Autumn • Winter 2011 | No. 8 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Three Lochs Way Improvement, Ardroy Outdoor Centre Rescue, A Pilgrimage in the National Park, Our First Ever Golf Day and more... www.lochlomondtrossachs.org.uk 1 2 The Voice - Autumn 2011 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT The Voice is the magazine of the Friends of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs, the independent conservation charity working solely to protect, promote and provide projects and services for this most precious These past months have been difficult. First there was a lightning strike part of Scotland – The Loch Lomond and which blasted my house alarm off the outside wall, and cut off my electricity Trossachs National Park. To join us or to and telephone for a couple of days. As my personal (red button) alarm was find out more about our work please visit also cut off I felt a little helpless! The next disaster happened on Friday 2nd www.lochlomondtrossachs.org.uk or use September when I walked into the bathroom to discover the floor flooded the form inside. and on going downstairs I found the kitchen flooded as well with water running down the light flex. By Monday the 5th September the plumber had The Voice is published biannually in been, the electrician had restored the lighting system, the carpets are dried spring and autumn. Submissions on and I am sitting at my desk writing this ‘thought’. Somewhat shattered but topics relating to Loch Lomond and The almost back to normal, or as normal as one can be at 97! Trossachs National Park are welcome. I have been thinking of a kind of conservation beyond the National Park Please send submissions to the editor at recently, and am expecting a visit from Simon Jones, the Head Gardener the address below or email at Edinburgh Zoo. He is building a new enclosure for two giant Pandas, [email protected] who I have heard are in need of bamboo! I have phoned him to offer Loch Lomond bamboo and he is coming to see if the plants are suitable. It would Friends of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs be fun if my Auchendarroch bamboo was suitable feed stock for the two 63 West Princes Street Pandas – the plants are ready to be dug up and taken away to Edinburgh Helensburgh, Scotland G84 8BN and feed the Pandas – the first to live in this country for 17 years. I sit back Telephone: 01436 677733 and await developments. I will tell you more in the next edition of VOICE. Mobile: 07799 262 742 Email: [email protected] www.lochlomondtrossachs.org.uk All the best, yours aye Hannah 5 Letter From The Chair 16 Oak Tree Wins Award 6 Paradise Rediscovered 17 Cowal Red Squirrels 7 Three Lochs Way Improvements 18 Getting involved in Our Park Articles published in The Voice do 8 Stocking up for the Winter Months 21 Caledonian Challenge News not necessarily represent the views of 10 Ardroy Outdoor Centre Rescue 22 Planning Matters The Friends of Loch Lomond and The 11 Paddling on Glass 24 Launch of National Park brings Trossachs. 12 A Pilgrimage in the National Park parties tgether Charity No. SC015389 14 Our first ever Golf Day 25 Friends Membership Application The Voice is printed on 100% 15 Business Partners and Supporters 27 Mince Pies and Mulled Wine recycled paper supporting the re-use of forest resources and in accordance with FSC standards Designed and printed by The Inglewood Press Ltd, Alloa, Scotland www.inglewood-press.co.uk only using post-consumer recycled wood and fibre 3 MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN Welcome to the Autumn edition of the Friends’ Voice magazine which continues to grow in strength with more contributions from a variety of sources, an increased readership and larger print run that has been possible with generous sponsorship and advertising support. I hope you enjoy reading this latest issue and if you would like to provide feedback on any of the articles or issues covered please Friends chairman James Fraser outside the Banff National Park Visitor do get in touch. Centre exchanging Friends literature with Executive Director, Friends of Banff National Park, Leslie de Bie. N MAY we had a well attended as a very able and committed fundraising front was the inaugural AGM on the PS Maid of the Loch replacement for Rowena as a Trustee. Friends golf charity event at the Carrick Iat Balloch and this provided an John is a regular contributor to Voice on Loch Lomondside generously opportunity for the new National Park and, with his wife Anne, has been a sponsored by Stephen Carter and John Convenor, Linda McKay to speak to strong supporter and participant in the Keating at Cameron House Hotel & members and hear views on a range of OUR Park voluntary visitor donation Resort and David Moulsdale of Optical topical issues such