The Scottish Mountaineering Trust (SMT) has approved a grant of £30,000 to the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) for their Mountains for People project which helps care for footpaths at some of the nation’s most popular walking routes.
The four year project which started in April 2009 has been given a major boost by the generous contribution which is spread over three years.
Buz Whibley, Development Manager for the NTS said: “The Scottish Mountaineering Trust has granted us the generous total of £30,000 over the next three years. This will go a long way to help the continuing progress that we have been making on the Mountains for People Project which helps us keep our mountain footpaths at the peak of their condition. SMT are an organisation that have supported us for a number of years for many of our projects on countryside and mountaineering properties, a link we hope to continue with as we work to make our countryside the best it can be.”
James Hotchkis, Secretary of the Scottish Mountaineering Trust said: “The Trustees have been delighted to provide support by the way of a substantial grant to the National Trust for Scotland for the Mountains for People Project and look forward to seeing the improvements our grant along with the other can make.”
Bob Brown, Mountains for People Project Manager said: “This contribution will help us carry on our work to as we concentrate on renovating the remaining 18 miles of upland paths in the Trust’s care that require urgent attention. Set amidst stunning surroundings the area is fragile with several routes particularly remote which will pose some serious logistical and technical challenges to the project team.
“Our work on this project has tackled some of the most challenging mountain path problems on Trust land, from the summit of Sgurr Mhor in Torridon to the top of Cir Mhor on Arran. From glen to summit, the project has been able to restore and redress some of the most eroded paths the Trust manages. None of this would have been possible without the help of our funders.
“The remoteness of some of the sites posed serious logistical problems which had to be tackled in some innovative ways, the team utilised an ‘Everest’ grade base camp tent for the contract at just under 3000 ft.”