POPULAR Puck’s Glen walking trail will remain closed unless it secures a financial lifeline.
The glen was shut down in the wake of Storm Éowyn in January last year. It failed to reopen for the 2025 tourist season, and now its main protagonist, Dunoon councillor William Sinclair, has revealed to this newspaper it will not reopen unless there is a major financial investment.
He said the council and Forestry and Land Scotland cannot afford to do it, so funding has to be found from another source.
Even if we do find funding, if it reopens, it will never be the same again, he admitted.
The capital expenditure required to render it safe is huge and, on top of that, maintenance costs would appear to make it prohibitive to manage.
Councillor Sinclair said: I will continue to fight.
There has been uncertainty about the future of the vital tourist attraction for more than a year.
Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is responsible for its management. It said there was extensive damage caused by the storm and subsequent heavy rainfall.
William Sinclair said: It is a bit like the Rest and Be Thankful in there. It is very unstable, the ground is failing, and the trees are extremely mature, beyond their lifetime really.
Cllr Sinclair has been a purposeful voice pushing for a reopening and a return of Puck’s Glen, but he admits a tremendous job would be necessary to cut back the trees.
That would affect the canopy that we all know and love and cause potential harm to the characteristic lichen and moss in the glen.
I am hopeful we can find a financial package to help rescue Puck’s Glen, but I’m aware of the constraints on public funds and then trying to secure its allocation.
He is calling on fellow councillors, council officers, FLS and others to think about where there may be potential funding lifelines.
Cllr Sinclair has already identified what may help to save Puck’s Glen in some form: the visitor levy, or what is often referred to as the tourist tax.
Argyll and Bute Council has decided to pause its possible introduction of a visitor levy.
It is one of a number of Scottish local authorities considering introducing such a scheme to raise funds to support and sustain local services and infrastructure for the visitor economy and residents.
William Sinclair said: There are many conversations to be had about this scheme, but if it is introduced and spend is being allocated, then Puck’s Glen is what you could call shovel-ready for real support.
Puck’s Glen is really important for Dunoon and Cowal.
Gill Walker, area visitor services manager for FLS central region team, told this newspaper: We understand that people are upset that this much-loved gorge has been off limits for such a long time. We share that feeling. It’s heart-breaking to see what is such a magical and beautiful place in its current condition.
The size and precarious lie of the fallen trees, the current path condition and slope stability, together with access issues, means that planning any clear-up works is going to be extremely complex and costly.
