The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) is the national representative body in Scotland that exists to protect the freedoms and promote the interests of climbers, hillwalkers and mountaineers, including ski-mountaineers. Its headquarters are in Perth.
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The MCofS was formed in 1970 by the Association of Scottish Climbing Clubs to represent the views of the mountaineers of Scotland, and represents 127 affiliated clubs with 7,000 members based in Scotland as well as nearly 3,000 individual members from all over the UK and abroad.
Its aims are:
The Council has an authoritative website and produces a quarterly magazine "The Scottish Mountaineer" and provides a range of benefits to its members.
Key areas of activity include encouraging safe practice in the mountains; safeguarding access to upland areas following the introduction of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and Scottish Outdoor Access Code, and a commitment to ensuring conservation of the upland environment.
Elected by the membership in June 2007, the President of the Council is outdoor journalist Chris Townsend. The Council has four committees responsible for Access and Conservation; Membership Services; Mountain Safety and Sports Development.