WILD: Climbing all of Scotland’s Munros in a Single Winter

Posted on June 26, 2024 by Kevin Woods

In 2020 Kevin Woods become the third person to complete a round of the Munros in a single winter season, completing the round in the most unexpected of difficult circumstances. We’ve an extract from his new book on the round – WILD: Climbing all of Scotland’s Munros in a Single Winter. Day Off, 22 February In the small hours of the morning, I woke up to a singular deafening bang all around me in the van. I sat bolt upright, and still barely conscious, jumped out of bed and went to look out the window. Waking up fully, it wasn’t…

Posted in Features, Magazine

Our pick: 10 walks to tidal islands

Posted on June 16, 2024 by Helen Webster

Islands. For many people, there’s a special feeling when you leave the mainland behind. Usually this means taking a boat – but there are also many islands to which you can walk across the sands, a causeway, or stony shores at low tide. Look at the map and spot all those Isle Ornsays and Oronsays – the name comes from the old Norse Örfirisey meaning “tidal” or “ebb island”. The walks below require a little more planning than most – so make sure you check those tide tables carefully if you want to avoid becoming stranded. Vallay, North Uist, Outer…

Posted in Features, Magazine, Our picks

Scots pine: the sight, the sound and the smell

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Ben Dolphin

After a winter of relative dormancy while much of the natural world slumbers, our senses kick into high gear as the warmer months progress. The explosion of life and activity means there are many amazing sights, sounds and smells for us to take in. But while most species grab our attention via one or perhaps two of those senses, the scots pine manages to tantalise all three. The sight We all know what a splendid sight old scots pines are, with their scaly red bark and sprawling asymmetrical crowns, and we love them for it. Their gnarly, deep green beauty…

Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature

Common Ground: Grant Moir

Posted on June 6, 2024 by Paul Webster

In our Common Ground series of short interviews, we aim to find out what makes our fellow outdoor enthusiasts tick, the experiences they share and their hopes for the future. Our latest interviewee is Grant Moir, the Chief Executive of the Cairngorms National Park Authority, the UK’s largest National Park. Can you begin by telling us a bit about yourself and your background? I grew up in Scone just outside Perth and went to Aberdeen University (mainly to be close to the mountains and for the Dons season ticket) to study geography and history. Having the Cairngorms within an hour…

Posted in Common Ground interviews, Features, Magazine

Ben Nevis via the Arête and a Helicopter Rescue

Posted on June 2, 2024 by Helen Webster

May was a great walking month with lots of wonderful walk reports on the Walkhighlands forum as a result. Every month, two winning Walk Reports are chosen, with the winners taking £150 of vouchers to spend on outdoor gear at Highlander. The winning report is ChelseaMurray’s We done it!! an enthusiastic report of a great day on Ben Nevis tackling the summit via the Càrn Mòr Dearg Arête. Congratulations – a £100 voucher for outdoor gear from Highlander Outdoor is on its way to you. A £50 voucher is also on it’s way to Alan54 for A Great Day on Stob Bàn…before a…

Posted in Features, Magazine, News

North Face car park closed on weekdays from 3 June

Posted on May 29, 2024 by Paul Webster

The access track to the popular Ben Nevis North Face car park will be closed on weekdays from 3rd June, for a period of up to 10 days, for repairs. It will not be possible even for pedestrians to pass along the track when it is closed. Forestry and Land Scotland have confirmed that access to and use of the car park will still be possible at weekends. The car park is usually used by climbers and walkers visiting the North Face of Ben Nevis, or those intending to climb the mountain via the Càrn Mòr Dearg Arête. The ‘Mountain…

Posted in Access issues, Magazine, News, Walkhighlands news

Campaign to repair Scotland’s mountain paths raises £218,000 in first year

Posted on May 28, 2024 by Paul Webster

The “It’s Up to Us” campaign to help fund repairs to Scotland’s mountain paths has raised over £218,000 of its £300,000 target to help repair 3.2km of path on An Teallach. Path contractors have so far completed 340m of path building and maintenance work on the mountain, funded by the campaign and supported by a team of enthusiastic path maintenance volunteers. The three-year campaign, run by Mountaineering Scotland and the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland, has so far received generous donations from the Scottish Mountaineering Trust, European Outdoor Conservation Association, and other charitable trusts (£154,858), a major private donor (£25,000),…

Posted in Access issues, Magazine, News

Gear review: Day packs – 2024

Posted on May 14, 2024 by Helen Webster

With so many packs on the market it can be hard to choose. One of the main differences between them is the back system. Either a suspended system (sometimes called a trampoline system), which is cooler as it holds the pack away from the body but can feel less stable and have less packable space, or a contact back which does what it says on the tin and feels more stable but is sweatier, or some hybrid combination of the two. Design and comfort of shoulder and hip and chest belts as well as back length are important, especially if…

Posted in Gear reviews, Magazine, Rucksacks

Loch Cuaich (Quoich) road closure

Posted on May 7, 2024 by Paul Webster

Highland Council has issued a notice that the road up Glen Garry, passing Tomdoun and on to Kinloch Hourn is to be closed from Monday 13th May, until Friday 20th December. This affects a huge number of walking routes, including the Munros on either side of Loch Cuaich (formerly Quoich on maps), and road access to the Cape Wrath Trail at Kinloch Hourn. However, the closure order is only be in force between 9am and 12 noon, and 1pm to 3pm each day. We have been further been advised that SSE will only enforce on weekdays and will allow vehicles…

Posted in Access issues, Magazine, News

Common Ground: Linda Cracknell

Posted on May 6, 2024 by Helen Webster

Our latest Common Ground interviewee is Linda Cracknell, a Perthshire-based writer of both fiction and non-fiction. Linda was a columnist on Walkhighlands for several years, and also teaches creative writing. Her moving account of her walks retracing the footsteps of others – Doubling Back – is being republished by Saraband on Thursday 16th May; there will be a launch event in Aberfeldy on 23rd May. Can you begin by telling us a bit about yourself and your background? I grew up in Surrey and spent my teenage years escaping suburbia by pedalling out towards open heathland. While studying English literature…

Posted in Common Ground interviews, Features, Magazine