Aviemore

In message <[email hidden]>, Adrian Tupper
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Chris Townsend <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

In message <[email hidden]>, AndyP
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

"Chris Townsend" <[email hidden]> wrote

> The solution to the problem would be to have not built the railway
> in the first place. The best solution now is to remove the railway
> and restore Cairn Gorm as soon as possible. It is a destructive
> eyesore that should never have been built.

I don't think the railway itself stands out as much of an additional
eyesore to all the ski stuff that was already there. Although I only
visit once in a while so haven't studied it too closely. There was
already a building at the top station wasn't there? I think the ski
fences have a far greater adverse visual impact than the railway.

The whole ski resort is an eyesore. However the fences can be easily
removed. The railway involved bulldozing masses of material, laying
deep concrete foundations and blasting a tunnel. Removing it will be a
huge task. The railway requires maintenance tracks too.

The railway catches the light and can be seen from quite a distance
away. Even worse is the large top station/restaurant/visitor centre,
which has a shiny roof that draws the eye from many miles away. The
original Ptarmigan restaurant was much smaller and less obtrusive,

If I may put a slightly more positive tone on to this, I would say
that we should be glad that there is very little in the way of obtrusive
development in the Highlands. Anything hydro-electric is more
obtrusive I would say but being socially necessary and generally older
it gets away with it.

Most of the damage to the Highlands lies in deforestation, over grazing
and bulldozed roads, which aren't as immediately obvious as railways and
hydro schemes.

Quoted message said:

How many of us have used the various ski centre car parks?

A problem with providing access is of course that people will use it, in
part because they want to get beyond developments like car parks. Where
the concrete ends the wild begins.

Cairn Gorm is, I think, the only ski centre car park that isn't on or
near a main road.

While it's there I'll use it occasionally because I don't want to walk
up next to or in sight of it or start a walk that then goes through the
ski resort. Ideally I'd like to see the whole resort dismantled and the
road end brought down to Glenmore. I'm not expecting that to happen
though :-)

"AndyP" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Chris Townsend" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

The solution to the problem would be to have not built the railway in
the first place. The best solution now is to remove the railway and
restore Cairn Gorm as soon as possible. It is a destructive eyesore that
should never have been built.

I don't think the railway itself stands out as much of an additional

eyesore

Quoted message said:

to all the ski stuff that was already there. Although I only visit once

in

Quoted message said:

a while so haven't studied it too closely. There was already a building

at

Quoted message said:

the top station wasn't there? I think the ski fences have a far greater
adverse visual impact than the railway.

No one argued against the building of the railway on the basis that it was
spoiling a pristine landscape, the corrie was already trashed. The
objections were to the pointlessness of the whole thing, particularly as the
skiing no longer seems to be sustainable.

If, or rather when, the whole thing goes bust there is a condition to be met
that the landscape is returned to its original state. Pull the ski fences
down and you'll hardly know they were there a year later. It's going to be
a good trick to restore the line of the railway though, given the amount of
high explosive that was used to build it. Of course, since the chairlift
company will be insolvent, the cost is going to be left with the taxpayer,
again.

--
Duncan Gray

www.duncolm.co.uk
also The Mountaineering Council of Scotland
www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk

"Birgit Kleymann" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

a nice daywalk is to go from the Coire Cas parking lot up to Cairn
Gorm, past the Ptarmigan restaurant/summit station (which is in fact
quite a bit BELOW the summit of Cairn Gorm). The path starts behind
the base station of the mountain railroad as seen from the parking
lot. The first bit of the walk is on vehicle tracks and past skilifts
and not particularly inspiring, but if you take the railway up to
Ptarmigan they won't let you off the station - it's operated as a
'closed system' (see below). Once past Ptarmigan, you head up to the
summit of Cairn Gorm (great views). From there, you can walk via the
plateau over to Ben Macdui and back down to Coire Cas via a much nicer
path (past Lurcher's Crag, great views) that goes more or less above
Lairig Ghru. The path ends at the Coire Cas parking lot, so this makes
a nice circular walk.

