Stay at home

[Wok de dog]

Hi, I will be receiving a gift subscription of a walking magazine this Christmas, my pal gets TGO (the great outdoors).
I wish to get another one so we can swap but, what one?
Any recommendations? I am interested in gear reviews and munro's specifically so a purely rambling or climbing mag would not suffice,
Cheers.

[mband]

If you're not already a member the Mountaineering Council of Scotland's magazine is really good (it's not every month though), covers climbing as well but along with the mag you get the other benefits of being a member.

[patw]

Hi I would go for trail magazine thats the mag I get. Patw,

[jepsonscotland]

Trail is great.
A little more 'focused' and 'serious' about mountains in general.
Some really great walks, reviews etc

[Arthurs Eat]

Given my previous problems with my Trail subscription I would only recommend Trail as a poor mans Dock Leaf

[Wok de dog]

Haha, dock leaf.
Requested Trail, will treat oneself to MCoS in new year.
Cheers.

[larry groo]

Trail is the FHM of Hillwalking magazines.

Lacking any substance/thought/knowledge on the subject.

Full of glossy adverts for stuff most of us don't need/can't afford.

Also, waaayyyy too many pics of their gear guy Graham Thompson.

Jeez, I could go on.



(Anyone remember them publishing incorrect bearings to get off the top of Nevis?)

[Lightfoot2017]

Given my previous problems with my Trail subscription I would only recommend Trail as a poor mans Dock Leaf

Agree. I found Trail to be a very poor effort, overall. There have been a couple of instances of writers getting routes stupendously wrong - and dangerously so. Not to be trusted IMO.

Shame 'The Angry Corrie' isn't a subscription publication.....

[prog99]

They are all much of a muchness. Watch out for article repetition (101 routes up the Ben, your secret lakes weekend etc) which I think is to get new readership in?

Best mag I read recently was unfortunately in German but it had a good mix of articles and fairly easy to follow even with my limited comprehension of it.

[Michael Thomson]

Trail is good if you enjoy hyperbole overload, they're kind like the print equivalent of buzzfeed clickbait headlines.

"The 10 most deathly horrendous mountain experiences ever!!!!!"
"14 skills that will make you a mountain god!!!!"
"The day I almost died on the pap of Glencoe!!!!"

You can skip GT's reviews, just assume he'll always pick the mountain equipment jacket and the scarpa mantas.

They do have one saving grace, they still feature the odd article by WH's very own Petesy.

There are some good online alternatives, David Lintern of this parish is the editor for Outoor Enthusiast and Mountain Pro and both are good. I'd also suggest SideTracked is worth a view.

[irishwasa]

Personally, since I travel frequently, I pick up both TGO and Trail at random intervals, depending on what is on the front cover. They are a source of info to get me to look at different places / routes, they are not definitive instructions. I would never stand on top of a hill and set off into the distance on a course that I read somewhere - I would be confirming it was a sensible course on a map first!
As such, I find the articles give me an insight into an area I might not otherwise look at. I can then research further online. Equally, I would take some of the info from reviews and research further - I would not take 1 persons opinion as being gospel.
Having said all that, it then depends on what you want the mag for - if (like me) it is just to pass the time and see some hills and views and rivers and imagine we were there etc, then Trail is a reasonable read, and for the OP, he can swap with his mate's TGO later

[murwilson]

Trail is mince. And they really did do a piece on the day they almost died on the Pap of Glencoe. Seriously. And they supported a vote by their readership that Tryfan was the greatest hill in the UK (it might be I suppose, if you haven't been to Torridon, or Skye, or Kintail, or...) which was carried by some national newspapers as an actual fact!

The only good thing about Trail is that our very own PTC has had a few routes published in it. Nice one.

Other than that. Mince.

Mur

[ptc*]

As mentioned above and a wee bit further above, I've done freelance stuff for Trail for years. I'm realistic about all the magazines, they're product, nothing grander, but they can still be a font of knowledge and a source of inspiration if the content is right. None of the magazines have a clean record on that one.

It's a shame circulations are all so small these days, magazines are a cultural icon and should be preserved. The 'net is fantastic but the speed of it all can take away the sense of occasion, of looking forward to something. I used to love watching for my magazine appearing at the newsagent in the mornings and reading at at tea-break at work when it came in.

Here's a wee story. A few years back I wrote a route for Lurg Mhor and Bidein a Choire Sheasgaich using the walk-in from Attadale. I went up to shoot new photies for it in glorious clear weather and a had a very fine time with a glorious sunset on the summit. Once it was published someone on the Outdoorsmagic forums I think it was kicked off saying the route was impossible, that no one could walk that distance in the time specified and the Trail should be ashamed for making it all up.
I had a proper chuckle at that and learned that you can never win all the time whatever you do, so it's best just to get on with it.

[jepsonscotland]

Well said PTC, a little more ''balance'' to the story.

[ptc*]

The truth is always somewhere in the middle