We’re looking for our next project for the It’s Up To Us campaign and want to hear from the outdoor community.
Building on the success of the first round of the It’s Up To Us campaign on An Teallach, we are now looking for your help in choosing another mountain path to be the focus of our next project. We are specifically interested in paths on a mountain (or hill), with a summit height of over 600m.
The focus of the campaign is on mountains that are situated on private land (e.g not on NTS or John Muir Trust land and outwith the Loch Lomond & Trossachs and Cairngorms national parks) and therefore have no access to government funds.
If you know of a mountain path in need of repair, please send us the details using the form below.
If you are unsure exactly where the mountain path you wish to submit is, then don’t worry, please submit your suggestion and we will determine exactly who the landowner is and pass on the information gathered to the relevant person. The data gathered will help us identify a shortlist of potential projects from which we will determine a mountain path to be the focal point for ‘It’s Up To Us’ going forward.
This autumn, Mountaineering Scotland, British Mountaineering Council and Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland are returning to Glen Brittle on Skye to continue work on paths up to the Cuillins begun last year.
In 2025, a team of volunteers from all three organisations worked together over three days to clear 122 cross drains, improve 4kms of mountain paths and plant 200 native trees. It was a fantastic effort, but there is more to be done, and we need your help.
We have four spaces available for Mountaineering Scotland members to join this year’s event. No previous experience is required, but participants must have a good level of physical fitness, be used to spending all day outdoors in a mountain environment and be capable of using hand tools such as spades and mattocks.
Each day we will head up one of the paths in the glen and spend 6-8 hours outdoors. We will focus on simple path maintenance tasks including digging out silted up cross drains and making small repairs to stonework. All work will be supervised by experienced staff from OATS and full instruction will be given. At the end of the day we will return to the cosy accommodation of Glen Brittle Memorial Hut to share a well-earned meal.
Details
Date: Monday 28th September – Friday 2nd October 2026
Location: Glen Brittle, Skye.
Accommodation: Four nights’ accommodation will be provided, free of charge, in the Glen Brittle Memorial Hut.
Food: Three communal evening meals will be provided. Participants will need to bring all other food with them, including breakfasts, packed lunches to eat on the hill and snacks. There are no food shops/cafes/restaurants in the glen.
Transport: Transport is not provided, but we encourage car sharing and can help make arrangements.
Cost: £10 donation to the It’s Up to Us Campaign
Requirements
No previous experience is required, but participants must have a good level of physical fitness, be used to spending all day outdoors in a mountain environment and be capable of using hand tools such as spades and mattocks. We will be out working even if the weather is wet and windy so you will need to bring good waterproofs, plenty of warm clothes and good boots.
Interested?
To apply for a place, please fill in an application form below or click here.
£300,000 community-backed project secures one of Scotland’s most fragile upland routes for future generations – as organisations call for urgent national investment in mountain path restoration.
The path on one of Scotland’s most iconic and dramatic mountains has been safeguarded for future generations, as a major restoration project on An Teallach (The Forge) in Wester Ross was successfully completed two months ahead of schedule.
The three-year project, part of the joint It’s Up to Us campaign by Mountaineering Scotland and the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland (OATS), has exceeded its ambitious £300,000 fundraising target, raising an impressive £315,000 to repair and rebuild more than 3km of severely eroded upland pathon An Teallach, a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The work, delivered by specialist contractors Cairngorm Wilderness Contracts (CWC), was completed in March 2026 and has reversed decades of erosion caused by increasing footfall combined with the extremes of Scottish weather.
Working in one of the UK’s most remote and weather-exposed environments, the CWC team carried out 790 contractor days on the mountain, often in severe conditions. The project relied on skilled traditional, hand-built techniques to ensure durability while protecting the fragile landscape.
700 tonnes of materials including stone from site and imported, aggregate, and repositioned spoil to aid habitat restoration were manually moved on the mountain and used to complete the 3,152 metres of built path and areas of landscaping surrounding it. 183 stone-built drainage features, together with 250m of stone edging, were also built on the path to minimise future erosion. The result is a resilient, sustainable path that will protect both the fragile landscape and the experience of walkers for years to come.
The project’s success was made possible through a combination of community fundraising and major support from charitable trusts, corporate partners, mountaineering clubs, and individual donors.
