PEAK PERFECTION Explore Loch Lomond & the Trossachs
The backlash against industrial-scale wind farms
KEEP CALM AND PEDAL ON
Inside the minds of Scotland’s endurance cyclists
BACK FROM THE BRINK
How the pine marten has returned to old haunts
PLUS: Experience the red deer rut • The joy of fungi • Win a five-day ski touring course in the Cairngorms
www.scotoutdoors.com
Autumn 2012 £3.80
MARCH OF THE TURBINES
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WELCOME
A word from the editor
W
et, windy and a little stormy at times. Well, that was summer, such as it was. Unless you live in the northwest Highlands, you may be forgiven for feeling a little cheated. But there have been metaphorical clouds brewing in recent months as well as the real thing, with growing disquiet in the outdoor community at the encroachment of large-scale wind farms and what is seen as the ‘industrialisation’ of Scotland’s treasured landscape. Our lead feature (see page 30) examines the complex, and sometimes baffling, issue of whether wind farms ought to play such a key role in the renewable energy mix – and what that might mean for our wild places. We also spend a revealing couple of days with rangers on patrol in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park – now celebrating its tenth anniversary. We could have filled the whole magazine with their stories – some funny, others sad and downright frustrating – but hope that our piece provides an insight into the challenge of looking after an area that sees some of the most extreme visitor pressures of any outdoor space in Scotland. Elsewhere, we look at the ever so slightly barmy world of endurance cyclists as they take on a 1,000km pedal across Scotland; highlight the return of the pine marten after years of persecution; and delve into the world of fungi and extreme triathlons (but not at the same time). And don’t miss our fantastic competition to win a five-day ski touring course, courtesy of Glenmore Lodge. It’s another jam-packed issue – one that we hope provides food for thought as well as ideas for exploring this autumn, whatever the weather. Richard Rowe Editor, Scotland Outdoors
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LOCH LOMOND & THE TROSSACHS NATIONAL PARK
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PHOTOGRAPHY: COVER: BEN VENUE AND A CLOUD INVERSION OVER LOCH KATRINE FROM THE SUMMIT OF BEN A’AN, LOCH LOMOND & THE TROSSACHS NATIONAL PARK, KEITH FERGUS ABOVE LEFT: NOW THAT’S THE WAY TO TRAVEL, LOCH LOMOND SEAPLANES
Scotland Outdoors Autumn 2012
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CONTENTS
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Contributors
Neville Kilkenny
Paul McGreal
Mycologist Neville Kilkenny takes great pleasure in revealing the rich diversity of fungi in Scotland and has a particular passion for the autumnal mushroom forays he leads each year. “Can I eat it?” is usually the most asked question at such events, he says. Day in the life, page 24
Off-road athlete and founder of Durty Events, Paul McGreal is a hard man to pin down. But we’re glad we did. Here, he reveals how he got into multi-sport racing and why he decided to launch some of Scotland’s most exciting – and challenging – new triathlon events. Outdoor passions, page 28
CONTENTS PHOTOGRAPHY: MICK BLUNT/JMT; DAVID MARTIN; LOCH LOMOND & THE TROSSACHS NATIONAL PARK; LORNE GILL/SNH; PAUL TURSNER-UPCOTT; CALUM MACAULAY; KATRINA MARTIN; IAN MACLEOD; ROULOTTE RETREAT; STUART MCINNES; CAN YOU EXPERIENCE
Andrew Mazibrada
Gillian Law
A freelance outdoor writer and photographer, Andrew Mazibrada’s travels have taken him across the globe. In our lead feature, he examines how an alarmed outdoor community is fighting back against the encroachment of industrial-scale wind farms into Scotland’s wild places. A mighty wind, page 32
Describing herself as a cyclingobsessed technology geek and writer based in Edinburgh, we thought Gillian Law was the perfect person to uncover the daunting world of endurance cyclists as they take on the Mille Alba – a 1,000-km pedal through Scotland in less than three days. Going the distance, page 38
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The Scotland Outdoors team Editor: Richard Rowe t 01721 588140 e richard@scotoutdoors.com Associate Editor: Ida Maspero t 0131 4676121 e ida@scotoutdoors.com Editorial Assistant: Hilary Little t 01721 588140 e hilary@scotoutdoors.com Copy Editor: Ruth Noble Editorial Board: Nick Williams, Chris Surgenor, Charlotte Manwaring, Andy Ross Advertising sales: Alison Fraser t 0141 946 8708 e alison@scotoutdoors.com Design & Production: CMYK Design e production@scotoutdoors.com w cmyk-design.co.uk
Scotland Outdoors is published quarterly. It is available by subscription and through in-room copies at high-quality accommodation providers; farm shops and galleries; ferries and airline lounges; leading wildlife and adventure travel companies; activity and visitor centres; outdoor retailers and other specialist suppliers. For a full list of stockists see: www.scotoutdoors.com ISSN 1757-224X All contents © Big Bend Publishing (2012) This magazine is printed on Claro Silk, which is FSC-certified and produced using ECF pulp.
