Our Pick: walks from the Snow Roads

Posted on July 15, 2017 by Paul Webster

The Snow Roads is a 90 mile scenic route from Blairgowrie in Perthshire to Grantown-on-Spey in the Highlands. It includes the highest public road in Britain as well as several other passes which may be familiar through their regular mentions in winter traffic reports – as this is the snowiest part of the UK. The Snow Roads can be used as a superb touring route in its own right, or as an approach to the incredibly popular NC500 route around the northern Highlands. Although the distance means that the Snow Roads can easily be driven in a day, to do…

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Threat to new beaver family in the Highlands of Scotland

Posted on July 13, 2017 by Paul Webster

A family of beavers found living on a river in the Beauly area in the Scottish Highlands are to be trapped and put into captivity following a decision by Scottish Government Ministers. Trees for Life, the charity which discovered the group, says the family should either stay where they are or be relocated locally. Film from camera traps set by the conservation experts from the charity in mid-June clearly show the presence of a mother and at least two young kits swimming and playing with their mum. Trees for Life shared news of the discovery with Scottish Natural Heritage and…

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Has this been a bad year for hay fever?

Posted on July 11, 2017 by Ben Dolphin

Of all the traumas that summer inflicts upon a pale, midge-and-tick-attracting ginger who is forced to skulk around in the shadows for months on end, hay fever is by far the worst. But while I’ve had my fair share of horrendous seasons in the 38 years since I was diagnosed I can’t remember experiencing anything quite like I’ve experienced this year. Is it just me or is 2017 a really bad year for hay fever? Given the individual nature of the condition I’m well aware that my own experience might not be representative, so I’ve resorted to one of my…

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Review: Mammut Runbold Trail SO Hooded Jacket Womens

Posted on July 8, 2017 by Helen Webster

RRP: £110 Weight: 365g This softshell from Mammut comes midway on the spectrum of these jackets that fill in the gap between seam-sealed waterproof hardshells and super-light windshirts. The Rab Runbold Trail SO is made from Mammut’s SOFtech fabric which in use proved itself able to withstand light showers whilst also offering some protection against wind. The soft feel on the inside makes it very comfortable to wear over a short sleeved base layer and the fabric is super stretchy giving loads of movement in the arms and also the neck when wearing the hood. Breathability is good and there…

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Review: AKU Alterra GTX walking boots

Posted on June 29, 2017 by Paul Webster

Recommended Price: £180 Weight: 670g AKU may be an unfamiliar brand name to UK walkers, but the Italian company has 30 years experience making boots. Although based in Treviso, Aku also have a second production base in Romania where these Alterra GTX boots are manufactured. AKU Alterra GTX boots are full-height boots that actually sit somewhere between the lightness and flexibility of trail shoes and the support of heavier boots. Much of the uppers are made from suede, with a stretchy synthetic material used for the ankle cuff and the tongue. This stretchiness means no tongue gusset is needed and…

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Our pick: Multi-Munro routes

Posted on June 28, 2017 by Helen Webster

If you are into bagging Munros, there’s nothing more satifying than completing a walk that includes several of the prized 282 summits. Not all Munros are equal, and whilst some solitary Munros involve a great deal of effort, there are many places around Scotland where you can tick off multiple Munros in a single day’s outing. Here’s our picks – including some real epics… The Ring of Steall The Ring of Steall is one of Scotland’s great classic hillwalking days – a horseshoe of narrow ridges that takes in four Munros (though it used to be five before Sgor an…

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Growing in the Open Air

Posted on June 25, 2017 by Linda Cracknell

‘Now I see the secret of making the best persons, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.’ Walt Whitman ‘Here’s a question,’ the Geography teacher leading our group said. ‘How many words can we think of for the sound a burn makes?’ We now had something to focus on as 14 teenagers and four adults picked our way silently up a steep section of the burn from the shore of Loch an Daimh (Glen Lyon) towards the corrie where we’d eventually find Lochan na Cat reflecting a bright disc of blue,…

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Schiehallion helps launch charity appeal

Posted on June 23, 2017 by Helen Webster

The John Muir Trust hosted a family day on Schiehallion last week to launch an appeal to raise more than £500,000 to help children with cancer in Scotland. Professor Brenda Gibson launched the Schiehallion Appeal last weekend by leading a group of patients and families to the top of Schiehallion. Organisers from Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity said, “It was a fantastic day and such an amazing experience to climb Schiehallion with children who have overcome cancer and their families. The John Muir Trust were a great help too, and had lots of activities at the foot of the hill for…

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Met Office enhances its mountain weather forecasts

Posted on June 22, 2017 by Helen Webster

The Met Office has today made major changes to its mountain weather forecasts. The new style forecasts divide Scotland’s mountains into five areas – Northwest Highlands, Southwest Highlands, North Grampians, South Grampians and Southeast Highlands, replacing the previous forecasts which featured only an east-west split. The details now include the percentage chance of cloud-free summits – similar to the Mountain Weather Information Service familiar to many – but also split the forecast into three hourly periods through the day, have traffic-light colour coding for weather hazards, and provide a summary forecast up to 5 days ahead. Richard Orrell of the…

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Study to assess damage to Scotland’s hills from bulldozed tracks

Posted on June 21, 2017 by Helen Webster

Conservation bodies are calling on outdoor enthusiasts to help them assess the damage caused to Scotland’s iconic mountains by controversial vehicle tracks. The Scottish Environment LINK Hilltracks group wants hill-goers to photograph or video any instances of upland tracks that are harming the landscape or environment. Anyone who comes across what they think might be a new or expanded track should email hilltracks@scotlink.org or tweet using hashtags #Hilltracks or #NoMotorsUpMountains. This evidence will help the group – which includes many of Scotland’s biggest outdoor and conservation organisations – compile a new report in spring 2018 into whether current legislation is…

Posted in Nature