![\"plans](\"\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/speyside-way1.jpg\")
<\/a>plans include extending the Speyside Way to Newtonmore, due to open soon<\/p><\/div>
\nThe National Walking and Cycling project plan is backed by Scottish Natural Heritage, Sustrans and Scottish Canals and aims to make it easier for people of all ages and abilities to get to and enjoy. The Government says the new paths will offer something for everyone, from walkers, cyclists and horse riders to people using wheelchairs and mobility scooters. <\/p>\n
Cabinet Secretary for Planning, Alex Neil stepped out on the banks of the Forth and Clyde canal to see some of the benefits for himself and meet the project partners and representatives from Falkirk Council. The canal towpath is part of the new John Muir Way<\/a>, a national cycle route and links to a network of local paths round Falkirk.<\/p>\n Mr Neil said: \u201cScotland\u2019s extensive network of long distance routes, national cycleways and canal towpaths is already much loved and well used.<\/p>\n \u201cEncouraging more people to enjoy the natural environment is important for the environment, tourism and boosting the economy \u2013 that\u2019s why the National Long Distance Cycling and Walking Network is designated as a national development in Scotland\u2019s National Planning Framework.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Plan will extend the network of connected, accessible paths and tracks for visitors of all ages and abilities to walk and cycle, encouraging even more people and visitors to enjoy the outdoors and to become more active.\u201d<\/p>\n Feasibility studies are already underway for a North Solway coastal path, parts of a \u2018Pilgrim\u2019s Way\u2019 across Scotland between St Andrews and Iona, and to extend the Clyde walkway in Lanarkshire. Major improvements on canal towpaths have begun and there are also plans for much needed improvements to existing long distance routes such as the Cowal Way<\/a> and the Clyde Coast path. While work will be carried out over the next five years, the national development is also long term, with the project plan setting out a strategy for the network over the next 20 years.<\/p>\n Ian Ross, Chairman of Scottish Natural Heritage said: \u201cWe want to make sure that the network offers something for everyone, with rural routes offering peace and quiet, great views and the chance to get close to nature; paths between settlements to help local people commute away from traffic; high spec surfaces in places for people in wheelchairs and cyclists and more varied paths for walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders.<\/p>\n \u201cThe most important thing is to give people the chance to access and enjoy the outdoors close to where they live \u2013 irrespective of their age or mobility. And on the back of that we hope that people will embrace healthier, more active and sustainable lifestyles.\u201d<\/p>\n John Lauder, National Director of Sustrans Scotland, said: \u201cWe are delighted to be working in partnership with SNH and Scottish Canals to ensure the successful delivery of a National Long Distance Cycling and Walking Network, as detailed in National Planning Framework 3. Sustrans wants to see as many people as possible choosing to walk and cycle more on a daily basis. In order to achieve this aim we need to continue to develop high quality facilities for people to use. <\/p>\n \u201c2015 marks the 20th anniversary of the National Cycle Network in the UK; Sustrans\u2019 flagship project. In 2013, there were an estimated 104 million trips on the National Cycle Network in Scotland and the indicative value of leisure cycling and cycle tourism was \u00a3298 million.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is fantastic to think that the Network will be extended even further as part of this National Long Distance Walking and Cycling Network and more people than ever before will have the opportunity to use it.\u201d<\/p>\n Andrew Thin, Chair of Scottish Canals, said: \u201cThe towpaths along Scotland’s canals are busier than ever and play a vital role in both the national path network and linking the communities they run through. They’re increasingly significant destinations for leisure, exercise and commuting and offer the perfect way to explore all that the canal corridors have to offer, from the majestic landscapes of the Great Glen to the unique engineering of the world\u2019s only rotating boat lift.<\/p>\n \u201cScotland\u2019s towpaths already attract more than 22 million visits a year; we hope this project will encourage even more people to leave the couch and car behind, get outdoors, and enjoy the rich heritage, wildlife and green space offered by the nation\u2019s waterways and the wider path network.”<\/p>\n The plan sets out the following priorities for next five years: 2014 – 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Long distance routes<\/strong> Cycleways<\/strong> Canals<\/strong> Route priorities for next 20 years: 2014 \u2013 2034<\/p>\n Long distance routes<\/strong> Cycleways<\/strong> The Scottish Government says it plans to add a further 500 miles to the existing network of footpaths and cycle routes by joining up and improving current routes and adding 30 new long distance routes to be completed by 2019. New routes to be developed include a Hebridean Way spanning Harris and Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, a cross-Scotland Pilgrims Way, a North Solway coastal path, and an extension to the Clyde walkway. The plan also contains some very long term aspirations including coastal routes for Angus and Aberdeenshire currently scheduled for completion in 2034. The National Walking and Cycling…<\/span> <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10428,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12661","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-walking-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12661","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12661"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12661\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12666,"href":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12661\/revisions\/12666"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10428"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12661"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12661"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12661"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nArran Coastal Way improvements
\nClyde Coastal Path
\nClyde Walkway extension from New Lanark
\nClyde Walkway improvements: Newton Farm section
\nClyde Walkway improvements: Craighead Retreat section
\nCowal Way improvements
\nCrook of Devon to Kinross
\nCross-Scotland Pilgrim Way: Tyndrum to Glenogle
\nCross-Scotland Pilgrim Way: Lochearnhead to Crieff
\nDarvel to Muirkirk
\nGreat Trossachs Path: Callander to Inversnaid
\nFife Pilgrim Way: Culross and North Queensferry to St Andrews
\nHebridean Way: Harris & Lewis
\nJohn Muir Way: Kilpatricks section
\nJohn Muir Way: Strathblane to Glasgow spur
\nNorth Solway Coast Path: Drummore to Portpatrick
\nSpeyside Way extension: Aviemore to Newtonmore<\/p>\n
\nDundee Green Circular: alternative to Docks
\nRoute 73 National Cycle Network: Brodick to Corrie
\nRoute 73 (South) National Cycle Network: Newton Stewart to Cairnryan
\nRoute 753 National Cycle Network: Largs to Inverkip
\nRoute 753 National Cycle Network: In & around Fairlie
\nRoute 76 National Cycle Network: Manor Powis Roundabout
\nRoute 765 National Cycle Network, Stirling to Callander: Doune to Burn of Cambus
\nSouthern Upland Cycleway: Stranraer to Portpatrick<\/p>\n
\nCaledonian Canal Towpath
\nCrinan Canal Towpath
\nForth & Clyde Canal Towpath
\nMonklands Canal Towpath
\nUnion Canal Towpath<\/p>\n
\nAberdeenshire Coastal Path
\nAngus Coastal Path
\nCross-Scotland Pilgrim Way: Iona to Tyndrum and Crieff to St Andrews
\nDeeside Way extension
\nGlenbuck – New Lanark link
\nInverness – Nairn Coast Path
\nKirkmichael – Ballater link
\nNorth Solway Coastal Path
\nPitlochry – Kirkmichael link
\nStirling to Drymen<\/p>\n
\nRoute 74 National Cycle Network, Gretna \u2013 Glasgow: Larkhall to Stonehouse; M74 cycleway north end; To Douglas
\nRoute 765 National Cycle Network, Stirling to Callander: Burn of Cambus to Callander
\nRoute 775 National Cycle Network, Almondbank to Lochearnhead: Crieff to Lochearnhead
\nRoute 79 National Cycle Network, Speyside Way Cycleway
\nFort William to Mallaig
\nRoslin to Peebles Cycleway<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"