UKH

Hey everyone,

I am currently working on a doctoral case study that focuses on hiking and mountain bike trails in the Lochaber area, the next stage of the research is to include those who have used these trails in the Lochaber area at some point in their life. The project aims to identify how a sustainable practice could benefit recreation and conservation in areas that host hiking and mountain bike trails.

For reference incase anyone doesn't know Ben Nevis and the Glencoe Nature Reserve are within its boundaries.

To do this I have created a questionnaire that should take you no more than 10 minutes, the insights provided will be invaluable to the case study.

Here is the link: https://forms.gle/YbyXQEoiYT1duq3G6

Thanks for reading everyone!

I’m not sure if the framing of this - I think the assumption underpinning the survey is that there are formalised ‘trails’ and whilst I can’t comment for MB, this isn’t really the case for ‘hiking.’  There are some well-made paths in Lochaber but many people follow their own route, or a range of paths created by footfall not purposefully and not sure the survey really reflects that nor gives background on the definition of a trail, whether it needs to be one that’s managed or not etc? 

Yes, although I've done loads of walking both on and not on paths in the Lochaber area, I really don't know how to answer the first question asking whether I have used a "hiking trail". Two words I wouldn't ever really use myself.

Yes utterly bizarre questionnaire, assumes that there are formalised trails (whatever they are) and because they are formalised that have organisations responsible for maintaining, and that if new trails are created they are somehow regulated in terms of design and construction.

Yet as RD points out the vast majority are just made through footfall and only a fraction have had remedial path work conducted. Once conducted they generally are subject to on going maintenance.

I do hope none of my tax is supporting this PhD.

I hate to write this, but it's intended constructively. I started with good faith and had given up by the page with the misspelling of misuse. 

It's not the misspelling - that's OK, we all do it. It was a question before that that I couldn't parse as an English sentence and just took a stab. Plus what someone else called the framing.

"Do the practices of those who manage...."; "Do you think sustainability is important to the organisations that manage..." Who do you think manages ? Do you know ? OK, unfair questions, it's you doing the asking. Well, I think I know how trails in Lochaber get "managed." Some are run within commercial ventures. Some are RoW for which the landowners have obligations. Some are customary paths under Right to Roam. Some are stalker's paths. Others are... well, there are a few answers. Some organisations care deeply about sustainability, some care deeply about tax breaks, re-election and blasting grouse and Hen Harriers. But if you don't know (because you haven't asked) which of these permutations and combinations I'm assuming when I give an opinion about those organisations and their practices, then I have no confidence that your research is going to represent my opinion, value my time or generate the slightest "insight." 

Time to head back to your Supervisor and review your research design. 

Yes, that's just the opinion of some guy on the internet. Someone who's done primary research in cultural/qualitative matters, who's used a few trails around Lochaber and approached this with kindness in the way that I'd want to be approached. I plaintively suggest that if you can't draw me in to complete, well, you know....

Good luck. Hope you can produce something rigorous and constructive. 

Y