Scottish Natural Heritage Survey of upland path users in Scotland 2017 Published: April 2018 People, Places and Nature Unit Scottish Natural Heritage Great Glen House Leachkin Road Inverness IV3 8NW For further information please contact Fiona.Cuninghame@snh.gov.uk www.nature.scot
Contents Page Background and research objectives 3 Research methodology 3 Profile of respondents 4 Detailed research findings 5 Frequency of visiting the outdoors and upland areas in Scotland 5 Activities undertaken in Scotland s upland areas 6 Use of upland paths in Scotland 7 Condition of upland paths in Scotland in the last 12 months 7 The influence of paths on route selection 18 The importance of maintaining Scotland s upland paths 21 Level of interest in helping to look after Scotland s upland paths 22 Other comments 23 Summary and conclusions 24 Appendices 1. Profile of survey respondents 2. Activities undertaken in Scotland s upland areas in the last 12 months 3. Percent of respondents agreeing with each statement about the importance of maintaining Scotland s upland paths 4. Questionnaire 2
1. Background and research objectives Scotland s People and Nature Survey (SPANS) estimates that people living in Scotland take 28.6 million visits to upland areas each year. Many of these upland visits are hill walking trips (an estimated 9.8 million), but a variety of other activities are also undertaken in upland areas, ranging from mountain biking, running and ski-ing to fishing, wildlife watching and informal family outings. The vast majority of these upland visits involve the use of a path (88%) 1. In addition to visits taken by Scottish residents, around 9 million tourist trips are taken in Scotland each year by visitors from elsewhere in the UK and from overseas 2. Research undertaken by VisitScotland indicates that scenery and landscape are key motivations for these visits, many of which include active outdoor activities such as walking 3. Hillwalking and mountain biking both make significant contributions to the rural economy, with estimated annual expenditure in excess of 65 million 4 for hillwalking and 75.7million 5 for mountain biking. Aside from their economic value, these activities make important contributions to people s quality of life, providing very significant physical and mental health benefits. Upland paths play a key role in supporting, and sometimes enabling, these activities as well as managing impacts on the sensitive landscapes and habitats in which they take place. However, there is no national co-ordination or prioritisation of the limited resources for path repair work and no funding for path maintenance, resulting in varying standards of upland paths throughout the country and heavily eroded paths on some of our most iconic hills. This paper presents the findings of a survey of upland path users in Scotland, undertaken in 2017 by Scottish Natural Heritage, in partnership with other key stakeholders. The main objectives of the survey were to collect information from hill users about their recent experience of upland paths 6 ; their perceptions of the importance of upland paths; and their views on upland path maintenance and repair. The research findings will be used to inform future approaches to upland path funding and management. 2. Research methodology The research was undertaken between April and July 2017 by means of a self-completion surveymonkey questionnaire (see Appendix 4). The survey was promoted by SNH and via our network of contacts and targeted at as wide an audience of hill users as possible. This included members of national conservation organisations, members of national and local clubs and bodies associated with outdoor recreation as well as a more general audience with an interest in walking, mountain biking and other outdoor activities. 1 Scotland s People and Nature Survey 2013/14 (Scottish Natural Heritage) 2 Tourism in Scotland 2016 (VisitScotland) 3 Scotland Visitor Survey 2015 and 2016 (VisitScotland) 4 Estimate based on Scottish Recreation Survey data 2007 2012 5 Economic Value of Mountain Biking in Scotland (Scottish Enterprise); EKOS Ltd., Tourism Resources Company, April 2009. This research estimated 75.5 m in direct expenditure; when supplier and income multipliers are included, this rises to 119m. 6 For the purposes of the survey, upland paths were defined as paths or routes in Scotland s hills or mountains which have either been constructed or formed by regular use. Vehicle tracks, i.e. tracks constructed to allow vehicular access to the hills, are not included in this definition. 3
A total of 2,403 survey responses were received by the survey cut-off date, indicating a high level of engagement with the subject among hill users. Figure 1, below, shows where respondents sourced the survey link. The single largest proportion of responses to the survey was received from visitors to the Walkhighlands website (35%). Among the 30% of respondents who indicated that they had come across the survey link via some other means, social media, particularly Facebook and Twitter, was mentioned most frequently and played a key role in ensuring the survey link was shared as widely as possible. Figure 1: Where did you find the link to the survey? Walkhighlands 30% 35% Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland/local mountain biking club Conservation organisation (e.g. NTS, JMT) Mountaineering Scotland/local mountaineering club 1% 3% Ramblers Scotland/local walking club 13% 7% 11% Professional path management network Other Base: All respondents (n = 1,889) Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q18 3. Profile of respondents The respondent profile information below provides context for the survey findings; a more detailed breakdown is provided in Appendix 1. o The majority of respondents were resident in Scotland (88%) with most of the remainder resident elsewhere in the UK (10%) o Respondents were predominantly male (66%) and around half were aged between 35 and 54 (49%). o o o Around half of respondents were members of national or local organisations, clubs or bodies associated with conservation (e.g. JMT, NTS) or with walking, climbing and mountain biking (e.g. Ramblers, Mountaineering Scotland, local walking/mountain biking clubs) (55%). Almost all respondents had visited the outdoors in Scotland in the last 12 months (99%) and most had done so on a regular basis: among those resident in Scotland, 66% had visited the outdoors at least once a week over the previous year (higher than the average of 48% among all adults living in Scotland 7 ). Among respondents who had visited the outdoors in the last 12 months, almost all had visited an upland area during that period (99%) and all except seven had used an upland path (99%). 7 Scottish Household Survey 2016 4
