Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is warning motorists that collisions between deer and vehicles soar at this time of year, with the risk of a collision almost twice as high in Scotland as in England. As the nights get longer and the clocks turn back, red deer are moving down from the hills at the same time as commuters head home. From 18 October to 1 November, electronic variable messaging signs will warn motorists at key locations on the main trunk roads in Scotland, such as the A9, A835, A85, A82, and A87. It is estimated that there are more than…

With snow showers forecast across the Scottish mountain tops today and tomorrow, and a couple of blizzards predicted for the Cairngorms, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) has related the following experience which will be familiar to many at this time of year. “Jimmy thinks he is pretty switched on. He should be; let’s face it, he’s been around long enough! – 182 Munros under his belt and 20 years experience in the Scottish Hills. Jimmy’s hill walking buddies always rely on him and push him to the front when the navigation gets serious. In fact, they seem to think…

Berghaus has released details of its Autumn/Winter 2010 Adventure Tour featuring talks by top climbers Leo Houlding and Mick Fowler. The tour starts on 24 October and the Scottish dates are 4 November for Leo Houlding at the Ratho Climbing Centre just outside Edinburgh, and 2 December for Mick Fowler, also at Ratho. Other venues include Sheffield, Newcastle, Bristol and Manchester. The tour will culminate in a joint lecture by Leo and Mick at the Royal Geographic Society in London on 27 November. Further details of prices and the English dates can be found at the booking website.

A new study appears to suggest that walking may stave off memory loss and dementia in old age. The report, published on October 13, in Neurology, the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology, shows the results of tracking the physical activity and cognitive patterns of nearly 300 adults. “By walking regularly, and maintaining a little bit of moderate physical activity, you can reduce your likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease and spare brain tissue,” Kirk I. Erickson, the study’s lead author, said. Erickson and other researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have been looking into links between walking and…

The Scottish charity, Mountain Aid, has announced dates for some of its winter walkling safety talks. Mick Tighe, mountain guide and former member of Lochaber MRT, will present illustrated talks on winter hillwalking safety, offering advice and guidance for anyone wishing to extend their hillwalking activities into the winter months. These talks are completely free and are open to everyone. Mountain Aid says that this year’s talks will be different from last years so repeat visitors are welcome. The talk dates organised so far are as follows: Monday 15th November, Edinburgh Tuesday 16th November, Dundee Wednesday 17th November, Cupar Thursday…