Or if you find yourself short of time, simply walking round the clifftops
over Cairn Lochan, then back through the corries is well worth it.

--
Duncan Gray

www.duncolm.co.uk
also The Mountaineering Council of Scotland
www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk

In message <[email hidden]>, Duncan Gray
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

"AndyP" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Chris Townsend" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

The solution to the problem would be to have not built the railway in
the first place. The best solution now is to remove the railway and
restore Cairn Gorm as soon as possible. It is a destructive eyesore that
should never have been built.

I don't think the railway itself stands out as much of an additional

eyesore

Quoted message said:

to all the ski stuff that was already there. Although I only visit once

in

Quoted message said:

a while so haven't studied it too closely. There was already a building

at

Quoted message said:

the top station wasn't there? I think the ski fences have a far greater
adverse visual impact than the railway.

No one argued against the building of the railway on the basis that it was
spoiling a pristine landscape, the corrie was already trashed. The
objections were to the pointlessness of the whole thing, particularly as the
skiing no longer seems to be sustainable.

There were also concerns about greater accessibility to fragile terrain,
hence the closed system. And to the far greater impact a railway would
have, as compared to ski tows and chair lifts.

Of course it wasn't really built for skiers, it was built for coach
parties.

Quoted message said:

If, or rather when, the whole thing goes bust

Given that the owners of the land - Highlands and Islands Enterprise -
have already slashed the rent paid by the railway company because they
hadn't made a profit I think everything possible will be done to prevent
it going bust, including further dollops of public money.

Quoted message said:

there is a condition to be met
that the landscape is returned to its original state. Pull the ski fences
down and you'll hardly know they were there a year later. It's going to be
a good trick to restore the line of the railway though, given the amount of
high explosive that was used to build it.

Removing all that concrete will be difficult, to say the least. The much
greater permanence of the railway compared to the ski structures was one
reason for some of the objections.

Quoted message said:

Of course, since the chairlift
company will be insolvent, the cost is going to be left with the taxpayer,
again.

I expect the companies who built the railway - run by people who either
worked or went on to work for HIE, who handed out the money for the
construction - will get the job of dismantling it.

Quoted message said:

"Duncan Gray" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"AndyP" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Chris Townsend" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

The solution to the problem would be to have not built the railway in
the first place. The best solution now is to remove the railway and
restore Cairn Gorm as soon as possible. It is a destructive eyesore

that

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

should never have been built.

I don't think the railway itself stands out as much of an additional

eyesore

Quoted message said:

to all the ski stuff that was already there. Although I only visit once

in

Quoted message said:

a while so haven't studied it too closely. There was already a building

at

Quoted message said:

the top station wasn't there? I think the ski fences have a far greater
adverse visual impact than the railway.

No one argued against the building of the railway on the basis that it was
spoiling a pristine landscape, the corrie was already trashed. The
objections were to the pointlessness of the whole thing, particularly as

the

Quoted message said:

skiing no longer seems to be sustainable.

If, or rather when, the whole thing goes bust there is a condition to be

met

Quoted message said:

that the landscape is returned to its original state. Pull the ski fences
down and you'll hardly know they were there a year later. It's going to

be

Quoted message said:

a good trick to restore the line of the railway though, given the amount

of

Quoted message said:

high explosive that was used to build it. Of course, since the chairlift
company will be insolvent, the cost is going to be left with the taxpayer,
again.

--
Duncan Gray

www.duncolm.co.uk
also The Mountaineering Council of Scotland
www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk

The problem is that many DID (and still do) argue against the development on
the grounds of landscape value. I still can't help feeling that there's too
much attention paid to the few square kilometres surrounding the railway
when there's so much more available elsewhere. If ski developments were
eating up all of Scotlands wild places, I'd understand more. As it is, even
the development of MTB tracks at Glen Shee and the White Corries are hardly
going to be major intrusions. Compare this to the number of potential wind
farms and we're shooting at the wrong target. . .

druidh

druidh

In message <[email hidden]>, druidh
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

"Duncan Gray" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"AndyP" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Chris Townsend" <[email hidden]> wrote

> The solution to the problem would be to have not built the railway in
> the first place. The best solution now is to remove the railway and
> restore Cairn Gorm as soon as possible. It is a destructive eyesore

that

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> should never have been built.

