Success Stories

Nigel Hawkins, Director of the John Muir Trust

 Schiehallion (3547ft) in Perthshire is Scotland’s 57^th highest mountain and one of its best-known and best loved landmarks. Many visitors, including Queen Victoria, have gazed at Schiehallion's broad eastern flank across Loch Tummel from the Queen's View.

East Schiehallion has been owned by The John Muir Trust since 1999. The area includes 935 hectares of the mountain including the summit and path and the wonderfully wild Gleann Mor on the southern side.

Schiehallion also holds a unique place in scientific history. In the eighteenth century the mountain was the location of experiments which led to the calculation of the earth's mass, and involved the first mapping of contours.

Managing the mountain is a major challenge for the Trust. Because of its popularity and accessibility, Schiehallion attracts between 17,000 to 20,000 visitors per year and the main path running from the Braes of Foss car park to the summit has become an ugly scar.

 In 2000, the Trust commissioned an upland management survey of East Schiehallion to look at different path options. Each option considered the impacts on key features of the mountain, such as disturbance of wildlife, archaeological features etc. The report recommended that a new path was developed along the East Ridge and the original eroded path covered with vegetation. A full copy of the report detailing the various options is available from the John Muir Trust website.

Following the survey, the Trust began work on a five year project to realign the main footpath from Braes of Foss to the summit on to firmer ground, and to restore the existing eroded path line. The new path to the main ridge, totalling 3400m, is due to be completed by December 2003. In 2004 work will start on the re-vegetation of the old path and low-key path work on the main ridge itself.

To maintain the integrity of the path, all materials required for the path work are taken from the mountain itself; some from near the path and some from about 500m away - where it is brought to the path by helicopter. The path is designed in a "stalker style": narrow and aiming for a consistent gradient. It will have a free-draining stone base rather than one made from timber or a membrane.

All efforts have been made to maintain and, where possible, improve the biodiversity of the mountain slopes. In June 2000, a botanical survey of East Schiehallion recorded 69 types of vegetation, 214 vascular plant species and 107 mosses and liverworts. Heather dominates the lower slopes, interspersed with patches of bracken, bog and many small areas of herb-rich grassland. There are also patches of limestone pavement.

To assist the regeneration of the native woodland, all sheep have been removed from East Schiehallion. Regular checks are made for the presence and growth of tree seedlings along several transects. If seedlings are found but are not growing above the height of surrounding plants, grazing levels are considered too high.

A wide variety of wildlife is sighted on and around Schiehallion, including golden eagles, stonechats, ptarmigan, red deer, mountain hare and, if you’re lucky a small vole or mouse. Although the sight of these creatures are enjoyable to see, walkers may unintentionally disturb wildlife, especially at sensitive times of year. To minimise this, interpretation at the main car park will advise walkers on how to minimise their impact on Schiehallion’s wildlife.

 Wild though you may think it, the lower ground on Schiehallion shows evidence of human use from the third or second millennium BC. It was occupied and cultivated until about 250 years ago. Since then, people have used the hill for grazing, shooting and recreation.

The John Muir Trust commissioned an archaeological survey between December 1999 and February 2001 which looked at the lower areas that might be affected by the new East Ridge path. Two known sites were the cup-marked boulder at Leachd nam Braoileag and the hut-circle west of the Allt Ruighe nan Coireachan. Between them the survey found six more sites: long-houses, field boundaries and shielings or hut-circles. A follow-up survey of one of those sites, assisted by local school children, revealed a complete field and five or six long-houses rather than the one expected. A third survey revealed a settlement with four long-houses, a corn drying kiln, a field system and traces of cultivation ridges, and a separate but probably associated field-clearance cairn.

Interpretation will be added close to the main car park at the Braes of Foss. This interpretation will provide information on the current management of the mountain, the natural heritage and the history of people on Schiehallion including early inhabitants and the eighteenth century scientists.

 As with all the John Muir Trust lands, a local management committee helps to make decisions about the future of the area. The Schiehallion Management Group includes local people with a particular interest or expertise in the mountain, as well as representatives of the Trust. The committee has agreed a list of aims and objectives for the management of East Schiehallion (see Trust website for full list). The Management Plan which is currently being prepared uses these aims as its foundation.

Visitors on foot are welcome to Schiehallion, and to all the other John Muir Trust lands – access is open all year.