With its application for a zoo licence pending, Alladale Estate has come under fire with local Highland Council Access Officer Matt Dent objecting to the renewal of its current licence under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act. According to the Press and Journal, Mr Dent’s objection concerns the obstruction of access rights by the current scheme, following a complaint sent to Mr Dent by a mountaineer who had difficulty in descending from the hills past the enclosures. The Mountaineering Council of Scotland’s access and conservation officer Hebe Carus told the P&J “It’s an important mountaineering area as the ridge on which…

Next month top climbers Dave MacLeod and Andy Turner will attempt to recreate a legendary era of climbing on Ben Nevis, 50 years on, while making a film for the Fort William Mountain Festival. In 1960, Jimmy Marshall and Robin Smith were the first to ascend six routes on Ben Nevis in winter conditions. These ascents, made without the aid of modern equipment, are highly respected by climbers. The following quote from Colin Wells’ Who’s Who in British Climbing says it all, “In one legendary week on Ben Nevis in 1960 Jimmy Marshall and Robin Smith advanced Scottish winter climbing…

Walkhighlands is used by many walkers for sharing their walking experiences and photos with Walk Reports. In a unique new feature we’ve now made it possible to easily illustrate where you went on your walk using Ordnance Survey mapping, both at Explorer and Landranger scales. You no longer need a GPS device – nor even to upload or download any files. How to put a map in your reports When adding a new trip report on the Forum there is now a link to ‘Draw route’. This opens up a new window containing an OS map. Type in the area…

The West Harris Trust has completed its purchase of more than 16,000 acres of government-owned land. The Trust raised almost £70,000 from various bodies to buy the three crofting estates – Scaristavore, Borve and Luskentyre on Harris in the Western Isles. The land had been owned by the Scottish Government. Grants were provided by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the local authority Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the Big Lottery Fund, and a loan from local housing organisation Tighean Innse Gall. 123 people live in the area but only one is below school age and there have been worries about maintaining the…

The UK’s fastest growing outdoor retailer GO Outdoors is to open five new superstores in Scotland in the next two years. The expansion will begin in March when its second Scottish superstore opens in Clydebank. In a break with traditional outdoor store layouts the new store will feature a centre-piece family-friendly five-metre high indoor climbing wall will allow customers to experience indoor rock climbing. GO Outdoors already operates Scotland’s largest outdoor superstore in Coatbridge. The 70,000 square feet store opened in 2007. In addition to the new superstore in Clydebank, the Sheffield-based company is targeting two more openings in the…

Perth and Kinross councillors will today meet to decide whether to approve plans for the construction of the UK’s first dedicated bungee jumping platform. The structure would be built from the Garry Bridge (on Walkhighlands’ Bealach na Searmoin walk between Pitlochry and Killiecrankie). A company, Highland Fling, has been set up especially to promote the development. Phillip Riddle, chair of VisitScotland, was reported on the BBC as stressing the economic importance of adventure tourism, “whether it’s climbing, or walking, sailing, or bungee jumping”, whilst the John Muir Trust warned that there is a danger that such developments could harm the…