Scottish Marilyns now on Walkhighlands

Posted on December 20, 2009 by Helen Webster

Know your Marilyns from your Munros? Walkhighlands has now added all the Scottish Marilyns under 2000 feet so you can write trip reports and record them on your logger or bagger’s map. The Marilyns are the relative hills, those with 150 metres of descent all the way round and were devised by Alan Dawson. No one has yet claimed to have climbed them all. As well as plenty of popular hills such as Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, the list also includes some difficult summits in St Kilda, such as Boreray, Stac Lee and Stac an Armin. Click here to go…

Posted in Walkhighlands news

Wolf Plan takes step forward

Posted on December 18, 2009 by Helen Webster

Paul Lister has taken the next step in his plans to brings wolves to his Scottish estate. The Northern Times reports that Alladale Estate manager Hugh Fullerton-Smith has announced his intention to apply to the local authority for a zoo licence. The controversial project on the Alladale Estate have already seen European elk and wild boar being kept in enclosures on the estate near near Ardgay. If granted, the proposed zoo licence would allow the estate to add wildcat and wolves to those animals. Whilst these creatures have not lived wild in Scotland for thousands of years, the Alladale plans…

Posted in Access issues, Nature

Avalanche Warning Service Starts Today

Posted on December 17, 2009 by Helen Webster

The SportScotland Avalanche Information Service starts publishing its detailed reports for the Scottish Mountains today (Thurs 17 Dec). The five mountain areas covered are North Cairngorms, South Cairngorms, Lochaber, Creag Meagaidh and Glencoe. Each report covers snow, avalanche, and climbing conditions. The reports are available from the website or via mobile phone and are in a slightly different format from previous years. The SAIS is also asking any walkers or climbers who see an avalanche to report it to them. This can be done on line from the SAIS website As well as the forecasts, the website also contains a…

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Red squirrel strongholds get go ahead

Posted on December 15, 2009 by Helen Webster

The Forestry Commission in Scotland will set up and manage 18 stronghold sites that will help safeguard the country’s surviving red squirrel population. Welcoming the announcement, Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham said, “Red squirrels are an important and high-profile part of Scotland’s biodiversity so it is crucial that we do what we can to safeguard their long-term survival. It is not enough to simply control grey squirrels. We also need to ensure that we protect and manage those habitats that allow red squirrels to thrive but which are unappealing for greys.” “The backing and support of landowners means that we can…

Posted in Nature

Bulldozed tracks threat raised at Holyrood

Posted on December 13, 2009 by Helen Webster

Ugly and environmentally damaging hill tracks are constructed every year with no requirement that they are considered through the planning system, say the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS). Beautiful wild areas, iconic for Scotland’s residents and visitors, are being blighted by these uncontrolled eyesores. The national importance of this has finally come to the notice of the Scottish Parliament after the issue was raised by Peter Peacock MSP in response to the MCofS highlighting the incremental reduction in wild areas. Government figures show that between 2002 and 2005, the area of Scotland unaffected by views of man-made developments fell from…

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Not too late to save the Birks of Aberfeldy

Posted on December 5, 2009 by Helen Webster

The Birks of Aberfeldy, one of the most popular and beautiful short woodland walks in the Highlands, are under threat from a hydro scheme. The stunning steep-sided and birch-clad ravine and its impressive falls were celebrated in a ballad by none other than Robbie Burns himself, but this hasn’t prevented the approval of plans which could reduce the flow of the Moness Burn and its falls to a trickle. But the developers need a lease from the Aberfeldy Common Good Fund Committee – a committee of local councillors, who will be meeting to decide the fate of the falls on…

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Walkhighlands scoops top Awards

Posted on December 4, 2009 by Helen Webster

Online start-up Walkhighlands.co.uk has walked away with both the Tourism Award and the trophy for the Overall Winner at the Herald Digital Business Awards. The awards were presented on Friday 4 December at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow, by David Milne, the Digital Editor at the Herald and Times Newspaper Group. The judges said that the panel was unanimous in its decision to declare Walkhighlands the overall winner across all business sectors, despite fierce competition from some of Scotland’s biggest digital media companies. Walkhighlands won the award for being able to demonstrate how digital technologies help attract more visitors to…

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Walkhighlands up for Herald Digital Awards

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Helen Webster

The Walkhighlands website has been shortlisted for the Herald Digital Business Awards – having made it through to the final two in the Tourism category. The winners, chosen by a judging panel headed by David Milne, editor of HeraldScotland, will be announced on Friday 4th December. These exciting new awards are to recognise businesses from all sectors that have seized the opportunities offered by digital technologies to drive success and competitive advantage. They are a chance to celebrate Scotland’s digital success stories.

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The Long Drive In?

Posted on November 28, 2009 by Helen Webster

Walkers and climbers are being asked if vehicle access should be allowed over certain Government-owned tracks, ending long walks to the start of ascents and crags. The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) has been asked to comment on allowing vehicles on the approach track for Ben Dearg near Ullapool and five tracks in Galloway. The MCofS has traditionally not been in favour of opening up access on tracks to cars and other vehicles, preferring the idea of the “long walk in”. The MCofS is asking if climbers and walkers are now generally in favour of opening up access to these…

Posted in Access issues

Free Castle Visits this Weekend

Posted on November 27, 2009 by Helen Webster

To celebrate the end of the Year of Homecoming, Historic Scotland is flinging open the doors of over 40 properties, free of charge, this weekend. The weekend of 28 and 29 November, just before St Andrew’s Day, has been chosen to give everyone the chance to enjoy these historic buildings and sites for free. The attractions included in the free weekend include the fascinating Dallas Dhu Distillery in Morayshire, Edinburgh Castle (which will also be open free on St Andrew’s Day), Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness, and Iona Abbey. A full list of the participating properties can be found at…

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