Due for new boots, and having bought and worn various makes over the years, I decided to discover whether we still had any British walking boot makers. After some GOOGLE searching I came across ALTBERG of Richmond, North Yorks, who claim to be the last remaining British bootmaker actually manufacturing walking, military and motorcycle boots in the U.K, I further discovered that my local specialist outdoor gear shop, Whalley Warm and Dry, were stockists of the two most popular models of ALTBERG boots. A visit to the shop saw me having my feet properly measured up by Liz, and trying on the boots.The ‘Mallerstang’, a 3 – 4 season boot, built like a tank, albeit a comfortable tank is a high ankle support, double thickness ANFIBIO leather affair with full bellows tongue, two locking hooks, semi-rigid sole and completely waterproof. I would describe it as a boot for mountain walking rather than a mountaineering boot, as they will support crampons.On the other hand, the ‘Fremington’ a 3 season boot is much lighter in weight, with lower ankle support, full bellows tongue and extremely comfortable, ideally suited for British fell walking, which is my main pursuit.I eventually opted for the ‘Mallerstang’. I was due to ‘do’ the Hadrians wall walk with a colleague, and as a veteran fell walker, who should have shown more sense decided to break the boots in on the walk, I paid for the mistake with some pain and a blister, fortunately only for the first two days, after that they were fine, if not a bit on the heavy side for long distance walks – doing 15 miles plus each day. I decided by the end of the walk that the boots were best suited to mountain walking. A short while after returning home I decided to invest in a pair of ‘Fremingtons’ , as a second boot, which I wore soon after on ‘The Lady Anne’s Way’. The boots were great, comfortable from the start. I have since worn them on the ‘West Highland way’ and the ‘Yorkshire inns way’. I can thoroughly recommend the boot both for fell and long distance walking.We walk every week in either the Dales or the Lakes and I tend to switch between the two pairs, wearing the ‘Mallerstangs’ for the Lakeland fells and the ‘Fremingtons’ for local moorland and Dales walking.

After the Hadrians wall walk I did take the Mallerstangs back to WW&D where Jon did a bit of fine tuning by stretching the leather a little to give me a bit more room at the toe end.

Alan Southworth, Darwen, Lancs