Scottish Highland Estates, greed & the loss of wild land

INTENSIVE MUIR BURN ON A GROUSE SHOOTING ESTATE [RIGHT CLICK TO ENLARGE IN A NEW TAB]

Regular visitors to this place will have read the piece posted on here a couple of days ago: Scottish Highland Hydro Scheme Mapping. I provided a link to it on the TGO Challenge Message Board, as these schemes have a direct impact on Challengers who walk across Scotland, particularly so as the majority of these schemes have not yet made it onto Ordnance Survey Maps.

Here's a screen grab of that post on the Message Board, and the first reply from a chap who will be taking part in the Challenge for the first time this year. 

RIGHT-CLICK TO ENLARGE IN A NEW TAB

For those of you with small screens, I'll reproduce Paul's comment at a larger size below:

I've met Paul and I found him to be an intelligent and likeable bloke. I'm sure quite a few other very decent hill walkers will share his view, which is why I'm giving space to it as a separate piece, away from the narrower issue of Small Hydro schemes.

As regular readers will know I am particularly keen to promote the TGO Challenge, especially to first-timers as they are the life blood of the walk. (Mortality is a statistician's delight as without exception everyone dies and the more Challenges you do, the closer you are to meeting your maker.) If we want the TGO Challenge to continue, then fresh blood is vital.

I've walked across Scotland for over twenty years and over that time have seen a dramatic drop in the wild places. The predominant reason for this being the remorseless spread of wind farms (with the associated tracks and electricity pylons) a massive rise in hill roads for the grouse shooting industry and considerable changes, especially in the eastern Highlands in vegetation as muir-burn has become the predominant landscape. Recently Small Hydro (predominantly run of the river schemes) have  spread like a rash throughout the wild places.

Elsewhere on this blog I have written extensively about my despondency of walking through more and more damaged landscapes on the Challenge. (Just click on "Wind Power stations" under the 'Label' heading on the RH column of this blog) As I promote the Challenge a great deal, I think it is time to accentuate what is fabulous about walking across the Highlands and some of the positive changes that are being made by enlightened estate management.

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As I understand it, Paul is making two points; The first is that Highland Estate owners have to make a living from their land and the choices are from either small hydro scheme subsidies, wind farm rental, commercial forestry or grouse shooting. His second (supporting) point is that he's all in favour of killing mountain hares to preserve the grouse shooting industry, which in his opinion preserves the land from commercial forestry, as he would prefer to see shooting instead of forestry or wind farms.

He suggests that it is not helpful for me to rail against small hydro, grouse shooting and wind farms, as that leaves only forestry and he would not like to see that marching across the hillsides. In his view trying to limit wind farms, small hydro, grouse shooting and forestry (which I don't believe I have ever mentioned) will lead to the depopulation of the Highlands.

At first pass it might seem that Paul is making a fair point. Indeed, these are the points that Scottish Land & Estates - the representative body of the majority of Estate owners - trot out at regular intervals to support grouse shooting, industrial scale wind farms, hydro schemes and commercial forestry across Scotland. After all, these Estates provide a living for a fair few estate workers across the country.

Let's look at Paul's second, supporting point to start with, as it bolsters the main thrust of his comment.

The points about livelihoods and killing hares (regarding grouse shooting) are made well in the recent BBC Countryfile television programme that Paul made mention of on the TGO Message Board, before he deleted the comment. The programme examines the mass shooting of mountain hares (a native species) to protect the grouse shooting industry. However, the same could also be said of the points made by Harry Huyton of OneKind against the shooting of Mountain Hares. Take a look at the programme  yourself: It's about a ten minute watch. You can see the programme on the BBC iPlayer for the next 16 days by clicking on the following link:

COUNTRYFILE: 28TH JAN 2018 

NB: Rather than watch the entire programme, the relevant sections are from 7:00 to 14:00 and 30:30 to 36:10

Harry Huyton's subsequent take on the programme can be found here: Three reflections on Countryfile's mountain hare culls feature 

For a detailed look at hare culls you might like to view this document: Mountain hare persecution in Scotland After reading that, I think you'll agree that Paul's position on culling mountain hares looks pretty shabby.

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Now let's take a look at Paul's first, main point: Scottish Estate owners have to make a living, and it's going to come from either grouse shooting, rental income from wind farms, commercial forestry or small hydro.

Of course, this is a straw man argument. Those are a carefully selected sample of possible income streams for Highland Estates. As it happens, they are the income streams that some find unacceptable in the modern world and so we are given a choice by the estates (and Paul) to choose those we find least unpalatable from their selection.

