeping bags)

Rucksack
Lowe Alpine TFX Expedition 75+20 - Heavy, but a proper expedition sack - you could fit a small horse in this baby

Clothing
Paramo Aspira Smock - In Scotland you need something you can rely on. Maybe too hot for summer, also dries very quickly, can’t recommend enough
Paramo Aspira Salopettes - Best.Trousers.Ever
Mammut Base jump pants
Taranaki merino base layer (top and long johns)
Buffalo Mountain Shirt
Trusty Norgee fleece “left over” from TA days
Thousand mile socks - Never given me a blister yet
SealSkinz warterproof undersocks
Berghaus Yeti Extrem full boot gaiters - Bought from army surplus years ago and used once - should come in handy for the bogs
Karrimor leather boots - Bought for a song in Ambleside and still going strong
Paramo Balaclava
Rab Power Stretch Gloves
PH Designs mitts

Cooking
Jetboil stove and 2 x spare canisters - A big departure for me, I have finally retired the trusty Trangia from solo trips

Food
British and American vac pac army rations (Wayfarer style) - heavy but tasty,  you look forward to eating it at the end of a hard day.Would probably grit my teeth and use freeze dried next time due to weight

Plus the unusual selection of munchies for breakfast and lunch: Soreen loaf, nuts, Mars bars, beef jerky etc. Stoat porridge bars are a revelation!

Other
SPOT emergency rescue beacon - See other posts
Silva compass & spare
Canon Powershot G9 camera
Basic first aid kit
Water purifying tablets
Mini toilet trowel
Platypus 3L hydration system
1L Sigg water bottle

Waterproof matches
Exped dry bags
Kahtoola lightweight crampons
Camp Corsa - Lightweight ice axe - one of those “better to have with you than to regret not having” items
Leki retractable trek pole - Alpkit also do good cheap poles
Garmin Etrex H - Basic GPS for emergency grid references
iPod - For the journeys
A good book for those long nights - Tom Wolfe A Man in full
Diary - for keeping route notes