I have always been concerned about the need to protect the environment and preserve nature for the benefit of plants and wildlife, and sometimes humans.

But I never thought of myself as an eco-warrior, until now.

About 18 months ago my friend and I decided to launch a campaign to save a patch of land where we live in Linlithgow, West Lothian. It had been a sand quarry until 2000 and since then the owners, Cemex, had planted loads of trees which encouraged a good degree of re-wilding. Locals and visitors alike enjoy walking, cycling and swimming in a tree-fringed lagoon, created as a result of the quarrying. There is also the chance for bird-spotting while enjoying the banks of the River Avon.

However, Cemex have the land up for sale to property developers – despite the local council designating the land as not for housing, they were over-ruled by the Scottish Government (it seems the need for luxury housing supersedes nature).

We wanted to do something but didn’t like the idea of being a “proper” campaign, ie “constituted” with secretaries, board members etc. We just wanted to do our bit.

So, with the help of planning experts in the town, and the community council, we have prepared objections to stop any housebuilder bringing in the diggers.

But we are realistic and accept that will only delay the builders as the Scottish Government are usually on their side if they appeal a local decision.

So, we have brought in biodiversity experts from universities, and the council. This means we can collect the data needed to prove that the site is technically worthy of a designation which would stop buildings – a Local Nature Reserve would be great, if we find a great-crested newt, a Site of Special Scientific Interest would be even better.

We have the support of lots of people in the town, using social media to spread the word, and best of all – posters.

Another friend designed posters which it has been my task to put up around the town, inviting folk to download a QR code to an app where they can record all the brilliant things in nature you can see in Kettil’stoun Woodland, by the Avon Lagoon and down to the river. This data helps the scientists do their research, which in turn helps us prove the site deserves to be properly protected.

When your head is fuzzy and full of too much stuff at the end of a day’s work, going and doing something positive is a great antidote. And there is nothing better for me than putting up the posters.

It means I get to walk around the beautiful site, speak to people who stop to ask what I am doing (usually leaving them fully signed up to our aims) and have a feeling that I am “doing my bit”.

For me, being an eco-warrior is not about chaining myself to trees or causing disruption, it is about doing the best I can to help preserve nature for the benefit of all. And posters are the best bit.

Find out more about our campaign at our Facebook page

The post Being an eco-warrior is great – and posters are the best bit appeared first on Walking Scotland.

A version of this article first appeared in The Scots Magazine in July 2022 and a walk here appears in my latest book for Luath – highlandwalks

For just over 14 miles Loch Ericht lies nestled in a great gouge through the Grampian Mountains, created by a huge glacier retreating at the end of the Ice Age.

Other than Munro-baggers and climbers, however, it is largely unfrequented compared to other more “famous” lochs such as Ness, Lomond or Tay. It is though worth a visit for tranquillity amid some of the grandest scenery in the Highlands.

The first thing that strikes you as you reach its north eastern tip near Dalwhinnie is the great, looming mass of Ben Alder. This isolated mountain was used by Robert Louis Stevenson in Kidnapped when David Balfour and Alan Breck Stewart hid there. In real life it is said Bonnie Prince Charlie also used it as a place of refuge following the Battle of Culloden – as with the characters in the novel he was believed to have been helped by clan chief Cluny MacPherson.

Ben Alder is usually climbed in a two-day expedition involving much exertion. However, an exploration of the loch shore via a well-made track along the north west side can be as short or long as you like and with mountain bikes can be made longer. (But always remember that you have to come back as far as you have ventured.)

A good aim is the five miles to Ben Alder Lodge (so, ten miles there and back). But much closer – in fact it is only about an hour there and back on foot – is The Shieling, a kind of gatehouse to the Ben Alder Estate and a perfect destination for a family wander. Just above it is a picnic table at a great viewpoint which makes a brilliant stopping point for lunch. And the forest behind is ideal for a game of hide and seek, just don’t go too far uphill and get so hidden you become lost!

Note that the level crossing near Dalwhinnie Railway Station – typically used to access the loch – has been closed by Network Rail until further notice. A diversion is in place beginning from a track which starts along the road, next to the village’s petrol station. This leads down to the loch and bears right to reach the shore.

