A large-scale search for six hillwalkers missing in the Cairngorms is currently underway. The alarm was raised on Sunday night when the walkers failed to return and Mountain Rescue Teams from Cairngorm, Dundonnell, RAF Leuchars, RAF Lossiemouth and Braemar are involved as well as search and rescue dogs.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is inviting people to a fascinating free Valentines Day walk to hear the stories hidden within Fife’s coastal rocks. Formed in coal swamps, tropical seas and by erupting volcanoes, Fife’s rocks have influenced its economic heritage, but also formed the intricate shapes of its coastline. The rocks on the Fife coast are around 300 to 360 to million years old. When they were formed, Scotland lay at the equator and had a tropical climate. Carboniferous age rocks such as these are the source of coal, limestone, fireclay, and oil shale in central Scotland. SNH geologist, Rachel…

Three people have been rescued following an avalanche in Coire an t-Sneachda in the Cairngorms today (Saturday 2 February). Although all three were taken by helicopter to hospital in Inverness it is thought that none of them have serious injuries. The avalanche was reported to have happened shortly before 11:30 hours this morning in the Coire an t-Sneachda area of the Cairngorms. Officers from Northern Constabulary were assisted by members of Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team, RAF Helicopter One Three Seven and Strathclyde Police Mountain Rescue Team, who were conducting training in the area. Earlier in the day two men escaped…

Members of the Cairngorms Mountain Rescue Team have added their voices to calls for the privatisation of the UK’s military search and rescue helicopter service to be stopped on the basis that the new system will result in fewer people being saved. The Guardian newspaper reports that Willie Anderson, team leader of Cairngorms MRT commented on the planned civilian service that, “Someone will have one eye on the casualty and the other eye on the balance sheet.” The current system is a mix of military bases (8) and civilian bases (4). The Government has been planning to change the service…

Later this year the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) will be holding two first aid courses aimed at hillwalkers and climbers. The two-day courses will be held in the Cairngorms on 11 and 12 May and 28 and 29th September. They are open to members of the MCofS although non-members are welcome to join at the same time as applying for the course. This course is recognised by the MTS as appropriate for their Mountain Leader awards. The course will be run by Eric Pirie who is an active member of the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team and a qualified First…

With ice and snow covering most of Scotland and avalanche risk high for many slopes, it timely to have a reminder from the MCofS of their 2013 Aviemore and Glencoe winter safety lectures. These will be held at the Mountain Cafe in Aviemore on 13 February and at the Clachaig Inn in Glencoe on 12 February. This season’s speaker will be Heather Morning, Mountain Safety Advisor for the MCofS. Heather has over 30 years experience mountaineering, climbing and skiing in the Scottish Hills. She has also been actively involved with mountain rescue in the Cairngorms for the last 10 years…