On Thursday 1 March, Chris Townsend will give a talk about his 1700 mile continuous walk over all the Scottish Munros and their tops. The Dundee talk is part of the Tiso lecture series and will take place at the D’arcy Thompson Theatre at Dundee University at 7:30pm. Tickets are £6 (£4 concessions) (available from Dundee Tiso or bookable on the Tiso website) and the proceeds will go to Dundee University Rucksack Club. Chris is a passionate enthusiast for the wilderness and has spent much of his life exploring wild places. Long distance hikes are his passion and he has…

Police have named the climber who died in an accident on Ben Nevis on 19th February as Paul Guest. Mr Guest was aged 32 and from Kidderminster. The accident happened when the two climbers were nearing the top of Zero Gully. Other climbers nearby went to help after the accident. An RAF rescue helicopter attended and Lochaber Mountain Rescue team also took part in the rescue on the ground. Mr Guest died at the scene and the surviving casualty, David Warden, aged 46, from Perth, was later transferred from Fort William to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee with serious injuries.

Despite the ongoing mild weather, this winter has seen significant avalanches in the Cairngorms and a number of high profile accidents and rescues in the Scottish Highlands. With Spring just around the corner the Mountaineering Council of Scotland is urging walkers to grab the chance to attend one of the last Winter Safety Lectures. The Mountain Cafe in Aviemore will host its last food and talk combination tonight (Weds 22 Feb) by Mark Chadwick (MIC). Mark has had a run of good conditions on his last few Alpine trips (the highlight being an ascent of the Eiger North Face) as…

A climber has died following a fall on Ben Nevis on Sunday morning (19 February). Police received a report of two people having fallen a considerable height near the summit of Ben Nevis shortly after 11 am and rescue services were called. It is understood that the two climbers were nearing the top of Zero Gully when the accident occurred. Other climbers nearby went to help after the accident. An RAF rescue helicopter attended and Lochaber Mountain Rescue team also took part in the rescue on the ground. However Police later announced that one of the climbers had died. The…

Forestry Commission Scotland is set to invest £4.5 million into boosting forest and woodland recreation in Galloway Forest Park. The plan is part of a wider tourism strategy to modernise the visitor experience and double visitor spending in the local economy by 2015. The funding will develop a new visitor complex at Kirroughtree, complete a major refit at Clatteringshaws and fund an upgrade at Glentrool visitor centre. The Forest Park has recently had £300,000 spent on walking trails and other developments after being awarded Dark Sky Park status. Stewart Stevenson, Minister for Climate Change and the Environment said: “The investment…

The 2012 Fort William Mountain Festival kicks off tomorrow (Wedsnesday 15 February) and is offering a great line up during the five-day celebration of mountain culture which runs until Sunday 19 February. From armchair adventurers to weekend warriors, to the international mountain community, the audience coming to Fort William for the 2012 festival can expect to be inspired, energized and entertained by a superb line-up of lectures from top climbers and mountaineers, mountain bikers, and mountain filmmakers; and film screenings from cutting edge outdoor athletes and adventurers. The organisers have put together this summary of the highlights of the Festival:…

The Scottish Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture 2012 Goes to Dr Adam Watson Organisers of The Fort William Mountain Festival have announced that Dr Adam Watson, biologist, ecologist, mountaineer, author and defender of the environment, is the fifth recipient of the Scottish Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture. This prestigious annual award recognizes and celebrates the achievements and accomplishments of one inspiring individual and their outstanding contributions to Scotland’s mountains, encompassing sport, theatre, art, photography, film and literature. It was set up in 2008 by the Highland Mountain Culture Association Ltd, organisers of the Fort William Mountain Festival, and…