Aboyne community comes together for path repairs

Community groups from across Deeside have come together to complete repairs on a damaged section of path linking the Fungle path and the ‘Tank Road’ in Aboyne.

Thanks to the hard work of the volunteers, the path is now ready for winter.

This boggy section of path, which is heavily used by walkers and mountain bikers, has long been a target for repairs for Aboyne Paths and Tracks Group.

During the summer APTG was approached by Aboyne & Mid Deeside Rotary Club looking for a community project for young people from the Prince’s Trust.

Horseback UK, Aboyne delivers the Prince’s Trust Team Programme, a twelve week course for young people between 16-25. The aim is to inspire and empower the participants, helping them to think about their future with confidence and purpose. On this course, they learn the importance of resilience, teamwork, community, environment, and wellbeing.

As part of the course Horseback asked for the Rotary’s help in finding projects where the young people could work alongside other groups on positive projects in their own community.

APTG swung into action. Working with Glen Tanar Charitable Trust they negotiated a new drier route for the path, arranged for materials to be sourced and delivered to the top of the Fungle and started preparatory works.

A group of John Muir Trust North-East volunteers dug out the route during one of their monthly Glen Tanar work parties. Assisted by rangers from Cairngorm National Park and mountain-biking volunteers from Aberdeenshire Trail Association and Doon ThaBrae (a local mountainbiking events company) and APTG, twenty volunteers completed a heavy but productive day’s work to prepare the ground.

The scene was set for the Prince’s Trust volunteers to undertake their part of the job, barrowing tons of Type-1 to surface the path. The eight youngsters worked hard alongside APTG digging, barrowing and raking.

Finally another John Muir Trust/APTG work day finished the job – 250 metres of path rerouted, resurfaced and ready for winter!

This was a true community effort, combining volunteers from the Prince’s Trust, Aboyne Paths and Tracks Group, Cairngorm National Park, John Muir Trust North-East, Aberdeenshire Trail Association and Doon ThaBrae events. Thanks also go to the Rotary Club of Aboyne and Upper Deeside, Craiglash quarry and CRC Contracting for funding and providing materials. Thanks also to Glen Tanar Estate and the Glen Tanar Charitable Trust for enabling work on the estate land.