The first time I went walking on Ireland’s Dingle Peninsula, I really didn’t know what to expect. Probably a bit like the Lake District, I thought, just with a bit more coast. I wasn’t even close.
Despite being a short plane or boat ride away from England, County Kerry feels like another world. A place of raw natural beauty where gentle green fields build into savage mountains with cliffs spilling down towards the Atlantic, which in turn stretches endlessly away to the west.
Mount Brandon (below) is the star turn in these parts, a sprawling 952m beast of a mountain where legend, solitude and the awesome power of nature intertwine.
You’re not simply going for a good hillwalk on Brandon, you’re stepping into a story, of saints and sailors, wind and stone. Named after Saint Brendan the Navigator, said to have embarked on a voyage to the Americas from this very spot, the mountain holds both myth and meaning.
So although it may sound distant, we hope the article encourages you to plan your own voyage to this most spectacular western edge of Europe. But if the Atlantic coast feels too ambitious this summer, there’s plenty more to keep you entertained in another peak-packed issue. Scroll down for my highlights from Trail's July 2025 issue...
Oli Reed, Trail editor
Where eagles dare
Just in case you thought Ireland was the only island with magical mountains to climb, Fliss Freeborn jumps on a CalMac ferry to the Isle of Mull to bag some easy peaks with monstrous views and more sea eagles than you can shake a walking pole at.
Snowdon, the (very) hard way
If you want an edgy route up the highest mountain in Wales, forget Crib Goch, grab a harness and helmet, then take a guided trip up the Parson's Nose Arete. Ben Weeks recently did just that, and can confirm it isn't for the faint-hearted.
England's highest nature reserve
Skiddaw is one of the most visible and popular mountains in the Lake District, but did you know it's also recently become home to England's highest nature reserve? Sarah Ryan meets the team of people breathing new life into this iconic peak with a long-term rewilding project.
UK Mountain Photo of the Year – shoot for glory
The search is on once again to crown Trail magazine's UK Mountain Photo of the Year champ. If you think you can take a shot to rival last year's winning image from George Roberston on the Isle of Skye (above), then enter our 2025 competition here.
Sleeping bags and hiking shoes, on test
Our regular gear testers Matt Jones and James Forrest review and rate the latest summer sleeping bags and hiking shoes, all put through their paces in the mountains of Snowdonia and Cumbria.
Patagonia dreaming
If you fancy a proper hike of a lifetime, check out this issue's epic trail through Torres del Paine National Park in the awesome mountains of Patagonia. South America might not be the easiest place to reach (understatement of the year), but there really is no place like it on Earth.
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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.