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Submission from the Munro Society SUBMISSION FROM THE MUNRO SOCIETY HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO TITLE “CAIRNGORMS” 1. The term Cairngorms is a nickname applied to that area of Am Monadh Ruadh, or the red-hill range, and has now passed into common usage on maps and in guidebooks. This is generally accepted as the central station of the range of mountains stretching from Ben Alder towards Lochnagar and the eastern glens known as the Grampians, or more properly The Mounth. One of the well-known guide books published by the Scottish Mountaineering Club under the title “ The Cairngorms” includes that area of highland Perthshire which covers the major hills around Beinn Dearg, Beinn a’ Ghlo, and Glas Tulaichean to the south of the County March/Regional Boundary. The name Cairngorms is therefore ill-defined and from a mountaineering perspective we would argue that it applies to the greater area embracing the highland Perthshire hills, and by their proximity the hills immediately to the west of the Pass of Drumochter could merit inclusion for both topographic merit and administrative convenience. (Ref: The Cairngorms – Scottish Mountaineering Club District Guidebook by Adam Watson pb The Scottish Mountaineering Trust ISBN 0-907521-39-8) This supports the original proposal by Scottish Natural heritage who argued that there was a “strong case for inclusion” of that area of highland Perthshire (Atholl, Glen Fearnate, and Glen Shee). TOPOGRAPHY 1. The landforms of the hills of highland Perthshire have like characteristics to those of the higher Cairngorms peaks, consisting for the most part of the high plateaux dissected by deep glens through which run the main arteries of communication. Typical of the great cuts of The Giack and Glen Tilt which are not unlike the better known and popular Lairig Ghru which cuts through the highest massive. 2. The hills lying on the County March/Regional Boundary lying between the Pass of Drumochter and The Cairnwell Pass are currently split in two by the National Park Boundary as presently constituted. This is totally illogical as the ground on all sides of these hills is of like character and supports a like flora and fauna, subject to the like management requirements. On these hills rise some of the main feeder streams of Scotland’s three great rivers, the Feshie (Spey), the Geldie (Dee), The Tarf and Garry/Tay). The management of these headwaters should endeavour to co-ordinate control of grazing pressures in order to maintain a long term sustainability of flora and fauna. The rebuilding of the former montane scrub would also require a co- ordinated approach whose objectives would be to assist in the regulation of excessive run-off, in turn a contributing factor to the better control of flood levels in the lower, vulnerable reaches of major rivers. These facts again argue a strong case for inclusion of those parts of highland Perthshire as promoted as a Members’ Bill by John Swinney MSP. ADMINISTRATION 1. On approaches from the south, the greater number of the glens bisecting the hill ground provided routes by way of passes. Historically the military used the Minigaig, a high pass which climbed across the mountain barrier form Glen Bruar to Glen Tromie. This was later replaced by the more direct route through the Pass of Drumochter, a route now traversed by the Perth- Inverness railway and the A9, the principal gateway to the Highlands form the south. The Glen tilt and The Gaick routes also provided routes through and across The Mounth. At the convergence of these tracks lies the small township of Balir Atholl, its strategic position recognised in the defensive structure of Blair Castle on the “Great North Road”. These long established, and historical facts, have made Blair Atholl a major tourist gateway on the main artery, and other long established routes giving access to the Cairrngorms, a cogent argument for maintaining the township’s gateway status. 2. Further east the Monega Pass provided the highest hill crossing between the Dee and the Isla, with a hospice provided for travellers at the northern end of the crossing. The later construction of a military road from Blairgowrie to the Dee (now the A93) crossed these hills by way of The Cairnwell. When adopted for vehicular traffic motorists regarded the passage of the zig-zags known as the Devils Elbow with some trepidation. Interestingly the military road builders made provisions for a hospice at Spittal of Glenshee which in recent years yeas become a centre for skiers. (Ref: Grampian Ways by Robert Smith pb Melven Press ISBN 0 906644 01 2) This would make the Spittal of Glenshee ideally placed as one of the gateways to the Cairngorms National Park. 3. There is currently an imbalance in the Council representation on the Cairngorms National Park Board. This has led to an impression that he national Park Board places undue emphasis on the mountain area immediately contiguous with Strath Spey. The inclusion of highland Perthshire and the Drumochter hills would re- emphasise a commitment to the preservation and conservation of the core montane area and open up the future possibility of enhanced status at International level. The reduction of the Highland Council representation on the park Board by one member would allow the highland Perthshire area to be represented by a member of the Perth and Kinross Council. This new representation would incur little, if any, additional cost. .
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