Footpath repairs

Congratulations to The Scotsman for its editorial (“Looking after our ancient mountains “, 18 May) on the need for repair work on mountain footpaths.

For anyone interested in a bit of history, the Countryside Commission for Scotland received its first report on footpaths as early as 1970.

During its 25 years the commission led the development of high-quality foot path repair, especially in po pular mountain areas, directly through a trial and demonstration project, and then indirectly through grant aid.

These laid the foundations that underpin current path management in Scotland’ s mountains: careful survey, diagnosis and specification; durable but sensitive techniques for varied sites; and teams of skilled craft workers – the unsung heroes of the enterprise – who delivered quality work in challenging locations and often harsh conditions.

It is good to learn that this work continues and enjoys active support from walkers and climbers.

THOMAS HUXLEY Queensferry Road, Edinburgh