The four day programme of events for next year's Isle of Arran Mountain Festival has been released. The Festival will run from 17 to 20 May 2013 and features a wide variety of guided walks and scrambles throughout Arran’s hills and mountains as well as a mountain quiz night and a trip to Holy Island. Festival organisers say, “The Arran Mountain Festival is an opportunity to meet like-minded people, discover a fascinating island and have unforgettable days in the safe hands of experienced local guides. With names to inspire the imagination, such as Ceum na Caillich (Witch’s Step) Caisteal Abhail…

Two call-outs for the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team yesterday (Sunday 9 December) ended successfully when walkers were rescued in separate incidents. A woman in her 60s, walking in a group in the Glen Feshie area was taken to Raigmore hospital Inverness where she has been treated for a suspected broken leg. The second incident involved an extensive search by the Cairngorms MRT to locate a male walker who had become lost while walking alone. He was eventually located by an RAF rescue helicopter and taken to safety. The Police are not releasing any further details of the parties involved at…

Torridon SYHA will be staying open this winter for Friday and Saturday night stays (and Christmas period 21st to 28th December) and is also offering a very generous 30% discount to Walkhighlands’ users. The offer is valid until 14 March 2013 – just enter the code TORRW12 when you book online at the SYHA site. Situated at the head of Upper Loch Torridon in the shadow of the mighty Liathach, and only a stone’s throw from Upper Loch Torridon, Torridon Youth Hostel is a great option for walkers and climbers as well as those simply wishing to relax and enjoy…

Recent heavy snowfall means the Sportscotland Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) will start issuing forecasts next weekend for the Northern Cairngorms and Lochaber areas. Reports for these two regions will be issued on 7th, 8th, and 9th of December, with daily reports for the five main hillwalking and climbing areas of Scotland starting on Thursday 13 December. Climbers and walkers should take particular care at the moment as heavy snowfall and current weather conditions have created serious avalanche risks on some slopes. Further information about avalanches and assessing the risk from the MCofS can be found here on Walkhighlands. The SAIS…

With ice and snow providing wintry conditions on Scotland’s mountains the MCofS has announced the dates for the 2013 Aviemore and Glencoe winter safety lectures. These will be held at the Mountain Cafe in Aviemore on 6 February and at the Clachaig Inn in Glencoe on 12 February. This season’s speaker will be Heather Morning, Mountain Safety Advisor for the MCofS. Heather has over 30 years experience mountaineering, climbing and skiing in the Scottish Hills. She has also been actively involved with mountain rescue in the Cairngorms for the last 10 years and will be accompanied by the ‘four legged…