Volunteers also played a vital role. Since late 2024, 33 OATS Path Maintenance Volunteers contributed over 412 hours of work to the project, supporting contractors on the mountain while developing their own practical conservation skills. Their contribution equates to more than £16,000 in labour value, while helping to build a growing network of dedicated path stewards.
While the completion of the An Teallach path marks a major conservation success, it also highlights a wider national issue. Walking tourism contributes an estimated £1.6 billion annually to Scotland’s economy, delivering significant health, wellbeing and environmental benefits. Yet there is currently no dedicated government funding for maintaining upland paths on privately owned land outside national parks or NGO estates.
The situation has worsened since Brexit, with the loss of European funding streams that previously supported path restoration work.
A recent audit estimated a least £30 million is needed to restore the 400 km of Scotland’s upland paths in the worst condition, with at least £400,000 required annually for ongoing maintenance.
Beyond fundraising, the It’s Up to Us campaign has focused on building long-term solutions — working with government and other stakeholders to develop a sustainable funding model for upland path repair and habitat restoration. Mountaineering Scotland, as part of the Scottish Outdoor Recreation Alliance (SORA), is calling on the Scottish Government to establish a £50 million national path fund between 2026 and 2031 to secure the future of Scotland’s mountain path network.
The An Teallach project demonstrates what can be achieved through collaboration — but campaigners stress that it must not remain a one-off success, and that further investment is needed now to ensure Scotland’s hugely popular upland path network and the fragile mountain environment is protected for generations to come.
Stuart Younie CEO of Mountaineering Scotland said “This campaign and the restoration of the path on An Teallach has been a huge achievement through the combined efforts of OATS and Mountaineering Scotland and with the support of the outdoor community.”
“We are really proud of the way that businesses, clubs and individuals have all stepped up and would like to thank everyone who has contributed and particularly the Scottish Mountaineering Trust, whose Diamond Grant kickstarted the whole project, and our lead sponsor Cotswold Outdoors. We hope we have managed to shine a light on the importance of investing in upland paths and the wider challenge of securing investment for this important work. I’m excited about where we go from here and selecting our next project for Its Up to Us.”
Ewan Watson, Outdoor Access Project Manager of the Outdoor Access trust for Scotland, said: “OATS and Mountaineering Scotland set an ambitious target of raising £300,000 to carry out footpath repairs on An Teallach. Thanks to the generosity of everyone who contributed we have reached this target and competed over 3km of work on An Teallach.
“Specialist ‘hand build’ footpath contractors from Cairngorm Wilderness Contracts have spent nearly 800 days working on site, often in incredibly challenging conditions, to create a robust footpath that will provide sustainable access for years to come. They have been supported by volunteers from OATS who have assisted with the path works on a number of occasions throughout the project.
“Due to increased footfall and the escalating impacts of climate change, Scotland’s mountain footpath network is now deteriorating faster than it can be repaired. With little to no government funding available to carry out works of this kind on private land, support from the public and other partner organisations plays a vital role in ensuring access to our mountain landscapes remains sustainable.”
Scottish outdoor clothing brand Keela have stepped up and shown their commitment to saving Scotland’s mountain paths by donating £3,000 to It’s Up to Us, and a further £2,000 to the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland’s annual path maintenance volunteer programme.
Fife-based family firm Keela have chosen to allocate a percentage of their online sales to projects that support the environment and encourage outdoor activities through their People and Planet fund and have committed to supporting It’s Up to Us and OATS on an ongoing basis going forward from this fund.
Keela clothing, known for its ability to withstand the most challenging conditions, is the kit of choice of the contractors working on the It’s Up to Us An Teallach path repair project, and a number of mountain rescue teams.
April Hazell, Marketing Manager said: “We’re really excited to be part of the It’s Up to Us campaign and to support the amazing work that Mountaineering Scotland and OATS are doing. Protecting the outdoors and helping everyone get outside is such a big part of who we are at Keela, so helping to look after the paths and make sure everyone can keep enjoying Scotland’s outdoors just makes sense to us”
Mountaineering Scotland CEO Stuart Younie said: “We are delighted to have the support of such a well known Scottish outdoor brand as Keela for It’s Up to Us. As we go into the third year of the campaign, we hope their donation will inspire other businesses associated with Scotland’s outdoors to get involved, and help us show what can be done when we all contribute and work together to save our mountain paths for future generations.”
