THEME 3: ENVIRONMENT AND HERITAGE
THEME 3: ENVIRONMENT AND HERITAGE
We live in a beautiful scenic area – 52% of respondents in the survey identified the environmental and heritage assets of the area as what they most liked about living here. It is a shame to see it negatively impacted by wild camping that leaves lots of traces rather than none! South Loch Awe-side and Glen Orchy have been badly affected and there is a need to have more resources and facilities to deal with this. Joint working between Loch Awe Improvement Association, Argyll and Bute Council, Forest & Land Scotland, Scottish Police and others is essential.
People identified opportunities to improve our local path networks and to connect them to long distance paths like the West Highland Way and proposed Oban – Tyndrum cycle path.
We have a very rich heritage and iconic places like St. Conan’s Kirk and Kilchurn Castle and many felt that there was a real opportunity to not only protect and enhance our heritage but also to provide more information, signage and promotion – and to bring it alive through events, art and education.
Threats to our environment also included flooding and an invasion of intruding pylons, and while the community works to improve flood management or campaign against pylons there were some that felt the area would merit from special designation that would recognise and help protect its special nature.
MAIN PRIORITIES
Develop visitor management resources and facilities
Improve and develop paths networks and link to wider networks
Improve visitor experience (promotion, signage, facilities, hospitality, access)
Make more of the local heritage
Flood management
Protect and enhance this scenic area (reduce negative impact of pylons, forestry extraction, renewables, designation)
Some quotes …
“There were on occasion 70-100 people a night camping in Glen Orchy without any facilities with a real negative impact and creating noise for neighbours”
“For workers and visitors, public toilets and roadside parking at scenic sites, places accessed by hillwalkers and fishermen – we also need waste disposal bins at the more popular locations, emptied regularly”
“More walks/footpath areas such as Dalmally to Tyndrum to connect with walkers on the West Highland Way”
“There is extreme flooding on the River Orchy with livestock washed away, fencing torn down, and erosion of the river bank”
“There could be guides/trail to the built Victorian heritage of Lochawe and Dalmally”