We're wild for the wild map of Scotland!

We have always known that the Angus Glens and the Eastern Glens were special. And beautifully wild and remote. And now their “wildness” has been captured on a new “wild land” map.

Scottish Natural Heritage has come up with a Wild Map that’s a first in Europe and is aimed at protecting Scotland’s stunning wild places and landscapes.

According to SNH project: “Wildness is a quality experienced by people when visiting places of a certain character. Measuring wildness is inherently difficult.... However, we consider wildness depends on a number of physical attributes that can be measured…”

These include: The perceived naturalness of the land cover; the ruggedness of the terrain; remoteness from public roads or ferries; and a visible lack of buildings, roads, pylons and other modern artefacts.

The Wild Map will assist local authorities and other planning bodies to make decisions about development and land use change. And it’s hoped the maps will also help the tourism industry to promote Scotland’s wild landscapes to visitors and walkers.

We’re already doing that and we will certainly be using the wild map to make more of the wonderful wildness of the Angus Glens and Eastern Cairngorms.

Half-price winter skills courses

What does £25 buy these days? Your half of a cheap meal out with your partner? A Big Mac meal for the family, if you only have a couple of kids. A pair of winter cycling gloves? Four bottles of mediocre wine... And a full day's winter skills tuition in the mountains with Glentrek!

We have cut the price of our day winter skills courses by 50% and it's proving hard for people to resist. Our Glentrek winter skills courses are the perfect introduction to walking in Scotland's winter mountains.

While summer walking still requires a lot of attention to detail, including navigation and weather, when you add in a blanket of snow and below-freezing temperatures in winter, walkers need to know a wider skill set.

Many more people are enjoying the winter mountains

As walking in general grows in popularity, so more people are extending their walking activities into the colder months. But there are obvious dangers and walkers should think about joining a winter skills course, such as the ones run by Glentrek, before setting off for the snow-covered hills.

Winter skills courses with Glentrek

The £25 day course includes skills tuition by a qualified winter mountain leader, as well as all the equipment, including boots, crampons and ice axes, that you might need for a day in the Scottish winter mountains.

These courses are ideal for the walker who has some experience of summer walking but is taking their first steps into the winter mountains. You'll cover such skills as avalanche awareness, crampon use, ice axe arrest and navigation.

The winter skills days take place in the mountains near Glenshee and also offer some fantastic scenic treats. To find out more see Glentrek winter skills

Festive family fun outdoors

With the festive holidays now here, many families will be looking forward to some quality time together. Heading outdoors for a walk or cycle gives adult and kids a chance to burn off some excess Christmas calories and get some much needed exercise. If you sit at home watching films and playing computer games for a fortnight you'll all go stir crazy.

But so many people are put off going into Scotland's great outdoors by poor weather. We're not saying you should be forced to go outside and into the hills when it's blowing a gale or stormy but during the winter months you'll find that Scotland boasts some truly lovely days.

There is no reason to miss out on outside fun, especially when Scotland does enjoy cold days with bright blue skies, or mild days with a little rain or snow, of full-on snowy days.

Dress to suit the weather

If you're wearing the right outdoor clothing then most days during the festive holidays offer an opportunity to go outdoors for a family adventure. This doesn't just mean buying the right kit for the grown-ups. Children tend to get colder faster and in wet, snowy or chilly weather, it's youngsters that need to be wrapped up warm and dry.

You'll find a host of practical outdoor clothes for children these days. Here's a checklist of outdoor clothing for children:

Walking boots or wellies are required. Shoes or trainers will let water or snow in over the top and that means the kids will have wet - and cold – feet before you know it. You don't need to spend a fortune but do look for waterproof boots. Something like these Regatta Guideway boots for kids.

A waterproof jacket is a must. There is a huge choice in shops and on-line. See Regatta and Go Outdoors. For youngsters how about this all-in-one Regatta Splosh suit? (See left) Waterproof and cosy, this suit keeps little ones warm from neck to ankles.

Waterproof over trousers make wet or snowy days that bit drier and warmer. Kids can wear their choice of comfy trousers and simply pop the roomy and waterproof trousers over the top.

Baselayers are for children, too. Most adults know about the advantages of wearing a number of thinner baselayers to keep heat in. A baselayer followed by a fleece and then a waterproof jacket works as well for children as for grown-ups.

Cold hands, feet or head will lead to moany children so make sure you have a bundle of hats, gloves and thick socks in a range of sizes.

Pick up top tips for winter walking

Safety is important in the mountains – especially in winter. At Glentrek we run a programme of winter skills and navigation courses offering practical and informative advice about how to enjoy the mountains safely and what to do in situations where you are caught out by bad weather.

Winter skills courses with Glentrek

You can never learn enough about winter safety, however, so we're delighted to hear about the The Mountaineering Council of Scotland's Winter Safety Lectures. This season's lectures are taking place in a range of locations across Scotland.

The aim of the lectures is to entertain and educate, and the main theme is skills for the mountains in winter. In order to deliver this, an inspiring array of speakers has been chosen to present the 2012 lecture series and an entertaining evening out is guaranteed.

The MCofS lectures take place in popular venues including the Clachaig Inn in Glencoe and the Mountain Café, Aviemore. Others will take place at Tiso stores in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Perth and Inverness.

