WARNING - By their nature, text files cannot include scanned images and tables. 
The process of converting documents to text only, can cause formatting changes and 
misinterpretation of the contents can sometimes result. Wherever possible you 
should refer to the pdf version of this document.


CAIRNGORMS LOCAL OUTDOOR ACCESS FORUM 
Paper Two – Outdoor Access Strategy 31 October 2006 


CAIRNGORMS LOCAL OUTDOOR ACCESS FORUM 


Title: Outdoor Access Strategy for the National Park 

Prepared by: Bob Grant, Senior Outdoor Access Officer 


Purpose 

The purpose of this paper is to update the Forum on changes that have been made to 
the Outdoor Access Strategy as a result of the consultation exercise and to seek the 
Forum’s views on the revised Strategy. 


Recommendations 

That the Forum considers the revised Strategy and gives advice to CNPA officers 
about any further changes that require to be made before it is presented to the Park 
Authority Board for approval. 


Background 

1. The Forum has been actively engaged in the development of an Outdoor Access 
Strategy for the National Park. To date, that involvement has included assistance in 
developing and agreeing the issues, agreeing the structure of the report and 
commenting on the content of the draft Strategy. 

2. The consultation period ran from 14 July to 11 September and a total of 22 responses 
were received. These have been considered and the draft strategy has been 
subsequently revised to reflect a number of valuable suggestions that were made. 

3. In general the feedback from consultees positive with a number of bodies referring to 
the fact that it was clear, logical and provided a good sense of how the issues should 
be addressed. A number of parties suggested it should be promoted more widely as 
an example of good practice. There were of course critical comments. It was 
suggested that the Strategy was too wordy, that there were gaps or omissions and 
that the flow through the Strategy to the Action Plan could be improved 


Issues 

4. The revised strategy is attached at Paper Two Annex 1 and the main changes that 
have been made are as follows:-

a) A clearer link between the National Park Plan’s priorities for action and the 
priorities identified within the Outdoor Access Strategy; 

b) More transparency between the Action Themes identified in Section 4 and the 
Action Plan shown in Section 7; 

c) More effective demonstration of the issues identified being reflected in the 
subsequent policies, both within Section 4 and in the Action Areas; and 

d) More detail provided on access priorities in each of the Action Areas. 


Next steps 

5. The Forum’s views will be considered in determining any further revisions that may be 
required. Thereafter, the Strategy will be presented to the Cairngorms National Park 
Authority Board for their approval. The timing of this will be dependant on when the 
National Park Plan is approved by the Board, as any changes to the Park Plan may 
have an impact on the content of the Outdoor access Strategy. It is currently 
anticipated that the Strategy will be presented to the Board for approval in February 
2007. It will then be printed and circulated more widely to partners. 


Bob Grant, Senior Outdoor Access Officer 
October 2006 

bobgrant@cairngorms.co.uk