Footpath projects in the Trossachs and on the Isle of Skye have won the public vote to secure funding from the European Outdoor Conservation Association.
The Skye project won the Alpine category of the awards, and will give cash to the John Muir Trust to pay for repairs to the path up the iconic mountain, Bla Bheinn.
Chris Goodman, the John Muir Trust Footpath Manager said: “The breath-taking view from the summit and the relatively straightforward access attracts thousands of people to Bla Bheinn each year.
“The pressure of footfall combined with the high rainfall here has created serious erosion on sections of the footpath, damaging fragile soil and plants, and causing sedimentation of nearby streams. It has also opened up a scar on the mountainside which is visible for miles.”
The Trossachs Gateway Project has won the Outdoor category. The money will be used to expand native woodland in the Trossachs and to complete The Great Trossachs Path, a new long distance route linking the West Highland Way and Rob Roy Way between Inversnaid and Callander, as well as a number of shorter routes throughout the area.