The Mountain Bothies Association has issued an update to its advice. The bothies that the charity maintains in Scotland, England and Wales through its volunteers should not be used at present except in an emergency. This is because Covid-19 precautions such as social distancing, regular sanitising and wearing of face coverings might not be practised by some visitors which would put other people at risk irrespective of reducing rates of infection. MBA Chairman Simon Birch said: “While we now have a timetable for when travel restrictions might be removed, there is as yet no firm information about when other restrictions…

Aberdeenshire Council has put in place new road orders to allow for the roads to the Linn of Dee and to the Spittal of Glenmuick to be closed when car parks are full. Last year there was serious overcrowding at both locations, with vehicles parked dangerously, blocking emergency access roads and, in some cases, causing damage. The council will, when the car parks are full, be restricting entry over a 7-month period commencing from April 1st. Pete Crane, Head of Visitor Services at the Cairngorms National Park authority, said “Last year, as part of the visitor management work, Aberdeenshire Council…