Paths
The state of the paths has been an ongoing concern to the Bailies for a number of years.
In general, the landowners no longer have the budget for large expenditures necessary for all paths and have had to severely prioritise their spending to other areas.
The Bailies saw there was really no option but to grab the baton and see what we could do for the hill and walkers visiting. We are incredibly fortunate to have been given legacies over the years. We know donors would have wanted their resources directed towards the hill. We see the paths as a high priority for both the hill and visitors? The hill has some of the highest footfall of any outdoor destination in Scotland. Waiting for the paths to become a priority with the landowners would take years, if at all.
Reviewing our potential path projects, it was decided that the upgrade of the Timeline path from the Colony Path to the treeline was the preferred and most deserving project. The main reasons are the poor condition of this section of the path combined with its popularity and the large number of visitors that would benefit.
Following a site visit in autumn 2024 with FLS, it was discussed that a contracting model, successfully being deployed in other FLS regions, could also be beneficial to all. This is where we would engage the path contractor and retain an independent consultant to manage the contractor. We had a meeting with a recommended consultant. We went through in detail how the project would be executed from concept design and costing, selection of contractor, completion of the work and handover of the completed path to FLS. We decided this model was the best and most expedient way to progress the project.
At the November 2024 meeting for 2025 Budgets, the Trustees approved the proposed budget for the paths project. The initial consultant work commenced early 2025, with the path upgrade work originally scheduled for Autumn 2025. This may be delayed as we are applying for grant funding to cover some of the project costs.
