Project · Planning · Scottish Highlands
Scottish Highlands master plan
Four regions, one approach: master plans for the Scottish Highlands, developed together with the local biking community.
Key facts
| Client | Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBinS) |
|---|---|
| Region | Scottish Highlands (UK) |
| Time frame | February 2020 to May 2022 |
| Services | Workshops, expert interviews, land use analysis, tourism analysis, stakeholder management, presentations, mapping, trail network concepts, trail design with a subcontractor |
| Stakeholders | DMBinS, local community, tourism service providers, political decision-makers, local trail designer |
Project description
Starting point
Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBinS) commissioned master plans for four regions of the Scottish Highlands: Cairngorms, Lochaber, Torridon + Skye, and Sutherland. After the project began in February 2020, further travel to Scotland became impossible due to the pandemic.
Our contribution
Following an initial visit and on-site discussions, we equipped the local DMBinS project manager to carry out all fieldwork independently. We also involved the entire community to systematically collect as many field data points as possible. Based on this, we held discussions with tourism service providers and decision-makers and developed scenarios for each region, including route concepts, trail designs, and SWOT analyses. The trail designs were developed together with a local trail designer.
Results and impact
- Master plans for 4 regions: Cairngorms, Lochaber, Torridon + Skye, Sutherland
- Development scenarios with route concepts and a trail network for each region
- Trail designs created with a local trail designer
- SWOT analyses and a foundation for tourism service providers and policymakers
- Systematic collection of field data by the local community