Photos: Brodie Hood
Are you an outdoor brand or business and want to get involved in supporting our campaign?
This is a collaborative volunteering event between Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland, Mountaineering Scotland and British Mountaineering Council to tackle the eroded state of footpaths leading up to the Cuillin Hills.
Each day we will spend between 6-8 hours outside. The first two days will focus on path maintenance, clearing drainages and doing small repairs where appropriate. On the last day, we will help to plant native tree species in the Fairy Pools car park area (managed by OATS) to support the site’s regeneration and improve the local habitats.
Location: Glenbrittle, Isle of Skye
Accommodation: Glenbrittle Memorial Hut (GBMH) – bunk beds in shared accommodation, showers, toilets, drying room, cooking facilities (more information)
Cost: £10 donation to It’s Up to Us campaign (upon confirmation of attendance)
Transport: Transport is not provided, but we encourage car sharing .
Itinerary:
Sunday: Travel to Isle of Skye (Arrival to GBMH after 3 pm) Monday/Tuesday: Path Maintenance – Cuillin Hills footpaths Wednesday: Tree planting – Fairy Pools car park area (optional or travel home) Thursday: Travel home
Requirements:
No experience of path work is required. Volunteers must be used to spending time outdoors, have experience walking in the hills, have a good physical fitness and be capable of using tools.
Tools and work gloves will be provided.
Interested?
Please register your interest for this event using the form below or click here.
We will be in touch with further information and booking details in early July.
OATS Volunteer Coordinator, Eva Kupska, said: “Our volunteers spent three days on An Teallach, working alongside experienced path builders. While the peaks got covered by snow, we were enjoying the sun at the lower section of the path.
“The main part of each day was filled with finding the correct rocks and then moving them, winching, digging, excavating burrow pits to obtain aggregate and then restoring those pits, landscaping, construction of cross drains, waterbars, stone pitching and many more different kinds of jobs involving mattocks, spades, pinch bars, buckets, lump hammers
“The volunteer group and the path builders put in an excellent amount of work – I hope they are all resting with their feet up now!
If you’d like to find out more about the campaign, how to get involved or donate, visit www.savemountainpaths.scot
Now in its second year, It’s Up to Us is a three-year campaign to raise £300,000 for much-needed path repairs on An Teallach, one of Scotland’s most iconic mountains. With the launch of the Pennies scheme, each time you shop at a Cotswold Outdoor store in Scotland you’ll have the chance to round-up and donate as little as one penny at the checkout to support the It’s Up to Us campaign. Collectively, these small donations really do add up…just £5 could pay for gloves and eye protection for volunteers and contractors, while £100 could build one metre of gravel path.
CEO of the Outdoor Access Trust Scotland, Dougie Baird, said: ‘’It is fantastic that Cotswold Outdoor have chosen to support the Its Up To Us An Teallach appeal as the focus of their Pennies initiative.
All of us who love the outdoors understand the need for good kit on the hill, and it is really good to know a little bit of each purchased piece of kit during the initiative will be going to help look after the mountains that so enrich our lives.’’
The initial stage of the campaign is focused on repairing 3.2km of badly eroded path on An Teallach, with contractors from Cairngorm Wilderness Contracts (CWC) having so far completed 340m of path building and maintenance work on the mountain, funded by the campaign and supported by a team of enthusiastic path maintenance volunteers. The campaign is also calling on Government to help develop a sustainable funding model for building and maintenance work across Scotland’s upland path network to ensure it is kept fit for purpose for future generations to enjoy.
Last week, an enthusiastic team of OATS volunteers teamed up with path contractors from Cairngorm Wilderness Contracts to undertake path-building work on An Teallach.
Over three days, the volunteers and contractors worked together to build several metres of stone revetment, a large stone cross drain, lay aggregate path, dig some ditches and do some path restoration work to minimise the visual impact of the path works.
The £300,000 path project is being funded by the It’s Up To Us campaign in partnership with Mountaineering Scotland, which aims to raise awareness of the desperate need for funding for upland path repairs in Scotland. Over £215,000 has been raised so far, but there is still more to do so that this vital conservation work can continue.
