walkhighlands

Access issues

Pressendye wind farm likely to be rejected

Planning officials at Aberdeenshire Council are recommending the refusal of an application to build a controversial wind farm on Pressendye. The hill, which is a Graham popular with hill walkers, is an excellent viewpoint over Donside and lower Deeside. The Council says it received almost 600 letters of objection to the proposal for seven wind turbines on the ridge, which overlooks the Cairngorms National Park. Council planners have agreed with objectors who felt that the visual impact on the surrounding countryside would be unacceptable and that there would be knock on effects for the local tourism industry if people were

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Posted in Access issues, Nature

Ramblers Scotland may break away

Cameron McNeish, vice-president of Ramblers Scotland has reported on his blog that Ramblers Scotland may split from the UK organisation. The working group of the Ramblers Scotland Executive Committee, which includes McNeish as well as Ramblers Scotland convenor Dennis Canavan and President Dick Balharry, has met and decided to advise the Scottish committee that the best way forward is to seek independence. The full Ramblers Scotland Executive will meet in August when the recommendation will be discussed. The possibility of a split was brought about by the Ramblers deciding to make massive cuts in the Scottish and Welsh operations. Cameron

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Posted in Access issues, Nature, News

Ramblers Scotland facing massive cuts

The Ramblers organisation appeared to be on the verge of war today as news broke of a massive cut in funding for the Scottish branch. Walkhighlands is very concerned that this will mean the Ramblers will no longer be able to campaign effectively at a Scottish level. The Scottish access legislation was passed by Holyrood so local experts are needed to lobby in Edinburgh to ensure the law is enforced. Recently local expertise of Ramblers staff in Scotland has been used to present evidence on the enquiry to decide whether the proposed massive Beauly to Denny powerline will go ahead.

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Posted in Access issues, Nature, News

Moray Way path proposal

A proposal for a circular long distance walking route for Moray is to be discussed at a public meeting later this month. The idea would be to create a route, over 100 miles long, linking parts of the Speyside Way, the Moray Coastal Trail and the Dava Way. The people behind the idea say that the walk would pass through many small towns and villages, with the opportunity to make the walking days very flexible. The route would contain all the elements of a really great walking experience, with beautiful coastal scenes, the River Spey and its distilleries and the

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Posted in Access issues, News

Alladale Estate plans face criticism

Hugh Fullerton-Smith – the general manager of the controversial Alladale Estate – gave a talk and took questions from Mountaineering Council of Scotland members on Saturday night following their AGM at Glenmore Lodge. Hugh began by outlining his own experience, which includes work with deer in New Zealand (producing velvet), project management for both the Cheyenne River Sioux in South Dakota and for the Metis Settlements on the Canadian prairies and assisting nomadic organisations with the setting up of mobile abattoirs in Mongolia. He also gave some background on Paul Lister, the owner of Alladale and the mastermind behind the

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Posted in Access issues, Nature

2008 Hillphones service for walkers launched

The Hillphones service that aims to prevent clashes between walkers and deer stalkers is up and running again for this year’s stalking season. The service works by giving hill walkers numbers to call recorded messages for each estate telling them when and where stalking will be taking place and any restrictions on access. This year, 13 estates across the Highlands are taking part. Although the deer stalking season runs between 1 July and 20 October, most stalking actually takes place in August and usually no stalking occurs on Sundays. In addition to the pocket-sized brown and green Hillphones leaflets which

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Posted in Access issues

Monarchs and Fences – Alladale Estate

The BBC 2 Scotland program ‘The Real Monarch of the Glen’ has been attracting some debate on the Walkhighland’s forum, WalkTalk. If you missed the program or live outside Scotland the latest episode is available on BBC i-player. The series is following MFI millionaire Paul Lister and his developments on the 23,000 acre Alladale Estate in the Highlands that he bought in 2003. Mr Lister hopes to introduce some of Scotland’s now extinct wildlife – including lynx, bears and wolves – to his estate, and to build a high electrified fence around it to keep them in. Many people applaud

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Posted in Access issues, Nature

Tyndrum gold mine may reopen soon

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park planners are due to decide on the future of the gold mine at Conoish near Tyndrum soon. Scotgold Resources have ordered specialist drilling equipment from Chile and South America to enable them to start exploratory work at the mine. The site covers 2,200 square kilometres, very near the Ben Lui National Nature Reserve and regenerating forest areas. Some of the area still bears the scars from the previous work carried out by Fynegold Exploration who used to own the site but the new plans are likely to cover a much larger area. The

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Posted in Access issues, Nature

Ramblers V Donald Trump in possible access row

Does Donald Trump want more privacy in Scotland than that required by Her Majesty the Queen and Mohamed Al Fayed? Ramblers Scotland Director, Dave Morris, is suggesting that Donald Trump is seeking more privacy at his proposed golfing/housing/leisure resort near Aberdeen than the Queen needs on her Balmoral Estate in nearby Deeside and Mohamed Al Fayed requires on his Balnagowan Estate near Inverness. Giving evidence on behalf of Ramblers’ Association Scotland in the public inquiry into Trump’s proposed development of his Menie Estate, Dave Morris is expected to say: “It is astonishing that Donald Trump came to the opening day

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Posted in Access issues


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You should always carry a backup means of navigation and not rely on a single phone, app or map. Walking can be dangerous and is done entirely at your own risk. Information is provided free of charge; it is every walker's responsibility to check it and to navigate safely.