Osprey egg laid as centre gets power

Posted on April 17, 2010 by Helen Webster

Staff at Loch Garten RSPB reserve were celebrating the first egg laid by the returning female osprey as work is completed on providing a secure power supply to the centre. The osprey, called EJ, has laid an egg after returning to the reserve near Aviemore for an eighth season. The bird’s partner, named Odin, has been bringing a regular supply of fish to the nest. Visitors to this osprey stronghold will benefit from an unrivalled experience after £63,000 funding by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). The backing will provide the Abernethy National Nature Reserve (NNR) with a new mains power supply.…

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40 day Munro record attempt for JMT

Posted on April 8, 2010 by Helen Webster

Later this month hill runner Stephen Pyke will set off on an attempt to complete a continuous round of the Munros in under 40 days, raising awareness for the John Muir Trust as he goes. There have been a number of continuous rounds of the Munros since Hamish Brown first achieved the feat entirely on foot in the summer of 1974. The fastest round was set by Charlie Campbell in 2000 who climbed all 284 Munros in just 49 days – averaging a marathon a day whilst climbing more than 10,000ft! Stephen’s aim is to complete a round of the…

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Rum land transfer complete

Posted on April 7, 2010 by Helen Webster

Islanders on the small isle of Rum have taken over ownership of 160 acres and houses in the main settlement, Kinloch. As the culmination of a 10 year negotiation and transfer plan, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has moved assets it owned on the isle, worth an estimated £257,000, to a community trust owned and run by the islanders. Residents had voted in favour of community ownership last January and Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham has welcomed the deal, calling it a new dawn for the island. The islanders plan to implement a long term strategy for developing the community and the…

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Escaped wolf back in captivity

Posted on April 6, 2010 by Helen Webster

A wolf that escaped from her enclosure at the Highland Wildlife Park in Strathspey has been recaptured. The alarm was raised at about 4pm today (Tues 6 April) when the only wolf remaining at the Park escaped. The animal was recaptured after she entered an empty enclosure and was shot with a tranquiliser gun about an hour later. The Royal Zoological Society, which owns the park, said visitors were kept away from the area and were not in any danger and that Park staff were aware of the escaped wolf’s location at all times. It is understood that recent cold…

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Tragedy for Glencoe kayak group

Posted on April 6, 2010 by Helen Webster

Police have confirmed that a body has been recovered following an extensive search for a missing kayaker in Glencoe. The woman, who is in her early 20s and from the north of England, was on a kayaking trip with friends when she capsized and was swept away. Rescue teams and a Royal Navy helicopter were called out this morning (Tues 6 April) after initial attempts by the woman’s companions failed. It is understood that the incident happended on the River Coe fairly near the Clachaig Inn. Police released a statement at 5:30pm saying that a body had been found but…

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Hill Tracks Campaign secures debate

Posted on April 6, 2010 by Helen Webster

The Hill Tracks Campaign has now secured a parliamentary debate on the issue scheduled for June 9th. The campaign is seeking to introduce controls on tracks being bulldozed across wild land in Scotland. The significance of securing a debate is that the Minister responsible has to come to the floor of Parliament to reply to the debate and brings into public their current thinking on the issue. The campaign, which was the brainchild of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, has so far gathered over 1500 signatures on a petition and secured the support of the John Muir Trust, the Scottish…

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Walkhighlands offers free maps as OS backs out

Posted on April 1, 2010 by Helen Webster

This morning the Ordnance Survey will unveil their much heralded free maps for anyone to use. However, the move is set to disappoint walkers as the 1:25 000 and 1:50 000 maps which were suggested as being made free in the consultation have been excluded and remain Crown Copyright. The Ramblers Association was reported in the Guardian as expressing disappointment that the popular walkers’ maps have been omitted from the maps made free. Walkhighlands co-founder Paul Webster said “We think these maps should be available free to everyone. Walking has enormous benefits, whether to the nation’s health or to the…

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In Pinn destroyed during snow-storm

Posted on April 1, 2010 by Helen Webster

NOTE: This story was an April Fool – the In Pinn still remains – happy climbing. Scotland’s hardest Munro, the Inaccessible Pinnacle on the Isle of Skye, is no more after collapsing yesterday in a gigantic rockfall as the Cuillin were swept by hurricane force winds and blizzard conditions. The news broke yesterday evening after an ascent of Sgurr Dearg in appalling weather conditions by one of the island’s mountain guides. Walkers are warned to avoid the An Stac screes above Coire Lagan – and the former ramp that ran along the side of the pinnacle – both of which…

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Snow stops Loch Garten Osprey watchers

Posted on March 31, 2010 by Helen Webster

Heavy snow in Badenoch and Strathspey means that the Loch Garten Osprey centre is unlikely to open for viewing as planned tomorrow (1 April). Although EJ, the female Osprey, returned to the nest site recently, 60cm of fresh snow, means that she has sought shelter elsewhere and that visitors are unlikely to be able to make it safely to the viewing area. Although the RSPB plans to try and open the site, it is recommending that visitors postpone their visit to leave time for car parks and roads to be cleared. The same advice applies to the popular Caper-Watch which…

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Ice Axes on Eurostar

Posted on March 30, 2010 by Helen Webster

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) has clarified the procedure that mountaineers need to follow if they wish to travel with ice tools on Eurostar trains. Eurostar has a policy of not allowing certain items that could be used as weapons within the cabin baggage carried by passengers. The following section is from the “Prohibited Items” section of their website: “Any article which is inherently dangerous or which could be used to commit an act of violence or threat will also not be allowed. For example items such as imitation, replica or toy guns, ice axes, household cutlery, camping tools,…

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