Active Outdoors

SPENDING the day in the beautiful bluebell-strewn woods in Glen Affric recently, I got a whole new perspective on the world around me. I’m so often…

See the video from Friday June 24th's Active Outdoors article on bushcraft skills. Read the full article in The Inverness Courier!

SOME years ago I was given a book as a Christmas present. The Big Walks, compiled by Ken Wilson and Richard Gilbert, describes a series of "challenging…

It’s a wonderful place to get lost." The casual conversation I had with a lady as we admired the view over Findhorn Bay bathed in sunshine really summed…

A BOARD at the Uath Lochans car park describes this forest as "Strathspey’s best kept secret". Judging by the number of people here on a dreich weekend,…

THERE is no getting away from it, if you want to climb Seana Bhraigh you are in for a long day – unless you decide to camp or stay at the bothy alongside…

THIS wonderful road ride crosses that stretch of land between the Beauly Firth and Drumnadrochit known as The Aird. I find it an enchanting place,…

WHAT goes down must come up, or at least that’s the case here. This great walk certainly takes you a long way down, descending steeply through pine and…

When I first moved to Inverness I decided I was going to learn how to sea kayak. Three and a half years later, I finally got round to it! This evening…

Maps are like art to me. I can stare at one for hours, obsessing over its contours, its snaking roads and intriguing paths. Some people find this obsession…

Photos, videos and thoughts from John's adventures in the Highlands.

Steve Smirthwaite has the perfect job for any map enthusiast. The 52-year-old gets a birds-eye view of some of the most incredible places on earth, flying…

All of us who enjoy a nice forest walk have had one of those moments. Looking through the trees, you see a blur of red fur as an elusive squirrel darts…

The massive amount of snow we have enjoyed (or endured) this winter has been a real bonus for outdoor enthusiasts like myself. It has meant the chance…