Is it just me.......?

TGO content - useful or not?

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Major Cynic
10/11/2004 at 18:19
I have begun to notice that I'm reading fewer and fewer of the articles in TGO. Whilst I appreciate that you're trying to appeal to a fairly wide audience I'm concerned about the balance of the magazine, not its format. The November edition I seem to recall had quite a lot devoted to overseas trips. These can prove inspirational but I don't have the time and fitness to pursue such goals.

As an example I'd love to go walking in Tasmania, but its along haul and I'd have to do the trip without my wife and she wouldn't be happy about that. Her arthritis means that the only walking she can do is on fairly flat ground or with gentle gradients. What this means is that I have to ignore such articles like that so that I don't see things that I would love to do if only......

I'm going to try and keep track of how much of TGO I read until my subscription comes up for renewal. If it continues to fall then I won't be renewing. Which is a shame.

So how much of TGO do you read and how much is useful and how much of the magazine do you keep?
julian b
10/11/2004 at 19:13
errr...ive never bought one so cant really comment.goodnight.
Weird Darren
10/11/2004 at 19:26
There maybe one or two articles I don't read at most. I probably only skim over routes most of the time. But I still think it is good value for money.
I look forward to it arriving each month. But why Dave gets his copy a day before me I don't know.
Dank
10/11/2004 at 19:43
It may be time to change your sub to Country Walking!
I recently lent a friend [60ish] a few copies of Trail and TGO recently. He has been walking seriously for the last 40 yrs done all the hard stuff in UK, Spain , Italy etc.. and said he found from experience that a Trail/TGO moderate walk would be classed as an extreme walk in CW. And he should know ..he has every issue since it started.....
I like TGO because of its foreign articles and its down to earth attitude; it gives me something to daydream about too!
Marcus Crompton
10/11/2004 at 20:06
I read and enjoy most of what appears in tgo (apart from the ads, but then again I don't want to pay £10 per issue for an ad-free version).

The only thing that would improve the mag for me would be for Mike Harding's monthly contributions to be given a well-deserved rest, to be replaced by a regular column from famous Yorkshireman Alan Titmarsh. Or maybe just a big photo of John Noakes (and Shep).
Richard Watkiss
10/11/2004 at 20:16
tgo is good, imho!

dip in and out of it, read the articles when in the post-hill cafe. It tells me stuff I don't know about places I don't know and never ever verges on a "lads mag" style. grown up stuff.
Ace High
10/11/2004 at 20:23
I'll renew my subscription again.

I'll probably never do walks in England or Wales again, or even Tasmania for that matter but it's still interesting to read about them and dream that maybe one day I will.

Similarly, my relief has a pile of climbing magazines in the cabin. I'll never do more than scramble, however they're interesting to read.

It's about what interests you and what captures your imagination. If TGO doesn't do it for you anymore then it's time to move on and try another publication.

Best wishes,
Andy Howell
10/11/2004 at 20:54
I'm happy reading TGO. I mean, at least you can read it, rather than Trail that is something to just dip into.

I must admit that I could have done without all of this gear stuff in this issue; this is the kind of territory that I usually associate with Trail (although Chris Townsend is immune from the usual Tail bollocks).

I think any magazine like TGO has to keep a balance between home-grown articles and features of walking abroad. Personally I enjoy both.
Peewiglet
10/11/2004 at 23:10
I read the gear stuff first, so I enjoyed that part of the December issue. I tend to read most of the magazine: ideally it's nice to read it in the bath on a Sunday morning, after a run round the woods :)

I haven't actually got a subscription yet, but I actually experience a little frisson of excitement when the new issue comes out each month...

p.s. Richard - my piglet loves your rabbit...
Richard Kermode
11/11/2004 at 09:08
I think it is a great read even if i don't walk south of the border much these days. It's still quite interesting to see where other people enjoy walking.

I think it reaches a very broad range of different walkers and outdoor folk. Personally I would relish more Scottish adventures, but since that's mostly what I do it doesn't really matter.

Love the foreign articles since they don't half inspire!!!
Ian Brookes
11/11/2004 at 09:22
I must admit I was a bit let down with the latest TGO mag. The gear section was ok, but again let down buy bad photography, a lot of the images were too dark to make out. And a lot of the newest kit wasn't looked at.

The rest of it was a little skimpy as it were and I read through it in no time.

