Magazine

Winter Mountain Safety Evenings kick off for new season

Posted on November 20, 2019 by Helen Webster

Mountaineering Scotland’s regular series of winter mountain safety evenings start this week. Mountain Safety Advisor Ian Stewart will share photos, videos, personal anecdotes and adventures, and discussing essential skills for winter navigation, avalanche awareness, route choice, equipment, mountain weather and much more. The events will be held in outdoor shops and cost £5 (except 21 November which is £8 including coffee and cake). All proceeds from these lectures will go to local mountain rescue teams or Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance. Tickets can be booked at the website, dates and venues are: 21 November 2019, Edinburgh. Thursday evening at Craigdon, The…

Posted in Magazine, News

Wildcats to be re-introduced in Scotland

Posted on November 19, 2019 by Helen Webster

Scottish wildcats bred in captivity are to re-introduced into the wild after funding was secured for the project Situated at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Highland Wildlife Park near Aviemore, a new re-introduction centre will provide facilities for breeding, veterinary care, remote monitoring and training. It is hoped that the first wildcats will be released into the wild in the Cairngorms in 2022. A report earlier this year found that hybridisation of the native wildcat with domestic cats means the extinction of the species is highly likely without wildcat releases. Over the next six years, RZSS will lead the…

Posted in Magazine, Nature

A Greener Gear Guide, Part 1

Posted on November 3, 2019 by David Lintern

In the first part of a short series, David Lintern looks at choosing clothes and kit that work for you, how to extend the life of your gear, plus some of the eco-labelling to look out for when buying. Responding to questions from readers and followers, Walkhighlands have asked me to pen a few thoughts on ‘green’ outdoor clothing and equipment. I’ve spent a good deal of time studying the issue over the last 3 years, and it’s worth starting on a positive note: It has become easier to find out about the outdoor trade’s environmental impact over that time.…

Posted in Features, Gear reviews, Magazine

Gear review: Patagonia Micro-Puff Hoody

Posted on November 1, 2019 by Paul Webster

Recommended Price: £200 – £250Weight: 295g (men’s large) The Micro-Puff is a truly ultra-light mid-layer jacket. Patagonia state the weight as being 264g – my large comes in at 295g and packs down to a tiny size in its own pocket. The amount of warmth on offer here for such a slight jacket is phenomenal – I’ve found it as warm as fleeces at around twice the weight. The outer is ripstop nylon Pertex Quantum – which is ultralight and windproof, whilst the insulation is PlumaFill – a synthetic that is claimed to be almost as warm as down, whilst…

Posted in Gear reviews, Jackets, Magazine, Midlayers

Gear review: Vaude Rienza pull-over II

Posted on October 31, 2019 by Paul Webster

Recommended Price: £70Weight: 385g (men’s large) Fleece jackets (and sweaters) were once the ubiquitous outdoors kit. Easily to wash, pretty durable, comfy to wear and warm for the weight, it’s easy to see how they expanded out from being walkers’ gear into the mainstream. There were downsides though – the fabric tended to pill over time, leaving the jacket looking a bit of a mess, whilst synthetic insulated jackets surpassed fleeces for warmth-to-weight ratio. Fleece does remain popular, though, whether worn as a mid- or outer-layer. The Vaude Rienza – which is available both as a pull-over as reviewed here,…

Posted in Gear reviews, Magazine, Midlayers

Mountain safety – clocks go back and torches come out

Posted on October 23, 2019 by Helen Webster

Some of the first snows of winter are expected this weekend. It may still only be October, but hill walkers have been warned they should be prepared for winter conditions. And with the days shortening and clocks going back an hour this weekend, darkness will be coming a lot sooner, making a headtorch an essential piece of kit. “Short days and severe weather put greater demands on your equipment and your own ability and hillcraft,” said Mountaineering Scotland Mountain Safety Adviser Heather Morning. “Now is the time to ‘winterise’ your rucksack – make sure you’re properly prepared for winter weather…

Posted in Magazine

Red squirrels move to Sutherland in new project

Posted on October 19, 2019 by Helen Webster

Conservation charities Trees for Life and Woodland Trust Scotland have partnered up to return red squirrels to a Sutherland wood…

Posted in Magazine, Nature, News

Accessing An Cladach Bothy on Islay

Posted on October 17, 2019 by Helen Webster

Following news of the autumn/winter closure of An Cladach bothy including discussions on Walkhighlands, the Mountain Bothy Association have issued this statement: “Dunlossit Estate, the owners of An Cladach bothy on Islay, have asked us to clarify both the parking arrangements for visitors to the building and the arrangements for contacting the estate during the stalking season. We have agreed that the bothy will be closed from 1 September to 1 March each year commencing September 2020.” “The estate have emphasised that regardless of any advice that intending visitors might have been given in guide books or elsewhere, they should…

Posted in Magazine, News

Gear review: Alpkit Presta 20l pack

Posted on October 17, 2019 by Paul Webster

Recommended Price: £44.99Weight: 645g (as reviewed) This small pack from Alpkit is just the size for a day hike when you have compact kit and don’t need any winter gear. Despite the diminutive dimensions, the pack is actually pretty fully featured. There’s a zipped main compartment, complete with a sleeve for a hydration pouch. There’s a mesh pocket at the top of the interior for valuables, and separate zipped external top pocket, as well as a large stretchy rear pouch and two side pockets – each of which can fit a litre water bottle if needed , though they are…

Posted in Gear reviews, Magazine, Rucksacks

Land of Ghosts

Posted on October 14, 2019 by John Burns

John D. Burns is an award-winning writer who has spent over forty years exploring Britain’s mountains. A past member of the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team, he has walked and climbed in the American and Canadian Rockies, Kenya, the Alps and the Pyrenees. He has taken one-man plays to the Edinburgh Fringe and toured widely. His first two books, The Last Hillwalker and Bothy Tales, were both shortlisted for TGO Magazine’s Outdoor Book of the Year. His first novel – Sky Dance – was published last month; here he explains why he wrote it. What do you see when you look at our hills? Do you see…

Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature