Walkhighlands “Scottish Island Bagging” guidebook has made the shortlist of the Scottish Nature Photography Awards. A celebration of nature, wildlife and landscape photography in Scotland, the awards include one presented every two years that recognises the merits of photographic books and asks members of the public to choose their favourites. The sixth biennial Favourite Scottish Nature Photography Book Vote is open at https://scottishnaturephotographyawards.com/bookvote, where you can see the shortlist and register your own vote. Courtesy of the publishers, everyone who takes part in the online vote will be entered into a free prize draw for one lucky individual to win the entire shortlist of books. The eleven books shortlisted for the 2020 Award highlight…
Walkhighlands news
Data shows most Scots staying local for walks
An analysis of walkhighlands traffic data suggests that most people in Scotland are respecting the Coronavirus travel restrictions when taking their outdoor exercise. There has been a huge shift away from searches for walks in remoter parts of the Highlands, with record people searching out walks close to the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, and the rest of the central belt. “We all tend to get discouraged by stories on social media about people flouting the rules and travelling wherever they like,” said site co-founder Helen Webster. “Undoubtedly such people exist, and they tend to generate a lot of noise…
Booking holidays in Scotland for 2021
This article was updated on 3rd February to keep up-to-date with the current position. All accommodation in Scotland is currently closed for leisure travel and holidays, and will remain so until at least the end of February. Currently, no-one knows for certain when travel restrictions will begin to be lifted once more, as the vaccination programme gathers pace; it is hoped that the first relaxations of the rules will begin in March. Although many people are desperate to be able to have a good holiday break when things improve, the current climate means that some are holding off on making…
Cairngorm snow gates closed at Glenmore
The snow gates on the road up to Cairngorm were closed at Glenmore on Christmas Eve, and are set to remain closed during the current Coronavirus restrictions. This means there is currently no vehicle access to the Coire Cas or Coire na Ciste car parks, nor to the Forestry and Land Scotland car parks at the Sugar Bowl and Allt Mor, even for local residents. We were informed of the closure by Forestry and Land Scotland, who pointed out that they were not involved in the decision, which was requested by Cairngorm Mountain, who have said that Highland Council and…
Coronavirus advice on walking and travel clarified
The Scottish Government has clarified its advice on walking and outdoor exercise for those who live in areas under Tier 3 or 4 restrictions. The new guidance states that if you live in a tier 3 or 4 area, you are permitted to travel upto 5 miles out of your local authority area in order to go for a walk or other form of outdoor exercise. Walks (and bike rides) outside your local authority area are also permitted if the walk (or bike ride) starts and ends within your local authority. The full new guidance on travel is available here.…
Walkers urged to check for deer stalking before Heading for the Scottish Hills
Hillwalkers are being encouraged to check online for deer stalking information before setting out during the busiest part of the season. NatureScot manages the Heading for the Scottish Hills website which provides details on deer stalking on estates between July and late October to help walkers avoid disturbing stalking. With many more people getting out and about to enjoy all that the great outdoors has to offer following the easing of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, the website helps walkers to follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. It includes advice on where and when stag stalking is taking place on each estate,…
Donnie Campbell nears self-propelled Munros record
On 1st August Donnie Campbell – a runner from Skye – set off to break the record for the fastest self-propelled round of the Munros. The current record – set 10 years ago by Stephen Pyke – stands at 39 days and 9 hours. Yesterday Donnie put in a truly remarkable effort, climbing Slioch, the Fisherfield 5, An Teallach, the complete Fannichs, and Ben Wyvis in a single day. 18 Munros on the day brought his total to 272 after 31 days. At the time of writing (4pm) Donnie has climbed the Beinn Dearg group and Seana Bhraigh, and is…
Plan to avoid the busiest walks this weekend
Some of Scotland’s best known places for walks are set to be busy again this weekend, as people continue to enjoy the eased lockdown restrictions. Last week, certain very popular locations within easy reach of a day trip from the central belt became excessively busy, with car parks overfull and excessive parking on the verges causing obstruction on narrow roads. This is likely to be the case again on some routes, especially in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park with its proximity to Glasgow. Parking and roads to Ben A’an, Conic Hill and Ben Lomond are likely to…
Welcome back – but be responsible
It’s going to be great to once again have freedom to travel around Scotland more than 5 miles from home, from Friday 3rd July. But we need to all think carefully when planning where we head out beyond our local area this weekend. On the one hand, it’s going to be a good idea to pick somewhere not too obvious, off the beaten track, to avoid overcrowding. On the other hand, Mountain Rescue teams are going to be stretched with slower response times and fewer team members available than normal – so it is a good idea to stay well…
Scotland leisure travel limit to be lifted on 3th July
The Scottish Government announced today that they are planning to remove the 5 mile limit on leisure travel on the 3rd July. This means that day trips to the hills will be possible for all at last. Self-catering accommodation which has its own private facilities can also reopen from that date. The indicative dates announced today include: Travel distance restriction relaxed – 3 July Self-catering accommodation and second homes (without shared facilities) permitted – 3 July Outdoor hospitality (subject to physical distancing rules and public health advice) – 6 July People can meet in extended groups outdoors (with physical distancing) – 10 July Households can meet indoors with up…