Cowal’s walking festival is back for 2018. Based in Dunoon on the Firth of Clyde, this year’s festival will run from Friday 5th to Friday 12th October inclusive with a varied range of carefully graded guided walks to suit all ages, interests and ability. There is also a charity walk this year in aid of Ollie’s Wee Bothy, a charity providing holidays for families who’ve suffered the death of a child. CowalFest organisers say that fourteen new walks are included alongside old favourites and transport is provided if necessary. The walk leaders and organisers are all volunteers who are keen…

With the forecast remaining warm and dry for the coming week, hillwalkers in Scotland are facing an unusual challenge – not enough water! As well as meaning people should carry more water than usual to avoid dehydration, the dry conditions make it essential that extreme care is taken to avoid the risk of wildfires. Heather Morning, Mountain Safety Adviser with Mountaineering Scotland, said: “It has been great to see so many people inspired to walk and climb in our hills and mountains in this hot and dry spell. But sunshine brings its own problems. “In fact if you were out…

As the May Bank Holiday approaches, hill walkers are being urged to treat long-lying snow patches with caution. Although it’s spring on lower ground, the high mountains of Scotland are still hanging onto winter, and there are still substantial snowfields and snow patches lying across the routes up many popular hills. Temperatures over the last week having been unseasonably low, with new snow falling on some of the higher mountain tops, and much of the old snow people encounter may be hard and icy, posing a significant threat to anyone not properly equipped. Heather Morning Mountain Safety Advisor with Mountaineering…

Nature documentaries are the big winners on TV, series such as The Blue Planet and Countryfile have becomes flagship programmes for the BBC, attracting some of their highest viewing figures. The live diary-styled Springwatch programmes have a huge following on social media with even reports of some Facebook groups forming and meeting for holidays! It’s one thing to love nature from the comfort of your home with a glass of something refreshing, but how many of these ‘sofa nature watchers’ have actually ever experienced nature for themselves? It can be daunting if you don’t know where to go or what…