Walkhighlands' launches 2014 user survey

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Paul Webster

Walkhighlands is calling for people to fill in its 2014 user survey. The previous survey two years ago led to many changes and enhancement to the website, including new overall designs including for tablet and mobile phones, maps from each area page enabling the various walk start points to be located, more search options for accommodation, redesigned user walks diaries and extension of the site to cover walks in Harris, Lewis and other islands as well as an ever increasing number of Corbetts. The new survey takes 5-10 minutes to complete and is completely anonymous. You can fill in the…

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Man rescued after surviving 250m fall in Cairngorms

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Paul Webster

A man has been airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after falling and sliding a total of 250m in the Cairngorms yesterday. The 25-year-old man fell at 3.30pm over the rim of Coire Sputan Dearg on the plateau below the summit of Ben Macdui, and slid around 250m down the mountainside. He was found following a rescue operation involving Braemar and Aberdeen Mountain rescue teams at 6.30pm and was evacuated by stretcher before being airlifted to hospital. Police Scotland described the evacuation as being carried out in “challenging conditions”.

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John Muir Trust calls for Wild Land Map to be adopted in Muir centenary year

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Paul Webster

As Scotland enters a momentous new year, the John Muir Trust is urging all political parties to unite behind the proposed wild land map of Scotland in honour of one of our nation's greatest heroes. John Muir died on Christmas Eve 1914, leaving behind him an enduring legacy of respect for nature, ecology and landscape. He is today a household name in the United States for his role in establishing the national parks. In his adopted state of California, streets, schools, museums, health centres, parks, rivers valleys and mountains are named in honour of the Dunbar-born writer, explorer, ecologist, activist,…

Posted in Nature, News

Chris Townsend to be BMC hillwalking ambassador

Posted on December 8, 2013 by Paul Webster

Outdoors writer and photographer Chris Townsend has been announced as the first ‘hill-walking ambassador’ at the British Mountaineering Council (BMC). Chris Townsend – who is renowned for his long distance walks as well as his widely respected gear reviews and books – walked more than 15,000 miles on 12 huge epic walks. He is also the author of 15 books as well as being the writer/photographer for Walkhighlands’ own guides to the Southern Upland Way and the Annandale Way. More recently Chris was the star of the ‘Cairngorms in Winter’ documentary film shot by Terry Abraham, which featured at the…

Posted in Access issues, Nature, News

Last chance to win custom OS maps

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Paul Webster

There are just a few days left in the Walkhighlands competition that gives you the chance to win one of five Ordnance Survey Custom Made maps. The bespoke OS Explorer Map or OS Landranger Maps take just a few minutes to create. Available as both a folded map (complete with your own cover photo) or flat for wall-use, Custom Made maps are an ideal way to personalise your outdoor adventures or as a unique and thoughtful gift for a special occasion. For you chance to win, fill out the form below; you will then be given an additional (optional) bonus…

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Winter hillwalkers reminded of need to learn winter skills

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Paul Webster

Having the correct skills for Scotland's winter mountains is as important as having the correct equipment, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland have warned. With winter now firmly established, the body representing Scotland’s hillwalkers and climbers is advising would-be hill-goers that it’s not enough just to fork out lots of money for the latest foul weather gear and mountaineering equipment. “Ice axes and crampons are an essential part of kit for winter,” said MCofS Safety Adviser Heather Morning. “But they can be a liability rather than a lifesaver if you don’t know how to use them. “Every winter brings its toll…

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TV Vote Success for Caledonian Forest project

Posted on November 29, 2013 by Paul Webster

Conservation charity Trees for Life is celebrating today following the announcement that it has won £50,000 of Lottery funding for a pioneering project to help restore Scotland’s ancient Caledonian Forest and protect its rare wildlife from extinction, while benefiting hundreds of disadvantaged people from the Inverness region. The conservation charity’s plan to create a new volunteer training programme at its Dundreggan Conservation Estate near Loch Ness was successful in yesterday’s finals of the People’s Millions public vote. Trees for Life’s Executive Director Alan Watson Featherstone said: “This is fantastic news for our work to save the Caledonian Forest and its…

Posted in Nature

Charities call on Scottish Government to regulate hill tracks

Posted on November 28, 2013 by Paul Webster

Nine of Scotland's leading environmental charities are calling on the Scottish Government to put an end to the unregulated system for hill track construction which allows landowners to build tracks without any public oversight. Instead, they want hill track construction brought within the planning system. Working under the umbrella of Scottish Environment LINK, the organisations today published ‘Track Changes’. This report shows evidence of the huge damage caused to landscapes, wildlife and habitats across Scotland by some of these tracks, carved across the landscape for motor vehicles. The aim is to persuade the Scottish Government to remove ‘permitted development rights’…

Posted in Nature

BBC to show doc on Scottish Winter mountains

Posted on November 26, 2013 by Paul Webster

The BBC are to show a new documentary “One Wild Winter in the Scottish Mountains” focusing on the 2012 winter on Scotland’s peaks. The programme will be shown on Wednesday December 11 at 9pm on BBC 1 Scotland. “The Scottish Mountains are Britain’s biggest playground. Every winter thousands of people want to experience them at their most magnificent. In an age of mobile technology, many of these adventurers carry cameras. The size and quality of modern day cameras allow people to capture extraordinary images thousands of feet up. Tales of triumph and of tragedy are captured in the most immediate…

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Win one of 5 custom Ordnance Survey maps

Posted on November 17, 2013 by Paul Webster

The latest Walkhighlands competition gives you the chance to win one of five Ordnance Survey Custom Made maps. The bespoke OS Explorer Map or OS Landranger Maps take just a few minutes to create. Available as both a folded map (complete with your own cover photo) or flat for wall-use, Custom Made maps are an ideal way to personalise your outdoor adventures or as a unique and thoughtful gift for a special occasion. For you chance to win, fill out the form below; you will then be given an additional (optional) bonus entry by Liking our

Posted in Walkhighlands news