Cycling could be about to overtake “pee and tea” as visitors’ best reason to stop in Tyndrum and its surrounding areas.
Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park planners have approved an application by Strathfillan Community Development Trust for a bike skills park on land east of Dalrigh Car Parks within Tyndrum Community Woodland.
Design proposals for the proposed cycle trail have been prepared by Cycletherapy Ltd, specialists in bike trail design, in conjunction with Craignish Design landscape architects.
SCDT will retain ownership and management responsibility for the bike skills park (BSP).
In their decision, Park planners said: “The proposal would be a social and economic asset to the local community and would also enhance the recreational opportunities and experience for visitors to the area.
“The development can be accommodated in the landscape with no unacceptable visual impacts and various measures are to be secured by condition to safeguard protectes species and the River Tay SAC.
“Implementation of additional parking off-site ensures there would be no unacceptable impacts on the local road network.”
The site is predominantly low-lying grazing land within the floor of Strathfillan to the east of the existing car parks at Dalrigh. The site is accessed from the A82 via the car parks which provide public parking as well as a separate, dedicated car park constructed and used in association with the Cononish Gold Mine.
The south and east of the site is contained by a single track road which continues from the car parks connecting with the West Highland Way which continues along the site boundary following the line of the River Fillan. The car parking bounds the site to the west.
The bike skills park (BSP) will suit a range of abilities and ages for both visitors and locals with key components said to be a beginners’s area, proposed shelter and WC, all-abilities green route, blue trail, red trail, pump track, jump track and site furniture and minor structures.
The planners added: “The application site is not within any defined settlement and is located approximately 2km away from the centre of the nearest village (Tyndrum) to the north.
“The BSP would be accessible from Tyndrum via the existing traffic-free cycle path from Tyndrum. This is a multi-use path (accommodating cyclists, walkers and horses) and forms part of the Cross Scotland Pilgrims Way and a component of Scotland’s National Walking and Cycling Network. This would provide a largely safe walking route to the development in the daytime hours (since the path is not lit) noting that the BSP (also unlit) can only be realistically frequented in daytime hours.
“A number of statistics concerning the growing interest in and demand for mountain biking and related infrastructure nationally and regionally have been presented.
“A feasibility study looking into the developing community bike hire ollowing the first phase of the Tyndrum to Crianlarich Cycle Path indicated that improving Strathfillan’s bike and cycling infrastructure could significantly benefit the local community. One of the main recommendations from the feasibility study was ‘the establishment of Strathfillan as a hub for cycling’.
“The roads authority’s initial response indicated that additional car parking would need to be provided to serve the likely increased demand from the BSP. The applicant subsequently submitted a plan showing where additional parking spaces can be accommodated in the existing parking areas (four new spaces) and a new area of parking in a largely disused picnic area adjacent with 13 new spaces.
“Rationalisation of the existing goldmine car park would also help maximise its capacity (16 spaces).”
In documents submitted with the application, the applicants said: “We have a small population of 400, however during the summer months this expands massively. With the West Highland Way and several local Munros we are a popular tourist destination.
“Despite this we are lacking in family friendly infrastructure to attract and ‘keep’ visitors.
“We are known as a ‘pee and tea’ stop!
“By creating this bike skills park we will provide more for people of all ages to do, making Strathfillan a more attractive place to go on holiday.”
