Monthly Archives: March 2012

Unique Rum walk will celebrate return of Manx Shearwaters

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Helen Webster

Visitors and enthusiasts have the chance to get up close and personal with one of Scotland's most special birds thanks to a brand new event on Rum National Nature Reserve (NNR). The return of the Ocean Wanderers is a day of activities on Saturday 7 April celebrating the Manx Shearwater. Affectionately know as manxies, they nest in burrows high in the mountains on Rum, only returning to their nests at night. The birds spend the summer here, rearing their single chick, before undertaking an incredible winter migration along the coast of South America to the Falkland Islands before returning to…

Posted in Nature, News

Speyside Way bridge closed until June

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Helen Webster

The old railway bridge to Ballindalloch on the popular Speyside Way long distance path is currently closed for repair. It is expected that works on the bridge will continue until June 1st. There is no official or signed detour available, and avoiding the bridge would add many miles of roadwalking as well as omitting Ballindalloch from the route. A free taxi service is being provided by Moray Council, enabling walkers to leave the way at Blacksboat old station car park and rejoin it at Ballindalloch. The service will be available from 9am to 8pm daily whilst the bridge is closed.…

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Walkhighlands reaches 1,500 route milestone

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Helen Webster

With the addition of route descriptions for a handful of walks at the north end of the Isle of Lewis, walker's website, Walkhighlands, has reached the milestone of 1,500 walking routes. The site now covers the whole of Scotland with current projects including adding more walks in Lewis, Harris, Orkney and the Borders. All the routes are walked and researched on the ground and GPS recordings taken so that the routes can be accurately mapped. The routes range from short family rambles to epic long distance multi-day walks and include descriptions of all the Munros as well as many Corbetts…

Posted in Walkhighlands news

Steall Gorge wins funding competition

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Helen Webster

The Steall Gorge path in Glen Nevis will receive £25,000 towards repairs after it won the public vote in a European competition. The John Muir Trust (JMT) won the Alpine category of the European Outdoor Conservation Association with a massive 48% of the votes. The John Muir Trust was competing for funding to undertake essential repairs to the Steall Gorge path in Glen Nevis, Lochaber, which is in desperate need of maintenance if it’s to stay open to the thousands of visitors that venture along it each year. Fran Lockhart, the Trust’s Nevis property manager, said: “Over the last two…

Posted in Nature, News

Major boost for Scottish mountain path repairs

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Helen Webster

The Scottish Mountaineering Trust (SMT) has approved a grant of £30,000 to the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) for their Mountains for People project which helps care for footpaths at some of the nation’s most popular walking routes. The four year project which started in April 2009 has been given a major boost by the generous contribution which is spread over three years. Buz Whibley, Development Manager for the NTS said: “The Scottish Mountaineering Trust has granted us the generous total of £30,000 over the next three years. This will go a long way to help the continuing progress that…

Posted in Access issues, News

Wild Camping Ban Proposed for Loch Lomond Islands

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Helen Webster

The current summer ban on wild camping on east Lomondside could be extended to four islands in the loch if proposals announced by the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park are given the green light. The islands affected are Inchmoan, Inchconnachan, Inchtavannach and Inchcruin. The National Park is currently consulting on three possible solutions to solve what the National Park describes as “issues of wildlife disturbance, litter, vandalism, irresponsible camping and fire lighting”. The consultation will run for the next three months until 18 June. Speaking about the consultation, Grant Moir, Director of Conservation and Visitor Experience at the…

Posted in Access issues, News

Not so Bonnie MCofS objects to Loch Lomond wind farm

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Helen Webster

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) has lodged an objection with the West Dunbartonshire Council against a proposed wind farm at Merkins Farm in the Kilpatrick Hills Regional Scenic Area. The proposed wind farm would be located just three kilometres from the southern boundary of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. The MCofS has argued against the planning application because a wind farm in this location would be contrary to the purposes of its Regional Scenic Area designation. It would seriously undermine the landscape quality of the Regional Scenic Area and the setting of the National Park. As…

Posted in Nature

Tick Bite Prevention Week

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Helen Webster

Tick-borne disease charity BADA-UK and Patron Ray Mears are warning walkers and outdoor enthusiasts to be especially vigilant next spring. The charity is using its annual awareness campaign Tick Bite Prevention Week (26 March – 1 April) to highlight the increased risk to outdoor enthusiasts in 2012 from tick bites and tick-borne diseases following the EU ban of the herbicide Asulam. Asulam is used by farmers to control the invasive spread of bracken which provides the perfect habitat for ticks. TV bushcraft and survival expert and BADA-UK Patron Ray Mears warns: “The control of bracken is vital to the survival…

Posted in News

Glen Strathfarrar Summer Access arrangements

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Helen Webster

The summer access arrangements for Strathfarrar will begin on Saturday 31 March. Strathfarrar has a locked gate and only a certain number of cars are allowed into the Glen each day. There are no restrictions on pedestrian access or taking a pushbike beyond the locked gate and wild camping is allowed within the terms of the Scottish Access Code but you cannot park overnight in the Glen. There will be no vehicular access on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) negotiates access along the private road with the landowner on behalf of walkers and climbers and…

Posted in Access issues, News

West Highland Way diversion for walkers with dogs aims to protect ewes

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Helen Webster

Restrictions on a section of the West Highland Way near Conic Hill will mean a diversion for walkers with dogs during the lambing season. Lambing will be take place between 15th April and 15th May 2012 inclusive and will mean that walkers cannot take their dogs into the field with ewes in lamb, where the West Highland Way comes out of Garadhban Forest. The diversion for walkers with dogs is via Drymen, along the B837 Balmaha Road through Milton of Buchanan to Balmaha from where walkers with dogs can ascend Conic Hill with their dog if want to. Signs will…

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