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Alpkit Outpost - Issue 07

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From Castleton to Kyrgyzstan

IT’S SAFE TO COME OUT NOW. TIME TO POKE YOUR HEAD OUT AND SNIFF THE SPRING AIR. LET’S GO… 18 “We promise to strip and dip.”

Spring is suddenly upon us.

Buds are burgeoning on branches. Hibernating hedgehogs are rolling over with a yawned curse and hitting ‘snooze’ on their smartphones.

In the woods the bluebells are in bloom but the Scottish midges are not even a tilt in their father’s kilt.

This is the moment to catch them – and all of nature’s glory – with its pants down.

If you followed our advice to #WinWinter, seize spring before it’s even fully sprung. Don’t hang around until summer arrives, because so will a coach party from Sheffield.

Now is the time for an #oddventure. Get ahead of the curve. Go lighter, faster and further. And catch nature off guard.

Did you know, hedgehogs are one of only three British mammals that actually hibernate? The others are dormice and bats. Some bees and butterflies also hibernate. Nature, eh?

Ready, Steady, Go Box.

What is a Go Box?

Well, it’s a box, any box will do, that you keep packed with everything you need for whatever adventures you like to go on. No excuses that you can’t find your headtorch, forgot to replace the gas or took your Ti mug to work. You’ve got 15 minutes to grab your Go Box and leave the house or the chance will be gone forever. When the opportunity to get out there presents itself, be ready.

“Noodles, never forget the noodles.”
“Compass, whistle & Harmonica...”
Brewing up at a remote camp spot in Fisherfield, Scottish Highlands.
“An always topped up hipflask.”
“...Loo roLl !”
“Spare tent pegs”
Wild camped somewhere on the Faroe Islands.
Setting up camp in Edale, Derbyshire.

1. Splitta

2.

3. Snapwire Knife/ Fork/Spoon

4. Clip

5. Gamma III 180 lumen head torch for running

£19

6. Viper II 280 lumen head torch

£19

7. Glowe

camping lantern £14

8. Kelvin

mug £39

9. Koro

10. AliPots

4 piece aluminium pan set

£25

11. Concertina Aluminium windshield

£11

BUNDLE

alpkit.com/bundles

To help you get started with your own Go Box missions, we’ve put together a two person camping bundle. Get your mitts on £242 worth of gear for just £205.

Over the next couple of months we'll be sharing the Go Box secrets of the Alpkit team and our Alpkiteers. What's in their overnight box? What piece of kit do they never leave home without? Keep an eye on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter channels or sign up for our newsletter for more info.

Fancy winning a Go Box bundle worth £242?

To enter, post a photo of your current Go Box, tag @alpkit and use the hashtag #whatsinyourgobox

In the meantime, if you want more information on how to build your Go Box call in to our stores or visit the link below.

DAN’s overnightersuggested go box. A whisk? this guy knows how to breakfast.

DARING DEEDS

REAL STORIES, EXPEDITIONS, ROAD TRIPS AND ADVENTURE.

alpkit.com/deeds

SURF AND TURF

PADDLING AND PEDALLING AROUND FISHERFIELD FOREST, ONE OF SCOTLAND’S LAST GREAT WILDERNESSES.

In this day and age when you are presented with the opportunity to escape society and live the simple life off grid, with no worry of phones, emails or the after work traffic jam it should be grabbed with both hands. Fisherfield Forest is one of Scotland’s last great wildernesses –remote Munros and lochs totally uninterrupted by even an inch of tarmac. A main arterial path snakes up to the north and smaller veins of deer tracks dart off into the bases of towering peaks. They stand silent, patiently guarding over climbers, cyclists and weary travellers alike.

Following a swift afternoon paddle our camp was established and the exploration began in earnest. Push, carry or ride up the steepest, quickest route and descend the rock slabbed flow became the standard plan. With the views on offer, keeping eyes on the trail became rather difficult. Several days rolled by and only the hardiest one or two were spotted in the area. Fellow Alpkiteer Barry Godin threading his way through the territory on yet another of his incredible solo missions. With several Munros completed and two bothies scoped for future assaults

the dreams of our stay being more permanent were curtailed as the food supplies ran low. With our home for four days deconstructed and loaded back into the packrafts we waved a sad goodbye to our prime causeway location and began the paddle home. In our minds we were already plotting our return to the breathtaking serenity that is Fisherfield.

