Edinburgh writers have almost swept the boards in an MCofS competition to find the best of mountain writing. Four out of the six winners in the Mountaineering Council of Scotland’s annual Mountain Writing Competition came from the capital. First in the prose category was Nancy Somerville, of Murieston Road, and the first second and third in the poetry category were Claire Askew, of Warriston Drive; Russell Jones, of Dalgety Street, and Marjorie Gill, of Lauder Road. The two non-Edinburgh winners were second equal in the prose section: Edward Shelley, from West Kilbride, and George Gall, from Gateside, near Cupar. The…

Mountain Aid are again organising a series of free winter talks this November entitled “Walking in a Winter Wonderland”. The speaker, Mick Tighe, is a qualified mountain guide of long standing and was for many years, the Training Officer for Scottish Mountain Rescue. The talks will be based in university venues but are open to all. The organisers say that these talks are aimed at those who are used to summer hill walking and want to continue to enjoy Scottish mountains in winter conditions. Mick’s talks have many illustrations of the splendours of the hills in winter, but also include…

As the clocks turn back this weekend, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is warning motorists that collisions between deer and vehicles peak at this time of year. With night falling earlier, the peak commuting time coincides with deer coming out to feed on grass verges near roadsides. Because of this, SNH, in conjunction with Transport Scotland and Traffic Scotland, are placing warning messages on electronic variable messaging signs. From the evening of Sunday, 25 October to Monday, 16 November, the signs will warn motorists at key locations on the main trunk roads across West and Northwest Scotland. These messages will be…

The founder of the Mountain Bothies Association, Bernard Heath and his wife Betty, also an early MBA member, led the Association’s 50th year celebrations at Newtonmore on Saturday by cutting an anniversary cake. Bernard and Betty commented:”We are both thrilled and greatly honoured to cut the cake, we can’t believe such an ocean of time has gone by since that so well remembered inaugural meeting in Dalmellington in 1965. We wondered then where the MBA would go and are so pleased that it has thrived. We hope that it goes on for ever.” The MBA is a charity and has…

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service has been presented to the Mountain Bothies Association. The presentation was made to Association Chairman, Simon Birch, by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the County and City of Bristol, Mrs Mary Prior and the Vice Lord-Lieutenant, Dr Timothy Chambers, at a ceremony in Bristol yesterday. The MBA is a charity and was established in 1965, exactly 50 years ago. It has around 3,700 members, and, with the consent and support of their owners, undertakes the restoration and maintenance of old cottages, huts and similar buildings throughout the wilder parts of Scotland, England and Wales for…

The body of missing hillrunner Alexander Brett has been discovered on Liathach in Torridon. A large search had been underway since Mr Brett was reported missing on Thursday 24 September after his car was discovered in the area. It is understood that Mr Brett, aged 65, had been planning a run on Sunday 20 September taking in Beinn Eighe, Beinn Dearg, Beinn Alligan and Liathach. Police Scotland said: “During extensive searches carried out in the Torridon area today, sadly a body was recovered in the area of Liathach and has subsequently been formally identified as that of Mr Brett. There…

A large scale search is underway in the Torridon mountains for a missing hillrunner and Police are appealing to hillwalkers who may have information or who are planning to walk in Torridon this weekend to look out for the missing man. Alexander Brett, aged 65, is understood to have been planning a run on Sunday 20 September taking in Beinn Eighe, Beinn Dearg, Beinn Alligan and Liathach. Mr Brett is believed to be wearing red running shorts, trainers, a black puffa jacket and a small black runners back pack. It is understood that Mr Brett’s car was found in the…