The post HIDDEN SCOTLAND – Loch Ericht, nr Dalwhinnie appeared first on Walking Scotland.

A version of this article appeared in The Scots Magazine in May 2022

Scotland has an amazing coastline and some of the most stunning beaches in the world – yes, the world. It might not be as warm as some places people jet off to but staycationers and visitors are treated to some wonderful stretches of sand, backed by rugged landscapes.

As a result, some places can get busy, especially in holiday periods, so it is always good to know of an out of the way place where the scenery is top class but the number of people is low. And remember, a beach in winter is a wonderful place when high winds and rough seas allow the wilder side of nature to be observed.

Lunan Bay on the coast of Angus is just such a place. It is a huge expanse of sand stretching two miles between low cliffs, backed by sand dunes and the ruins of a 12th century castle which was built to repel Norsemen. The invaders landed here in 1010 and went on to sack Dundee which led to the fortification being built for King William (the Lion) of Scotland. Things are more tranquil now but there are still plenty of activities to enjoy.

As with any beach, it is perfect for a visit with a bucket and spade and a bit of a paddle. Because of its size, there will always be a quiet spot to build the best sandcastle ever seen.

Others may prefer to explore the little caves at the base of rocky cliffs at the north end (take care to avoid an incoming tide). Another activity is to hunt for semi-precious stones and agates which are found around here, especially after a storm has blown away the top layer of sand.

Then there is the wildlife. Gannets, terns, mergansers, long-tailed ducks, scoters, red-throated divers, cormorants, and shags can all be seen here while in the water you may spot a bottlenose dolphin or a porpoise. Also in the water are surfers – even in winter they brave the icy temperatures to catch a good wave.

So if you are looking for a beautiful, quiet beach with plenty to keep you occupied, give Lunan Bay a go.

The post HIDDEN SCOTLAND – Lunan Bay, Angus appeared first on Walking Scotland.

A version of this article appeared in The Scots Magazine in March 2022

After more than a year of waiting for the right conditions, Sir Chris Bonington and his partner Ian Clough embarked on the toughest challenge they had ever attempted.

They were to become the first Brits to complete the perilous route of more than 5,000ft up the North Wall of the Eiger.

Bivouacking overnight on the face, they eventually made it to the summit of a mountain Bonington describes in his book Ascent as “an amphitheatre that focuses all your fears”.

But with the laidback attitude found in many elite climbers he recalls the events of 60 years ago: “It was very much a snatched opportunity. I had made several earlier attempts but for one reason or another had turned back.

“This time the conditions seemed perfect and so at the end of the season I persuaded Ian Clough to go with me and it all went amazingly smoothly.

“We had been climbing all that summer and as a result I was physically fit and acclimatised.”

The Eiger has been called the “Killer Mountain” and two other climbers died on the same day. And, Ian Clough, a Yorkshireman, was to die in 1970 on an expedition to the South Face of Annapurna in the Himalayas. It was led by Bonington and he would later describe him as “the kindest and most selfless partner I ever had”.

But it was not the biggest event of that year for Sir Chris – he met his wife Wendy at a 12th night party and they married in the May, he then gave up a lucrative job with Unilever to pursue his love of climbing.

His career in mountaineering opened up after the climb up the North Wall of the Eiger; Bonington says it was the largest media coverage he ever received for a climb, including the successful expedition to Everest which he led in 1975 when Doug Scott and Dougal Haston became the first Brits to reach that summit.

His love of climbing began when he was 16 and still at school in London. In those early years he hitchhiked all the way Scotland, eager to find rock faces, crags and boulders to test out his growing skills, meeting for the first time Hamish MacInnes, who was rather suspicious of the young lad from Hampstead. They would however go on to team up on climbs across the world, as well as pioneering some routes on Buachaille Etive Mor above Glencoe

It wasn’t long before he looked further afield and started to explore the Alps. And by 1960, now commissioned in the Royal Tank Regiment, he was in the Himalayas, a member of the Joint British-Indian-Nepalese Services Expedition and part of team which made the first ascent of Annapurna II (7,937 metres).

