Month: July 2016

July 26, 2016 Nick Kempe 2 comments

A fair amount of information has come to light in the last three weeks about the LLTNPA’s camping plans which raises serious further concerns about both the adequacy of those plans and the whole camping byelaw proposal.   Camping in Strathard   It says a lot about the LLTNPA that they have kept their camping…

July 23, 2016 Nick Kempe No comments exist

I was delighted that the coverage by parkswatchscotland of the destruction at Cairngorm was picked up by Rob Edwards in the Sunday Herald and on his website two weeks ago.   The articles are significant because they include confirmation from a senior member of staff within the Cairngorms National Park Authority that the work undertaken by…

July 20, 2016 Nick Kempe No comments exist

Dear LLTNPA,   Your Guidance on Renewables recommends the use of fencing should be kept to a minimum.  Is this fencing at the Derrydarroch power station what was meant?   Or has perhaps this been designed to keep walkers on the West Highland Way, from where this photo was taken, at bay?  

July 18, 2016 Nick Kempe No comments exist

Dear LLTNPA,   I know that the LLTNPA is very pre-occupied with branding, so that every signpost has to be in your corporate colours, but I really wonder if this is the best way to get messages across?   I have been a few time to the Carrick Nature reserve and never seen any litter.  There…

July 10, 2016 Nick Kempe No comments exist

Dear LLTNPA,   In May I visited the Loch Venachar quay site off the Invertrossachs Road where you installed a new carpark with gates last year, just outside Invertrossachs House, the home of your convener Linda McKay.   I note that the trees on the quay, which were not in the original plans, were growing particularly…

July 8, 2016 Nick Kempe No comments exist

Dear CNPA,   Apologies, I could not find the best card.  The track in the foreground as you will recognise is outwith your boundary but the one in the far distance is within it.   Travelling through the Drumochter though I  am not sure the boundary has made any difference: every hillside is cut like…

July 6, 2016 Nick Kempe 2 comments

Dear LLTNPA, I know at the behest of the Scottish Government both our National Parks have been promoting  scenic routes and as part of this some interesting sculptures have been created over the last year or so including the structure at Inveruglas.  To many people like myself though the natural beauty of the area speaks…

July 5, 2016 Nick Kempe No comments exist

Dear LLTNPA, I spotted these tents at Bein Glas campsite on Sunday 26th June at 9.30 am.  They looked abandoned to me and sure enough they were still there late afternoon.   When you published all those photos of abandoned tents by the lochshores you implied that banning camping outwith controlled areas would stop these problems…

July 4, 2016 Nick Kempe No comments exist

Dear CNPA,   I have some sympathy with you as planning authority, about the destruction and mess at the Coire Cas T-bar because,  after Natural Retreats claimed emergency work was needed to replace the t-bar gantry before the last ski season,  Highland Council let them proceed without planning permission.  This provides an opportunity for the…

July 2, 2016 Nick Kempe No comments exist

One of the objections I submitted to the LLTNPA’s development plan Response – Development Plan and Camping was it used totally different terminology to describe campsites than what has been used in the Your Park consultation – a case of one part of the Park not talking to another. (See https://parkswatchscotland.co.uk/2016/06/07/park-authority-applies-planning-permission-unwanted-campsite-loch-chon/)   I emailed the Park’s…

July 2, 2016 Nick Kempe No comments exist

When I set up parkswatchscotland in March I had no idea what I was letting myself in for.  I had broadly conceived it as an open platform for people concerned about our two National Parks and had hoped to get a team of active contributors within a few weeks.   I thought I might write a…

July 1, 2016 Nick Kempe No comments exist

I was out last Sunday taking a  look at the Glen Falloch hydro schemes which I had not yet visited.  In an earlier post I was very critical of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park for setting out no firm rules about what locations might be suitable for hydro schemes https://parkswatchscotland.co.uk/2016/05/24/glen-falloch-hydro-schemes-2/ .     The…