Field Notes: North West news

Operations Manager Richard Williams reports on community conversations and a completed Quinag pathwork project

Our North West Scotland team invited the community to two open days at Kinlochbervie and Lochinver in mid-November. Around 50 local people met with Trust staff to discuss the work and projects we've undertaken over the past 12 months. They also gave feedback on our new three year draft management plans for Sandwood and Quinag.

It spurred some good debate and conversation with the overwhelming theme being how much people appreciated the chance to put forward their views.

The draft management plans for Sandwood, Quinag and Skye are now on the Trust’s website and available for all to view and make comments on.

Meanwhile, high up on Quinag, our path work contractor ACT Heritage has just completed a phase of work on the upper section of the main stalker’s path, running up past Lochan Bealach Cornaidh to Bealach a Cornaidh. The skilled team of four braved fierce winds and heavy rainfall over the past few weeks to work on particular problem areas along this 500 metre section of path.

The aim was to improve its condition and deter walkers from the braids which have developed on the downslope side in recent years. Despite the conditions they've undertaken high quality work with some of the worst sections reinforced and repaired. They adopted a light touch approach along its length to better define the correct route, as well as bypassing the worst braids.

Photographs: Top shows Sandwood in the snow by Flo Macdonald and above shows ACT heritage contractors working on a cross drain by Rich Williams