The 1975 Everest expedition was one of the most notable achievements of Bonington’s life, even though he didn’t make the top because storms had left the mountain prone to avalanche when his summit team was due to climb up. The worldwide coverage did, however, cement his place among the climbing greats, alongside Dougal Haston from Currie near Edinburgh and Doug Scott from Nottingham. Bonington had climbed with Haston before, notably on an expedition up the South Face of Annapurna in 1970, when Ian Clough lost his life. After Haston died in a ski-ing accident in 1977 Bonington said he acutely felt his loss “as a good friend and like-minded climbing partner”.

Although he hadn’t managed to reach the summit he would return to Everest with a Norwegian expedition in 1985 and stand on top of the world.

His love of Scotland continued from those early years and he has climbed across the country. He says: “It’s where I do a lot of my climbing for the sheer fun and thrill of it, and because the Highlands have such scale and beauty with their sea lochs and variety of mountains.”

But he is perhaps best known for making the first ascent of the of The Old Man of Hoy, off Orkney, in 1966 with Scottish climber Tom Patey and Rusty Baillie. He describes it as “the most remarkable sea stack in the British Isles”.

He returned the following year with a large team of climbers for a live television broadcast, with the filming led by Hamish MacInnes – his climbing by now had made him a star of the times.

But maybe the most difficult time he had was when he returned once more to celebrate his 80th birthday – again with a TV film crew. He describes it as “challenging”, adding: “I had hoped to lead at least one pitch but in the event was very glad to have a top rope all the way up. I don’t think I shall be tempted to try again for my 90th!”

Although he found that climb, and others, difficult, he is not someone who worries about fear too much. He says: “If there is a crisis whilst climbing you are too busy getting out of it and staying alive to be scared because it’s important that you stay cool. Fear is a very healthy response and feeling because it reminds you that it is dangerous and therefore important to stay cool.”

Bonington is still climbing at the age of 87 (he is 88 in August 2022). Much of his time is also taken up with charity work, including Community Action Nepal, which helps mountain communities in the country, and the MND Association. His first wife, Wendy, died of motor neurone disease in 2014 and he says the charity gave her “a huge amount of support”.

EIGER FACTFILE

The Eiger, meaning ogre, is a 3,967-metre peak in the Swiss Alps.

The first people to reach the top were Swiss guides Christian Almer and Peter Bohren and Irishman Charles Barrington. IN August 1858 they went up the western side.

The North Wall was seen as the “last problem” of the Alps and was first climbed by an Austrian-German team in 1938.

It is one of the most dangerous mountains in Europe and has claimed the loves of more than 60 climbers.

Climbing on the North Wall is normally done in the morning during summer as rockfalls increase in the afternoon when the air temperature rises.

A German nickname for the North Wall is Mordwand, “murder wall”.

The Jungfrau Railway uses a tunnel through the mountain, complete with viewing-windows carved into the rock face.

Legendary Scottish climber Hamish MacInnes worked as an advisor and safety officer for the 1975 blockbuster movie the Eiger Sanction, starring Clint Eastwood.

The post Sir Chris Bonington on one of THE best climbs appeared first on Walking Scotland.

A version of this article appeared in The Scots Magazine in April 2022

The Otter Pool has to be one of the best out of the way swimming, paddling and photogenic spots in Scotland. It is also a great place for a picnic, games on the grassy banks and a stopping point on a walk or cycle through this backwater amid the Galloway hills.

Skye’s Fairy Pools are rightly considered a good place to head on a sunny day but this is no second best alternative. In the spring and summer months you can reach it by car along the 10-mile Raiders’ Road Forest Drive and at anytime on foot or mountain bike.

The first thing that hits you when you stop there is the quiet – you really are in the back of beyond. Although there is a car park (and toilets in the summer) even reaching it by vehicle is an adventure on unsurfaced tracks.

Forestry and Land Scotland have taken a non-intrusive approach to looking after it. A couple of wooden picnic tables are all that you will see before reaching a broad swathe of grass, some clumps of heather and, on the edge of the forest, the bubbling River Dee.

It is almost as if the stretch of water has been designed with maximum enjoyment for all ages in mind. Little ones can splodge in the shallows in their wellies, while older ones may venture further onto rocks which stretch across the river like stepping stones.