On Tuesday, the volunteers were joined by members of the Mountaineering Scotland teamed, who travelled from HQ in Perth to see the progress that’s been made on the path and try their hand at path building. Well-known outdoor writer and It’s Up to Us ambassador, Chris Townsend, along with photographer James Roddie, were also on site covering the volunteers days for the June issue of The Great Outdoors (TGO) magazine.
The EOCA grant has given a massive boost to the It’s Up to Us fundraising campaign for path renovation and habitat restoration works on one of Scotland’s most iconic mountains.
This generous grant brings the fundraising total for It’s Up to Us to over £200,000. The current total, two thirds of the £300,000 project budget, secures essential contract works on An Teallach until at least May 2025.
EOCA is a charity organisation set up in 2006 by the European Outdoor Group (EOG) to enable businesses from the outdoor sector to work collectively together. It supports and funds a growing number of much needed grassroots conservation, protection, and regeneration projects around the world (except in North America where The Conservation Alliance does similar work), protecting the wild places and wildlife everyone cares so much about. Since 2006 EOCA has invested more than €5m in 194 projects in 65 countries throughout the world.
Credit: Brodie Hood
On their website EOCA highlights the only UK project to win a grant award in this round: “It’s Up to Us will bring together those who care for mountains and conservation to help raise awareness and funds to fix the path erosion scars on An Teallach, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, through path restoration using natural local rock materials. The 1250m of upland path and 1300m of light touch path works will protect the hill from further loss of biodiversity and allow habitat recovery in the eroded area. The project will use habitat restoration techniques to recover 4.95 acres of the lost upland peatland habitats.”
Chair of the Outdoor Access Trust Scotland, Duncan Bryden, said: “An Teallach – Gaelic for the (Blacksmith’s) Forge – towers alpine like above Little Loch Broom. One of Scotland’s great mountains, it delivers a special mountaineering experience for many people. OATS are delighted and grateful that EOCA member companies recognise the mountain’s special needs and have given this fantastic award to the It’s Up to Us project to help restore paths for both people and nature. It is a great example of businesses from the outdoor sector giving back to wild places.”
Credit: Brodie Hood
Mountaineering Scotland CEO, Stuart Younie, said: “The award of this grant from EOCA is fantastic news. It makes a significant contribution to our fundraising target, but just as important to our campaign is to have an established European charity which has supported projects all over the world, recognise the value of the work being carried out on An Teallach to restore nature and protect the environment. I’d like to thank EOCA for their generous support and to everyone who voted for It’s Up to Us.”
Catherine Savidge, General Manager at EOCA, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the project ‘It’s Up To Us! – An Teallach’ which the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland submitted to the European Outdoor Conservation Association for funding. The project was chosen during a thorough selection process which took almost six months, finally being selected by EOCA member companies for funding. We very much look forward to hearing reports on how the work is progressing, protecting fragile habitats in this special area.”
HARVEY Maps has donated a fantastic £300 towards the It’s Up to Us campaign to save mountain paths in Scotland after choosing the campaign for their annual Green Friday donation.
Instead of offering customer a Black Friday sale or similar, each year HARVEY Maps chooses one charity, project or campaign to donate to, with the hopes of encourage a positive approach to the sustainability of our environment.
HARVEY Maps said: “Green Friday offers the opportunity to reflect on our place in the great outdoors and the impact all of our actions are having upon it. Our hills, mountains and green spaces, and our appreciation of them, are vitally important.”
Green Friday ran from Wednesday 22nd November to Monday 27th November, with 10% of the value of each order HARVEY Maps received via their website during this period donated to It’s Up to Us.
They added: “We’re passionate about looking after the mountains and trails that we map, which is why the It’s Up to Us campaign is important to us. We’re aware that the first goal of the campaign is to repair the badly eroded path on An Teallach. HARVEY Maps are currently revising the An Teallach map to bring it into line with the rest of the Superwalker series. We’ll be relaunching the most up to date format of the An Teallach Superwalker next month, and we hope that our Green Friday donation will help towards the restoration of the path.”
We want to say a HUGE thank to HARVEY Maps for their generous donation and for supporting It’s Up to Us!
