Tag Archives: north highland way
Tourism – LetsGoNorth meets LetsGoSouth
For some years now we have been promoting the north of Scotland in Spain. We have distributed 1500 leaflets, found a Spanish partner, had the inaugural meeting, arranged meetings with three town halls with positive results and are generally well on the way to putting the North of Scotland firmly on the map.
This month we featured in Market Place, a well respected and established magazine down in the Nerja area of Spain. You can see the feature on page 41 of this month’s issue – www.themarketplace-spain.com.
Tourism – North Highland Way
Well, we’re not getting very far with public services… except SNH who remain supportive! The John o Groats Journal did though carry a story about our principal Friend of the North Highland Way…. The press are in receipt of information so that they can continue to run stories and we will be updating further information shortly, although you will need to be a Friend of the North Highland Way to see it.
The feasibility study and business plan are complete but as HIE have categorically stated that they will not support the Way in any shape or form, they will not get to see it. We are putting it up for sale and also writing a booklet “Creating the North Highland Way” which will be downloadable from Amazon – cost £4.50.
The next meeting of the Trust is planned for 3rd April at Dunnet Head, so if you would like to come along, please drop me a line via the web site. We will decide on the future of the Way and how to take it forward.
Protected: Tourism – Investors newsletter
Tourism – North Highland Way Medal Routes
North Highland Way
The North Highland Way will have its first Medal Route hub at Dunnet Head as from Easter. Others we have suggested are:
John o Groats
Dunnet Head (us)
Thurso
Melvich
Betty Hill (last time I spoke to Bob Boyle he had problems with THC)
Tongue (have mentioned it to the Ben Loyal)
Melness (based at the Craggan)
Durness
It would be nice to have one in Reay, but there is no cafe or pub – there are a lot of walkers in Reay.
The Highland Council
We are awaiting a response from the Highland Council to our letters. The development group cannot be set up until we have received a satisfactory response.
We have now had a response. People voting “Yes” to whether THC should take over the management of the Way should consider that they always prefer to keep money in Inverness. Also, THC consider that their involvement with the Way will be complete once the development group is being set up. There will be no money for the Way. We have this in writing from the Tourism Coordinator. The money they spend on Access is mandatory under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. There will be no other money. Don’t forget we had to fight tooth and nail to keep the money set aside for Dunnet in Caithness. It was to be reallocated to Skye.
Tourism – North Highland Way
Post from 2007
“Not heard much about this, but is going to link John O Groats and Cape Wrath – I know there’s a core path network – seen the maps, but wonder if this will actually take shape..
Hope so. Did the West Highland Way many years ago and something like this is needed up here..
“Everybody with a pair of walking boots knows about the West Highland Way, but now a campaign is being launched to establish a walking route along Scotland north coast.
The North Highland Way would run 115 miles, from John O’Groats to Cape Wrath in the north-westerly tip of Sutherland, taking in Dunnet Head, Holborn Head, Strathy Point and Skerray.
Recent calls for the establishment of a “Scottish coastal path” meant earlier plans for a walking route in the area have been dusted down, and approaches have been made to the Highland Council and other public bodies for support while a survey seeks the views of the public.
But the challenge is significant, and the area’s major development body, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), is unlikely to help.
One of the driving forces behind the campaign is Tina Irving, secretary of the Dunnet Head Education Trust. She said: “People are always looking for somewhere different to walk and some of the routes are getting quite crowded now. So I think coming up to the far north of Scotland would appeal.
“This is probably not the best time to be looking for public money, so I know we are not going to get the built paths like the West Highland Way or the Great Glen Way. But joining up the core path network that Highland Council had to develop for access under the land reform legislation would be feasible.
“There would be a few gaps, obviously, but nothing that couldn’t be overcome.”
One of those gaps would be around the Dounreay nuclear plant. Its foreshore has long been off limits because of radioactive contamination, so a diversion inland would be required.
Ms Irving said that in the longer term the vision had to be to link up with the West Highland Way and Great Glen Way in Fort William.
Another supporter of the plan is John Thurso, MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross. “One of the outstanding features of the far north is our outstanding cliff-scape,” he said. “Much of the coast you can already walk along. It could be a tremendous asset for both locals and tourists if we were able to progressively open it up for walking.”
Recent figures have valued the worth to the Scottish economy of walking holidays and recreation at up to £250 million a year. The Southern Upland Way, for example, is worth around £420,000 a year to the rural economy along its length.
However, a spokesman for HIE said: “We have been in dialogue with the Dunnet Head Educational Trust about their plans. We have advised the Trust that path development is not an area of work that fits with HIE’s current remit.”
Meanwhile, the board of the Cairngorms National Park Authority yesterday gave the official seal of approval to its briefly controversial plan to establish a near-600-mile network of core paths and tracks.
It covers new and existing tracks, roads, pavements and part of the River Spey – because of access needed for canoeists in the park – totalling 579 miles.
The plan is designed to encourage more people into the outdoors and to help manage access”
Tourism – North Highland Way
North Highland Way
We have now done a basic recce for the proposed duathalon and will be promoting this on the NHW web site shortly. We have identified all of the junctions, medical stations, refreshment stops and other information. The event will take place on 6th September 2014, starting at Dunnet Head and ending at Melvich with a circular run in that area, followed by food organised by the Halladale Inn. Cost will be 75 pounds per entry. You should book up soon, as we are anticipating that it will be very popular, according to our advisers. You can register your interest by just emailing me, and I will point you at the site to book when it is set up.
We are also hoping to get a cycling event organised. More to follow later.
Dunnet Head Educational Trust
The Trust administers the Friends of the North Highland Way, temporarily, until the development group is set up. We already have a couple of members. At a Trustees´ meeting on 1st February (last night!) it was agreed that it was a good way forward. It was also agreed by the Directors of Brough Bay Ltd., the commercial arm, that a percentage of the profits may be commuted to the Trust from the events mentioned above.
It was also agreed that Stu Prince of Round Britain Relay fame would join the board, taking the number of people on the board to six. The web site will be updated shortly.
It was noted that Dunnet Head would be the first Medal Route this far north, and we are working towards that.
It was also noted that the Company had written to THC requesting a meeting with the CEO to iron out a couple of difficulties.
A newsletter will be published on the DHET web site shortly.
Moving forward to climate change 