Mountain Maintenance Days in Skye and Lochalsh

A group of eight Skye and Lochalsh volunteers ranging in age from 14 to 73 years gathered in Glenbrittle on Saturday 23rd January to take part in the last of the current series of Highland Council’s Upland Footpath Maintenance days with the Skye and Lochalsh Rangers.

Four maintenance days were scheduled between April 2009 and March 2010 at the Old Man of Storr; Saddle Path in Lochalsh; Glenbrittle; Coire Lagan and the Fairy Pools paths. All of the paths were improved by Skye and Lochalsh Footpaths Initiative between 1993 and 2008. In total around 42 kilometres of upland and coastal paths were improved by the Skye and Lochalsh Footpath Initiative in this period, which need continued maintenance.

During a typical upland footpath maintenance day, cross-drains and water bars are cleared out and drains cleared of debris, built up largely as a result of heavy rain. On the last of these sessions, on the Fairy Pools path, a total of 67 cross-drains and water bars were restored to their original state over a stretch of 1.5km.

Highland Council’s Skye and Lochalsh Rangers plan another series of Rangers’ Upland Footpath Maintenance days in the coming year. They are hard work – but great fun. Anyone interested in taking part and helping to preserve access to some of the most stunning landscapes in Scotland can contact John Phillips, Senior Countryside Ranger on 01471 822 905