Below these rocks are a series of small rapids which at first sight look fearsome but are actually perfect for sliding down (a wetsuit is handy for some cushioning here). Beyond the rapids the river stretches on and is good for swimming while upstream is a slow-moving stretch, ideal on a sunny day for splashing about or simply to lie back and float, gazing up at the sky.

For those walking or cycling to this point, don’t think of the The Otter Pool as a quick place to stop, make time to explore it and take a towel because you will want to get at least your feet wet.

The post HIDDEN SCOTLAND – The Otter Pool, Galloway Forest Park appeared first on Walking Scotland.

A version of this article appeared in The Scots Magazine in June 2022

Scotland’s glens are famed across the world; from the drama of Glen Coe to the tranquillity of Glen Trool, the majesty of Glen Lyon to the brooding atmosphere of the Great Glen.

But tucked away in the far north west reaches of the mainland is an often forgotten glen steeped in history, heritage and scenery. Dunbeath Strath in Caithness is scarcely visited compared to its cousins further south but it is undoubtedly one of the best in the country.

Neil Gunn was born in Dunbeath in 1891 and his masterpiece Highland River is set along the 12 miles of Dunbeath Water – a sculpture above the harbour marks him and the work. The novel follow’s the route to the river’s source – Loch Braigh na h-Aibhne, below the remote, conical summit of Morven. It is a tough undertaking as much of it is pathless, although it does take you into a wilderness of moorland and mountain which is usually home only to eagles and deer.

Much more manageable is the three or four miles to the edge of the seemingly endless hinterland.

Leaving the harbour and village behind, you pass an Iron Age broch, dating back 2,500 years – it is also home to an impressive show of wild primroses in spring. Then comes Prisoner’s Leap Gorge where it is said Ian McCormack Gunn leapt to his freedom after being captured by the Keiths. Windswept moorland follows with the ruins of Loedebest, a village left deserted by the Clearances. Eventually, you reach the white-walled cemetery, Tutnaguail, standing isolated and looking similar to those seen in a Clint Eastwood Western film.

Further up the strath the going gets harder underfoot but it is worth exploring a little further to get a taste for remote, trackless country. This is truly a place which is “in the middle of nowhere” and somewhere to stop and admire the desolate beauty of this part of Scotland.

You may not see many people on an exploration of this glen (or strath) but you will certainly experience some wonderful scenery and history. And you are almost certain to get a picnic spot (of which there are numerous ones along the way) all to yourself.

The post HIDDEN SCOTLAND – Dunbeath Strath, Caithness appeared first on Walking Scotland.

Had a good day up Ben Vorlich from the side of Loch Earn at the weekend. A great, straightforward path all the way up making it a perfect one for beginner Munro baggers! It is, however, big enough for all the stages of a proper mountain walk. In my case they are:

In the car on the way – “Weather looks a bit cloudy, maybe I’ll do something easier.”

After getting out of the car – “I can feel a tweak in my calf, maybe I’ll just walk part of the way.”

30 mins after starting – “Everyone else on the path seems to be walking faster than me.”

45 mins after starting – “My lungs are bursting, maybe I need to work on fitness before I do a walk like this.”

An hour after starting – “That top section looks like a bit of a difficult scramble, maybe I will just go to the bottom of it.”

Closer to the top – “My lungs are feeling huge, I could walk all day.”

Nearly at the top – “I feel fit, even though I’m a bit tired.”

Just below the summit – “This top section is fine, just a steep path, don’t know what I was worrying about.”

At the summit – “Made the top! I feel great!”

5 mins later – “Oh, the cloud has come down and it’s raining, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!”

I think it is always good to have in mind that walking up mountains and hills can be hard work – even for super-fit gym bunnies who decide the great outdoors is just an extension of the treadmill or rowing machine.

But that doesn’t mean it is not enjoyable and, gym-bunnies aside, you don’t have to charge up and down to a summit as quickly as possible. If a guide says it takes five hours it doesn’t matter if you take eight because you have lingered over a view, soaked aching feet in a burn, watched a red kite soaring above (and then a hen harrier, and a buzzard), or simply walked slowly to enjoy the sounds of bubbling burns, the wind on moorland grass or the feel of sun on your face.

The length of walk matters if you want to judge whether you have enough stamina but it is not a time you have to keep to, you are not booked on it for a set amount of time.

