YOUR VIEWS: MSP should look at why Cairngorm resort is declining
In the past local MSP Fergus Ewing has described people trying to bring positive results to the Cairngorm ski resort as the ‘Cairngorm Carpers’ and now we are critics.
A critic? Yes I certainly am. Despite the millions of taxpayer funding, this business is in a worse state now than it has ever been.
I have worked on Cairngorm so know exactly how harsh conditions can be but at least we had a ‘can do’ and not the current ‘can’t be bothered’ attitude which seems prevalent among some of the staff with senior management having to shoulder the blame for this.
We catered for anything up to 6,500 skiers on a good day, not the current circa 1000. The car parks were packed to overflowing with anything up to 50 coaches in the lower one.T-bars were so packed that queues could be up to three-quarters of an hour.
People grumbled but we all had to get on with it.
It was all part of the skiing in Scotland experience.
Now a statement by interim CEO Mr Tim Hurst is suggesting that the Snowfactory will only be used for ‘busy holiday periods’ with no mention of the snow cannons.
This is another £1 million of taxpayers’ money Mr Hurst is suggesting was wasted by Highlands and Islands Enterprise on equipment that may only be used for six to nine weeks.
Instead of criticising people trying to bring some sort of resolution to the business, maybe Mr Ewing should have a good look at how and why a business receiving seemingly unlimited funds, courtesy of the taxpayer, is failing so badly compared to the other ski areas who have to survive on their own initiative, work ethics and the goodwill of their loyal, paying customers.
Graham Garfoot
Jarrow.
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No evidence fish farms are culprit
Strathy columnist Charlie Whelan says that if he met the King, he would tell him what the Atlantic Salmon Trust (AST) say about open cage farms.
This is that wild salmon can suffer due to a combination of harm from sea lice associated with salmon farms and interbreeding with farm escapees.
Sadly, the AST seem very reticent to provide any evidence to support their claims.
I wrote to the AST Research Director in June 2023 to explain why they were mistaken and was told that she was very busy and would reply in two to three weeks. It is now February 2025, and I am still waiting for that reply. By coincidence I bumped into her at the end of January, and she said she is still too busy.
The fact is that neither Charlie Whelan nor the AST can demonstrate salmon farming is actually responsible for the decline in wild salmon stocks.
Salmon farming is just a convenient scapegoat.
There is plenty of evidence to show salmon farming is not to blame.
The graph (bottom left), using Scottish Government data, shows the decline of wild salmon from the west coast, where there are salmon farms and the east coast where there are none.
The decline is almost parallel. Perhaps Charlie Whelan can explain how salmon farming can be blamed as the AST seem unwilling to do so.
To be clear, I am not blaming anglers such as Mr Whelan for the declines because the real problem is out at sea.
However, since 1952 when records began, anglers have caught and killed around six million adult breeding wild salmon and sea trout and now they wonder why there are so few left.
Certainly, killing so many fish has not helped stem the decline. If Mr Whelan wants to know why wild salmon are now so threatened, I would be more than happy to discuss the issues with him and show him much more evidence as to why blaming salmon farming is simply deflecting attention away from addressing the real reasons for the current crisis,
Dr Martin Jaffa
Callander McDowell
London.
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The aim was high with the Cairngorm funicular
Re the funicular decision on why steel was not used for the viaduct, you ask ‘ but if anyone has a definitive answer I'd be keen to hear’ (Strathy, The Briefing).
What I remember is that blaming the funicular choice on environmental activists is untrue.
None that I can recall claimed that the funicular would be greener than a replacement chair lift. It would have been nonsense.
The vibes I remember are that it would hoist Cairngorm up the world of skiing, make it a bigger resort.
And then what we got were two cramped little railcars neither fast nor comfy and travelling over the ruins of one of the country’s half-dozen best runs.
And I remember working on an overseas student programme in the 1960s and we took them all to Cairngorm in the summer and everyone went happily up the chair. The funicular was a disaster from the start.
Mike Merchant
Email address supplied.
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Some hot air contained in poem on heat pumps
I read with some interest thepoem from Barbie Miller printed on February 6 and feel I have to repond to some points made, though some may have been made for poetic effect.
“Reducing global warming for a while". I cannot accept for a while as I presume their continued use is envisaged .
"Your home must be super insulated with big pipes beneath your feet”. Radiators can be used rather that pipes, which are between 10 and 16 millimeters wide. Hardly big.
The issue of insulation is very important and why governments advocate high standards of such.
Surely good insulation makes sense as there is no point in being able to produce 10 kilowatts then firing nine through the walls and ceiling.
Also, having excellent insulation means that the existing radiators can be used. I know because I did.
As to installation costs, there are Scottish Government loans and grants available which can be utilised.
There are systems which require very little inside cupboard space.
As for running costs, their fuel in most cases is the air around your house compressed to a very high degree.
Remember the old bicycle pump which got hot at the brass valve at the bottom of the pump to get an idea of the principle. Thank you Scottish Lord Kelvin for the theory.
An air source heat pump can reach an efficiency of 400% to 500% whereas very efficient oil or gas boiler may attain 95 to 98%
Heat pumps’ exhaust is air. Oil and gas boilers exhaust is not good for the planet or your neighbours.
Noise, I used a decibel meter to check my heat pump and found it was three decibels below my neighbour's oil boiler. This may not sound much but decibels are an algebraic progression not arithmetic.
Heat pumps may struggle to cope in severe cold, the lowest temp which my system experienced was minus 23C and coped,
Yes it was working hard but I would have used more oil as well had I retained my previous system
One aspect that the poem did not mention is that if you ally your heat pump with solar panels, again available with Scottish Governent loans and grants the panels can produce enough electricity to run the heat pump without importing from The Grid for a fair number of days.
During long sunny days the heat pump will be used for hot water rather than space heating.
My experience with my heat pump has been very wallet friendly for well over a decade
M Ross
Aviemore.
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More ambition is needed to tackle affordable housing crisis
The recent revelations regarding the severe housing emergency faced by several Scottish councils serve as a stark reminder of pressing issues that require immediate attention.
The financial struggles of councils in regions such as the Highlands, Islands, Argyll and Bute, Glasgow, and Edinburgh highlight failures in policy implementation that cannot be ignored.
The lack of affordable housing, combined with the challenges of rural infrastructure and declining local services, has left many residents facing uncertainty.
The excessive spending on temporary accommodations does little to resolve the underlying issue of housing shortages.
Instead, a more ambitious approach is needed—one that encourages sustainable housing developments, repurposes existing properties, and ensures that local authorities have the resources and autonomy to meet their communities' needs.
Scotland’s councils, particularly those in rural and island areas, must be empowered with the flexibility to implement housing policies that reflect the unique challenges they face.
Removing unnecessary bureaucracy and ensuring direct investment in housing solutions will create a stronger, more sustainable future for these communities.
It is crucial that we approach this housing crisis with confidence and actionable strategies rather than doubts and delays.
Let us rally together to strongly support our local councils as they navigate this crisis, ensuring that safe, stable, and affordable housing becomes a reality for all in Scotland—particularly in the Highlands and Islands, where the need is greatest.
Alastair Majury
Dunblane.
