People who regularly visit their local greenspace are more likely to feel healthy, says a report published by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), but less than half of Scots visit greenspace or the wider outdoors once a week or more. The report's findings show that regular visitors to their local greenspace are more likely to rate their health as good. Also, those rating their health as good are more likely to meet the national guideline for physical activity within an outdoor environment. However over 50% of people reported not visiting any outdoors greenspace in the last week. Greenspaces, such as parks,…

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is advising walkers heading for the hills this Autumn to check ahead for possible deer stalking taking place on estates. The stag stalking season is also a popular time of year for walkers. SNH has launched this year’s Heading for the Scottish Hills service to reduce disturbance during the stag stalking season (1st July to 20th October), by giving walkers information to plan routes away from stalking areas – this information is also available direct on the relevant hill route descriptions on Walkhighlands. Just go to the relevant hill walk description on Walkhighlands and you will…

Mark Beaumont who has cycled around the world, rowed the Arctic and has just returned from following The Queen’s Baton through 71 countries will give a talk at the Copthorne Hotel, Aberdeen on Thursday 11 Sep at 7.30 pm on his adventures, followed by a book signing. All proceeds in aid of Aberdeen Mountain Rescue Team. Mark will share what it took to cycling around the world in record breaking time, to rowing the Arctic and of course, his adventures in the mountains. Mark has just returned from an 118,000 mile journey in the build up to Glasgow 2014, filming…

Flooding and gale force winds, and a forecast of sleet and snow on Scotland’s highest mountains, has prompted a mountaineering expert to warn hillwalkers to be prepared and wrap up warm. Temporary Mountain Safety Adviser with the MCofS, David ‘Monty’ Monteith advised: “Sleet has been forecast for the higher hills in the coming week, and we’ve just seen torrential rain which swept away two bridges in the Cairngorms and made many streams impassable for a period, as well as causing landslips and damage to footpaths. “Wind and rain are the classic combination for bringing on hypothermia. Once someone’s clothes are…

Writers with a taste for the high life are being sought by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) for its long-running literary competition. The competition was announced earlier this year, and now the August 31st deadline is looming. The MCofS Mountain Writing Competition 2014 (formerly the Mountain Article Competition) seeks out the best in mountain writing, whether fact or fiction, prose or poetry. Entries should have some connection with mountains and mountaineering, rock or ice climbing, walking or ski-mountaineering, and winners will receive a cash prize and the chance to see their entries in print in the Scottish Mountaineer, the…