Magazine

Enjoy your walk, but be tick aware!

Posted on May 15, 2026 by Liz Murray

As summer approaches Liz Murray and Norman Lannigan from the Lyme Resource Centre, based in Fife, take a dive into the undergrowth to explain how best to deal with ticks in the Scottish countryside. The health gain derived from enjoying outdoor pursuits far outweighs the risk to health from a tick bite. Ticks should be respected not feared. But it’s important to know how to minimise the chance of a tick bite, deal with a tick bite safely and recognise the early signs of Lyme disease. About Ticks and Lyme Disease Spending time in grassy or wooded areas anywhere in…

Posted in Magazine

A tot of Rùm and Easter snow win April prizes

Posted on May 1, 2026 by Helen Webster

Spring is finally in the air and a huge variety of great walk reports were posted on the Walkhighlands forum in April. Each month £150 worth of outdoor gear vouchers are up for grabs for two winning reports. The £100 Highlander 1st prize voucher goes to tedthesinger for Rùm’s 1000+ Footers in a Day – a report that does what it says on the tin with added superb photos and the glowing green eyes of deer. A final blast of winter conditions wins the April runner-up £50 Highlander voucher for White Easter – More Likely Than a White Christmas, thanks for posting PaulSwansonD.…

Posted in Magazine, Walkhighlands news

Film review – The North

Posted on April 13, 2026 by Paul Webster

Whilst there have been quite a few quality films about climbing and mountaineering over the years, movies about walking are few and far between. Wild, the story of Cheryl Strayed’s hike on the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Way, Emilio Estevez’ movie about hiking the Camino de Santiago, are the only ones I recall from recent years. So I was very keen to see Bart Schrijver’s film The North, which is being released in UK cinemas on 24 April after a series of preview screenings. The North tells the story of lapsed best friends Chris and Lluis, played with great…

Posted in Features, Magazine

Boring but not boring – In search of beetles

Posted on April 3, 2026 by Ben Dolphin

Back in the depths of winter I was clearing away an old campfire site in a far-flung corner of woodland, and there was a big piece of soggy deadwood, a log, that had been put on top of the fire. Clearly it was never going to burn, but that hadn’t deterred whoever’s fire it was. The centre of the log was singed but the ends were not. As I crouched down, I noticed a striking pattern on one unsinged end. A jumble of lines and indentations in the wood, looking like a hectic road map, and so sharply-defined you’d be…

Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature

Contrasting hill days win March competition

Posted on April 1, 2026 by Helen Webster

The changing seasons of March meant loads of people were out and about and posting on Walkhighlands so it was hard to judge the walk report competition. However, Assynt came out as the clear winner again with the £100 Highlander 1st prize voucher going to Mal Grey for Glas Bheinn – a happy return to the hills at last. Not such a sunny day for The English Alpinist who takes home the March runner-up £50 Highlander voucher for Three Mealls near Killin went down well – a real testament to the power of the hills whatever the weather. Another 2 great reports also…

Posted in Magazine, News

Cairngorms campfire and BBQ ban comes into force

Posted on March 30, 2026 by Helen Webster

A new seasonal fire byelaw for the Cairngorms National Park will come into force on Wednesday. From 1 April to 30 September each year, campfires and barbecues will not be permitted in the National Park. The Cairngorms National Park includes popular areas around Aviemore and Braemar and covers 1,748 square miles. Sandy Bremner, Convener at the Cairngorms National Park Authority, said: “We want people to keep enjoying all that the National Park offers but we also need everyone to help protect it. We know it only takes one rogue spark to start a wildfire and when there is so much to lose,…

Posted in Magazine, News

On Red Alert: protecting Scotland’s native squirrels

Posted on March 5, 2026 by Molly Martin

Molly Martin from Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels outlines recent progress in the battle to save one of our most charming creatures and explains how you can help by recording all your squirrel sightings – both red and grey. There’s nothing quite like getting out for a good walk, and Scotland is one of the best places in the world to explore by foot. With its dramatic landscapes which drip with history and stories, and views more varied than the weather, it’s no wonder that so many of us enjoy spending our free time scrambling, stomping, squelching or strolling around in…

Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature

Mountain Days win February competition

Posted on March 2, 2026 by Helen Webster

A slew of great reports were posted on the Walkhighlands forum in February, a great mix of short winter walks, epic mountain days and visits to pubs and cafes! The £100 Highlander 1st prize voucher went to Mart987 for Ben Oss & Beinn Dubhchcraig in the snow – making the most of one of the few fabulous bluebird days last month. Winning the February runner-up £50 Highlander voucher prize was Kenny_G for the nostalgic Not getting lost again on Beinn Eighe – a great story with wonderful photos. To be in with a chance of winning next month’s competition simply post a walk report…

Posted in Magazine, Walkhighlands news

The Angry Corrie memorial edition published

Posted on February 13, 2026 by Paul Webster

A final edition of the Angry Corrie has been published in memory of Dave Hewitt, who passed away last year. Dave founded the hillwalking fanzine with back in 1991, and it ran until 2008. Dave was a prolific outdoors journalist, and wrote ‘Walking the Watershed’, an account of his walk from the Mull of Galloway to Cape Wrath. He was a contributor to many outdoors websites. You can read the final issue here:https://archive.org/details/tac-79/mode/2up

Posted in Magazine, News

Majestic Mountains of Scotland and Spain win 1st prizes of 2026

Posted on February 3, 2026 by Helen Webster

The first walk report winners of 2026 have been announced. The January £100 Highlander prize voucher goes to JamieP05 for A Cathedral in the Sky – photos and words that really do justice to “the majesty that is An Teallach”. Winning the runner-up £50 Highlander voucher prize is eduardo for a change of speed, a change of style..Sendero Sulayr GR240 – we liked the scenery, food and flowers and the Spanish warmth and even more importantly the story of why this hike was so important for eduardo. Congratulations to both winners and thanks to everyone who posted. To be in with a chance of…

Posted in Magazine, News