walk highlands
A innovative new website launched this year providing walking information for the Scottish Highlands, aimed at the large numbers of visitors to the Highlands who go walking as part of their holiday
“Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.” Anon. This website saves you time and effort; providing the walker with information, photographs, ordinance survey mapping - downloadable routes straight to your GPS system and a Google Earth feature enabling the walk to be seen in 3D. The site has is also in partnership with a digital mapping company making the routes available for loading into GPS Satellite systems which can be taken on the walks. The site has over 270 walking routes divided into geographic areas. WalkHighlands is unique to Scotland as currently there are no other websites providing Ordnance Survey mapping at the scale: 1:25,000. As a walker myself, this is a great idea, you no-longer need to undertake the laborious task of inputting the routes onto your GPS system.
This website also provides packages of walks that are regional, this is great for holiday makers– you buy a package that includes a detailed map of the area, descriptions and photos.
The walking routes are free to users of the site, and are intended to draw more visitors to the region and help those coming to get the most from their trip. The site is funded by advertising, and aims to provide a low cost, highly targetted audience for bed and breakfasts, self catering establishments, hotels and walking guides/ tour operators.
Supporting information is provided for each area, together with articles about the wildlife, culture and history of the area. Visitor attractions are listed free of charge. The site also has a forum where users can post details of wildlife sightings and discuss and comment on the routes etc. 
Paul and Helen began with a site for the Isle of Skye as a pilot. Since then they have built coverage for the Kintail, Lochalsh, Loch Ness & Glen Affric, Black Isle, Fort William & Lochaber, Glencoe and Wester Ross. Currently they are completing coverage for the Ullapool & Assynt area and beginning on the Cairngorms. The site aims to cover the whole of the Highlands by the end of 2008.
Paul and Helen live in Staffin, having moved to Skye from very flat York in January 2006. They are experienced walkers having completed a mammoth 4000 mile west to east trek across Europe in 2003/4. The website began as they got many enquiries from guests about walks in the area, but the high level of interest from people locally and across the globe has led to it becoming a small business.
WalkHighlands has recently become one of 26 new companies to win funding as part of a new project, 'Starter for 6' - a funding/training initiative led by NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts). Starter for 6 will build the enterprise skills of up to 300 new entrepreneurs in Scotland over the next three years, across creative industries, science and technology, providing business support, mentoring and the opportunity to apply for a start-up grant of up to £10,000.