Issue 17 April 2003
OTHER NEWSWalking Festivals for 2003
Annan Walking Festival: May (exact date to be confirmed)
Irvine Valley Walking Festival: 9th - 11th May
Aviemore Walking Festival: 11th - 17th May
Upper Nithsdale Walking Festival: 24th - 25th May
Royal Deeside Walking Week: 24th - 30th May
Highland Wild Encounters, Northern Highlands: 24th May - 1st June
Angus Glens Walking Festival, Kirriemuir: 29th May - 1st June
Walk Wester Ross: 31st May - 7th June
Langholm Festival of Walking: 6th - 8th June
Doune Walking Festival: 5th - 7th September
Shetland Walking Festival:28th Aug - 1st Sep (tbc)
Scottish Borders Festival of Walking, Hawick: 30th August - 6th September
Moffat Walking Festival: 3rd - 5th October
Crieff & Strathearn Tryst Walking Festival: 4th - 12th October
Spirit of Speyside Walking Festival: 17th - 20th October
Torridon Mountains Heritage Weekend, Kinlochewe: October (tbc) |
Notice of Removal of BothyBy Irvine Butterfield RSPB Scotland have decided to remove the rather dilapidated and now obsolete corrugated iron hut cum pony shelter in Strath Nethy in the Cairngorms (GR 021105). The current OS 1:50,000 Landranger Sheet 36 shows it as Bynack Stable. This was given as a 'bothy' on the old 1inch maps and has been known as Nethy Hut or Pit Fyannich. The latter were detailed in “A Survey of Shelters in Remote Mountain Areas of the Scottish Highlands”, published many years ago. This stated, “a corrugated iron hut and stable. The floor is earth … gaps in the bottom of the wall made the place very draughty. The hut would offer dry shelter, the stable being the cosiest part...” Today the hut and its surrounding area has become an open sewer which represents a health risk and is damaging to the local environment. The removal is part of an agreed management plan by RSPB (Scotland), the owners of the Abernethy Forest Nature Reserve whose estate covers a large upland mountain area on the east side of Cairngorm. The stable will be taken down in September 2003. For those seeking shelter in the Cairngorms, it is worth noting that this joins a long list of demolished howffs or bothies including The Sinclair Memorial Hut, Jeans Hut, Lochan Buidhe or Curran Hut, St Valery Refuge and El Alamein Refuge. Additionally, the following have little use as shelters, being ruinous or unavailable: Eidart Hut (907885); Rynettin (012146); The Red House (Ruigh Ealasaid, also called Bynack Stables!); Lower Geldie (003869); Ruigh nan Clach of Whitebridge (006873); Luibeg (035933); Derry Lodge (042934); Slugain Lodge (119952); Fuaran Diotach or Ross's Bothy (902976); and Carn Ban Mor (890968). Dundee Club climbs all the Munros2002 was the International Year of the Mountains and the Ancrum Mountaineering Club of Dundee recently completed its celebration of the event by climbing all 284 Munros during the year. The aim of the 'Ancrum Munro Challenge' was to have every Munro climbed by a member before the close of the year. Thirty out of the thirty-three current members participated in the event, some climbing thirty of forty Munros during the year, some climbing a modest one or two. The first mountain climbed was the Cairnwell in Glenshee on 4 January and the last was A'Ghlas Bheinn in Kintail on 14 December. The final stage of the event coincided with the Club's annual Christmas meet, this year based at the Ratagan Youth Hostel on the shore of Loch Duich, and resulted in twenty-one club members and guests celebrating on the final summit in very cold but pleasantly dry conditions. Members agreed that the day was a fine conclusion to a worthy challenge. Nick Hamilton, Ancrum Club Chairman, said," The Challenge has certainly provided an extra dimension to the Club's activities this year. Being a Club member automatically means enthusiasm about climbing mountains whenever possible, but the Challenge has resulted in a real strengthening of the bonds of friendship and fellowship that are at the heart of the Club's identity. It has been a great year for the Club and it's members. Just take a look at the pictures on our web site to see the evidence". For more information see www.ancrum.org Beware the 'Super Midge'By Kevin Howett (with thanks to Jeremy Watson of Scotland on Sunday, Rory Post and Roger Crosskey of the Natural History Museum, London, entomologists Jon Bass and John Davies and John W Leftley) Last spring was unusually wet, and it curtailed many folks' plans to enjoy what should have been the best time of the year in Scotland. The midges came out earlier than normal and the west was almost a no-go area for those whose fancy is bivouacking or camping. But there was worse in store for a short period in May for those visiting Speyside. A plague of 'Birch Flies' bit some tourists so badly that they had to get medical attention, with one couple suffering infected bites whose marks were still visible two months later. These flies belong to the genus Simulium, a part of the black fly family and, like the smaller Highland midge (Culicoides impunctatus), the females require a blood meal in order to reproduce. Most of these blood-sucking insects attack livestock but, according to entomologists, several species are known to bite humans: Simulium posticatum, found along the River Stour in Dorset where it is known as the Blandford Fly, and those on Speyside where they are known as Birch Flies. The predominant species on Speyside is Simulium reptans, with lesser numbers of S. tuberosum and Prosimulium hirtipes. The Birch Fly's activities are not a new phenomenon: In 1906 Lt.Col. Yerbury noted that S. reptans “….occurs in countless numbers in the Abernethy Forest in June and July, and causes great annoyance. A sweep or two with the butterfly net round one's head results in a perfect holocaust of victims.” The worst affected areas last year appeared to be localised, being confined to woodland around Loch Insh near Kincraig and along Speyside around Aviemore. The Birch Fly appears when Birch trees start to leaf in May and black swarms of them congregate in shady areas under the trees, normally in the morning and particularly near running water where they breed. The bite of the Birch Fly is extremely unpleasant and can cause extremely irritant sores, much worse than mosquito bites. The usual insect repellents do not seem to work. Locals are aware of the problem and resist picnicking or fishing under birch trees for a couple weeks in that area. Warm and very wet weather early in the spring, resulting in an increase in water flow, may provide ideal breeding conditions leading to a surge in the population of Birch Flies. Local businesses often place posters warning tourists of the danger. So taking an interest in the weather and reading notices may be prudent if you're staying down in the woods! The MCofS has a series of (4) Information Sheets on “Health in the Hills” which includes biting insects and facts about insect repellents. They are free to members (1st class A4 SAE) and £1each to non-members. As most people know repellents have limited use on the Midge, but research by Aberdeen University has led to a new repellent. More details when we have it. Backpackers Hostels in ScotlandThe Blue Hostel Guide 2003 is published by the Independent Backpackers Hostels Scotland association and details 117 member hostels throughout Scotland and the islands. All are inspected to IBHS standards. For details see www.hostel-scotland.co.uk or write to the Secretary, IBHS, Fraoch Lodge, Boat of Garten, Inverness-shire PH24 3BN Winners of the Corbetts Competition:The following people won the competition in the December issue of Scottish Mountaineer, by giving the correct name of James Rooke Corbett:
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