o Most respondents described themselves as experienced in the Scottish hills, with 36% indicating that they were very experienced and a further 40% that they were quite experienced. 4. Detailed research findings 4.1. Frequency of visiting the outdoors and upland areas in Scotland Most of the survey respondents living in Scotland were regular outdoor visitors: 66% visited the outdoors in Scotland for recreation at least once a week compared to an average of 48% among the adult population in Scotland 8. Figure 2: Frequency of visiting the outdoors in Scotland in last 12 months (%) 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 66 48 Base: All respondents living in Scotland (n = 1,685) Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q1; Scottish Household Survey 2015 Among respondents who had visited the outdoors in Scotland in the last 12 months, almost all had visited an upland area (99%). More than a third of those living in Scotland had visited upland areas on a regular, weekly basis during this period (37%). Figure 3: Frequency of visiting upland areas in Scotland in the last 12 months (%) 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 At least once a week Base: All respondents living in Scotland (n = 1,682) Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q2 27 20 At least once a month 18 6 0 At least once a year 13 Not at all All survey respondents living in Scotland All adults in Scotland (SHS 2016) 37 At least once a week 43 At least once a month 19 At least once a year 0 Not at all 8 Scottish Household Survey 2016 5
4.2. Activities undertaken in Scotland s upland areas As shown in Figure 4, below, respondents had participated in a range of activities in Scotland s uplands in the last 12 months. Most had been hillwalking, mountaineering or climbing (89%) or lower level walking in the glens (69%); 4 in 10 respondents had mountain biked (41%) and 3 in 10 had wild camped (31%); a quarter had participated in bird, wildlife or nature watching (25%); a fifth had been running (19%); and 12% had been ski-ing. Among the activities shown in Figure 4, below, women were more likely than men to have been lower level walking in the glens (81% and 66%, respectively) and bird, wildlife or nature watching (32% and 24%, respectively); men were more likely than women to have been mountain biking (47% and 29%, respectively) and wild camping (34% and 29%, respectively). In terms of age, younger respondents aged between 16 and 34 had higher than average levels of participation in mountain biking (50%), wild camping (44%), running (29%) and ski-ing (19%). Respondents who described themselves as very experienced in the Scottish hills were more likely than less experienced respondents to have taken part in each of the activities shown in Figure 4. A detailed breakdown of participation by gender, age, level of hill experience and residency is provided in Appendix 2. Figure 4: Activities undertaken in Scotland s upland areas in last 12 months (%) Hill walking/mountaineering/climbing 89 Lower level walking in glens 69 Mountain biking 41 Wild camping 31 Bird/wildlife/nature watching 25 Running 19 Ski-ing Other 5 12 0 20 40 60 80 100 % upland visitors undertaking each activity Base: All respondents visiting upland areas in Scotland in last 12 months (n = 2,288) Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q3 The research sample included 934 respondents who had been mountain biking in the Scottish uplands in the last 12 months. These respondents were predominantly male (75%) and slightly younger and more experienced in the Scottish hills than the full sample (55% of mountain biking respondents versus 45% of all respondents were aged under 45 and 81% versus 76% described themselves as very or quite experienced in the Scottish hills). They were also slightly more likely than the full sample (resident in Scotland) to be regular outdoor visitors (73% of mountain biking respondents versus 66% of all respondents resident in Scotland visited the outdoors on a weekly basis and 44% versus 37% visited Scotland s upland areas on a weekly basis). Most of the respondents who had mountain biked in Scotland s uplands in the last year had also been hill walking, mountaineering or climbing (82%) and lower level walking in the glens (62%) during the same period. They were more likely than the full sample to have been wild camping (37%), running (28%) or ski-ing (22%). 6
4.3 Use of upland paths in Scotland Almost all of the respondents who had visited Scotland s hills in the last 12 months had used an upland path, defined as a path or route constructed or formed by regular use, but excluding vehicle tracks (99%). A majority had used a path on all (26%) or most (54%) of their recent upland visits. There was very little variation in the incidence of upland path usage in terms of gender, age or level of experience in the Scottish hills. Respondents living outside of Scotland were, however, more likely than those who were resident in Scotland to have used a path on all of their visits to the Scottish uplands (43% and 24%, respectively). Figure 5: Frequency of using paths when visiting Scotland s upland areas in last 12 months 20% 54% 26% On all occasions On most occasions On some occasions Base: All respondents visiting upland areas in Scotland in last 12 months (n = 2,284) Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q4 4.4 Condition of upland paths in Scotland in the last 12 months 4.4.1 Recent experience of upland path condition Respondents experience of upland path conditions in Scotland was mixed. When asked about the condition of the paths they d used in the last 12 months, more than half of respondents indicated that they had encountered both good and bad paths (59%). Older respondents, aged 55 plus, and those who described themselves as very experienced in the Scottish hills were more likely to state that this was the case (66% and 64%, respectively). Just over a third of respondents indicated that the condition of the upland paths they d used in the last 12 months had been mostly good (37%), with younger (46%) and less experienced respondents (42% of those with some experience in the Scottish hills and 51% of those with little or no experience ) more likely to do so. Only a small minority of respondents stated that the condition of the upland paths they d used had been mostly bad (3%). This group was slightly older and more experienced in the Scottish hills than the sample as a whole. 7
