1.3. Path Assessment

Introduction

Before any upland pathwork takes place, it is essential that a full assessment is undertaken, in context with the surrounding environment. This can encompass an administrative or land ownership area; a geographical upland area or mountain range; a network of local paths on a popular mountain; or a single path corridor. It will consider all of the influencing factors which may be crucial to future management: the land through which it passes; the people who use the land; the people who use the paths; the visual impact of use, and potential work; environmental and physical features.

The Path Assessment is essentially a path management desk exercise - all available sources of information and understanding of the site will be used to identify and decide where condition and specification surveys are required. The full assessment will therefore include results of path survey work, as detailed in Path Survey. The Path Assessment is a mini management plan for recreation on a mountain site - it is likely to be implemented over several years and will need to be updated. Path assessments should link directly to other plans, where they exist - for instance, designated site management plans, bio-diversity, habitat and species action plans, and area based access strategies.

Function

The assessment makes sure that all factors are considered, and integrated with the practical aspects of the pathwork. A comprehensive assessment will gather all relevant background information about the area, as well as detail about the path network or path, in order to produce a strategic report or ‘management plan’. This will:

Coire Dubh, Glen Torridon.

Coire Dubh, Glen Torridon. A path assessed within a mountain area suffering from increasing recreational use. Surveys identified the spread of severe trampling and water gullying in a fragile environment. The assessment indicated high priority for funding of sensitive path repair work. (See Environmental Impact for the solution and designed pathwork.)

management report

A management report on one path, assessed within a wider area. The written site description, maps and photographs are accompanied by condition survey sheets (see Path Survey). Click image to enlarge.

Sources of Information

Information can be gathered from a variety of sources. Local authority records, in planning, countryside or recreation departments, may include old survey data, maps and photographic records. Landowners and local residents can also provide useful information, which should be gathered by talking and meeting with the appropriate people. Community councils will often help with this type of research and survey. Information should include:

Communication and consultation

A variety of people are concerned with path management. They may all play a role in the path assessment whether providing information or involved in consultation.

Assessment information format

This wide range of information and views is structured into categories. A common format of Path Assessment includes:

Location

Physical Setting

Path use

Land-use

Path Condition

Work Required

Other Factors

The use of data-bases for storing data and compiling results will be useful on all large scale assessments where more than one path is being assessed as part of an area network. Using the information

Having gathered together all the detail under suitable headings, and identified problem areas and potential solutions, the assessed information is used to make decisions and plan the programme of work for the path or paths in question. A draft should be circulated to all relevant interested parties for consultation. Consultation responses should be incorporated into the plan. The next steps in the path management process can then be taken.