Ramblers Scotland has embarked upon a landmark court battle against a landowner’s attempts to permanently sever a scenic path through a West Highland estate. The charity – which faces legal costs of up to £82,000 in its fight to save the Glenborrodale to Acharacle path – has today launched a Crowdfunder at www.ramblers.org.uk/glenborrodale to support its work on this and other legal cases. The path is on the Ardnamurchan peninsula and offers stunning views of Loch Sunart. It is of great value to the local community and as a strategic long-distance trail. In 2019, two Ramblers were reported for aggravated trespass while walking peacefully on the same path, which is near to their Glenborrodale home. A sheriff court last week granted Ramblers Scotland permission to join The Highland Council in opposing a bid by Woodland Renewables to use section 28 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 to…
Ramblers enter major court battle over access at Highland estate
Pressure grows on rail bosses to fix Dalwhinnie ‘debacle’
Politicians have joined businesses, landowners, councils and outdoors organisations in signing an open letter calling for the unlocking of Dalwhinnie level crossing gates. Kate Forbes MSP and Ariane Burgess MSP are among 15 diverse signatories to the letter to Alex Hynes, managing director of Scotland’s Railway. Network Rail padlocked the gates without consultation in late July, severing an historic route to popular lochs, glens and hills including much-loved Ben Alder. Rail chiefs have so far refused to back down, despite a joint petition signed by more than 9,000 people and unanimous opposition from key stakeholders at a meeting last month.…
Affric Highlands launched to rewild half a million acres
An ambitious 30-year landscape-scale rewilding initiative to link up a majestic sweep of the Scottish Highlands as one vast nature recovery area connecting Loch Ness to Scotland’s west coast has been launched by charity Trees for Life, and joins a select group of prestigious European rewilding areas. The Affric Highlands initiative follows three years of consultation between Rewilding Europe, Trees for Life, and other local partners and stakeholders. It will restore nature across a network of landholdings potentially covering an area of over 500,000 acres stretching from Loch Ness across the central Highlands to Kintail in the west, and encompassing…
Our pick – Scottish Lighthouse walks
Walkhighlands features 43 walks that visit one of Scotland’s remarkable collection of lighthouses. Taking all manner of shapes and sizes, these sentinels of the sea usually provide striking landmarks for those exploring on foot, as well as acting as a warning to boats out on the water. Here’s a few of the best. Rattray Head, Aberdeenshire Rising splendidly off the Aberdeenshire seaboard on a stone plinth, Rattray Head is a striking sight from the magnificent beaches between Peterhead and Fraserburgh. Like almost all Scottish lighthouses, it was built by the Stevenson family – in this case by David Stevenson in 1895.…
Walkers urged to check for deer stalking before Heading for the Scottish Hills
Scotland’s Nature Agency, NatureScot, is urging hillwalkers to check online for deer stalking information before setting out during the busiest part of the season. NatureScot manages the Heading for the Scottish Hills website, which provides details on deer stalking on estates up to late October to help walkers avoid disturbing stalking. Scotland offers fantastic hillwalking, but summer and autumn are also important for deer stalking, which contributes to the rural economy and helps protect woodland and other habitats. With many more people getting out and about to enjoy all that the great outdoors has to offer with the easing of…
Don’t get lost in the hills – low-cost navigation courses
We have teamed up once again with Mountaineering Scotland to offer a series of non profit one-day navigation courses to help you get the skills to find your way in the hills. These single day courses have been very popular, and those in June were fully booked; we now have further dates in Arrochar on 16 and 17 October. This is the chance to brush up on your navigation skills while meeting other Walkhighlands users on a fun and friendly day. Each course will begin at 9am with an hour of work indoors and then the rest of the day…
TikTok star in new film promoting responsible wild camping
Ramblers Scotland has today launched a new short film featuring Scottish TikTok star Jarad Rowan, aimed at encouraging responsible wild camping in Scotland. Jarad, known as @LittlestChicken to his hundreds of thousands of social media followers, discovers five ‘Rules of Wild Camping’ during a trip to Borders Forest Trust’s scenic Corehead estate near Moffat. The light-hearted video – supported by NatureScot and John Muir Trust – shows Jarad learning where to camp, what to pack, where to go to the toilet outdoors, how to leave no trace and the importance of using stoves rather than lighting fires. Jarad, aged 21 from Stranraer, said: “This…
Our picks: Scotland’s best wee hills
Sometimes you don’t have the energy or time to slog your way up one of the great iconic giants of the Highlands. Some of Scotland’s best-loved hills are the smaller peaks, often more accessible, full of character and offering equally spectacular views. Here’s our pick of 16 of the best wee hills around the country… some widely famed and celebrated, others virtually unknown, but all under 600m high. Ben A’an, Trossachs Ben A’an is the archetypal ‘great wee hill’. A glance at a map reveals it’s just a bump on the southern slopes of the inconsequential higher summit of Meall…
Climbing hero’s legacy inspires new generation of mountaineers
A charitable foundation supporting young people from diverse backgrounds to pursue adventure in the mountains has been launched today in memory of mountaineering legend, Martin Moran. Born in North Tyneside, Martin set up home in the North-West Highlands of Scotland with his wife Joy, from where they ran a guiding business. He became one of the best known figures in Scottish mountaineering, and in 1984 became the first to complete a winter round of the Munros. The Martin Moran Foundation launches today in the hopes that the climber’s legacy will inspire a new generation of young people who wouldn’t otherwise have the support or resources…
Our pick: 10 of the easier Munros
Height certainly isn’t everything (see our pick of Scotland’s Best Wee Hills), but there seems little doubt that many people find some extra motivation when the objective reaches over that magical 3000 feet height. Here is our pick from some of the Munros that may be suitable for people early in their hillwalking career. Note that no Munros are really easy – anyone going hillwalking needs to learn basic map-reading skills, including the use of a compass, carry appropriate clothing and pay attention to the weather forecast – take a look at our skills and safety section for more information.…