Countryside access on the agenda at Kirkwall event

Access to the countryside will be under discussion at a conference in Orkney later this month.

Fifteen years after the historic Land Reform Act was passed by the Scottish Parliament, Orkney Local Access Forum will be considering the impact locally both now and in the years ahead.

Councillor Steve Sankey, who chairs the forum, said: “We’re excited about this conference for a variety of reasons.

“A decade and a half since legislation was changed to give people rights of responsible access to the countryside, we thought a gathering was a good idea for us all in Orkney to assess progress and to look ahead.

“We’ve visiting speakers from south, such as David Henderson-Howat, the convenor of the National Access Forum, and our own Lord Jim Wallace who played a key role in the progression of this important piece of legislation through the Scottish Parliament.

“To bring things bang up-to-date, there will be important sessions on the world-leading £7 million Orkney Native Wildlife Project.

“We’ll also look at the recent review by Orkney Islands Council of the county’s Core Path network. It should be a very interesting day, and I’d encourage anyone with an interest in access and land management to come along.”

The conference takes place on Friday, November 30, at the St Magnus Centre in Kirkwall.

To book a place contact Orkney Local Access Forum secretary Barbara Scollay by email b.scollay@gmail.com or by phone 761691 (evenings and weekend).