The Clachaig Inn in Glencoe will again be hosting its Winter Mountain Safety Lectures in February. Usually attracting a lively gathering of hill walkers, climbers and skiers and hill-goers the evenings will run each Tuesday in February 2018. These evenings have run every year since 1985, and are intended to provide a last minute reminder of some of the preparations and skills to have to hand before venturing into the Scottish winter hills. The events are free and the Inn aims to raise £2000 in total by having a weekly draw with some great prizes donated by the sponsors.

The SportScotland Avalanche Information Service will start publishing its detailed forecasts for the Scottish Mountains on Friday 15 December. The six mountain areas covered are Northern Cairngorms, Southern Cairngorms, Lochaber, Creag Meagaidh, Glencoe and Torridon. Each report covers snow, avalanche, and climbing conditions. The reports are available from the website or via mobile phone. The SAIS is also asking any walkers or climbers who see an avalanche to report it to them. This can be done on line from the SAIS website. As well as the forecasts, the website also contains a wealth of information about snow and avalanches generally…

Hill walkers and climbers are being urged to stay safe as they prepare to enjoy what for many is the most rewarding season of the year. With winter now starting to bite, many hillwalkers and climbers will be looking out their ice axes, crampons and headtorches. But mountaineering experts have stressed that it takes much more than this to be ready for winter. Mountaineering Scotland has highlighted the high quality of online information which can be easily accessed before heading for the hills. Mountain Safety Adviser Heather Morning said: “There are some excellent resources for mountain weather information. Check out…

Next week Mountaineering Scotland is hosting a live Facebook Q&A session when an expert panel, led by Mountain Safety Adviser Heather Morning, will answer questions on mountaineering in winter. The panel will answer questions sent in both in advance and while they’re live ‘on air’, and offering essential advice to help people get the most out of Scotland’s mountains this winter, whether they’re venturing out into the hills under snow for the first time or could just do with a refresher or a particular piece of advice. The panel will be drawn from mountain rescue team members and experts from…

Mountain Aid have announced Heavy Whalley as speaker for their Step up to Winter talks series which will be held this November in Dumbarton, Kilmarnock, Dumfries and Cupar. Heavy was a member of the RAF Mountain Rescue team for 36 years and has been involved in over 1000 Mountain and over 80 Aircraft incidents in mountainous areas. He will present an evening of winter walking tales and tips that will leave you ready to get out into the hills this winter. The talks are open to all, and free of charge thanks to funding from Mountain Aid. No advance booking…

If you chance upon one of the 103 bothies in Great Britain that are maintained by the Mountain Bothies Association you might find a new book hidden amongst the mountain shelters – a 66-page newsprint publication that might just save a life – even if it means setting fire to it. 46 artists and writers, led by Edward Summerton, Senior Lecturer at the University’s Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, have created 200 copies of ‘Shelter Stone: The Artist and the Mountain’ and dispersed it among bothies and shelters in England, Scotland and Wales, as well as Iceland…