Exploring Erraid in the footsteps of Robert Louis Stevenson

Posted on April 6, 2023 by Linda Cracknell

In this extract from ‘The Writer, The Island and The Inspiration’ in her new book Writing Landscape, Linda Cracknell travels to the tidal island of Erraid in the footsteps of Robert Louis Stevenson and his hero David Balfour from Kidnapped. Before travelling to France in summer 2019, and having now read Kidnapped, I made a mini-pilgrimage to the Isle of Mull’s western peninsula, the ‘Ross of Mull’. And then, to where, at its far western tip, Erraid is connected and separated by the tidal pulse. I’m intrigued by tidal islands; a threshold opening and closing in a rhythm cosmically determined.…

Posted in Features, Magazine

I’m recruiting for Team Toad

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Ben Dolphin

Frogs or toads? A simple choice, one that I put to Twitter last week to gauge people’s feelings towards these two amphibians. I was motivated partly by the fact that the spring amphibian emergence is underway and I very much welcome their return, but mainly I was motivated by a desire to see to what proportion of people shared my preference. Just for the record, I do of course acknowledge that this is an absurdly reductionist way of looking at these two wonderful creatures. But yes, I hereby declare I am a fully paid up member of Team Toad. I…

Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature

Gear Review: The best walking socks (2023)

Posted on March 30, 2023 by Helen Webster

Socks are one of the most important bits of outdoor kit. Too often they are overlooked or poorly cared for – something of an afterthought. They can help enormously to keep feet warm, dry and blister free, essential for a comfortable day. Prices and technical features have been creeping up in recent years and with most people wanting a range of socks for different conditions/footwear, it’s important to get the choice right. Socks should fit well so that they don’t ruckle, and seams should be flat, or the sock should be as seam-free as possible to avoid rubbing points. Confusingly,…

Posted in Footwear, Gear reviews, Magazine

First-ever Scottish wildcat release approved

Posted on March 24, 2023 by Paul Webster

NatureScot has approved a licence application from the Saving Wildcats partnership to release wildcats in the Cairngorms National Park later this year. The decision marks the first-ever conservation translocation of wildcats in Britain, with the first in a series of trial releases being planned to help restore Scotland’s critically endangered wildcat population. Led by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), the application from Saving Wildcats was submitted in September 2022 and assessed by NatureScot in line with the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations. The process considers a range of issues including animal welfare, site suitability and potential impacts on…

Posted in Magazine, Nature, News

Breaking down barriers to the outdoors for Scotland’s young adults

Posted on March 21, 2023 by Sam Knight, Ramblers Scotland young adult development officer

For experienced outdoorsy people, it can be easy to think that walking is the simplest activity in the world. I’m a prime candidate for this; a middle-class, white, bearded man who grew up in an active household near hills, and who now owns more gear than I can squeeze into my house. I have heard enough comments along the lines of “But you just need boots, a coat and a bus fare” and “We’ve a right to roam so there are no barriers” to know that some people struggle to understand why many young adults don’t feel the outdoors is…

Posted in Access issues, Features, Magazine

Walkers fight to once again save Highland dunes

Posted on March 16, 2023 by Helen Webster

Ramblers Scotland is calling on the outdoors community to unite to save globally-protected Highland dunes that are once again at risk of becoming a golf course. The walking charity is “shocked and extremely concerned” that developers have applied to build an 18-hole course at Coul Links, near Embo, just three years after the Scottish Government blocked a similar application. Ramblers Scotland has a launched a petition against the controversial new bid. The latest plans would permanently transform Coul Links, harming the natural landscape, access and the experience for people trying to enjoy its tranquil dunes. Seven holes would cross the John o’ Groats…

Posted in Magazine, News

Walks showcasing the BBC’s Wild Isles locations

Posted on March 13, 2023 by Paul Webster

In the new BBC’s Wild Isles series Sir David Attenborough celebrates the natural wonders of the islands that we call home, revealing the surprising and dramatic habitats that exist right on our doorstep. The series features stunning footage, much of it shot on location in Scotland – here we highlight some Walkhighlands routes that may reveal the wildlife and landscapes seen in the first episode. Killer whales- Hermaness, Shetland Some of the most stunning scenes featured orca – killer whales. Although they can be seen in many places around the coast of northern Scotland, Shetland is their only UK breeding…

Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature, Our picks

The Hidden Fires: A Cairngorms Journey with Nan Shepherd

Posted on March 11, 2023 by Merryn Glover

Badenoch writer and wanderer, Merryn Glover’s new book, The Hidden Fires: A Cairngorms Journey with Nan Shepherd, is an exploration of both The Living Mountain text and the iconic range that inspired it. In this extract, she recounts her first time on Braeriach – the mountain that can be equally divine or devilish – with Shepherd and other legendary Cairngorms authors as invisible guides. The next time we could return to the plateau was 1 June and a day at the opposite end of the weather spectrum, one that Shepherd would call ‘delectable as honey’. This time we were on…

Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature

Zahrah Mahmood named Ramblers’ Scotland president

Posted on March 4, 2023 by Paul Webster

Glasgow woman Zahrah Mahmood – known as ‘The Hillwalking Hijabi on Instagram – has today been named the new president of walking charity Ramblers Scotland. The 31-year-old chartered accountant is well known for championing diversity in the outdoors and climbing hills wearing her hijab head covering. She was interviewed on Walkhighlands in 2020. Zahrah, a Muslim woman of South Asian heritage, hopes to use the high-profile honorary role to break down barriers and encourage greater representation within the walking community. Zahrah said: “I feel honoured to be appointed to the role of president. I have high hopes for my appointment…

Posted in Magazine, News

The Horizontal Oak – Polly Pullar

Posted on March 2, 2023 by Polly Pullar

Growing up in a remote corner of the Scottish West Highlands, animals and nature have always been at the heart of Polly Pullar’s world. But an otherwise idyllic childhood was marred by family secrets which ultimately turned to tragedy. As her new book The Horizontal Oak is published, she tells us how the natural world has given her the strength to rebuild her life. There’s a single oak high on the flank of Ben Hiant, overlooking the Sound of Mull. I have known this resilient tree since my early childhood. It’s in a place I love very much. Massaged by…

Posted in Features, Magazine