Reading through the new issue of Trail (on sale April 10th) made me realise something. Which is that although many of us who work and write for this magazine have been walking and camping in the mountains for decades, none of us are really experts.
We might be experts in the “we do this a lot and talk about it all day, so we know a thing or two and you should pay attention to us” way, but really we’re all still learning.
Take our staff writer Fliss, for example, who’s spent around 1000 nights in tents but still proudly bodges up something on every camping trip. We’ve got photographer Tom, who’s climbed more mountains than all of us but says he figures out something new on each ascent. There’s me, passing on advice about how to bag peaks with kids despite still feeling like a nervous novice every time I plan a family mountain trip.
And then to cap it all off, we’ve got Jost Kobusch (above), one of the world’s top high-altitude mountaineers, who despite all his skill and planning was forced to abort a recent solo attempt on Everest after being caught up in an earthquake. It made me realise, yet again, that the mountains are the real masters here. We’re all just novices by comparison.
But having said all of that, we’re very proud of this month’s issue and have worked our little socks off as always. Scroll down for my highlights…
Oli Reed, Trail editor
Gear of the Year – revealed
Ben Weeks is your guide through 100 pages of the very best outdoor kit for 2025. We tested and rated 182 hiking and backpacking products, and inside this year’s Gear Guide you’ll find our top 8 picks for spring and summer.
The day the mountain moved
Jost Kobusch tells the incredible story of surviving the earthquake and resulting avalanche that made him beat a hasty retreat from Everest – and put us all off the idea of a solo winter attempt to climb the West Ridge of the world’s highest mountain.
Dawn raider
Tom Bailey heads for the best Scottish mountain ridge south of Glen Coe at the perfect time of day – when the trails are quiet, mist fills the glens, and the landscape looks dreamlike. He also chucks in an almost unfairly spectacular wild camp for good measure.
The Great Gift
Did you know 13 of the Lake District’s most iconic fells also make up Britain’s largest war memorial? Nick Hallisey shows you how to link them together into one great walk, in one might be one of the best mountain routes we’ve ever cooked up.
The Salt Path – with a twist
With the movie adaptation of Raynor Winn’s best-selling book set to hit the big screen, Fliss Freeborn heads back to where she grew up and checks out the three most rugged days on the 630-mile South West Coast Path.
Best of Brit Kit
Trail’s self-confessed gear geek Matt Jones takes a closer look at the pioneering outdoor gear brands that were born in the British Isles. From giants like Berghaus and Rab to smaller businesses fighting their corner on the global stage, this is a celebration of our homegrown kit manufacturers.
Backpacks, snacks, bribes
It’s the dilemma facing all parents – where do you even start kitting your kids out for a day in the mountains? I’ve climbed Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis with my 8-year-old son over the last 3 years, so finally feel qualified to share some tips on how you could do the same. And most importantly, survive to tell the tale!
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Every issue of Trail is packed with award-winning writing and photography, mapped mountain routes, expert reviews of all the latest outdoor gear, interviews with the biggest names in outdoor adventure, and expert advice from mountain pros on how to improve your hill skills.