Campaigners object to Lancashire windfarm

Campaigners have objected to plans to site a windfarm on the west Pennine moors.The site is on common land on Haslingden Moor, Rossendale, and needs the consent of the Environment Secretary Hilary Benn before it can go ahead.Energiekontor has applied to Defra to build ten wind turbines on the land.

Any takers for cheap Alpine courses?

Subsidised Alpine mountaineering courses are on offer, thanks to a charitable trust.The three-day courses will be run in Chamonix by professional guides and will give an introduction to Alpine mountaineering.

Inquest hears student loved the mountains

A winter climber who died of hypothermia in the Scottish Highlands was less than a mile from safety, an inquest heard.Richard Hardy’s body temperature was only 14°C when he was found by rescuers; normal temperature is 37°C.

Honister via ferrata stirs emotions

There are cries of ‘It’s not the British way’ resonating around the crags of Borrowdale and Buttermere in response to the news that the country’s first via ferrata will be established.Left: Buttermere with Fleetwith Pike at its head, site of the country's first via ferrataNews that the Honister Slate Mine company is to set up the first via ferrata in Britain has brought howls of horror as well as squeals of anticipation among different sections of the outdoor community.The company is aiming to have the route set up to coincide with the Keswick Mountain Festival in May.

Canavan will head Scottish Ramblers

The Ramblers’ Association in Scotland has elected a retiring MSP as its president.Dennis Canavan, an independent member of the Holyrood parliament, will give up his seat at the next election.

Billionaire in line to snap up Mountain Warehouse

Secretive billionaire Mike Ashley could be in line to take over bargain outdoor retailer Mountain Warehouse.According to financial pundits the chain, currently owned by private-equity investors, is sniffing around for potential buyers and the reclusive former boss of Sports Direct International is at the front of the queue.Mr Ashley currently owns outdoor clothing brand Karrimor and has a 29% share in troubled retail group Blacks, which runs the Millets, Blacks and O’Neill outfits.

See Julia's final TV Wainwright tomorrow

BBC4’s celebration of some of the Grumpy Old Fellwalker’s most famous routes ends on a high tomorrow night.Pictured: Scafell Pike, right, and ScafellJulia Bradbury tackles England’s highest fell Scafell Pike in the last of a series of four in which she has followed Alfred Wainwright’s celebrated Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells.En route, she encounters celebrated Wasdale sheep farmer and fellrunner Jos Naylor, whose most famous feat was the completion in 1972 of 63 peaks and 92 miles of running to set a world record, helped by former Olympic runner Chris Brasher.We doubt that Julia will be going at Jos’s pace, even though he is now in his 70s.

Sheffield adventure weekend coming up

Armchair adventurers can thrill to more than 60 films this weekend.The Sheffield Adventure Film Festival – ShAFF – starts on Friday and includes world premieres among its selection of celluloid gems.

grough: we're back

Apologies to those avid grough readers who have been unable to access the site during the last few hours.