Winter’s red deer deaths may balance population >>

Over the coming weeks and months, as the deepest Highland snowfields seen for decades steadily recede, there will be some sad sights in the glens. The ferocity of winter has been such that upland animal populations have taken a substantial hit, none more so than the red deer population. In mid-February, the BBC reported “fears that an entire generation... Read more

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High jinks over Sport Relief map of celebfest cycle >>

I’m curious about something and could do with a bit of help, if you have a spare minute or two (well, a minute or 30) in which to make a few calculations. Here’s what it is. The start of March saw a seven-strong bunch of celebs cycle from John o’ Groats to Land’s End to raise money for Sport Relief. The seven were Fearne Cotton, David Walliams,... Read more

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How the hardest climb in the country was conquered >>

By Colin Wells Fort William-based Dave MacLeod, currently the finest all-round climber in the UK, last week put up what is very likely to be the most technically difficult winter route in the country. MacLeod already held this title with his grade XI routes “The Hurting” in Coire an Lochain in the Cairngorms (a summer E4 rock climb) and... Read more

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Birds and beasts hail the two-faced season >>

It is still very much winter in Scotland, but conditions are starting to feel rather two-faced. The snow-and-ice-fest – now reckoned to be the most sustained since 1978/79 – is in no hurry to depart, especially in the uplands where the amount of snow lying in hollows and on west-facing slopes remains mightily impressive. At lower levels, however,... Read more

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Cairngorm funicular severely criticised by Public Audit Committee >>

A report by the Public Audit Committee at Holyrood, published today, has severely criticised the operation of the Cairngorm funicular railway. The funicular was opened under private management in 2001, but has had a complex and chequered history in terms of spiralling costs, underwhelming passenger numbers, quirky operating procedures and environmental... Read more

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Avalanche victims were with mountain guide company >>

The two men who died in last week’s avalanche on Buachaille Etive Mor were an instructor and a course member with Sheffield-based mountaineering company Jagged Globe. The names of the deceased are expected to be released later today. A second Jagged Globe client descended the hill safely. The party had reached the 1022-metre summit via a grade II... Read more

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A not-very-epic journey through the Drumochter pass >>

By Val Hamilton My husband and I were down south last week seeing family, and after waiting for more than 24 hours for the A9 at Drumochter to reopen on Friday we were expecting an epic journey home through whiteouts and towering cliffs of snow. Instead, even as we approached the summit of the pass, the tarmac was black. Both lanes were clear on the... Read more

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The delicate art of giving up and going home >>

Knowing when to give up and go home is among the most important skills in the outdoor world. It affects all activities – walking, climbing, caving, canoeing – and requires a mix of experience, self-awareness and the ability to convert ambition into humility. Give up too eagerly and you’ll miss some great days. Never give up at all and you might... Read more

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Awareness day for independent lifeboats >>

Today is Go Orange Day, an awareness-raising event for the 60 or so UK lifeboat stations that operate independently of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). A dozen of these are in Scotland, from Galloway to Shetland and including Loch Lomond (where a rescue boat has launched from Luss since 1977), and the Glasgow Humane Society, based on... Read more

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Two killed in Buachaille Etive Mor avalanche >>

Two men have been killed in an avalanche on Buachaille Etive Mor, the 1022-metre (3353ft) hill overlooking Rannoch Moor. The men – who have not yet been named – were caught in an avalanche around 4:45pm on Wednesday, February 24. Glencoe mountain rescue team attended, and recovered the bodies. A third man survived. There are good reports here, here... Read more

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