JOHN MUIR TRUST 08 Revisiting the Trust’s land partnerships 20 Celebrating a half-century JOURNAL of Journal issues 26 A long walk across 50 spring 11 the Highlands Spreading the word Whether through hands-on conservation work or stimulating public support, we would be unable to undertake our work to protect wild places without you, our members. Thank you for that support and for spreading the word through the new Member Get Member initiative (which includes a special discount card from our corporate supporter Tiso). Turn to page 11 for more details ... CONTENTS 01 REGULARS 02 Foreword from the Chief Executive 04 News round-up 11 Testimonial Tiso – the outdoor specialist 30 Classic texts Hamish’s Groats End Walk: One Man & His Dog on a Hill Route Through Britain & Ireland, Hamish Brown 31 Book reviews The Hebrides, An aerial view of a cultural landscape; The Carrifran Wildwood Story; Dibidil – a Hebridean Adventure 32 Our properties: Ben Nevis Estate A personal look at the Trust’s most heavily-visited property FEATURES 08 Supporting role An update on the Trust’s land partnerships around Scotland 12 Private practice A look at the Trust’s work with the private Corrour Estate 14 Restoring the wildwood Charting the gradual greening of a historic Borders valley 16 Gathering pace An update on the Trust’s Wild Land Campaign 18 The Journal at 50 A celebration of the Journal’s half-century of issues 22 Strength in numbers Forging links through the John Muir Award 26 Walking wild Reflecting on a long walk from Glen Clova to Beinn Alligin 28 Hand-crafted journeys Exploring wild areas using an unconventional means of transport JOURNAL 50, SPRING 11 LEITH OFFICE Editor: Richard Rowe John Muir Trust email: [email protected] 41 Commercial Street, Design and production: Various Creative Edinburgh EH6 6JD telephone: email: [email protected] 0131 554 0114 fax: 0131 555 2112 This Journal is printed on Revive 100 Uncoated stock, a recycled grade paper containing 100% post-consumer waste and manufactured at PITLOCHRY OFFICE a mill accredited with ISO 14001 environmental John Muir Trust management standard. The pulp used in this Tower House, Station Road, product is bleached using an Elemental Chlorine Pitlochry PH16 5AN Free (ECF) process. We use a Scottish printer, telephone: Thomson Colour, who have excellent environmental 01796 470 080 credentials, achieving environmental standard fax: 01796 473 514 ISO 4001 in 2006 and the FSC and PEFC standards in 2006. www.jmt.org If you would rather receive your publications from the John Muir Trust electronically, please email [email protected] Cover photography The John Muir Trust is a Scottish charitable Huishinish beach and big sky, North Harris company limited by guarantee. Registered office: Inside front cover photography Tower House, Station Road, Pitlochry PH16 5AN Beach clean at Camasunary, Isle of Skye Charity No. SC002061 Company No. SC081620 PHOTOGRAPHY: KEITH BRAME 02 FOREWORD Celebrating the Trust’s work JOHN MUIR TRUST JOURNAL in partnership with others SPRING 2011 JIM MANTHORPE PHOTOGRAPH: 1 From the Chief Executive Stuart Brooks highlights the partnership theme that runs through this celebratory 50th issue of the John Muir Trust Journal Welcome to this special 50th edition of the John Muir Trust With similar objectives, we strive to work alongside people Journal. We are extremely proud of our work and the properties and communities on our own estates. This is not always a in our guardianship and I am glad to say that this pride extends comfortable situation and we need to work hard at listening to our publications and, in particular, this Journal. We take the and responding to ideas and criticisms – after all, partnerships opportunity of this ‘diamond jubilee’ to reflect on the evolution are not always easily ‘won’. of the Journal and the many stories and milestones that have More recently, the Trust has developed some very positive been highlighted in its pages. I’d like to extend a huge note working relationships with private landowners. In this issue, of thanks to the many members and contributors who have Mike Daniels highlights some of our work with the Corrour provided words and images to convey their own stories of Estate in the Highlands. Much of the ‘best’ wild land is in the wild and done so much to inspire others. private ownership, so these kinds of relationships are crucial Land in Trust ‘ownership’ often takes precedence in our for helping the Trust better understand the issues and communications. However, while this is very important, it pressures at play. is by no means the sole focus of activity. We have pinned our We also revisit Carrifran in the Scottish Borders where the colours to the mast and published maps indicating where we vision for ecological restoration at a landscape scale is see the most important wild land