Field Notes: Fixing the Steall Gorge path

Nevis Manager Steph McKenna reports on a productive conservation day spent with our wonderful volunteers who helped us maintain the popular path through Steall Gorge.

It was brilliant to have volunteers back out helping us at Nevis last weekend. We’d originally planned to spend the day on Ben Nevis path maintenance, however strong winds and showers prevented us for going up the hill.

Thankfully, our amazing group of volunteers were still keen to get stuck in and spent the day carrying out essential maintenance tasks on the Steall Gorge path.

The seven volunteers split into small groups to complete a range of tasks: clearing drains and ditches, replacing chicken wire, pruning trees and revegetating trampled areas and litter picking.

Thanks to their incredible efforts, all the cross drains on the path have been cleared, many of the ditches re-dug, two bags of litter were collected and foliage that forced people of the path has been cut back. A massive thank you to all the volunteers who joined. You’ve made such a positive difference to the path and helped us protect this special wild place.

Volunteering is such a vital part of what we do as it enables us to complete essential work and gives volunteers the opportunity to learn new skills, learn about Nevis and be a part of its stewardship. More than that, volunteering engages visitors with our charitable purpose and promotes us as responsible landowners.

Many members of the public stopped to thank us for our hard work and ask about the Trust. It was a really positive experience for all. It was especially nice to listen in to visitors chatting as we worked. I overheard many expressing awe at the landscape or noting that it was the John Muir Trust who cared for it. The positive effects rippled as visitors told me they had spoken to messy campers and asked them to put out their fire.

• Sign up for one of our 2026 Nevis conservation days.
• Find out more about our work at Nevis.