17 Oct £440,859 funding award for Stach Pollaidh car park and off grid toilets project
We are very pleased to announce that we have been awarded £440,859 from round five of the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF), through Highland Council, for the Stach Pollaidh trailhead infrastructure project in Coigach, Sutherland.
The first phase of this project will focus on the extension of the car park from 20 to 80 spaces, with the development of an off-grid toilet block of the scale to cope with the estimated 50,000 annual visitors to Stac Pollaidh coming in phase two.
Stach Pollaidh car park – https://katiegoes.com/stac-pollaidh/
In round five a total of £3m has been awarded to 10 tourism projects across Scotland, to improve visitor facilities and access and to promote low-carbon transport options. The projects have all been recommended for approval – subject to conditions.
Managed by VisitScotland on behalf of the Scottish Government, the RTIF was created to improve the quality of the visitor experience in rural parts of Scotland that have faced pressure on their infrastructure due to this increase in visitor numbers.
It aims to reduce the impact of visitor numbers on local communities and facilities and create a more collaborative and sustainable approach to infrastructure provision and long-term maintenance of local facilities for the benefit of communities.
Highland Council announcement – https://www.highland.gov.uk/news/article/14857/rural_tourism_infrastructure_projects_to_receive_share_of_3m_funding
The extremely effective model of community partnership, based on a long-term site leasing agreement to benefit both the local community and surrounding environment, that was developed by OATS for The Fairy Pools car park and off-grid toilets development on Skye, is being adapted for the Stac Pollaidh trailhead infrastructure project..
The issues facing the community are very similar to those that were faced at the Fairy Pools in Skye. The trailhead, accessed along a single-track road, easily blocked by parked cars, currently has just 20 spaces for cars and no toilet facilities for the large number of hill walkers keen to climb the mountain, causing many on going problems for the local community and surrounding habitats.
VisitScotland RTIF – https://www.visitscotland.org/supporting-your-business/funding/rural-tourism-infrastructure-fund
RTIF Round 5
LA/Nat Park Authority | Project | RTIF funding recommended
Argyll and Bute Council | Glen Lochy and Glen Orchy visitor facilities improvement | £332,334
Argyll and Bute Council | Staffa Conservation and access infrastructure development | £477,270
City of Edinburgh Council | Bonaly Country Park car park improvements and access route | £207,886
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar | Urgha Aire | £85,553
Highland Council | Achmelvich Beach car park and toilets | £500,000
Highland Council | Glencoe Greenway | £350,000
Highland Council | NW Highland public toilet provision | £243,218
Highland Council | Stac Pollaidh | £440,859
Renfrewshire Council | Lochwinnoch Boardwalk | £182,420
Stirling Council | Trossachs scenic viewpoints | £231,000
To read Stac Pollaidh: Scotland’s Best Wee Hill Walk for Beginners a feature on climbing Stac Pollaidh by Katy, a Scottish backpacker turned digital nomad go to https://katiegoes.com/stac-pollaidh/.