Walking paths and tourist routes across Scotland’s forestry estate, including the West Highland Way, are to be improved as a result of a £3.15 million funding boost.
The cash boost, to Forestry Commission Scotland, is part of the £205 million package of measures recently announced by Finance Secretary John Swinney to support jobs and growth in Scotland.
The forestry allocation includes:
- £1 million on the Great Glen Way to build over 11 miles of new path and upgrade surfaces on this popular tourist route which runs from Fort William to Inverness
- £750,000 to help improve parts of the famous West Highland Way long distance trail and associated routes in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
- £900,000 towards building refurbishment, to include installing a biomass based heating system in the forestry office at Aberfoyle, to improve its carbon rating, and upgrading workshops at Cairnbaan in West Argyll and at Creebridge in Galloway
- £500,000 funding for priority work to stabilise the slopes above the busy A82 near Fort William where harvesting of older trees is taking place