Wild Land News no 56, Winter 2002/2003

Attadale Bulldozed Track Article

Work began last summer on a new bulldozed track on the 32,000 acre Attadale estate east of Loch Carron in Wester Ross. The 3-metre wide track runs northwards from a point (NH 018392) just north-east of Bendronaig Lodge.

As the track follows the line of an existing narrow path, it seems the estate might get away with this latest piece of landscape damage on the grounds that it is an upgrade and therefore classed as "permitted development". Last year a much longer track was bulldozed from Bendronaig Lodge to Pait Lodge, 10km to the east.

By the time 500 metres of the new track had been carved out in July, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland intervened to challenge the view that this was "permitted development", and asked Highland Council to issue a Stop Order. Work did indeed stop, but according to the estate owner, Ewen Macpherson, this was only because of the imminent stalking season and the operation would be completed in 2003. It is understood that the track is to run for 3km in a north-north-westerly direction along the foot of Bidein a' Choire Sheasgaich.

Once again, this controversy demonstrates the failure of the planning system to deal decisively with major threats to our wild landscape heritage. Bendronaig Lodge is near the heart of a huge tract of roadless terrain containing some of the remotest Munros and where there is a genuine feeling of isolation. It is an outrage that vehicle tracks can be allowed to penetrate ever deeper into such a landscape. Mr. Macpherson claimed of such low-level tracks that "Within five years you will not be able to see them". Who does he think he is kidding?

We shall make our feelings known to Highland Council about this, but what is really needed is legislation to prevent this type of development from bypassing the planning process.