As I admitted above, I am guilty of putting pressure on myself to complete a walk but it would be better if we took the attitude that we are going on a wander and although the final destination may be a summit, it is the getting there that is the real fun element – so we should take our time. And, if we don’t get to the top, it doesn’t matter (we normally will but if we have gone up with lots of stress about weather, calf muscles, other people we won’t enjoy it as much as we could).

Finally, if you see someone charging up a hill, admire their fitness by all means but think about what they are missing out on by going so fast.

The post Why we should take it easy in the mountains appeared first on Walking Scotland.

A VERSION OF THIS APPEARED IN THE SCOTS MAGAZINE AND IT WAS DONE PRE-LOCKDOWN

The snowplough was out, clearing the roads at the foot of Glen Feshie, while the frosted trees and icy landscape were doing their best to create the appearance of a magical winter wonderland.  A perfect day to be on the snowy shore of Loch Insh. But perhaps less than ideal for an outdoor swim.

Alice Goodridge, however, would disagree. She runs SwimWild which organises courses and adventures in the Highlands for those who like to get into the water outdoors – and that includes in winter.

“It is the most amazing way to start the day, it sets you up and I find I have more positive days afterwards,” she told me. I had a sneaking suspicion that I would get the same effect from a cup of steaming coffee from the nearby café, but I decided instead to have faith in her qualification as a lifeguard and take the plunge – despite the fact I was shivering already while still wearing four layers of clothing.

Outdoor swimming has gained huge popularity in recent years and that now also includes the colder months, even when the thermometer drops below zero.   A quick change saw me even colder but ready to go in.  When Alice produced a sledgehammer to break the snow-covered ice, however, I began to wonder if this was a bit too extreme and undertaking for me.

I needn’t have worried – the ice was thin enough to crack and move out of the way by hand (thank goodness for thick neoprene gloves and socks, essentials at this time of year) – and the water was genuinely lovely. Yes, it was cold – Alice said the water temperature was 1 degree C – but the action of breaking ice warmed the body.

Then came the moment of actual swimming; I gingerly dipped down so my shoulders were submerged then decided just going for it was the only option. There followed a desperate imitation of breaststroke but it was actual swimming, in winter, surrounded by ice and snow!

We had only been in for ten minutes but the adrenaline was surging through me, not realising the most important part of the experience was to come – getting warm as quickly as possible once out of the water.

Numb fingers were warmed on a hot water bottle, then I had to ask for help while struggling out of my wetsuit – this was no time to be prudish.

“You get to know each other quite well because you will be helping each other get dressed really quickly,” Alice explained. “Your hands and feet are going to get cold but it is your core you need to get warm as soon as a possible. Your hands and feet will be throbbing and your body will feel fine but there is this thing called after drop which means your core keeps cooling down when you get out of the water so you want to get clothes on as soon as possible.”

Alice’s introduction to taking a dip in winter began when training to swim the Channel in 2012. In 2017 she set up the Cairngorm Wild Swimmers group and more than 20 meet for a dip every Sunday in winter – it is important to swim with someone else for safety. But it is the thrill of it which attracts most. “I get a buzz

afterwards – it is a little bit addictive,” Alice said. And after my dip I realised I might be an addict too.

TOP TIPS FOR WILD SWIMMING IN WINTER

Good clothing – a woolly hat to keep the heat in; thick, tight-fitting neoprene gloves and socks (a wetsuit can be worn but only if you can take it off quickly afterwards to avoid getting overly cold).

Never swim alone.

Make sure you know what is under the water such as whether the bed of the loch drops off suddenly.

Clear ice before swimming to avoid being cut on sharp edges.

Breathe out – focus on your breathing to avoid hyperventilation caused by repeated sharp intakes of breath.

Hot water bottle and lots of warm layers to quickly put on afterwards.

A hot drink in a flask, or café close by.

HOW TO GET INTO WILD SWIMMING

The Outdoor Swimming Society was established in 2006 to pioneer outdoor swimming in rivers, lakes, lido and seas.

It has a comprehensive list of outdoor swimming clubs which can be found on its website: www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com

The post Wild swimming – in icy water appeared first on Walking Scotland.

A VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE SCOTTISH BANNER EX-PAT NEWSPAPER IN OCT 2020

Andy Anderson is a criminal. He has been charged under the law more than 100 times, spent time in jail and had his face shown in newspapers and on TV news programmes across the world.

But Andy is also a hero, a fighter for justice and a good friend of the policemen who put him in front of the courts.

It is just over 25 years ago that the Skye Bridge opened amid great controversy. A road link had been established to the “Misty Isle” for the first time but at great expense to the taxpayer, and to those driving across, who were faced with a toll which was the most expensive, per mile, in Europe.

Enter Andy Anderson, then the owner of a B&B near Uig at the north end of the island. He, like many islanders, was opposed to the crossing charge and was determined to fight it, even if that meant facing up to the British Government, major American banks, and the courts.

After the bridge was first proposed by the Government in the late 1980s it had seemed a good idea to many but as the high cost of the tolls became apparent, opposition began to grow. When the bridge finally opened that resistance had grown into a full blown protest and the campaign group Skye and Kyle Against Tolls (SKAT) had started what would become a nine-year battle to have the charges abolished.

Andy was the secretary and had helped organise a protest which would see drivers refuse to pay when the bridge opened at midnight on 16 October 1995.

“We decided to go down at midnight and be there as soon as the bridge opened and we wouldn’t pay.” SKAT expected around a dozen people to be there in no more than 10 cars but the numbers were three times that, despite the weather being awful. “A whole load of people who had never been at the meetings decided they were going to do it as well. It wasn’t your usual rent-a-mob, this group were elderly, young, business people, a real mix and you knew straight away this was different.

“The wind was howling and they kept us there for hours, they wouldn’t let us through. The police wanted us to go away.” Just before dawn they were let through, but only after being charged – the first of many times the protestors would be at odds with the law.

But Andy and his fellow campaigners were in no doubt they had to continue the fight. “We were left with little option – either we had to shut up and do what we were told, or we took them on. That was quite a daunting prospect; a small community taking on the Government, but we did.

“Once we were in the battle there was no way out. As soon as I started getting charges against me, which I was refusing to pay, I realised my house and property was in danger. The minute we tried to draw back they would come after us.”

Protests took many forms; as well as refusing to pay campaigners would hand over bags of pennies at the tollbooth, which led to huge tailbacks as the cashiers counted them up (the charge was £5.70, one-way, for a car). Another tactic was to drive over flocks of sheep – something which was legal. “There was an ex-Army officer who had a croft and he drove his sheep over. We realised we could block the bridge with the sheep and technically it was a way of putting two fingers up.”

On many occasions they tried to invoke the spirit of the law which says it can be broken with a “reasonable excuse”. Even though they had little chance of succeeding in court, they knew the publicity they would receive would help their cause. Andy, a former miner and trade union official, who has a degree from Oxford University, once referred to a Government minister who had called the protestors “lunatics and luddites”. “The police sergeant came down and asked what our reason for not paying was. I said: ‘If you disabled you are not required to pay, and I am a lunatic. A minister of the Crown said so and ministers don’t tell lies.’ The sergeant said I should see my doctor. I said: ‘I can’t do that, he’s in the car behind and he’s a lunatic too.’” Again, Andy was charged.

That interaction with the officers of the law was typically friendly, in part because everyone knew each other as friends and neighbours. Andy says:  “We had a perfectly good relationship with the police – they used to ring us up to say we were going to get arrested. I once said that I was going down the pub for choir practice as I was in a Gaelic choir and they said ‘OK, give us a ring when you’re ready’.”

However, the threat of imprisonment was ever present for campaigners who refused to pay – it had been made a criminal offence by the Government, rather than a civil one. Because of that, Andy thought he was better placed than some others to risk going to jail because he was semi-retired which meant he no longer had a young family to support unlike younger campaigners who would have risked losing their job if they received a criminal conviction. “We realised the only people who could take it on were people like myself, no family commitments and no career to worry about. So I decided to go for the jail, to up the ante because every time we did that it became a lot more political and we got a lot more support.”

