News

Five injured in Scottish cable car accident

This entry is archived and has no cached excerpt. View the article for details..

16 July 2006

Hinkes tackles highest peaks in British Isles

Alan Hinkes, the plucky Yorkshireman who'd probably rather be remembered for conquering the world's 8 000m peaks than for choking on chappati flour, has set himself a new challenge.The top mountaineer, now 51, is tackling the Six Peaks Challenge: the highest mountains in Scotland, Wales, England, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man.

07 July 2006

Photographic project squares up to blanket coverage

Next time you're striding across a wide expanse of nothing-ness in a seldom-visited corner of our isles, how about whipping out your camera and contributing to a fascinating project?Geograph aims to cover every square kilometre of the Ordnance Survey national grid and produce a photographic record of our varied landscape.

04 July 2006

Assynt tests mountain marathon contestants

If you headed for Assynt in the search for peace and solitude, you might have been disappointed to have been in the company of more than 450 entrants in the Lowe Alpine Mountain Marathon, which calls itself the connoiseurs' mountain marathon.The event, which took place on the weekend of 17-18 June, pits the navigational wits and stamina of the competitors in a different area each year.

26 June 2006

Your chance to take part in the ultimate wilderness walk

Fancy taking part in a giant relay to celebrate Britain's wild country?The John Muir Trust is asking participants to cover 2 500 miles walking, running, cycling, paddling and sailing while making the least possible environmental impact.The good news is: you don't have to cover all 2 500 individually.

30 June 2006

Head for Wasdale for weekend fun

Fancy a bit of fun in one of Lakeland's finest valleys while helping a good cause?Get yourself to Wasdale Head for the weekend starting Friday 21 July and you can join in the activities planned to raise cash for the local mountain rescue team.There's free camping next to the Wasdale Head Hotel, with a beer festival (not free!) and live bands.Saturday morning, you'll have the chance to witness an attempt by Charles Potter to swim the whole length of Wast Water underwater - feat never before accomplished.The day culminates with an auction of goodies donated by members of the public and outdoor firms.

24 June 2006

Mighty midges meet their match?

There's a new weapon in the fight against the scourge of Scottish mountains.No, it's not a pronunciation guide to Gaelic toponomy, though that would be useful enough.

05 June 2006

Nevis cleanup strikes strange note

Ever wondered why the hills are alive with the sound of music?Volunteers from the John Muir Trust taking down the numerous cairns littering the summit plateau of Britain’s highest mountain may have found the answer.

17 May 2006

Mountain rescue helicopters face uncertain future

Britain’s search-and-rescue helicopter bases face closure in six years’ time.Tony Blair’s Labour government plans to privatise the service in 2012, with no guarantee that the current military and coastguard bases will continue to provide cover from the bases they now do.The new service will be run under a private finance initiative (PFI) which have been so successful in building up massive profits for companies providing hospitals with overpriced new buildings and landing the health authorities and therefore the taxpayer (ie us!) with decades of debt.

27 May 2006

Authorities close access areas as moors dry out

Right-to-roam areas in Yorkshire and the Peak District are being closed less than a year after the Countryside and Rights of Way Act, which granted the rights, came fully into force.

18 July 2006

Everest death row: Brice speaks out

Everest continues to evoke massive controversy and the world's highest peak is in danger of being submerged in a torrent of bile from various members of the elite band who climb the Himalayan mountain.Latest broadside comes from Russell Brice, who owns a commercial expedition enterprise which concentrates on the northern, Tibetan routes up the mountain.One of his teams was criticised when other mountaineers claimed it walked past British climber David Sharp as he was dying at 8 400m in May this year.His blog on the Himalayan Experience website recounts a sorry tale of poor radio communications, lack of information and frustrations as Brice's own team hit troubles on their climb, which he was supervising remotely from the North Col camp.

07 July 2006

Mountain festival coup for Kendal

Kendal’s main claim to fame up until now may have been its mint cake and its adopted son and archetypal grumpy old man Alf Wainwright, but now it can add literary Mecca to its list of attractions.The Boardman Tasker Award, mountain writing’s premier prize, will be hosted in the Cumbrian market town for the first time this year, having been based at the Alpine Club in London since it began in 1983.It’s just one of the events for the November festival, which has grown out of the Mountain Film Festival and attracts participants from across the globe.Lectures by some of the world’s top mountaineers are promised by the organisers, who have yet to announce the final programme.Full details at the festival’s website..

04 July 2006

Booze news blues for hostellers

Bad news for those of us at grough who enjoy a bottle or two of the hard stuff while exploring our outdoor world.The Youth Hostel Association (YHA) in England and Wales is calling time on the practice of 'bring your own' at its licensed hostels.From 7 July, you'll have to fork out and buy your booze from the ever-welcoming warden.

30 June 2006

Trout and about? Watch out!

As Keith from The Office would say: word of advice.  grough readers tempted to try walking on water: don't do it!Defra has just announced a confirmed outbreak of Bacterial Kidney Disease at a Dorset trout farm.

30 June 2006

On Ilkley HIll Baht 'At?

Ilkley Moor, immortalisesd in Yorkshire's unofficial anthem, may be about to disappear.Conservationists fear the moor, pictured right, which overlooks one of the Broad Acres' poshest towns, is being overrun by grough's least favourite vegetation, the dreaded bracken.

21 June 2006

Golden eagle found dead in Scotland

Poisoning is being blamed for the death of a golden eagle, the body of which was found by a walker between Banchory and Braemar in Deeside, Scotland.Police suspect the bird was killed by a gamekeeper intent on protecting grouse.

18 June 2006

Young Brits on top of the world

There were celebrations galore on the roof of the world as two teenagers bagged the record as the youngest Britons to top out on the planet’s highest peak.Rob Gauntlett, of Petworth, Sussex, and James Hooper, of Wellington, Somerset, both 19, reached the summit of Everest via the north route just after 8am local time on Wednesday.

17 May 2006

Lincoln cheats death on Everest

On first-aid courses you’re taught that a casualty is not dead until they’re warm and dead.

30 May 2006

Pages

<< < > >>

Your account


 

Follow our updates


 

Pages

<< < > >>