NEMT News - Archive

Cairngorms Partnership

The Management Strategy, Managing the Cairngorms is available from the board office:
14 The Square, Grantown-on-Spey, Morayshire, PH26 3HG
Tel: 01475 873535

The NEMT has accepted an invitation to participate in a Recreation Forum for the Cairngorms under the auspices of the Cairngorm Partnership. This forum, chaired by Alan Blackshaw (the recreational representative on the CPB), is anticipated to provide a line of communication between the CPB and recreational groups using the Cairngorms. The Trust is more than happy to contribute to this initiative as long as all issues which have an impact on recreational use of the area can be explored. NEMT would be pleased to receive any views, comments or concerns of individuals or organisations for raising at the Forum.

Cairngorms Information | Images

International Year of Mountains 2002

2002 was the International Year of Mountains. A variety of events ran throughout the year, nationally and internationally.

Summit to Sea: The Values of Scotland's Mountains and Water in the 21st Century
Conference and Workshop: Battleby, 20-21 January 2003; more info
A conference and workshop to promote awareness of the issues and players associated with Scotland's mountains and water, and to sketch out a framework for future action. The event was a partnership venture between SEPA, SNH, Scottish Environment LINK and the Centre for Mountain Studies.

The Cairngorms Campaign held a one day conference Roots To The Summits on Saturday 16th November.

Locally NEMT held a successful weekend in Ballater. Under the title Recreation in the Cairngorms we looked at what makes mountains special through a Quiz, Talks, Ceilidh and Walks. Seminar Report

UIAA Summit Charter


Cairngorm Funicular Railway

December 2001: The £15 million railway made its inaugural run.

July 2000: The Visitor Management Plan for the development was published with a brief period for consultation. Even before agreement has been reached with SNH over the terms of the VMP, Cairngorm Chairlift Company have requested a relaxation of the protection that the plan gives the fragile mountain environment (News and Views 46). The Mountaineering Council of Scotland published a critique of the VMP by Dr Adam Watson.

October 1999: The Cairngorm Chairlift Company applied for and were granted permission for a smaller Ptarmigan Centre, the retention of the current chairlift bottom station and an amended design for the Day Lodge. The application came immediately after European money had been secured (subject to a long list of conditions that may be difficult to comply with). The Scottish Executive supported the Highland Council's decision to allow the modified planning application.

Top | Comment | Photos of construction site

Glen Feshie Estate

December 2001: Glen Feshie sold to Flemming Skouboe for £8,000,000

February 2001: Forestry Commission approves woodland plan

November 1997: The estate has been purchased by multi-millionaire Danish clothes designer, Klaus Helmersen for £6 million. The previous owner, Will Woodlands Trust was forced to sell when its management plan was met by almost universal disapproval.

Top | Cairngorms Campaign's Response

Nevis Working Group

Path work on Ben Nevis

A year long study of the visitor use of Ben Nevis and Glen Nevis commenced in September 2001

Highland Council-led Nevis Working Group have produced a strategy for environmental and visitor management in the Nevis Area. summary document


Knoydart

March 1999: The Knoydart Estate has been bought by a community trust for £750,000. Sir Cameron Mackintosh rejoined the bid after last month abandoning plans to buy the 17,000-acre estate and lease it to the community at a peppercorn rent. The Knoydart Foundation is a consortium of residents, public agencies, conservationists and neighbouring landowners. Money raised by local people has been combined with contributions from the John Muir Trust and the Chris Brasher Trust as well as Sir Cameron Mackintosh. The handover took place at the end of March 1999. The Foundation and its partners are looking for further funding to invest in the estate.

The Knoydart Estate on the west coast of Scotland has been the subject of years of wrangling in the hands of various owners. In 1985, Surrey property dealer Philip Rhodes paid £1.2m for 58,000 acres of what had once been an 80,000-acre estate. He broke the estate up and sold it off in parcels. In 1993 the last 16,500 acres was sold to the jute company, Titaghur, for £1.7m. Titaghur's flamboyant chairman, Reg Brealey, placed Knoydart in the hands of a consortium. Receivers were appointed in 1998 at which time debts were believed to be about £1.4 million.

Top | Newspaper reports

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