Magazine

Our Picks: The Seven Hills of Edinburgh

Posted on March 3, 2018 by Paul Webster

Like Rome, Edinburgh is said to be built on seven hills – though it’s not hard to come up with a few more if you know the city well. Nonetheless the seven has stuck, and there’s even an annual race to climb them all, a combination of hill-running, road-running and urban orienteering. The winners get round in an amazing 1 hour 40 minutes. For most of the rest of us, it’s enough to climb the hills as a series of walks, all of them being featured on Walkhighlands routes within the city. Castle Rock Perhaps the most photographed of them…

Posted in Features, Magazine, Our picks

Review: Black Diamond Revolt headtorch

Posted on March 1, 2018 by Helen Webster

RRP: £45 Weight: 100g (including batteries) Headtorches have improved in leaps and bounds in the last few years and now come with an array of different light settings and features. I’ve been testing Black Diamond’s updated ReVolt on my weekly night runs, a couple of short night walks and an impromtu hill descent as darkness fell. Having been used to a basic Lenser headtorch with one light and two options for adjusting the brightness and field, I was a bit flummoxed by the options on the ReVolt. It features a main triple-power LED which comes on when you click the…

Posted in Accessories, Gear reviews, Magazine

Daylight again

Posted on February 22, 2018 by Karen Thorburn

The sun shone as the ferry pulled away from Uig pier. A health and safety announcement crackled over the tannoy system in English and Gaelic. Car alarms sounded from the vehicle deck as the vessel gently rocked to the starboard side, sweeping out of the bay. The rugged profile of the Trotternish ridge was revealed and, in the distance, the magnificent peaks of the Cuillin came into view. I meandered around the passenger deck with my parents, watching Skye gradually recede into the distance and catching glimpses of puffins skimming above the water surface. We made our way indoors and…

Posted in Features, Magazine

The Sparrowhawk PR Problem

Posted on February 16, 2018 by Ben Dolphin

Last week, as I was sat at home, I heard a loud but unfamiliar squawk outside followed by alarm calls from smaller birds. When I looked out the window I saw a starling on the ground, motionless under the tight grip of yellow talons. It was a sparrowhawk, the first I’d seen at home in two years… and I was ecstatic! They’re actually one of our more common birds of prey but for most of us they remain elusive on account of their stealthy hunting strategy. They are fast and manoeuvrable but, like a cheetah, their chase can’t be sustained…

Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature

Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z Poles

Posted on February 13, 2018 by Helen Webster

RRP: £120 per pair Weight: 285g per pair (110cm length) I had thought my previous go-to trekking poles were lightweight until I picked up these carbon poles from Black Diamond. Weighing in at a mere 285g for the pair the weight is truly featherlight, you genuinely don’t notice them when stowed in a pack and barely notice them in use or carrying them in one hand. I was therefore very interested to find out how these spindly-lightweights would perform in Scottish conditions. The main trade off on the weight v. features is the lack of adjustability. These poles come in…

Posted in Accessories, Gear reviews, Magazine

Police Warning and Mountaineering Scotland advice following rescue callouts

Posted on February 12, 2018 by Helen Webster

Police Scotland has issued a warning to hillwalkers and people pursuing outdoor activities in the mountains of the dangers that inclement weather and the terrain can present. In the last week Mountain Rescue teams have been called out over 13 times and police are reminding people to bear in mind that the weather can change very quickly. Chief Inspector Neil Anderson, Operational Support Division and Land based Search and Rescue lead for Police Scotland, said: “Unless you are an experienced hillwalker or mountaineer I would advise against venturing into the hills if there is any likelihood of the conditions becoming…

Posted in Magazine, News

Winter Navigation

Posted on February 6, 2018 by David Lintern

Finding your way in winter means facing challenging weather and shorter daylight hours, but with the right tools you can still enjoy the hills with confidence. David Lintern goes back to basics (again). “It’s about having good strategies, and sticking to them. Everything you do in these conditions needs to be clear headed, focused and reversible. If it all goes pear shaped you need to be able to backtrack exactly. The very last thing you should do is randomly ‘wander over for a look’”. At least I’m pretty sure that’s what she said. I’m standing in a tight circle with…

Posted in Features, Magazine

Gear review: Salewa Ortles Cubic baselayer

Posted on February 5, 2018 by Paul Webster

Recommended Price: £80 (currently discounted online) Weight: 210g (men’s large) New for this winter, the Salewa Ortles Cubic is a warm fleecy baselayer which I’ve been testing since November. The Ortles is made from Polarlite Fine Grid – a stretchy, warm baselayer fabric; the inside is covered with tiny soft squares which help to trap air, whilst the outer face is smooth – it’s very comfortable worn next to the skin. The raglan sleeves, non-irritating seams and general stretchyness ensure that movement is unrestricted. The cut and general construction quality of the Ortles is excellent, and I expect to get…

Posted in Baselayers, Gear reviews, Magazine

Peebles for Pleasure

Posted on February 4, 2018 by Fiona Russell

Situated on the banks of the beautiful, meandering River Tweed, surrounded by gently rolling hills and just a 30-minute drive south of Scotland’s capital city, it is no surprise that the town of Peebles is a popular tourist destination. On most weekends year-round – and on holiday week days – the High Street throngs with both locals and visitors popping in and out of an array of independent shops, delis, cafes, pubs and restaurants. If you like a sweet treat, Cocoa Black, run by the award-winning chocolatier Ruth Hinks, on Cuddybridge, at the start of the Old Town is enticing,…

Posted in Features, Magazine

Gear review: Mammut Trovat Guide High GTX boots

Posted on January 30, 2018 by Paul Webster

Recommended Price: £215 Weight: 1.98kg (pair, UK size 12) Raichle was a well respected manufacturer of rugged mountain boots for many decades, before being absorbed into parent brand Mammut in 2009, but these boots – which still have a Raichle logo on the tongue – show that their tough pedigree has been retained. The boots are constructed of full grain leather and have a high cut, with a softer Nappa leather on the cuff and tongue. The uppers feel very stiff when new, but do develop a flex after wear. The tough construction is softened with memo foam inside, which…

Posted in Footwear, Gear reviews, Magazine