as the introduction scheme through the operation of their Express and the Moulsdale Foundation. of the new byelaws on East Loch Balmillig B&B in Helensburgh. He is We had a good response from the Lomondside. It was also a time of also Chair of the Argyll & Bute Access business community through either change for the Board of Trustees Forum and acting Chair of the new participating in this event or donating with Frank Bracewell receiving a gift Love Loch Lomond Tourism Destination prizes and the funds raised, combined of an inscribed skean dhu to mark Organisation. with funds generated through the OUR his decades of service to the Friends The summer months has been a busy Park initiative developed with local and Rowena Ferguson stepping and successful period for the Friends partners, has enabled us to financially down as a Trustee after many years with appearances at Highland Games support nine access, conservation, sterling service as both a Trustee and and other major events in Bearsden, heritage and education projects former Chair of the Friends. Rowena Luss, Callander and Loch Lomond with a total combined value of those was responsible for modernising the Shores. Thanks to all our volunteers projects of over £150,000 (see page Friends and introducing a number who helped with manning these 14) when leverage from others sources of initiatives designed to ensure the events and the 20 plus people who is taken account of. A great start and organisation was placed on a more helped with marshalling duties at the something we hope to build on in the sustainable and relevant footing. She Caledonian Challenge on the West future with a range of partners. was also, of course, responsible for Highland Way in June that generated Other issues of interest in recent cajoling me into becoming a more much needed funds for the Friends months include the publication of the active member of the Friends and OUR Park initiative. Government Reporters’ findings and consequently she is not being allowed Thanks also to our President Dr. recommendations on the first National to disappear completely! Rowena Hannah Stirling for the generous Park Local Plan (see page 22 for further is continuing to provide support in donation of funds to purchase a new details); the recent launch of the new the background, including excellent mobile exhibition unit and attractive five year draft Park Plan; progress catering at Friends events such as the branded flags for use at these and with our Young Friends scheme; the AGM. future events. successful introduction of camping We recently welcomed John Urquhart The highlight of the summer on the and drinking byelaws on East Loch 4 The Voice - Autumn 2011 Lomondside by the Park Authority us, and the marked differences in John Urquhart and partners; the completion of geography and heritage. We have the first phase of repairing and similar membership numbers and joins our Board upgrading Loch Lomond piers rates but they are all more active and the introduction of expanded in generating funds from retail of Trustees and nonsubsidised additional and sponsorship activities to fund ferry/cruise services by local boat impressive access, conservation, operators; and the welcome release education and heritage of £500,000 by the Government to programmes in partnership with Transport Scotland to come forward their respective National Parks. with a proper and well thought There is also huge investment through design framework for currently taking place in the Parks On being welcomed to his first Board meeting, tackling the much needed upgrade with support from the US and new Friends Trustee John Urquhart said how of the A82 between Tarbet and Canadian Governments as part of honoured and pleased he was to be invited to Crianlarich. national economic recovery plans - join the ‘Friends’. “My wife Anne and I have been members of the Friends for many years I was fortunate to visit Alaska they really do value their National now, but truth to tell, my own friendship with and the Canadian Rockies in late Parks. Plenty food for thought as the Loch goes back a very long way – very Spring with my wife Paula, and we take forward a review of our nearly half a century in fact - to the early sixties, we enjoyed trips to a diverse future priorities and activities. long before the Friends were formed - to my cluster of National Parks over Many thanks for your continuing boyhood growing up in Glasgow, when, seized with an adolescent urge to get afloat and ‘do a three week period. I took the support which we very much daring things’, I started building lath and canvas opportunity to meet up with our appreciate as we strive to make a canoes in the front room of our council house counterparts at Alaska Geographic difference in the area covered by just off Yokermill Road.