New arrival for Donegal eagles

Conservation officers are celebrating the birth of the first wild golden eagle to be raised in Ireland for nearly 100 years.The chick was hatched in the Glenveagh National Park, County Donegal, by a pair of birds introduced as part of a project to re-establish the breed.

Welsh mountain race man dies after fall

A mountain race competitor died after falling in Snowdonia yesterday.Sgt Paul Upton, a member of the Parachute Regiment, fell 150m on Carnedd Llewelyn, above the Ffynnon Llugwy reservoir.

Outdoor retail boss walks as shops close

Struggling outdoor retail group Blacks Leisure has parted company with its chief executive.Russell Hardy will receive an undisclosed payout after being ousted from the post following disappointing trading.

Farms open across Britain this Sunday

Farmers will be throwing open their gates this weekend to show what goes on behind the cowsheds and haybarns.Open Farm Sunday involves agricultural concerns across Great Britain ranging from smallholdings to colleges and members of the public can get a close-up view of animals as diverse as alpacas and reindeer.Drystone walling demonstrations, milking, animal husbandry and harvesting will all be on view at selected farms.

Flashers on the fells: when to call the police

Langdale-Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team has issued some friendly advice following an abortive call-out.The team was alerted by a call from Great Langdale’s National Trust website – which seems to be gaining a notoriety as the source of grief for rescue teams – which reported flashing lights on the crag above the dale.Investigations by the rescue team revealed only a few climbers packing up their gear after a session on Raven Crag.

Open up coast, Ramblers tell new PM

Tomorrow, the Government will use possibly the most famous stretch of England’s coast to launch a massive consultation on the next step in opening up the countryside to walkers.Environment Secretary David Miliband (pictured left) will open coastal access discussions at the White Cliffs of Dover visitor centre – and campaigners are calling on Prime Minster designate Gordon Brown to open up England’s coastline.The Ramblers’ Association (RA) says the new Prime Minister should make coastal access his first gift to the nation when he takes over from outgoing premier Tony Blair.

Wainwright film crew spotted on Pillar

grough’s eyes and ears on the fells tell us one of Mosedale’s most famous peaks will feature in the next series of Wainwright’s Walks.Julia Bradbury and her crew were spotted filming on Pillar, so we can look forward to seeing her conquer the peak described by the Grumpy Old Fellwalker as having one of the Lakeland names most likely to fire the imagination of youthful adventurers.Julia Bradbury on Scafell Pike during filming of the first series of Wainwright's Walks The mountain’s 892m height puts it just below the 3,000 footers.

Chinese to start building road to Everest

Everest’s remote position will soon be a thing of the past after China’s state news agency announced the regime will next week start surfacing the unmade road to base camp on the Tibetan side.The scheme, part of the preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games, involves asphalting more than 100km (62miles) of track in order to accommodate the Olympic torch party, which plans to summit Everest en route.Conservationists fear the move will lead to a rush of tourists to the northern base camp which previously was the preserve of mountaineers and determined trekkers.

Law Lords back Ramblers in footpaths case

England’s Law Lords have overturned a ruling that allowed landowners to close footpaths in an underhand way.The Ramblers’ Association (RA) successfully appealed against a decision which meant that owners could claim a footpath was not public even if no signs or barriers had been erected to warn walkers.