On the morning of the day I posted the link to my piece on Small Hydro Mapping on the Challenge Message Board I had also posted a piece that Chris Townsend had mentioned on twitter - an inspirational piece from the Scottish Wildlife Trust's website written by the Estate owner, Lisbet Rausing, detailing the work that Corrour Estate has been doing over the last ten years or so and the plans it has for the next ten. You can find that piece by clicking on this link:

LEADING THE CHARGE AT CORROUR ESTATE

LOCH OSSIAN AT THE HEART OF CORROUR ESTATE @ JONNY HUGHES

I really would like you to read this piece so that we can understand each other as we move forward. So sit up straight at the back of the class and take a few moments to read it please.

Thank you.

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And, you're back in the room! Hello again. That was a great read. You're jolly glad you took some time over it.

You will have seen that the stewardship of Corrour Estate has shifted fundamentally from an extractive model to a stewardship model. The entire ecosystem - flora and fauna - is recovering from over a century of appalling abuse. It appears from this shining example (and others mentioned in the piece) that Highland Estates can make a living without wind farms, grouse shooting and forestry. The Estate now washes its face economically by generating income from tourism attracted to the place by the transformation of the landscape and wildlife.

Who knew?

Tourism is a *major* business in the Highland economy. Visit Scotland estimated that 1,88 million people from the rest of the UK and 0.4 million people from overseas visited the Highlands in 2012/13. These visitors spent a combined total of £509 million.

However, you will have spotted that Corrour *does* include four small hydro projects as part of its income stream - a fairly big disappointment.

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This brings me rather neatly to another reason for disagreeing with Paul's comment.

If you or I were to buy our first home, we would know that along with the mortgage and rates that we would have to pay, we would also be faced with a raft of additional costs. Every once in a while all the exterior woodwork would need painting. The decorations inside the place would need keeping in order. Plumbing problems, heating bills, electricity bills, they all need to be sorted.

Moving on to your next, larger house, all those costs increase, and so on to an even more expensive house, with a large garden, fences to maintain, you'll need a larger lawnmower. You can already see where this is going, can't you?

Those fortunate enough to be in a position to buy a Scottish Estate know full well what they are buying. They are buying a whole heap of ongoing outgoings that to you or me would seem eye-watering! Of course, they would try to mitigate these costs by having an income from the Estate. And that is exactly what Lisbet Rausing is doing at Corrour.

But let's not kid ourselves; these Estate owners are incredibly wealthy individuals, from all corners of the world as well as the UK. And let's be brutally honest. They can afford to run an Estate, even when it makes a loss. Their accountants will have told them how much it was going to lose year on year before they bought the place and that was part of the purchase decision, just as I knew full-well when I bought a sixteenth century listed cottage with wattle and daub exterior walls that it was going to be eye-wateringly expensive to heat. There's not a scrap of difference between the two purchases.

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Going back to Paul's comment: He says "...what would you like them to use the land for? It has to be used for something..."

I really do have a big problem with that statement alone. I would be quite happy to sit here for a few days debating just that one question and answer. You see, Paul is looking at land as a commodity, or a vehicle to provide an income.  He's not looking at land as something that just by being there provides huge pleasure to those who live amongst it and those who travel through it. These people are not monetising land. I could quote John Muir verbatim about land and wild places. You'll have heard it all before.

However, the land that these Estates have parcelled up between themselves doesn't care who owns it, or who walks though it. It is just there and that is why we hill-walkers go there ourselves. It is for freedom from the daily grind. It's to reduce stress. It's to be like my friend Mick, who I wrote about only this week, HERE.

And we should not forget, that is the main reason the Estate owners bought the place at the very outset. Because to live there would be to fulfil their dream of living in one of the finest places on the planet.

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So let's not hear any more about monetising Highland Estates. It's not about the money. It's not about choosing between one, two or three or even four methods of abusing wild land. Those choices are strawmen arguments put up by those who enjoy shooting birds for fun. This argument is put up by those who want to rake in extra money by letting out their land for commercial forestry, or wind farms or building small hydro schemes - each of which is designed, built and paid for by other commercial enterprises.

So Paul, let's not hear anymore about the further depopulation of the Highlands; Corrour has shown that to be complete nonsense.

Let's instead encourage landowners to take a lead from Lisbet Rausing and the incredible work she is doing at Corrour transforming the place from an extractive business model to a stewardship model. And really, Lisbet, there was no need for you to build those small hydro schemes at all. You can afford to live there without them. 

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Footnote: Wise and venerable readers of this blog will have noticed that in this entire screed, written all in one mad rush, there is no political message. I haven't mentioned the SNP once, because there's no need to. Greed is the same the world over.

