Hillwalking at Chesthill
Scotland offers excellent hillwalking, however Summer and Autumn are important times for deer welfare and management, essential for sustainable deer management.
The deer management programme here is very important to the livelihoods of local people and our employees and the welfare of the deer herd, so we would ask you to respect the guidance we offer.
Access Constraints for Wildlife Management
View Deer management activity & alternative routes brochure
Walking needs to be fitted into the estate business programme and has to be managed. Responsible access is a public privilege.
A Message from the Estate to the Walking Community
The estate is subject to ever increasing access which is affecting wildlife operations and our estate business throughout the year. We would ask you to cooperate with the estate to mitigate these adverse environmental impacts. A sensible balance is needed if the uplands here are to remain sustainable (90 % of the estate being open hill moorland). These barren open areas support ground nesting birds, (ptarmigan, a few grouse, dotterel and plover, raptors) as well as other wildlife.
Disturbance impacts are felt particularly acutely by the animals and birds during the breeding seasons April to July, especially when walkers fail to follow the way marked recognised clockwise route to Carn Gorm and fail to control their dogs. All dogs should be on a lead.
We have had several sheep mauled and killed, and dogs disturb birds and kill their chick.
In May, June, July, straying from the recognised clockwise route chases calving hinds from the ground where they "heft" their calves. This is a process for the young which teaches them how to survive over their lives. Human intrusion and disturbance is destabilising to this.
Access Management
Wildlife Legislation and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) places a responsibility on walkers to avoid conflicting and disrupting animals and birds, especially during their breeding seasons, as well as during deer management activity in the autumn.
Our policy is designed to give the public access in a controlled and managed manner, within the capacity of the land and estate activity. We also advise on how to avoid conflicting with the estate's activities and business. With the support of the authorities from September through November, a short period over which the estate core business takes place, hill walking is discouraged on the hills north of Invervar. Our business underwrites jobs, conservation management, and animal welfare, as well as obliging Nature Scot deer management policy.
Such sensibly reduced access is being encouraged by P&K Council and by Nature Scot (through advice in the Access Code - Section 5-Open Hill Stalking).
Further Local Guidance When Walking is Available (See Notice Board)
Access is available throughout most of the rest of the year December - August.
Please work to the following guidelines:
- Follow the recognised route in a clockwise direction from Invervar, up the track, over the bridge, to the way marks( Orange and Green markers) which are signed westward to Carn Gorm. Walk up the east side of the ridge to the peak.
- Stay on the ridges and do not comedown into the corries. Walk quietly - Avoid disturbing deer and birds.
- Keep dogs on leads at all times. This will avoid disturbing ground nesting birds and deer. Dogs cause disturbance and damage to wildlife and great stress to deer and their young at any time of year, but particularly in May - July, just after calves are borne.
- Sheep Worrying is a criminal offence-the estate has had several incidents which it know about.
- If you find a deer calf, do not handle it.
If the car park at Invervar is full, please walk elsewhere. Do not park on the verges or in lay byes and passing places on this narrow road. The authorities will take a dim view and are enforcing with parking tickets!
In summer please be off the hill by well before dusk (7pm) to allow the hinds to return peacefully to their calves. (which they leave hidden during the day) (May to July).
Summary
We are relying on the public and hillwalkers to act responsibly within the Access Code and guidelines and seek alternative walks in accordance with SOAC - Section 5 - over this short period September – October annually.
Thank you for your cooperation in working towards sustainability and helping us achieve a better balance between man and nature as well as offering everyone the opportunity to enjoy the hills.
Heading for the Hills and Walk Highlands Service
The Heading for the Scottish Hills and Walk Highland Service help you find out where deer management is taking place during the stag stalking season (1st July to 20th October, but with most stalking from August onwards), so you can plan routes elsewhere which minimise the chance of disturbing stalking, in line with guidance in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.