Helping you to discover and explore the real Scotland

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Interview with Claire Mack, head of Scottish Renewables

Controversy over renewable energy projects has raged in the outdoors world for many years, from concerns over the siting of wind farms and protection of wild land to the more recent landscape damage from hydro schemes in some of our ...

Obituary: Rennie McOwan

Rennie McOwan was an esteemed outdoorsman, journalist, writer and broadcaster who was steeped in the history, folklore and culture of his native Scotland. Through his newspaper columns, books and television programmes, he shared his knowledge and views of the great ...

David Lintern

Signs, sticks and stones

When is a pile of stones a work of art, a historical monument or an act of vandalism, and how much signage do we want in the Scottish Hills? David Lintern considers cairns, signposts, interpretation and other human interventions, both ...

Votes needed to help secure the future of Scotland's red squirrels

An innovative Highlands project offering hope for the long-term survival of Scotland's red squirrels will be stepped up if conservation charity Trees for Life wins an online vote for a major European funding award. With the UK's red squirrels at risk ...

Winter Safety Talks

As we approach the winter season, both Mountain Aid and Mountaineering Scotland are offering a series of winter mountain safety talks across the country. The free Mountain Aid evenings will take place from 12 to 16 November and will be presented ...

Gear Review: Womens Mammut Ultimate V softshell hooded jacket

Recommended Price: £229 Weight: 350g (Womens S) Sizes: XS-XL (Womens) S-XXL (Mens) Mens version available My usual layers of choice for cooler, windy days in Scotland are either baselayer, microfleece and wind shirt or baselayer with a primaloft insulated jacket on top. However I ...

Gear review: Osprey Levity 60L backpack

Recommended Price: £240 Weight: 0.9kg Capacity: 60 litres When backpacking, excessive weight on your back can easily destroy your enjoyment. It's obvious you need to minimise the weight whilst still carrying all the things you really need and when you're trying to save ...

Karen Thorburn

New Horizons

Karen Thorburn shares her personal perspective on St Kilda - Scotland's ultima thule. Half my lifetime ago, in 2002, I found myself on holiday with my parents, standing atop huge sand dunes overlooking a magnificent beach on the west coast of ...

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