The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) – which represents Scotland’s hillwalkers and climbers – has called on John Swinney MSP to take action on an estate which is flouting Scotland's access laws. The MCofS has appealed to John Swinney – MSP for Perthshire North – after concluding that the local council has given up on the problem. For several years walkers in Perthshire’s beautiful Glen Lyon have faced locked gates, intimidating signs and abusive behaviour when venturing onto the North Chesthill Estate, Inverar. Reports of such problems have been made over a number of years to the access officer for…

Plans to create a wind farm on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park are being opposed by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS). The Nathro Hill wind farm, proposed for a site near Brechin, would be the largest wind farm in Angus and would affect views into the national park and from it. The developers had welcomed announcements that both the Ministry of Defence and RSPB Scotland had withdrawn their objections following assurances, but an addendum to the plan has not addressed the MCofS objections. The MCofS objection was lodged on the grounds that the proposed development of 17…

Avalanche forecasts for selected areas of the Scottish mountains start today (Thursday 12 December). Throughout the winter the sportscotland Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) will issue daily reports on the avalanche dangers in the most popular mountain areas, allowing mountaineers, ice climbers and off-piste skiers to make informed choices about where and whether to go. It means a dedicated band of avalanche experts going out every day, whatever the weather, to carry out assessments of the snow conditions in the Northern and Southern Cairngorms, Lochaber, Glen Coe and Creag Meagaidh. For the first time this year, they will also provide a…