Today, the Scottish Government approved the Bhlaraidh Wind Farm. It's another very large wind farm smack in the middle of Challenge territory. It's location is just to the south of the Balmacaan Forest and to the north of the Levishie Forest. There will be 32 turbines, nearly all of which 433 feet tall. That's big.

It looks like this:


The Mountaineering Council of Scotland fought the development but the Scottish Government rammed it through anyway. Amazingly, Highland Council did not object.

You can find out more, by clicking HERE

We can now predict, with confidence, that the remaining 170 turbines will be built, (see HERE for details) along with the scoped Pumped Storage scheme, which will completely destroy this beautiful part of Scotland.

Anti-wind pressure group "Scotland Against Spin" spokesperson Linda Holt said people were contacting the organisation with "horror, disbelief and desperation" at today's consent for the Bhlaraidh wind farm. She said:

"It makes a a complete mockery of the Scottish Government's support for wild land, biodiversity and the tourist economy.

32 turbines of over 400 feet in height on ground that is up to 500m above sea level will turn iconic moor land and hills near Loch Ness into an industrial wind farm landscape and ruin the sense of wild, open space for tens of miles.

Every day brings more evidence of how unworkable an energy policy weighted towards wind is; every day brings more popular opposition. Yet the Scottish Government does little to protect its people and country from the wind industry's insatiable pursuit of land and subsidy.

Our skies are being stolen by foreign profiteers who deliver next-to-no permanent employment or lasting economic benefit for Scotland, and all for an electricity supply that we cannot rely on and cannot afford.

Large wind farm consents like this one are undemocratic, untransparent and unaccountable. The Scottish Government hides its reckless, party-political pandering to the wind industry behind legislation (the Electricity Act of 1989) that was designed to allow a few major power stations essential for the national interest to bypass the ordinary planning process. It was never envisaged as a green card for hundreds of wind farms.

As this decision shows, the Government's wind policy is a licence for environmental vandalism on a national scale. For a supposedly green and nationalist party, it beggars belief."

This is not really the place for politics, but what the SNP are doing to their country is a disgrace, and will I suspect in years to come stand alongside the Clearances riding roughshod over the population.

But that is just my opinion.

I am increasing drawn away from Scotland. A pity, because it used to be a wild and beautiful place, but it is destined to be an industrialised wilderness.

A wild beauty my grand children will never really have the opportunity to see or appreciate.

Some will disagree.
That is their perogative.

I think Visit Scotland consider them a tourist attraction. Deluded or what? Probably WHAT!

Thats very sad.
THe sight of those turbine is one thing, but you need to add all those roads and electrical lines :(

On Bhlaraidh, Energy & Tourism Minister, Fergus Ewing, said

“The Scottish Government wants to see the right developments in the right places, and Scottish planning policy is clear that the design and location of any wind farm should reflect the scale and character of the landscape, as well as being considered environmentally acceptable.”

So, the Scottish Government clearly believes that land with the wild qualities of the Balmacaan are up for grabs.

"A former member of the Lomond Mountain Rescue Team, Mr Ewing has climbed around two thirds of Scotland's Munroes."
LINK

If folk like this believe that industrialising Scottish wild land is a good idea, there's absolutely no hope left of retaining a scrap of it.

i,ve said it before and i,ll say it again with my dying breath . these wind farms are nothing more than a cash cow for the energy companies and a rape of our wild landscapes which are fast disappearing .

Deeply depressing

This is a grievious loss. I have a particular affection for the Balmacaan - I've crossed the area on two Challenges, and have also visited many times outwith the event. On one occasion I spent a full day micro-navigating in minimal visibility - the simple joy of threading one's way through endless delights in a pristine environment. And once in late September on a day of mighty clear skies.

Until very recently the lands that we know and love were defined as "horrid wildernesses" And this, alas, is still the viewpoint of the vast majority.

I recognise Andrew's point that this forum is not the place for politics - and I would also posit that the overwhelming majority of opinion-makers and industrialists are entirely urban-based. With the exception of the John Muir Trust and the SMC, who have integrity and courage, we are up against an unholy grouping of right-wing landowners, naive soi-disant Fiends Of The Earth and (#shudders) accountants.

Lawyers amongst us will recall that the free access rights that are now are embedded in Scots legislation exempt access to construction sites.

I can understand this - frankly I'm not minded to wander around the new office park that's being put together down the road from me in Coldstream.

But I certainly take grave objection if, for example, a significant portion of The Umentionable Mountains or the Balmacaan are declared construction sites, and that I'm de facto denied access.

And this is the rub, que no? Not only is our landscape being vilified, but there is legislation in place that can deny us access even as the outrage is perpetrated.

Just to depress you further, it looks increasingly likely that the Nathro Hill wind farm (which is not on Nathro Hill at all but on the high ridge from Hill of Garbet to Peat Hill, between Glen Clova and Glen Lethnot) is about to be approved by the Scottish Government.


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The Mountaineering Council of Scotland, The John Muir Trust and Scottish Natural Heritage have all objected to this development of 17 turbines, each 440 feet high, strung along the ridge line for four miles.

These objections can be found
HERE, HERE, and HERE

But fingers in ears La La La Salmond, Ewing and the rest of the mad bunch are not listening.
Driving headlong into a legacy of destruction, devastation, and economic madness.
Luckily, I am English.
OK, maybe that is not so lucky either.

I've written up a comprehensive appraisal of the wind farm and hydro scheme situation in the Monadhliath Mountains and to the west of the Great Glen. It's not pretty, but you can be absolutely sure that it's coming our way.

You can find these maps by clicking

HERE