• I want to visit Scotland - where should I go?
• Where in Scotland can I stay?
  • What do I need to know about staying in a bothy?
  • Where can I find information about mountain huts?
  • Can I camp in Scotland?
• What courses does the Mountaineering Council of Scotland run?
• What will the weather be like when I am in Scotland?
• I want to climb Ben Nevis - what do I need to know?
• I'm a publisher/advertiser that would like to speak to someone about the Scottish Mountaineer magazine - who would that be?

I want to visit Scotland - where should I go?

Scotland has a wide variety of landscapes and attractions from rugged, remote mountains to gentle rolling hills; dramatic coastlines on the mainland and islands, to pastoral idylls. The best place for you to visit will depend on what you want to get out of it and how much time you want to spend.

There is an astonishing variety of landscapes for walking in Scotland, well covered by the Walking Scotland site walking.visitscotland.com - there is information on all the Munros (or mountains over 3000ft) and a selection of other walks as well as a list of walking guidebooks.

Where in Scotland can I stay?

www.visitscotland.com has a searchable database for all areas and types of accommodation.

There is an extensive network of youth hostels, both as part of the International Youth Hostelling organisation - www.syha.org.uk - and independent hostels www.hostel-scotland.co.uk. On the former website you can book space online, and on the latter you can download the Blue Guide to independent hostels in Scotland.

• What do I need to know about staying in a bothy?

  Bothies are very basic shelters, some with more structure than others, that are left open for use and have neither wardens nor charges. In addition to the expectation that bothy users will keep the bothy tidy, some bothies are maintained by the estate on which they are located, and some by the Mountain Bothy Association.

  If the bothy you are interested in is maintained by the MBA, please visit www.mountainbothies.org.uk. They may be able to answer queries on the other bothies as well, or drop a line to info@mountaineering-scotland.org.uk.

• Where can I find information about mountain huts?

  As an MCofS member you have access to the national huts listed among the club huts on www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk/huts/huts.html. That page also has the huts directory in .pdf format for download.

• Can I camp in Scotland?

  There are two general types of camping here - site-based, where you are in a purpose-built campsite with facilities, and wild camping, where you are responsible for your own waste.
  For wild camping, please read the information provided in www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk/leaflets/wildcamp.html and www.outdooraccess-scotland.com

  For caravan and camping sites, www.scottishcampingguides.com seems to be a reasonable guide in Scotland, although as with all external websites, we can't vouch for the information contained in it.

What courses does the Mountaineering Council of Scotland run?

The MCofS is the representative body of mountaineers in Scotland. The only courses we run are on aspects of mountain safety, some are for the benefit of our members, navigation ans avalanche courses are available to everyone.

Details of courses are on our Safety and Training pages.

If you are interested in becoming a member, see here for more details

If you are looking for other courses, please visit our Associate Members list which includes a number of our affiliates that do run courses and guiding.

What will the weather be like when I am in Scotland?

Being a peninsula that is mostly above 55 deg N, Scotland is subject to Westerlies from the Gulf Stream, Northerlies from the Arctic, southerlies from the European Continent, and Easterlies that go right through you. Winter is colder than summer, but depending on the part of Scotland you are in, there are variations that make you wonder which season it should be.

Most visitors come to Scotland in the summer months; the climate from May to September can be up to 20+ degrees C or hover around the low teens - from shorts and t-shirts to woolly jumper weather. The best thing to do is come prepared for mixed weather with at least one warm layer and certainly your waterproofs.

For more detail on the weather you might get on your trip, just before you leave for your trip you should check the following websites:

• www.mwis.org.uk - the Mountain Weather Information Service, providing 3-day regional forecasts for different parts of Scotland as well as for English and Welsh mountain areas.
• www.metoffice.gov.uk - the UK Meteorology Office with forecasts, isobar charts, rainfall radar and even webcams for some parts of Scotland.
• If you are visiting in Winter for skiing or the famous Scottish winter climbing, you should also visit www.sais.org.uk - the Scottish Avalanche Information Service, covering five of the major skiing and winter climbing areas in Scotland.

I want to climb Ben Nevis - what do I need to know?

The most important thing is to be prepared for the weather. While it is a small mountain by continental height standards, it is very far north and subject to sudden and occasionally fatal weather changes.

For general considerations when walking in Scottish hills, please have a look at http://walking.visitscotland.com/usefulinfo/safety

If you should reach the summit of Ben Nevis and be in a white-out, it is vital to know how to micro-navigate off the summit and back onto the descent paths. Before you go, please read our leaflet on navigation on Ben Nevis.

If you want to see what Ben Nevis looks like right now, have a look at the webcam at www.visit-fortwilliam.co.uk/webcam/index.html

I'm a publisher/advertiser that would like to speak to someone about the Scottish Mountaineer magazine - who would that be?

Advertising in the magazine is handled by Pro-Sports Promotions Ltd, and you should contact them at the address given on that page.

Kevin Howett edits the Scottish Mountaineer, and would be the best person to answer your questions on content. Please send him an email at kev@mountaineering-scotland.org.uk