National park seeks right to crack down on ugly hill tracks

Scotsman – THE UK’S largest national park wants greater controls over the building of hill tracks which it believes can scar the landscape. The Scottish Government is consulting on plans to cut bureaucracy and give developers more freedom by removing the need for some planning applications. But officials from the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) [...]

Marketing campaign for Cairngorms National Park

BBC – Cairngorms Business Partnership (CBP) which works with about 300 businesses in the Cairngorms National Park has secured £59,570 towards the drive. The funding has been awarded from the VisitScotland Growth Fund. CBP estimated that more than 1.5 million people visit the park every year and tourism was worth £160m-a-year to the area.

Euro cash for internet upgrades

BBC – Thousands of pounds are to be spent to provide communities within the Cairngorms National Park with reliable broadband connections. Laggan Community Association will use some of the £17,100 it has been awarded from the European Leader programme to launch a wi-fi network. Glen Tanar Estate has been awarded £15,943 to upgrade the telephone [...]

Scottish ski season comes to an end

BBC – The Scottish ski season has come to an end, a month earlier than last year due to a lack of snow. Cairngorm Mountain, which has seen more than 130,000 skiers and snowboarders descend its slopes since November, said Monday would be its last day. It followed the closure of slopes at Glenshee, the [...]

Bubble wrap ‘could be used on ski slopes’

BBC – A scientist has suggested covering snow in silver painted bubble wrap to help prolong the ski season in Scotland. Prof John McClatchey said it would slow down the melting of snow and could extend the season by up to two weeks. Marian Austin, of the Nevis Range ski resort in Lochaber, said bubble [...]

Developer appeals refusal to build new homes in park

Press and Journal – A housing developer has lodged an appeal against refusal of their plans for new homes in the Cairngorms National Park. Inverburn Ltd says that the park authority should have approved detailed proposals for their development at Nethy Bridge. They have outline consent for 30 homes, 10 affordable housing plots and eight [...]

Ski centres end the season on high note

Press and Journal – ALL but one of Scotland’s ski centres have now closed after enjoying – for the most part – a successful season. CairnGorm Mountain is defying the unseasonably warm conditions and still has three runs open. A spokeswoman said: “The Ciste, Ptarmigan and Cas runs will be open this weekend. “There’s still [...]

It’s back to back joy for snow lovers

Strathspey and Badenoch Herald – CAIRNGORM Mountain has notched up two successive seasons with more than 100,000 skiers and snowboarders for the first time in 15 years, figures released yesterday (Tuesday) have revealed. The total number of visitors who have taken to the slopes currently stands at 113,464 with the up-coming Easter holidays expected to [...]

‘Wildness’ loss worry over Tomatin wind farm plan

BBC – The Cairngorm National Park’s “sense of wildness” would be harmed if a new wind farm was given the go-ahead, planning officers have said. Eurus Energy has proposed 26 turbines at Glenkirk, near Tomatin, in Inverness-shire – which lies just outside the national park’s boundaries. Planning officers for the park authority have recommended the [...]

Highlands trump Euro resorts for skiing

Press and Journal – Forget St Moritz and Val d’Isere, the Highlands of Scotland were hailed yesterday as having the best ski-ing conditions in Europe. The CairnGorm Mountain ski centre was singled out as having top snow conditions – and with its clear blue skies, bright sunshine, low winds and fresh powder snow few would [...]

‘Poo count’ in woodland clean-up

BBC – Volunteers are to survey spots where dogs have fouled so they can gauge the success of a new scheme to clean up an area of the Cairngorms National Park. Dubbed a “poo count”, it will be carried out in Anagach Woods at the weekend. The area will be covered by a Green Dog [...]

Walkers’ refuge in Cairngorms to be refurbished

BBC – A mountain refuge is to be refurbished and improved for the first time since it was built 40 years ago. The Fords of Avon shelter in the Cairngorms National Park was constructed by the military and sits on a route between Glenmore and Braemar. The park authority’s planning committee has approved the re-build. [...]

Website shows avalanche danger

Scotsman – THE dangers presented by avalanches in the Scottish mountains have been graphically illustrated to climbers and walkers. A new mapping system shows up to 3,000 avalanches that have occurred since 1990 and are now recorded on the Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) website. The incidents have been recorded by SAIS forecasters or reported [...]

CairnGorm in fresh kilted skiing record bid

BBC – A Scottish ski resort wants to break its “world record” for the most people in kilts going down a piste. In March last year, 235 intermediate and advanced level skiers took part in CairnGorm Mountain’s first attempt. Participants came down in a line from the Ptarmigan Top Station on Cairngorm mountain, near Aviemore.

Climbers in Cairngorms avalanche ‘got off lightly’

BBC – A mountain skills instructor has said six climbers “got off lightly” after an avalanche swept them back across boulders they were using as protection. Sean Roberts was one of three off duty instructors who went to their aid shortly after helping a man hurt in an earlier slide in the Cairngorms. The six [...]

Eight people caught in avalanches

BBC – Eight people were caught in avalanche incidents in the Cairngorms over the weekend. One of the casualties was airlifted to hospital in Inverness after he and a companion were avalanched at Coire an t-Sneachda on Saturday morning. He was understood to have received treatment at Raigmore Hospital for back and ankle injuries. Six [...]

Former spin doctor aims for Cairngorms job

Press and Journal – Years after he campaigned for votes for ex-Prime Minister Gordon Brown, former Labour spin doctor Charlie Whelan is hoping to achieve a majority of his own. Mr Whelan is among the candidates bidding to serve as a local member of the Cairngorms National Park Authority. He moved to Strathspey after being [...]

Hospital gardens could grow food

BBC – The grounds of care homes and hospitals could be used to grow fruit and vegetables to help reduce the amount of produce transported from miles away. Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) has been looking for park residents to register their interest in growing produce in allotments. It said Highland Council had looked at [...]

Snow patrol: Keeping Scots safe when avalanches strike

Scotsman – Avalanches are more common in Scotland than you might think. Hundreds are recorded every year, killing five people last year alone, and vigilance and education are essential. Nick Drainey heads for the hills to meet the team helping to keep us safe. MARK Diggins usually likes to walk to work, he gets to [...]

Ski industry forecasts bumper winter

STV – The return of the winter chill is being cheered by Scotland’s ski industry as it aims to improve on its best winter in 14 years. CairnGorm Mountain plans to open most of its runs this weekend and said conditions were expected to be excellent, though there are warnings of intermittent strong winds.The early [...]

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