Developing the North Highland Way, Scotland
Tina Irving and a group of eight local businessmen first brought the idea of a multi-use route from John o Groats to Durness to the table in 2008. It would be called the North Highland Way in 2008. The first phase of the North Highland as a linear route was completed in 2014 and logged on our partner site, Walking World and with support from the Highland Council in the form of a consultancy report which are embedded in the booklet “Creating the North Highland Way” together with the list of forty business supporters. The feasibility study was updated in 2019 and further information added to it. The project went from strength to strength with the Highland Council reiterating its support only a few months ago. However, they are no longer responsible for long-distance. Support is evident both from the community and businesses, and the forty businesses are considered to be “Friends of the North Highland Way”. This paid-for web site development and some coordination of public services.
Part of the North Highland Way, the section from Tongue to Betty Hill has the potential to become a Scotland’s Great Trail. It is hoped that one day the whole route could become multi-use, but as funds are not available to the private sector consultant who until now has run the project. She holds the feasibility study and it is unlikely that the route will happen unless this is released. This is a great pity, as the Scottish Government have long supported the idea of a coastal path right around Scotland. The result is that there are great difficulties, even with the linear route on the partner site, as there is a lot of road walking around Loch Eriboll and Dounreay. Such luminaries as Cameron McNeish will not support until these matters have been resolved, and the consultant has identified solutions to both problems which are contained in the feasibility study. The research from the project is available in the document “Creating the North Highland Way – A Green Vision” and includes the technical aspects of the build.
The feasibility study is available at a cost of £5,000 which could easily be raised through a business consortium and match funded by raising funds through a voluntary body or charity. This would provide seed funding for the project and ongoing development.
Tina is now Green Ambassador for Northern Ireland, and a Green Ambassador Scotland is sought. Income can be sought from being the Green Ambassador for Scotland, and from the Friends network, and the Passport to the North Highland Way, designed by South Regional College, Lurgan.
The design of the business plan is now taking place, and by purchasing the feasibility study for the North Highland Way and being a Green Ambassador for Scotland, a good income base begins to emerge, even as a private sector investor.
Contact details are by email only to [email protected]
A member of ATRA for a number of years now, Tina is the project consultant for the North Highland Way. Based in Portadown, Northern Ireland, she developed the linear route with assistance from the Highland Council. There is still a lot of work to do, but without funding for the feasibility study, this is not possible. She now works to encourage local councils in Northern Ireland to join the Green Destination programme for Northern Ireland, and potentially for Eire as well. County Down is the first council to join the scheme.
A keen advocate of the great outdoors her interests include horse riding, hiking and scuba diving she helps build the infrastructure through contact with public services and academic institutions.
