Extensive repair work on the standard path up Schiehallion from Braes of Foss will effectively put the mountain out of bounds to most walkers for several days next week.

Weather permitting, contractors are due to be working for three days - 22, 23, 24 July. A helicopter lift will bring stone to the site from elsewhere on the mountain, to be used to build steps and drainage features that have suffered from both natural and human made erosion.

For safety reasons, access to the hill will not be possible on those dates, say landowners the John Muir Trust.

Land Manager Liz Auty said:

"It is unfortunate that these repairs are coming just as lockdown eases. Our aim is to make the hill path secure for the remainder of the summer as quickly as possible and with the minimum of disruption, while also planning around reasonable weather for helicopter uplift. For a short period... walkers are advised to plan their hill visits elsewhere."

As lockdown eases, popular places like Schiehallion are seeing large numbers of visitors and the roads approaching the car park have been lined with vehicles.

The new easier-access 'Foss Loop' was also recently closed for essential repairs due to storm damage earlier in the year, and the Trust is spending more than £60,000 on path repairs on and around Schiehallion. This receives no statutory funding, and is reliant on donations from Trust members and other supporters.

If you must climb Schiehallion between 22-24 July, access via the more challenging west spur should still be possible (as per the route below), though bear in mind it's a lot tougher underfoot than the standard trail, and parking may be an issue.