walkhighlands

Features

Through Mists and Uncertainties

In this extract from his book Upland: A Journey through Time and the Hills author Ian Crofton describes the ascent of Ben Nevis made by the poet John Keats in 1818, with his friend Charles Armitage Brown. They had walked on foot all the way from London to Glasgow via the Lake District, where they had climbed Skiddaw, and from Glasgow made their way north, via Loch Lomond, to Fort William. A poet and a scientist on Ben Nevis ‘I have nothing of consequence to tell you,’ Keats wrote to his brother Tom on 3 August 1818, ‘till yesterday when

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Posted in Features, Magazine

Curlews come home

I’ve written a fair few spring-related articles over the years, each one pondering the various signs that herald the end of winter. And while I’ve always reasoned that spring is a culmination of numerous natural cues across a period of weeks, if I was forced to single-out one thing that represents spring more than any other, then it would be the return of the curlew. Appearance wise, the curlew is surely a contender for our most recognisable bird silhouette. Large, with long legs and a long neck, a small head, and a long and thin beak that curves downwards. That

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Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature

Our picks: 10 great walks with CalMac ferries

Every journey starts a story Every visit to one of Scotland’s islands is a true adventure. The Hebrides are renowned for some of the most spectacular coastal and mountain landscapes in Europe. Imagine standing on a rugged coastline, overlooking a vast sandy beach, the wind rich with the scent of the abundant machair flowers. Where could be a better place to explore on foot? Whether you’re taking in the panoramic views from the hilltops, striding out across the sands or pausing to watch an otter catch fish, the island’s natural beauty will capture your heart. You’ll uncover endless layers of

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Posted in Features, Magazine, News, Our picks

Ptarmigan – sharing is caring

There’s not much life up high this time of year. Or at least, that’s the impression you get as you push through shifting sprindrift and up wind-scoured ridges. You can easily buy into the notion that there’s only you up there. As far as you’re concerned, you’re the only creature mad enough to try. But it’s often at times like those, when the wind is raging and you feel the need to keep moving to stay warm, that a small, plump white bird crosses your path. It’s never the case that I catch advance sight of its silhouette on a

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Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature

Grey + Grey + Grey = Blue

Usually, when I have a week’s autumn holiday on the west coast, I expect rain at some point. Or wind. Probably both. If I get two usable dryish days, then I consider myself lucky. And so, on the first day of November, with high pressure already established over the UK, I was delighted to see a dry forecast for the following week, as we were off to Argyll. The only snag was the forecast did look rather grey, with few sunny breaks. And true enough, on that first day it was gloomy. Dry, yes. But very gloomy. I told my

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Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature

Our pick – walking Scotland’s cities

Looking for a break from the stresses of Christmas shopping? Here’s our updated guide to the best of Scotland’s eight cities – or is it nine? Edinburgh Scotland’s capital has recently been voted one of the world’s most beautiful cities, and with its combination of stunning architecture spanning the centuries and its dramatic landscape, it’s the perfect city to explore on foot. We feature routes that explore the wonders of both the medieval Old Town and the Georgian New Town, but be sure not to miss areas like Dean Village, or the Botanic Gardens. The Water of Leith provides a

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Posted in Features, Magazine, Our picks

Common Ground: Coinneach Rankin

After three series exploring the wild side of Scotland, BBC Alba’s Dàna series returns to our screens this week. This time the team will be heading further afield, for adventures from the mountains of Norway to the sunny coastline of Spain. The first episode of Dàna | Europe’s Wild Side will premiere on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer on Wednesday 6 November at 8.30pm. Watch live or on demand (in Gaelic with English subtitles): Dàna | Europe’s Wild Side on BBC iPlayer. This week we caught up with presenter Coinneach Rankin as part of our Common Ground series of short

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Posted in Common Ground interviews, Features, Magazine

My Autumn Checklist

On 1st September, little is more likely to cause a social media pile-on than excitedly proclaiming ‘Yay! It’s the first day of autumn! Goodbye summer!!’ Cue legions of annoyed folk ranting and arguing about equinox, equilux, harvest moons and goodness knows what else. Weather bods like to compartmentalise the seasons into three-month batches. Meteorological autumn is therefore September, October and November, and 1st September is its first day. It’s nice and orderly, happens the same time every year, and given that the meteorological autumn offers me the earliest opportunity to put summer to bed and confidently embrace the prospect of

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Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature

Common Ground: Ilona Turnbull

In our Common Ground series of short interviews, we aim to find out what makes our fellow outdoor enthusiasts tick, the experiences we all share and their hopes for the future. Our latest interviewee is Ilona Turnbull, who grew up in Australia but has already completed both the Munros and Corbetts since she moved to Scotland. Can you begin by telling us a bit about yourself and your background? I’m both a non-executive Director for HR, Governance & Equality at Mountaineering Scotland and a lawyer / Company Secretary at a large life insurance company in Edinburgh. I also have an

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Posted in Common Ground interviews, Features, Magazine

Swallows in the departure lounge

If you’re fortunate to share your daily life with swallows, as many of us are, you mightn’t necessarily realise just now reassuring a presence they are. They bring constant movement to the air, constant twittering to the sky. They’re a familiar but subtle backdrop to the summer months. And then, just like that, they’re gone. And everything just feels a bit….empty. We’re not quite at that point yet, but with day length shortening, it’s not far off. Swallows and martins Just so we’re clear which bird we’re talking about here, swallows are the lightning-fast ones whizzing about the place with

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Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature


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You should always carry a backup means of navigation and not rely on a single phone, app or map. Walking can be dangerous and is done entirely at your own risk. Information is provided free of charge; it is every walker's responsibility to check it and to navigate safely.