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Section One Scotland's National Parks and National Nature Reserves 

Ten Things You Might Not Know

Ten Things You Might Not Know...

1. scotland’s national parks and national nature reserves are beautiful,
exceptional places full of fantas tic things to see an d do Whether it’s protected wildlife, 
spectacular scenery, geological wonders, cultural heritage or adrenalin-packed activities, 
Scotland’s two National Parks – the Cairngorms National Park and Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National
Park – have something amazing to offer. With millions of visitors from all walks
of life enjoying the Parks each year, it is evident that there is something for all.

For those eager to try new experiences, the huge granite mountains, ancient
forests, rivers and wild moorlands of the Cairngorms National Park offer an
exceptional array of things to do and see. This is matched by the outstanding
forests, world famous lochs, lochans, geology and history of the Loch Lomond
& The Trossachs National Park.

Any one of these things would make a place special, but in the National Parks
they all come together to make the Parks remarkable.

2. There are 15 National Parks in the UK and over 50 National Nature Reserves in
Scotland

Scotland’s two National Parks - The Cairngorms National Park and Loch
Lomond & The Trossachs National Park are part of this family of UK and
worldwide National Parks. All of Scotland’s National Nature Reserves (NNR ’s)
are open to everyone to visit and enjoy. Some are easy to get to and have
facilities for visitors whereas others are wilder and can only be reached with
a bit of effort.

A number of NNR ’s can be found in Scotland’s two National Parks as shown
on the maps opposite. NNR ’s are magical places where you can experience the
incredible sights and sounds of Scotland’s natural world. They help protect a
wide range of wildlife and landscapes, including many rare species and habitats
of international importance.

Scotland's National Nature Reserves

1. creag meagaidh
2. insh marshes
3. craig ellachie
4. abernethy
5. glenmore
6. invereshie & inshriach
7. corrie fee
8. muir of dinnet
9. glen tanar
10. BenLui		
11. Loch Lomond

The cairngorms national park, loch lomond & the trossachs national park

NOTE THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS IMAGES WHICH CANNOT BE CONVERTED TO TEXT. 
PLEASE SEE ORIGINAL PDF FOR REFERENCE AND ACCURACY. 

©Scottish Natural Heritage, ©Scottish Office, ©Scottish Executive, ©General Register Office (Scotland), ©Crown Copyright and database right
2009. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number SNH 100017908. ©Scottish Rights of Way Society. ©Forest Enterprise, ©Forestry
Commission. Some features of this map are based on digital spatial data licenced from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology ©NERC (CE H)
Defra and Met Office © Crown Copryight © Macaulay Institute Ordnance Survey © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved 10017908 2008

3. A host of ag encies support people using the Parks

Each National Park is managed by a National Park Authority whose
responsibility is to work with a wide range of partners to ensure that
the aims of the National Parks are collectively pursued in ways which
protect the natural and cultural heritage of the area now and in the future.
Across each Park there are a wide range of organisations and facilities that
support individuals and groups who want to spend time and undertake
activities in the National Parks. Rangers, education and learning teams and
other staff within each Park Authority provide direct support or put groups
in touch with other organisations that help everyone get the most out of the
National Parks.

4. The parks are keen to include every one

The Parks actively seek the involvement of groups that are less well
represented among Park users. This includes for example “Inclusive
Cairngorms”, which brings together a wide range of relevant organisations
to inform the Park Authority on equalities and inclusion issues within the
Park. Both Parks have active programmes supporting young people.


5. The parks offer a huge array of activities

In both National Parks, people of all ages enjoy walking, cycling, fishing, camping,
hill climbing, orienteering and wildlife watching – all in amazing environments
and with spectacular scenery.

In the Cairngorms National Park, the adrenalin packed activities of snow
boarding, ski-ing, rock climbing, abseiling and mountain biking, combine with
more unusual activities such as dog sledding and gorge walking. A big part
of life in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park is water sports, with
canoeing, sailing, windsurfing and water-skiing all popular. Horse riding and golf
are just two examples of the amazing array of other things to do on land.

