Strathfarrar car access tightened

Posted on November 7, 2014 by Helen Webster

Hillwalkers wishing to take vehicles beyond the locked gate in Strathfarrar should be aware that the Estate has recently tightened up the criteria used to grant permission. The access arrangements were originally negotiated by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) and during the winter (Nov-Mar) walkers who wanted to take vehicles up the glen had to phone the MCofS to request the combination for the padlock. The MCofS says that following “recent incidents”, vehicular access will now only be given to MCofS members for the purpose of hillwalking or climbing and that walkers need to give details of their objectives…

Posted in Access issues

Replacement Skye bothy being built

Posted on November 7, 2014 by Helen Webster

A basic, open shelter will continue to be available for walkers and climbers at Camasunary, in Skye when the existing bothy is taken back by its owner, probably in late 2015, thanks to a new building project currently underway. 59 Commando Squadron Royal Engineers have completed the building of a new bothy which will now be fitted out by volunteer members of the Mountain Bothies Association. The driving force behind the project was Alan Johnson, the owner of the present Camasunary bothy, who was concerned that when he resumed his own use of the building, there would be no basic…

Posted in Access issues, News

Winter Safety evenings kick off next week

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Helen Webster

With the first snows of winter now settling on the Scottish mountains the timing is perfect for the first MCofS Winter Safety Talks set for next week. The first event will held on Wednesday 12 November at the Cotswold store in Aberdeen with further dates around the country well into February next year. In addition to the MCofS evenings, the well established Winter Safety Lectures at the Clachaig in Glencoe will run every Tuesday in February. These evenings are always entertaining as well as informative and if you’re lucky enough to bag a seat at the Aviemore Mountain Cafe nights…

Posted in News

Winter Waterproof jackets group test

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Peter Macfarlane

Winter’s here, if you’ve been on the hills recently the wind, the rain and the recently arrived snow will have you pulling your hood up and leaning into the gusts on the ascent before running for cover behind the cairn. I suppose we’d all like crunchy snow underfoot and clear blue skies above until Easter next year but the reality of a Scottish winter sees us as likely to be battling horizontal rain as much as happily walking across a Christmas card scene. It’s nice to know that we can shut it all out if we’ve got a jacket that’s…

Posted in Gear reviews, Jackets, Magazine

Injury? Deal with it now!

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Cameron McNeish

IT began as a minor irritant at the end of a great day on Bidean nam Bian. It was the beginning of summer as I wandered down through Coire an Lochan and became aware of an irritating pain on the inside of my knee. Within a couple of days the pain had reduced to a dull ache. A couple of weeks later I was filming with the BBC on the Isle of Arran. As part of the programme we climbed Goat Fell and such is the nature of filming that we took our time, stopping every so often to position…

Posted in Features, Magazine

Mudslides warning on Beinn a’ Chochuill

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Helen Webster

The recent torrential rains have caused mudslides to affect the hydro track up the north side of the Allt Mhoille behind Ben Cruachan in Argyll. The track is often used as a route up the Munros Beinn a’ Chochuill and Beinn Eunaich. The mud is reportedly over a metre deep and walkers are advised to avoid crossing it. The damage is at NN120316.

Posted in Access issues, News

Our Pick – 10 of Scotland’s stunning castles

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Paul Webster

Scotland is renowned for its magnificent castles, with some authorities having counted more than 1,200 of them. They offer tremendous variety, ranging from romantic, craggy ruins to luxurious stately homes for the wealthiest landowners, here’s our personal pick of 10 of the best – including both some of the most celebrated, and some very little known. We’ve included the walks from which they can be seen. Edinburgh Castle Where else to start but with what must be the most famous of them all? Sitting atop its magnificent rock at the heart of Scotland’s capital, the site has been occupied since the…

Posted in Features, Magazine, Our picks

Chris Townsend slams reluctance to implement Wild Land Policy

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Helen Webster

Mountaineer and writer Chris Townsend has joined campaigners against a wind farm in the Monadhliath Mountains to call on the Scottish Government to stay true on its word to protect wild land. Supporters of Save The Monadhliath Mountains (SMM), a broad based coalition of mountaineers, hill-walkers, conservationists, tourism businesses, ornithologists and local communities, are opposed to the building of the wind farm at Allt Duine, located wholly in Wild Land, partly in the National Park and next to the National Scenic Area in the Highlands. SMM says that Ministers are allowing the developers behind the project, RWE, to spin matters…

Posted in Nature, News

Steall Falls path closed following landslip

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Paul Webster

The John Muir Trust has advised at the extremely popular footpath through the Nevis Gorge at the head of Glen Nevis has been temporarily closed. The path – used as the approach to Steall Falls as well as the start of many popular mountain routes including the classic Ring of Steall – is blocked where it emerges from the gorge onto Steall Meadows. UPDATE: A temporary repair has been carried out and the path is now passable.

Posted in Access issues, Walkhighlands news

Strathan Bridge destroyed by floods in Sutherland

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Paul Webster

The Mountain Bothies Association is reporting that the footbridge over the Lon Mor in Strath Shinary, near Kinlochbervie, has been washed away in the heavy rains sweeping northwestern Scotland. The suspension-style footbridge – at NC244611 – is commonly used to give access to the bothy at Strathan. The bridge had been repaired in 2012 following previous damage. The loss of the bridge means that the bothy may not be possible to reach in spate conditions. The Mountain Bothies Association is a charity that organises volunteers to oversee the maintenance of around 100 unlocked shelters in the UK – mostly in…

Posted in Access issues, News