Review: Osprey Tempest 30l women’s backpack

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Helen Webster

RRP Price: £100 Weight: 86g Osprey’s Tempest 30 litre pack has been my all-year rucksack of choice for the last 4 years, except when carrying a tent. It has seen me through numerous hill and lower level walks, my Munro compleation in the Skye Cuillin, a 10 day Tour de Mont Blanc, and a number of other Alpine hut trips and Scottish bothy multi-days involving walking and scrambling. Whilst it probably has a couple more years wear left, my old pack had abrasion holes in the bottom requiring DIY duct tape repairs and a few holes in the mesh on…

Posted in Gear reviews, Magazine, Rucksacks

Strathfarrar Winter Access Arrangements

Posted on October 30, 2017 by Helen Webster

November 1st marks the start of the winter vehicular access arrangements for Strathfarrar. Since 2014 vehicular access (anyone can walk or bike along the private road) is only permitted for Mountaineering Scotland members for the purpose of hillwalking or climbing. Everyone in the car must be a member and walkers and climbers are required to give details of their contact details and objectives for the day which will be passed onto the Glenavon and Braulen Estates who own the road in Strathfarrar. Access through the locked gate is not allowed before 8am. To get the combination for the padlocked gate…

Posted in Access issues, News

Heavy Whalley to deliver Mountain Aid ‘Step Up to Winter’ talks

Posted on October 29, 2017 by Helen Webster

Mountain Aid have announced Heavy Whalley as speaker for their Step up to Winter talks series which will be held this November in Dumbarton, Kilmarnock, Dumfries and Cupar. Heavy was a member of the RAF Mountain Rescue team for 36 years and has been involved in over 1000 Mountain and over 80 Aircraft incidents in mountainous areas. He will present an evening of winter walking tales and tips that will leave you ready to get out into the hills this winter. The talks are open to all, and free of charge thanks to funding from Mountain Aid. No advance booking…

Posted in News

Noup Head photo on Walkhighlands inspires new Dundee V&A

Posted on October 28, 2017 by Paul Webster

A photograph taken by Phil Turner for Walkhighlands has been revealed as helping to inspire the design of the new V&A building in Dundee. The photograph was originally taken by Phil when researching the Walkhighlands route at Noup Head on Westray in the Orkney Islands. The internationally renowned architect of V&A Dundee – Kengo Kuma – revealed that the photograph helped inspire the building during a short documentary. The photo can be seen in the video below at 2m19s. The new V&A building – costing £80.1 million – is the centrepiece of Dundee’s Waterfront and is set to open in…

Posted in Magazine, News, Walkhighlands news

Mountain bothy book that might save a life

Posted on October 26, 2017 by Helen Webster

If you chance upon one of the 103 bothies in Great Britain that are maintained by the Mountain Bothies Association you might find a new book hidden amongst the mountain shelters – a 66-page newsprint publication that might just save a life – even if it means setting fire to it. 46 artists and writers, led by Edward Summerton, Senior Lecturer at the University’s Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, have created 200 copies of ‘Shelter Stone: The Artist and the Mountain’ and dispersed it among bothies and shelters in England, Scotland and Wales, as well as Iceland…

Posted in News

Clock change increases deer risk on roads

Posted on October 26, 2017 by Paul Webster

As the clocks turn back this weekend, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is warning motorists that collisions between deer and vehicles peak at this time of year. With night falling earlier, the peak commuting time coincides with deer coming out to feed on grass verges near roadsides. Because of this, SNH – in conjunction with Transport Scotland and Traffic Scotland – are placing warning messages on electronic variable messaging signs (VMS). From Monday, 30 October to Monday, 20 November, the signs will warn motorists at key locations on the main trunk roads. These messages will be seen on signs on the…

Posted in News

Deaths of captured Beauly beavers prompt calls for protection

Posted on October 24, 2017 by Helen Webster

Reacting to news that two beavers trapped near Beauly have died in captivity, Trees for Life Chief Executive Steve Micklewright said, “We are deeply saddened that the Beauly family of beavers has now been split up and two of them have died in captivity.” Mr Micklewright added, “Beavers have been in the area for 5-8 years with no local concerns or controversy. Many people had no idea they were there.” Beavers have recently been recognised by the Scottish government as a native species. Mr Micklewright added, “Native species require protection. The government should have explored all other options before trapping…

Posted in Nature

Caterans, Cowboys and Cushion-covers

Posted on October 22, 2017 by Linda Cracknell

At the end of our first day on the Cateran Trail in August 2013, a friend and I found our way to a large plastic-wood bar at the Spittal of Glenshee Hotel. A cavernous room was crowded with families, runners, walkers, and middle-aged driving tourists. Propping up the bar, an ageing cowboy jangled his spurs, raised his hat to us, and began telling us the long story of his broken back. ‘Where’s your horse?’ I asked, only half-joking. I imagined riding the route we’d just taken from Kirkmichael, climbing from Enochdu to pass the wooden hut where Queen Victoria had…

Posted in Features, Magazine

Paving Paradise

Posted on October 15, 2017 by David Lintern

David Lintern visits the site of a proposed housing development in the Cairngorms National Park. In August this year, the Cairngorm National Park Authority approved ‘in principle’ plans for up to 1500 houses and associated infrastructure near Aviemore. It’s a plan that has been bubbling away for a number of years and might do so for a few more yet – and it’s very controversial, encapsulating as it does some of Scotland’s more difficult discussions around wildlife management, land reform and housing. One Monday afternoon, soon after the approval of the new plans, a friend and I went to see…

Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature

Environment and outdoor groups call for safeguards for mountain hares

Posted on October 13, 2017 by Helen Webster

A coalition of ten environmental and outdoor organisations have repeated their appeal to the Scottish Government to introduce urgent safeguards for mountain hare populations. The group – which includes the John Muir Trust, Mountaineering Scotland and the RSPB – is asking for a temporary ban on all mountain hare culling on grouse moors until measures are put in place to ensure their numbers can remain at acceptable, sustainable levels. The Scottish Government has a duty to maintain mountain hare populations in a state of good health, otherwise it may be in breach of its legally binding international obligations for this…

Posted in Nature