Figure 6: Respondents experience of upland paths in Scotland in the last 12 months 3% 1% 9% 28% Mostly very good Mostly quite good Mix of good and bad 59% Mostly bad Don't know/can't remember Base: All respondents using upland paths in Scotland in last 12 months (n = 2,069) Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q5 4.4.2 Specific issues experienced while using upland paths in Scotland in the last 12 months Respondents were asked to indicate (from a list) the types of negative issues they had encountered while using upland paths in Scotland in the last 12 months. Almost everyone had encountered boggy or eroded paths (92%); around 4 in 10 respondents had come across paths which they felt were visible from too far away (44%) or which were designed in a way that discouraged people from staying on the path, for example, because of awkward stone steps or wide drains crossing the path (42% of all respondents and 46% of mountain biking respondents). More than a quarter of respondents had experienced paths that they felt didn t fit in with their natural surroundings, for example, because they were too wide or urban for a remote setting (29% of all respondents and 35% of mountain biking respondents), or paths which were overgrown with vegetation (28% of all respondents and 35% of mountain biking respondents). Respondents who described themselves as very experienced in the Scottish hills were slightly more likely than average to have encountered each of these issues. 8
Figure 7: Negative issues encountered on upland paths in Scotland in the last 12 months (prompted) (%) Boggy or eroded paths 92 Paths visible from too far away Path design which discourages people from staying on the path 44 42 Paths which don't fit in with natural surroundings Paths overgrown with vegetation 29 28 0 20 40 60 80 100 % respondents encountering each issue Base: All respondents using upland paths in Scotland in last 12 months (n = 1,984) Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q6 4.4.3 People s perceptions about changes to the condition of upland paths in Scotland over the last ten years Looking back over the last ten years, around 4 in 10 respondents thought the condition of upland paths in Scotland had improved (43%). Those who described themselves as very experienced in the Scottish hills (52%) and older respondents (47% of those aged 55 plus) were slightly more likely to express this positive view. Those who were resident in Scotland were more likely than those living outside of Scotland to believe that upland paths had improved (45% and 35% of respondents, respectively). Opinion was fairly evenly divided among the remaining respondents: 19% thought the condition of upland paths hadn t changed at all over the last ten years, 14% thought it had got worse and 23% didn t know. Figure 8: Over the last 10 years has the condition of upland paths in Scotland improved, stayed the same or got worse (%)? 14% 23% 44% Improved Stayed the same Got worse Don't know 19% Base: All respondents using upland paths in Scotland in last 12 months (n = 2,073) Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q7 9
4.4.4 Locations and areas where the quality of upland paths is perceived to be particularly good or particularly poor Respondents were asked to provide details of specific sites or areas in Scotland where they thought the quality of upland paths was particularly good or particularly poor. The timing of the survey (April July 2017) should be taken into account when reviewing these comments (some of the feedback, for instance, may pre-date subsequent pathwork, or may not reflect a subsequent deterioration in the path). It is also possible that people are more likely to notice and comment on a bad path while a good path might pass unnoticed. The number and variety of places mentioned indicates, however, that there are both good and poor quality paths to be found in most parts of Scotland. Interestingly, some of the same sites and areas appeared in both the good and poor quality categories; this could be for a variety of reasons including the time of year in which respondents had experienced the path; different perceptions about what constitutes a good versus a poor quality path; the possibility that different sections of path on the same hill are maintained by different owners; or because respondents were referring to different paths on the same hill (e.g. the Ben Nevis tourist and North Face paths). A third of respondents provided examples of locations where they perceived the quality of paths to be particularly good (33%). Figure 9 shows the specific hills mentioned most frequently in this context; Figure 10 shows the geographical areas mentioned most frequently; and Figure 11 shows other areas of land mentioned most frequently. As shown in Figure 9, Bennachie (mentioned by 34 respondents), Ben Lomond (29 respondents) and Ben Nevis (28 respondents) were the specific hills mentioned most frequently in connection with good quality paths. Figure 9: Specific hills in Scotland (each mentioned by more than 10 respondents) where the quality of upland paths is perceived to be particularly good Bennachie Ben Lomond Ben Nevis/North Face Schiehallion Lochnagar Ben Arthur/The Cobbler Ben Lawers 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 No. respondents mentioning each hill Base: All respondents using upland paths in Scotland in last 12 months Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q8 10
