Mountains make a unique festive gift
It is the ideal gift for mountaineers, hillwalkers and outdoors enthusiasts with an emotional connection to the mighty mountains of the Highlands.
Four of Scotland’s finest Munros have been offered for ‘adoption’ by the John Muir Trust – with the proceeds helping to fund conservation work on each of the mountains, including footpath repairs, landscape enhancement and wildlife protection.
For £25, members of the public can Adopt an Acre of Ben Nevis, Schiehallion in Perthshire, Blà Bheinn on Skye or Ladhar Bheinn in Knoydart for a year.
The symbolic adoption scheme, launched in 2016, has already proven a resounding success with hundreds of acres already adopted, generating valuable funds for conservation.
Daisy Clark from the John Muir Trust said: ‘We’ve been delighted at the response to our Adopt an Acre scheme, with many people welcoming the opportunity to do something a bit different as an alternative to the annual festive frenzy of consumerism that we all tend to get swept away with this time of year.
‘It’s the perfect gift for anyone who loves nature and the outdoors, whether seasoned climbers and Munro-baggers, walkers, wildlife enthusiasts or those who just appreciate Scotland’s magnificent mountain scenery.’
Gift packs include a certificate with a personal message to the recipient, information about your chosen mountain and details of the conservation work your gift supports.
Those adopting two or more acres will also be able to choose from an exclusive mountain print or a new limited edition enamel keyring depicting the mountain of choice.
Ben Nevis – loosely translated as ‘mountain with its head in the clouds’ – is the highest mountain in the British Isles, its 4411ft summit battered by 260 gales a year and almost yearround snow cover. The Ben attracts 100,000 visitors every year.
Schiehallion derives its name from the Gaelic Sidh Chailleann, which means ‘fairy hill of the Caledonians’. The popular mountain, which rises to 3,553 feet, was the site of a famous 18th-century experiment in weighing the world that in turn led to the invention of contour lines.
Blà Bheinn (or Blaven) is an eastern outlier of the Black Cuillin on Skye, rising 3044 feet with fabulous views across to the mountains of Wester Ross on the mainland, over the Hebrides and out to the Atlantic Ocean. Its name is believed to be a combination of Norse and Gaelic, perhaps meaning ‘blue mountain’ or ‘sunny mountain’.
Ladhar Bheinn is Scotland’s most westerly mainland Munro, in the heart of the Knoydart peninsula. The mountain stands 3346ft high, with dramatic ridges, rugged crags and the awe-inspiring Dhorrcail Corrie. Pronounced ‘laar-vinn’, the name of the mountain means ‘hill of the hoof’ or ‘hill of the claw’.
www.johnmuirtrust.org/adoptana cre