I don't think the railway itself stands out as much of an additional

eyesore

Quoted message said:

to all the ski stuff that was already there. Although I only visit once

in

Quoted message said:

a while so haven't studied it too closely. There was already a building

at

Quoted message said:

the top station wasn't there? I think the ski fences have a far greater
adverse visual impact than the railway.

No one argued against the building of the railway on the basis that it was
spoiling a pristine landscape, the corrie was already trashed. The
objections were to the pointlessness of the whole thing, particularly as

the

Quoted message said:

skiing no longer seems to be sustainable.

If, or rather when, the whole thing goes bust there is a condition to be

met

Quoted message said:

that the landscape is returned to its original state. Pull the ski fences
down and you'll hardly know they were there a year later. It's going to

be

Quoted message said:

a good trick to restore the line of the railway though, given the amount

of

Quoted message said:

high explosive that was used to build it. Of course, since the chairlift
company will be insolvent, the cost is going to be left with the taxpayer,
again.

--
Duncan Gray

www.duncolm.co.uk
also The Mountaineering Council of Scotland
www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk

The problem is that many DID (and still do) argue against the development on
the grounds of landscape value. I still can't help feeling that there's too
much attention paid to the few square kilometres surrounding the railway
when there's so much more available elsewhere. If ski developments were
eating up all of Scotlands wild places, I'd understand more. As it is, even
the development of MTB tracks at Glen Shee and the White Corries are hardly
going to be major intrusions. Compare this to the number of potential wind
farms and we're shooting at the wrong target. . .

It's certainly not worth spending much time on the funicular now. It is
a highly symbolic development though and what happens in the long run is
important. If more public money is requested to keep it solvent it will
be time to raise the debate again. What happens also has importance for
the Cairngorms National Park and how that develops.

Wind farms are of far greater importance at present in the Highlands as
a whole. The line of huge pylons required to bring wind power from Lewis
across the Highlands and then south will be horrendous.

Bulldozed roads are another big concern. New high level ones are still
appearing in places.

Quoted message said:

Bulldozed roads are another big concern. New high level ones are still
appearing in places.

They are cropping up all the time..

New additions seen recently...

South Ridge of Carn a'Gheoidh, Glen Shee, Perthshire. Continuation
for 3 miles of the access path to the Gulabin ski hut. Invercauld
Estate.

Gana Hill, Lowthers, Dumfriesshire. Road has appeared over the
summit. Buccleuch Estate.

Richard Webb

"Duncan Gray" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Birgit Kleymann" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

a nice daywalk is to go from the Coire Cas parking lot up to Cairn
Gorm, past the Ptarmigan restaurant/summit station (which is in fact
quite a bit BELOW the summit of Cairn Gorm). The path starts behind
the base station of the mountain railroad as seen from the parking
lot. The first bit of the walk is on vehicle tracks and past skilifts
and not particularly inspiring, but if you take the railway up to
Ptarmigan they won't let you off the station - it's operated as a
'closed system' (see below). Once past Ptarmigan, you head up to the
summit of Cairn Gorm (great views). From there, you can walk via the
plateau over to Ben Macdui and back down to Coire Cas via a much nicer
path (past Lurcher's Crag, great views) that goes more or less above
Lairig Ghru. The path ends at the Coire Cas parking lot, so this makes
a nice circular walk.

Or if you find yourself short of time, simply walking round the clifftops
over Cairn Lochan, then back through the corries is well worth it.

--
Duncan Gray

www.duncolm.co.uk
also The Mountaineering Council of Scotland
www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk

Thanks

I've had some great suggestions that should keep us busy for a few days

Pete

In message <[email hidden]>, RJ Webb
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Bulldozed roads are another big concern. New high level ones are still
appearing in places.

They are cropping up all the time..

New additions seen recently...

South Ridge of Carn a'Gheoidh, Glen Shee, Perthshire.