TGO Challenge 2015, Part X: A Murdering Monoculture

THE KILLING FIELDS

The further you walk east on the TGO Challenge, the more you come face to face with murder, on an industrial scale. There's nothing new about shooting estates in Scotland; Game shoots have been an established part of Scottish life for over a hundred years. However, recently I've noticed a dramatic change. 

The hills in the east have been transformed from the rolling brown loveliness of the heather, to a dramatic chequerboard of muirburn. Game birds, usually grouse in this part of the world, feed on the young, more tender shoots of heather and so the estates regularly burn the heather in a patchwork to promote new growth.

The extent of muirburn is an indicator of how intensively the grouse moors are worked. The first picture, below, is how Glen Lee looked, in 2002. Mick Coady is cluttering up the foreground, descending from Muckle Cairn. You'll notice that there are one or two patches of muirburn.

2002, WITH MICK COADY

The next picture was taken a year later. My son Oli is standing in a patch of young heather that was probably burned back a couple of years previously. You'll note that the muirburn is substantially the same; I can't see any new areas.

2003, WITH OLI SLOMAN. CLICK TO ENLARGE

Fast forward ten years, to the picture below. That's some change, eh? All the hillsides are plastered with muirburn. 

So why am I bothered about this? Surely it means that the Estate is making best use of the land to maximise the economic benefit of landownership, and providing employment. Yes. It does mean that. 

2013, WITH ANDY WALKER. CLICK TO ENLARGE

Let me refer you back to the title of this piece: "A Murdering Monoculture." I'm not referring here to the chinless wankers who come up to the estates to murder birds for fun, as sickening and despicable as I find their behaviour. No. I'm talking about the Estates' murder, on an industrial scale, of the creatures who threaten the survival, in any way, of the grouse. Be they weasels, stoats, crows, or mountain hares (they can carry ticks which can reduce grouse populations), rest assured the Estates' employees are tasked to wipe them out.

This is carried out with a Holocaust-like fanaticism. They work only with the most cost effective ways of murdering the little creatures. For the birds, it's most often with Larsen traps. Once caught, the birds are beaten to death by the keeper - all quite legally. You can find out more about the many and various legal, and illegal, traps that are used regularly by shooting estates by clicking the link below:

Traps in our countryside, a walker’s guide  

However, you'll also note that many tagged raptors (eagles, buzzards, kites etc) seem to go "missing" around this part of Scotland, occasionally turning up dead somewhere miles away, dumped in a layby. You can read more about this by clicking the link below:

Golden eagle is dumped by lay-by and left to die lingering death

For an accurate take on Scottish shooting estates behaviour, I suggest you subscribe to the excellent site below:

Raptor Persecution Scotland

All in all, it's a pretty sick industry, and one that, like Bear Baiting and sticking children up chimneys, should be abolished.

And now, for the last picture:

2015 WITH PHIL LAMBERT [PHIL'S PICTURE] CLICK TO ENLARGE

Please click on the picture to blow it up to a larger size. You'll note that climbing every hillside and along the top of every hill there are unsurfaced roads. The estates like to call them 'hill tracks'. But they are roads. You could quite easily drive your family car up these. They have all been built, or in some cases, rebuilt, in the last ten years or so. They stick out like sore thumbs. 

They are only there so people who want to go about murdering birds with shotguns for fun, can be driven up the hill in a rather nice Range Rover. These roads do not need any planning permission, as they are there for "agricultural purposes." 

Quite incredible.

When you are next approaching these areas this is what you will be faced with. The Killing Fields.

Suggested further reading on the subject:

The Intensification of Grouse Moor Management

EDIT 15th February 2016

More Mountain Hares Slaughtered in the Angus Glens

EDIT: 13th March 2016

More mountain hares massacred in Cairngorm National Park 

Freaky Dean & the Dulnain; a Monadhliath leg-stretch: 3

There were sudden freaky-rainy-gravel-chucking-squally things in the night, but Trinnie and Oook shrugged them off with aplomb; hardly breaking step as they snored & snuffled gently together through the long night. These girls are perfect partners for a chap out in the wilds.

I soon had a warming fire going in the bothy and then, and only then, would Mr Walker surface and be polite company. He had been singing along to an interminable Cliff Richard medley, tucked up in his HexPeak. I lit the fire out of desperation when he started on Abba.

If the midges are out for the Challenge, they will eat Andy alive, as midges really hate Cliff Richard.