In 2001, Andy was placed in Inverness Jail for 14 days for refusing to agree to return to court after being charged with refusal to pay. “Within two days the balloon had gone up – there was international press and people in Australia and the United States asking about it – that interest put them on the spot.” When he was brought back to court he was not given a prison sentence but received and admonishment which under Scots law meant he was free to go but with a warning and conviction. “They wanted rid of the case. If the media had heard I was going back to prison, it would have exploded.”

After that ruling, Andy believes the authorities decided they could no longer threaten protestors with jail if they refused to pay the toll and victory in their fight to abolish the tariff was in sight.

After much political argument, the tolls were finally lifted in December 2004. Andy believes there were a number of reasons for their victory, including the gradual weakening of the Government’s political position, with the help of national and international media coverage and the support of leading politicians of the day such as Liberal Democrat John Farquhar Munro. But Andy also looks back at the efforts of the residents of Skye and Kyle who had faced up to authority and held firm: “The community stuck together in a way that we ended up with more criminals per hundred of the population than anywhere in the world … but we won.”

The post Skye Bridge, 25 years on appeared first on Walking Scotland.

A VERSION OF THIS APPEARED IN THE OCTOBER 2020 SCOTS MAGAZINE

I have always thought of orienteering as something of a nerdy pursuit – all about peering at a compass and map. Surely yomping up a mountain, camping in the wilds or paddling a kayak is more fun?

Actually, it is great fun; like a mini-expedition with the challenge of navigating your way over unfamiliar ground, looking for marker posts (often called controls). To put it another way: “It’s like a treasure hunt but without a sticker or sweets at the end,” observed 10-year-old Eric before we set off.

We had chosen one of the easier courses at Beecraigs Country Park, above Linlithgow; there are a host of different options from super-simple routes to incredibly difficult ones involving virtually impenetrable forest. Competitive orienteering is designed to complete a course as fast as possible but we had also decided not to go too quickly as we were just learning our way.

Some studying of an incredibly detailed map showing the route – printed from the British Orienteering website – and we were off. The first post (with a plate containing red and white triangles and a code number) was south of the car park, so provided a simple introduction to the compass, especially as the map uses magnetic rather than true north.

The second post was found by following the map along a track but some searching was needed as it was partially covered by a low-hanging tree. More map work identified a ruined wall and stream and the next couple of posts were quickly found, boosting Eric’s confidence. The map was a particular source of interest, especially a path that appeared to end in the middle of the forest. “That leads nowhere. I like that, it’s cool,” declared Eric.

More posts ensued (and a quick snack to boost energy levels) before the most intriguing decision of the day. The easiest way between two posts seemed to be up a path and track but the shortest route was straight ahead. Eric chose the latter, ploughing through gnarled roots and fallen branches before reaching an open patch of ground. “Looks like we will be going through knee-high grass – what happens if a snake bites me?” he worried. Informed that there were no snakes (probably) he charged on and learned another lesson when confronted by a burn flowing along a deep ditch, something he hadn’t noticed on the map. A huge jump followed and a path was reached. I then decided to take the easiest way to the post, leaving Eric to make his own way across a dense thicket. Some time later he emerged through rosebay willowherb, towering above his head. “Your way was more boring – my way was more interesting but slower. And, I like wading through all that stuff,” he announced.

It was an easy walk back to the start and the words every parent likes to hear were spoken by Eric: “That was fun, can we do another one?”

PANEL – TOP TIPS FOR ORIENTEERING

Orienteering maps are much more detailed than the usual OS ones, they also show magnetic north, making compass reading easier. So, familiarise yourself with them before setting off.

The quickest route between posts is not always the shortest, hence the need to read the map properly in order to avoid obstacles such as dense forest or rivers.

Trousers or leggings are a good idea if going over rough ground to avoid ticks and brambles.

Trainers can be worn but sometimes tougher footwear is needed.

Pick an easier course to start with and work your way up to more challenging routes.

PANEL – WHERE TO GO ORIENTEERING

Orienteering is done across the country from built-up urban areas to the wilderness of the hills.

A good way to get started is to get in touch with a local club and the British Orienteering website https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/home has a comprehensive list.

Many competitions are held, using temporary courses with entrants timed to see who is quickest around each course.

There are also permanent courses where you can go anytime, printing a map out before you go. Again, head to the British Orienteering website to find out a course near you.

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