Issue #57 The Misc Adventures Digest

A weekend valley wander, noticing subtle seasonal shifts and a hiking boot review of sorts

Hello there. After a couple of weeks of wild weather we were looking forward to a brief respite at the weekend. Both days dawned blustery and grey, but without the ferocity and relentless rain that had hampered recent outings. With winds forecast to remain around 60 mph above 600m, heading up high was vetoed - 7 year olds blow away easily in strong winds - and we opted for a slow valley wander in one of our favourite spots instead.

It is good to have somewhere to revisit throughout the seasons, a place to notice the little and not so little changes that take place as Nature responds to subtle shifts in light and temperature. Although only January, new life is creeping, unfurling and preparing for longer, warmer days ahead. Hazel catkins are flowering, sending puffs of pollen into the chill air - it won’t be too long before we spot the first female flower, poised elegantly, waiting to intercept a single microscopic grain as it floats on the wind. In the soil, tiny green leaves begin to emerge. A quick rummage in the leaf litter reveals the short, sharp green spears of new bluebell shoots poking through, a subtle sign of things to come. Buds are swelling, purple birch twigs are glowing with increasing vibrancy against cold grey skies. There is a long way to go still, and I know I will miss the winter when it has gone, but it is reassuring to know that change is afoot.

This familiar route is boulder strewn, wet and slippy. A few off piste scrambles take us to favourite hidden spots. It is a good place to think about how our feet feel when we hop from rock to rock over the river or whether our toes stay dry after unintentionally squelching through bogs. We have both been trying out new hiking boots for the last couple of months - it takes a while to fully trust your feet in new boots but I think we are finally getting there.

We were each sent a pair of Hanwag Banks GTX back in October and have been wearing them on all our hikes and slow adventures since. This is not the first pair of Hanwag boots I have owned - I have had a pair of double stitched Berglers for what must be close to 8 years. They have served me well on many an adventure; I have worn them on long distance hikes in Norway, Sweden, Scotland and the Lake District they and were my go-to boots when teaching workshops or woodcrafting during the years we called the woods our home. Over the last few months though, they started to become less waterproof - no matter how much I re-proofed them - and I noticed that my toes hurt on long descents. I began to yearn for something lighter, softer with more room for my toes to wriggle and spread.

Hanwag Banks GTX

That being said, I was still a little sceptical about trying a softer boot. There’s something about the rugged, solid feel of my old boots that inspires confidence and exudes dependability. Putting on the Banks GTX for the first time though, my feet seemed to breathe a sigh of relief - they are well cushioned and soft, cosy even, and I felt more light-footed and sprightly than my old boots allowed.

Our hikes typically go through a wide and varied mix of terrains, and we have both worn these boots on long days in the mountains, occasional scrambles, valley and woodland walks with many beck crossings and boggy bits and our feet have stayed warm, dry and comfortable throughout. Emma has always favoured lighter boots, but for me it is a novelty to be able to feel the ground a little more beneath my feet, and I wonder if I could go back to heavy boots again…

I do wonder about the longevity of these boots - I doubt they will last as long my old double stitched Hanwags - but they feel very well put together and I think I could trust them to serve me well on multi-day trips without fear of them failing on me.

Bashing our way through the woods, we scrambled up a steep, slippery bank to find a waterfall we had never seen before and stopped for snacks by the tumbling falls, mesmerised by the white veil of water passing over black rock.

Normally our route is circular, but we decide to retrace our path and head back the way we came. Walking a familiar route in reverse allows us to spot new things we have missed before; miniature worlds of moss and lichen; fresh polypores on silver birches; the exposed roots of an oak tree gripped onto a rock like a giant claw.

It was just a short hike in terms of distance but we were out for hours, stopping to spot subtle signs of seasonal change, taking photos, snacking by rivers and waterfalls - this slow pace connects us to the landscape deeply and I’m thankful that this is the way in which we spend time outdoors. It is not to be raced through, or conquered, or counted or measured - it is where we feel comfortable, it is where we find joy. It is home.

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Well, that’s all for this week. How did you find the gear review? I’m interested in ways of weaving reviews of the kit we use into stories in a genuine way. We are really fussy about the gear we wear on our adventures, and even fussier about the kinds of things we endorse - there’s no getting around it, outdoor gear directly impacts our comfort levels in wild places so it’s important for us that we get it right, and that we share our thoughts so that others can benefit from our experiences.

Also, have you noticed signs of seasonal change where you are? If you have, we’d love to hear about them!

With warm wishes,

Andrew, Emma and Benji

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