The recent torrential rains have caused mudslides to affect the hydro track up the north side of the Allt Mhoille behind Ben Cruachan in Argyll. The track is often used as a route up the Munros Beinn a’ Chochuill and Beinn Eunaich. The mud is reportedly over a metre deep and walkers are advised to avoid crossing it. The damage is at NN120316.
Access issues
Steall Falls path closed following landslip
The John Muir Trust has advised at the extremely popular footpath through the Nevis Gorge at the head of Glen Nevis has been temporarily closed. The path – used as the approach to Steall Falls as well as the start of many popular mountain routes including the classic Ring of Steall – is blocked where it emerges from the gorge onto Steall Meadows. UPDATE: A temporary repair has been carried out and the path is now passable.
Posted in Access issues, Walkhighlands news
Strathan Bridge destroyed by floods in Sutherland
The Mountain Bothies Association is reporting that the footbridge over the Lon Mor in Strath Shinary, near Kinlochbervie, has been washed away in the heavy rains sweeping northwestern Scotland. The suspension-style footbridge – at NC244611 – is commonly used to give access to the bothy at Strathan. The bridge had been repaired in 2012 following previous damage. The loss of the bridge means that the bothy may not be possible to reach in spate conditions. The Mountain Bothies Association is a charity that organises volunteers to oversee the maintenance of around 100 unlocked shelters in the UK – mostly in…
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Posted in Access issues, News
Perthshire Council slammed over access failure
A council has been accused of failing to uphold access rights to one of Scotland’s most beautiful glens and to the mountains above it. The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) has accused Perth and Kinross Council of failing in its duty over an estate owned by Major Alastair Riddell in Glen Lyon. The MCofS, which represents mountaineers and hill-walkers in Scotland, has demanded that the council hold an investigation into its failure and come up with plans to secure proper year-round access. The MCofS says that for many years the owner of the North Chesthill Estate in Glen Lyon has…
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Loch Lomond & Trossachs camping ban consultation now open
The Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park is seeking views on proposals to make wild camping illegal between March and October on most lochshores in the Park. The new byelaws will extend the current seasonal ban from East Loch Lomondside to include most of the lochs in the Trossachs, the majority of the the west side of Loch Lomond, the area around Balloch, as well as the north-east area of Loch Long. As well as an online consultation which will run until 12 January 2015, the Park will be holding a number of public drop in sessions in November…
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Loch Lomond camping ban likely to be extended
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park plans to widely extend the current seasonal wild camping ban for East Loch Lomondside to much more of the National Park. The areas to be covered include most of the lochs in the Trossachs, the majority of the the west side of Loch Lomond as well as the north-east area of Loch Long. These proposals will be put the the National Park’s Board at a meeting next Monday (6 October) before a public consultation. However it is clear from the report that the Park Authority is very keen to get these new legally-enforceable…
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Public to be consulted on future of Glenmore
Members of the public are being invited to come along to a drop in session on Thursday 25 September to find out about and give their views on the long term management of publicly owned land in Glenmore and Upper Rothiemurchus forests near Aviemore. This area includes land managed by Cairngorm Mountain and is the starting point for many walks both up onto the Cairngorm plateau and in Rothiemurchus forest itself. Earlier this year Forestry Commission Scotland purchased Upper Rothiemurchus Forest from the Grants of Rothiemurchus Esate for £7.4 million. The event will be held at Glenmore Visitor Centre and…
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Cairngorm rockfall warning following fatality
Mountaineering experts have warned of the dangers of rockfall following a fatal accident in the Northern Corries area of the Cairngorms. The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) has serious concerns over the state of the cliffs in this popular climbing area. Yesterday there was a fatality in the Aladdin’s Buttress area of the cliffs in Coire an t-Sneachda, after a climber was hit by rockfall from above. And earlier in August, considerable rockfall was noted in the area above the Goat Track, in the same corrie. Mountaineering Council of Scotland’s temporary Mountain Safety Adviser, Monty Monteith, said: “This is particularly…
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Meall a Bhuachaille path gets volunteer makeover
Volunteers are busy hard at work upgrading one of the Cairngorm's most popular walks. Eight people are currently working on Meall a Bhuachaille, just north of Glenmore Lodge, near Aviemore, which had been beginning to show some heavy path erosion. The project has been organized by Cairngorm Outdoor Access Trust (COAT) and Forestry Commission Scotland, which manages the Forest park. The Commission is additionally providing forestry work experience for some of the trainees keen to develop skills in this area. Brian Duff, the Commission’s recreation forester in Glenmore Forest Park, said: “It’s great to have such enthusiastic and committed people…
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Rockfall in Northern Corries leaves Cairngorms ‘Goat track’ path unsafe
A large area of rock fall caused by Monday’s torrential rain has left a popular Cairngorm footpath in an unstable and dangerous state. Slabs from the cliffs above the Goat Track path in Coire an t-Sneachda – one of Cairngorm’s famous and iconic Northern Corries which help form the classic view from Loch Morlich – have fallen across the track and surrounding area. The rock fall was discovered by path builders heading into Coire an t-Sneachda on Tuesday morning. They carried out an initial examination, which showed the area to be very unstable and dangerous. The situation is currently being…
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Posted in Access issues, News