Respondents comments relating to good quality paths on these hills included: Bennachie: (Path is) in keeping with the hill, easier access for all, with good signage on main routes but quieter routes to get away from it all. (Female, 45-54, Scotland, quite experienced) A great example of a quality path, sympathetic to the environment and well-maintained. (Male, 45-54, Scotland, quite experienced) Use of local indigenous stone and a sympathetic colour/ textured surface enables a good blend with the natural environment. Steps are regular, not too big/small, but retain a natural feel. (Female, 45-54, Scotland, quite experienced) Ben Lomond Wide enough for two people to walk side by side, going up and down, to pass easily. Not overgrown with heather. Path doesn t disappear then reappear. (Male, 25-34, Scotland, quite experienced) Lovely work done re step heights and a wee bit of scrambling left to the side Definitely a thumbs up. (Female, 45-54, Scotland, quite experienced) Ben Lomond is very good. It encourages you to stay on the path all the way to the top. It looks very natural too and you generally can t see it further in the distance which helps to maintain the natural look of it. (Female, 25-34, Scotland, some experience) Regularly attended to by volunteers. Male, 45-54, Scotland, some experience) A lot of hard work by NTS rangers. (Female, 35-44, Scotland, quite experienced) Ben Nevis The Nevis tracks are always good, but they are the rock stars of the path world. (Male, 25-34, Scotland, quite experienced) Well-built, well-maintained throughout the year. (No personal info provided) Good solid paths and stairs. (No personal info provided) Given the massive numbers and the safety challenge of so many novices doing it, it has been well managed. (Male, 35-44, Scotland, quite experienced) Sturdy paths on the Ben do a good job of protecting the mountain from the thousands of tourists. (Male, 35-44, England, some experience) 11
In terms of geographical areas (Figure 10), the Cairngorms (or Cairngorms National Park) was mentioned more frequently than any other part of Scotland as an area with good quality paths (260 respondents). In general, upland paths in the Cairngorms were perceived as meeting four important criteria: well-built, well-drained (aided, in some instances, by the underlying geology), well-maintained and appropriate for the setting. Figure 10: Areas in Scotland (mentioned by 10 or more respondents) where the quality of upland paths is perceived to be particularly good Cairngorms/CNP Torridon Glencoe Arran Pentlands Kintail Loch Lomond/LL&TNP Arrocher 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 No. respondents mentioning each area Base: All respondents using upland paths in Scotland in last 12 months Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q8 Respondents comments relating to good quality paths in the Cairngorms/CNP included: Without a shadow of a doubt, they are the best in the UK. (Male, 35-44, Scotland, very experienced) Well-graded, well maintained, visible and easily followed. (Female, 55-64, Scotland, quite experienced) Fit in with the mountains in terms of materials used. Not too safe either, plenty stepping stones and bits needing thought. (Female, 24-34, Scotland, quite experienced) I think a good balance has been struck, enabling main tourist paths and more off-beat ones. (Male, 25-34, England, quite experienced) Well drained means less boggy which means people don t stretch wider and wider leading to a very wide eroded area. (Male, 45-54, Scotland, very experienced) They show real skill once you get away from the ski centre. (Male, 25-34, England, some experience) In such a popular area the main feeder paths are in good condition and encourage people to stay on them rather than go off-piste. (Male, 55-64, England, quite experienced) Path erosion has been contained by altering the design when erosion has occurred. (Male, 45-54, Scotland, very experienced) Cairngorms paths generally fit in well with the barren landscape and accommodate the volume of traffic well without being too visible from afar. (Male, 25-34, Scotland, quite Good off-road access (for mtb)/natural feel to paths. (Female, 45-54, Scotland, quite experienced) 12
A recent walk up the Lin of Dee stands out. The condition of the paths there are great, all bridges were in very good condition plus the occasional signposts are very helpful. Makes the area very accessible to most people highlighted by the fact I walked past a man with two young kids it s great to see young people enjoying the remote outdoors. (Male, 25-34, Scotland, quite experienced) Among the other areas of land mentioned (Figure 11), NTS land and traditional stalkers paths were most frequently mentioned in connection with good quality paths (mentioned by 41 and 29 respondents, respectively). Figure 11: Other areas in Scotland (mentioned by 2 or more respondents) where the quality of upland paths is perceived to be particularly good NTS land Traditional stalkers' paths JMT land NGO land 0 10 20 30 40 50 No. respondents mentioned each type of land Base: All respondents using upland paths in Scotland in last 12 months Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q8 Respondents comments relating to good quality NTS and stalkers paths included: NTS paths Some NTS and other areas. Ongoing maintenance means that paths are not damaged by erosion once they have been built or, if they are, they get repaired. (Female, 25-34, Scotland, very experienced) Properties owned by conservation bodies, particularly NTS and JMT, as they have a longer term view of path management and have been committed to securing funding. (Female, 45-54, Scotland, very experienced) NTS are particularly good at maintaining their paths to a high standard (Male, 35-44, Scotland, quite experienced) NTS and JMT owned paths. They have been sensitively managed and in most cases well-maintained (Male, 65+, Scotland, quite experienced) NTS properties at Torridon, Glen Affric, Kintail, Glencoe and Mar Lodge. Well-designed with walkers in mind, robust but blended into the landscape (Male, 45-54, Scotland, very experienced) 13
