A diverse collection of mountain literature has made it onto the shortlist for this year’s Boardman Tasker award including the latest climbing books from Simon Yates and Andy Kirkpatrick. Chairman of the judging panel, Bernard Newman said, “This year we have had 22 entries for the award and generally this year the overall standard has been particularly high. The range of subject matter was as ever diverse and included biography, autobiography, fiction, historical material (Everest and K2 again well represented), travel and spiritual journeys.” The other two members of the judging panel are Lindsay Griffin and Shannon O’Donoghue and they…

The next couple of months sees many Scottish walking festivals taking place. Most are paid for events and bookings are now being taken for many of them. 2 – 8 Sept – Scottish Borders Walking Festival – friendly festival based around Eyemouth. 6 – 10 Sept – Tomintoul & Glenlivet Walking Festival – explore a corner of the Cairngorms. 8 -10 Sept – Torridon Walking Festival – Torridon Activities & Tiso join forces for these events. 15 – 17 Sept – Harris Mountain Festival – walks, hill race, kayaking and more. 13 – 16 Sept – Blairgowrie & East Perthshire…

Visitors to the Isle of May will see the light on September 1st and 2nd, with unique open days highlighting historic lighthouses. As part of the Fife Doors Open Days, the Isle of May lighthouse buildings will be open to visitors for only the second time in the island’s 370-year lighthouse history. Scotland’s oldest lighthouse, the Beacon, built in 1636, will be among the buildings to be open. The Lowlight, South Horn and the engine room will also be open. The Main Light is a castle-like lighthouse, designed by engineer Robert Stevenson in 1816. This spectacular lighthouse is listed as…

Following a number of incidents in recent months involving people walking on railway lines in the Highlands, the Police and Network Rail are warning walkers not to trespass on railway lines. In particular Network Rail say they have received a number of recent reports of trespass incidents in the vicinity of the start of the Ben Lui and Beinn a’Chleibh walk near the car park with one recent report involving a near miss. As a result the British Transport Police have raised concerns about hillwalkers crossing the railway on this route and more generally about the dangers of trespassing on…