Researchers from Aberdeen University are at the stage of testing a new stick-on patch which could help Mountain Rescue Teams monitor the health of casualties during rescues. The new patch would be placed on the casualty and would monitor vital signs such as blood pressure and heart rate. This information could then be transmitted by the patch to hospital doctors. At the moment rescue teams monitor the health of each casualty, but during long or difficult evacuations this can mean stopping the stretcher and opening up covers and clothing to check the heart rate for example. The University of Aberdeen…

Northern Constabulary police report that they were called about a fall on Slioch at 6pm on Sunday 3 August. The Torridon Mountain Rescue Team and helicopters from Stornoway coastguard and RAF Lossiemouth were also called to the scene. A 42 year old male climber had apparently fallen 40 metres on Slioch near Kinlochewe in Wester Ross. The man was airlifted to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

An evaluation study of the Southern Upland Way, the 212 mile coast to coast route in the southern Scotland has called for the name to be changed to attract more walkers. The £136,000 initiative, run since 2006, to boost numbers on the Southern Upland Way (SUV), was evaluated by Dr Donald Macleod, lecturer in tourism at Glasgow University. Dr Macleod’s report states that in 2007, 87,503 walkers were counted on the route. Based on the estimated spend of these visitors, more than £2.7million was generated for the south of Scotland economy. Walker numbers are set to increase by 6% in…

After a series of rescues in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs areas, Central Scotland Police urged hill walkers to make sure they are properly equipped and can navigate. Central Scotland Police said rescuers’ lives were being put at risk because walkers were often unprepared and ill-equipped for the terrain they faced. Some of the recent incidents had resulted from people being unable to navigate once bad weather with poor visibility set in. One of the rescues involved walkers lost on Conic Hill, a small peak on the West Highland Way with a clear path and surrounded by farmland, lochside and…

The walker’s bridge that provides access on the main routes to Sgurr nan Gillean and Am Bastier has collapsed and can no longer be used. It is possible to wade across above Alltdearg House but local reports suggest that this would be impassable and dangerous after wet weather. Walkers and climbers therefore need to take extreme care when planning routes especially if planning to use this crossing as a return route from the Cuillin. The bridge is at NG483296. Updates on the situation will be posted here.

A Dutch hillwalker fell and injured himself in the Skye Cuillin on Sunday afternoon. The weather conditions were bad and his companion had to make a two-and-a-half hour descent to raise the alarm for his companion. Eighteen members of Skye Mountain Rescue Team and a coastguard helicopter rescued the 68 year old, four hours after his initial fall. It is understood that the walker required hospital treatment for facial and arm injuries.

Saturday 21 June, saw over 670 runners and walkers complete the gruelling 50 mile duathlon to run (or walk) 20 miles and then cycle 30 miles across Scotland. The Highland Cross route starts at Morvich in Kintail and heads through Glen Affric and Strathglass to Beauly. This year’s winner was Henry Blake in 3 hours 37 minutes, 35 seconds. The fastest woman home was Sandra Brett in 4 hours 24 minutes, 43. This means Keith Murray’s amazing record of 3.13.31, set in 1993, remains unbeaten. If you have a Highland Cross experience to tell us about, why not post a…

An attempt is being made to break the record for the most Munros climbed in 24 hours. Currently held by Jon Broxap who set the record by running over 29 Munros in Kintail and Glen Affric, Steve Pyke (or Spyke) will make his attempt to climb at least 30 on Saturday. Steve set the record for the 4,000 foot peaks last July, when he ran them in 20 hours 23 minutes – a distance of 85 miles with 17,000 feet of ascent. The attempt to break the Munros record is shorter at 75 miles, but will involve a massive 37,000…

This year’s Lowe Alpine Mountain Marathon is over for another year. The four gruelling courses set around Glenfinnan near Fort William proved testing for all the two-member teams taking part in the annual overnight race. Hot sunshine on both days provided exhausting conditions with a wet and misty start on Sunday morning bringing the midges out in force. A couple of the top teams made mistakes or had equipment failures that meant the final results didn’t fully reflect their efforts – but such is the challenge of the LAMM. The day was a triumph for some teams, as they extended…

A 62 year old man has fallen to his death from the Devil’s Ridge in the Mamores near Fort William. The man is beleived to have fallen around 500 feet; his body was retreived by Lochaber Mountain Rescue team and a Royal Navy helicopter. Terry Confield, the Rescue team leader, said the victim was walking in good weather conditions when he fell. “The poor guy must have just lost his footing and slipped. He fell about 500ft and looks to have died instantly. It was just very unfortunate,” he said. The hot, sunny weather meant the area had become popular…