Local Access Forum

Role of our Local Access Forum

The Forum’s main task is to advise the National Park Authority and the public on issues relating to the right of responsible access under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. They give us advice on core paths planning, rights of way, issues around the exercising of access rights, and management of outdoor access and recreation.

They can also help us with other access related work in the National Park, like signage standards or advice to recreational users.

The Forum’s Summary Terms of Reference can be found here.

Meetings

Please note that the Local Access Forum meets up to four times a year, but additional meetings and site visits may be scheduled when required.

Members of the public may submitt items for discussion at Forum meetings in the following way:

1. By written correspondence, ideally by email to the Forum 3 weeks prior to a Forum meeting.
2. Items will then be checked for appropriateness by the Convenor who will make a decision about whether the correspondence can be discussed at the next Forum meeting. The decision on the request will be communicated by email.
3. Those who submit an approved request then have an option to either speak in person for a maximum of 5 minutes at the meeting or have the issue presented by the Convenor.
4. The Convenor will co-ordinate the response and any further related questions that may be asked by Members of the speaker.

Email accessforum@lochlomond-trossachs.org.

Agendas and papers for meetings are posted on this website three days before.

Members

Don Milton (Convenor) – represents the British Horse Society, is a keen hill walker, skier and a qualified sub-aqua diver, but is still waiting to put that knowledge to use in relation to access.  He has been involved with access since the introduction of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and was an original member of the Park’s Access Forum.  Don has also served a full term as the Convenor of the National Access Forum.

Chris Smith – joined our Access Forum in 2014 and lives in Fintry. Chris loves outdoor pursuits, in particular mountain biking, sailing, mountaineering and ski touring. He chairs the Management Committee of Rothiemurchus Lodge in the Cairngorm National Park.

Dr Paul Prescott –is a retired railway director and former chair of Scottish Autism who lives in Kilmahog.  Paul is the Chair of Callander Ramblers, the largest walking club in the National Park.  He is also a Director of Callander Community Development Trust and of Callander Community Hydro.

Grant Dolier –represents Paddle Scotland, the National Sports Governing Body for canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and rafting in Scotland. He is based in the Trossachs and works as a full-time adventure sports coach, paddlesports guide, and outdoor education instructor. Most of Grant’s time is spent working within the park, exploring the lochs, rivers, and sea in various paddle crafts. Additionally, he enjoys activities on land, such as walking, biking, and climbing

Sue Riches – joined our Access Forum in 2011 as representative of Mountaineering Scotland. Sue is a keen walker, winter mountaineer, skier/ski tourer and regular National Park user. Sue is also a committee member of Paisley Hillwalking Club and a qualified Mountain leader. A strong supporter of the benefits of access for all, Sue is interested in the longer term impacts of increased access on the Park.

Falcon Frost – has been Glenfalloch Estates Gamekeeper/Deer Stalker for the past 21 years. He is responsible for managing the deer population on Glenfalloch Estate and the estates conservation interest as well as the day-to-day running and servicing of the run of the river hydro schemes on the estate and access on the estate. He loves working in the outdoors and working to enhance the estates’ biodiversity.

Andrew Clark – Raised on a family farm in the Lothians, before moving on to rural estate management including military training areas across northern England, I now work for Forestry & Land Scotland (FLS) in Visitor Services across the Central Belt and LLTNP.

Sheena Foster – is the Forth and Clyde Region Manager for NFU Scotland, she has been in the role for just over a year. Previous to that she worked for the Scottish Association of Young Farmers for over six years. She is a from a beef and sheep farm in Lanarkshire and still takes an active role in the family business.

David Fettes – LLTNP Board Member, David Fettes was elected in Ward 2 (Breadalbane and the Trossachs) in July 2022 and his term as Board Member will run until July 2026. David is a rural postman from Killin where he also sits on the local community council.

Kira Samide – is an aquatic environmental consultant who lives in Glasgow and joined the forum in 2024. She spends most of her free time gravel biking, racing triathlons, hiking, trail running, climbing and kayaking and has a strong interest in increasing people’s access to the outdoors while ensuring this is done without harming the environment.

Calum Langdale – is an Environmental Consultant for a peatland restoration consultancy, leading on landscape and nature recovery projects across Scotland. He enjoys spending his time outdoors, primarily mountain biking, gravel riding, climbing and hillwalking. He has a keen interest in outdoor access, especially the benefits that being outside can have on environmental understanding and appreciation.”

Rachel Taylor – is a keen outdoorswoman who loves walking, cycling, trail running, swimming, paddling and just generally being out in nature. She works as a volunteer for the Scottish Rights of Way and Access Society and also leads walks for the Scottish Women’s Walking Group. Rachel lives in Dumbarton.

Emma Sandhu – has a rich background in managing land where access rights are exercised. She served as a volunteer ranger and later as a seasonal ranger with the National Park, gaining valuable insights into the park’s operations. Her leadership skills were further honed as the lead ranger for the Cashel Forest Trust, where she oversaw the day-to-day management of a 3000-acre site on east Loch Lomond.

Combining her passion for nature and entrepreneurship, Emma founded Curious in Nature, a business that offers guided foraging walks and nature connection sessions. Her clientele includes community groups, charities, and international tourist organisations.