Pains and gains of adventure boom

By Steven McKenzie
Highlands and Islands reporter, BBC Scotland news website

Mountain biking is contributing to the boom in outdoor pursuits

A balance is having to be struck between protecting the environment and boosting the economy from a boom in adventure pursuits in the north.

The growth across all Scotland is worth £187m-a-year and more than £25m to the Highlands and Islands economy.

More than 10 major events - including the return of a river race on air beds - are to be held this year.

Conservationists said while increased revenue was good for rural economies, sensitive habitats were at risk.

Entries for many of the events are expected to be up on previous years.

VisitScotland said such activities were worth millions to the Scottish economy and the body actively promotes pursuits such as mountain biking.

Scot Armstrong, director of VisitScotland Highlands, said: "VisitScotland is committed to promoting adventure sports which are worth £187 million per annum to the Scottish economy."

He added: "The adventure brand offers us great potential in generating additional visits, and therefore income to Scotland, helping us to achieve our shared ambition with the industry - to achieve 50% growth in tourism revenues by 2015."

I read that some New Zealanders, who are great multi-sport competitors, had called Scotland 'wee cowering bumps' but when they got here they got a shock - it is hard terrain Gary Tompsett Detail Events

One of the first big events to be held this year will be the O'Neill Highland Open, an internationally-recognised surfing competition around the shores of Caithness.

Professional surfers will compete in what has been dubbed the world's coldest surfing event.

Another big-draw spectator sport will be the UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Cup in June.

The UCI Mountain Bike Championships, a bigger contest, held last year attracted 40,000 people.

Meanwhile, public participation events - most raising money for charity - are expected to be hugely popular.

Organisers of the RBS Caledonian Challenge, which has generated more than £7m for charity since its inception in 1996, forecast this June's will be the "biggest and best yet".

Up to 1,600 people - a 10% increase on last year - making up 375 teams could attempt to finish a 54-mile route along the West Highland Way from Fort William to Loch Lomond in 24 hours.

Event director John Mercer said the landscape was a big attraction for those taking part.

He said: "Equally, there is an increased focus on personal fitness and the challenge is a fantastic objective for any personal fitness regime."

Organisers have allocated £5,000 for litter collection and ensuring the route will be left the way walkers found it.

Loch Ness and the surrounding area will again set the scene for a duathlon competed by celebrities and also a marathon.

Model Nell McAndrew will again contest the First Monster Challenge after being the first celebrity to cross the line last year.

The 120k team duathlon - which will see competitors cycle and run - will take place around the shores of the loch in September.

It saw 400 competitors take part last year.

Adventure tourism was worth £25.9m to the Highlands and Islands economy, according to figures produced by Highlands and Islands Enterprise for 2002/03 The same study also found 83% of participants were over 34-years-old The region is also home to long establish events, such as the invitation-only Highland Cross

The following month will see the staging of the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running. Last year, about 7,500 people were involved in the various categories.

Six extreme sports running under the banner of No Fuss Events will be held in the Highlands and Islands.

Among them will be the Relentless24 mountain bike slog on Forestry Commission Scotland trails near Fort William and, in July, the Glen Nevis River Race.

Making a return after six years absence, the race involves participants negotiating a two-mile stretch of the River Nevis on an air-bed, or Lilos, and navigating its Gurgling Gorge, the Leg Breaker and the Lower Falls Leap.

No Fuss said many of its events draw people from outside the Highlands and it worked closely with Forestry Commission Scotland in an effort to avoid any adverse impact on the environment.

Gary Tompsett, adventure planning director with Detail Events, which organises the city rat race series and 10-hour endurance bike ride Raasay Rumble, said experienced organisers followed rules set out in the Land Reform Act and Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

He added landowners such as RSPB Scotland, the National Trust for Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage were used to dealing with groups planning major challenges.

Mr Tompsett said there has been an "escalation" in an interest of doing something adventurous, fuelled in part by television programmes and advances in equipment and technology.

One of Detail Events biggest projects was the 2007 Wilderness Adventure Racing Championship.

Sixty teams from 22 countries competed in the endurance race which put skills in navigation, cycling, mountaineering and kayaking to the test.

Following a rest year, it is expected to return to Lochaber in 2009.

Some people will take the most direct line up or down rather than the zigzagging path Andrew Campbell John Muir Trust

Mr Tompsett said: "The Highlands offer the most rugged terrain in the British Isles, but unlike parts of Europe and Canada it is accessible.

"There are roads going into most parts and, if on the islands, a ferry so there is always an escape route."

But he said the landscape and rapidly changing weather conditions could still catch out even the most skilled competitors.

He said: "I read that some New Zealanders, who are great multi-sport competitors, had called Scotland 'wee cowering bumps' but when they got here they got a shock - it is hard terrain."

Andrew Campbell, head of land management at the John Muir Trust, said adventure pursuits were important to rural economies and encouraged people to get out into some of the country's more remote and wilder areas.

However, he said the organisation had concerns about the impact of large-scale adventure sports on sensitive areas.

The trust has eight properties covering 50,000 acres in the Highlands and Islands - including the highest mountain in the British Isles.

Human waste

Mr Campbell said: "Our highest priority is Ben Nevis.

"We are fully appreciative of how important it is to the Fort William and Lochaber economy, but we have concerns about the possible damage to the environment from inappropriate use.

"There is a recognised route up, but some people will take the most direct line down rather than the zigzagging path."

But erosion from hundreds of trampling feet is just one problem, another major issue is discarded human waste.

At the top of Ben Nevis it often remains frozen and does not deteriorate quickly.

Cairngorms National Park rangers have been trying to tackle a similar problem by encouraging climbers to bag and bottle waste then deposit it in a "poo chute" in the ski area car park.

Mr Campbell added: "Some organisers are very good and I would not plaster them all as irresponsible.

"There are some organisers who tells us what they are planning and this gives us an opportunity to enter into some dialogue and highlight some of the issues and minimise the effect on the environment."

Conservation group, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said so long as events followed the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and were responsible then there was no reason for sustainable adventure sports not to continue.