Heather Morning, the MCofS Mountain Safety Adviser, says: “The MCofS winter safety lectures have something to offer everyone who enjoys the Scottish mountains in winter. Whether you are a seasoned mountaineer or heading to the mountains for the first time, you are guaranteed to pick up some useful 'top tips' from the experts.”

MCofS Chief Officer David Gibson said: “Winter mountains have much to offer in terms of physical challenge, superb views and memorable experiences. However, the margin for error is much less than at other times of the year due to the weather, conditions underfoot and limited daylight hours.

"These lectures could save lives by enabling you to learn from others’ experience and gain an understanding of the skills and equipment you need to be more self-reliant.”

Of course, at Glentrek we believe that the best way to learn about winter mountains and safety is to get out there with an experienced guide but for extra top tips the MCofS safety lectures will be a valuable addition to your winter skills knowledge.

How walkers should "layer" for comfort and joy

It's cold outside - and so you pull on t-shirt, a jumpers and a jacket. Good enough you think. But then you start walking and you become hot and sweaty. You remove the jumper, but you feel damp and chilly. That's because your cotton t-shirt is soaked with sweat, causing your body temperature to drop and really what you need is another slightly thinner layer, and not a jumper. You end up feeling so disgruntled and uncomfortable that you don't really enjoy your walk.

But it doesn't have to be like this!

The sensible walker will "layer". Layering is not just about throwing on a t-shirt and a jumper, it's about careful management of body temperature.

The steps for effective layering:

1) Choose thin layers that are made from sweat-wicking materials. These won't stop the sweating, because sweat is a natural body function when you become hot. These layers simply help to move the sweat from your skin to the outside. A few to choose include Helly Hansen baselayers, baselayers made from Merino wool, Skins.

2) Wear lots of thin layers. Start with a vest or t-shirt and then add long-sleeved layers according to the weather. Wearing thin and thin-ish layers allow you to take off and add on layers one at a time so as to better manage your core temperature.

3) Add a waterproof, windproof and breathable jacket on top. Gore-tex is the leader in waterproof and breathable jackets, although there are many other similar fabrics. A jacket that is breathable is one that allows sweat to pass through form the inside to the outside.

So, if you're layering correctly you'll have much less sweat on your skin, you'll be able to manage your temperature by adding and removing layers and you'll keep the wind and rain out with an outer jacket. This is the recipe for happy walking this winter!

Learn your winter walking skills

Scottish mountains are simply magical in winter. On a crisp, dry day when the sky is blue and the snow has transformed the landscape into a winter wonderland it’s difficult to imagine a more stunning location. But for walkers, the chillier months can bring a number of dangers, which is why many more people are now signing up to winter skills courses.

In winter weather conditions can vary suddenly and without warning. In a white out it is very difficult to navigate if you are not familiar with a map and compass. And if you’re caught in bad conditions would you know how to take care of yourself? Even just walking with the aid of crampons can be difficult without some know-how.

Glentrek is now gearing up for their Winter Skills Weekends. The weekends in the Glenshee area focus on a range of different winter walking skills such as moving safely through the mountains including the use of the boot, ice axe, crampon techniques, avalanche awareness and emergency skills. These skills are incorporated into a winter walking day so that they may be put to use as the day progresses.

Winter Skills Weekends are also a great place ot meet likeminded people. If might be that your summer walking pals have decided to stay indoors in the warm but you still have a desire to be out and about in the hills all winter. At a Skills Weekend you’ll work in groups and we’re sure you’ll meet people who are friendly and ken to keep up their winter walking.

Glentrek also has Winter Skills Days. These reveal to less experienced walkers all the basics required for being out in the hills when there’s ice and snow.

There is still availability for the January and February weekends and days. See here for details.

Fix-it hill walking kit

Being prepared is one of the mantras of outdoors experts. Of course, hill walkers and off-the-beaten track mountain bikers should always have the essential kit packed in their rucksack, and that includes a compass and map and the knowledge of how to use them. But still there are things that you may feel that you can't prepare for, such as a torn tent or rucksack or a zip that suddenly breaks on your waterproof jacket.

So we have come up with a walking, biking and camping fix-it kit. These items shouldn't take up too much extra space and you never know when they will come in handy. They could be the difference between having a usable tent or not, or a pair of walking boots that get you home.

Duct tape: This fantastic DIY item is strong and sticky enough to mends tears and hold things together when all else seems useless. We're used it to mend rucksacks, waterproof trousers, tents and even a sleeping bag zip.

Seam Grip: This is a super-strong seam sealer that acts like an outdoor superglue.

Foil: Buy the heaviest weight you can find and fold it up into a neat square to be stowed in the bottom of your rucksack. It can be used as a windbreak for your stove, as a way of signalling for help (like a mirror) or even fashioned into a makeshift cooking pot.

Zip ties: Small, lightweight and incredibly useful these are fantastic for joining things back together or carry items attached to your rucksack.

Swiss Army Knife or Juice Knife: No outdoors person should go anywhere without a knife that has a useful cutting blade and a saw.

Length of cord: It is lightweight and small to carry but a length of cord can get you out of trouble. Use it as a tent guy line replacement, to replace a snapped boot lace or as a belt for your trousers.

Dental floss: yes, this is a great product for cleaning your teeth but it is also a brilliant substitute fishing line and sewing thread.