READ MORE alpkit.com/deeds/ surf_and_turf

The Fisherfield Forest is also known as the Great Wilderness and is home to Scotland’s remotest Munros.
Riders are Joe Flanagan and Ali Parkin. Photos by Sam Flanagan.

Font

Just over 60km south of Paris, the forest of Fontainbleau is home to some of the world’s best bouldering. Favourable weather and a cheap Eurostar ticket make it a perfect spring get away.

It’s been a royal hunting ground, a magnet for artists, the birthplace for impressionism and the world’s first nature reserve. Never mind all that malarky, there’s a lifetime of bouldering to be had. Alpkit’s resident wordsmith Hati lived in Font for a while. We can think of few better places to unwind, think about things and even do a bit of writing. Here’s a few things she learnt whilst out there:

Where was your favourite spot?

For a bit of quiet, I often ventured out of Fontainebleau to the Rocher du Duc area of the Grands Avaux forest (parking at Beauvais Nainville). A super short walk-in delivers a huge variety of circuits, including a children’s circuit. My personal favourites are the black and white circuit of classic traverses in the 6s and 7s, the 100-boulder orange circuit that snakes across the whole massif, and one really huge boulder with some terrifyingly delicate slabs.

Family climbing?

Rocher du Duc has a kids’ circuit of low boulders alongside the main circuits. The Trois Pignons forest has sandy, flat landings throughout –ideal for a family climb and the picnic afterwards! Roche aux Sabots has some great classic climbs, easier circuits, and a kids’ circuit. Rocher Canon has flat, sandy landings, varied climbing, and loads of trees to play – ideal for larger groups and families.

Which ones dry out the quickest?

95.2 is known as the quickest drying area in Bleau, but can get pretty busy after wet weather! Cul de Chien, Elephant, the higher areas of 91.1, and certain areas of Bas Cuvier are worth checking out if you want to avoid the crowds after a spell of rain.

Something off the beaten track?

Apremont, near Barbizon, always feels a bit wild, even though it’s all pretty close to the beaten track.

You’ll usually find a moment of calm at Apremont

Butte aux Dames, and Apremont Bizons is a favourite among Bleausard for enchaînement (the challenge is to not let your feet touch the ground for the entire circuit).

What shouldn’t be missed?

Isatis: fun and varied. The rock is really interesting, with great little crimpy edges, a mix of grades, and some questionable descents. The forest landscape just gets more and more beautiful the further you get from the carpark.

An important side note from Hati about the damage that can be caused by climbing on wet rock. Wait’ til it’s dry! #protecttherock

READ MORE alpkit.com/spotlight/font-at-easter

I got my first taste of those iconic sandstone boulders on the way back from Verdon Gorge in ‘87. it has been an easter tradition ever since.

It’s a very motivational start for the (climbing) year to come. The weather is generally a little warmer and milder, though it’s not guaranteed; one year we had 2 inches of snow on top of all the boulders!

Phud Lightweight and portable bouldering mat

£99

Project Bouldering mat with ultimate fall protection

£199

Mujo Durable and innovative bouldering mat

£175

Alpkit’s very own bouldering legend and factory packing chief Degs was way ahead of the curve – he’s been going out to Font every Easter for the past 27 years! We don’t just employ anyone you know...

An archive shot of Degs in action.
Zofia uses a combination of Phud, Project and Mujo bouldering mats for protection.
Degs’ daughter Izzy, front and centre, now works at Alpkit too!
Photography by andyday.com

LET’S MAKE THE FLEECE GREAT AGAIN.

An excellent outer layer when it’s mild, or mid-layer when it’s freezing, toasty and wind resistant midweight fleece designed to keep the warmth in and the wind out, without sacrificing freedom of movement.

Vizsler’s dense-knit outer resists the wear and tear of adventure, whilst the soft-touch inner has great wicking capabilities making it ideal for active use. It also feels wonderfully soft and comfy.

The elasticated, close-fitting hood will stay on your head when it’s blowing a hoolie and fits comfortably under a helmet. Zipped hand and chest pockets keep your valuables safe.

