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Our month: Mountaineering Scotland in January

Tuesday 8th February 2022, 4:02pm


Departure and recruitment

Heather Morning delivered her last course as Mountain Safety Advisor at the end of January, and in anticipation of her departure to take up the post of head instructor at Glenmore Lodge, Director for Mountain Safety Nigel Clark has been leading an internal review of our mountain safety programme to ensure we build on the legacy that she leaves behind.

A new staffing structure has been proposed along with some changes to our courses, which will mean we are able to increase the number of courses we offer and also support the work being delivered across the partners represented on the  Mountain Safety Group.

We are currently looking to recruit into two part time posts which will work alongside Ben Gibson.    

Vacancy for a director

We are recruiting for a new volunteer for the Mountaineering Scotland Board, as Director of Member Services & Communications. We are looking for individuals with the enthusiasm, experience and personal qualities to provide strategic direction and encourage innovation, enabling us to learn from within and from outside the organisation.

Find out more about this exciting opportunity.

Glen Coe planning application

Following the submission of the planning application to demolish the cottage at Allt na Reigh in Glen Coe, previously owned by Hamish MacInnes, Mountaineering Scotland took the decision to submit an objection to the proposal. It’s important to note we did not object to the principle of redeveloping the site and, in coming to our decision, we took on board the views expressed online and by the community council, as well as the position taken by the National Trust for Scotland. Given the prominent location of this site at the heart of Glencoe and next to the A 82 we hope the Highland Council considers this application carefully.

Read more about the detail of the application and our objection.

There’s also a good article by Andy Wightman in The National, which explains much of the background and why this building is regarded by many as important.

Access & Conservation

Access & Conservation work was busy and varied in January  - no winter hibernating here!  There was a range of different things to get involved in, covering policy and practice.

The Scottish Government produced a draft Onshore Wind policy statement for consultation.  The general tone from it was that there is a need to go further and faster with onshore wind projects to meet climate change aspirations, and to remove barriers to this.  Analysis of Onshore Wind capacity indicates that the Scottish Government target for 2020 for electricity consumption from renewables have been 95% met.  We suggested to the Scottish Government that the main barrier to deployment wasn’t so much landscape and biodiversity protection, but developers failing to build consented windfarms in good time. Many schemes receiving consent apply for a variation to build taller machines, effectively starting at the beginning of the process again.

On access matters, we have refreshed the Snowsports Touring and Ski Resorts Code, to assist anyone enjoying backcountry skiing and boarding to get through the ski centres without causing problems for themselves or other downhill skiers.  If there is any snow to go touring on!

We heard that Newtyle Quarry, near Dunkeld, was winding down aggregate production now that the A9 dualling from Luncarty to beyond Bankfoot had been completed.  Newtyle was a very popular climbing venue until the quarry became active again and climbing was not allowed under access legislation.  We are in touch with the quarry operators and the Council planners on landscaping plans for the quarry to protect and improve the climbing there when it can recommence.

ClimbScotland

The GB Climbing Teams selection has now taken place, with a number of Scottish athletes making the cut. Find out more about who has been selected on the ClimbScotland website.

We’ve also published the National Competitions Calendar, which includes our own and other Scottish and GB competitions. Check the comps calendar here.

The team has been looking outdoors too, and have set up a busy year of RealRock dates to support the transition from indoor to outdoor climbing for young people aged 8-17 years old. Running from spring through to autumn, you can check out the dates online.