18th February 2004
Dear Sir,
I write in response to the recent article (17th February) by Melanie Reid referring to the elite attitude of some mountaineers and hill walkers towards others who may wish simply to enjoy the open and free spaces of our mountains on a more informal and casual, but nonetheless responsible, basis.
There are extremists in every society and the recent history of the CairnGorm Funicular would certainly suggest that there are some to whom Ms Reid’s description would apply. However, having spent a lifetime working in the hills in various roles, including those of a qualified mountain instructor and ski instructor, my experience suggests that the majority of those going into the hills for recreation take a far more reasonable attitude and hold a more balanced view.
Unfortunately, most of these individuals remain part of the silent majority rather than the vociferous minority, with the latter certainly falling into the categories that Ms Reid rightly castigates and brands as intolerants. Unless they too are prepared to be included within that labelling, it is now time for the reasoned voices of Scotland’s mountaineers and hill-walkers to be heard in this on-going discussion on balancing sustainable recreational projects with environmental management.
Many mountaineers and hill walkers are also skiers, and, whatever our primary interest in Scotland’s mountains, each shares the responsibility of ensuring that all types of mountain recreation are sustainable and compatible. Quite simply, we need to work together to ensure that everyone, regardless of their position within our society, is able enjoy our hills, that our local rural communities can still prosper, and that our environment is nurtured and protected. It is how all of these objectives can co-exist harmoniously that is the real challenge to those of us charged with running tourism projects within sensitive environmental areas.
Last year, the CairnGorm Funicular attracted in excess of 180,000 paying visitors who came for recreational pursuits outwith winter sports. Some came to walk on the mountain pathways, some to look at the new mountain garden, some to enjoy the spectacular view – but all were able to come, regardless of their physical ability, to enjoy a mountain experience that might have been denied them if there had been no access to their hills. Unfortunately, due to circumstances totally outwith our control, the number of skiers and snow boarders was well below expectation, which is why diversification is the only route to survival for Scotland’s skiing centres.
The economic value of skiing to the Scottish tourism economy is considerable, as is that of mountaineering, and hill walking. Each activity supports local economies across the Highlands and elsewhere. In these uncertain times of global climatic change, public funding to protect and develop tourism projects in rural areas, particularly when such projects are community rather than commercially-controlled, is completely justified. Rural economies are every bit as fragile as parts of our local environment; both deserve to be managed and nurtured carefully and sensitively, otherwise everyone loses. Time surely for all to pull together to ensure that does not happen.
Yours faithfully,
Bob Kinnaird,
Chief Executive,
Cairngorm Mountain Ltd.
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