Here's another entry in the list of destructive track building. The track from Bavelaw near Balerno across the Pentlands running under West Kip is justly popular with walkers, runners, cyclists and horse riders. Well it's now virtually unusable.
Scottish Woodlands have been felling a number of small plantations in the area and devastation's been the result. As you come up to the dogleg a kilometre before West Kip, you encounter the mess.
The track itself is invisible behind a pile of earth which will no doubt be bulldozed down to "restore" it.
The damage was done by semi-tracked vehicles which crawled in and out leaving scores a metre deep.
Walkers and cyclists have been walking beside the upheaval but now tracked vehicles are destroying this.
The top looks like the battle of the Somme.
The scope of the damage is obvious from the top of West Kip (maybe obvious from the moon.)
Another track crosses the ridge between East Kip and Scald Law.
Some attempt has been made to restore it. I'm not sure whether they consider it complete but this is the result.
As far as I know, the farmer, too, is outraged at lost access to sheep grazing. Scottish Woodlands have a sign up which signals their environmental care; this seems entirely limited to preventing oil-spills.
The path will continue be used by walkers and cyclists, but a stretch a kilometre long will be a torture instead of a pleasure, especially after rainfall. I can't see horses using it for five years. I know the Common Riding is a bit artificial but there was a pleasure in seeing 50 or 60 horses streaming down this track.
Can you fight back. Well look here.
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/news/report-finds-scotland-failing-to-protect-against-damaging-hill-tracks/0018593/