Vizsler Jacket Dense-knit, durable comfy fleece £69

THE BIG SHAKEOUT IS OUR ANNUAL END OF SUMMER PARTY. WE WILL ALL BE THERE, MUCKING IN, SERVING HOT DOGS, POURING BEER AND OUR HEARTS AND SOULS INTO IT. IT WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE TO MEET YOU.

A not for profit festival: all proceeds go to the Alpkit Foundation

From Castleton to Kyrgyzstan.

Remember Pete from Adventure Pedlars?

Yeah we like Pete, he’s completely bonkers. He’s just entered the inaugural edition of The Silk Road Mountain Race in the world’s most difficult to spell country, Kyrgyzstan. Starting and finishing in the country’s capital Bishkek it’s a monstrous 1700km, unsupported, single-stage race over gravel, single track, long forgotten Soviet era roads and very little tarmac. The organisers are keen to point out the 26,000m of climbing and great distances between resupply points.

Pete is umming and ahhing about kit choice and which bike to take – Camino Ti or new 29er prototype. We sent him out in the drizzle to test our updated range of UK made frame bags and told him not to come back until he’d memorized all the Central Asian countries...

KYRGYZSTAN

Super, hyper, mega. Crikey. We’ve redesigned the key pieces in our UK made luggage range to make best use of our all new Tarmac UL fabric. The new bags are unlined, simplified and stripped back. Designed specifically for the minimalist racer or high speed traveller doing multi-day unsupported trips over mixed terrain.

Tarmac

“We need a seat pack for proper MTB terrain”, you cried. “One that works with dropper seat posts.” We set about developing a harness to make our seat packs more stable and suitable for dropper seat posts. We think we’ve come up with something rather special and unique which will add stability to all our packs. It’s a new anti-sway slide-on/slide-off

seat pack mount made in the UK to our registered design. Ditch the sweaty backpack and fit our new Exorail system to your seatpost/ saddle cluster and leave it there for quick and easy slide on, slide off installation. Less faffing, more riding. The new Koala seatpacks are made from highly durable Cordura fabric with the Exorail mount

“CLIMBS LIKE A 29ER, DESCENDS LIKE A TOTAL BADASS...”

A MID TRAVEL, FULL SUSS, BIG GRINS, STOKED, LET’S DO THAT AGAIN SORT OF BIKE. Active and plush suspension for a ‘bottomless’ feel and ‘poppy’ ride, climbs well and descends flat out. Super fast, super stiff, all the time, everywhere. Watch what happened when Rob, Freddie and Neil took the EVOL to the mountains but ended up riding closer to

NX1 Revelation £1849

GX Eagle Revelation £2399

GX Eagle Pike £2599

XX1 Eagle Pike £3299

WHERE Local trails, playing in the woods, bikeparks, trail centre black runs and skills parks, hike-a-bike in the UK mountains and occasional enduro duty. Evol keeps coming back for more.

BUILD

Designed and tested in the UK. Custom butted 6061 aluminium tubing.

Tried and tested 140mm Horst link suspension with custom tune Rockshox Deluxe RT shock. Internal cable and stealth dropper routing. 1x specific and clearance for 650b x 2.6 tyres. Adjusted for 150mm forks.

The stuff you don’t need.

Simplification is a mission for us. Not as in ‘mission statement’ (aaaargh). But keeping it simple is deeply ingrained in what we do. We slice away the faff to create better outdoor

“We

promise to strip and dip wherever we can.”

Alpkit are proud to support the Outdoor Swimming Society in their mission to share the joy and adventure of swimming outdoors, and put the fun back into swimming.

OSS founder Kate Rew doing what she loves.

Finding little patches of blue on the OS map, hiking to them and hopping in is a great way to sprinkle some Alpkit onto your weekly adventures. Our wetsuit range is developed by neoprene guru Dean Jackson alongside the Outdoor Swimming Society. The OSS have a great crowdsourced wild swimming map to give you some pointers. Check it out at wildswim.com

Terrapin Natural Swimming Wetsuit
The thinnest, most flexible suit in our range
Silvertip Thermal Swimming Wetsuit
Fleece-lined interior and thicker neoprene panels £195

“I moved to Cumbria on a whim over ten years ago and never looked back. I went From having never swam outdoors to spending most of my free time in a swimsuit...”

