Ramblers Scotland

A group of smiling walkers on the Crags above Edinburgh with the castle in the background.

Yesterday's @ramblersscotland.bsky.social team meeting with @ramblers.org.uk guests and members of the extended Scottish Team. Key items on the agenda included paths, advocacy, outreach to excluded communities and lunch.

Working for walkers’ access in Glen Lyon Ramblers Scotland is campaigning for walkers’ right to enjoy 4 popular Munros in Glen Lyon, one of Scotland's most beautiful glens.

For decades, we've received complaints about North Chesthill Estate deterring walkers from 4 popular Munros in Glen Lyon. ⛰️🚫

Sadly matters escalated this year with “No walking, we are stalking” signs in Sept & Oct.

That's simply unacceptable.

Learn how we're standing up for walkers at Glen Lyon.⤵️

Charging ahead? How tourist taxes might benefit walkers Some of Britain’s tourism hotspots plan to introduce a visitor levy. Could these ‘tourist taxes’ spark investment in our landscapes and walking infrastructure?

2/2 Hopefully, tax is far from your mind when out enjoying the freedom & simplicity of a walk in nature.

However, how we fund services to support walking is sadly proving anything but simple.

We explore the complex conundrum of how to support booming interest in the outdoors, at @ramblers.org.uk.👇🏼

Going to Loch Lomond? This new charge has just been approved West Dunbartonshire Council has given the go-ahead to introduce a tourist tax to visitors despite majority of locals opposing it

1/2 Interesting to see West Dunbartonshire Council moving ahead with its #VisitorLevy.

In our consultation response, we urged some of the new revenue to be invested in walking.

Better paths, signs, gates & outdoor access don’t just boost tourism, but the health and happiness of residents too.🚶‍♀️

Joyful walks, with visual impairment. 🗺️

We loved @ramblers.org.uk president Amar Latif's chat last month with blind & visually-impaired walkers, including Terry Robinson from our Strategic Committee. It's full of enlightening stories & practical advice.

🔗Full session: https://youtu.be/QjqHqFtBZcs

Worth lobbying any political people you know about this. We’re very lucky to have the rights and freedoms we do have. But they’re in danger of being slowly (and sometimes quickly) eroded.

Absolutely, Helen!

From 2015 to 2022, IPA funded 450 local projects worth £12.2 million, delivering approximately:

155 miles of path upgrades
80 bridges
1,000 signs
500 gates
500 seats

Pound-for-pound, that's *remarkably* impactful and popular investment!

Glad that @ramblersscotland.bsky.social has written to the Cab Sec on this issue. The last scheme paid out £12.2m over 8 years. That’s invaluable match funding for so many path projects - but just peanuts in the overall agricultural budget. Let’s hope there’s still time for a rethink.

Disgraceful……

A grassy track alongside a loch with a pointy mountain beyond.

Quality trails = more healthy, happy walking people. 🚶

So we're shocked to learn that ScotGov’s post-Brexit farm subsidy system will fail to replace lost funding for paths and access. ➡️ www.ramblers.org.uk/post-brexit-...

Scotland will be left with the worst funding for outdoor access in Britain.🤦🏻‍♀️

Post-Brexit farm payments betray Scottish walkers, charity warns Scotland’s long-awaited overhaul of farming subsidy fails to replace “invaluable” lost funding for paths and public access, a leading walking charity has warned.  It had been widely expected th...

Scotland’s long-awaited overhaul of farming subsidy has faieds to replace “invaluable” lost funding for paths and public access, warns @ramblersscotland.bsky.social

www.walkhighlands.co.uk/news/post-br...

This is shocking news, fight on @ramblersscotland.bsky.social !

Why has one of Edinburgh's best views been off-limits for seven years? The historic Radical Road path was closed in 2018 due to rockfall but a plan for its full reopening has still to be agreed.

The 7 year closure of Edinburgh’s Radical Road is appalling. Having attended a site visit last month I fail to see why the partial reopening now planned in 2026 has taken so long. It needs to happen as promised and be the start of improvements in paths across the Park
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Why has one of Edinburgh's best views been off-limits for seven years? The historic Radical Road path was closed in 2018 due to rockfall but a plan for its full reopening has still to be agreed.

🗞️ BBC report on the 7-year closure of Edinburgh's Radical Road.👇🏻

After years of delay, Historic Environment Scotland must publish plans for reopening the 200-year-old path & boosting the wider Holyrood Park trail network.

Then, crack on with delivering paths worthy of a world-famous heritage site.

