THE PROVISION OF PATHS IN SCOTLAND This note provides information on the extent of path provision in Scotland and highlights deficiencies in current provision. Why are paths important? Paths are important because they can provide: access to local countryside and more remote areas on foot, bike or horse; opportunities for long-distance travelling; safe, non-motorised access to shops, work and school; opportunities to integrate access and land management. The use made of paths can help to improve people s health, reduce social exclusion and provide an inexpensive way of getting from place to place. Good quality paths also help visitors to Scotland to enjoy the outdoors and to visit places of landscape, historical and wildlife interest, thus encouraging them to spend money locally and support the rural economy. Well planned paths also help landowners and farmers to integrate recreational use with land management operations without compromising their businesses. How many paths are there? There is no accepted national figure for the overall length of existing paths and tracks in Scotland. There are two studies (Peter Scott Planning Services 1994, Land Use Consultants 2001), based on detailed surveys in small study areas, which can be used to roughly estimate the current length of paths and tracks that might exist. These studies indicate that more than 50,000km of paths and tracks may exist in Scotland, though a significant proportion of these about 47% - are likely to be farm & forest tracks. Of the estimated 50,000km of paths and tracks, about 15,000km are recorded as rights of way (there are just under 7,000 recorded rights of way in Scotland). However, 84% of these routes are claimed rights of way, in that they appear to meet the common law conditions to confirm a right of way but have not been asserted, so their status is uncertain and unclear. Appendix 1 provides a detailed breakdown of rights of way provision in each local authority area (also see the SPICe Note on Rights of Way). Thus, of the 50,000km or so of paths and tracks it is estimated that only around 3,230km provide assured access, with recognised rights of way (i.e. those vindicated or asserted) and paths secured by agreements accounting for 1840km and 1,390km respectively. Within this, official long distance routes the West Highland Way, Southern Upland Way and Speyside Way account for 560km (Scottish Natural Heritage 1997). Scottish Natural Heritage, in liaison with local authorities, is developing a Scottish Paths Record. This will provide a more accurate baseline of the overall length and distribution of paths in Scotland. It will also serve as an important tool for planning
and monitoring the delivery of improved path provision in Scotland, and underpin the expected new work on core paths and core path networks provided for in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill. The Scottish Paths Record should be completed in the second half of 2002. How does this provision compare with elsewhere? Based on an estimated length of 50,000km of paths in Scotland, the average density of paths in Scotland is about 0.63km per square km. Assured access along recognised rights of way and paths secured by agreements amounts to only 0.04km per square km. Even if claimed rights of way are included, this figure increases only to 0.19km per square km. These figures compare unfavourably with England and Wales. In these two countries, the density of legally defined and assured rights of way are 1.3km and 1.8km per square km respectively. The total density of paths in England and Wales will be considerably higher than this if all farm and forest tracks are included. In England, some 37,000km of rights of way (23% of the total) are known to be legally available for cycling and horseriding; In Wales, some 7,700km (20% of the total) are known to be legally available for cycling and horseriding. By comparison, only 800km (about 5% of the total) of rights of way in Scotland are recorded as providing access for cycling and horse riding. The number of assured routes in Scotland also compares poorly with some other European countries. For example, in the German Lander of Baden-Wurttemburg, which has a land area half the size of Scotland, there are 45,000km of waymarked walking routes. In Norway there are 18,000km of summer hiking routes and 5,000km of ski trails. In Sweden there are 15,000km of maintained and waymarked walking routes and also 15,000km of cycleways. Denmark has 2,400km of long-distance paths in addition to signed farm and forest tracks and extensive cycle networks (Peter Scott Planning Services 1998). Thus the total provision of paths in Scotland is relatively poor compared to other European countries, and the provision of legally assured routes and provision for cycling and horseriding in Scotland is extremely poor. Where are the paths? Overall, the distribution of low ground path provision is patchy throughout Scotland (Appendix 1 provides a breakdown by local authority area for rights of way). Many local authorities in central Scotland, such as East Dunbartonshire, South Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire and West Lothian, have low densities of rights of way given the size of their population. Some local authorities, such as Dumfries & Galloway, Highland and Scottish Borders, have relatively high densities of rights of way in relation to their population but these are often well away from towns and cities. Overall, what information exists suggests that the provision of paths, particularly of those where access can be legally assured, is poorest close to where people live, particularly in central Scotland.
