£20,000 funding boost for paths
MOUNTAIN paths in Scotland will benefit from a £20,000 boost thanks to Friends of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs.
The donation will be spread out over four years and will be used to improve mountain paths in both of Scotland’s national parks, as part of the Mountains and the People project.
The project was established in June 2015 and has made improvements to a number of paths within the parks.
With a team consisting of both staff and volunteers, its work has included upgrading well used mountain paths in the Trossachs as well as recent improvements at the Lauder Monument path at Invernoaden in Cowal, which has seen the existing wooden steps replaced by sturdier stone ones.
The project is funded through the Friends of Our Park visitor giving scheme, which involves more than 100 businesses throughout the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park collecting donations from visitors by a variety of means, including opt-out donations on overnight accommodation and menu items in cafés and restaurants.
James Fraser, chairman of the friends, said: ‘We are delighted to be supporting this very valuable mountain paths work which is providing trainees and volunteers with an opportunity to learn new skills as well as making a real difference to the overall quality of heavily used paths throughout both national parks.’