Danish estate owners 'block access to Loch Ness' as Highland Council intervenes

The Danish owners of a Highland estate are facing claims they have blocked a walking route to Loch Ness that has long been used by local residents.

Lawyers for the Olesen family, which own Glenmoriston Estate, have been contacted by Highland Council following complaints over loss of access to a path that connects the village of Invermoriston to Loch Ness by the River Moriston.

The estate said the route, which passes close to Invermoriston Lodge, was not a core path and that a gate had been reinstated to deal with security concerns following thefts and an attempted break-in. Discussions are ongoing in a bid to resolve the issue.

A spokesperson for the Glenmoriston Improvement Group said: “Our problem is access down to Loch Ness. There is a lovely walk down from the village down to Loch Ness, so that people could go down with their dogs or go down with a picnic. We have lost access to that.

Views across Loch Ness from the shoreline close to Invermoriston. Locals claim they have been blocked from accessing the shoreline by a neighbouring estate. PIC: Flickr/Adam Fegan.

“He won’t let people go through it even though there is plenty of land between the river and the house.”

Glenmoriston Estate claims the land is a private garden

Under the Land Reform Act 2003, people have a legal right of responsible access to most land and inland water with some exceptions, such as private gardens ,where access rights do not apply.

The Olesen family runs construction and real estate group NRE, which operates across Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Bo Anders Olsesen and his two sons are listed as directors of the company, which owns the 20,000-acre Highland estate that attracts deer stalking and shooting parties.

Glenmoriston was earlier held by the Grant family for more than 500 years, with the land largely broken up in the 1980s.

The Glenmoriston Improvement Group spokesperson added: “Our previous laird, when he was in residence, used to put a flag up, so locals knew that he was there and locals could respect his privacy. When he wasn’t there, the flag was taken down and he was quite happy to let people wander. We have suggested that and it is just a ‘no’.”

A deadline to resolve access issues at Invermoriston was set at September 26, with letters then written to the three Olesen directors and their solicitor to “oblige” them to comply with the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, it is understood.

A spokesman for Glenmoriston Estate said: “It is an ongoing issue and we are in dialogue with Highland Council. We are very reasonable people. We are talking about 100 to 200m, which is in contention.”

The spokesman said the existing owners were “very much putting things back to the way they were”, with a blown-down stock fence reinstated on the stretch of land in question. This followed police advice on security in light of a theft of lead and an attempted break-in, the spokesman added.

A statement from Highland Council said: “The council is trying to resolve an issue at Invermoriston Lodge, part of the Glenmoriston Estate, that relates to public access between the village and the shore of Loch Ness. More discussions with representatives of the estate are being planned.”