Organisers of the Braemar Mountain Festival today revealed they have doubled the number of events and venues following the huge success of the inaugural event last year. The four-day celebration of the mountains in winter will take place from Thursday 1st – Sunday 4th March 2018 at Braemar, located in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park. New events for 2018’s expanded programme include mountain bike skill sessions, film making classes with award winning adventure film producer Chris Prescott and a special series of talks and films highlighting the feats of inspirational women in adventure sports. The Braemar Mountain Festival…

Mountain safety experts have warned against a worrying trend in the outdoor clothing market. Magnetic closures on gloves and jackets are being marketed as the modern alternative to Velcro or poppers. But magnets are well-known for deflecting compass needles, and there is already evidence that this may have been the cause of a recent Mountain Rescue call-out. Heather Morning, Mountain Safety Adviser for Mountaineering Scotland, said: “We have reviewed the circumstances of a recent incident in the mountains east of Glen Shee, which involved hundreds of hours of rescue personnel hours and police time. “A group of walkers were caught…

Patagonia’s Worn Wear Tour is coming to Scotland and offering free repairs on outdoor clothing including Goretex as well as teaching people how to fix their own gear and in turn reduce their impact on the planet. The Worn Wear initiative encourages customers to extend the lifetime of their garments. The Patagonia repair team onboard will offer free repairs on any brand of clothing, on a first come, first served basis. The tour will also educate people on how to keep snow and outdoor gear in good condition for multiple seasons and will teach skills such as patching, re-waterproofing shells…

The Peebles Outdoor Film Festival returns at the end of January with another feast of adventure films, speakers and hands-on sessions. Special appearances by renowned explorer Benedict Allen – who hit the headlines recently following his ‘rescue’ from Papua New Guinea – record-breaking ocean adventurer Olly Hicks, celebrated ultra-runner Jasmin Paris, Scottish winter climbing superstar Greg Boswell and adventure filmmaker Paul Diffley will be among the highlights when the festival is held at the Eastgate Theatre over the weekend of 26-28 January. Feastival organisers say that tickets are already selling fast for many of the sessions, with Benedict Allen –…