TV presenter, Julia Bradbury, is due to become the next president of the Ramblers. The nomination was announced today with her presidency expected to be confirmed at the Ramblers general council on April 10th. Julia will follow in the footsteps of previous president’s Janet Street-Porter and Floella Benjamin.

Julia has recently been voted No 1 Walking Celebrity of the year by the Ramblers Walk Magazine readers, and has presented a host of outdoor programmes notably the Wainwright Walks series and Countryfile.

Julia commented that her objective was to get Britain on its feet. She said: “For too long walking has been associated mainly with the ‘hardcore enthusiast’ tag; my message is that walking is for EVERYONE – young, old, groups, singles, city, country, black, white, you name it.

“My ambition with the Ramblers over the coming year is simple: get Britain on its feet. The country is stuffed with beautiful walks and a 130,000 mile footpath network – I want everyone to get out there and enjoy it!”

Ramblers Chief Executive Tom Franklin commented: “In the Ramblers 75th year, our mission is to revamp walking and restore it to its proper place at the heart of everyday life, leisure and transport – no matter who you are! We want to break down the barriers to walking, whether it’s blocked paths or lack of motivation. There is no better expert at this than Julia Bradbury.”

The number of Scottish birds of prey being killed with poison in has increased. Last year 22 poisoning incidents were recorded by Police resulting in 27 dead birds of prey, including 19 buzzards, four red kites and two golden eagles.

Scotland’s Environment Minister Rosanna Cunningham said the figures were a “wake-up call” to those who thought such poisonings were on the wane.

The highest number of incidents were Tayside, where nine poisonings recorded. Five birds were killed in Lothian and Borders, three in Strathclyde and three in the Highlands. The most common type of poison used to kill the animals was carbofuran. In 2005 there were 17 birds killed, 34 in 2006, 27 in 2007, 16 in 2008 and 27 in 2009.

The RSPB have stated that the number of incidents recorded probably represents just a fraction of the true number of illegal poisonings.

The Nevis Partnership, a charity set up to manage and help enhance the Ben Nevis and Glen Nevis environment is to shut down following a funding crisis. The charity which formed in 2003 says it has sufficient funds to operate throughout 2011 but will wind down its operation during that time including the loss of the three employees. It is likely that the associated voluntary organisation, The Friends of Nevis, which Walkhighlands is a member, will continue to operate.

Since 2003 the Nevis Partnership has secured almost £3million to undertake footpath maintenance work on Ben Nevis; improved access to the North Face by creating a new route through Chapman’s Wood; re-aligned the Ben’s summit navigational cairns to make it easier to descend from the summit in bad weather; and created a memorial garden in Glen Nevis to those who have died on the mountain.

In addition, the Partnership has promoted the Nevis Area through publishing interpretive leaflets, creating new forest trails in Glen Nevis, helping safeguard the Scottish Mountain Heritage Collection and instigating a schools education programme and a footpaths skills training agenda at Lochaber College.

Like many other charities in the current economic climate the Partnership has been severely affected by recent cuts in funding.
The decision to close down the Partnership means that future plans to carry out repairs to the lower Ben Nevis Track and improvements in Glen Nevis totalling £2.5million will not be fulfilled. Funders need to see stability in core funding before they will grant project funding. The closure will also result in the loss of 3 jobs directly and more indirectly as the Partnership has supported other facilities in the area such as the winter opening of the Glen Nevis Visitor Centre.

Nevis Partnership Chairman, Cameron McNeish, said: “While I fully appreciate the current squeeze on funding will create casualties, I’m also concerned that Ben Nevis and Glen Nevis attract many thousands of visitors from around the world to Lochaber. More so, Ben Nevis, as the highest mountain in the UK, is of national importance and has been described by many as ‘iconic’. Over 150,000 per year climb to its summit, putting a huge amount of pressure on the mountain’s footpaths and facilities.”

“We have been aware of the potential cuts in funding for some time and we have spent an appreciable amount time examining our various options, but it has become quite clear that if public bodies really appreciate the importance of the Nevis Area, then they must all be willing to contribute sufficient resources to allow an organisation like the Nevis Partnership to manage the area effectively. The Partnership directors are extremely disappointed that the magnitude of the cuts to our funding means that it has become impossible for the Partnership to continue. Over the next 6 months the Board will consider the best way to manage the closure with due consideration given to existing staff and path maintenance liabilities.”

Cameron McNeish added “In conjunction with the community, we hope to discuss the future management of the Nevis Area with the appropriate parties”.

The Partnership is currently consulting with members of Friends of Nevis, the volunteer arm of the Nevis Partnership. A meeting is to be held at 5pm on Saturday 24 April 2010 at The Nevis Partnership Offices, Lochaber Rural Complex, Torlundy, to discuss steps needed to completely separate the Friends of Nevis from the Partnership.

All the money the Friends have raised or donated is currently ring fenced and will be transferred to the Friends of Nevis bank account as soon as its independent status is set up.

Visitors to Ben Nevis summit may be surprised to learn that some of the newly erected 1.8m high cairns constructed to aid navigation have been virtually buried in snow.

The MCofS Mountain Safety Advisor Heather Morning, warns hillwalkers and climbers visiting the summit of Ben Nevis to be extra vigilant. The three cairns which mark the change in bearing around the top of Gardyloo Gully are now virtually buried in snow. Careful attention should be paid to judging distance by pacing and walking on a bearing in poor visibility to descend off the summit plateau safely. More details regarding navigating on the summit plateau of Ben Nevis can be viewed here. Walkhighlands also has a description of the Ben Nevis ascent.

This year looks set to offer gruelling mountain marathons at both ends of the country. First up is the Highlander Mountain Marathon set to take place somewhere in the north of Scotland in April, and later in the summer the Original Mountain Marathon (OMM) will be run in the south west of England.

The Highlander, sponsored by Haglofs, and organised by Hands on Events, will take place over the weekend of 10/11 April. It will follows the traditional mountain marathon format in which teams of two navigate their way around a two-day course in the Highlands. A £500 prize for winners of A Class Mens, Womens and Mixed is being offered.

The exact location of the start is traditionally kept secret until a few days before the event takes place, although the organisers have said that it will be within 2 hours of Inverness and in the north of Scotland. A range of courses are available which enables the event to cater for elite athletes to first timers. And finally there will be a welcome midway marquee with hot food, traditional Scottish music and ceilidh dancing. For further info visit the website.

In August the OMM will take place in the south west of England, probably on either Dartmoor, Exmoor or Bodmin Moor. The OMM is the originator of the 2 day mountain marathon type event and is for teams of 2, carrying all clothing, equipment, tent, sleeping bag, food for 36 hours, navigating one’s own route and including an overnight camp. Teams are totally self supporting, no GPS or outside support is allowed and teams not arriving at the the overnight camp are assumed to have camped safely. This tough event, which this year, will feature an additional class, will be held on 2 August. Further details and entry here.

A male climber was airlifted to hospital yesterday (6 March) afternoon after a fall in the Loch Treig, near Roy Bridge in Lochaber. The police reported that the climber was in a party of three. A Sea King helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth attended the scene. The climber and his companions were located and the casualty was evacuated from the hill and airlifted to Fort William. He was then taken by road ambulance to the Belford Hospital, Fort William, where he was treated for a head injury. The police have not given an update on the climber’s condition or identity.