Magazine

Watching otters in Scotland

Posted on July 28, 2019 by Helen Webster

An encounter with an otter in the wild is a magical experience. Helen Webster takes a look at the best places to spot otters, how to boost your chances of a sighting, and tips to avoid disturbing these amazing creatures. Whilst the European otter (lutra lutra) is at home in both fresh and salt water habitats, they are most easily seen along our coastlines – a calm sea often presents the best opportunities to start looking. Where? You could spot otters almost anywhere on the Scottish coast. Although the west coast, Mull, Skye, the Outer Hebrides and Shetland have the…

Posted in Features, Photography

Gear review: Rab Flashpoint 2 Jacket

Posted on July 25, 2019 by Paul Webster

Recommended Price: £220Weight: 185g (large) The Flashpoint 2 is a truly ultralight waterproof jacket. Weighing in at just 185g in men’s size large, the jacket squashes into a tiny stuff sack and is barely noticeable in your pack; runners could even simply attach it to a belt. So where are the compromises? The fabric is 3 layer Pertex Shield. I’ve found it to be surprisingly breathable, and it also seems pretty robust for the weight. I’m sure these qualities are partly down to it having 3 layer construction – I typically find 2 and 2 and half layer waterproofs feel…

Posted in Gear reviews, Jackets, Magazine

Fires – a burning issue

Posted on July 22, 2019 by Adam Streeter-Smith

With photos of campfire rings and damage left in the pinewoods circulating on social media, Adam Streeter-Smith, Access Officer for the Cairngorms National Park authority, takes on a hot topic, asking just what is responsible behaviour. Picture the scene – a starry night sky, crickets are chirping and the horses hobbled nearby are munching on the grass, the coffee pot perched on the edge of the fire starts to boil and the aroma mixes with the wild sage. You casually kick a log with your cowboy boot and sparks waft into the night sky…. Now transpose the romanticised notion of…

Posted in Access issues, Magazine, Nature

Police Scotland launch Bothy Watch initiative

Posted on July 9, 2019 by Paul Webster

Police Scotland has today launched ‘Bothy Watch’ – an initiative to raise awareness of the issues surrounding remote bothies across the south of Scotland. As well as the MBA, this multi-agency initiative includes partners from Forestry and Land Scotland, Local Authorities and Mountain Rescue Team volunteers with a focus on reducing crime in outlying areas, keeping the bothies free from damage and allowing them to be used for the purpose they are intended for. In launching the initiative, Police Scotland said: “For years these buildings have been a valuable and in fact quite a social resource for hill walkers and cyclists,…

Posted in Access issues, Magazine, News

Confessions of a non runner

Posted on July 9, 2019 by David Lintern

It doesn’t matter how you get there or what you call yourself, the hills don’t care. David Lintern escapes the tyranny of team sports and goes for a jog up a ridge. A few years ago you’d have never caught me doing it. I used to run a bit in secondary school, but only as a way of getting out of games. We’d be allowed off school grounds to run around Shirley hills, but we ran only the pavements and not into the woods themselves. We were on a prescribed route. I tolerated it, but it was mostly an escape…

Posted in Features, Magazine

Gear Review: Women’s Summer Baselayers

Posted on June 29, 2019 by Helen Webster

Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt RRP: £40Weight: 60g 4 colour options in sizes XS-XL, long sleeve version also availableMen’s version available in 6 colours sizes XS – XL, long sleeve version Beautifully soft and very light-feeling, this short sleeve T is 100% recycled polyester and certified Fair Trade sewn, which means the people who make it get a fair wage. For the last 3 years I’ve worn a similar long sleeved shirt from Patagonia which has worn incredibly well despite the thinness of the fabric, so I was keen to see what improvements had been made on this version. The…

Posted in Baselayers, Gear reviews, Magazine

Go slow…

Posted on June 24, 2019 by Helen Webster

Get beyond the usual tourist hotspots and discover the real Scotland. Slow tourism gives you the best visitor experience, and helps rural communities the most.

Posted in Magazine

Connections on Cairngorm

Posted on June 23, 2019 by Peter Cairns

The legitimacy of Britain’s National Parks is a debate that constantly simmers. Many argue that the globally recognised ‘National Park’ brand has been hijacked and diluted.

Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature

Politicians urged to grasp chance to control the spread of vehicle tracks in our hills

Posted on June 17, 2019 by Helen Webster

A coalition of ten conservation charities is calling on the Scottish Parliament to grasp a golden opportunity to introduce stronger controls over vehicle tracks in our hills. The Scottish Parliament is set to vote this week on Planning Bill amendments by Scottish Green Party MSP Andy Wightman, designed to close loopholes that allow landowners to build many of the controversial tracks without planning permission. Research by Scottish Environment LINK Hilltracks group has found that the tracks continue to creep further into wilder landscapes, and that planning loopholes can lead to them being badly-sited and designed. Some tracks have even been built over…

Posted in Access issues, Magazine, Nature

Our picks: the finest Corbetts

Posted on June 16, 2019 by Paul Webster

If you want to discover all Scotland’s finest mountains, you’ll need to look further than just the well-worn list of Munros. We set out to share our pick of the 10 finest Corbetts, but with so many great hills to choose from, we’ve ended up with 20! An Ruadh-stac Adjacent to the Munro of Meall Chean-dearg, An Ruadh-stac is in no way overshadowed by its higher sibling. It makes up for the marginally lower height by being incredibly rocky, glittering with quartzite, and provides a memorable scrambly ascent. Askival The Rum Cuillin must rank amongst Scotland’s finest ranges, bar none.…

Posted in Magazine, Our picks