Gear Review: Vaude Skomer Skort

Posted on August 4, 2019 by Helen Webster

RRP: £80 (available for less in many outlets)Weight: 115g (size XXS) The long hot summer of 2018 saw skorts enter the mainstream of Scottish hillwalking kit. A skirt with a shorts liner, skorts have actually been around for a while. They are beloved of female mountain runners and cyclists in the Alps, so I thought I’d test out the latest version from Vaude – from a walker’s perspective. The skort consists of a kilt-style wrap-around, above the knee skirt with two side pockets, both large enough for small phones, one of them with a zip. Two tiny fabric loops with…

Posted in Gear reviews, Magazine, Trousers

Watching otters in Scotland

Posted on July 28, 2019 by Helen Webster

An encounter with an otter in the wild is a magical experience. Helen Webster takes a look at the best places to spot otters, how to boost your chances of a sighting, and tips to avoid disturbing these amazing creatures. Whilst the European otter (lutra lutra) is at home in both fresh and salt water habitats, they are most easily seen along our coastlines – a calm sea often presents the best opportunities to start looking. Where? You could spot otters almost anywhere on the Scottish coast. Although the west coast, Mull, Skye, the Outer Hebrides and Shetland have the…

Posted in Features, Photography

Gear Review: Sprayway Women’s Escape Shorts

Posted on July 17, 2019 by Helen Webster

Recommend Price: £50Weight: 175g (size 10) In recent years shorts seems to have morphed into either teeny weeny very short shorts or baggy knee length mountain biker style shorts. These Escape shorts from Sprayway are from the traditional, easy-fit school of design but in a great fabric that makes them both versatile and very comfortable. The lightweight TecWeave nylon fabric stretches in all directions, has a soft feel and a water resistant finish. In practice this means they move extremely well and can cope with scrambling without riding up. The fabric has worn well so far, has proved resistant to…

Posted in Gear reviews, Trousers

Gear Review: Salomon Outline GTX women’s hiking shoe

Posted on July 13, 2019 by Helen Webster

RRP: £115 (currently on offer with some retailers)Weight: 280 grams per shoe (UK size 6) For summer walking I always prefer to wear lightweight boots or shoes if conditions are dry enough. This year those days have been few and far between but there was a hot week in May and some drier days in between when I’ve been out and about testing these trail shoes from Salomon. Given the rain we’ve had recently I’ve been grateful for the Goretex lining. Designed on a running last, these lean towards lightweight trainers rather than being at the stout hiking shoe end…

Posted in Footwear, Gear reviews

Gear Review: Women’s Summer Baselayers

Posted on June 29, 2019 by Helen Webster

Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt RRP: £40Weight: 60g 4 colour options in sizes XS-XL, long sleeve version also availableMen’s version available in 6 colours sizes XS – XL, long sleeve version Beautifully soft and very light-feeling, this short sleeve T is 100% recycled polyester and certified Fair Trade sewn, which means the people who make it get a fair wage. For the last 3 years I’ve worn a similar long sleeved shirt from Patagonia which has worn incredibly well despite the thinness of the fabric, so I was keen to see what improvements had been made on this version. The…

Posted in Baselayers, Gear reviews, Magazine

Go slow…

Posted on June 24, 2019 by Helen Webster

Get beyond the usual tourist hotspots and discover the real Scotland. Slow tourism gives you the best visitor experience, and helps rural communities the most.

Posted in Magazine

Mountain Writing Comp open for entries

Posted on June 18, 2019 by Helen Webster

Hillwalkers and climbers who like to express their love for the mountains and mountaineering in words are invited to take part in Mountaineering Scotland’s annual literary competition. The Mountaineering Scotland Writing Competition 2019 is looking for the best in new mountain writing, whether fact or fiction, prose or poetry. With more and more people taking art in outdoor activities, there should be no shortage of adventurers ready to put their experiences into words and share what makes mountains or mountaineers, or the act of walking or climbing, so special to them. First prize in both prose and poetry sections is…

Posted in News

Politicians urged to grasp chance to control the spread of vehicle tracks in our hills

Posted on June 17, 2019 by Helen Webster

A coalition of ten conservation charities is calling on the Scottish Parliament to grasp a golden opportunity to introduce stronger controls over vehicle tracks in our hills. The Scottish Parliament is set to vote this week on Planning Bill amendments by Scottish Green Party MSP Andy Wightman, designed to close loopholes that allow landowners to build many of the controversial tracks without planning permission. Research by Scottish Environment LINK Hilltracks group has found that the tracks continue to creep further into wilder landscapes, and that planning loopholes can lead to them being badly-sited and designed. Some tracks have even been built over…

Posted in Access issues, Magazine, Nature

Gear Review: Vaude Power Lizard 2-3 person tent

Posted on June 13, 2019 by Helen Webster

RRP: £525 (currently on offer at various retailers)Weight: 1.5kg When heading out on overnight or multi-day adventures, an ultralight tent can offer one of the biggest savings in weight. We’ve been testing this 2 to 3 person tent from Vaude to see how it measures up. First thing to say is that at 1.5kg including the stuff sack this is really lightweight and packable for a mainstream two-skin tent. Secondly it’s huge – luxuriously big for 2, with an inner base size of 3.2m2, you could fit a third small adult in, but would be perfect for 2 adults and…

Posted in Camping, Gear reviews, Magazine

New Outdoors Award Scheme for Young People

Posted on May 21, 2019 by Helen Webster

Ramblers Scotland has launched a new award scheme to offer young adults a free and inspiring introduction to the outdoors.

Posted in Magazine, News