Yearly Archives: 2011

Beauly Denny powerline measures rejected by Council

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Helen Webster

Following last month’s public meeting at which plans to reduce the visual impact of the Beauly to Denny powerline around Stirling were voted down, the Council has formally rejected the plans and branded them “inadequate and ineffective”. The Scottish Government has approved the line of the power route but asked Scottish Power and Stirling Council to work together to come up with plans to mitigate the effect of the planned giant pylons in the area around Stirling and the Wallace Monument. Scottish Power put forward plans which involved painting the pylons to blend in with the surroundings and planting to…

Posted in Access issues, Nature

Views wanted on Scottish woodland expansion plans

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Helen Webster

Individuals, land managers, local authorities, the voluntary sector and community groups across Scotland are all being asked their views on how best to take forward woodland expansion in Scotland. The call to gather views comes from Dr Andrew Barbour, the chairman of the Woodland Expansion Advisory Group. This 18-strong group of farmers, foresters, conservation, community and land experts, has been tasked with the job of providing Scottish Ministers with advice on identifying which types of land are best for tree planting. Dr Barbour said: “One clear message from the Group is a desire to gather as many views as possible…

Posted in Nature

Wilderness Weekend success on Arran

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Helen Webster

An innovative new outdoors project that introduces disabled people to woodlands and green space has taken its first six participants to Arran to take part in an inaugural ‘Wilderness Weekend’. This project is to encourage more people with disabilities to access woodlands and green space. Forestry Commission Scotland and The National Trust for Scotland have worked with Scottish adventuress Julie McElroy to develop the Wilderness Weekend, which saw the group taking part in a range of outdoor activities. Participants, aged between 20-74 years old, got involved in a series of pursuits including arts and crafts and woodland walks. They also…

Posted in Access issues, News

Police name Glen Shiel fall victim

Posted on October 16, 2011 by Helen Webster

A lengthy mountain rescue search ended yesterday (Saturday 15 October) with the recovery of the body of a climber from the Glen Shiel mountains above the the Cluanie Inn. The dead man has now been named by Police as 65 year old Tom Clark, a graphic designer from Aberdeen. Kintail Mountain Rescue Team, SARDA Search Dogs along with Police and Rescue 137 from RAF Lossiemouth attended following an emergency call was received around 5:30 pm stating that a man had fallen a considerable distance. Eventually the fallen climber was located and found to have suffered fatal injuries.

Posted in News

Planners recommend Tyndrum gold mine approval

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Helen Webster

In the latest round of planning decisions for the proposed gold mine at Cononish, near Tyndrum, planning officers are recommending approval. The Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority will consider Scotgold Resources Ltd’s plans on 25 October. The original planning application was refused by the Park Authority in August 2010. This latest application is an amended application which was submitted in July this year, it was given a cautious welcome by SNH and the John Muir Trust on the proviso that environmental concerns had been properly addressed. Scotgold chief executive Chris Sangster told the BBC, “We are delighted…

Posted in Access issues, Nature

Ben Lawers car park and Glen Ogle road closure

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Helen Webster

Building work has now begun for a new car park near the site of the old Ben Lawers Visitor Centre which was demolished last year. The Mountaineering Council of Scotland reports that the new car park will be located in a more discrete position and is due to completed by early 2012. In addition a dry stone enclosure will be built on the path leading from the car park to the nature trail which will provide an interpretive display about Ben Lawers. Toilets will not be provided at the new car park which is being constructed by the nature reserve…

Posted in Access issues, News

Sallochy West Highland Way campsite now bookable online

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Helen Webster

The new basic campsite set up at Sallochy can now be booked online. Following the summer camping ban which is now in place on the east side of Loch Lomond between Drymen and Rowardennan, a new campsite at Sallochy Bay was established. During its first season of operation there have been some complaints from walkers on the West Highland Way that a permit had to be bought in advance in Balmaha and that on route information about the site was hard to come by. The campsite, which is for tents only and has basic toilet facilities but no drinking water,…

Posted in Access issues, News

Over 700 enjoy Mountain Safety Day

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Helen Webster

Over 700 people attended Scotland’s Mountain Safety Day held in Stirling on Saturday 8 October. The day, organised by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland and Mountain Aid, was a mixture of talks, information stands, and demonstrations including a climbing wall for children. The Walkhighlands team was there and had fun meeting users of website of all ages, and introducing the site to others as well as distributing safety and access information. David Gibson, Chief Officer at the MCofS, believes the day was a great success. He commented: “I want to say a big thank you to everyone who made Scotland’s…

Posted in News

Body found on Monadhliath

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Helen Webster

Police have revealed that the remains of a London man who went missing in 2009 was found by members of the public in on Sron Mhic Gille-Mhartainn in the Monadhliath Mountains, near Laggan on Friday 7 October. A Police spokesman said the missing man’s identity would not be revealed until next of kin have been informed. A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal which is normal practice in these cases.

Posted in News

MCofS solves Xmas gift dilemmas

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Helen Webster

For all those facing the dilemma of what present to buy the mountaineer who has everything this Xmas, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) has come up with a new option, the Gift of Membership. The Gift of Membership is the new MCofS initiative that enables you to buy a year’s membership of the MCofS for someone else. MCofS Chief Officer David Gibson said: “The Gift of Membership could be of interest to parents looking for a gift for their children (including grown up children), husbands, wives, boyfriends and girlfriends seeking out a gift for their mountaineering partner, or perhaps…

Posted in News