THE UK’s biggest walkers’ charity has teamed up with Bupa, the private healthcare provider, in a move that could have the working class founders of the organization turning in their graves.

The Ramblers are to offer Bupa members a 50 per cent discount on its joining fee during February, and Ramblers members will also get reduced rates on some Bupa health cover and assessments.

In a press statement, Robert McKinnon, Ramblers’ head of marketing, said: “At the Ramblers we know that walking is a great way to keep in shape. We hope that Bupa members will join us and discover the friendship, fresh air and fitness that come with getting outside and walking.”

The Ramblers claim the tie-up will help people live healthier lives through walking, the assumption being that only those who can afford private healthcare will benefit. At a time when the National Health Service is under dire threat from a Tory government I can’t help think that this curious alliance will be seen as an attempt by the Ramblers to distance themselves from their traditional left-wing working-class roots. Perhaps this is the final parting shot from outgoing chief executive Tom Franklin, and if so then perhaps it’s a good time for the Ramblers to return to their traditional values.

A whole team of us from Planet TGO will be at Exel in London from 12^th to 15^th January.

I’ll be giving a few talks in the Motorola Main Stage and if I get the opportunity I might be able to nip off for a bit and have a go on the climbing wall or try out some new bikes.

For most of the time I’ll be on the TGO stand so why not come along, say hello and have a natter. It’ll be great to meet you and, to be honest, hanging about on a stand all day long is incredibly boring if you don’t have people to chat to. You’ll be doing us an immense favour. See you then!

Next up is a repeat of Sutherland, The Empty Lands? on BBC 2 Scotland on Friday at 5pm (Sky Channel 990). This programme later appeared on DVD and as a book called The Sutherland Trail, both of which are available from Mountain Media. The Sutherland programme was the first of our Christmas ’specials’ back in 2008 and is an account of a lovely backpacking trip between Lochinver and Tongue, climbing Suilven, Foinaven and Ben Loyal en route. It’s a fabulous route in a part of Scotland that generally tends to be ignored, perhaps because it’s so far north, but I’d highly recommend it.

I must confess my own thoughts are turning towards planning for the summer. I’m afraid I’ve had it with this winter weather. I set off yesterday from Cairngorm on a little 2-day backpacking trip that I’ve done every Christmas for the past 10 years or so but yesterday was the first time I’ve ever abandoned it halfway through. The idea is that I get dropped off in Glenmore and walk home to Newtonmore using the little trails and byways through Rothiemurchus, Inshriach and Glen Feshie, finishing off on the level mid-level trails between Kingussie and Newtonmore. I had a lovely walk throughout the woods as far as Inshriach bothy, or Drake’s Bothy, where I stopped for a brew but when I came out and put my pack on I was aware of a distinct change in the weather. Where it had been very still and calm with a milky grey sky it had now turned very windy and the sky in the west had broken up - very beautiful with touches of an orange sunset, but with intense black layers below.

As I made my way through Feshiebridge forest the wind really strengthened and bit of trees were being blown down. Here and there it was hard to make progress. I thought of where to camp - in past years I’ve sometimes camped by the burn near Coranstillbeg farm in Glen Feshie but that would be too exposed to this ferocious south westerly. I thought about other campsites I’ve enjoyed in the past but the thought of a night spent listening for trees falling down wasn’t worth thinking about. Only two or three weeks ago a large tree was blown down on top of a friend’s house and a hide tree in our own garden was blown over, smashing our garden fence. These storms we are experiencing at the moment have such a high intensity, and seem to blow up out of nowhere. The effects of global warming? Could well be, but I decided not to risk it so I made my way to the road near Loch Insh, phoned my wife and asked her to come and pick me up. At least I got home in time to watch the excellent Dickens’ classic Great Expectations…

This morning the gales are battering us once again, the temperature has dropped and very cold rain showers are hammering at the window panes. I suspect it will be snowing up in the hills. Looks like I’ll have to suffer another day indoors - too wet and windy for backpacking, too wet and windy for cycling, no snow for ski-ing. What a horrible day. Guess it’ll have to be the dreaded turbo-trainer in the garage, an attempt to maintain an iota of fitness during this miserable spell of weather.

