UPDATE DEC 28: The road has now reopened. The A890 Stromeferry bypass is closed following a landslide on Christmas day. After a fall of almost 20 tonnes of debris, the road – which was closed for several months at the start of 2012 following a previous landslide – is expected to remain closed for several days. Avoiding the closure involves a detour of over 100 miles. Highland Council said work had begun on clearing the bank above the road. Graham Phillips of Highland Council told the BBC “If you look further up the cliff there’s another 50 tonnes ready to…

Cameron McNeish will be showcasing his Scotland End to End walk in a couple of TV programmes over the festive period. The first hour-long programme will be shown on Thursday 27 December at 7pm with part two being shown at the same time the following day, Friday 28 December. They will be shown on BBC 2 Scotland, viewers south of the border can catch them on on Sky, Freesat and BBC iPlayer.

From today (13 December) the SportScotland Avalanche Information Service will be issuing forecasts for the five main climbing and hillwalking areas. Last weekend forecasts were issued for Lochaber and the Northern Cairngorms. They have now been joined by detailed information for the Southern Cairngorms, Glencoe and Creag Meagaidh. Further details including a guide to reading the forecasts and how to get them on your mobile can be found at the SAIS website. As always the SAIS also wants to hear reports of avalanches, so if you witness one please get in touch with the SAIS via their website. More information…

The four day programme of events for next year's Isle of Arran Mountain Festival has been released. The Festival will run from 17 to 20 May 2013 and features a wide variety of guided walks and scrambles throughout Arran’s hills and mountains as well as a mountain quiz night and a trip to Holy Island. Festival organisers say, “The Arran Mountain Festival is an opportunity to meet like-minded people, discover a fascinating island and have unforgettable days in the safe hands of experienced local guides. With names to inspire the imagination, such as Ceum na Caillich (Witch’s Step) Caisteal Abhail…

Two call-outs for the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team yesterday (Sunday 9 December) ended successfully when walkers were rescued in separate incidents. A woman in her 60s, walking in a group in the Glen Feshie area was taken to Raigmore hospital Inverness where she has been treated for a suspected broken leg. The second incident involved an extensive search by the Cairngorms MRT to locate a male walker who had become lost while walking alone. He was eventually located by an RAF rescue helicopter and taken to safety. The Police are not releasing any further details of the parties involved at…

Torridon SYHA will be staying open this winter for Friday and Saturday night stays (and Christmas period 21st to 28th December) and is also offering a very generous 30% discount to Walkhighlands’ users. The offer is valid until 14 March 2013 – just enter the code TORRW12 when you book online at the SYHA site. Situated at the head of Upper Loch Torridon in the shadow of the mighty Liathach, and only a stone’s throw from Upper Loch Torridon, Torridon Youth Hostel is a great option for walkers and climbers as well as those simply wishing to relax and enjoy…

Recent heavy snowfall means the Sportscotland Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) will start issuing forecasts next weekend for the Northern Cairngorms and Lochaber areas. Reports for these two regions will be issued on 7th, 8th, and 9th of December, with daily reports for the five main hillwalking and climbing areas of Scotland starting on Thursday 13 December. Climbers and walkers should take particular care at the moment as heavy snowfall and current weather conditions have created serious avalanche risks on some slopes. Further information about avalanches and assessing the risk from the MCofS can be found here on Walkhighlands. The SAIS…