Path on iconic mountain restored ahead of schedule after major conservation effort

An Teallach above a cloud inversion PIC: James Roddie | An Teallach above a cloud inversion PIC: James Roddie

placeholder image — An Teallach above a cloud inversion PIC: James Roddie | An Teallach above a cloud inversion PIC: James Roddie

The work was carried out in often extreme weather conditions

One of Scotland’s most fragile upland routes has been secured for future generations - as organisations call for urgent national investment in mountain path restoration

A major restoration project on An Teallach (The Forge) in Wester Ross was successfully completed two months ahead of schedule after a £315,000 fundraiser.

The three-year project, part of the joint It’s Up to Us campaign by Mountaineering Scotland and the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland (OATS), rebuilt more than 3km of severely eroded upland path on the mountain, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The work, delivered by specialist contractors Cairngorm Wilderness Contracts (CWC), was completed in March 2026 and has reversed decades of erosion caused by increasing footfall combined with the extremes of Scottish weather.

Working in one of the UK’s most remote and weather-exposed environments, the CWC team carried out 790 contractor days on the mountain, often in severe conditions.

Around 700 tonnes of materials including stone from site and imported, aggregate, and repositioned spoil to aid habitat restoration were manually moved on the mountain and used to complete the 3,152 metres of built path and areas of landscaping surrounding it.

Funds were raised for the work through a combination of community fundraising and support from charitable trusts, corporate partners, mountaineering clubs, and individual donors Key contributors included the Scottish Mountaineering Trust — through its 60th Anniversary Diamond Grant — and the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA), alongside commercial partners such as Cotswold Outdoor and Keela.

Volunteers also played a vital role, with 33 men and women from OATS giving upmore than 412 hours of work to the project - worth more than £16,000.

Meanwhile, walking tourism contributes an estimated £1.6 billion annually to Scotland’s economy

At present, there is no dedicated government funding for maintaining upland paths on privately owned land outside national parks or NGO estates.

The situation has worsened since Brexit, with the loss of European funding streams that previously supported path restoration work.A recent audit estimated a least £30 million is needed to restore the 400 km of Scotland's upland paths in the worst condition, with at least £400,000 required annually for ongoing maintenance.

Ewan Watson, Outdoor Access Project Manager of the Outdoor Access trust for Scotland, said: "OATS and Mountaineering Scotland set an ambitious target of raising £300,000 to carry out footpath repairs on An Teallach. Thanks to the generosity of everyone who contributed we have reached this target and competed over 3km of work on An Teallach.

"Due to increased footfall and the escalating impacts of climate change, Scotland’s mountain footpath network is now deteriorating faster than it can be repaired. With little to no government funding available to carry out works of this kind on private land, support from the public and other partner organisations plays a vital role in ensuring access to our mountain landscapes remains sustainable."