Walkhighlands

Or maybe people could get out their O/S maps and make routes for themselves. I've already suggested doing the Carn Mairg 4 from Fortingall (but with zero interest, as it adds a a few more miles) and there are many other approaches using the less frequented directions.

Making your own route takes time and effort. Much easier if you are just interested in getting to the top and admiring the views to take a known well trodden easy route where you are not going to run into problems like a path on the map being a heather and bog slogfest on the ground.

Car parks and tourists is a bit chicken and egg - are the car parks there because people go there and need somewhere to park, or do people go there because there's somewhere safe to park?
I certainly agree with the idea of guidebooks and websites suggesting multiple routes up hills. I sometimes also think that it would be nice to encourage people to go to some of the less visited places. As an example, the cobbler is often heaving, but go a mile or two further down the road and the Brack will be almost deserted.

In the specific example of Spittal of Glen Muick, I wonder how feasible it would be to run a shuttle bus to and from Ballater? Maybe charge £3 for P+R and free for those without vehicles so it's cheaper than the car park?
That sort of thing won't work everywhere, but it could encourage people to park in the village. Because they have to stop in the village anyway it might encourage some of them to use a local cafe/pub/shop...

al78 wrote:Making your own route takes time and effort. Much easier if you are just interested in getting to the top and admiring the views to take a known well trodden easy route where you are not going to run into problems like a path on the map being a heather and bog slogfest on the ground.

[pianissimo]It would be interesting to have data and a historical trend in just what proportion of hillwalkers are confident and/or capable of planning their own route.

The proliferation of easy to access, downloadable, reassuring "well trodden" routes makes the development of independent skills that much more of choice rather than a necessity.[/pianissimo]

Moriarty wrote:

al78 wrote:Making your own route takes time and effort. Much easier if you are just interested in getting to the top and admiring the views to take a known well trodden easy route where you are not going to run into problems like a path on the map being a heather and bog slogfest on the ground.

[pianissimo]It would be interesting to have data and a historical trend in just what proportion of hillwalkers are confident and/or capable of planning their own route.

The proliferation of easy to access, downloadable, reassuring "well trodden" routes makes the development of independent skills that much more of choice rather than a necessity.[/pianissimo]

Well, I can cook but I usually need a recipe book. Although if I go off piste with a chicken it won't lead to injury or mortal danger, hopefully.

"So where does it all end?

Why didn't you happily pay the £18 or £40 to park at Pen y pass?
It sounds like you could have easily compensated for that by "reigning in spending money on other frivolous things"."

THIS.