Generally on NTS properties - Glencoe, Ben Lawers in particular. (Male, 55-64, Scotland, very experienced) Generally on NTS properties, where a lot of money has been invested in path maintenance. (Female, 35-44, Scotland, quite experienced) Stalkers paths Traditional stalking paths in the North West. Usually have placed stones, rather than fabric gravel. Placed stepping stones across boggy areas, not always an easy walk which increases the quality of the experience. Tend to follow natural/desire lines, and steady grades up and down hills, seldom washed out as tend not to follow fall line. Lead you to natural places to cross/ford burns without need for bridges. Low man-made quotient. (Female, 55-64, Scotland, very experienced) I find stalkers paths in the Kintail areas superb. They have stood the test of time, are well drained and take you on a comfortable gradient and are generally unobtrusive. (Male, 55-64, Scotland, very experienced) Those that are built as stalkers paths tend to be better than direct, steeper routes. They have more comfortable gradients and drainage was usually carefully considered at construction so they often don t wash out as quickly as non-engineered paths. (Female, 55-64, England, very experienced) Traditional stalkers paths are often unobtrusive from a distance and have a good gradient with zig zags. They are my favourite way of getting up a hill, taking a steady and fairly direct line, with drainage ditches so they are in good condition long after construction, and not too wide. (Female, 55-64, Scotland, very experienced) Glen Quoich fantastic high level stalkers paths allowing rapid height gain while remaining unobtrusive from afar. (Male, 55-64, Scotland, quite experienced) There are some lovely stalkers paths in the West Highlands that unobtrusively gain height and are easy to follow. The path up Gleourich is a good example. Ben Damh has a good stalkers path for the first 400m. (Female, 55-64, Scotland, very experienced) Some old stalkers paths are still in good condition. These were very well built in their day with good gradients, good choice of route (choosing dry ground, avoiding boggy ground where possible), properly drained. (Female, 55-64, Scotland, very experienced) Just over a quarter of respondents provided details of poor quality paths (28%). Figure 12 shows the specific hills mentioned most frequently in this context and Figure 13 shows the wider areas mentioned most frequently. No other, non-geographical, areas of land were mentioned in connection with poor quality paths. As shown in Figure 12, below, Beinn a Ghlo (or Carn Liath) (26 respondents) was the hill range or hill mentioned most frequently in connection with poor quality paths. Ben Lomond 14
and Ben Nevis, which some respondents perceived had good quality paths, were also mentioned as sites with poor quality paths (by 16 and 11 respondents, respectively). It s worth noting that, at the time of writing, path work has recently been completed or is currently underway on the Carn Liath, Ben Lomond, Ben Nevis and Suilven hill paths. Figure 12: Specific hills in Scotland (each mentioned by 7 or more respondents) where the quality of upland paths is perceived to be particularly poor Bein a'ghlo/carn Liath Ben Lomond Ben Nevis Suilven Lochnagar Ben Ledi An Teallach Base: All respondents using upland paths in Scotland in last 12 months Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q9 Respondents comments relating to poor quality paths on Beinn a Ghlo, Ben Lomond and Ben Nevis included: Beinn a Ghlo/Carn Liath 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 No. respondents mentioning each hill Beinn a Ghlo is the most obvious example of an eyesore from the A9. (Male, 35-44, Scotland, very experienced) Beinn a Ghlo range. Carn Liath path very eroded and return route from the last Munro very boggy/non-existent before reaching track. (Female, 55-64, Scotland, some experience) The wide, eroded path up the front of Carn Liath (Beinn a Ghlo) is a memorably bad blot on the landscape. (Male, 45-54, England, very experienced) Carn Liath becoming an eroded eyesore all year round. (Male, 55-64, Scotland, quite experienced) Ben Lomond Connic hill, Ben Lomond wide scars and verges trafficked bare. (Male, 45-54, Scotland, quite experienced) I m not sure I like the tight cobble style that s now on Ben Lomond. Pretty sore on the descent and definitely not great for running. (Female, 35-44, Scotland, quite experienced) 15
Ben Lomond work was starting when I was last there that was in a bit of a state, just because the path was so wide and getting wider. (Female, 25-34, Scotland, very experienced) Hate the stone wall effect, particularly on descents. It s slippy in the wet and makes me go off-piste! (Female, 45-54, Scotland, quite experienced) Ben Nevis Lower section of Ben Nevis track is awful, badly eroded, over-used for its quality and under-maintained. (Male, 35-44, Scotland, very experienced) Ben Nevis tourist path is just a bit of blot on the landscape, although wellmaintained, it just cuts through the hill and can be seen from all around. (Male, 44-55, Scotland, very experienced) Ben Nevis, Lawers anywhere that stone is laid as the surface. May be tough but destroys the body, especially the knees! (Male, 55-64, Scotland, very experienced) The area around Ben Nevis, particularly the lower part of the tourist track and the new riverside walk in Glen Nevis is of low quality. 1,000s invested and yet the workmanship is shoddy, paths will clearly gather water on the riverside and drainage channels on the Ben Nevis track are not well-supported. the installation of more stone steps has increased the trickiness of the path I believe this may see an increase in minor injuries, especially in people descending as they are tired, need to concentrate more on the rocks and as a result slip and trip more. (Female, 16-24, Scotland, very experienced) I used the tourist route on Ben Nevis at the weekend and was dismayed by how poor some of the upper sections have become (Male, 45-54, Scotland, very experienced) Most of the areas associated with poor quality paths (Figure 13) were also associated (by other respondents) with good quality paths. The Cairngorms (or Cairngorms National Park) was mentioned more frequently than any other part of Scotland as an area with poor quality paths, although, as already shown in Figure 10, significantly more respondents associated the area with good quality paths (39 versus 248 respondents). There are a number of reasons which might explain why the Cairngorms featured in both the good and poor quality path categories. These include the popularity of the area and possibility that more respondents are familiar with and have an opinion about its paths. There has also been a considerable amount of path repair work undertaken within the Cairngorms giving rise to differing opinions on the success and style of the repaired paths, but also potentially raising expectations of the standard of path. 16