This is a particularly awful one. I saw it last May. When the NTS has
removed a high level road on Beinn a'Bhuiridh not far away it seems
crazy to allow a new one to be built here.

Quoted message said:

Continuation
for 3 miles of the access path to the Gulabin ski hut. Invercauld
Estate.

Gana Hill, Lowthers, Dumfriesshire. Road has appeared over the
summit. Buccleuch Estate.

In article <[email hidden]>, Chris Townsend
<URL:[email hidden]> wrote:
[snip]

Quoted message said:

A problem with providing access is of course that people will use it, in
part because they want to get beyond developments like car parks. Where
the concrete ends the wild begins.

Cairn Gorm is, I think, the only ski centre car park that isn't on or
near a main road.

While it's there I'll use it occasionally because I don't want to walk
up next to or in sight of it or start a walk that then goes through the
ski resort. Ideally I'd like to see the whole resort dismantled and the
road end brought down to Glenmore. I'm not expecting that to happen
though :-)

I recall that one of the compromise solutions offered by the Cairngorms
Campaign (which I have been a long term supporter of)

http://www.cairngorms.demon.co.uk/

was a Gondola system running from about the location of Glenmore Lodge
and a removal of the car parks and road access to the mountain.

But I agree with Chris Townsend that although the eyesore value of the
funicular and the previous chairlift may be subjectively similar,
objectively the amount of destruction caused to the environment by the
funicular is considerably greater. Thousands of tons of the mountain
have been removed to make way for the railway, and it is unlikely that
it could ever be restored.

As for allowing tourists out onto the plateau, the problem is that in
order to make the funicular financially viable on paper (if it ever was
possible!) required a projected large increase in the numbers of
visitors to the summit. Such numbers if allowed to roam freely would
completely destroy the fragile ecosystem.

Mike <URL:http://www.path.cam.ac.uk/~mrc7/>
--
o/ \\ // |\ ,_ o Mike Clark
<\__,\\ // __o | \ / /\, "A mountain climbing, cycling, skiing,
"> || _`\<,_ |__\ \> | immunology lecturer, antibody engineer and
` || (_)/ (_) | \corn computer user"

In article <[email hidden]>, Duncan Gray

URL: said:

"AndyP" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Chris Townsend" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

The solution to the problem would be to have not built the railway
in the first place. The best solution now is to remove the railway
and restore Cairn Gorm as soon as possible. It is a destructive
eyesore that should never have been built.

I don't think the railway itself stands out as much of an additional
eyesore to all the ski stuff that was already there. Although I
only visit once in a while so haven't studied it too closely. There
was already a building at the top station wasn't there? I think the
ski fences have a far greater adverse visual impact than the
railway.

No one argued against the building of the railway on the basis that it
was spoiling a pristine landscape, the corrie was already trashed.

That is not quite correct. One of the major arguments against
the railway concerned visitor pressure on the Cairgorm plateau,
particularly during the summer months.

Quoted message said:

The objections were to the pointlessness of the whole thing,
particularly as the skiing no longer seems to be sustainable.

That is also a substantial argument of course.

Quoted message said:

If, or rather when, the whole thing goes bust there is a condition to
be met that the landscape is returned to its original state. Pull the
ski fences down and you'll hardly know they were there a year later.
It's going to be a good trick to restore the line of the railway
though, given the amount of high explosive that was used to build it.
Of course, since the chairlift company will be insolvent, the cost is
going to be left with the taxpayer, again.

The substantial part of the cost has always been born by the taxpayers
in some indirect form. A major part of the funds is from an EU subsidy.

Mike <URL:http://www.path.cam.ac.uk/~mrc7/>
--
o/ \\ // |\ ,_ o Mike Clark
<\__,\\ // __o | \ / /\, "A mountain climbing, cycling, skiing,
"> || _`\<,_ |__\ \> | immunology lecturer, antibody engineer and
` || (_)/ (_) | \corn computer user"

Chris Townsend <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Most of the damage to the Highlands lies in deforestation, over

grazing

Quoted message said:

and bulldozed roads, which aren't as immediately obvious as railways

and

Quoted message said:

hydro schemes.

