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Trail magazine recently held a gear sale to raise money for two well deserving charities.
The Kichijo Orphanage in Tanzania
www.wearecollecting.co.uk
Save the Children
www.savethechildren.org.uk
The donated gear was sold off in a charity sale which raised an impressive £2268!
The Valle de Genal lies west of Malaga and north of Marbella. Juzcar is one of the seven villages of the Alto (Upper) Genal Valley.
Fran O'Donnell sent us this account of her trip to this beautiful part of southern Spain.
The charming hotel Bandolero www.hotelbandolero.com was our base for a self-guided holiday exploring the other villages along the ancient mule tracks. Rural tourism is only just beginning to find it's way into this valley that makes few concessions to visitors but does offer the chance to see Andalucian Eagles - we did!
In June, it was hot - very hot - and the tracks were dusty, reflecting the fierce heat of the sun. brasher's Neon walking shoes were ideal footwear for the trip. My feet didn't overheat, the soles coped superbly with the steep terrain and the fit was brilliant. Despite walking many miles every day, there was not even the sniff of a sore spot or blister (brasher socks helped) and I was able to slip them on again after a refreshing shower at the end of the day. Just as well they were the only shoes I took on holiday. Super comfortable, they were fine for travelling, on the trail and sightseeing in nearby Ronda.
If you've been out and about in your brasher's send us a few lines telling us where you've been wearing them along with a photo and we'll publish it on the blog.
Father's Day is fast approaching. For all of you with an outdoorsy Dad and stuck for inspiration here are some hot ideas from brasher.
Ensure your Dad looks good this summer with a pair of new brasher Neon's. In a choice of two colours, they are perfect for kicking around the campsite and those casual walks on low level paths and trails.
Dad's are always grateful for socks whatever the occasion. Choose from a selection of brasher socks designed for every season of the year and every activity. 3 Season socks are perfect for all year round walking or go for the Supalite sock, great for everyday use.
Or maybe treat your Dad to a great day out in the hills finishing at his favourite pub for a pint!
A couple of good sites to try are:
Our kid's walking boot, Chichon GTX, goes to the top of the class in Trail magazine's children's boots test this month.
Holding pole position for the 3rd year running as it receives a 5 star rating and wins Best in Test award.
As quoted by the Trail gear testers;
"The Chichon GTX boasts a GORE-TEX waterproof lining and a well-built fabric upper and sole for maximum foot protection. There is also a dash of reflective trim for night or road walks. The exceptionally aggressive lug pattern is ideal for mud.
Overall a quality boot for kids who want to leave the valley and explore the rockier and muddier hills and mountains."
If you are looking for family walking holidays or days out there is no reason for your kids to miss out on the hills this summer.
John Pilkington is an old friend of brasher and has been called "one of Britain's greatest tellers of travellers tales". Originally a travel writer and photographer, he's more recently become known for his adventure travel programmes on BBC Radio 4.
"I've always loved the various brashers I've had, but they really came into their own in 2006 when I used a pair of Kubes on a 700-kilometre trip from Timbuktu to the salt mines at Taoudenni in the middle of the Sahara.
Now I'm off on another big adventure, starting in Beirut and hiking the newly created Lebanon Mountain Trail before hitch-hiking and taking buses and trains through Syria, Iraq and Iran as far as Afghanistan. If all goes well, I'll cross northern Afghanistan, which is comparatively safe, to finish with a fabulous trek in the Little Pamir mountains in the far north-east, from where I'm trying to get permission to cross the historic Boroghil Pass to end up in September in Pakistan.
Think of the top ten countries most feared by Western Politicians, and all six above would be on the list. They're in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. But each has millions of ordinary people pursuing their lives in villages and countryside - often against heavy odds - in much the same way as they've done for a thousand years. It's these people that I want to meet, joining in their day-to-day challenges and listening to their hopes and dreams.
brasher have prepared me brilliantly for the trip, with Lithium XCR's for the hiking bits and Neon's for the rest. The Lithium XCR's will give me the all-important ankle support when I'm trekking with my pack, while the Neon's will be cool and super-lightweight for the hot, dusty road journeys.
I'll be posting updates here and at www.pilk.net/lecture.afghanistan.html, starting in May with the lowdown for you on hiking Lebanon's answer to the Pennine Way."
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