Scottish Outdoor Access job cuts despite growth in walking and cycling

Posted on November 19, 2020 by Helen Webster

Landowners and outdoor groups are jointly calling for better resourcing to support Scotland’s world-class access rights – as a new survey highlights alarming cutbacks in countryside access jobs. Scottish Outdoor Access Network (SOAN) polled all 34 access authorities on how they manage access, a topic which has hit the headlines during the Covid era due to booming numbers of people heading outdoors. The survey showed that during 2019/20: · Six authorities do not employ a single Access Officer; skilled professionals who find practical solutions to access challenges, and ensure the local authorities carry out their statutory duties · The equivalent of just 36.5 full-time…

Posted in Access issues, Magazine

Gear Review: Fjällräven Expedition Pack Down Hoodie

Posted on November 15, 2020 by Helen Webster

Recommended Price: £275 (£255 without hood)Weight: 435g (S) This retro-styled mid-warmth down jacket is part of Fjällräven’s new Expedition range. An extremely cold night in a snow hole bivouac in 1974 inspired company founder Åke Nordin to come up with the original Expedition jacket – basically two down jackets sewn together. I’ve been using some recent cooler weather to check out this modern product of the intervening four decades. Constructed with wide sewn-through baffles, the insulation consists of 110g of down (90% warmer goose and 10% duck) with 700 fill power and a reinforcement of synthetic padding at the shoulders.…

Posted in Gear reviews, Jackets, Magazine

Campaigners warn of fragile future for Scotland’s beavers

Posted on November 11, 2020 by Helen Webster

Britain’s beavers could be major allies in tackling the climate and extinction crises – but without more public and government support face a fragile future, says Beaver Trust as it launches a new documentary film exploring the country’s relationship with the endangered but controversial species. The charity’s short film, Beavers Without Borders, explores the benefits and challenges of reintroducing beavers to Britain’s landscapes. It hopes the documentary, launching on YouTube on 15 November, will appeal to a wide audience and promote discussions around ensuring a better future for the species. “It’s a critical time for beavers, with the UK Government…

Posted in Magazine, Nature

Win tickets to stream 2020 Banff Mountain Film Festival tour

Posted on September 25, 2020 by Helen Webster

Walkhighlands has teamed up with the Banff Mountain Film Festival to offer two lucky winners passes to watch an evening of adventure films from the comfort of your sofa. With many 2020 tour dates cancelled, the films have been packaged into the two evening programmes and will be available to stream on dates in October at £10. Two registered members of Walkhighlands will be drawn at random to win a free pass to the film evening of your choice. Not a Walkhighlands member? Membership is free and allows you to use the Walkhighlands forum, 1:25k OS mapping, log your hills…

Posted in Magazine

Wanderers – A History of Women Walking

Posted on September 10, 2020 by Helen Webster

A new book by Kerri Andrews, Wanderers examines the history of female walking by looking at ten women who, over the past three hundred years, have found walking essential to their lives. In a series of intimate portraits, Wanderers traces their footsteps, from eighteenth-century parson’s daughter Elizabeth Carter – who desired nothing more than to be taken for a vagabond in the wilds of southern England – to modern walker-writers such as Nan Shepherd and Cheryl Strayed. For each, walking was integral, whether it was rambling for miles across the Highlands, like Sarah Stoddart Hazlitt, or pacing novels into being, as Virginia…

Posted in Features, Magazine

Gear review: Osprey Daylite 13l pack

Posted on August 23, 2020 by Helen Webster

Recommended price: £45 (£50 for print colour shown)Weight: 500g (as reviewed) A surprisingly spacious, comfortable, reliable pack for summer days when no winter kit is required. Osprey have updated their daylite pack with some added features, new colour options and a kids version. I’ve been using this one on a variety of day walks and found the single main compartment can easily hold a lighterweight set of waterproofs, first aid kit, insulated top, and food. There’s a sleeve at the back of this section that can take a tablet or small laptop and an externally accessed pouch for up to…

Posted in Gear reviews, Magazine, Rucksacks

Gear Review: Hanwag Banks SF GTX boots

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Helen Webster

Recommended price: £210Weight: 1060g pair (women’s size 5.5) I have wide feet and often struggle finding suitable stiffer boots, ending up either with pinched toes or a larger size with a loose hill grip that let my feet slide forwards when walking downhill. German company Hanwag has a reputation for making boots in a range of fits so I’ve been trying out the Banks, which comes in 3 different fits for women. This is a traditional looking boot in navy nubuck leather with mesh fabric tongue and ankle cuff. There is a good amount of extra reinforcement around the heel…

Posted in Footwear, Gear reviews, Magazine

We’re Good to Go standard launched for tourism

Posted on June 25, 2020 by Helen Webster

VisitScotland alongside the national tourism bodies of England, Northern Ireland and Wales have today announced a new UK-wide industry standard and consumer mark to provide confidence for visitors, communities and tourism businesses alike, as the sector works towards reopening. The ‘We’re Good To Go’ industry standard and supporting mark mean businesses across all sectors of the tourism industry in Scotland can demonstrate that they are adhering to the respective Government and public health guidance, and have carried out a COVID-19 risk assessment to check they have the required processes and protocols in place. The free scheme complements the guidance already…

Posted in Magazine, News

Gear Review: Black Diamond Mission LT Approach shoe

Posted on June 19, 2020 by Helen Webster

Recommended Price: £130Weight: 600g (Pair, UK size 6 womens) The Mission LT is one of series of new shoes by Black Diamond aimed firmly at climbers but as this model is also supposed to be suitable for a longer walk in, I was interested to test it for day walks and scrambles. I’d been wearing it for a couple of months on any dry day walks prior to lockdown and since then it’s been my shoe of choice for shorter local walks – so it has also seen a fair bit of pavement pounding. The all-in-one knitted sock structure of…

Posted in Footwear, Gear reviews, Magazine

Hillwalking and the plan to ease lockdown

Posted on May 22, 2020 by Helen Webster

Nicola Sturgeon yesterday announced the four stage route map for Scotland to ease its Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. Today Scottish Mountain Rescue have issued new guidance to hillwalkers. None of the changes are yet in place, but it is expected that we may move to ‘Phase One’ of lifting the lockdown on next Thursday 28th May – although this will depend on continued progress in reducing infection numbers. Phase One – from 28th May if supported by evidence The new advice allows unrestricted outdoors exercise, whilst adhering to distancing measures and non-contact outdoor activities in the local area – such as…

Posted in Access issues, Magazine, News, Walkhighlands news