walkhighlands

Historic Ballater bridge reopens

Polhollick Footbridge, an important link on the Seven Bridges walk near Ballater, has reopened following major repairs.

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Posted in Access issues, Magazine, News

Gear review – Alpkit Phantac down jacket

I’ve been testing the revamped 2019 version of Alpkit’s Phantac down jacket, which is designed to keep you really toasty whilst keeping weight low.

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Posted in Gear reviews, Jackets, Magazine

Fort William Mountain Festival 2019 programme announced

The Fort William Mountain Festival 2019 programme has been announced with a mix of inspiring presentations, world-class film screenings, mountain skills workshops and exhibitions, to be held from Wednesday 20 to Sunday 24 February 2019. Rod Pashley, Chairman of The Highland Mountain Culture Association, organisers of the Fort William Mountain Festival, said: “Celebrating the wild landscape that surrounds us in Fort William and Lochaber is the inspiration behind the Mountain Festival. The mountains and glens influence our culture in many ways, whether it is the beauty of the landscape, our engagement with it or the opportunities we find in it.

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Posted in News

Dates released for Banff Mountain Film tour

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is celebrating its 10th year of touring the UK and Ireland, bringing over 100 adrenaline-packed shows to almost 60 venues from January – May 2019. Scottish dates are first, kicking off in Edinburgh on 19 January and then showing at Glasgow, Stirling, Inverness and finally Pitlochry on 2 February. The Tour features two different collections of brand-new films from the world’s most intrepid filmmakers, starring pioneers and explorers tackling extraordinary expeditions in the wildest corners of the planet. “We’re thrilled to have reached 10 years of bringing the Banff Mountain Film Festival World

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Posted in Magazine, News

Kinloch Hourn Road to remain closed until mid-2019

Highland Council has confirmed that the road to Kinloch Hourn is not likely to be re-opened until the middle of 2019 following a massive landslip in November. The road gives access to a number of Munros and Corbetts as well as the path to Barrisdale Bay from Kinloch Hourn. Over nine thousand tonnes of soil and rock swept down the slope just before the Loch Quoich dam on 10 November blocking the Glen Garry road that leads to Kinloch Hourn. The landslip took out the main power supply to Skye and most of the island was without power for a

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Posted in Access issues, Magazine, News

Gear review: Walking socks

For most walkers socks are one of the most important but least considered items of kit. With us for every step of the way…

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Posted in Accessories, Gear reviews, Magazine

John Allen – 35 years of mountain rescue

David Lintern interviews John Allen to ask – what has changed for hillgoers and the civilian rescue service, and what is the same?

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Posted in Features, Magazine

More Scots heading to the great outdoors

Visits to the outdoors have hit record levels in Scotland, a new survey suggests…

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Posted in Access issues, Magazine, News

Discovering the natural world – to infinity and beyond!

My fleece trousers and woolly hat insulated me from the first icy breath of winter but it was still cold at the loch’s edge. I’d been sitting there for an hour, having deliberately got up before sunrise to see some geese. That probably sounds underwhelming but these were pink-footed geese. I’ve written about them before so won’t go into the ecology, but suffice to say they spend winter here in enormous numbers and their daily morning exodus is worth setting the alarm for. While listening to the geese waking up and readying themselves for departure, the first rays of sunshine

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Posted in Features, Magazine

Gear Review: Alpkit Keeshond women’s fleece

Recommended Price: £55 Weight: 410g (size 10) This is a very warm and comfortable fleece from Alpkit. Most of the material is a high pile, fluffy fabric, with a much stretchier gridded fleece down the sides including armpits and around the cuffs. This combination seems to work well, with reasonably good wicking properties. A single chunky full-length front zip has a baffle behind it and there are two generous non-zipped hand warmer pockets. A smaller Napolean pocket at the chest will take a mobile phone or GPS but I don’t find this the most comfortable place to store these items,

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Posted in Gear reviews, Midlayers


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You should always carry a backup means of navigation and not rely on a single phone, app or map. Walking can be dangerous and is done entirely at your own risk. Information is provided free of charge; it is every walker's responsibility to check it and to navigate safely.