People Counters prove footpaths are popular.

7th February 2020, by Anne

Grant funding from Paths for All counts us all in and out!

With grant funding assistance from “Paths for All”, Helensburgh & District Access Trust trustees have recently installed people counters at two locations on the path network. Every time you walk, run or cycle past one of the counters you’ll be logged. This is important as the Trust needs hard evidence to prove actual use of paths when it applies for funding support to keep the paths in good condition.

Since the counters were installed in early December the readings to date show that approximately 10,660 people have passed the counters on the “Upland Way” path between The Hill House and Rhu – that means about 60,000 users of the route in a year! Dogs (unless they are very tall!) don’t trigger the counter.

The Trust is entirely run by about 8 local volunteers and is the group in the area that attempts to keep the paths in reasonable shape. We are also responsible for the creation and maintenance of the Three Lochs Way Long Distance Route which is one of Scotland’s “Great Trails”. Since the start of the new year, we can report healthy sales of the Three Lochs Way guidebook to people outside our local area, so be prepared to welcome these folk when you meet them on our paths. Based on the readings for December and January, an estimate for walkers on this longer distance route numbers about 3,500 per annum.