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Who are Mend Our Mountains?
It looks like they are trying to crowd-fund the construction of destructive tracks on Scottish Hills.
Having seen what damage a digger can do I am a bit sceptical of so-called "path improvements".
Anyone know better?
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/mend-the-cairngorms
I have been targetted them by clever facebook adverts too, although they think I live in the lake district it seems...
I think it's just the crowdfunding 'tag' for the BMC? One would hope that their restorations will be necessary and sympathetic to all users..
Looks like the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland (previously Cairngorms Outdoor Access Trust) are involved. I think they are doing a pretty decent job of building upland paths. Most of the work is done by hand, its not just diggers. https://www.outdooraccesstrustforscotland.org.uk/upland-paths/
>It looks like they are trying to crowd-fund the construction of destructive tracks,<
Erm no it doesn't.... It looks like they are trying to crowd fund a sustainable upland hill path using "light touch techniques"
The type of solution they advocate has been used in the 'Gorms for over 10 years now i.e repairing the damage caused by tens of thousands of boots. I fully support this type of work - they should be applauded.
If you want to get animated about destructive tracks you don't have to look very far in any direction. Dozens of the large estates have been bulldozing tracks at will through vast swathes of the Highlands for decades. On the flimsy pretext of "agricultural benefit" but generally because they can. For example If you drive up the road a little further and look at the hills West of the A9 around Drumochter they are absolutely plastered with new LR and Quad tracks. All driven in so a small number of folk don't have to hike up to shooting butts.
Who are Mend Our Mountains?
It looks like they are trying to crowd-fund the construction of destructive tracks on Scottish Hills.
5mins on google would have set you straight on who they were and what they do (and who are behind them) without the need for a post flinging shit at them.
I think it’s just the crowdfunding ‘tag’ for the BMC?
Yup. BMC with various partners depending on the area/specific path. Cut gate for example is one of the targeted paths partnered with Peak MTB, Ride sheffield amongst others.
Not to be confused with Fix the Fells, or Pave the Peaks, or whatever they're calling themselves now.
5mins on google would have set you straight on who they were and what they do (and who are behind them) without the need for a post flinging shit at them.
5 minutes is VERY generous.
The first hit on page one of a google search for “mend our mountains” shows that they are the British Mountaineering Council (without even needing to click the link) 🙄
OP must be mad keen on looking stupid to not even bother with a 5 second search before posting this crap.
A hugely successful and supportive charity campaign which Ride Sheffield, Peak District MTB and Keeper of the Peak are working with and driving the conversation on.
Fix the Fells are different.
In our world: https://mendmountains.thebmc.co.uk/donations/cut-gate/
Cheers all.
The Cairngorms Outdoor Access Trust (now the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland), mentioned above, were behind proposals that wrecked Dumyat. They also take credit for destruction of Ben Ledi although delivery was from McGowans.
(McGowans also have a pretty website proclaiming their envirnomental credentials: http://mcgowanltd.co.uk/ despite what they do on the ground: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/outrage-improvement-work-popular-hillwalking-11147457)
Delighted that others have more positive experiences of Mend Our Mountains.
May all your biking be on Type-1 gravel.
What is this "wreckage and destruction" you speak of? Both these hills were still standing when I drove past them the other week.
Dumyat was already an eroded mess with "destructive tracks" all over it. And had / still has the hand of man planted all over the top of it ( Cairn, brazier, trig point, some muckle memorial that would be far more appropriate at street level) But hey, as long as you can rag down it in its "natural state" that's ok. Granted, the "path" they have blasted up there is completely inappropriate / overdone but I'm not seeing any evidence of this being repeated elsewhere? What precisely is the problem with Ben Ledi for example - the mere fact they have tampered with the natural state of the hill?
Its a pity the MTB community cant get behind projects like Changing Tracks (now they really are trying to prevent destructive tracks built on an epic scale) instead of moralising about wee hills like Dumyat.
Dr Outraged strikes again...
Wouldn’t be the first time Mend Our Mountains and Fix The Fells have been confused. If I’m really honest, I confused them at one point and backed right off until I’d established they were different.
Eff The Fells do seem to be doing sterling JCB’ing that would have made Rushup Edge/Chapel Gate look like sensitive conservation work.
It is problematic though that FTF can list the LDNPA and NT among their core group and the BMC etc in ‘other stakeholders’. The result is fairly obviously that all these groups then become open to question on stewardship.