Miserably, all good things come to an end, so we trudged out of the lovely warm bothy in reasonable shape, out into the Scottish weather, heading for Aviemore’s pleasure-domes.

There was no bloody sign of this Man-Made-Global-Warming: It was still decidedly chilly, with low cloud and sheets of drizzle wrapped in a batter of stiff breeze that’d shrink your head to the skull-bone as soon as lifting your cap. We abandoned our high stravaig along the watershed. It would have been a miserable affair and this was a trip of warm fluffy kittens and happiness. We’d have no misery here! So we set off once again, down the broadening bottom of the Dulnain.

JENNIFER JUNIPER, SITTING VERY STILL ALONG THE BROADENING DULNAIN

The Dulnain changes around these parts from a vigorous tomboy to quite a leggy girl with a glint in her eye. I would imagine her to be quite a handful in a storm but fortunately there’s a sturdy bridge a short hop below the next bothy downstream, Bothy number (you’ve guessed it already, haven’t you; we only have intelligent readers in this congregation) Four, sometimes known as the ‘Red Bothy.’

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. First we have to sample the delights of this magnificent oasis.

BOTHY NUMBER FOUR, THE DULNAIN – CLICK TO ENLARGE

Supplies were low and so rations were shared and a short break to read of past passers-by in the bothy book, was enjoyed. This place is the Grand Central Station of the Monadh Liath; There cannot be many who have enjoyed these fabulous hills who did not stop here for a last quiet break before the noisome clash of Aviemore.

I’ve heard walkers complain of the dreadful trudge up the Burma Road, but, given time to savour the views it can be a wonderful stroll. Please don’t rush to the top in a lather; Look out and back for the views – they fill your head with loveliness.

CAGGAN, FROM BURMA ROAD – CLICK TO ENLARGE

On the stroll up, we witnessed the heartless destruction of a fen trap; three gigantic burly men heaved rocks at it until the trap was sprung and bent way out of shape. Good for them! Some furry little blighter with jolly big teeth will live to fight another day. We were not going to argue the legalities of the occasion with them, such was their colossal size and aggressive demeanour.

 

ANOTHER MISTY-MOISTY VIEW OVER THE DULNAIN – CLICK TO ENLARGE

I’ve often heard the hills of the Monadh Liath described in disparaging tones, but I always find them wonderfully approachable; they are curvy long-limbed beauties that afford fabulous views from their shoulders. The walking along the tops can be tough at times, but for the most part, if you pick a good line, you are treading short alpine mosses and shattered stones. Perfect for backpacking in fine weather. Unfortunately, today was cold and grim with strong gusty winds, so we admired Geal-charn Mor from below.

GEAL-CHARN MOR

Here are two gigantic burly men I happened to bump into on the way down from the Burma Road. That’s the Cairngorms behind them, all wrapped in clag and mystery.

TWO GIGANTIC BURLY MEN

After a bit of a road-bash, we made Pleasurama Central, otherwise known as the Aviemore Youth Hostel. This is a fascinating emporium: On its plus side, it has a wonderful drying room, lovely staff and it serves beer. It is warm and the common areas are spacious and comfortable. The showers are okay, with just a bit of mouldy ceiling to give the shabby-chic hostel effect.

On the downside, the rooms are tiny, there is no-where near enough hanging space, storage space for gear, no place to keep your specs when you’re sleeping and just the one feeble central light. Why are there no individual bunk lights? This is a fairly modern hostel; it really needs to be looked at from their customers’ perspective and sorted out. It’s no surprise to me that hostels are struggling if they are getting the basics so wrong. The room felt cramped and poorly designed.

Later on that evening, I was force-fed a Scottish delicacy – the deep-fried Mars bar, with ice cream. I now understand why the Scots are such a healthy nation. Full of vitamins, nutrition and fibre. They’ll need all of that to keep their winters at bay.

Traps in the Scottish countryside: A walker’s guide

In my walks in Scotland I have often come across animal traps. I have always felt a sickening unease when finding them, imagining the horrors of the animal, be it a bird or mammal stuck in the things either crushed and dead or waiting patiently for the gamekeeper to come along to murder it.

I will admit to being so appalled that I have freed the odd crow or two from a Larsen trap, perhaps illegally.

The main purpose of trapping animals in our countryside, by those that set them, is to kill animals that they see as a threat to their business, which more often than not is to rear birds to be shot for entertainment. I have never known whether or not the traps I was looking at were legal or not. I am sure you have been in the same position.

With thanks to David Lintern on Facebook I have found a webpage that explains which traps are legal and illegal and what to do if you find a trap that you believe is illegal.

You can find it by clicking HERE