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Monthly Archives: February 2009

Avalanche Info launches text service

Posted on February 27, 2009 by Helen Webster

SportScotland’s Avalanche Information Service, which has only been available via the internet, can now by received on mobile phones on a paying subscription service. The service will operate for any one or more of the five most popular Scottish mountain areas covered by the Avalanche Information Service reports: North Cairngorms, South Cairngorms, Lochaber, Glencoe and Creag Meagaidh. For £1 per message, a person can subscribe to the service by sending a key word to the number 88020. The relevant area text will be sent out daily at 1800 hours enabling users to adjust their plans if necessary. Having sent the…

Posted in News

Black Grouse return to Arran

Posted on February 27, 2009 by Helen Webster

Black grouse are set to make a comeback on Arran thanks to a team effort, involving the Arran Black Grouse Group, the National Trust for Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage. Last weekend, fourteen pairs of black grouse arrived on Arran and it is hoped that the birds will reinstate the once booming population of black grouse on the island. Historically, the black grouse received special protection in Arran. In 1703 in the book, “A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland”, author Martin Martin states that: “The blackcock is not allowed to be killed here without a permit; the transgressors…

Posted in Nature

Body found in search for missing walker

Posted on February 26, 2009 by Helen Webster

Following an intensive search for missing hillwalker, Robin Davies, in the Cairngorms, a body, believed to be the missing man, was found on Tuesday night. On Monday over 70 rescue team, police and RAF search team members scoured the Glenfeshie area looking for Mr Davies, who was reported missing on Sunday after failing to return from his day walk the day before. Mr Davies was an experienced hillwalker but was not equipped for a night out in the hills. He was accompanied by his Yorkshire terrier. The RAF helicopter located the body at the bottom of a gully known as…

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Search on for Cairngorms walker

Posted on February 23, 2009 by Helen Webster

The search resumed this morning (Monday 23 February) for missing walker Robin Davies. Mr Davies, aged 48 and from the Inverness area, went walking in the Glenfeshie area with his Yorkshire terrier on Saturday and was reported missing on Sunday after he had failed to return. A search began on Sunday involving police, mountain rescue teams, and a helicopter from RAF Kinloss. This was called off overnight but resumed at first light today. It is reported that Mr Davies was an experienced walker and weather conditions were not particularly poor in the area at the weekend.

Posted in News

If you fall – Karen Darke talk dates announced

Posted on February 16, 2009 by Helen Webster

Adventurer Karen Darke will talk about her incredible life in her first UK lecture-tour. Karen Darke is a truly remarkable woman. Just four years after being paralysed from the chest down in a rock climbing accident, Karen set out on a hand bike to cross the Tien Shan and Karakoram mountains of Central Asia. This was to be the first of many adventures which would see Karen hand cycle the length of the Japanese archipelago and the Indian Himalaya, sea kayak a 1200 mile length of the Canada – Alaska coastline and make a record-breaking 600 kilometre crossing of the…

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BBC seeking upcoming Munro compleaters

Posted on February 5, 2009 by Helen Webster

BBC Scotland are making a documentary about the Munros which will be shown on BBC Four this summer. If you are expecting to complete the Munros between now and the end of May (within the next three months), they would like to hear from you! Please contact the Director, Matt Barrett, at matt.barrett@bbc.co.uk or 0141-422-6110 and let him know when/where you expect to complete, how you plan to celebrate, plus a line or two about yourself. Please don’t forget to include your contact information.

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Missing Cairngorms walkers found

Posted on February 5, 2009 by Helen Webster

Mountain Rescuers started searching at first light today (Thursday 5 January) for two walkers missing overnight on the Cairngorm plateau. The alarm was raised at 8pm last night when the pair failed to return from their hillwalk. Wintery weather conditions last night included below freezing temperatures and heavy snow. Police are coordinating rescue efforts by the Cairngorms Mountain Rescue Team and the RAF helicopter search team. UPDATE: 12:30 The two walkers have now been found safe having spent the night on the hills. The two men, aged 22 and 29, were spotted by the RAF helicopter at approximately 11 am…

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Walkers asked for help spotting Ptarmigan

Posted on February 2, 2009 by Helen Webster

The National Trust for Scotland is asking walkers in the Goatfell area of Arran and Ben Lomond to report sightings of Ptarmigan. The Trust’s most recent survey suggests that Ptarmigan may not have bred on Arran this year, leaving Ben Lomond as the most southerly breeding location for this rare bird. The Trust says that climate change is likely to be a factor. The Ptarmigan population on Arran has fluctuated in the past – a survey in 1981 confirmed 28 birds, however, information from the late 1960s suggested a similar situation to 2008 – if the birds are present at…

Posted in Nature

Woman dies after Cairngorms fall

Posted on February 1, 2009 by Helen Webster

A woman from Ireland has died after falling over 200 metres on Cairn Gorm on Saturday 31 January. Theresa Conalty, aged 40, from Country Wicklow, slipped whilst walking with a group in Coire Cas. Whilst visibility was good, it was extremely windy on higher ground and the snow was very hard and icy which would make it difficult to stop even a small slip. Strathclyde Police and the Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team who were training in the area joined with members of the Cairngorm Mountain Ltd Ski Patrol, to assist with the rescue. Ms Conalty was taken down the mountain…

Posted in News