A PERTHSHIRE estate “stopping walkers” from accessing four popular munros on its grounds due to a deer stalking program has triggered a right to roam row.
North Chesthill Estate has told hillwalkers to avoid the hills and the four Munros, Càrn Gorm, Meall Garbh, Càrn Mairg and Creag Mhòr, on the north side of Glen Lyon, behind Invervar, from the start of September until the end of October.
The estate, located in Aberfeldy, said the area has been closed to the public for a “few short weeks” in accordance with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) for deer stalking on an open hill.
However, the estate has been accused of sharing a graphic from the SOAC, but with altered guidance that omits that walkers are encouraged to find alternative routes.
In a post online, North Chesthill Estate said it had received a “large number of requests” for access to the land during their stalking programme, and blamed walkers for scaring deer off their estate.
“Our predicament is essentially constant deer disturbance by walkers. This is driving the deer off the estate,” it said.
“Neither do we get the opportunity for undisturbed deer management, and being able to deliver for our guests. Such disturbance spoils their activity.”
North Chesthill Estate added in its post that the area is their workspace and business premises, and “core” to their survival.
“It is not a playground! It's also home to birds and animals, all part of our conservation efforts for sustainability.
“Our deer stocks are being ‘de-hefted’ by constant disturbance. Our guest and management programme is constantly disturbed.”
The post was accompanied by a graphic from the SOAC, which had been altered so that it read “stalking today, walk elsewhere over this period” instead of reading “stalking today, please use an alternative route”.
The words “follow reasonable advice on alternative routes” had also been removed from the graphic.
One person online who shared the official graphic next to the estate's altered version wrote: “They're displaying a bastardised version as though it's taken from official guidance, purely to stop people from accessing the hills.
“Unacceptable.”
Meanwhile, Ramblers Scotland, a community outreach program for walkers, has also criticised the estate’s attempt to apply a blanket ban on hillwalkers from the area.
In a post on social media, the walking organisation said: “Yet more access issues in Glen Lyon, Perthshire.
“Sadly, this time North Chesthill Estate is trying to stop walkers accessing its hills – including four popular Munros – for all of September and October.
“The Scottish Outdoor Access Code recognises the case for managing specific routes on specific days for deer stalking, but NOT blanket bans like this.”
The post added: “As well as unreasonable online signs, we're aware of recent issues on the ground, when walkers have simply tried to enjoy the Glen Lyon Munros.”
The post added that Ramblers Scotland had raised the issue with Perth and Kinross Council and that they were hoping for a quick resolution.
In 2021, Ramblers Scotland called on the local authorities to take legal action against the estate as the group accused the owners of continually breaching public access rights after hundreds of public complaints were made.
At the time, Ramblers Scotland said the estate has “long been notorious amongst walkers for its attempts to restrict access, with frequent reports of misleading signs, locked gates and obstructive staff”.
Brendan Paddy, director of Ramblers Scotland, stressed all estates have “a legal duty to respect access rights, as set out in Scotland’s access legislation”.
Paddy added: “It’s time North Chesthill estate came out of the Victorian era and joined 21st-century Scotland – or that Perth and Kinross Council took legal action to uphold the right of public access for all.”
