Our pick: Scotland’s great sea stacks

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Paul Webster

Scotland’s tortuous coastline stretches for almost 10,000km on the mainland alone – or up to 16,500km if the islands are included. As well as picturesque fishing villages and stunning sandy beaches, there are sections of fantastic cliff scenery, including huge natural arches, deep geos (inlets) and – our subject here – mighty sea stacks. Am Buachaille, Sandwood Bay, Sutherland Rising 65m (213′), Am Buachaille – meaning the Herdsmen – rises as a splendid sentinal at the southern end of the almost legendary beach of Sandwood Bay (walk description) in the far northwest corner of Sutherland. The stack was first climbed…

Posted in Features, Magazine, Our picks

Book review: The Grahams & The Donalds

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Paul Webster

Climbing the Munros has long been a mainstream activity for hillwalkers, and many also aim to climb the Corbetts (Scottish peaks from 2500 to 3000 feet high), either after completing the Munros, or at the same time. Whilst a too-keen obsession with bagging hills can blind us to the other joys that going to the mountains can bring, there seems little doubt that for many people having a list of hills to complete is a way of linking many brief days out into a single, bigger, satisfying adventure. The Grahams (peaks from 2000 to 2500 feet), though, have been the…

Posted in Books, Gear reviews, Magazine

Mountaineers challenge party leaders ahead of election

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Paul Webster

As the General Election draws closer, party leaders at Westminster and Holyrood have been challenged to say where they stand on the protection of Scotland’s mountains and wild land. Thousands of people have already signed a petition calling for protection for these nationally important assets to be strengthened. Now the Mountaineering Council of Scotland is asking party leaders to state their position and help people to decide which way to vote. A month ago the MCofS, which represents mountaineers, climbers and hill walkers, published and sent to MPs for Scottish seats and MSPs its vision for the future of mountains…

Posted in Nature

Our pick: 16 of Scotland’s finest native forests

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Paul Webster

The Great Caledonian Forest once covered much of Scotland, below the high tops; Caledonia – the Roman name for Scotland – means wooded heights. The forest declined over thousands of years, due to both a slow change to a wetter, windier climate and to being felled by man and overgrazed by sheep and most especially deer. In the twentieth century huge areas of Scotland were planted commercially with sitka spruce, lodgepole pine and larch. Nonetheless we’re still lucky to still have some spectacular remnants of the ancient forest – including Scots pine, birch, rowan, aspen and – towards the west…

Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature, Our picks

MCofS warns hill walkers that it’s still deep winter in the mountains

Posted on March 14, 2015 by Paul Webster

With spring flowers showing through the ground and warmer temperatures becoming more common, hill walkers have been reminded that it’s still winter in the mountains. “With the days getting longer and warmer, people start to get more enthusiastic about the idea of getting out there in the mountains,” said mountain safety expert Heather Morning. “But they should remember that it’s just March – and conditions in the mountains can be as fierce as they are at any time in the winter.” Heather, who is Mountain Safety Adviser with the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, reminded those intending heading for the hills…

Posted in News

New vision offers a positive future for Scotland’s mountains

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Paul Webster

Scotland’s decision makers have been challenged to support a new vision for the future of the country’s mountains and wild land – a major resource increasingly under threat. And the public are being asked to add their weight to the call, by signing an online petition demanding that designated areas of wild land are protected from large scale development. Scotland’s decision makers have been challenged to support a new vision for the future of the country’s mountains and wild land – a major resource increasingly under threat. And the public are being asked to add their weight to the call,…

Posted in Access issues, Nature

Mountaineers urge councillors to reject wind farm near Glen Affric

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Paul Webster

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) is urging elected members of the Highland Council South Planning Applications Committee to refuse consent for the Beinn Mhor wind farm on the edge of the world-famous landscape of Glen Affric. Mountaineers objected to the proposals to build the wind farm – which would consist of six turbines each almost 400 feet high – on the slopes of Beinn Mhor, near Tomich, just south of the iconic glen. Elected members of the South Planning Applications Committee and officials from Highland Council will visit the site of the proposed wind farm on Monday 23 February,…

Posted in Nature

Police release video of masked gunmen attacking goshawk nest in Cairngorms National Park

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Paul Webster

Police Scotland and the RSPB have appealed for help identifying wildlife criminals, after releasing video footage of masked gunmen appearing to repeatedly attack a goshawk nest in the Cairngorms National Park. In May 2014, a video camera deployed by RSPB Scotland staff to monitor a goshawk nest at Glenochty, Strathdon, on land owned by Forestry Commission Scotland captured footage revealing a group of men repeatedly visiting the area in what appears to be an attempt to kill the birds and destroy the nest. The goshawk is a specially protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is…

Posted in Nature

Coast to coast over the 4000′ summits – by packraft

Posted on February 14, 2015 by Paul Webster

Walkhighlands’ columnist David Lintern and his friend David Hine are planning to walk and paddle from coast to coast, visiting the nine tallest mountains in the UK on the way, in aid of outdoor learning. They are calling the challenge C2C4K – coast to coast over the 4,000ft summits. The two Davids will begin from the most westerly point of the UK, on the Ardnamurchan peninsula, paddle lochs and rivers, camp on islands and climb the nine highest mountains in the country before finishing at Spey Bay. They plan to use portable, inflatable boats – packrafts – and will take…

Posted in Nature, News, Walkhighlands news

Mammut X Shot Head Torch Competition: Three to win

Posted on February 5, 2015 by Paul Webster

One of the most essential pieces of kit when out hiking or climbing is a good head torch. Even if you think you will be off the hill before the sun dips below the horizon it is always wise to be prepared just in case you are not. Navigating and walking in the dark is not fun, at worse it can lead to a bad fall or a night out on the hill. Mammut have three of their Mammut X-shot head torches (SRP £80) to give away in this exclusive Walkhighlands competition. Mammut X Shot The Mammut X Shot is…

Posted in Walkhighlands news