Yearly Archives: 2011

Last chance for Xmas gift offer

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Helen Webster

If you’re still stuck for want to buy anyone who loves the Scottish mountains, there is still time to take up the offer of gift membership of the MCofS. Membership of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland comes complete with a quality free gift (Harvey Map, DVD, Silva Compass, or Chalk Bag), quarterly magazine, discounts at many outdoor retailers and accommodation providers, and the warm glow you get from supporting an organisation that does loads of behind the scenes work on access and conservation issues, helping walking and climbing clubs, running climbing competitions for kids and much more. The MCofS is…

Posted in Walkhighlands news

Diversions on West Highland Way and Great Glen Way

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Helen Webster

The recent stormy weather in Scotland resulted in fallen trees causing diversions and warnings on both the West Highland Way and the Great Glen Way. A spokesperson for the West Highland Way said, “A route diversion is in place at Garadhban Forest on the approach to Drymen due to fallen trees blocking the Way. Users are advised that other parts of the route may be impassable due to storm damage. A full inspection is under way, in the meantime please take care and avoid taking unnecessary risks.” Damage is also causing problems on the Great Glen Way with two sections…

Posted in Access issues, News

Culra Bothy storm damage

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Helen Webster

The roof on the north room of Culra bothy was damaged in the recent storms. Culra Bothy is sited on the Ben Alder Estate near Loch Pattack and is often used as a base for the Ben Alder munros. The bothy is maintained by volunteers. A spokesman for the Mountain Bothy Association (MBA) said, “This room cannot be used at present. Anyone planning on visiting the bothy during the Christmas and New Year period should be aware that the remaining accommodation in the bothy might be very busy. An assessment of the damage will; be made as soon as possible.”

Posted in Access issues, News

Windfarm protest planned for 20 December

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Helen Webster

The Save the Monadhliath Mountains’ (SMM) campaign group is planning a peaceful demonstration outside the Council headquarters in Inverness on Tuesday 20 December, against the controversial Allt Duine wind farm development planned for the edge of the Cairngorms National Park. The protest will be held between 9am and 10:30am timed to coincide with a Planning meeting by the Council to discuss the application. Organisers say that anyone against the windfarm is welcome at the protest. SMM says that it is not anti-wind farms in general but believes that the sheer number of developments planned in the area will mean a…

Posted in Nature, News

Avalanche Warning Service Starts

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Helen Webster

Following the first proper snow falls of winter the Sportscotland Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) reports are now available online for Lochaber and the Northern Cairngorms. The full avalanche risk warning service for all five popular hillwalking and climbing areas in Scotland will be running from Thursday 15th December. The service is also available to mobile phones. To see the warnings and learn more about how to interpret them visit the SAIS website.

Posted in News

Winter skills training

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Helen Webster

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) is running a series of 4 Winter Skills courses and 3 Avalanche Awareness courses this winter. These one-day training courses provide a great opportunity to learn new skills, which should enable those new to Scotland’s winter mountains to be more self-reliant and make better judgements when out on the hills. The courses are organised by the MCofS Mountain Safety Adviser, Heather Morning, who says: “The MCofS winter courses are great value for money and a superb way of equipping yourself with the skills needed in the Scottish mountains in winter. By limiting the course…

Posted in News

Ben Wyvis anti-erosion measures vandalised

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Helen Webster

A Scottish environmental agency has slammed vandals who have destroyed a sign and cairns aimed at reducing erosion on the popular Munro, Ben Wyvis. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) had erected the sign at the An Cabar cairn to point walkers in the direction of the preferred route up the mountain which is aimed at protecting the fragile habitat from erosion caused by the 8000 walkers who tackle the peak every year. To try and reduce the impact on a wide area of woolly fringe moss, which provides a rare habitat for the dotterel, SNH had erected two temporary cairns at…

Posted in Access issues, News

Winter Boots

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Phil Turner

While most other outdoor gear can be improvised, begged, borrowed or stolen until funds or inclination are favourable, your shoes need a bit more thought. Many people complete epic feats (feets?) in their favourite trainers all year round, but in this review I’m going to look at something a bit more suitable for the rigours of winter mountain walking. Assuming winter walking rather than mountaineering or climbing, a hillwalking boot needs to be stiff enough to cut through snow to form a stable platform, accept some form of crampon and have a tread pattern designed to shift snow. I find…

Posted in Footwear, Gear reviews

Winter Mountain Lecture series dates

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Helen Webster

With the first serious snow of the winter now hitting the Scottish hills, the dates have been announced for this year’s Mountain Safety Lectures. This year’s line up of speakers for the popular evenings include 7-summit mountaineer Di Gilbert, Mountain Rescue veteran David ‘Heavy’ Whalley, and MCoS Mountain Safety Officer Heather Morning among others. The evenings are free and will be running at each of the following locations with the first kicking off on 28 December. The Clachaig Inn, Glencoe (Tuesday evenings) The Mountain Cafe, Aviemore (Wednesday evenings) Various Tiso Stores (Wednesday/Thursday evenings) A spokesperson for the Mountaineering Council of…

Posted in News

Into the Wild series on BBC Alba

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Helen Webster

BBC Alba’s outdoors series, Into the Wild, will feature Walkhighlands’ Gear Editor Phil Turner next week. The Gaelic language programme (shown with English subtitles) followed Phil as he researched walks on Arran for Walkhighlands and Pocket Mountains guidebooks. The series explores the benefits of getting back in touch with the natural landscape and the lure of these wild remote places. In addition to going wild camping and walking with Phil, the programme will also meet a young family who spend each summer on the isolated island of Mingulay; an aspiring wildlife photographer and travel writer in remote Knoydart; and two…

Posted in News, Uncategorized