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FRONT COVER

Cairngorms Brand image

Bealach...
making connections in the Cairngorms
A Landscape Partnership Project

(Background image of gully in the Cairngorms)




PAGE TWO

The Context 

The National Park Plan 

The Cairngorms National Park Plan is the culmination of an intensive and extensive 
consultation process involving all those with an interest in the future of the Park. 

The Plan contains an agreed vision and aims for a 25 year period to 2030 and 
sets out seven Priorities for Action over the next five years: 

• Conserving and enhancing biodiversity and landscapes 

• Integrating public support for land management 

• Supporting sustainable deer management 

• Providing high quality opportunities for outdoor access 

• Making tourism and businesses more sustainable 

• Raising awareness and understanding of the Park 

• Making housing affordable and sustainable 


Landscape Partnership Project (LPP) 

The Heritage Lottery Fund’s (HLF) Landscape Partnership Programme is an ideal 
mechanism through which to deliver key actions within the above Priorities. 
The Landscape Partnerships initiative allows partnerships representing a range of 
heritage and community interests to tackle the needs of an identified landscape 
whose various elements may be in different ownership. 


There are four main objectives of the HLF Landscape Partnership Programme: 

Landscape conservation 
Conserving or restoring the built and natural features that create the character 
of the Cairngorms 

Celebrating culture 
Conserving and celebrating the cultural associations and activities of the area 

Education and enjoyment 
Encouraging more people to access, learn about, become involved in and take 
decisions on their landscape heritage 

Heritage skills 
Improving understanding of local craft and other skills by 
providing training opportunities 

(Images:  main image of white cottage on hillside with a view across a valley;
small image of two walkers standing at a riverside looking at the view)



PAGE THREE

The Project 

Purpose 

The theme of the Cairngorms Landscape Partnership Project is about Making 
Connections. The project name ‘Bealach’ can mean the Gaelic for ‘connection’ 
- connection of landscapes to each other, connection of people to the landscape, 
connection of people to each other, and connection of this landscape to our world. 

Area 
Although the area of the LPP is the boundary of the National Park, projects 
which straddle the Park boundary will be considered or where it is felt that the 
project impact is significant on the landscape feature of the Park itself. 

Value 
The maximum grant from the HLF is £2M and we will be seeking to at least 
double the grant award through match funding from applicants and partners. 


Project Process 

Partners 
We will meet with all organisations who may have an interest in either 
contributing to the Landscape Partnership Project or in providing projects. 

Ideas 
We will collect from those partners a range of project proposals which satisfy 
the purposes of ‘Bealach’. 

Development 
From this pool of projects a project portfolio will be compiled which meets the 
requirements of the applicant, the Heritage Lottery Fund, and project sponsors. 

Project submission 
The ‘Stage 1’ application will be submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund on 
1 October 2007.This will set out in general terms the outcomes, costs, 
partners, and overall timeframe of the proposed LPP. 

Timeframe 
The timetable for the Landscape Partnership Project is as follows: 

2 March 2007 CNPA board approves LPP process in principle 

End March ‘Expression of interest’ approved by HLF 

April Call for projects 

July Project portfolio established 

September Final partner approvals 

1 Oct 2007 Submit Stage 1 application 


If the Stage 1 bid is successful the Heritage Lottery 
Fund will invite us to submit a more detailed Stage 2 
application by March 2008 with a possible project start 
date early in 2009. 

(Image: wild cat)



PAGE FOUR

Partner Benefits 

As well as being an exciting and high profile way to deliver some of the key 
actions in the new National Park Plan, the Landscape Partnership Project will 
benefit potential partners in many ways: 

• Delivering organisational objectives; 

• Working in partnership to co-ordinate an approach and make best use 
of resources; 

• Deliver some of the main actions within the new Scottish Rural 
Development Programme; 

• Lever in funds to add value to local monies; 

• Demonstrate the benefits of working in collaboration; 

• Actively focus effort and funding towards reducing and mitigating the 
effects of climate change; 

• Involving the Cairngorms National Park community in a practical way; 

• Develop networks and skills within the local communities of the 
National Park; 

• Opening the doors to many opportunities currently restricted by lack 
of funding, and 

• Leaving a heritage conservation legacy for the Cairngorms 
National Park. 


Further advice and information 

Quentin McLaren 
External funding officer 
T: 01479 870517 
E: quentinmclaren@cairngorms.co.uk

Fiona Chalmers
Integrated land management officer 
T: 01479 870524 
E: fionachalmers@cairngorms.co.uk 

Cairngorms National Park Authority, 
14 The Square, Grantown-on-Spey, 
Moray PH26 3HG 

www.cairngorms.co.uk 

Photography courtesy of:
David Gowans, Jimmy Mitchell, Paul Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint