Upland Path Management

Standards for delivering path projects in Scotland's mountains

Contents

• Home
• Preface
• Section 1 - Project planning
• 1.1 Why do upland pathwork?
• 1.2 Best Value
• 1.3 Developing a path management plan
• 1.4 Planning and post-project maintenance
• Section 2 - Project and site assessment
• 2.1 Purpose and use of surveys
• 2.2 Planning your surveys
• 2.3 Green surveys and path assessments
• 2.4 Amber surveys
• 2.5 Red surveys
• 2.6 Scottish Mountain Footpath Inventory (SMiFI)
• Section 3 - Managing safety and environment
• 3.1 Safety - Statutory framework
• 3.2 Construction (Design Management) Regulations path safety systems
• 3.3 Safety assessment
• 3.4 Risk, hazard and control
• 3.5 Safety plan
• 3.6 Safety performance
• 3.7 Maintaining site safety
• Section 4 - Using contracts to build paths
• 4.1 Using contracts to build paths
• 4.2 Preparing a competetive tender
• 4.3 Selecting a tender
• 4.4 Running, monitoring and closing contracts
• Section 5 - Training and developing the project team
• 5.1 Identifying training and development needs
• 5.2 Meeting the need
• 5.3 Evaluating the development
• List of abbreviations
• Further reading

Preface

This manual complements the invaluable work carried out in 1998/9 in developing the Upland Pathwork manual. Whereas the Pathwork manual dealt predominantly with practical path work, the Upland Path Management manual has been designed to cover the process from developing an upland path project proposal, through project delivery and aftercare.

The manual has been devised for use by all who are involved in upland path management throughout Scotland – path workers, site supervisors, surveyors/designers, path and wider countryside managers and funders. The overall aim is to manage effectively the impacts of access to our uplands. By adopting this approach the exceptional wild land qualities of Scotland’s mountains will continue to be safeguarded and enjoyed by all.

It should be noted that whilst the manual has been developed explicitly for management in the ‘uplands’, many of the facets of best practice management are equally applicable within a ‘lowland’ context.

The manual has been broken down into five sections to allow for the comprehensive coverage of path management issues:

• Section 1 is a guide to project planning. This section also deals with the need to ensure that adequate resources are dedicated to path maintenance during project development.
• Section 2 covers the assessment of path sites. It outlines the process of path surveying from site assessment, through path condition surveys to the provision of specification surveys for site works.
• Section 3 deals with the management of health and safety in pathwork. It offers a rationale for having a safety planning system and covers all the relevant legislation.
• Section 4 fully develops project delivery using contract teams. It views contract delivery from the perspective of both the client and the contractor from tendering to contract completion.
• Section 5 offers a rationale and blueprint for personal and team development for all concerned within the project team.

In producing this manual the Upland Path Advisory Group (UPAG) is setting management standards for upland pathwork in Scotland. The manual therefore is intended to provide supporting material for managers, contractors, surveyors and site supervisors who are undertaking the UPAG-approved management-level vocational qualification.

A great deal of the work has involved condensing ‘best practice’ techniques evolved from a variety of sources throughout the recent history of upland path management. These sources include early work done under the auspices of the Upland Path Management Project, through to the predominantly Charities and Local Authorities-led work, particularly regarding site survey, health and safety, and contract management. The work carried out and developed in the above areas by The Footpath Trust (TFT) between 1995 and 2000 has been particularly heavily utilised, and UPAG acknowledges the invaluable work carried out by the TFT staff in developing these.

Path management techniques will continue to develop in response to additions to the bank of knowledge available to path managers. It is intended that as path management techniques continue to develop so this manual will be added to, or revised.

Upland Path Advisory Group

The Upland Path Advisory Group (UPAG) is an association of path building contractors, charitable countryside management organisations, statutory organisations, landowners, hill user groups and others interested in working together to agree and improve the standard and design of path management in Scotland.

Produced by The National Trust for Scotland for the Upland Path Advisory Group.

Editors

Bob Grant, Scottish Natural Heritage
Paul Johnson, The National Trust for Scotland
Dougie Baird, The National Trust for Scotland

Authors

Jo Hunt
Richard Ball
Dougie Baird
Rory McLeod
Michael Meighan

Project Funders and joint copyright holders

Scottish Natural Heritage
The National Trust for Scotland
Highlands & Islands Partnership
European Social Fund

Design production by

Alasdair Hamilton and Bill Thompson,
Ordie Interpretive Design

Copies available from
Scottish Natural Heritage Publications,
Battleby,
Redgorton,
Perth PH1 3EW

Tel: 01738 444177

HTML version by Skeely Design.

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