Five reasons to swim wild.

1. Swim now, glow later. Tingle all day long after an early morning dip.

2. It’s a bit naughty. Grown-ups always said don’t swim in open water – now you get to decide for yourself.

3. A new view. Seeing your favourite patches of wild land from the water lets you look at them anew.

4. Enjoy a quickie. It doesn’t take long to feel alive with a quick dip – no long slogs necessary.

5. Incredible exercise. If you do swim for longer you’ll get fit quicker.

6. Getting dry. Warm and dry afterwards with a flask of hot chocolate could be the best thing ever.

Suzanna is going to be running wild swimming introduction classes from our Ambleside store. Contact the Ambleside store to get involved.

alpkit.com/bundles Looking for that extra incentive to take the plunge? Our wild swimming bundle is just for you. £242 worth of gear for just £205.

Gear you’ll love for longer.

Every piece of kit we design is measured against this simple statement. We make gear that lasts – all we humbly ask of you is for an occasional bit of care and the odd bit of ‘post epic’ maintenance. Here are three quick ways to help kit last longer.

Look after your kit. The more you look after your kit the more it looks after you. Wash it, reproof it, repair little nicks and tears when you see them. We can help with that: alpkit.com/support

1. 3. 2.

What you can do. T.I.Y. (try it yourself). The Alpkit Continuum Project. What you can do for others.

If it comes to it and you simply can’t keep hold of your gear any longer, maybe its got too big, or too small, maybe it just doesn’t fit with what you’re up to now. We can help there too, before you see it go to eBay for a tiny amount that just covers postage why not think about passing it on? Our Continuum Project carefully selects charity partners

If the worst does happen and your kit is damaged, just get in touch. We have our own factory next door to HQ and there we can fix most things. If you’re in the Lakes or the Peak then pop into one of our stores where the in-house repair stations can often fix minor things whilst you wait. They usually have good coffee, plentiful cake and decent music too.

and we carefully sort and share your donations. Plus from April to July this year we will also be working with the amazing Gift your Gear campaign which means we can send more gear to worthy causes.

Insider knowledge.

We had a quick chat with Debbie Read, our Alpkit Customer Trustee, to get the inside scoop on how to put together a successful funding application.

Who are you?

I’m Debbie Read – I relocated from London to Derbyshire almost 20 years ago. I love being outside, usually on my mountain bike, looking for remote locations and memorable adventures.

Why did you decide to become a trustee for the AKF?

Having fallen in love with the outdoors while on a youth hostelling school trip in my very early teens, I’ve never looked back. Through the AKF we are able to offer people that opportunity to experience an outdoor activity that maybe they wouldn’t have done otherwise.

Who does the AKF support?

We don’t just fund large projects. Many of our grants are less than £100 for something like a train fare, a missing piece of kit, or hostel accommodation for a weekend away.

We are always looking for opportunities where the applicant is looking to minimise costs while maximising the benefit of the experience to as many people as possible. For example, a request for support in taking a group of inner city kids to explore an area of British countryside may be looked on more favourably than an individual requesting money for an airfare for overseas travel.

How can the AKF offer support?

We are particularly well positioned to help schools and youth groups with equipment such as sleeping bags, waterproof clothing or head torches which will be used as part of a managed

‘kit pool’ to be used for multiple individuals/trips.

The Foundation has also supported numerous individuals who have successfully applied for mountain leader or first aid training support either through assessment funding, travel or accommodation support.

We can also help promote activities and groups to increase uptake and inspire others.

Which have been your favourite projects so far?

There have been a few which stick in my mind and reassure me that the donations are getting to places which allow people to go nice places and do good things...

Nature Memories Café for dementia sufferers which puts on guided walks, wildlife spotting and nature crafts in the setting of a nature reserve. With the support of the AKF, all sessions were free to attend.

We provided head torches to help an accessible memorial Night Walk to raise awareness for mental illness and depression and were able to part-fund a new defibrillator for the mountain rescue.

As a trustee, rewards come from knowing that we have provided something that removes that barrier and makes the difference to allow a project to go ahead.