6. The parks are home to endangered species and unusual habitats

National Parks and NNR ’s are one of the few places where wild nature is
easy to see, with rare and threatened species of birds, fish and other animals
living amongst spectacular forests and moorlands. One in four of the UK ’s
endangered species lives in the Cairngorms National Park.

Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park is home to all sorts of unusual
plant species and charismatic animals, such as red squirrels and water voles;
while in the Cairngorms iconic birds such as the golden eagle, red kites and
capercaillie mix with wild cats, and deer. Ninety-five percent of the goldeneye
ducks that breed in Britain do so in the Cairngorms National Park.

7. Th e parks ha ve outstan ding natural features

The Highland Boundary fault (a break in the earth’s crust which occurred
millions of years ago), runs through Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National
Park. This line defines the border between the Lowlands and Highlands of
Scotland, offering a landscape of striking contrasts.

The granite rocks and landforms in the Cairngorms started deep in the Earth’s
crust over 400 million years ago as a fiery mass of molten rock and now offer
an amazing collection of different tropical, glacial and arctic landforms. With an
international reputation for some of the best examples of how mountains
are sculpted by ice, the Cairngorms National Park has the best arctic-alpine
landforms, habitats and species in Britain; and the best collection of different
landforms outside arctic Canada, with high tors, worn granite boulder fields
and glacier cliffs.

The Cairngorms National Park includes 49 Munros (mountains above
3,000ft or 914m) and 4 of Scotland’s 5 highest peaks. There are also 20
Munros to be climbed in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, along
with 19 Corbetts (mountains between 2,500ft - 3,000ft or 762m - 914m),
not to mention the 22 larger lochs, with numerous smaller lochs, 50 rivers
and large burns.

8. Forests are as important as the mountains or the lochs

Forests define the Parks just as much as their mountains or moorlands;
and they have been around for thousands of years. Timber and forests
are a key part of the economy of the Parks and their communities.
Great woodlands connect communities to forestry in a way more often
associated with Scandinavia or Russia.

9. People are a big part of the Parks

If you go to Yosemite or Yellowstone National Parks in the USA you will
encounter other visitors but not many residents. But in Scotland, the areas
covered by the National Parks are home to thousands of people and for many
who make a living from the land. The Parks’ lochs and rivers, mountains, forests,
moorlands and farmlands have all given the areas a strong cultural heritage.
People are an important part of Park life, with local communities protecting
and managing the area. They have been doing this for centuries; giving
archaeologists a keen interest in the Parks, with Bronze Age and other
ancient settlements evident. Droving routes and military roads linking towns
and settlements help shape the area’s historic past, including barracks used
in Jacobite rebellions and famous battle grounds.

The rugged environment of the Parks has bred rugged people. Highland games
and sports such as shinty have their roots in fractious clan battles, while field
sports such as hunting, shooting and fishing, made popular in Victorian times
continue today, shaping both the landscape and communities.

10. Park Authori ties ha ve legisla tive duties

The National Park Authorities are public bodies with legal duties in
relation to the Parks. This includes responsibilities for planning and access
arrangements, as well as conserving the natural and cultural heritage of the
area and promoting sustainable use of the natural resources found in the
Parks. They are also required to encourage public understanding and
enjoyment of the area and to promote the economic and social
development of Park communities.

Scottish Natural Heritage is a non-departmental government body that,
like the Park Authorities, has a legal duty to carry out its work. It looks after
the natural heritage by helping people to enjoy and value it and by encouraging
people to use it sustainably. SNH helps to co-ordinate management of the
NNR ’s and has offices throughout Scotland that work closely with the
National Park Authorities.

The ‘Contacts and Information’ section of this Pack will give you more
information on the Parks and National Nature Reserves (NNR ’s).

1. Packaging the Experience

I am not sure what there is to do in the National Parks
tha t is suitabl e for my par tic ular gr oup’s needs?
Would we need to have specific expertise to take part
in activities in National Parks ?

How can I sell the idea to potentially reluctant
participan ts – group memb ers and staff?

How can I tell if the experi enc e can deli ver wha t my
organisa tion wan ts to achi eve for its par ticipan ts?
Are there volunteering opp ortuni ties in the
National Parks ?

Barriers
Some questions …

All sorts of packaged activities help make it easy for group leaders. These offer various
levels of support both ahead of time and for when you are on site.

