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ANNEX C: SITE BRIEF: South of Devil’s Elbow Glenshee, A93, Cairngorms National Park Location The lay-by is located on A93 north of Spittal of Glenshee, Grid Reference NO140757 See attached Map 1. The site is within the Cairngorms National Park some 3 km south of Glenshee Ski Centre. Perth and Kinross Council is the roads authority. Ownership The land is owned by Invercauld Estate Background The A93 forms part of the Deeside Tourist Route which runs from Perth to Aberdeen via Blairgowrie, Braemar, and Ballater. This route is the main access from the south to the Glenshee Ski Area. As one of the classic Scottish ‘snow roads’ the A93 is often sought out as a test piece by cyclists, motor cyclists and classic car drivers: it is a well published option on the Lands End to John o’ Groats route. It forms the main link road between Deeside and Perthshire. This lay-by is well used by hill walkers wanting to access the four Munros west of Glenshee including Glas Maol 1068m. The current lay-by appears to have been formed as a result of realigning the road. Upgrading the lay-by has been an aspiration of the community for a number of years and it is a specific action in the Mount Blair Community Action Plan. Interpretation and Information Glenshee takes its name from the Gaelic word shith, signifying ‘fairies’. Until the old tongue died out in the late 1800’s the inhabitants were known as Sithichean a’ Ghlinnshith - ‘The Elves of Glenshee’. The road has been important for centuries as a route through the mountains. It was even regarded as a strategic route as late as World War II when it was included in the ‘Defence of Britain Project’ with concrete tank traps and pill boxes installed at ‘Devil’s Elbow’ 1 km north of this site The area was also one of the first in Scotland to be developed for downhill skiing and the lay-by is close to the current Glenshee Ski Centre. The primary use appears to be as a car park for hill walkers and the site includes a small panel offering advice on responsible access to the hills during stalking season. However, the site affords superb views to the south down Glenshee. At dusk and dawn it is possible to see red deer grazing in the glen and Golden eagle have been seen regularly ...but sightings cannot be guaranteed. Landscape Context and overarching objectives for the design. This lay-by is close to the high pass of the Cairnwell on the long-established route between Glen Shee and Braemar. The road curves away to the north around the massive bulk of the Cairnwell and the site itself is contained between the broad flanks of rugged ridges and summits. To the south the view opens up along the meanders of the Allt a Ghlinne Bhig, framed by the ice-sculpted landforms of Meal Gorm and Carn Mor. With no settlement and sparse vegetation, the experience of this landscape is dominated by the landform and the weather; sculpted corries and scree slopes are emphasised by snow lie in winter and the deep shadows of summer, and can be stunningly side-lit at any time of year, but in driving rain, snow or mist the experience is very much of extremes, of a high and wild place where natural forces prevail. Objectives for design proposals should reflect the sculpted landforms and the simplicity of the scree slopes and sparse vegetation. As far as possible, any soft landscaping should be heather or grass species typical of the area with the aim of achieving the ‘colour palette’ of the hillsides rather than the brighter green of modified grass verges. proposals should respect and respond to the open prospect and scale of the landscape avoiding the introduction of small scale constructions or a clutter of ‘furniture’ or different materials. proposals should enhance the interactions that people can have with their surroundings by for example including spaces where cleared snow can be accumulated and used creatively to enhance the ‘extreme upland’ experience and provide some shelter (without blocking any key views), and providing pedestrian access to the burn. proposals should make a connection with the historical use and development of the route, from drove road and military road to the A-road of today. Design considerations The design should address the following:- How to encourage road users to stop and engage with the outstanding landscape and natural and cultural heritage of this location. How to encourage visitors to enjoy and experience other facilities and attractions along the route Maintenance of access to the lay-by for snow ploughs Treatment of litterbins Improvements to car park element of the site and particularly the delineation of car park and grass. Pre-arrival signage Ongoing maintenance of the facility in a remote location prone to extremes of wind, temperature and exceptional snowfall. Those designs most likely to work in this location will use natural locally-sourced materials, subtle forms, create opportunities for inspiring interactions, have longevity in this environment and have a high level of ‘buildability’. Buildability Construction will be a significant part of the design challenge for this site and should be integrated into the design process. The design should take account of; altitude, weather, seasonality, and in particular extremes of weather and drainage issues e.g. snow accumulation, snow melt, ponding water, icy surfaces, high winds likely availability and suitability of materials and products e.g. locally sourced rock, soils, plants, availability of suitable trade products such as for earth reinforcement soil characteristics e.g. stability, risk of erosion and/or vegetation failure scale and dimensional criteria the space required for operations and storage level of design complexity and learning required the level of expertise required and likely available expertise e.g. skills to build walling in local stone to a local style or reflecting nearby rock strata. plant and equipment required on-site/off-site construction requirement for temporary works Map 2 is a topographic survey Figure 1. Lay-by from with view south Figure 2 Views South Map 1 South of Devil’s Elbow Lay-by Glenshee .

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