October updates: Orkney, making maps and adjusting apps

Posted on November 2, 2026 by Paul Webster

We took a social media break for Walkhighlands for most of October – which seemed to speed up our work on the website and app considerably. So what have we been up to? Making maps We make our own route maps especially for Walkhighlands, combining detailed topography from the Ordnance Survey (we reckon their crags and contours are really vital for navigating on the hill safety – alarmingly many apps lack this sort of detail) with the more up to date footbridge, track and path data from OSM. Hopefully this gives the best of best worlds. This month we’ve made…

Posted in Magazine, News, Walkhighlands news

Scotland’s red squirrel celebration is back

Posted on October 3, 2026 by Paul Webster

Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is running the eighth annual Great Scottish Squirrel Survey next week, and everyone can get involved Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) is calling on the public to keep their eyes peeled for red and grey squirrels this Red Squirrel Awareness Week. The conservation project is marking the week by running the Great Scottish Squirrel Survey from 5 – 11 October, with the aim of counting as many squirrels as possible across the country. Last year over 1,500 squirrels were recorded during the event, making it the biggest squirrel survey in Scotland. The data collected is incredibly…

Posted in Magazine, Nature, News, Walkhighlands news

An Lochan Uaine (Green Lochan) and Bynack More access reopens

Posted on October 2, 2026 by Paul Webster

Following the extensive wildfire in Abernethy Forest and around Ryvoan this summer, access restrictions have been in place over a usually popular area for walkers and mountain bikers during the clear up operation, as damaged trees were made safe. The restricted area had been reduced several times. In welcome news, this week several key routes have now reopened. These include the very popular walks to An Lochan Uaine (the Green Lochan), the full circuit over Meall a’ Bhuachaille and the usual route to Bynack More via Glenmore Lodge. The Right of Way through Ryvoan Pass to Nethy Bridge via Abernethy…

Posted in Access issues, Magazine, News, Walkhighlands news

Glen Feshie wanderings and new App tutorials

Posted on September 29, 2026 by Paul Webster

As our social media posts are going to be very limited following recent changes by Meta, we’re instead going to update you much more regularly here on what we’ve been up to with recent work on Walkhighlands from behind the scenes. Route updates Whilst we have a long-running program of updating our oldest routes, we also respond to the constant updates we are very kindly sent by users – and the fact is that some parts of Scotland change constantly whilst others barely need updates at all. One example of the former is the Corbett Carn Dearg Mor on the…

Posted in Access issues, Magazine, News, Walkhighlands news

Our picks: 10 walks for island journeys

Posted on July 1, 2026 by Paul Webster

Where Next? There are few things in life that beat a journey linking several of Scotland’s magical west coast islands. A trip to just one island can be a memorable adventure – but by combining different islands, the landscapes, culture and experience shift with each ferry ride. From the whisky distilleries of Islay to the machair-backed beaches of Uist, island-hopping reveals the amazing diversity that the Hebrides can offer. In this article, sponsored by Scotland’s Hebridean and Clyde ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac), we pick 10 of our own favourite walks from the islands off Scotland’s west coast. CalMac is the…

Posted in Features, Islands, Magazine, Our picks

Our picks: 10 walks from the Scottish Grand Tour

Posted on May 29, 2026 by Paul Webster

Experience one of the world’s great rail journeys – an unforgettable loop through the Scottish Highlands. ScotRail’s Scottish Grand Tour ticket is designed for multi-day exploration, combining scenic rail travel with the freedom to stop off and explore along the way. With four days of travel within eight consecutive days, all for just £92, it’s an ideal way to discover Scotland at your own pace. Starting from either Edinburgh or Glasgow, the Scottish Grand Tour offers a circular, one-way journey through some of the country’s most iconic landscapes and award- winning rail routes. Hop on and off at stations on your route…

Posted in Magazine, Our picks

Our pick – Scotland’s best island beaches

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Paul Webster

We’ve previously posted our pick of the most beautiful beaches in the West Highlands. Now we board the ferries to visit Scotland’s stunning islands on a journey through the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland – blessed with some of the very finest beaches in the world. Check out also our guide to the best of Scotland’s east coast beaches. Bagh na Doirlinnhe, Gigha Set off the Kintyre peninsula, Gigha is an island that really deserves to be better known. It has several excellent beaches, but the pick of them has to be Bagh na Doirlinnhe in the north, where twin beaches…

Posted in Features, Islands, Magazine, Our picks

Film review – The North

Posted on April 13, 2026 by Paul Webster

Whilst there have been quite a few quality films about climbing and mountaineering over the years, movies about walking are few and far between. Wild, the story of Cheryl Strayed’s hike on the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Way, Emilio Estevez’ movie about hiking the Camino de Santiago, are the only ones I recall from recent years. So I was very keen to see Bart Schrijver’s film The North, which is being released in UK cinemas on 24 April after a series of preview screenings. The North tells the story of lapsed best friends Chris and Lluis, played with great…

Posted in Features, Magazine

The Angry Corrie memorial edition published

Posted on February 13, 2026 by Paul Webster

A final edition of the Angry Corrie has been published in memory of Dave Hewitt, who passed away last year. Dave founded the hillwalking fanzine with back in 1991, and it ran until 2008. Dave was a prolific outdoors journalist, and wrote ‘Walking the Watershed’, an account of his walk from the Mull of Galloway to Cape Wrath. He was a contributor to many outdoors websites. You can read the final issue here:https://archive.org/details/tac-79/mode/2up

Posted in Magazine, News

Survey reveals collapse in funding for paths and outdoor access

Posted on January 29, 2026 by Paul Webster

Scotland’s world-class outdoor access rights are being pushed to breaking point due to a collapse in investment in staff and paths, a new report has revealed today. Since 2003, people in Scotland have enjoyed a legal right to walk, cycle, ride horses and exercise on nearly all land, provided they behave responsibly. But a new report from Ramblers Scotland shows these rights are being hollowed out by a combination of underfunding and a lack of staff to handle soaring complaints about blocked trails, broken bridges and irresponsible access. The charity’s survey of frontline staff at 32 councils and two national parks found: Brendan Paddy, director of Ramblers Scotland, said: “Today’s shocking results show that we’ve got world-class outdoor access rights, but third-rate funding. “Frontline staff are sounding the alarm that the system is breaking down, as we…

Posted in Access issues, Magazine, News