Figure 13: Areas in Scotland (mentioned by 10 or more respondents) where the quality of upland paths is perceived to be particularly poor Cairngorms/CNP Highlands Pentlands Glencoe Torridon Loch Lomond/LL&TNP 0 10 20 30 40 50 No. respondents mentioning each area Base: All respondents using upland paths in Scotland in last 12 months Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q9 NB The Highlands (as an entity) was mentioned by 21 respondents. Many more respondents mentioned specific areas within the Highlands, e.g. Skye (9 respondents), Assynt (8 respondents). Respondents comments relating to poor quality paths in the Cairngorms included: In many places the Cairngorms paths have been over-engineered, using machines to save money. (Female, 35-44, Scotland, quite experienced) Cairngorms. Some huge drainage ditches lined with protruding slate slabs makes it dangerous for bikes/bikers. (Male, 35-44, Scotland, quite experienced) The paths around Bynack More have huge drainage ditches, which are unsuitable for bikers (and potentially dangerous for walkers when they are snow-filled. (Female, 45-54, Scotland, very experienced) Cairngorm mountain, up and down from the summit. Terrible wide cobbles that are either slippy or icy. Everyone walks along the edge causing erosion. Shocking path. (Female, 35-44, Scotland, very experienced) Cairngorms. You could probably see them from space, they are so wide. Also, massive over-use of water bars on the high mountains. The path down Carn Ban Mhor into Glen Feshie was appalling on a mountain bike. Erosion either side of a huge path and water bars wherever it was possible to go around them. (Female, 45-54, Wales, very experienced) Cairngorms too constructed and too extensive. Need to maintain a sense of adventure. (Female, 55-64, Scotland, very experienced) Cairngorm plateau. Very and unnecessarily wide in places. Erosion is depressingly expanding. (Male, 35-44, Scotland, very experienced) Cairngorms. Over-use, particularly by mountain bikes in wet conditions. (Male, 55-64, Scotland, quite experienced) 17
4.5 The influence of paths on route selection 4.5.1 Overall picture Respondents were asked to indicate how much they agreed or disagreed with a series of statements about the extent to which the presence of a path influences their choice of an upland route. Figure 14, below, illustrates that, for some hill users, the presence of a path and the condition of that path does play a part in route planning while, for others, these factors are less important. Figures 15 to 18, below, show that gender and level of hill experience (and to a lesser extent, age) are variables which influence the extent to which the presence or condition of an upland path is perceived to be important. This suggests that path provision and maintenance may have a role to play in ensuring that Scotland s upland areas are accessible to all. Figure 14: Level of agreement with statements about the importance of paths when selecting an upland route (%) I would avoid a particular upland route if I knew there was no obvious path 8 24 15 19 33 The presence of a path is not important when I plan a route 15 23 16 29 16 I generally try to plan a route so that I am using a path that's in good condition 13 32 26 15 14 A poorly maintained path would deter me from using that route again 10 37 17 20 15 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Agree strongly Agree slightly Neither/ nor Disagree slightly Disagree strongly Base: All respondents using upland paths in Scotland in last 12 months (n = 2,007 minimum) Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q10 4.5.2 I would avoid a particular upland route if I knew there was no obvious path A third of all respondents agreed that they would avoid a particular upland route if they knew there was no obvious path (32%), rising to more than half among respondents with only some experience in the Scottish hills (56%) and to almost two thirds among those with little or no experience (65%). In addition, women were more likely than men to be deterred by the absence of a path (43% of women compared to 26% of men). 18
Figure 15: Attitude statements I would avoid a particular upland route if I knew there was no obvious path (%) All Male Female 16-34 35-54 55+ Very experienced Quite experienced Some experience A little/no experience Live in Scotland Live elsewhere 13 26 28 28 27 32 36 33 32 43 56 65 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 % respondents agreeing Base: All respondents using upland paths in Scotland in last 12 months (n = 2,008) Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q10 4.5.3 The presence of a path is not important when I plan a route Conversely, over a third of respondents agreed that the presence of a path was not an important consideration when planning an upland route (39%); this proportion was higher among men than women (41% and 33%, respectively) and higher among those who described themselves as very experienced in Scotland s hills compared to those who were less experienced (50% and 32%, respectively). Figure 16: Attitude statements The presence of a path is not important when I plan a route (%) All Male Female 16-34 35-54 55+ Very experienced Quite experienced Some experience A little/no experience Live in Scotland Live elsewhere 20 25 33 39 41 39 37 40 38 38 46 50 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 % respondents agreeing Base: All respondents using upland paths in Scotland in last 12 months (n = 2,010) Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q10 19
4.5.4 I generally try to plan a route so that I am using a path that s in good condition Just under half of respondents agreed that they generally try to plan a route so that they re using a path that s in good condition (44%); this proportion was slightly higher among women than men (49% and 42%, respectively) and higher among those who described themselves as less experienced in Scotland s hills (59% among those with some experience and 54% among those with a little or no experience ). Figure 17 Attitude statements I generally try to plan a route so that I am using a path that s in good condition (%) All Male Female 16-34 35-54 55+ Very experienced Quite experienced Some experience A little/no experience Live in Scotland Live elsewhere 33 44 42 49 45 46 41 47 44 44 54 59 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 % respondents agreeing Base: All respondents using upland paths in Scotland in last 12 months (n = 2,009) Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q10 4.5.5 A poorly maintained path would deter me from using that route again Almost half of respondents agreed that a poorly maintained path would deter them from using a route again (47%). There were very few variations according to gender, age, level of hill experience or residency. Figure 18 Attitude statements A poorly maintained path would deter me from using that route again (%) All Male Female 16-34 35-54 55+ Very experienced Quite experienced Some experience A little/no experience Live in Scotland Live elsewhere 47 47 49 47 50 45 48 45 50 51 48 45 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 % respondents agreeing Base: All respondents using upland paths in Scotland in last 12 months (n = 2,007) Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q10 20
