I filmed recently with the Chairman of the John Muir Trust, John Hutchison. We chatted as we hiked the Allt a' Mhuillin track towards the CIC hut on Ben Nevis.Tomorrow they launch their Wild Land and Wild Places campaign in Edinburgh. The aim is to give greater protection to 'wild land'.
Obviously, a definition is needed, and that's what they've produced, along with a map of the UK's wild areas.
I'm delighted to see we live in one of the wildest areas, and long may it stay that way.
John also dropped in an intersting 'fact', taken from a publication by Scottish Natural Heritage and repeated on the JMT campaign page. "the amount of land in Scotland unaffected by visual intrusion from built development was cut from 41% to 31% between 2002 and 2008".
Again definitions are needed, and I'm less clear on this.
Does it mean wind turbines, phone masts, roads and fences? Or is it a more subtle classification? John thought the figures came from this (download) SNH report, but I can't find them.
Perhaps we'll learn more tomorrow? [Edit: Link to the JMT Publication]