Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland - path repairs on Meall a' Bhuachaille
Joining OATS staff and volunteers as they help maintain mountain paths in the Cairngorms
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00:00My name is Eva Kopska, and I'm the volunteer coordinator for Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland.
00:08And I've been in the role only the last four months, but I've been volunteering with those people for a couple of years.
00:15Our volunteer program is mostly based on path maintenance and also to clear all the drainages on the paths.
00:23That's sort of the main focus, and occasionally we are able to train the path contractors
00:29and have a sort of personal experience of the actual path building, which is quite nice.
00:37I'm Brian McGill, and I'm a retired council worker at Highland Council.
00:42And for the last two years I've been volunteering for Outdoor Access Trust,
00:48mainly in the Cairngorms, various paths, and it's a very energising and fulfilling experience.
00:59Because if you are a robot, if you've bought paths, some paths are maintained much better than others,
01:06and you appreciate a well-maintained path, and then you suddenly realise, well actually, they don't maintain themselves.
01:12Somebody has to do it. And of course, the more volunteers, the better.
01:17And I think most hill walkers are pretty fit, and if you keep a garden, then you know how to wield a spade.
01:27So it's not difficult.
01:32My name is Evan Holligan, I'm 20, 29 years old.
01:36Just moved to Scotland in 2022 from the United States, North Carolina,
01:43and got involved in the Cairngorms National Park Volunteer Ranger Program just this year.
01:49I really enjoyed it, just getting out in the hills and getting out and about,
01:53and so that was kind of what prompted the idea of last year,
01:57oh well, maybe try and tie something good and positive into this as well.
02:02It's a way to enjoy your time out in the hills while also doing something that's benefiting the community.
02:13I'm Ewan Watson, I'm the Outdoor Access Project Officer for OATS, the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland.
02:20The maintenance project throughout the summer is a huge benefit to Scotland's path network overall.
02:26It means that we can maintain access to Scotland's paths into the Cairngorms National Park
02:34and help people access the hills sustainably.
02:37People really benefit from just getting out into the outdoors in general,
02:42whether it's coming out to volunteer with us or just going out for a walk.
02:46So for people to be able to come out with us and volunteer and do some good,
02:52and whilst they're out doing something that they enjoy,
02:55all our volunteers, our hill walkers, climbers, mountain bikers themselves,
02:59they all love recreating in the outdoors.
03:02So this is a great opportunity for them to come and give something back to the footpath network
03:08where they probably enjoy a lot of their own free time anyway.
03:11So it gives them access to volunteering opportunities where they can come out
03:16and do something that's positively benefiting the landscape.
03:20And it's also just great for them as well, it's good exercise, it's good fun.