The very first road sign welcoming people to the Cairngorms National Park has gone up on the outskirts of Grantown-on-Spey. The interim metal sign is the first of ten that will start to appear at various entrances to the Park over the next few weeks.
The site of the first metal sign is on the A939 about three miles from Grantown and has been erected by the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) in partnership with The Highland Council.
All ten signs feature the new Cairngorms National Park brand, which was recently developed with local communities and businesses, and launched in March at the Strathspey Steam Railway.
Once all ten interim signs are in place the occupants of some 26,000 vehicles per day will be reminded that they are entering the Cairngorms National Park. This accounts for 90 per cent of vehicles coming into the Park and nearly all visitors new to the area. The new signs complement those recently installed at the five railway stations in the Park.
The interim metal road signs are scheduled to be in place for around two years while the Park Authority develops permanent granite markers that will be situated at all road entrances to the Cairngorms National Park. The permanent granite markers, which will vary in size depending on their location, will be erected at 26 entry points.
Murray Ferguson, the CNPA’s Head of Visitor Services and Recreation Group said: \”It is really pleasing to see visible signs of the National Park in place for the summer. The Park is an area that we can all be proud of and it is important that visitors know that they have arrived in the Park.\”
Andrew Rafferty, CNPA Board Member added: \”It is great that the Park boundary is now more than just a line on the map. The new Cairngorms Brand is starting to make a big impact with signs at railway stations, several new Park wide leaflets and brochures and now these new road signs.
\”Marking the boundary with the brand will help make people aware that they are entering a special part of Scotland.\”