The SportScotland Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) has confirmed that it will continue to run avalanche risk forecasts for the Torridon area this winter. Torridon was added to the five areas already assessed by the Service last winter on a trial basis. It will now join the regular forecast for Creag Meagaidh, Glencoe, Lochaber, Northern Cairngorms and Southern Cairngorms when the Service resumes in December. Last winter the SAIS recorded 350 avalanches, 25 of which were triggered by people. There were no avalanche-related fatalities in the 2013-14 winter season. Read more about avalanche safety here.
Strathfarrar car access tightened
Hillwalkers wishing to take vehicles beyond the locked gate in Strathfarrar should be aware that the Estate has recently tightened up the criteria used to grant permission. The access arrangements were originally negotiated by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) and during the winter (Nov-Mar) walkers who wanted to take vehicles up the glen had to phone the MCofS to request the combination for the padlock. The MCofS says that following “recent incidents”, vehicular access will now only be given to MCofS members for the purpose of hillwalking or climbing and that walkers need to give details of their objectives…
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Posted in Access issues
Replacement Skye bothy being built
A basic, open shelter will continue to be available for walkers and climbers at Camasunary, in Skye when the existing bothy is taken back by its owner, probably in late 2015, thanks to a new building project currently underway. 59 Commando Squadron Royal Engineers have completed the building of a new bothy which will now be fitted out by volunteer members of the Mountain Bothies Association. The driving force behind the project was Alan Johnson, the owner of the present Camasunary bothy, who was concerned that when he resumed his own use of the building, there would be no basic…
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Posted in Access issues, News
Winter Safety evenings kick off next week
With the first snows of winter now settling on the Scottish mountains the timing is perfect for the first MCofS Winter Safety Talks set for next week. The first event will held on Wednesday 12 November at the Cotswold store in Aberdeen with further dates around the country well into February next year. In addition to the MCofS evenings, the well established Winter Safety Lectures at the Clachaig in Glencoe will run every Tuesday in February. These evenings are always entertaining as well as informative and if you’re lucky enough to bag a seat at the Aviemore Mountain Cafe nights…
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Posted in News
Mudslides warning on Beinn a’ Chochuill
The recent torrential rains have caused mudslides to affect the hydro track up the north side of the Allt Mhoille behind Ben Cruachan in Argyll. The track is often used as a route up the Munros Beinn a’ Chochuill and Beinn Eunaich. The mud is reportedly over a metre deep and walkers are advised to avoid crossing it. The damage is at NN120316.
Posted in Access issues, News
Chris Townsend slams reluctance to implement Wild Land Policy
Mountaineer and writer Chris Townsend has joined campaigners against a wind farm in the Monadhliath Mountains to call on the Scottish Government to stay true on its word to protect wild land. Supporters of Save The Monadhliath Mountains (SMM), a broad based coalition of mountaineers, hill-walkers, conservationists, tourism businesses, ornithologists and local communities, are opposed to the building of the wind farm at Allt Duine, located wholly in Wild Land, partly in the National Park and next to the National Scenic Area in the Highlands. SMM says that Ministers are allowing the developers behind the project, RWE, to spin matters…
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Call for withdrawal of Rannoch wind farm
Mountaineers and conservation groups have written to a Dutch firm calling for it to respect Scotland’s most precious wild lands and abandon plans for an industrial scale wind farm. Eventus BV, through a wholly-owned UK subsidiary Talladh a Bheithe Wind Farm Ltd, has applied to build 24 wind turbines, each 125m tall, together with 12.8km of wide access tracks, buildings and infrastructure, in Rannoch, Perthshire, in one of the most celebrated and beautiful areas of the Scottish Highlands. The application was made the very day the Scottish Government declared that such areas, formally recognised as Wild Lands by Scottish Natural…
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Posted in Nature
Clock change increases deer risk on roads
As the clocks turn back this evening, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is warning motorists that the risk of collisions between deer and vehicles increase in certain parts of Scotland. Car accidents involving deer peak at this time of year. With night falling earlier, the peak commuting time coincides with deer coming out to feed on grass verges near roadsides. Because of this, SNH, in conjunction with Transport Scotland and Traffic Scotland, are placing warning messages on electronic variable messaging signs. From the evening of Sunday, 26 October to Monday, 17 November, the signs will warn motorists at key locations on…
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Posted in Uncategorized
Highland red squirrels may escape deadly pox
New research on the spread of squirrelpox has revealed both good and bad news for the ability of the Scottish red squirrel population to survive the deadly virus. The report, commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) suggests that the pox will continue to spread and possibly wipe out red squirrels in areas where grey squirrels already live but that the disease could be kept out of areas where reds dominate and there are no, or very few greys. These areas include the Highlands, parts of Tayside, Argyll, Moray and Aberdeenshire. However in order to contain the virus in Southern Scotland…
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Posted in Nature
Prepare for winter as the clocks go back
As the clocks go back this weekend it’s time for walkers and climbers to ‘go back’ to their winter kit. With days getting shorter, a head torch is an essential part of equipment. But the end of British Summer Time is also a reminder of other changes in Scotland’s mountains. Heather Morning, Mountain Safety Adviser with the Mountaineering Council of Scotland advises: “Shorter daylight hours, dropping temperatures and the first dusting of snow on the hill are obvious indicators for the hill walker to think about extra kit in their rucksacks. “A head torch – and spare battery – is…
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Posted in News