To make an application for support or to find out more, go to alpkit.com/foundation

GEORGIA AND LUCY TRY TO PACK FOR A MOUNTAIN MARATHON USING ONLY ALPKIT GEAR.

“Why

is this bench so squashed?”

SAUNDERS LAKELAND MOUNTAIN MARATHON

A TWO-DAY MOUNTAIN NAVIGATION COMPETITION (OR RACE) NOW SUPPORTED BY ALPKIT.

The Saunders Lakeland Mountain Marathon is a classic event, in this, its 40th year Alpkit are proud to be supporting the great team behind it. Organised and run exclusively by volunteers the Lakeland Mountain Marathon has established its place in the fell running calendar as THE summer MM.

Run from a different location around the Lake District each year the event comprises of 8 courses across a number of categories for both solo and pairs competitors. So whether you are an elite runner or trying your first event there is a category for you. This year Alpkit are pleased to be supporting subsidised entries for the under 25 age group to encourage young people to try a Mountain Marathon.

The event comprises of a centralised start point where all classes must adhere to strict kit checks and pick up their timing chips before heading out at their chosen start time. They then navigate their chosen course and finish at a designated overnight campsite where they pitch their lightweight shelter and enjoy much needed rest, (and maybe sample a couple of pre-ordered beers under the Alpkit Marquee).

It’s then an early start for day 2 and another day of quality Lakeland mountain running back to the centralised finish area.

Runners can expect to be out for anything from 6 to 16 hours over the 2 days, depending on the course, category and conditions (oh and fitness levels). The SLMM is the perfect event for a first

timer: it’s run in warmer, summer conditions, there’s more daylight, there’s a wide selection of classes to suit all needs and it tends to have a pretty friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

Mountain Marathons are a great way to spend a weekend in the hills, visit lesser known areas, camp in amazing surroundings and meet lots of like minded folk.

If you’re in the Lakes and looking for advice –pop into Alpkit Ambleside were Georgia, Chris, Aleks, Jack and the rest of the team will be happy to advise on kit choices, clothing systems and where to run all year round.

We hope to see you there!

Georgia and Lucy wear:

Gravitas Jacket

£140

Koulin Trail Tight

£25

Gourdon 20 Pack

£32

Kantju Stretch Runner Gaiter

£20

Entries are open until 24 June or until the event sells out. Enter now at slmm.org.uk

MINIMUM INDIVIDUAL KIT:

(As stipulated by SLMM –anything less and you ain’t racing!)

Fell running/Trail shoes with a minimum tread depth of 4mm. Actually, we do don’t make shoes. Yet. Bad start.

Rucksack.

Gourdon 20L £32.

Now we’re talking! Waterproof roll-top rucksack with bungee straps and mesh pockets, only 470g.

Sleeping bag, or integrated sleep system of insulated quilt and compatible insulated mat.

Pipedream 200 £159.

Cloud Cover £99.

Lightweight and warm, perfect.

Survival Bag –

a Bag NOT a Space Blanket.

Sorry, we can't help with this one but a lightweight survival bag and small first aid kit are important.

Waterproof jacket with hood and waterproof over trousers.

Gravitas Jacket £140.

Parallax Pant £60.

Gravitas is a super light at 180g, breathable and waterproof. Parallax pants are stretch fit so you can run in them.

Long trousers/thermal leggings.

Koulin Tight £25.

Technical trail leggings with stash pockets.

Thermal vest or similar.

Koulin Trail Long Sleeve Zip £25. Lightweight, long-sleeved, zip neck base layer.

Warm thicker top with sleeves. Griffon £39.

Georgia added a Heiko too for extra cosiness. Layers are good!

Hat & gloves.

Kepler Merino Beanie £19. Kepler gloves coming soon too.

Torch (suitable for emergency night navigation).

Georgia and Lucy chose a Gamma and a Viper – either are suitable and have multiple lights settings.

Compass & whistle. We don't do those, unfortunately.

Waterproof pen/pencil and paper. We’d use Staedtler Lumocolour pens or chinagraph pencils.

Map provided by SLMM. The area for the event is secret for now.

Socks (and spares).

Akcelerate Socks £12.50.

Trekkers Socks £12.