areas in the UK but it is beginning to bear real fruit. hardly credible to advocate purchase of anything other than a small percentage of this. In delivering our overall Vision Of course, some of the very best examples of partnership where ‘wild land is protected and enhanced and wild places can be found in our work on the John Muir Award. There are valued by all sectors of society’ we have to look at other are currently more than 600 organisations that use the ways of influencing both land and people. This is where our Award to help encourage people of all ages and backgrounds work in partnership with others is so essential. to experience and value wild places. Rob Bushby highlights some of these organisations and explores the constituent Such partnerships take many forms. Some, such as our work parts of a successful partnership. with the North Harris Trust, Knoydart Foundation and Galson Trust, have their roots in community ownership where local I do hope that you can find time to read the Journal. Please people share a passion for conserving their natural heritage come back to us with comments, ideas and your own opinions. alongside an economically sustainable future. Our involvement We’d also be delighted to hear from you with ideas of what you has changed over time as these organisations have gathered would like to see covered in future editions. momentum, skills and experience, but we remain committed to learning from each other for the benefit of wild land and Stuart Brooks the communities that live and work there. chief executive john muir trust RORY SYME PHOTOGRAPHY: KEITH BRAME Photography 1 The Knoydart Foundation ranger service 2 Thistles, Oldshoremore, Sutherland PHOTOGRAPH: 2 04 NEWS JOHN MUIR TRUST JOURNAL SPRING 2011 JOHN MUIR TRUST ARCHIVES PHOTOGRAPH: WIND FARM FOLLY The John Muir Trust has lodged an objection to the proposed extension to a wind development scheme on the Isle of Lewis that will further spoil one of Scotland’s most remote areas of wild land. The extension of the Muaitheabhal scheme would add six 150-metre high turbines to the 33 turbines already consented in January 2010 following a Public Local Inquiry. Visualisations prepared by the developer show some of the impact the full development will have on one of Scotland’s wildest areas. However, a key viewpoint from the summit of NEIL TUCKETT Uisinis, which would show the impact of the six-turbine extension, has not been fully examined due to health and safety reasons, according to developer PHOTOGRAPH: Crionaig Power. “We are amazed that a crucial MODEL T CARRY Local company No Fuss Events will photomontage which would show The John Muir Trust has reached an co-ordinate the carry with the support the true impact of the extension on an agreement with the organisers of a of Fort William Community Council, area of high quality wild land has not major car rally in Lochaber that will Friends of Nevis, John Muir Trust, been created because of health and see a Model T Ford carried, piece by Nevis Partnership and The Outdoor safety,” commented Helen McDade, the piece, to the top of Ben Nevis where Capital of the UK, working with the Trust’s Head of Policy. “It is ridiculous it will be reassembled. The event is Model T enthusiasts. to expect anyone to judge the impact planned to commemorate the centenary Following a meeting between Model T these turbines would have without of a publicity stunt by an Edinburgh car enthusiasts and a number of local groups, seeing a realistic picture of what the dealer which saw a Model T driven to John Hutchison, Chairman of the John landscape will look like. the summit of the Ben in 1911. Muir Trust, commented: “We are very “It is remarkable that after a major The car, which has already been pleased that all parties have reached public inquiry to determine the size prepared by Model T enthusiast Neil agreement on an appropriate way to of this development, an application to Tuckett, will be dismantled at Achintee, celebrate this event and we will be extend it by nearly 20% could potentially near Fort William, and reassembled working to make it a success.” be passed through without this level on the 1,344m-high summit of the Volunteers with hill walking experience of scrutiny.” Ben. The carry of the car, planned are needed to carry the car to the summit. The turbines at Muaitheabhal will be for 18 May, is part of a week-long Anyone interested should contact No highly visible from Beinn Mhor, which rally being organised for the Model T Fuss Events by emailing: at 572m is the highest peak in the Pairc Register of Great Britain. > [email protected] range in southeastern Lewis, and also from an area of high quality wild land south of Loch Sealg, which has been identified by Scottish Natural Heritage as one of only four areas in Scotland more than 5 miles (8km) away from any road.