Yes, indeed. I shan't dispute that.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

How many of us have used the various ski centre car parks?

A problem with providing access is of course that people will use it,

in

Quoted message said:

part because they want to get beyond developments like car parks.

Where

Quoted message said:

the concrete ends the wild begins.

Cairn Gorm is, I think, the only ski centre car park that isn't on or
near a main road.

Aonach Mor is another, although it doesn't get you the height you may
be after.

Quoted message said:

While it's there I'll use it occasionally because I don't want to walk
up next to or in sight of it or start a walk that then goes through

the

Quoted message said:

ski resort. Ideally I'd like to see the whole resort dismantled and

the

Quoted message said:

road end brought down to Glenmore. I'm not expecting that to happen
though :-)

Not a chance. Unless, of course, the ski centre becomes economically
unviable. Which is not as unlikely as it may seem.

--
Adrian

In message <[email hidden]>, Adrian Tupper
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Chris Townsend <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Cairn Gorm is, I think, the only ski centre car park that isn't on or
near a main road.

Aonach Mor is another, although it doesn't get you the height you may
be after.

Aonach More is much closer to a main road than Cairn Gorm. It's a long
way from Coire Cas to Aviemore and the A9 :-)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

While it's there I'll use it occasionally because I don't want to walk
up next to or in sight of it or start a walk that then goes through

the

Quoted message said:

ski resort. Ideally I'd like to see the whole resort dismantled and

the

Quoted message said:

road end brought down to Glenmore. I'm not expecting that to happen
though :-)

Not a chance. Unless, of course, the ski centre becomes economically
unviable. Which is not as unlikely as it may seem.

It's not been economically viable for years, which is one reason the
railway was built, to try and drum up summer business.

--
Chris Townsend
Mountain & Wilderness Writer & Photographer
Auchnarrow, Grantown-on-Spey, Moray, PH26 3PL, Scotland, UK
http://www.auchnarrow.demon.co.uk

In message <[email hidden]>, Adrian Tupper
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Chris Townsend <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Most of the damage to the Highlands lies in deforestation, over

grazing

Quoted message said:

and bulldozed roads, which aren't as immediately obvious as railways

and

Quoted message said:

hydro schemes.

Yes, indeed. I shan't dispute that.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

How many of us have used the various ski centre car parks?

A problem with providing access is of course that people will use it,

in

Quoted message said:

part because they want to get beyond developments like car parks.

Where

Quoted message said:

the concrete ends the wild begins.

Cairn Gorm is, I think, the only ski centre car park that isn't on or
near a main road.

Aonach Mor is another, although it doesn't get you the height you may
be after.

Cairn Gorm is much further from a main road than Aonach Mor. It's a long
way from Coire Cas to Aviemore :-)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

While it's there I'll use it occasionally because I don't want to walk
up next to or in sight of it or start a walk that then goes through

the

Quoted message said:

ski resort. Ideally I'd like to see the whole resort dismantled and

the

Quoted message said:

road end brought down to Glenmore. I'm not expecting that to happen
though :-)

Not a chance. Unless, of course, the ski centre becomes economically
unviable. Which is not as unlikely as it may seem.

The ski centre hasn't been economically viable for many years, which is
one reason the funicular was built - to attract summer visitors.
Financially it doesn't seem to be working - surprise, surprise. The only
independent study done before the funicular was built said it wasn't
financially viable. The financial study done by Highlands and Island
Enterprise has never been published "for confidential reasons".

The private sector certainly didn't believe it was viable. There's not a
penny of private money invested in it. The whole £17 million came from
the public purse.

Chris Townsend <[email hidden]> wrote in news:q
[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

In message <[email hidden]>, Adrian Tupper
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Chris Townsend <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Most of the damage to the Highlands lies in deforestation, over

grazing

Quoted message said:

and bulldozed roads, which aren't as immediately obvious as railways

and

Quoted message said:

hydro schemes.

Yes, indeed. I shan't dispute that.

