ACCESS & CONSERVATION NEWS Cairngorms National Park – A Lost Opportunity By Mike Dales The Scottish Executive launched the draft Designation Order for the proposed Cairngorms National Park in June. The MCofS was dismayed and disappointed at the Scottish Executive's announcement about the boundary and status of the proposed National Park. Whilst this marks the final consultation in the process of creating Scotland's second National Park, it is perhaps the stage at which least notice will be taken of the comments received. The two issues that the MCofS feel most strongly about are the illogical southern boundary to the Park and the planning powers being left in the hands of local authorities. The draft Designation Order appears to be "Big on Politics, Short on Mountain Protection". MCofS expected from previous consultations and meetings that Scotland was going to get the biggest National Park in Europe, but instead it now looks like we're going to get the most political. Our view is that we are only getting half a National Park, and the consequence of this is that there will be no natural southern gateway. We had expected Blair Atholl to provide the main gateway, with the welcome being provided by that community. Instead, that gateway looks set to be in Strathspey, for reasons that seem less concerned with conservation, as one would expect with a National Park and more to do with political problems concerning representation by local councils. MCofS President, John Donohoe, said: "The decision to leave Angus and Perthshire out of the Park must have been made for reasons of political expediency rather than on landform or conservation criteria. It leaves the southern boundary deep in the heart of the mountain massif along the broad watershed between the Geldie and Tarf rivers. Features vital to the area like Glen Tilt, The Caenlochan National Nature Reserve and the other Angus Glens are excluded, leaving the Park with no gateways to the south, where the bulk of the people who will be paying for it live. On the map it looks like a North East Regional park for north east people." "The Executive have chosen to ignore our representations on the question of planning, without giving reasons for their decision, or justifying a different regime from that agreed for the Loch Lomond and Trossachs Park. The Councils around Loch Lomond, with an admirable history of safeguarding the area recognised that the Park Authority was the appropriate organisation to deal with planning matters in a holistic way. Given the history of inappropriate development in parts of the Cairngorms it is not surprising that the Local authorities could not demonstrate that vision. It is depressing that neither could the Executive. We will study the full document carefully and present our response to the Scottish Executive." The MCofS will be keeping mountaineers informed of progress with the introduction of the Cairngorms National Park via our website at: www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk. The website also contains a link to the draft Designation Order, which is on the Scottish Executive website. We will be making a response to this consultation and this will be shown on the website. For further information, please contact Mike Dales on 01738 638 229 at the office.

New Path on The Cobbler By Mike Dales One of the worst paths in the Scottish mountains will be replaced over the next few months. The "Pipe Track" leading towards The Cobbler and Beinn Narnain rises at over 20 degrees from the lay-by just outside Arrochar. By the end of the year, however, a new track will take walkers up an easier angled slope through forestry to the south of the current route. Forest Enterprise are setting out on a project to improve a number of walking and cycling tracks in the Argyll Forest Park, and improvements on The Cobbler mark the beginning of this work. The MCofS is working with Forest Enterprise to provide the view of those who will be using these tracks and to try and ensure a high level of design and construction. The new track through the forest will meet the mountain path just below the dam on the Allt a' Bhalachain, and this will have a knock-on effect on the way walkers ascend Beinn Narnain. The path from the top of the Pipe Track up the southeast spur of Beinn Narnain is severely eroded and this will be an opportunity to divert the main ascent route off that eroded area. However, the nature of the ground directly above the junction of the new path and the existing path (281051) looks susceptible to erosion and if a route were to develop up that slope onto Beinn Narnain it might be a matter of shifting the problem from one place to another. We believe that a better approach onto Beinn Narnain would be from 200 or 300 metres further along The Cobbler path, albeit well before the Narnain Boulders. What do members think? Work will also be taking place this summer on the mountain path leading from the dam towards The Cobbler. This section of path is very badly drained at the moment and becomes a watercourse even in periods of modest rainfall. We are also aware of areas of severe erosion just after the mountain path crosses the burn and starts to climb steeply towards The Cobbler, and another area just below the ridge leading to the north summit. We hope that these sections will be tackled in the next two or three years, with due regard for the sensitivities of the location. We also hope that no capital work will be undertaken without proper provision for ongoing maintenance thereafter.   The Skye Cuillin – Is It, Isn't It? At the time of going to press there is speculation that the Skye Cuillin has been, or is about to be, sold to a mystery American buyer (see The Scottish Mountaineer 12, page 35). A report in 'The Times' quoted John Mackenzie as saying that the buyer wished to "develop the area rather than exploit it". It would be interesting to know what the difference is. Currently the sale is unconfirmed.   Foot and Mouth Disease Consultation The Scottish Executive has published a draft FMD contingency plan for consultation. Responses by 30 August. Copies of the consultation letter and the draft plan will be going on their website. Go to: www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations/agriculture/fmdcontingency.pdf   Land Reform Bill Update The Land Reform Bill continues its progress through the Scottish Parliament with the Justice 2 Committee meeting in June to consider amendments to the Access (Part 1) section of the Bill. The MCofS, via its place on the Scottish Environment LINK Access Network, has played a key role in developing and promoting 30 proposed amendments to the Parliament. As usual we will keep you updated with the outcome via our website and future editions of The Scottish Mountaineer.   Ben Ledi Access Update By Mike Newbury Issue 11 of Scottish Mountaineer outlined the objections from MCofS to the Forest Holiday cabin proposal here. A second application for development of 35 cabins has now been granted conditional planning permission. The issue of the closure of the path up the hill and ongoing parking problems were highlighted too. The Path has now re-opened and Forest Enterprise are to carry out remedial works in the lower sections where lack of maintenance in the past has caused gullying. There is also to be a minor diversion in the cleared forest to avoid the erosion-prone steepest section.   Skye SPA The MCofS has responded to a consultation being run by SNH into the possible designation of the Skye Cuillin as a Special Protection Area (SPA). Our response is posted on the website. The SPA designation is part of the EU Birds Directive, and in the case of Skye would be used to protect the habitat of the golden eagles. This designation takes into account the existing factors in an area, such as mountaineering, with which the bird population already lives. The SPA would, however, be a means of controlling any new form of activity that might have an impact on the breeding success of birds, like helicopter flights over the mountains.   Hillphones The Hillphones system will once again run from August 1st through to October 31st. The 12 Hillphone areas that operated in 2001 will be participating again, and all the Hillphone numbers remain the same. We are already hopeful that there will be at least one or two new areas joining the scheme next year, so we will keep you informed as negotiations progress. The Hillphones leaflet is enclosed with this edition of The Scottish Mountaineer, and we urge everyone to read through this, as much for the general advice it contains, as well as to see where the Hillphone areas are on the map.   MCofS Access Symposium 2002 Saturday 16th November (10.00 - 16.00) Stirling (Venue to be confirmed) Developing the Scottish Outdoor Access Code Join the MCofS Access & Conservation Officer & Committee to hear the latest developments in the Scottish Parliament's efforts to introduce modern access legislation & an accompanying Scottish Outdoor Access Code. As the Bill is finalised towards the end of this year, the emphasis will switch to the development of the Code, which will set out what is responsible behaviour for recreationalists, landowners & managers, & public agencies. The MCofS is a key organisation in the National Access Forum, which is responsible for the development of the Code, & in order to be effective within that Forum we need to have the support & guidance from our members. The Access Symposium is an opportunity to feed your ideas into that process. Please complete & return the attached booking form, or e-mail the form on our website. To cover the cost of hiring a hall we need to charge £3 for attendance at the Access Symposium. We will collect this on the day. Back to Newsletter index     next article

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