Estate says Glen Lyon Munros stay open during stalking season

A Perthshire stalking estate has said its walking routes will stay open this autumn and has removed the signage that started a national Glen Lyon stalking access row. North Chesthill Estate confirmed the position to STV News on 14 August, two days after Ramblers Scotland launched a petition against what it called a two-month closure of four Munros.

What has North Chesthill Estate said?

The estate told STV News that “all walking routes will be open, but stalking will still be taking place” during the deer management programme it begins on 1 September, and said the signs photographed by the charity were out of date.

“The signage referred to is historic and has not been used by the estate for some time,” an estate spokesman said. “It was previously displayed during deer-stalking periods as part of efforts to manage deer numbers in line with Scottish Government policy.” The estate said Ramblers Scotland had shared “misleading and inaccurate” information, and confirmed the signage had been taken down.

The estate makes its case at length on its own website. Repeated disturbance, it says, is driving deer off the ground and de-hefting its stocks, leaving it without the conditions it needs to meet cull targets or deliver days for guests. “The Estate Hill is our workspace,” the site reads. “This space is our business premises and is core to our survival.”

Why is Ramblers Scotland pressing on with its petition?

The charity says taking the signs down is not the same as a commitment, and wants the position in writing. Its petition, launched on 12 August, covers Càrn Gorm, Meall Garbh, Càrn Mairg and Creag Mhòr, the four Munros behind Invervar.

“We’d appreciate a statement from North Chesthill Estate assuring us, the public and the authorities that walkers will be welcomed this September and October,” a Ramblers Scotland spokesman said. “This statement could make it clear that the estate will need to request the public avoid specific places, at the precise times when stalking is actually taking place. These requests should include alternative suggested routes through the estate to the iconic Munros, in line with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.”

The charity points out that the estate’s website still asks people to avoid the hills from September to the end of October, including Sundays. Perth and Kinross Council, the access authority, has said a blanket closure would not be lawful.

What does the access code ask of a stalking estate?

Statutory access rights come from Part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003: section 1 creates the right, section 2 requires it to be exercised responsibly, and section 3 places a reciprocal duty on every owner to manage the land responsibly as respects those rights.

The Scottish Outdoor Access Code, issued by NatureScot under the same Act, sets out what that means on a stalking day. Managers are asked to be aware of where people are likely to walk and to tell them where stalking is taking place, through signs or the Heading for the Scottish Hills service, giving on-the-day information and alternative routes. Walkers are asked to find out where stalking is happening and to heed that advice.

The distinction matters to every stalking estate in Scotland: day-by-day information about specific ground is what the code asks for, and a standing request to stay off a whole hill range for two months is a different proposition.

When is deer stalking taking place in Scotland?

There is no longer a statutory close season for male deer in Scotland. It was removed by the Deer (Close Seasons) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2023 with effect from 21 October 2023, and Heading for the Scottish Hills now carries stalking information all year round as a result. Most stag stalking is still done between July and 20 October by custom.

Female deer keep their close season: the open season for red hinds runs from 21 October to 15 February, with a NatureScot out-of-season authorisation required outside it.

What happens next

North Chesthill begins its programme on 1 September and says it will stalk seven days a week over a short period. Ramblers Scotland will continue its petition and has written to Perth and Kinross Council. Walkers should check Heading for the Scottish Hills for day-by-day information, and stalkers on comparable ground can expect the code’s expectations on signage and alternative routes to be tested here first.