Recent years have seen growing efforts by many local authorities to provide local path networks, partly in response to SNH s Paths for All initiative, and to prepare access strategies and establish local access forums. Implementation of path networks on the ground, however, has been slower than it could have been due to lack of staff time and funding, lack of co-operation from some land managers, and the constraints of the existing legal system. The same difficulties result in longdistance routes taking many years to implement. What sort of path provision do people want? Research findings (System Three Scotland 1996) strongly suggest that the majority of people wishing to access the countryside are seeking well signposted, well managed and welcoming paths. A study, which investigated the concerns that people have about walking in the countryside, found that 52% of the public were concerned about knowing where they could go in the countryside (System Three Scotland 1991). Consultation responses indicate the need for more routes for cyclists, horseriders and for people with disabilities, and for better quality provision, including better signposting, improved path maintenance and better surfaces for multiple use (Scott Porter Research and Marketing 1998). Conclusion The overall path resource in Scotland has significant potential to contribute to the development of meaningful path networks for local people and visitors. In general, while examples of good path provision exist and are increasing, the distribution and quality of low ground paths is patchy and often poor, so there is a need for more and better paths, particularly around and within settlements. This provision will then help to generate a wide range of social, health, economic and environmental benefits. Contact points Ron McCraw (tel. 0131 446 2416, email: ron.mccraw@snh.gov.uk) Richard Davison (tel. 0131 446 2467, email: richard.davison@snh.gov.uk)
Bibliography Land Use Consultants 2001. Local Authority Pilot Projects: Final Report. Unpublished report. Scottish Natural Heritage, Edinburgh. Scottish Rights of Way Society in partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage 2000. Mapping and recording the Rights of Way of Scotland project. SNH Research, Survey & Monitoring Report No 130, Scottish Natural Heritage, Edinburgh. Peter Scott Planning Services 1998. Access to the Countryside in Selected European countries: a review of access rights, legislation and associated arrangements in Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden. SNH Research, Survey and Monitoring Report No110, Scottish Natural Heritage, Edinburgh. Peter Scott Planning Services 1994. Footpaths and access in the Scottish countryside. SNH Research, Survey and Monitoring Report No 2, Scottish Natural Heritage, Edinburgh. Scott Porter Research & Marketing Ltd 1998. Access consultation: analysis of responses. SNH Research, Survey and Monitoring Report No 134, Scottish Natural Heritage, Edinburgh. Scottish Natural Heritage 1997. Long-distance Routes in Scotland, SNH Policy Paper, Scottish Natural Heritage, Edinburgh. System Three Scotland 1991. A survey of public attitudes to walking and access. SNH Research, Survey and Monitoring Report No 4, Scottish Natural Heritage, Edinburgh. System Three Scotland 1996. Walking in the countryside in Scotland. SNH Research, Survey and Monitoring Report No 11, Scottish Natural Heritage, Edinburgh.
Appendix 1. Rights of way in each local authority Local authority Number of rights of way Total length of rights of way (km) Density of rights of way per local authority population (km/1000 people) Density of rights of way per local authority area (km /square km) Aberdeenshire 441 949.05 4.18 0.15 Angus 66 225.96 2.07 0.10 Argyll & Bute 202 678.88 7.65 0.10 City of Aberdeen 25 48.43 0.23 0.26 City of Dundee 7 4.85 0.03 0.08 City of Glasgow 22 26.30 0.04 0.15 Clackmannanshire 51 78.30 1.62 0.49 Dumfries & Galloway 641 1,793.15 12.30 0.28 East Ayrshire 213 386.53 3.20 0.30 East Dunbartonshire 97 87.45 0.79 0.50 East Lothian 225 316.79 3.47 0.46 East Renfrewshire 60 57.75 0.64 0.33 Edinburgh 132 171.46 0.38 0.65 Eilean Siar 19 81.20 2.99 0.03 Falkirk 182 269.12 1.86 0.90 Fife 1,257 1,317.38 3.76 0.99 Highland 539 3,334.08 15.98 0.13 Inverclyde 20 41.20 0.49 0.25 Midlothian 174 250.36 3.05 0.70 Moray 112 310.08 3.65 0.14 North Ayrshire 56 170.75 1.23 0.19 North Lanarkshire 184 216.23 0.66 0.46 Orkney 138 144.50 7.42 0.14 Perth & Kinross 386 934.79 7.00 0.17 Renfrewshire 51 41.90 0.24 0.16 Scottish Borders 757 1,866.70 17.46 0.39 South Ayrshire 36 93.60 0.82 0.08 South Lanarkshire 307 462.29 1.50 0.26 Stirling 310 470.45 5.52 0.21 West Dunbartonshire 58 77.69 0.82 0.44 West Lothian 187 245.74 1.57 0.57 Scottish Total 6,955 15,152.97 2.96 0.19 (GROS mid 2000 population estimates) (Scottish environment statistics, 1998) Source of information on rights of way is the Catalogue of Rights of Way (see Scottish Rights of Way Society in partnership with SNH, 2000). No rights of way are recorded in Shetland.