Tag: CNPA

March 9, 2021 Nick Kempe 2 comments

Following my post on the air pollution caused by muirburn (see here),  I have been sent a number of photos by readers expressing concern about the levels of destruction that have been caused by muirburn these last two weeks, both inside and outside the Cairngorms National Park.  In the case above, the people concerned had…

February 15, 2021 Nick Kempe 4 comments

This post takes a critical look at the implications that the Scottish Land Commission’s “Legislative proposals to address the impact of Scotland’s concentration of land ownership”, published on 4th February (see here), has for our National Parks in the light of the  purchase of the Kinrara estate on Speyside the week before.   The sale…

January 25, 2021 Nick Kempe 8 comments

Recently I was sent photos, taken in 2019, of a stink pit at the northern end of the 42,000 acre Glenavon Estate, about 5km south of Tomintoul. The person who sent the photos had been alerted by a walker who had stumbled across the pit a couple of months earlier in February and reported finding…

January 16, 2021 Nick Kempe 14 comments

This post takes a further look at the longer costs and benefits of the funicular railway at Cairn Gorm as set out in Highland and Island Enterprise’s Full Business Case (FBC) (see here) . What I failed to mention in my first post on the FBC back in October (see here) was the total estimated costs…

January 12, 2021 Graham Garfoot 5 comments

Since the release of the COWI report on 11th December, which Highlands and Islands Enterprise had withheld for two years, Parkswatch has been able to start investigating the repair of funicular (see here) and (here).  We have been uncovering new issues and questions on an almost daily basis.  For example, Pier 9 (photo above) featured…

December 31, 2020 Nick Kempe 11 comments

A week after the Herald piece, on 29th December, Prince Charles was interviewed about his views on the natural environment by Margaret Atwood, guest editor for the Today programme (see here – from 2.20.30 to 2.29.30).  It is highly recommended listening.  I had not realised that Prince Charles had been speaking out about the dangers…

December 18, 2020 Nick Kempe 3 comments

As usual, the latest edition of Earth Heritage (see here)  has some excellent articles about Scotland but I was particularly interested to read “Reflections from a Geoheritage Sabbatical in Scotland: The View from America”: “Scotland was a natural choice for a geoheritage sabbatical for several reasons: spectacular and diverse geology; the importance of Scottish scientists…

November 10, 2020 Nick Kempe 10 comments

On 3rd November Highlands and Islands Enterprise announced that work to repair the funicular had started (see here).  A large number of planning documents were published on the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning portal the week before (see here).  Among these is a timetable for the works: It would appear work has commenced two months late. …

November 5, 2020 Nick Kempe 8 comments

It is hard to know whether to be inspired or depressed by the battle over vehicular use of “green lanes” which I touched on a year ago in post comparing what was going on in the Lake District National Park and the  Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park (see here) The latest newsletter of…

October 29, 2020 Nick Kempe 11 comments

After blogging about how this sign breached access rights ten days ago (see here), I was delighted to be informed by the Cairngorms National Park Authority yesterday that it has now been removed by the Balmoral Estate.   The CNPA Access Team have said that they now going to talk further with the estate about a…

October 26, 2020 Dave Morris 9 comments

On 21 Oct the Herald newspaper published a letter from myself about the need for the Scottish Government to revise the plans for dualling the A9 trunk road, currently under construction, so that new rest and parking areas can be provided. Such areas are the norm in many other European countries. To bring Scotland up…

October 19, 2020 Nick Kempe 8 comments

On Saturday, I walked with friends up Lochnagar from the old Invercauld Bridge, through the Ballochbuie forest and then across the moor to scramble up the Stuic.  Shortly after the start, at a  junction, we came across this sign at the start of a road leading off to our right .  While apparently intended to…

October 17, 2020 Nick Kempe 3 comments

Last year Parkswatch posted a number of articles opposing the planning application to smooth and re-grade ground by the Day Lodge at Cairn Gorm to create a new beginner’s ski area (see here– includes links to all posts). Ten months after the Cairngorms National Park Authority approved the planning application from Jim Cornfoot, a member…

October 16, 2020 Nick Kempe 8 comments

I have been staying in Braemar for the week and so far have seen almost no litter (and no fly tipping) in the Cairngorms National Park, quite a contrast to the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park in the summer (see here).  Even accepting that it is now quieter than August, the differences are quite…