4.6. The perceived importance of maintaining Scotland s upland paths 4.6.1 Overall picture Respondents were next asked to indicate the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with a series of statements about the importance of maintaining Scotland s upland paths. Their responses are summarised below and in Figure 19 and then discussed in more detail in paragraphs 4.6.2 to 4.6.4. A detailed breakdown of respondents views by gender, age, level of hill experience and residency is provided in Appendix 3. In summary, there is very strong support among hill users for continued investment in the existing network of upland paths. There is also strong support for ensuring that the design and maintenance of these paths takes account of the surrounding landscape. The benefits of upland paths are widely acknowledged by hill users, particularly in terms of providing a high quality visitor experience and reducing impacts on sensitive areas. Opinion is more divided, however, over the issue of providing more signposting and waymarking on upland paths and on whether or not paths can reduce the wild experience sought by some upland visitors. Figure 19: Attitudes regarding the importance of maintaining upland paths (%) It's important the design and maintenance of upland paths fits in with the surrounding landscape 78 18 31 It's important to invest in exisitng upland paths to ensure they're there for future generations to enjoy 70 24 4 1 Well-looked after upland paths can improve the quality of experience enjoyed by hill users 63 28 7 21 Upland paths help safeguard sensitive areas by reducing visitor impacts on wildlife, habitats and landscapes 58 34 5 2 1 Well-maintained upland paths can have a positive economic impact on local communities (e.g. attracting more visitors, increasing local spend) 43 40 12 21 3 Upland paths help bring more people into contact with nature 40 42 13 3 1 Well-maintained upland paths help create a sense of identity and pride in an area 26 35 26 5 2 6 The condition of the path doesn't tend to affect my enjoyment 14 28 19 28 10 I'd like to see more waymarking or signposting on Scotland's upland paths 13 21 17 17 31 2 Building or repairing paths can reduce the 'wild' experience for users 10 37 17 22 14 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Agree strongly Neither/ nor Disagree strongly Agree slightly Disagree slightly Don't know Base: All respondents using upland paths in Scotland in last 12 months (n = 1,923 minimum) Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q11 21
4.6.2 Investment in path maintenance More than 9 in 10 respondents expressed their support for further investment in the existing network of upland paths in Scotland, with 70% agreeing strongly and 24% agreeing slightly that this was important (94%). While 42% of respondents indicated that the condition of a path wouldn t necessarily affect their own personal enjoyment, more than 9 in 10 agreed that, in general, well looked after paths can improve the quality of visitor experience, with 63% agreeing strongly and 28% agreeing slightly that this was the case (91%). There was no real variation in the level of agreement with either statement in terms of respondent age, gender, level of hill experience or residency. 4.6.3 Impact of paths on the landscape More than 9 in 10 respondents agreed that the design of upland paths should take account of the surrounding landscape, with 78% agreeing strongly and 18% agreeing slightly that this was important (96%). There was no real variation in the level of agreement with this statement in terms of respondent age, gender, level of hill experience or residency. Opinion was divided on whether or not the presence of paths can reduce the sense of wildness that some hill users seek. Almost half of respondents believed that paths can have this sort of negative impact (47%). This proportion rose to 51% among younger respondents, aged 16 to 34, to 52% among those describing themselves as very experienced in the Scottish hills and to 57% among respondents living outside of Scotland. However, more than a third of respondents disagreed that paths could have this effect (36%). Overall, a third of respondents agreed that they would like to see more waymarking and signposting on Scotland s upland paths (34%), with the level of support significantly higher among less experienced hill users: 55% of those with only some experience and 62% of those with little or no experience would like to see more waymarking. 4.6.4 Perceived benefits of paths When prompted with some of the perceived benefits of upland paths, the majority of respondents agreed that paths can help safeguard sensitive areas (58% agreeing strongly and 34% agreeing slightly), help attract visitors (and additional expenditure) into an area (43% agreeing strongly and 40% agreeing slightly), bring more people into contact with nature (40% agreeing strongly and 42% agreeing slightly) and, to a lesser extent, create a sense of identity and pride among local people (26% agreeing strongly and 35% agreeing slightly). With the exception of safeguarding sensitive areas, younger respondents, those with less hill experience and those living in Scotland were more likely to agree with each of these statements. 4.7. Level of interest in helping to look after Scotland s upland paths Respondents were asked to indicate what positive action they would be prepared to take to help look after Scotland s upland paths. Figure 20, below, shows that while most respondents say they would consider helping out in some way, only a minority would definitely do so. Twenty per cent of respondents would definitely and 50% would possibly make a small annual voluntary donation; and 17% would definitely and 47% would possibly join an occasional work party to repair and maintain paths. Significantly fewer respondents, however, would consider making a larger, one-off voluntary donation (3% definitely and 26% possibly ). Further research would be 22