Akcelerate to run in (trekkers for warm and toasty feet around camp)

Little tip here – always take a couple of carrier bags with you, pop these in your shoes at the overnight camp and you can wear your warm and dry socks whilst keeping them dry

MINIMUM TEAM KIT:

Tent with sewn in groundsheet, poles and pegs.

Ordos 2 £239.

Separated into pegs, poles, inner and outer (in separate dry bags)

Stove and fuel and lighter/matches.

Kraku £24.

MytiMug 650 £29/400 £20.

Georgia and Lucy carried a Kraku and a Mytimug 650 and 400 along with a 120ml canister and a lighter.

Food for 2 days and emergency rations.

Firepot Meal Pouch £6.50.

Extreme Food Pudding £5.

Georgia and Lucy opted to carry a Firepot main meal each and an Extreme food pudding and breakfast along with some hill snacks and emergency rations.

Gourdon 20 Waterproof 20 litre roll-top drybag

Cloud Base Lightweight sleeping bag

£32 Kraku Ultra-compact titanium micro camping stove

PipeDream 200 Hydrophobic lightweight sleeping bag £159

£24

MytiMug 650 Titanium cooking mug

£29

£45 BUNDLE alpkit.com/bundles

If you fancy a go at a mountain marathon, we have a Saunders Lakeland bundle to get you started . Get your mitts on £289 worth of gear for just £245.

The girls spent the night in the Ordos 2.

Apricot, sultana, cranberry and walnut cereal bars. No baking required.

It’s not that hard, it’s normally cheaper than shop bought, they deffo taste better and, admit it, you love licking the big mixing spoon.

INGREDIENTS

120g chopped dried apricots, sultanas and cranberries

120g porridge oats

60g puffed rice

95g dessicated coconut

60g chopped walnuts

60g mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin and sesame are good)

120g muscovado sugar

150ml golden syrup

120g butter

Not enough time to make your own?

METHOD

Chuck the oats, rice, coconut and fruit in a large bowl. That was easy, wasn’t it?

Lightly toast the nuts and seeds in a dry pan. Once cooled, lob ‘em in with the rest of the dry mix.

Put sugar, syrup and butter in a pan and heat gently until they’ve all melted together. Simmer gently until the mixture begins to thicken.

Take off the heat stir into the dry mix until there are no dry patches.

Whilst it’s still warm, tip into a 20cm (ish) tin and press down with a spoon to even out the surface.

LICK BOWL, SPOON, ETC.

Leave to cool for 2 hours, then they’ll be ready for chopping into perfect little bars.

Wrap in greaseproof paper or foil in 1’s or 2’s and stash ‘em in your jersey pocket, backpack, framebag, jacket pocket, go box, etc.

From this mix, 14 bars would contain roughly 200kcals per bar, pretty good going.

Try these ready made ones instead, all available at alpkit.com

MuleBar Kicks Energy Gel – 3 Pack
nasties.
Chimpanzee

REAL STORIES, EXPEDITIONS, ROAD TRIPS AND ADVENTURE.

alpkit.com/deeds

ICELAND BIKEPACKING. GULP!

Mark Hines is a professional adventurer and endurance athlete, an exercise physiologist and biomechanist, and a writer. He has competed in many of the toughest ultra-endurance races in the world. He has raced in rainforests, across deserts, over mountains, and in the sub-Arctic and Arctic.

Iceland is a country where, if you do not like the weather at a particular moment, you need only wait ten minutes. Then the weather will be worse and you can reflect upon that gay, pleasingly less awful weather of ten minutes before with a wistful nostalgia. Still, it seemed to me that the weather existed mostly in 24-hour cycles, so you could endure one day in the comfort that nothing lasts forever, and quite possibly the next day would be a kinder, more forgiving one. Cycling here, particularly in winter, is a characterbuilding experience. The winds are

powerful and constant, sometimes not abating for days on end. Rainfall, sleet, snow and hail are daily events, at least for most of the two weeks I was there. The roads are in bad shape, the tourist drivers even worse. The inland, highland roads were not maintained at all and studded tyres were a must even on the main roads. Away from the main roads the fat bike was essential for progress across deep snow. The sights in Iceland are spectacular and unparalleled anywhere in the world. Here there are vast expanses of lava fields, where the ground rises

in mounds like those bread loaves with crusty tops that have opened up during baking. Small side roads fork off into the volcanic valleys, to bubbling pools of mud and hot springs. Elsewhere crisp spring water flows, warmed by the hot earth, past the black shoreline and out into the sea. Being a solo cyclist here in the winter is a privilege, but with so much to see I leave hungry for more.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Come and see us as we tour the country through 2018. Here’s a list of some of the bigger events we’ll be showing our goodies at. We shall also be running and attending smaller events through the year. So keep a watch out on alpkit.com/events or sign up to our newsletter for regular updates.

