News

Wind farms an election issue say MCofS

Posted on April 2, 2011 by Helen Webster

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) is calling on political parties in May’s Scottish Parliamentary election to show a commitment to Scotland’s wild land and world famous landscapes by speaking out against wind farm proposals in our dwindling areas of wildness. The MCofS says the proposed Allt Duine wind farm, on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park, is a prime example of a renewable energy project that will cause irrevocable damage to a cherished wild landscape and ruin views in the Monadhliath mountains. The mountaineering body believes the character of this special area is in the hands of the…

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Minimal Impact training offered

Posted on April 2, 2011 by Helen Webster

Following the launch of its Minimal Impact Mountaineering Advice earlier this year, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) is planning a series of training events to take place in 2011. At the time of the launch of the advice, known as MIMA, the MCofS said, “Scottish access rights are a balance of having statutory rights of access to land and exercising those rights in a responsible manner. MIMA provides detailed information on a wide range of topics that hill walkers, climbers, ski tourers, instructors and other leaders can refer to in order to gain a better understanding of the practical…

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Isle of May opens to walkers

Posted on March 31, 2011 by Helen Webster

Boat trips to Scottish Natural Heritage’s Isle of May National Nature Reserve re-start for this year’s visitor season on 1 April. The island is renowned for its bird populations, its seals, its history and its carpets of flowers. The reserve, at the mouth of the Forth, has a boat service from Fife and East Lothian during the visitor season. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) welcomes boat trips to the island from April until the end of September and SNH does not charge for visiting. The island has a visitor centre and marked paths covering the island. The private May Princess boat…

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National Nature Reserve walks highlighted

Posted on March 30, 2011 by Helen Webster

There are over fifty National Nature Reserves (NNRs) in Scotland which are some of the best places for wildlife spotting in the country. It is now possible to search the 1300 routes on Walkhighlands to find walks in these Reserves. NNR’s are managed primarily for nature, but people are welcome too, many have facilities to enable visitors to appreciate the wildlife living there. Walkhighlands has 69 detailed walking routes in NNRs across Scotland – to find them go to the Find A Walk search facility and click NNR in the Walk Features option. Put together, the NNRs showcase the wide…

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MCofS publishes Hillwalking Factfile

Posted on March 29, 2011 by Helen Webster

The body which represents hillwalkers and climbers in Scotland, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) has published a new Factfile about hillwalking. The A5 leaflet is aimed at anyone thinking of taking up hillwalking. On launching it, the MCofS said, “This new FactFile gives anyone considering hill walking in Scotland’s hills and mountains in summer for the first time a concise list of what they need to know, what gear they need to get and where they can start.” “The first chapter gives some practical advice on what clothing is the best for hill walking and what else you need…

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Online booking for Angus Glens Walking Festival

Posted on March 27, 2011 by Helen Webster

The award-winning four day Angus Glens Walking Festival has started taking online bookings for the 2011 event to be held in June. Experienced walkers and novices alike will be able to choose from a packed programme of 28 walks as well as three evenings of top-class entertainment. Last year the festival was extremely popular with many walkers reserving places within days of the online booking launch. Spaces are limited so organisers are advising to book early. Now in its ninth year the festival will run from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June 2011. The programme provides the opportunity to experience…

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Ben Lawers tree planting boost

Posted on March 26, 2011 by Helen Webster

Work is underway at the National Trust for Scotland’s (NTS) Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve near Killin as staff and volunteers prepare for the peak visitor season once again. Last year the visitor centre building, which was closed during a round of NTS cutbacks, was removed from the car park and there are ongoing plans to re-site the existing car park and undertake landscaping. The reserve is the site of the Central Highlands’ highest mountain and six other Munros, as well as some of Scotland’s rarest alpine flora, beautiful birds including the Ptarmigan and Red Grouse, fascinating archaeology and stunning…

Posted in Access issues, Nature, News

Southern Upland Way on Walkhighlands

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Helen Webster

Scotland’s longest long distance walk, the Southern Upland Way, is now featured on Walkhighlands.co.uk. The route was walked for Walkhighlands by outdoor writer, Chris Townsend, who also used the challenge of the weather and the terrain to test out some walking and camping gear. The Southern Upland Way is Scotland’s first and only official coast-to-coast long distance route, running across the country from the Atlantic Ocean to the North Sea. From Portpatrick on the west coast the route runs 341 kilometres to Cove and Cockburnspath on the east coast. The Southern Uplands make up the southernmost part of Scotland, just…

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Hill Tracks consultation published

Posted on March 22, 2011 by Helen Webster

The Scottish Government has published the consultation on proposals to change Permitted Development Rights for the construction of Hill Tracks. At the moment most hill tracks are constructed without the need for planning permission as they are deemed to be Permitted Development. This consultation is in response to a campaign to change the Permitted Development Rights (PDR) which resulted in a parliamentary debate in June last year. The consultation document stops well short of proposing removing PDR for this sort of development totally or from specified designated areas which was recommended in research carried out by Herriot Watt University. The…

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Want to help carry a car up Ben Nevis?

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Helen Webster

The John Muir Trust, the UK’s leading wild land charity, has reached an agreement with the organisers of a major car rally in Lochaber that will see a Model T Ford go to the top of Ben Nevis. The car, which has already been prepared by Model T Ford enthusiast Neil Tuckett, will be dismantled at Achintee, near Fort William, and assembled on the summit of the Ben. The planned date for the carry is Wednesday 18 May, part of a week-long rally being organised by Iain Blyth for the Model T Register of Great Britain. Local company No Fuss…

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