Walks to Cairn Gorm summit put on a permanent footing
The green light has been given to CairnGorm Mountain to run guided walks to the summit on a permanent basis.
Members of Highland Council's Planning and Development committee meeting in Inverness has approved the move.
CairnGorm Mountain have been running The@TheTop on a pilot basis since the summer of 2010 with two lengthy trial periods.
Scottish Natural Heritage said that there had been 100 per cent compliance on the walks.
A Highland Council spokesperson said: "Walkers will be able to follow a circular route between the funicular Top Station and the summit of Cairn Gorm.
"Walks will be led by a Ranger and make use of the existing Summit and Marquiss Well paths. Walkers must return to the Top Station with their guide."
SNH had advised that there will be no adverse effects on the integrity of the adjacent European conservation sites associated with the proposal.
This assessment was made following three years of work to evaluate the potential impact of the scheme on the adjacent Cairngorms Special Protection Area (SPA), Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and National Scenic Area (NSA) – some of the largest European conservation sites in Britain.
SNH officers monitored two seasons of summer trials and organised a six-week consultation in late 2011 that included members of the public, local community organisations, non-governmental organisations and a public agency.
The council spokesperson said: "The new scheme will result in permanent changes to the current Visitor Management Plan (VMP) framework agreed by the Highland Council, SNH and Cairngorm Mountain Limited in 2000.
"The amended framework will continue to protect the integrity of the areas adjacent to the railway from the potential impacts of non-skiing visitors as a direct consequence of the funicular development."
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