SO MUCH MORE THAN ANOTHER OUTDOOR STORE

“Our stores are cram packed full of Alpkit Goodies and ideally placed for your visit to either the Peak District or the Lake District. Get your hands on the entire Alpkit product range, from the teeniest Kraku stove to a six berth Heksa expedition tent. With friendly store heroes on-hand you’ll get the same great service as you do online.”

MTB MARATHON

RND 2 – WANTAGE

26-27 May 2018

RND 3 – MINEHEAD

30 June-1 July 2018

RND 4 – HOPE 1-2 September 2018

MAY DAY MADNESS, ALPKIT AMBLESIDE & HATHERSAGE

5-7 May 2018

MTB MEETUP, LLANDEGLA 1-3 June 2018

SAUNDERS LAKELAND MOUNTAIN MARATHON

30 June-1 July 2018

OSS – BANTHAM SWOOSH 14 July 2018

ARD ROCK ENDURO, SWALEDALE

3-5 August 2018

EXMOOR EXPLORER

5 August 2018

OSS – DART 10K, DITTISHAM 15-16 September 2018

OSS – HURLY BURLY, BARMOUTH 29 September 2018

BSO18, THORNBRIDGE OUTDOORS

28-30 September 2018

RETAIL MANAGER

SONDER DEMO FLEET AND HIRE

Our majestic demo fleet of Sonder bikes are raring to be taken for a ride. Got a twowheeled excursion planned and in need of a noble steed?

Give us a call and hire a Sonder bike for £39 per day.

SONDER WORKSHOP

Treat your bike to an appointment with a superstar bicycle mechanic.

We can carry out a full range of services from Hathersage –it doesn’t even have to be a Sonder!

FREE ALPKIT MUG AND HOT DRINK IN-STORE!

ALPKIT HATHERSAGE

Main Road

Hathersage S32 1BB 01433 730930

hathersage@alpkit.com

IT’S NOT JUST SHOPPING...

REPAIR STATION

Gear needing a little pick-meup? Drop it off at the store to be patched up by our repair team. There may be a small charge for the repair, check out the price list for more information. If your gear’s really in a pickle, we may send it to our experienced factory team to take a look at.

CYCLE TO WORK AND FINANCE

All Sonder bikes are available through the Cycle to Work scheme. Finance and all low rate finance options available over 6-24 month terms.

YARDY

Everyone loves a bargain; dive into our perpetual Yard Sale for special offers, end of lines, clearance, seconds, ex-demo, slightly scuffed, pre-loved almost too good to be true kit!

CONTINUUM DONATIONS

Give your retired gear a second life by donating it to our Continuum project to be adopted by someone who really needs it.

ALPKIT AMBLESIDE 100 Lake Road

Ambleside LA22 0DB 015394 54954

ambleside@alpkit.com

SCHOOL OF ADVENTURE/EVENTS

As well as attending events up and down the country we run our own events in our stores. Keep an eye on alpkit.com for details of our School of Adventure activity courses and special weekend events throughout the year.

GIFT CARDS

Can’t choose what to buy the Alpkit Fan who has everything? Get them a voucher, available instore and online.

TENT DISPLAY

In Hathersage we have space to have them all on display, in Ambleside you may have to ask Chris to grab one out of the cupboard.

PET

FRIENDLY + FREE WIFI!

Not technically a service, but we are seriously pooch friendly. Bring us your dogs, donkeys or Nandi bears! Wifi means you could get away with ‘working’ in store, checking Strava and googling far off lands.

Ambleside store artwork by Andy Smith
Present this voucher (must be cut out perfectly) at any Alpkit store. High chance of biscuits.

HOW TO GET SOME GEAR

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Alpkit Outpost - Issue 07 by Alpkit - Issuu