Wind farm near Ben Wyvis refused planning

Posted on September 9, 2014 by Helen Webster

Highland Council has refused planning permission for a wind farm on the slopes of Carn Gorm, about 8km south west of Ben Wyvis, a popular Munro. The Mountaineering Council of Scotland and John Muir Trust had opposed the proposal. Council planning officials advised that the scheme would have a detrimental impact on wild land. The Trust’s Head of Policy, Helen McDade, said: “This is a victory for wild land and for common sense. The Trust vigorously objected to the development. We are delighted that the Highland Council has taken this decision. “We are especially heartened at the council’s recognition that…

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Mountain Safety Day 11 Oct Stirling

Posted on September 6, 2014 by Helen Webster

With a keynote talk by well-known writer and broadcaster Cameron McNeish, Mountain Safety Day 2014 will offer a host of demonstrations, displays and instruction available for mountain-goers of all abilities. The free event is organised by the charity Mountain Aid, supported by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, and aims to promote safe enjoyment of the hills by increasing awareness and giving people access to information, resources and learning and training opportunities. Mountain rescue teams (including SARDA – the Search and Rescue Dog Association), youth organisations such as the Scouts and Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, hill walking and mountaineering clubs…

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Head torches group test

Posted on September 4, 2014 by Peter Macfarlane

The nights are beginning to draw in and that means that descents after the sun has set aren’t too far away and the nights at camp are going to be long and dark. It’s about now your headtorch moves from the bottom of your pack to the front of your lid pocket and becomes a go-to bit of kit instead of emergency kit. Years ago we were stuck with huge halogen lamps and their matching weighty battery packs but LED technology has changed all that. Weight and bulk immediately dropped to handy pocket size and over the past few years…

Posted in Accessories, Gear reviews, Magazine

Scotland’s John Muir figure to retire

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Cameron McNeish

AT the end of September one of Scotland’s best known environmental campaigners will retire from his post as director of Ramblers Scotland. To be honest I’m not terribly sure if that is his title anymore. A few years ago, in a fit of Londoncentricism and not a little pique, the Ramblers CEO at the time, one Tom Franklin, decimated the Ramblers Scottish and Welsh offices in a so-called cost-cutting operation. The Scottish budget was drastically reduced and Ramblers Scotland office personnel was cut from seven to one and a half and the director’s salary halved. I have absolutely no doubt…

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Cairngorm rockfall warning following fatality

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Paul Webster

Mountaineering experts have warned of the dangers of rockfall following a fatal accident in the Northern Corries area of the Cairngorms. The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) has serious concerns over the state of the cliffs in this popular climbing area. Yesterday there was a fatality in the Aladdin’s Buttress area of the cliffs in Coire an t-Sneachda, after a climber was hit by rockfall from above. And earlier in August, considerable rockfall was noted in the area above the Goat Track, in the same corrie. Mountaineering Council of Scotland’s temporary Mountain Safety Adviser, Monty Monteith, said: “This is particularly…

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Mountaineers call for wild land answers from referendum campaigns

Posted on September 2, 2014 by Helen Webster

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland has said that the debate around the referendum on Scottish Independence has so far shed little light on what is in store for the country’s remaining wild landscapes. The body – which represents Scotlands’ mountaineers and hillwalkers – has called on both sides in the referendum for answers about the future of our threatened wild lands and mountains. The outcome will have far reaching implications for the land as well as the people of Scotland, and the MCofS believes that this needs to be at the forefront of discussions. The MCofS has set out five…

Posted in Nature

Water vole returns to Strathspey

Posted on September 2, 2014 by Paul Webster

Ecologists believe the reappearance of water voles at RSPB Insh Marshes in the Cairngorms National Park is the result of work to eradicate American mink from large swathes of land in northern Scotland. The small chubby rodents, which inspired the character of Ratty in the children’s novel ‘Wind in the Willows’, have been discovered at the reserve in Strathspey for the first time in more than two decades. Despite being the fastest declining mammal in the UK, RSPB officers say it looks like there is a strong colony of the creatures in the area. Water vole numbers have dropped by…

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Campers rescued from Arrochar Alps

Posted on August 31, 2014 by Paul Webster

A group of four campers were rescued from Bealach a Mhaim between the Cobbler and Beinn Narnain in the Arrochar Alps on Friday night. They had requested assistance after becoming cold and wet. The four were unable to descend in the dark due to the lack of torches. The Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team despatched 4 team members to the site; these helped the campers pack and walked them off the mountain in the early morning light. Police Scotland Mountain Rescue Team were also in attendance.

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Seabird numbers soar

Posted on August 29, 2014 by Helen Webster

Some species of seabirds have had their most successful breeding seasons for a decade, reports the National Trust for Scotland. Dr Richard Luxmoore, the conservation charity's Senior Nature Conservation Adviser said: “Many seabirds have experienced a good breeding season at colonies in the west of Scotland. After several years of bad news it is encouraging to be able to report that several species have had their best season in 10 years.” The National Trust for Scotland’s studies on their property at Mingulay, showed that there were 1642 pairs of Kittiwakes trying to nest, up 46 per cent since last year.…

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Greenspace gives us feelgood factor

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Helen Webster

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,…

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