The Mountaineering Council of Scotland

Access in Scotland
Useful Contacts

Access Problem? Action to take

Since the implementation of the Land reform Act in February 2005, all Scottish local authorities have dedicated Access officers whose remit includes addressing and resolving access disputes and issues in their areas. A list of access officers is given below, it is extracted from the “Angry Corrie” of Nov/Dec 2005, and we acknowledge the kindness and support of Dave Hewitt in readily consenting to our request to put it on our website.

If you encounter difficulties over access such as locked gates, inappropriate signage etc you should in the first instance, as described in the SOAC, contact the LA access officer for the area involved and give them as much information as you can, photos might help. We would also appreciate it if you would alert the MCofS by sending us details to info@mountaineering-scotland.org.uk. While the access officer should take up the problem with the land manager, the MCofS is prepared to add our support to members' concerns if necessary. We are finding that many of these difficulties, especially those of a long-standing nature are not being resolved quickly, and some persistence is required. In some areas the access officers seem to be under pressure; hillgoers may identify issues on the ground that need to be tackled, but it appears that the majority of impediments to access are being encountered in lowland areas. Patient negotiation also takes time, essential if good relations are to be fostered and satisfactory outcomes achieved.

A reminder: since Mike Dales has moved to the SCA, access work undertaken by the MCofS has to be tackled by a small group of volunteers, who also have jobs and/or other commitments, so please don't anticipate an instant response!

Local authorities

Area Name Job title Phone Email
Shetland No post. Contact: Victor Hawthorne Planning Officer 01595 744835 victor.hawthorne@sic.shetland.gov.uk
Orkney Derek Manson Assistant Access Officer 01856 873535 x2532 derek.manson@orkney.gov.uk
Western Isles Rhodri Evans Countryside Access Manager 01870 602425 r.evans@cne-siar.gov.uk
  Susan Rabe C'side Access Project Officer 01851 703226 srabe@cne-siar.gov.uk
Highland Alex Sutherland Access Officer 01463 702282 alex.sutherland@highland.gov.uk
  John Hutcheson Access Officer (Lochaber) 01397 707050 john.hutcheson2@highland.gov.uk
  Donald Kennedy Access Officer (Skye and Lochalsh) 01471 820392 donald.kennedy@highland.gov.uk
  Stewart Eastaugh Access Officer (Inverness and Nairn) 01463 702186 stewart.eastaugh@highland.gov.uk
  Phil Waite Access Officer (Ross and Cromarty) 01349 868431 philip.waite@highland.gov.uk
  David Barclay Access Officer (Caithness) 01955 605858 david.barclay@highland.gov.uk
  Matthew Dent Access Officer (Sutherland) 01549 402729 matt.dent@highland.gov.uk
Aberdeen Rachel Sharp Access Officer 01224 523316 rsharp@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Aberdeenshire Colin Miller Countryside Access Officer 01467 628481 colin.miller@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
  Andrew Coleman Project Manager, Upper Deeside Access Trust 01339 887777 andrew@udat.co.uk
Moray Ian Douglas Access Manager 01343 557049 ian.douglas@moray.gov.uk
Clackmannanshire John Duffy Access Officer 01259 452523 jduffy@clacks.gov.uk
Perth and Kinross Dave Stubbs Access Officer 01738 475347 dstubbs@pkc.gov.uk
  Jane Pritchard Access Officer 01738 475332 jpritchard@pkc.gov.uk
  Frances Berry Access Officer 01738 475324 feberry@pkc.gov.uk
  Martin Currie Manager, PK C'side Trust 01738 475394 mrcurrie@pkc.gov.uk
Angus Paul Clark Countryside Access Officer 01307 473589 clarkpr@angus.gov.uk
  Alan Gordon E C'gorms Access Proj.Officer 01307 473415 gordonal@angus.gov.uk
Dundee Laura Campbell Access Officer 01382 433748 laura.campbell@dundeecity.gov.uk
Argyll and Bute Jenny Carter Access Project Manager 01546 604314 jenny.carter@argyll-bute.gov.uk
  Sue Williams Access Officer 01546 604228 sue.williams@argyll-bute.gov.uk
Stirling Richard Barron Senior Access Officer 01786 442937 barronr@stirling.gov.uk
  Penny Stoddard Access Officer 01786 443482 stoddardp@stirling.gov.uk
  Alison Perry Community Access Officer 01786 442932 perrya@stirling.gov.uk
Glasgow Jolyon Gritten Access Officer 0141 287 8585 jolyon.gritten@drs.glasgow.gov.uk
East Renfrewshire Jim Williamson Access Officer 0141 577 3882 jim.williamson@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk
Renfrewshire Kate Cuthbert Access Officer 0141 842 5258 kate.cuthbert@renfrewshire.gov.uk
Inverclyde Janice Boyd Access Officer 01475 712417 janice.boyd@inverclyde.gov.uk
West Dunbartonshire Helen Lundie Access Officer 01389 737376 see www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk
East Dunbartonshire Mark Brand Access Officer 0141 578 8520 mark.brand@eastdunbarton.gov.uk
North Lanarkshire Stephen McHenry Access Officer 01236 737545 mchenrys@northlan.gov.uk
  Mykela Heath Access Officer 01236 737545 heathm@northlan.gov.uk
South Lanarkshire Simon Pilpel Access Officer 01698 455938 simon.pilpel@southlanarkshire.gov.uk
  Philip Glennie Access Officer 01698 455125 philip.glennie@southlanarkshire.gov.uk
North Ayrshire Louise Kirk Access Officer 01294 225198 lkirk@north-ayrshire.gov.uk
East Ayrshire Anneke Freel Manager, Coalfield Acc. Proj. 01563 554748 anneke.freel@east-ayrshire.gov.uk
South Ayrshire David Gray Access Officer 01292 616649 david.gray@south-ayrshire.gov.uk
Dumfries & Galloway Simon Fieldhouse Countryside Team Leader 01387 260245 simon.fieldhouse@dumgal.gov.uk
  Stewart Cameron Access Officer East 01387 260145 stewart.cameron@dumgal.gov.uk
  Alison Keith Access Officer West 01387 260341 alison.keith@dumgal.gov.uk
Scottish Borders Neil Mackay Access Officer 01835 826509 nmackay@scotborders.gov.uk
East Lothian Nick Morgan Outdoor Access Officer 01620 827671 nmorgan@eastlothian.gov.uk
  Jennifer Lothian Outdoor Access Officer 01620 827419 jlothian@eastlothian.gov.uk
Midlothian Gary Cormack Access and Woodlands Officer 0131 561 5303 gary.cormack@midlothian.gov.uk
West Lothian David Oldham Access Officer 01506 775249 david.oldham@westlothian.gov.uk
Falkirk Martin Nunn C'side Access Strategy Officer 01324 504928 martin.nunn@falkirk.gov.uk
  Mandy Brown Countryside Access Officer 01324 504721 mandy.brown@falkirk.gov.uk
Edinburgh Alan McGregor Access Officer 0131 469 3602 alan@cecrangerservice.demon.co.uk
Fife Alison Irvine Access Officer 01592 748334 alison.irvine@fife.gov.uk
  Phil Clarke Operations Officer, Access 01592 414316 pclarke.accessfife@virgin.net