Subscriptions: Hilary Little t 01721 588140 e subscriptions@scotoutdoors.com Printing: J Thomson Colour Printers Published by: Big Bend Publishing Port Brae House, Port Brae, Peebles, EH45 8SW, Scotland
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FEATURES
CONSERVATION
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A mighty wind
As new turbines continue to appear across the Scottish landscape, why is there still no agreement on the efficiency of wind farms and how Scotland’s wild places should be protected from such encroachment? Andrew Mazibrada investigates
ADVENTURE Going the distance
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What possesses someone to tackle a 1,000km cycle in a mere 64 hours? Are they mad, just very tough, or a bit of both? Gillian Law goes behind the scenes at Mille Alba, Scotland’s longest audax event, to find out
WILDLIFE & ECOLOGY Back from the brink
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Once nearly wiped out in Scotland, the pine marten is now protected and has returned across much of its former range. But not everyone is happy, as Rob Raynor from Scottish Natural Heritage explains
EXPLORE LOCH LOMOND & THE TROSSACHS NATIONAL PARK
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Damage limitation
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Bonnie banks and beyond
With several million visitors a year, rangers in the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park know all about visitor pressures – and the problems they bring. But efforts to promote more responsible use of the Park are beginning to pay dividends, as Richard Rowe discovers
With its close proximity to Glasgow, Loch Lomond is an obvious hub for activities in the area, but the whole National Park offers a raft of outdoor experiences to enjoy
Visit our website for additional online features submitted by readers www.scotoutdoors.com
REGULARS
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Big picture Monach Isles, Outer Hebrides
2020Vision More than just cities The importance of cities as wildlife refuges is often underestimated. Niall Benvie examines what’s being done to make space for wildness in urban Britain
News Outdoor news from around Scotland
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Competition
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Board and lodging
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Day in the life
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Innovations
Top five… Places to experience the red deer rut Loud and primal, the red deer rut is one of Scotland’s most impressive wildlife spectacles
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Reader adventures Reader photographs of wild getaways
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Events Get active with our round-up of outdoorsy events
Subscribe Subscribe to Scotland Outdoors today!
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Win a five-day ski touring course in the Cairngorms, courtesy of Glenmore Lodge
Richard Rowe discovers a little bohemian magic in a Borders meadow
Consultant field mycologist Neville Kilkenny explains his love of fungi
A glance at some of the most innovative new products for autumn and beyond
Outdoor passions We caught up with Bordersbased Paul McGreal, fresh from the European Cross Triathlon Championships and still basking in the afterglow of staging the first Celtman extreme off-road triathlon
Reading Our pick of some of the very best new outdoor titles
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READER • ADVENTURES
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CHECK OUT OUR SELECTION OF THE BEST READER PICTURES SUBMITTED IN RECENT MONTHS
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Who done it? 1 Castle Tioram, Moidart, Scott Ruth 2 Iona Abbey in the moonlight (at nearly midnight), Walter Dunlop 3 Cafe and bunkhouse on Kerrera, Fiona Lyndsey 4 Enjoying the Skye coastline, Paul Tursner-Upcott 5 Torridon mountains, Filip Alobaid 6 Muckle Flugga lighthouse, Unst, Shetland, Paul Kirkwood PLEASE KEEP THE PICTURES COMING:
Show us what you get up to and we will publish the best pictures in our next issue. Just tell us where you are and what you are doing. Email your high-resolution images to: richard@scotoutdoors.com
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Scotland Outdoors Autumn 2012
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