Pheasant-shooting earl wins path fight

A LANDOWNING aristocrat has won his battle to prevent a path near his spectacular castle becoming a major attraction for walkers.

David Carnegie, the Earl of Southesk, opposed plans to promote the track as a walking route arguing that an influx of ramblers would interfere with the pheasant shoots that take place on his estate.

Locals, supported by Angus Council, had hoped that the track through Kinnaird Park on the Southesk Estate, near Brechin, would be included in the "core path network", the system of rights of way being drawn up to improve access to the countryside.

Core paths are regarded as an integral part of the 2003 Land Reform Act, which gives the public the right of responsible access to rural areas. Core paths are publicised as walking trails with prominent signposts and are highlighted on walking maps.

The estate disagreed and lodged an objection, which was recently upheld by the Scottish Government's directorate for planning and environmental appeals.

According to the government's summary of the landowner's case, Southesk Estates said that: "The core path passes alongside at least two woods that are used for this activity (pheasant shoots] and, if the path is designated, then it would need to be closed often during the shooting season to protect health and safety".

There was also concern that there would be an increased liability should the path become more popular with walkers given that the track was used by a lot of large vehicles serving the estate.

But the arguments have not convinced those locals who are still in favour of the Kinnaird Park path being included in the network.

Mairi Evans, a local SNP councillor, said: "We should be promoting our rural areas rather than closing them off. Shoots don't take place all 12 months in a year. You can make people aware of when shoots are taking place, so there should not be any problem. As long as people are aware when it is going on, then it is not going to be an issue."

Southesk Estates factor Charles Gow said: "We know we can't prevent people from walking on the path, but we do object to signposts at either end and it being put on the map. There is a health and safety issue if people are told they can walk along here and there is a shoot going on."