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Glen Lyon

PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:48 pm
by dishdashdott

Re: Glen Lyon

PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 10:13 pm
by Sgurr
Last two times I have been there, we have gone in via Fortingall and Gleann Muillin. It is longer, which is annoying, but we didn't meet anyone from the Estate and had no problems. I know this doesn't solve access problems with this estate in general, but it solved our access problem on the day.

Re: Glen Lyon

PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:15 am
by jmarkb
Sgurr wrote:Last two times I have been there, we have gone in via Fortingall and Gleann Muillin. It is longer, which is annoying, but we didn't meet anyone from the Estate and had no problems. I know this doesn't solve access problems with this estate in general, but it solved our access problem on the day.


If you don't mind me asking, how do you access Gleann Muillin through Fortingall - first or second turning west of the burn or some other route?

Re: Glen Lyon

PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:52 am
by Moriarty
I notice Mr Riddell is claiming his stalking on Saturday was disrupted by irresponsible walkers. Does the Deer Commission publish cull numbers? Would be most interesting to see how many deer N Chesthill actually cull, given they seem to be claiming to be engaged in Deer management 7 days a week August to March.

He'll be quoting WH trip reports next......watch what you write.

Re: Glen Lyon

PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 10:15 am
by Paul Webster

Re: Glen Lyon

PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 11:36 am
by Lightfoot2017
I've walked this circuit of four Munros a couple of times and never had any problems.

I don’t know the details, but I understand the estate owner has been obstructive for years now.

Think it’s important that any comments on here are responsible and respectful (as ever!), but still firm and determined on maintaining and exercising our legal right of responsible access.

Re: Glen Lyon

PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 11:45 am
by dishdashdott
This was the reply I got when I emailed earlier this year asking about any stalking going on over a weekend;

"We are not stalking this Saturday or Sunday. We are going to endeavour next week for the next 5 weeks.

But it does not matter when or how you walk, the overwhelming number we have to deal with all year round have destroyed our deer and wildlife management business. There is now a large area of my estate with no wildlife. Yours and the many other visitors do the same damage in May June and July, or any other month, as you do when we are on the ground trying to deliver to clients.

Its so unbalanced - its rather sad really and destructive."

Re: Glen Lyon

PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 12:01 pm
by Sgurr
jmarkb wrote:
Sgurr wrote:Last two times I have been there, we have gone in via Fortingall and Gleann Muillin. It is longer, which is annoying, but we didn't meet anyone from the Estate and had no problems. I know this doesn't solve access problems with this estate in general, but it solved our access problem on the day.


If you don't mind me asking, how do you access Gleann Muillin through Fortingall - first or second turning west of the burn or some other route?


These are husband's notes,"We took the estate road between hedges that lead past Glenlyon House; a left took us to a farm yard full of tractors and diggers, one of which was whirring away. We were glad to get away by turning right up the hill on a wide track. This was obviously not the dotted line track on the map, but I rightly guessed it had replaced it.We gained height quickly on the shale surface, opening three gates in new fencing....The shale track curved above the allt into Gleann Mhuillinn and ended overlooking a dam. A soggier two rutted track continued up the glen."

When I posted (above), I hadn't realised how long ago this was as I remembered it quite clearly....... 2005.

Re: Glen Lyon

PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 12:51 pm
by jmarkb
Sgurr wrote:We took the estate road between hedges that lead past Glenlyon House


Many thanks for that! Looking at Google Streetview, that must be the second turning west of the burn, though unhappily this recent report http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=37828 suggests walkers are not welcome there either. :( :evil:

Re: Glen Lyon

PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 1:51 pm
by bootsandpaddles
dishdashdott wrote:This was the reply I got when I emailed earlier this year asking about any stalking going on over a weekend;

"We are not stalking this Saturday or Sunday. We are going to endeavour next week for the next 5 weeks.

But it does not matter when or how you walk, the overwhelming number we have to deal with all year round have destroyed our deer and wildlife management business. There is now a large area of my estate with no wildlife. Yours and the many other visitors do the same damage in May June and July, or any other month, as you do when we are on the ground trying to deliver to clients.

Its so unbalanced - its rather sad really and destructive."


It would be interesting to know how many people access the estate through out the year. I would imagine that most people walk at weekends and that during the summer it is busier than during the winter. Most people would also stick to the route over the 4 Munros and this would surely leave most of the estate unvisited by walkers. Whilst one can only applaud whatever the estate might be doing to encourage wildlife I think it is very unlikely that the presence of walkers has led to absence of wildlife from large areas of the estate. There are many places of the country that receive far higher numbers of visitors than this estate: one only has to think of our many country parks and nature reserves that are actively managed to encourage and conserve wildlife. They also encourage large numbers of visitors to enjoy the wildlife and the countryside as well and still seem to be successful in their aims.
I wonder what makes this area so sensitive to the detrimental effects of visitors. Furthermore, as other contributors have pointed out other states are much more friendly and co-operative towards walkers. With good will on all sides I think these problems can be resolved. But if negotiations are unsuccessful I think the law must be enforced. There is no point in having access legislation if the powers that be are just prepared to stand back and let it be flouted.

Re: Glen Lyon

PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 4:31 pm
by Ann65
Its been like this for at least 30 years, long before the Access Code.

Is it the same Mr Riddle from thirty years ago?

Re: Glen Lyon

PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 4:36 pm
by neilfromperth
There is been a history of conflict between the current estate owners and bodies concerned with access. I remember Mike Dales of MCOS being kept very busy sorting things out a bit back. The estate did try to limit access , they were stopped doing so by legislation, however it has obviously left them feeling a bit sore , hence their current attitude. I remember way back to previous owners, long before the current access laws were fine to deal with, as long as you avoided the man stalking season. However things change.

My understanding is, things are better now. I have been twice round the 4 Munro circuit this year without any difficulty. However I must admit I am never in that Glen or go anywhere near it during the main stalking season.

Re: Glen Lyon

PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 4:42 pm
by chompish
I was down there a few weeks ago (on a Sunday) to go up Carn Gorm and came across a locked gate and a few stalking signs.

Never had any issues and actually came across a small herd of deer. They were no more than 300m's away and were not phased at all by our presence. We sat for a while and watched them graze before they sauntered off into the distance.

I've came across a few gatherings of deer over the years and the situation he is referring to in that article - they must have been right next to them in order to scare them off.

Re: Glen Lyon

PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 6:03 pm
by rohan
the man stalking season


This typo introduced a rare smile when reading on this topic. I had visions of the estate workers stalking down male walkers whilst us females were able to carry on unimpeded. Seriously though this estate is clearly trying its best to keep us undesirables off "their" hills. There are so many examples of good co-operation and everyone ius happy.

Re: Glen Lyon

PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 10:05 pm
by Scotjamie
Did the four hills happily unhindered over 25 years ago, and not planning any sojourn into Glen Lyon. Would have little sympathy, in any case, with the histrionic arguments about deer and wildlife 'management' espoused by the owner. However, and hypothetically, interested in any knowledgeable opinion on the legality of climbing (carefully) over a locked gate to continue up a track.