One of Scotland’s great walking routes, the Cateran Trail is set to receive an upgrade thanks to a £7,500 grant. The 64-mile walk along old drove roads and ancient tracks heads through stunning Perthshire and Angus countryside, including farmland, forests, moors and glens. Unfortunately sections of the trail have become difficult to hike due to worn stiles and narrow gates. Now funding from Scottish Natural Heritage will be used by the Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust (PKCT) to carry out improvements.

Signs for the Cateran Trail. Pic credit: Lis Burke on Creative Commmons[/caption] Part of the grant will be used to replace 13 barriers, including stiles and narrow kissing gates, with self-closing gates and to carry out fence repairs. A Cateran Trail spokesperson said: “Many of the old kissing gates introduced in 1999, when local councillor Bob Ellis designed the trail, are proving a tight squeeze for walkers laden with heavy rucksacks and kit. “Added to that more than 8,000 people a year now walk the circular route and this has caused wear to some features, such as stiles. “The money made available by SNH will make a great difference.” Walkers come from all over the world to hike the circular trail, which offers a great variety of scenery over the five stages. PKCT’s strategic routes officer Andrew Barrie is ported as saying: “We are delighted that SNH are helping to fund these improvements on the Cateran Trial to make it more accessible. “It is one of Scotland’s great trails and we hope that this work will encourage more people to get out and enjoy it.” The access improvement works will start on October 16 and are expected to take six weeks to complete. Walk the Cateran Trail with Macs Adventure. See Cateran Trail, too.