A proposed trail across Mull would attract new visitors to the island and could bring almost £1m a year into the local economy, according to a report published today (Monday 31 March) by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). The route would create a visitor attraction unique to the island and encourage visitors to stay longer and spend more. It would also create opportunities to develop accommodation along the way and a wide range of other services matched to visitor needs, such as cafes, cycling supply shops and baggage transfer services. If well designed and with the right services in place, the…

The first puffins have already started to arrive at the popular Isle of May national nature reserve, as it gears up for visitors this year, beginning 3 April. The island is renowned for its bird populations, its seals, its history and its carpets of flowers. The reserve, at the mouth of the Forth, has a boat service from Fife and East Lothian during the visitor season. David Pickett, the Isle of May reserve manager, said: “The Isle of May is a wonderful place to see seabirds and seals – and it’s certainly the best place in Scotland to see puffins.…

Writers with a taste for the high life are being sought by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland for its long running literary competition. The MCofS Mountain Writing Competition 2014 seeks out the best in mountain writing, whether fact or fiction, prose or poetry. Entries should have some connection with mountains and mountaineering, rock or ice climbing, walking or ski-mountaineering, and winners will receive a cash prize and the chance to see their entries in print in the Scottish Mountaineer, the quarterly MCofS magazine which goes out to its more than 12,000 members. The first placed winners in prose and poetry…