Tuesday 30th June 2026, 8:48am
At the end of each month, we take a look back at the work the team has been carrying out on behalf of our members. Read on to hear the latest updates from our CEO and our Access & Conservation, Mountain Safety, ClimbScotland and Member Services & Communications teams...
June has been a really busy month for Stuart with several important meetings and events taking place and some big projects to take forward.
It started with a drive up to Aberdeen to attend a civic reception celebrating 50 years of the BBC Scotland programme Landward on the 1st of the month. The programme ran a main feature on the An Teallach project and the "Its Up to Us" campaign which aired in May 2025 and it was a great opportunity to connect with the team that produce the programme as well as some of the other BBC staff based in Aberdeen.
Stuart also took some time out in the middle of the month to attend the Scottish Youth Climbing Championships held at Ratho on the 13th Sep and on the 18th was asked by Protect Our Winters to be part of an online panel to help launch their Clean Miles report which is calling for better access to low carbon and public transport to support outdoor activities.
Stuart finished the month with a trip down to Plas Y Brenin in North Wales to attend the Mountain Training UK & Ireland Council meeting which in June is traditionally held in person at one of the three national outdoor centres. The meeting offered a valuable opportunity to connect with the Mountain Training network and share some of the work which is taking place in Scotland and particularly the strong partnerships between Mountaineering Scotland, Mountain Training Scotland and Glenmore Lodge.
In terms of the projects Stuart has been working on this month, he has been supporting the appointment of a company to develop a new Mountaineering Scotland website, looking at planning for the team development session in September, working with Howdens our insurance broker on our insurance renewal following the decision to move our annual date of renewal from 1st Jan to 1st July, and supporting applications to sportscotland for additional funding support.
Catriona represented Mountaineering Scotland at the National Access Forum (NAF) on 10th June. We were joined by Colin Galbraith, the Chair of NatureScot, who was keen to assure the Forum that outdoor access is a priority for NatureScot. The Agenda also included an update on NatureScot’s current access communications plan, the ongoing guidance review programme and a legal opinion on drones and access rights.
Earlier this month, a climber brought a potential access issue affecting Polney Crag, Craig a Barns, Dunkeld to our attention. From Monday 22nd June, Rotmell Road will be closed to facilitate work A9 dualling work for up to a year and there was concern this would affect access, including parking, for one of the best crags in Perthshire. Catriona got in touch with Transport Scotland who confirmed that the southern end of Rotmell Road will remain open to local traffic, including climbers, and they don’t anticipate any issues with climbers parking in the usual roadside spots. However, climbers travelling to Craig a Barns from the north will not be able to leave the A9 at Rotmell Farm but will have to continue south to Dunkeld. All climbers should take particular care to park sensibly and to be considerate of local residents, who are far more adversely affected by the disruption than we are.
If you’ve been following the Radical Road case, you will be pleased to know that planning permission for the installation of new fencing and the removal of some of the old fencing, which would allow climbers back into the South Quarry for the first time since 2018 has been granted. Catriona has reached out to Historic Environment Scotland (HES) staff at Holyrood Park to find out when the work is likely to take place and the details of the revised climbing permits system. We’ll update when we have more information.
June started quietly for the Mountain Safety Team with regards to course delivery, but Ross attended the Mountain Safety Forum (England and Wales) (MSF) meeting to represent and inform any Scottish perspectives. The MSF is a relatively new forum that has been set up south of the border in a similar model to our own Mountain Safety Group (MSG) here in Scotland that has been running for over 15 years. Our own MSG meeting is being held today (as I write) and is always a good opportunity for all the organisations represented to work collaboratively around safety in the mountains.
Keeping to the subject of meetings, Ross and Max were at the final meeting of SAFOS (The Snow and Avalanche Foundation of Scotland) which the decision was taken to discontinue after 15 years. The work and support SAFOS provided to sportscotland and the wider community will still continue, but will be done through collaboration with the Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS), Glenmore Lodge and the Mountain Safety Group.
The 27th June saw the very first ‘Mountain Rescue – Behind The Scenes’ course held out of the Arrochar Mountain Rescue base in Argyll. Kirsty and Ross, who are both members of their local MR teams, spent the day sharing their experience and knowledge of all things mountain rescue related and answering questions from members on the how’s, why’s and when to call Mountain Rescue. A big thanks to Arrochar MRT who supported this even with their use of the base, as well as to our members who came along, of which some of their fee for the course goes to supporting Scottish Mountain Rescue. We plan on running it again next year, so keep a look out on our website and newsletters for more information.
The big news from the team this month is the relaunch of Sofa 2 Summit, our free online course for hikers. First it was first launched in 2021, Sofa 2 Summit has helped over 3,000 people gain the knowledge to head out into the hills safely and confidently. Hosted on a new platform, with updated content and guidance, along with new videos, the 7 easy to follow modules take users through planning, clothing and footwear, navigation, responsible access and some of the geology, flora and fauna you might encounter while hiking in the hills in Scotland. More than 700 people have already signed up since the launch of the new version in early June and feedback from the original is that there is something for everyone, from the complete beginner to very experienced hill walkers.
The quarterly online club call took place this month, with a focus on safeguarding. Following the publication earlier this year of the updated Mountaineering Scotland safeguarding policies for young people and adults, the online session provided club organisers with some basic training to help their understand of safeguarding responsibilities and how to respond to any concerns. A recording of the training and accompanying slides has been sent out to club committees in the last week – if you haven’t received it please get in touch.
A recent update to our membership database, JustGo, while not affecting individual members accessing the online portal, has meant a significant change for our staff and club secretaries. We’ve updated our ‘How to’ guide for clubs, and are available to answer any questions as required. Our team continues to work with JustGo towards some further updates to help clubs process memberships more efficiently and further updates will be sent by email when we have more information.
The highlight of the month was undoubtedly the Scottish Youth Climbing Championships, held at the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena on Saturday 13 June. A total of 105 competitors travelled from across the UK and Ireland to take part in Scotland's premier youth lead climbing event. The standard of climbing throughout the competition was exceptional and spectators were treated to some outstanding performances. Congratulations to all of this year's podium finishers and newly crowned Scottish Champions. Full results are available via the Vertical Life app. Thanks to all volunteer judges and belayers, our MC Louise Flockhart, and volunteer Competition Co-ordintator Neil Ross.
Robert has been busy with our RealRock sessions at various outdoor venues across Scotland and providing EDI support to our good friends at Urban Uprising. Robert also delivered a Mountain Training Bouldering Wall Instructor training.
Jack and Jamie have continued to work closely with Lesley McKenna on the ongoing development of the Performance Pathway Project. This important piece of work aims to help shape a clear, sustainable and athlete-centred pathway for climbers in Scotland, ensuring that talented athletes are supported at every stage of their development.
As part of the consultation process, a Coaches Catch-Up call was held this month, providing an opportunity for coaches from across the climbing community to hear updates on the project, share their experiences and contribute their thoughts on future direction. The discussion generated valuable insights and highlighted the importance of collaboration between coaches, athletes and performance staff as the project progresses.
A sincere thank you to everyone who took the time to attend and engage in the conversation. Your feedback, expertise and continued involvement are helping to shape a pathway that reflects the needs and ambitions of the Scottish climbing community. We look forward to continuing these discussions and sharing further updates in the coming months.
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Mountaineering Scotland is a registered trademark of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland Limited