Don't get me wrong the articles that are in TGO are always of a high standard, just not enough this time around.
Ian Brookes
11/11/2004 at 09:28
I had a look at the new Trail as well, nothing there to get me to buy it.

Loads of wasted space and adverts, great to look at but not to buy.

Having a section devoted to ice axes and crampons for walkers is just a waste of space. Two or threee pages at most would of done.
Arthur Pint
12/11/2004 at 13:11
Are features on overseas destinations intended, primarily, not to inspire but to entertain? In that degree they succeed admirably.
I enjoy TGO's lack of what I chose to term "crowd culture" - it's for those of us who prefer to wander the hills in solitude rather than attempting to find justification for getting incomprehensible in some hostelry afterwards. If there are fewer subscribers to TGO it just serves to enhance those qualities I enjoy.
In Trail's defence I can't think of a better time to publish an article on ice axes and crampons - this is the season to be jolly frozen, is it not? One still has to take safely to the hills.
I don't purchase Trail however as it seems to verge on socialisation, so I elect to abstain from any comment on the quality or otherwise of its winter implements piece.
John Manning
14/11/2004 at 15:49
Come on folks, keep it up – this is a great thread that we're taking lots of notice of here in the tgo office.

Good constructive criticism is what keeps us on our toes and if folk are thinking of letting their subs lapse then that's a great reason for us to sit up and take notice!

Keep your thoughts coming.

Incidentally when I get back behind my desk tomorrow I'll be asking you, in a new thread, for your thoughts on the way we rate gear in tgo.
Marcus Crompton
14/11/2004 at 18:58
I'm really looking forward to reading Colin Prior's forthcoming columns next year. I hope that there will always be a place for Jim Perrin in tgo too - I do like a magazine that contains good writing instead of one that reads like a part-work.

As far as the tgo gear reviews are concerned, I prefer Chris Townsend's style to "other" reviewers: I'd prefer him to concentrate on reviewing the best options currently on the market rather than chasing after whatever happens to be new out this month. I don't buy new gear every month, but when I do get something new it tends to be a piece of kit that's been around for a while and used successfully by others.
Ninja Marmot
14/11/2004 at 19:04
I agree that CT's reviews are very fair and comprehensive compared to some others.

(occasional user of tgo)
stevemcb
18/11/2004 at 16:40
I'm inclined to agree about the latest issue - a bit dull, too much gear (though the approach to gear is quite good). What I like is good writing and good photography, preferably supporting each other. It's amazing how many magazines, not just in this sector by any means, have very little that you can actually sit down and read.
Other things? With a bit of a nod to Mr Titmarsh, how about some more about the environment - geology, history, nature, protection - what we see when we're up there, now we can look after it. And a bit more about Ireland; some of us live and walk here.
peter H
18/11/2004 at 21:51
I read most of the mag. The foreign stuff doesn't normally interest me cos I walk in this country and so far have never had time/money/inclination to walk abroad. Sometimes the foreign photos are nice and inspire me to get out more. I agree with others that the ads are not the most welcome but I don't want to pay more for an ad-free mag.

TGO is my outdoor mag of choice. It covers walking in this country that interests me or that I may do. It covers walking at a "difficulty standard" that reflects my own aspirations/abilities. I accept the time will come when I have to do more low level less strenuous routes and when that time comes I may switch my allegiance to a mag which better reflects what I am interested in.

I appreciate the reviews. Again, the pieces reflect what I am interested in and stuff I might even buy. Oddly, whenever I need (actually whenever I think I need) new stuff there is a review of just that type of stuff in the mag. Curious that. I can normally persuade management that a new piece of gear is justified ("look pet, it got well reviewed in the TGO").

I disagree with the contribution above about Mike Harding. The more I read him the more sense he talks. Maybe it is an age thing. For my part the TGO would be the poorer without him.
Marcus Crompton
18/11/2004 at 23:17
I was joking about the Alan T column as a replacement, but not about Mike Harding.

I don't have nightmares about him like I do about Alan and I used to think he was very funny, but I think it's time he was retired.

I'm sorry about that in a way, as I remember when I was very young, someone gave my Dad a bootlegged tape of Mike and we all nearly died laughing at him.
Peewiglet
19/11/2004 at 06:15
On the other hand, I really enjoy Mike Harding's column. Tastes differ, etc.

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