According to a report on STV, The Nevis Partnership is calling for a £1 charge for walkers who want to climb the mountain. The partnership said the fee was necessary to continue footpath work on the moutnain. Manager Brian Wilshaw told STV, “Ben Nevis attracts more than 160,000 ascents every year, which means that the access track needs constant maintenance. “We would like everyone who goes up the Ben to pay just £1, which would secure our future and the future of the maintenance of the Ben track. That small donation would make all the difference.” The Nevis Partnership, chaired…

A new online information service for hill walkers about deer stalking activities has been launched today by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). The pilot service will complement the current Hillphones service which provides a recorded message for the estates taking part and also builds on the out of print publication “Heading for the Scottish Hills”. The website covers estates within the Hillphones and Blackmount areas, but SNH says that it hopes to include more estates before the end of August. It is map based, and you can also search for stalking information by typing in the relevant hill name and then…

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has announced funding of £720,000 to repair 94kms of eroded mountain paths in the Cairngorms as well as support to complete the route around Loch Leven and to develop heritage trails in Castle Semple Country Park, Renfewshire. The Cairngorm National Park attracts 1.4 million visitors a year with many of them taking to the paths and mountains where the habitat is particularly fragile. This continuous wear alongside the harsh climate conditions has caused erosion resulting in unsightly scars to the landscape and considerable damage to the important habitats. This four year project will improve 17…

New by-laws to ban camping in specific areas of east Loch Lomondside have been approved by the National Park. Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park approved the proposal following a public consultation. Various groups such as Ramblers Scotland and angler’s associations had opposed the ban. The consultation report showed that 60% of those who responded were in favour of introducing a “restricted zone” from Drymen to Rowardennan where no camping can take place other than at formally designated sites or existing commercial sites. Under the byelaws, it will be an offence to camp in tents or similar shelters within…