They include activities suitable for the young and old, the fit and not so fit! Those with
health considerations, mobility difficulties, tight budgets and varied experience of the outdoors.

It also includes those looking for a very formal educational or developmental experience as
well as those with a simple desire to have fun, or be stimulated by the myriad of experiences
available in a National Park.

Programmes & Providers

Packaged programmes have proved popular and they continue to be developed. These
include those offering opportunities to develop participants’ skills and confidence. For example,
The John Muir and Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards, The Prince’s Trust, the Venture Trust,
The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers and Fairbridge Scotland all offer popular
programmes for young people in the National Parks.

Solutions

Some answers …
Information & Activities

National Park Authorities and their partner agencies can provide information that link
activities on offer to what your organisation wants to achieve through participation in the
Park. For example if you are interested in healthy outcomes, or specific skills development
they can offer suggestions about how certain activities are likely to deliver these.

If you feel your group has the confidence and skills to organise your own activity, National
Park Authorities and other organisations can provide information packs and activity sheets.

Also check out the Park websites or telephone/ e-mail National Park Staff/Rangers services.
Volunteering Within Loch Lomond & The Trossachs volunteering experiences are also supported
through the Park Authority’s Volunteer Development Officer who can assist groups
and individuals to participate in volunteering opportunities within the Park. Volunteering
opportunities are also available in the Cairngorms National Park.

Remember to check out the Contacts and Resources Section at
the end of the pack for more information.

A number of National Park Authorities across the UK have
successfully used a range of packaged learning experiences when
working with groups; something also developed with some success
in the NNR ’s in Scotland. This approach provides more structured
opportunities that are readily accessed and understood by those
considering activities in the Parks. An example of how dedicated
staff can help this is the appointment of a Programme Manager for
the John Muir Award by the Cairngorms National Park Authority.

The Escape Group in Inverness (supporting lone parents) and
Tullochan Trust group from Dunbartonshire (working with excluded
young people) both had good experiences in National Parks using
packaged programmes. The Tullochan Trust for example, made use of
Millennium Volunteer and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Programmes
to involve young people in volunteering within Loch Lomond & The
Trossachs National Park. This got young people involved in a three
month path building project with formal recognition for their efforts.

If people do not normally take part in outdoor activities, an outdoor
instructor such as a Ranger can help people get more out of the
experience. This is when their support goes beyond group
supervision and they are actively involved in providing opportunities
for learning. The Prince’s Trust Team Programme based in Faifley
made use of Ranger Service support to undertake a visit to
Inchcailloch NNR . 

The visit was used to help the group recognise and develop their team building, 
group-work and communication skills - key elements of the Team Programme.

How others did it

Some examples…

‘It was important for us that young
people received proper recognition for
their efforts. Using the path building
project as a means of completing the
service element of their Duke of
Edinburgh’s Award proved really popular,
gave young people the recognition they
deserved and allowed them to spend time
enjoying and learning about The National
Park.’

tullochan trust staff member

Section two Resource Sheets

Mobile phone technology at Craigellachie NNR (near Aviemore
in the Cairngorms National Park) and resource packs provided by
the Ranger services on Inchcailloch (Loch Lomond & The Trossachs
National Park) proved a great way of providing engaging information
whilst in the Parks.

The Cairngorms National Park developed a very successful
EURO PARC Junior Ranger Camp Programme. Working with 20
young people (13-16 years) from Europe and 11 from Scotland,
the camp promoted inclusion and connection to protected areas.
From this, further international links have been fostered and 5-day
programmes offered during the summer months.

Groups involved in the National Parks have found that when they
reflect on their experience it gives them a better understanding of
how and why things did not meet expectations. The ‘why’ is often
down to highly practical things (such as improved signage, access to
equipment or information packs), that have been easily addressed
and motivated people to return with good results.

“The Rangers were really good, not what
I expected. I thought they would be really
heavy about tree hugging and all that
but they were good and told us lots of
things that were dead interesting.”
prince’s trust participant

2. Practicalities

will i face some practical difficulties?

how will we get there?

when we are there will we need specialist equipment,
training or expertise?

and costs – what will they be and how can i meet them?

Barriers
Some questions …