Scottish Natural Heritage contacts

Area Name Job title Phone Email
Northern Isles Simon Smith Area Officer, Lerwick 01595 693345 simon.smith@snh.gov.uk
  Ruth Priestley (temp) Area Officer, Kirkwall 01856 875302 ruth.priestley@snh.gov.uk
Western Isles Johanne Ferguson Area Officer, Stornoway 01851 705258 johanne.ferguson@snh.gov.uk
Highland Terry Keatinge Operational Manager, Golspie 01408 633602 terry.keatinge@snh.gov.uk
  Cattie Anderson Area Officer, Aviemore 01479 810477 cattie.anderson@snh.gov.uk
  Stewart Sandison Area Officer, Fort William 01397 704716 stewart.sandison@snh.gov.uk
Grampian Kelley Birnie Area Officer, Aberdeen 01224 642863 kelley.birnie@snh.gov.uk
Tayside/Clacks Mike Shepherd Area Officer, Battleby 01738 444177 mike.shepherd@snh.gov.uk
Argyll/Stirlingshire Gavin Smith Area Officer, Kilmory 01546 603611 gavin.smith@snh.gov.uk
  Stuart Davies Area Officer, Stirling 01786 450362 stuart.davies@snh.gov.uk
Strathclyde/Ayrshire Geoff Atkins Area AO, Clydebank 0141 951 4488 geoff.atkins@snh.gov.uk
  John Collie Area Access Officer, Ayr 01292 261392 john.collie@snh.gov.uk
Dumfries/Galloway Mike Scott Area Access Officer, Dumfries 01387 247010 mike.scott@snh.gov.uk
Forth/Borders John O'Keefe Area Access Officer, Dalkeith 0131 654 2466 john.okeefe@snh.gov.uk

National park contacts

Cairngorms Cattie Anderson Area Officer, Aviemore 01479 810477 cattie.anderson@snh.gov.uk
Loch Lomond & Trossachs Stuart Davies Area Officer, Stirling 01786 450362 stuart.davies@snh.gov.uk

National park access staff

Cairngorms Bob Grant Access Manager 01479 873535 bobgrant@cairngorms.co.uk
  Fran Pothecary Access Officer 01479 870533 franpothecary@cairngorms.co.uk
  Sandra Middleton Access Officer 01339 753607 sandramiddleton@cairngorms.co.uk
Loch Lomond & Trossachs Bridget Jones Senior Access Officer 01389 722618 bridget.jones@lochlomond-trossachs.org
  Douglas Stewart Area Access Officer (Breadalbane/Argyll) 01389 722624 douglas.stewart@lochlomond-trossachs.org
  Jimmy Connolly Area Access Officer (Trossachs/Lomond) 01389 722640 jimmy.connolly@lochlomond-trossachs.org

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