Walkers are being warned that a bothy in the Cairngorms is soon to shut for a fortnight of repairs. The Hutchison Memorial Hut will be closed from 31 August for two weeks while volunteers from the Mountain Bothy Association undertake a major programme of repairs. The Hutchison Hut is situated in Coire Etchachan at around 2,500 feet. It was built in 1954 with kind permission of the Trustees of the late Duke of Fife as a mountain refuge. The building was paid for by friends of the late Dr A G Hutchison of Aberdeen, who was killed in a climbing…

A diversion on the West Highland Way is currently in place to allow work to clear storm damaged trees. The affected route is in Garadhban Forest just a short way out of Drymen on the Drymen to Rowardennan section of the popular long distance walk. A signed diversion is in place and work may take up to a year to complete. Forestry Commission Scotland is urging local people and visitors to respect any signage they encounter during their visit, which as well as advising of diversions, aims to keep people safe and warn them of a significant public safety risk.…

A road on Mull will be closed for the “forseeable future” according to Argyll and Bute council, after heavy rain caused a landslide and damage to three bridges near Knock on the B8035. 11 hillwalkers and 5 cars were stranded following the landslide on Thursday night, before being rescued by boat. Council leader Roddy McCuish thanked those involved in the rescue, and said that road engineers will assess the damage and look at both short and long term measures to restore the road. The route is the usual shortest access used by hillwalkers heading for Ben More, the only Munro…

A hop-on/hop-off bus service catering for walkers, cyclists, visitors and locals will tour the Breadalbane area this summer. The Ring of Breadalbane Explorer includes stops at Lochearnhead, Killin, Weem, Aberfeldy, Comrie and Crieff. Of particular interest to walkers will be stops at the Ben Lawers Hotel above Loch Tay, and at Amulree allowing walkers to explore Loch Freuchie or the Rob Roy Way. At present the Rob Roy Way has a delightful two-stage optional detour whttps://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/news/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/loch-freuchie.shtmlhich is broken at Amulree where the only public transport is the school bus, the new service, with 3 buses a day in each direction,…

Walkers heading into the Lost Valley and Gearr Aonach in Glencoe will have to use an alternative approach as the Coire Gabhail bridge will be closed for repairs for 8 weeks from 19 June. The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) is carrying out essential repair work to the bridge and walkers and climbers will need to use the alternative bridge at Coire Nan Lochan (NN 167 567) a short distance further west along the River Coe instead. The bridge will be closed until 6 August and walkers approaching the Lost Valley, Bidean nam Bian and the Three Sisters will need…

There is just over a week to go before the end of a consultation on proposals which include extending the current summer ban on wild camping on east Lomondside could be extended to four islands in Loch Lomond. if proposals announced by the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park are given the green light. The proposals being considered by the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park would affect the islands of Inchmoan, Inchconnachan, Inchtavannach and Inchcruin. The National Park is currently consulting on three possible solutions to solve what the it describes as “issues of wildlife disturbance, litter,…