required to test the strength of respondents resolve and their tolerance in terms of the value of monetary donations they would be prepared to make or the number of volunteering days they would be prepared to consider. In general, older respondents and those with more experience in the Scottish hills were slightly more likely than younger and less experienced respondents to say they would make a voluntary donation; younger respondents, mountain biking respondents and those living in Scotland were slightly more likely to say they would consider joining an occasional work party to repair and maintain paths. Figure 20: Level of interest in taking positive action for Scotland s upland paths (%) I would be willing to make a small voluntary donation each year to help fund maintenance of upland paths in Scotland 20 50 17 4 9 I would be willing to make a larger, one-off voluntary donation each year to help fund maintenance of upland paths in Scotland 3 26 47 13 11 I would be willing to join a work party on an occasional basis to help maintain and repair upland paths in Scotland 17 47 21 7 8 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Yes, definitely Yes, possibly No, probably not No, definitely not Don't know/ not sure Base: All respondents using upland paths in Scotland in last 12 months (n = 1,874 minimum) Source: Upland path survey 2017, Q12 4.8. Additional comments Finally, 481 respondents added comments to their questionnaires. categorised into seven broad themes: o o These can be positive comments about those involved in upland path building and maintenance (e.g. good work being done, good paths being built, worthwhile, appreciated, good for the economy); a plea for the needs of mountain bikers to be taken into account in upland path work (e.g. ensuring that water bars and drainage ditches are rideable and that gates and stiles don t act as deterrents to cyclists); o o o o the suggestion that any future activity and resource should focus on looking after existing paths on the most heavily used and damaged routes, rather than on creating new paths; recognition that there is a conflict of interests, i.e. how do we ensure that our hills are accessible, that the natural environment is protected and that hill users can still enjoy a 'wild' experience?; the concern that wider use of signposting and waymarking might tempt inexperienced hill users into dangerous situations; the view that the principal purpose of path building should be to protect the natural environment; o the view that paths are important in terms making the hills accessible to everyone. 23
5. Summary and conclusions The survey attracted more than 2,400 responses, demonstrating a very strong level of interest in upland paths among Scotland s outdoor community. Most respondents used paths on their visits to the Scottish uplands (80% on all or most occasions) and this was true regardless of gender, age or level of hill experience. Other research has demonstrated high levels of participation in mountain recreation and the substantial economic impact of these activities. Taken together, these findings clearly highlight the importance of upland paths as a resource for outdoor recreation and tourism in Scotland. More detailed consideration, however, reveals a more complex picture. Feedback provided by respondents indicates that there are both good and poor quality paths to be found in most parts of Scotland - and that people s perceptions of what constitutes a good versus a poor path can vary. More than a third of respondents indicated that the condition of the upland paths they d used in the last year was mostly good (37%), with only a small minority describing them as mostly bad (3%). However, most people had experienced a mix of both good and bad paths (59%), and almost everyone had recent experience of boggy or eroded paths (92%). Opinion was divided on whether or not the condition of upland paths in Scotland had improved over the last 10 years. Forty four percent of respondents agreed that it had, 19% thought nothing had changed, 14% thought things had got worse and 23% didn t know. For some hill users, the presence of a path and its condition does play a part in route planning while, for others, these factors are less important. Around a third of respondents said they would avoid a particular upland route if they knew there was no obvious path (32%) and almost half said that a poorly maintained path would deter them from using a route again (47%). Gender, level of hill experience and, to a lesser extent, age, are variables which appear to impact on attitudes, with women and less experienced hill users more likely to be deterred by the absence of a path or to take its condition into account when planning their route. This underlines the importance of paths in making the hills more accessible to a wider group of users. There is very strong support among hill users for continued investment in our existing upland paths (94% agreed that this is important). One of the themes emerging from the any other comments section of the survey was the view that our focus should be on looking after existing paths on the most heavily used and damaged routes, rather than on creating new paths. Forty four per cent of respondents had come across paths which they felt were visible from too far away and there was general agreement that path design and maintenance should take account of the surrounding landscape (96%). This is perhaps not too surprising given the very high value which other research tells us the general public in Scotland place on the country s landscapes and areas of wild land 9. Around half of respondents felt that building or repairing paths has the potential to reduce the wild experience sought by some hill users (47%). In terms of path design, the research also highlighted some other potential tensions. Some elements of path design (e.g. water bars, gates and stiles) were perceived by mountain 9 Scotland s People and Nature Survey 2013/14 24