Yearly Archives: 2018

Gear Review: Winter Base Layers

Posted on December 27, 2018 by Helen Webster

Sprayway 1/2 Zip Roola RRP: £55 (widely available for less)Weight: 195g (men’s large) The lightweight Roola is 50% merino wool and 50% polyester, combined to give a very comfortable base layer with a moderate amount of stretch. It’s extremely soft to touch, quick to dry, wicks well and gives a reasonable amount of warmth – though it’s not as toasty as some of the other bases featured below and will require more layers in the coldest conditions. I do like having a half-zip on winter base layers to give a venting option when needed. It comes in two colours and sizes from S to…

Posted in Baselayers, Gear reviews, Magazine

Enjoy the gift of NNRs this Christmas – Natural Winter Wonderlands near you

Posted on December 24, 2018 by Helen Webster

Scotland’s National Nature Reserves (NNRS) are the perfect places to clear away the cobwebs and walk-off that extra turkey, or nut roast, this Christmas say Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). SNH welcomed more than 650,000 visitors to its NNRs last year and 10 of the most popular are highlighted below. With an extra few days off work for many of us, the festive season is a great time to get out and explore your local NNR, and although it might be a little colder it is often the most attractive time of year. Whether you want to look for wildlife, meet…

Posted in Magazine, News

Call for progress on protected status for Scotland’s beavers

Posted on December 21, 2018 by Helen Webster

A number of leading Scottish wildlife charities and individuals with an interest in conservation have signed an open letter to the First Minister, published in The Guardian today calling for a firm date to be set on granting European Protected Species status to beavers in Scotland. This letter comes one year after the announcement that legislation to secure European Protected Species status for beavers would be laid down in the Scottish Parliament in the first half of 2018. Susan Davies, Director of Conservation, Scottish Wildlife Trust said: “In November 2016, through the leadership of the Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham, the Scottish Government…

Posted in Magazine, Nature

Layers of time

Posted on December 20, 2018 by Karen Thorburn

Karen Thorburn ponders deep time in the amazing landscape of Assynt.

Posted in Magazine

Gear Review: Mammut Alnasca Knit Low GTX shoe

Posted on December 15, 2018 by Helen Webster

RRP: £149Weight: 330g (Women’s size 5.5) The first thing you notice about this approach shoe is the snug fit. The inner is made from an almost seamless 3D-knitted stretchy “sock” – luckily there are pull ties to help ease them on. I’ve been testing them both on easier day walks and tougher hill-walks for the last few months. So far the sock design seems to prevent any rubbing where the toe flexes – something that often causes a problem with walking shoes. Initially I felt the fit was on the narrow side but, having adjusted the low-profile laces to their maximum and…

Posted in Footwear, Gear reviews, Magazine

Daily avalanche forecasts to begin for winter season

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Helen Webster

The Scottish Avalanche Information Service daily forecasts for the 2018-19 winter season begin on Friday 14th December.

Posted in Magazine, News

Historic Ballater bridge reopens

Posted on December 11, 2018 by Helen Webster

Polhollick Footbridge, an important link on the Seven Bridges walk near Ballater, has reopened following major repairs.

Posted in Access issues, Magazine, News

Gear review – Alpkit Phantac down jacket

Posted on December 7, 2018 by Paul Webster

I’ve been testing the revamped 2019 version of Alpkit’s Phantac down jacket, which is designed to keep you really toasty whilst keeping weight low.

Posted in Gear reviews, Jackets, Magazine

Fort William Mountain Festival 2019 programme announced

Posted on December 7, 2018 by Helen Webster

The Fort William Mountain Festival 2019 programme has been announced with a mix of inspiring presentations, world-class film screenings, mountain skills workshops and exhibitions, to be held from Wednesday 20 to Sunday 24 February 2019. Rod Pashley, Chairman of The Highland Mountain Culture Association, organisers of the Fort William Mountain Festival, said: “Celebrating the wild landscape that surrounds us in Fort William and Lochaber is the inspiration behind the Mountain Festival. The mountains and glens influence our culture in many ways, whether it is the beauty of the landscape, our engagement with it or the opportunities we find in it.…

Posted in News

Dates released for Banff Mountain Film tour

Posted on December 6, 2018 by Helen Webster

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is celebrating its 10th year of touring the UK and Ireland, bringing over 100 adrenaline-packed shows to almost 60 venues from January – May 2019. Scottish dates are first, kicking off in Edinburgh on 19 January and then showing at Glasgow, Stirling, Inverness and finally Pitlochry on 2 February. The Tour features two different collections of brand-new films from the world’s most intrepid filmmakers, starring pioneers and explorers tackling extraordinary expeditions in the wildest corners of the planet. “We’re thrilled to have reached 10 years of bringing the Banff Mountain Film Festival World…

Posted in Magazine, News