Gear review: Alpkit Woodsmoke mountain shirt

Posted on March 7, 2019 by Paul Webster

Recommended Price: £59Weight: 375g (men’s large) Here’s something a little different for your base or even mid-layer. The Woodsmoke shirt has the looks of a classic lumberjack-style shirt – but re-imagined to make it much more practical for active use out on the trails and hills. The shirt feels as comfortable as cotton to touch, but it’s actually made from a type of polyester with hollow fibres. These trap air to give more warmth than standard polyester. In use, I’ve found the Woodsmoke to be surprisingly warm worn as a baselayer – I wouldn’t want to wear it on the…

Posted in Baselayers, Gear reviews, Magazine

Wild land and its critics

Posted on March 5, 2019 by Paul Webster

The very idea of protecting Scotland’s “wild land” provokes heated debate on social media. Many people see wild land as something vital under threat, whilst others claim it simply doesn’t exist. Paul Webster takes a look at the debate around wild land and why we need it.

Posted in Magazine, Nature

Winter set to return to Scotland’s mountains

Posted on February 28, 2019 by Paul Webster

The unprecedented warm weather in Scotland’s mountains in recent weeks looks set to end – and mountaineering experts are reminding walkers, climbers and skiers that it’s time to replace T-shirts with fleeces and make sure they have their ‘winter heads’ back in place. The unseasonably high temperatures and lack of snow have meant many hill-goers have abandoned crampons, ice-axes and skis in favour of more summery options such as hill walking, climbing and mountain biking. However, although the daffodils are just on the cusp of flowering in the lowlands, the weather is set to change back to more usual conditions…

Posted in Access issues, Magazine, News

Older GPS devices could be hit by ‘millennium-style’ bug

Posted on February 25, 2019 by Paul Webster

A warning for walkers using GPS devices that were made prior to 2010. The date format used in the older specification for GPS devices runs out of digits this April 6th. The specification was changed some years back and all more recent devices that use the ‘ICD-200/IS-GPS-200’ specification will be able to cope with dates after 6th April 2019, but it is unclear how some older devices may react to the problem. The date stored by older GPS units is likely to fail after that date, and revert to an earlier date. The GPS may well continue working fine apart…

Posted in Access issues, News

Seven hydro power plants approved for Glen Etive

Posted on February 21, 2019 by Paul Webster

One of Scotland’s most spectacular and iconic glens is set to be developed with seven new hydro power schemes following a planning decision by Highland Council yesterday, despite more than 650 objections.

Posted in Magazine, News

Gear review: Keen Karraig boots

Posted on February 16, 2019 by Paul Webster

Paul tries out the latest new boots from Keen. Even the name Karraig suggests something that might have been aimed specifically at the Scottish market…

Posted in Footwear, Gear reviews, Magazine

Gear review: MSR Revo Ascent snowshoes

Posted on January 24, 2019 by Paul Webster

Snowshoes for Scotland? Paul tests out a pair of MSR Revo Ascent snowshoes.

Posted in Accessories, Footwear, Gear reviews, Magazine

Gear review: Mammut Chamuera Jacket

Posted on January 5, 2019 by Paul Webster

Recommended Price: £99Weight: 600g (men’s large) Fleece jackets seem to have fallen in popularity a little in recent years, with more walkers opting instead for mid-layers filled with synthetic insulation which offer the best warmth-to-weight ratio. There’s still a lot to be said for a good fleece though; they wash well, dry quickly, and whilst cheaper ones are prone to pilling, the best are very durable. Few fleeces, though, look quite as smart as the Mammut Chamuera. Whilst the interior is conventionally fleecy and warm, the outer face of the jacket has a woven finish which avoids any pilling. It’s…

Posted in Gear reviews, Jackets, Midlayers, News

Gear review – Alpkit Phantac down jacket

Posted on December 7, 2018 by Paul Webster

I’ve been testing the revamped 2019 version of Alpkit’s Phantac down jacket, which is designed to keep you really toasty whilst keeping weight low.

Posted in Gear reviews, Jackets, Magazine

Book Review: Scotland – a Rewilding Journey

Posted on November 19, 2018 by Paul Webster

It’s not often that a book is stunningly beautiful to look at but also conveys an important message – but “Scotland – A Rewilding Journey” may be one such. This new book is published by Scotland: The Big Picture, a not-for-profit social enterprise set up by a group of Highlands-based conservation photographers. Their track record is a strong one, with previous books including a study of the red squirrel, and – earlier this year – ‘The Lynx and Us’ which took an in-depth look at what it might be like if Scotland decided to reintroduce the lynx. This new book,…

Posted in Books, Gear reviews, Magazine