And if you’re wondering how to fill your time on the 27th December can I suggest you have a look at our BBC Christmas Special. Scotland, Coast to Coast will be broadcast on BBC2 Scotland and Sky Channel at 7pm. It will then be available on iPlayer for a week. Here’s a wee taster for it.

And if you’re planning on getting out on the hills over the holiday period take care and stay safe. Much of the snow here in the highlands has gone now but the conditions are still variable, lurching between warm spells and frosty nights, so you can never tell. The snow could return at any time.

I’ll be heading off on my annual Christmas backpacking trip for a couple of days, I’ll be riding my bike if the roads stay icy free and with all my family coming for Christmas I guess it’ll be a hectic time, but hey, having grandchildren makes Christmas fresh and lively again.

Finally, many of you have been asking about my recent road cycling exploits. The truth is I was having some problems with my feet, a circulation problem as it turns out, and I bought a road bike so I could exercise without pain. In no time at all I was hooked and I’m now thoroughly enjoying bashing round the byways. Yeah, yeah, I know all about MAMILs, (Middle Aged Mountaineers In Lycra) but it’s certainly keeping me fit. The feet are much better too and I’ve been out and about a lot this year - walked across Scotland and managed a 3-week trek in Nepal, so back to normal. Will I be giving up the bike now? Don’t think so, indeed I’m planning a Land’s End to JohnO’Groats trip with an old pal for next spring. Something about teaching an old dog new tricks…

Have a great Festive Season!

Dez and I climb An Sgur, the best ‘wee’ mountain in Scotland. En route we’ll be trying out some new soft shells, although to be fair I don’t think either of us were particularly taken with the concept of soft shells.

After our walk up the hill we had a go at testing some new camping stoves, while cooking a three course meal. The producers called it a ‘cook-off’ but I don’t think Jamie Oliver has anything to worry about. Great fun though…

In that time I think I’ve missed less than a handful of weekly columns and while the amount the paper paid me wouldn’t buy a round of drinks I was happy to write the column on the basis it was a local paper and it was good to be involved in the community in such a way.

Over the years I guess I’ve upset some and maybe delighted others with some of those comments, but generally speaking much of the stuff I’ve written received an enthusiastic response in the letters pages and a lively letters page is a good sign of a successful newspaper.

I was a little surprised then, and more than a little disappointed to get an email from the editor of the paper a few weeks ago saying the owners of the paper had decided they couldn’t afford to pay freelance contributors any more. Gavin, the editor, suggested I might like to write the column for nothing, or he might be able to find a sponsor, but after thinking long and hard about it I decided to call it a day. As a professional journalist, and a paid up member of the NUJ, I wouldn’t write the column for free, and I wasn’t to keen on the idea of a sponsor telling me what or what not to write. This week’s edition of the paper will be the last to carry the McNeish byline.

Am I angry? No, not really, just a little sad that an era of my working life has come to an end and a little disappointed that 30 years of loyal service to a newspaper should end in such a way. I would have thought that someone from the newspaper’s management team might have had the decency to pick up the phone and, at least, said thanks for 30 years service. Ho-hum. I guess that’s the way modern management conducts itself - faceless and cowardly.

Anyway, I’d like to thank editor Gavin Musgrove for his support and encouragement over the past few years and for his sake, and for all the Strathie team and all readers, I offer my very best wishes and hopes for a successful future.

I’ll also bring along some books and DVD’s and if anyone’s in the mood for some Christmas shopping I’ll be happy to sign books or whatever.

Been down at the Kendal Mountain Festival at the weekend where I was speaking with Richard about our big project for next year, a long walking route from the Scottish Borders to Cape Wrath. I must admit it felt pretty tame stuff compared with all the high adrenaline adventures that were being discussed over the weekend. As ever it was a brilliant weekend and I must admit I enjoyed meeting up with a lot of old friends. I’ll look forward to meeting up with some old friends in Inverness too, and maybe meeting some new ones.