Interview with Claire Mack, head of Scottish Renewables

Posted on October 19, 2018 by Helen Webster

Controversy over renewable energy projects has raged in the outdoors world for many years, from concerns over the siting of wind farms and protection of wild land to the more recent landscape damage from hydro schemes in some of our most stunning landscapes. Helen caught up with Claire Mack, the Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, the trade body for renewable energy in Scotland, to get the industry view. We understand that you’re a user of Walkhighlands, so I presume you enjoy walking in Scotland’s outdoors yourself. What does getting out in the Scottish landscape mean to you and do you…

Posted in Magazine, Nature

Give a bit of Mountain Magic – Adopt an Acre

Posted on October 19, 2018 by Helen Webster

Conservation charity the John Muir Trust (JMT) is urging walkers to turn away from the usual consumerist frezy and give an alternative gift this Christmas. The JMT says its Adopt an Acre is the ideal gift for mountaineers, hillwalkers and anyone else, at home or abroad, who has an emotional connection with the mighty mountains of the Scottish Highlands. Four of Scotland’s finest Munros have been offered for ‘adoption’ by the John Muir Trust – with the proceeds helping to fund conservation work on each of the mountains, including footpath repairs, landscape enhancement and wildlife protection. For £25, members of…

Posted in Nature

Increase in Tayside beavers leads to call for greater protection

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Helen Webster

Beaver numbers across Tayside have increased in the past six years, according to a new Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) survey. Whilst welcoming the expansion of the species, the Scottish Wildlife Trust is warning that without legal protection these beavers are at risk of unregulated, and possibly inhumane killing. The SNH report estimates that around 430 beavers live in over 100 active beaver territories in Tayside. A 2012 survey estimated beaver numbers across the region at about 150 beavers in 40 territories. Nick Halfhide, SNH’s Director of Sustainable Growth, said, “By building dams, beavers improve local water quality and help nurture…

Posted in Nature

Votes needed to help secure the future of Scotland’s red squirrels

Posted on October 8, 2018 by Helen Webster

An innovative Highlands project offering hope for the long-term survival of Scotland’s red squirrels will be stepped up if conservation charity Trees for Life wins an online vote for a major European funding award. With the UK’s red squirrels at risk of extinction, the charity’s pioneering Reds Return project has been shortlisted to receive more than £25,000 in the European Outdoor Conservation Association’s funding scheme. The winner will be determined by online voting between 8-19 October, and anyone can vote for Trees for Life at www.treesforlife.org.uk/voteTFL. Winning would allow Trees for Life to reintroduce red squirrels to four carefully chosen…

Posted in Magazine, Nature

Winter Safety Talks

Posted on October 8, 2018 by Helen Webster

As we approach the winter season, both Mountain Aid and Mountaineering Scotland are offering a series of winter mountain safety talks across the country. The free Mountain Aid evenings will take place from 12 to 16 November and will be presented by mountain rescue legend Dave “Heavy” Whalley. Heavy’s talks will provide essential safety tips for hillwalkers venturing out into the Scottish mountains during the winter months. From choosing the right boots to interpreting weather and avalanche forecasts. From what to eat/drink to how to maximise your chances of surviving a rescue incident. Mountain Safety Advisor, Heather Morning, will host…

Posted in Magazine, News

Gear Review: Womens Mammut Ultimate V softshell hooded jacket

Posted on October 8, 2018 by Helen Webster

Recommended Price: £229 Weight: 350g (Womens S) Sizes: XS-XL (Womens) S-XXL (Mens) Mens version available My usual layers of choice for cooler, windy days in Scotland are either baselayer, microfleece and wind shirt or baselayer with a primaloft insulated jacket on top. However I often tend to feel cold in the wind when not ascending, only to overheat quickly once I start climbing. Recently I’ve been testing Mammut’s revamped Ultimate V softshell jacket and it seems to fit the bill as an outer layer for dry, windy Scottish conditions. The first thing you notice is that the fabric is softer,…

Posted in Gear reviews, Jackets, Magazine

Report finds Scotland failing to protect against damaging hill tracks

Posted on September 18, 2018 by Helen Webster

A new report has found that current Scottish law is failing to protect Scotland’s landscape from damage caused by the building of vehicle tracks in the countryside. A coalition of nine leading Scottish environmental organisations is now calling for stronger laws to protect the country’s most iconic landscapes from these tracks. Scottish Environment LINK Hilltracks sub-group has today (Tues 18 Sept) published its Changing Tracks report – following three years of gathering evidence into whether planning legislation is effectively managing the development of the highly-visible tracks. The group argues that the proliferation of controversial upland tracks is ‘out of control’…

Posted in Access issues, Nature

Delay for Carnach Bridge replacement

Posted on September 12, 2018 by Helen Webster

Early this year we updated our Cape Wrath Trail route description to reflect that Carnach Bridge near Sourlies had been condemned as unsafe to cross and removed. The river is frequently impossible to cross in spate conditions. Camusory Estate has been working to replace the bridge and had hoped to have the new bridge in place by the end of 2018. However there have been several delays in the planning process and constructing the bridge on site requires a helicopter and suitable weather conditions. As a result, the bridge will now be built over the winter months and installed in…

Posted in Access issues, Magazine, News

New Corrour Bothy toilets open

Posted on September 12, 2018 by Helen Webster

One of Scotland’s most remote but busiest bothies has just upgraded its much used toilet facilities, the Mountain Bothies Association tells the story here: “The toilet at Corrour Bothy was built by the MBA and opened in 2007, since when it has prevented literally tons of human waste from polluting the area around the bothy. However the volume of use has meant that maintaining and servicing the toilet has been very labour intensive and necessitated monthly visits from a dedicated but very small group of volunteers. In an effort to ease their workload, it was decided to completely redesign the…

Posted in Magazine, News

New series of Paul Murton’s Grand Tours of Scotland’s Lochs starts tonight

Posted on September 10, 2018 by Helen Webster

A new series of Paul Murton’s Grand Tours of Scotland’s Lochs starts on BBC1 Scotland at 7.30pm tonight (available on iplayer in the rest of the UK following broadcast). Paul Murton’s Grand Tours series have been running for many years now, exploring Scotland’s lochs, islands, landscapes and history. In this new series of Grand Tours, Paul explores a choice selection of lochs from the 31, 000 that adorn Scotland. Travelling from the wilds of the west coast to the Grampian Mountains, Paul discovers the secrets of these iconic features of the Scottish landscape, which are deep enough in places to…

Posted in News