Should the Cairn Gorm funicular be open to walkers?

Outdoor headlines

13 July 2010 10:43

When planning permission was granted for a funicular up Cairn Gorm, the conditions attached were clear: visitors would not be able to use the mountain railway to explore beyond the Ptarmigan Top Station¹s panoramic viewing terrace. The aim of this Œclosed system¹ was to prevent damage to rare flora and fauna and to minimise the impact of erosion on the mountain.

Now, in a radical change of policy, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Highland Council have given consent for funicular customers to leave the station and walk to the summit of Cairn Gorm ­ provided they are accompanied by a guide.

This arrangement will be trialled for a three-month period running from July to October and, it is hoped, will help to provide much needed funding for track maintenance.

The guided tours will not venture into areas protected by European legislation, but some groups have nevertheless aired fears that this could be the "thin end of the wedge". Lloyd Austin, Head of Conservation Policy at the RSPB Scotland, also expressed concerns to Trail over the monitoring of tour groups. "How will a guide be able to stop people when they they reach the summit from saying: "I'm not going back, I'm just going to walk over there?" he asked. "We are currently enquiring as to how the monitoring will be conducted in order to prevent damage to the environment." Other groups, including Ramblers Scotland, have said that the relaxation of regulations could benefit visitors to the mountain ­ but what do you think?