The Angus Glens Walking Festival has launched its online booking system for the 2013 event. The four day walking festival, which is in it’s 11th year, is being held from Thursday 30 May to Sunday 2 June, and offers a programme of 27 walks suitable for different abilities. The walks are graded from ‘easy’ to ‘extremely strenuous’ so participants can choose walks best suited to their fitness and ability. There are also three all ability walks which are on level, well maintained paths which are suitable for wheelchairs. “Our walk leaders and Countryside Rangers have been working hard to put together a fantastic programme of walks for…

Police are investigating after a climber died during an operation to rescue him on Ben Nevis. Mark Phillips aged 51 from Spean Bridge, had fallen approximately 50m while climbing in the Raeburn’s Buttress area on the north face of the mountain on Monday (24 Feb). It is understood that he sustained serious injuries during the fall but was still attached to the rope and his climbing partner who was able to call the rescue services. A helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth and the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team attended the scene and at some point during the operation to try and airlift…

Daniel Smith has become the youngest person to climb all the Munros. The nine year old from Glasgow climbed his way into the record books with his final Munros yesterday (Saturday 23 February) Stuchd an Lochan and Meall Buidhe. Recent years have seen a flurry of young walkers tackling mountain challenges. Last year Ben Fleetwood from Cumbria became the youngest person to scale all the Munros, aged ten. He was quickly joined by ten year old Scottish twins Cliona and Nuala McCheyne from Dunoon. Nine year old Daniel started walking with his father Mark in the Campsies and climbed his…

With Scotland’s hills and mountains currently at their most beautiful and most challenging, mountaineering bodies today (21 February) have issued the following joint safety reminder, emphasising the need for preparation before heading out into the mountains. “Whether you’re out walking or attempting a technical climb, the presence of snow and ice adds an extra dimension to the risks and rewards of a day spent in our wildest environments. The primary consideration of every expedition, whatever the season, should always be a safe return. But conditions in winter make particular demands: shorter days, low temperatures and conditions underfoot which can quickly…