Active Outdoors

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Active Outdoors

Active Outdoors - bringing you inspiring outdoor adventures from the north of Scotland.

You can read our regular features in The Inverness Courier, Ross-shire Journal, Northern Scot, John O'Groat Journal, Strathspey & Badenoch Herald and Northern Times. We also produce an Active Outdoors supplement that appears in our titles as well as maintaining our webpage on each of our newspapers' websites.

30/07/2025

ACTIVE OUTDOORS: John Davidson gets his touring bike back on the road and finds a renewed sense of adventure on this cycle ride from Inverness

21/07/2025

ACTIVE OUTDOORS: John Davidson aims for the heights on the hottest day with a round of Cairn Gorm from Coire Cas

20/07/2025

‘Mind blowing’ challenge raises more than £12,000 as experience is described as being of massive benefit to her physical and mental health.

16/07/2025

All is quiet at the deserted Belladrum Tartan Heart festival site near Beauly,

09/07/2025

Graham Smith, a former member of the North of Scotland Long Distance Walkers Association, shares the story of the group’s 10th anniversary trek

30/06/2025

ACTIVE OUTDOORS: John Davidson takes on a great circuit from Inverness leading to a memorable view over Loch Ness

23/06/2025

The Highland Cross took place in the scorching heat at the weekend. Lauren Cameron was taking part for the second time alongside her dad and sister

19/06/2025

Ewan Brown and Catriona Graves will not be defending their titles at this year’s Highland Cross.

18/06/2025

John Davidson joined a visually impaired walking group in the Highlands and learned that the support they offer is invaluable to its members

11/06/2025

The study, commissioned by LNER, analysed 71 towns and cities across England and Scotland.

09/06/2025

As part of Bike Week, which runs from 9–15 June, active travellers can earn rewards for walking, wheeling, cycling, or taking public transport.

Address

Church Street
Inverness
IV11

Website

http://hnmedia.co.uk/activeoutdoors

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The story of Active Outdoors

Here at Active Outdoors we aim to bring you tales of our own adventures – from family outings to backpacking and mountain biking trips – which we hope will inspire you to get out and discover more of the north of Scotland for yourself.

Our features appear every week in the Inverness Courier, Strathspey & Badenoch Herald, Ross-shire Journal, Northern Scot, John O'Groat Journal and Northern Times.

We also publish a special Active Outdoors supplement which appears in our newspaper titles every spring.

Combined, our print readership extends to more than 85,000 – with more people accessing our articles and features online.

Active Outdoors is edited by John Davidson, who also works for the newspaper publisher Highland News & Media as editorial services manager.

John is a qualified Mountain Leader who has a real passion for the outdoors, particularly in the Highlands. He has written two books of walking and cycling routes in the area. You can read his personal blog at www.johndavidsonoutdoors.com

History

Active Outdoors began as a monthly column in the Inverness Courier when John – then working a sub-editor for the newspaper group – suggested the idea to the editor.

That was in May 2008 and since then the column has grown in popularity, becoming a weekly feature in April 2010 with either a walking route, cycling route, mountain walk or special feature.

This is when Peter Evans, a former editor of TGO and Climber magazines, joined the team after he moved north from Dollar and made it his mission to finish his round of the Munros (which he was already well on the way to doing!).

Peter 'compleated' his Munros in June 2012, climbing Sgurr na Sgine in Kintail.

In November 2011 Active Outdoors expanded and now appears weekly in the six local newspapers across the Highlands and Moray. It still contains a great regular piece on a walking, cycling or mountain route or a special feature, along with a selection of photographs.

Jenny Gillies, a hill runner from Lossiemouth, joined the team in 2014 and shares her passion for the mountains every month.

Contact

You can get in touch with John and the rest of the team on [email protected]

Our website is at www.inverness-courier.co.uk/lifestyle/active-outdoors