Lots of people here in Perth for @revivecoalition.bsky.social event “What Scotland wants: real land reform”. What @ramblersscotland.bsky.social wants are outdoor access rights where world class principles are matched by day to day reality for people walking in our wonderful country:

Three people walking and talking in a woodland.

Separately, we're seeking new members for our Access Sub-Committee.

The committee works to ensure our world-class access rights are protected in reality, not just on paper. 🚫

For an informal chat or to request further info, contact @gavincorbett.bsky.social or email gavin.corbett@ramblers.org.uk.

Six people walking on a beach with a green hill in the background.

Shape the future of Scottish walking, by joining our Strategic Committee!

☑️ Convener & VC: https://goodmoves.org/vacancy/a4sP1000001FpsrIAC/convener-vice-convener
☑️ Ordinary Members: https://goodmoves.org/vacancy/a4sP1000001FpuTIAS/committee-members

Let's make walking accessible & fun for all!

🥾 Thanks to Cath & Livingston Ramblers for welcoming us on a scenic day out in Fife & sharing what walking means to them.

Our amazing volunteers, alongside support from players of People's Postcode Lottery, help us run thousands of group walks across Scotland each year: ramblers.org.uk/go-walking

While the Bill is not the final word on land reform by a long shot, it requires all landowners with estates of more than 1000 ha to consult on and produce land management plans which include how outdoor access rights will be upheld. This is strongly supported by @ramblersscotland.bsky.social

We are pleased that MSPs have overwhelmingly voted down amendment 19 to the Bill which would have deleted reference to access rights and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code in the matters which the new Land Management Plans have to cover. That would have weakened the Bill.

Group 1 in the amendments looked at public rights of way. In our view, these raised the right issue - the gulf between access rights in law and in reality - but may have caused confusion so we support their withdrawal on the basis that the government looks at addressing compliance with the law.

We support the Bill’s introduction of Land Management Plans for the largest estates and want to see more landholdings brought into scope. Land Management Plans as set out in the Bill would require owners to show how they respect and uphold public access.

Briefing on Land Reform Bill Stage Three debate We want this new law to better support and protect Scotland’s world-class access rights.

Two days of amendments on the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill are underway in Parliament just now. Our asks were sent to MSPs last week www.ramblers.org.uk/scotland/bri...

A group of adults gathered in a grand dining hall, engaging in conversation around several banquet tables. Some attendees are seated while others stand, and the room features elegant wooden paneling and large windows.

Two individuals cutting a celebration cake with the logo of Ramblers Scotland in an elegant room with historical paintings in the background.

A person stands smiling in front of the ornate wooden fireplace with the crest of the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers above, wearing a denim jacket and a tartan kilt.

A person stands at a podium with a microphone, in a wood-paneled room, at a Ramblers Scotland event. The individual is wearing a dark jacket and red trousers.

🎉 An honour to be hosted last Friday by Edinburgh’s Deputy Lord Provost for a Civic Reception to mark 60 years of Ramblers Scotland!

It was a chance to reflect on 6 decades of promoting walking & championing access for all. We were joined by amazing volunteers & our VPs, Lucy Wallace & Ben Dolphin.

“Left for dead” on Snowdon by white hiking group: Rural racism is not a myth Half of ethnic minority Brits have reported “negative experiences” in nature because of their racial identity, according to new research shared exclusively with The Lead.

"Almost half of minority ethnic Brits say they have had negative experiences in nature because of their identity."

👇🏿Insightful piece by @theleaduk.bsky.social.

We're determined to break down barriers to Scotland's outdoors, so walking is the inclusive activity that it should be. #BlackHistoryMonth

Brilliant photo. Love it!

Exploring Edinburgh, building confidence, and connecting through community. 🌿

Our Community Champions, trained through Ramblers Scotland initiative, have been leading walks across the city, helping New Scots discover new places and friendships along the way.

After 3 days inside at SNP conference with @ramblersscotland.bsky.social
stall and then wildfires summit with @jimfairliesnp.bsky.social and @siobhian.bsky.social, it is great to get a night in Ruigh Aiteachain and a walk out over Mullach Clach a’ Bhlair and Sgor Gaoith. T-shirts weather on tops!

Scotland | Latest News & Updates | BBC News Get all the latest news, live updates and content about the Scotland from across the BBC.

I’m attending this event today for @ramblersscotland.bsky.social. Wildfires have devastating impact so it’s important that policy and practice is firmly rooted in evidence and consideration of all the possible causes of fire. www.bbc.co.uk/news/scotland

Big thanks to ministers, MSPs, MPs, councillors, candidates and members at #SNP25 for filling up our map of favourite walks. From mountain top to coast, woodland and river; from city to country, the map shows just how rich our walking opportunities are!