Quoted message said:

>
>How many of us have used the various ski centre car parks?

A problem with providing access is of course that people will use

it,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in

Quoted message said:

part because they want to get beyond developments like car parks.

Where

Quoted message said:

the concrete ends the wild begins.

Cairn Gorm is, I think, the only ski centre car park that isn't on

or

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

near a main road.

Aonach Mor is another, although it doesn't get you the height you may
be after.

Cairn Gorm is much further from a main road than Aonach Mor. It's a

long

Quoted message said:

way from Coire Cas to Aviemore :-)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

While it's there I'll use it occasionally because I don't want to

walk

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

up next to or in sight of it or start a walk that then goes through

the

Quoted message said:

ski resort. Ideally I'd like to see the whole resort dismantled and

the

Quoted message said:

road end brought down to Glenmore. I'm not expecting that to happen
though :-)

Not a chance. Unless, of course, the ski centre becomes economically
unviable. Which is not as unlikely as it may seem.

The ski centre hasn't been economically viable for many years, which

is

Quoted message said:

one reason the funicular was built - to attract summer visitors.
Financially it doesn't seem to be working - surprise, surprise. The

only

Quoted message said:

independent study done before the funicular was built said it wasn't
financially viable. The financial study done by Highlands and Island
Enterprise has never been published "for confidential reasons".

Reminds me of the openness in government report which also remains
unpublished (officially).

Quoted message said:

The private sector certainly didn't believe it was viable. There's not

a

Quoted message said:

penny of private money invested in it. The whole £17 million came from
the public purse.

This is not unusual in the Highlands.

--
Adrian

In message <[email hidden]>, Adrian Tupper
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Chris Townsend <[email hidden]> wrote in news:q
[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

In message <[email hidden]>, Adrian Tupper
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Chris Townsend <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

> Most of the damage to the Highlands lies in deforestation, over
grazing
> and bulldozed roads, which aren't as immediately obvious as railways
and
> hydro schemes.

Yes, indeed. I shan't dispute that.

>>
>>How many of us have used the various ski centre car parks?
>
> A problem with providing access is of course that people will use

it,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in
> part because they want to get beyond developments like car parks.
Where
> the concrete ends the wild begins.
>
> Cairn Gorm is, I think, the only ski centre car park that isn't on

or

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> near a main road.

Aonach Mor is another, although it doesn't get you the height you may
be after.

Cairn Gorm is much further from a main road than Aonach Mor. It's a

long

Quoted message said:

way from Coire Cas to Aviemore :-)

Quoted message said:

>
> While it's there I'll use it occasionally because I don't want to

walk

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> up next to or in sight of it or start a walk that then goes through
the
> ski resort. Ideally I'd like to see the whole resort dismantled and
the
> road end brought down to Glenmore. I'm not expecting that to happen
> though :-)

Not a chance. Unless, of course, the ski centre becomes economically
unviable. Which is not as unlikely as it may seem.

The ski centre hasn't been economically viable for many years, which

is

Quoted message said:

one reason the funicular was built - to attract summer visitors.
Financially it doesn't seem to be working - surprise, surprise. The

only

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independent study done before the funicular was built said it wasn't
financially viable. The financial study done by Highlands and Island
Enterprise has never been published "for confidential reasons".

Reminds me of the openness in government report which also remains
unpublished (officially).

"Open" and "government" don't really go together.

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The private sector certainly didn't believe it was viable. There's not

a

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penny of private money invested in it. The whole £17 million came from
the public purse.

This is not unusual in the Highlands.

It is for a tourist attraction.

Highland Council loaned £1 million to the funicular development. A few
months ago Cairn Gorm Mountain wanted this changed to a grant so it
didn't appear on their books. However councillors outside Strathspey
were starting to wonder just what benefit their areas were getting from
the funicular and queried turning it into a grant. It was referred for
debate sometime in the future.

Ski areas like Glen Shee and Glen Coe haven't received public money, and
both closed down last year. Everything went into the funicular, which
was touted as being good for tourism throughout the Highlands.
--
Chris

http://www.auchnarrow.demon.co.uk