Three bridges and 500 tonnes of other path materials are being airlifted on to the Kilpatrick Hills by helicopter to complete a new five mile section of the John Muir Way. Partners, sportscotland, Legacy 2014 Active Places, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Forest Enterprise Scotland have funded the £500,000 project to provide an upland experience to the 134 mile coast to coast route from Helensburgh to Dunbar. Due to be completed in October, the new section of the path will provide a scenic alternative to the Balloch to Strathblane section of the John Muir Way, which currently runs on a…

This August will see some disruption for walkers planning routes or bothy trips from Loch Arkaig as the road will be closed during the evening and night for the duration of the month. The 6pm to 6am closure is to allow contractors to carry out essential works relating to connecting the new hydro electric scheme. The closure will commence at the junction of the C1153, the Loch Arkaig road, travelling in a westerly direction for 2km to Achnasaul. The closure will start from Monday 3rd August 2015 until Friday 28th August 2015. The road will close each night at 6pm…

Ramblers Scotland and the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) are urging the public to oppose the ban on wild camping proposed for large areas of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Last October, the National Park held a public consultation on proposals to introduce byelaws to ban camping in response to over-crowding and incidents of antisocial behaviour in the national park. Just over half of all respondents said they didn’t want this restriction to their rights. However the National Park wants to go ahead with this part of the proposals and has asked the Environment Minister, Aileen McLeod,…

Hill walkers heading for the Glenfinnan area are being warned by the MCofS about access difficulties due to a bridge replacement scheme on the A830 to Mallaig, affecting the normal route up the Corbett Sgurr an Utha. Work is due to begin to replace Utha Bridge, about 2 ½ km west of Glenfinnan village, this month and is likely to take about nine months until well into 2016. The project will involve closing the existing carriageway and diverting traffic over a temporary bridge while demolition and construction takes place – a traffic light system will be put in place. Unfortunately…

The Ring of Breadalbane Explorer mini bus service has started running for the 2015 summer season. It will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays until Sunday 18th October and is a useful service for walkers and cyclists wanting to do linear routes or those without their own transport. The “hop-on hop-off” service connects Crieff, Comrie, St Fillans, Lochearnhead, Killin, Kenmore, Acharn and Aberfeldy on a circular route, providing easy access to the area’s top tourist attractions including the Birks Cinema, Auchingarrich Wildlife Centre, Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery, the Scottish Crannog Centre and Highland Safaris. Running both clockwise and anti-clockwise four-times daily…