Television star Griff Rhys Jones is urging fellow lovers of the outdoors to help a Perthshire conservation charity repair footpaths through some of Scotland’s most beautiful landscapes.
The John Muir Trust looks after more than 120km of footpaths, from woodland and coastal trails to renowned mountain routes, providing access to seven Munros and five Corbetts.
They include the path to the summit of Perthshire’s Schiehallion, the final zigzag to the summit of Ben Nevis, the four-mile trail to remote Sandwood Bay, the main route up stunning Bla Bheinn on the Isle of Skye and many more.
Jones, who is an active conservationist and whose acclaimed BBC series Mountain has inspired many to don walking boots, is keen that those landscapes are protected.
The path network can be costly to maintain and repair and is funded entirely by public donations and he said: “Please give today to help the John Muir Trust keep our wild places beautiful.
“A walk in the wild is a way to discover, explore and reconnect with ourselves and our natural world.”
The star’s appeal has been welcomed by John Muir Trust footpath manager Chris Goodman, who said: “It’s easy to take footpaths for granted, but the pressure of thousands of boots and gallons of rain can take its toll.”
“If people want to give something back to the places they love, a regular donation to the Wild Ways Appeal is the best way to do it.”
At least £60,000 requires to be raised by the charity every year to pay for materials, transport, equipment, volunteer training and contractors.