Highland path repairs needed after increase in visitors to National Trust for Scotland land
The National Trust for Scotland has launched its annual appeal to raise funds to help repair and maintain footpaths in the Highlands and beyond.
The charity owns land in Torridon and Kintail, as well as at Glencoe, Ben Lomond and Ben Lawers, and it says visitor numbers are on the rise.
More than 1 million people visited the trust’s countryside properties over the first six months of the year, an increase of around 10 per cent.
Now it is calling for help in raising enough cash to support the maintenance and repair of more than 300 miles of paths in the mountains and on lowland trails.
Bob Brown, upland path manager for the National Trust for Scotland, said: “Our footpaths lead visitors to Scotland’s nature, heritage, and beauty so it’s crucial we provide our footpath team with the resources they need to maintain them. Their work is vast and wide-ranging, including recent rebuilding work at Grey Mare’s Tail where flash flooding blasted holes into the path.
“Walkers inadvertently carved new routes through delicate ecosystems as they strayed from the flooded path into the surrounding habitats, endangering native flora and fauna. The footpath team not only repaired the damaged sections, but they also helped protect it in future by improving drainage systems to mitigate increased flooding.
“This is often made especially challenging due to many of the sites we work on having important geological and botanical attributes and Special Scientific Interest categorisation. Rather than use existing but protected materials on site, all rebuilding materials are acquired elsewhere and airlifted in.
“By maintaining and repairing footpaths that blend seamlessly into the landscape, they ensure everyone can enjoy the unique beauty of our hills and mountains, both today and for those that follow in our footsteps.”
Donations to the Footpath Fund at https://www.nts.org.uk/footpath help the trust to progress its ambitious mountain path restoration plan to tackle damaged sites at Ben Lawers, Ben Lomond, Glencoe, Goatfell, Torridon, and Kintail.
They also support pre-emptive work to counter the effects of increased visitor numbers and climate change on natural habitats and footpaths; conduct audits on the state of lowland paths and develop a plan of work to ensure they are maintained to the highest standards; and trial new repair techniques to ensure work continues to be as effective and sustainable as possible.
The conservation charity’s team of five path makers and specialist contractors ensure the 275 miles of upland footpaths, and a large section of the trust’s 155 miles of low-level paths, remain accessible and in good condition for the millions of people who visit the countryside properties each year.
This work not only prevents erosion scars and protects the fragile ecosystems where walkers may inadvertently stray from paths, but it also makes visiting these places more accessible for more people.
