A SET of walking poles has been recovered in an area of the Highlands near where a walker went missing almost seven weeks ago.
Robin Garton, from Devizes, Wiltshire, was last seen in the Glencoe area on the morning of Friday September 25 when he left his hotel.
The 69-year-old had planned to meet friends in Wester Ross two days later but never arrived, with his Volkswagen Passat was later found in a car park off the A82 near Loch Achtriochtan.
Another walker in the area found the pair of walking aids, described as Lecki telescopic trekking/walking poles in a black and gold colour, in the Aonach Eagach Ridge area of Glencoe, photographing them and providing the images to the local mountain rescue team.
Glencoe Mountain Rescue and a Police Scotland dive team have since carried out an extensive search of the surrounding area where the poles were found but did not recover any further items to assist their investigation.
The family of Mr Garton were made aware of the find and are assisting police with identifying the poles.
Police Scotland has also appealled to other walkers who may have left or lost poles on the Aonach Eagach Ridge to contact them.
Mr Garton, a former art dealer and the founder of a climate change charity, checked out of the Kingshouse Hotel in Glencoe at around 8am on Friday morning. Officers traced Mr Garton's black Volkswagen Passat estate car in the Achnambeithach car park, off the A82 by Loch Achtriochtan.
Despite extensive searches involving helicopters, divers and search dogs, there has been no trace of him.
It is believed Mr Garton may have had made plans to walk in the Coire Nam Beith or Bidean Nam Bian areas.
He is described as 6’2” in height, of slim to medium build with fair hair which is slightly balding. He occasionally wears glasses. It is not known what he was wearing at the time.
His son Will Garton last week described his father as in "really good health", adding that he was a very experienced mountaineer and "well within his comfort zone" tackling the Aonach Eagach Ridge.
Mr Garton also said the family were "realistic about the chances" and were preparing "for the worst".
A memorial service is due to be held at St Johns Church, Devizes in December.
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