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A momentous and historic event for the International Appalachian Trail / Sentier International Appalaches (IST/SIA) took place this early spring of 2009. The IAT/SIA presence and promotional activity in past years at numerous hiking, recreational and geological meetings supplemented with favorable media recognition all combined to produce a gracious invitation to IAT/SIA from Hugh Barron of the British Geological Survey (BGS) to visit Scotland and meet with Scottish government officials, geologists, recreational, trail and local managers. In order to maximize the participation, Hugh Barron extended the invitation to include participants from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Wales and the Shetlands. An IAT/SIA team was invited to explain and describe the principals, organizational structure of IAT/SIA, and geological connection of
the 380 million year old Appalachians Mountains of North America and the Caledonian Mountains of the British Isles and Ireland. The visit was scheduled for the first two weeks of June,2009.
Recognizing this invitation as a great opportunity to market and possibly extend the length of the IAT/SIA, the North American Chapters enthusiastically supported the invitation. The IAT/SIA team was made up of participants from the Maine and Newfoundland/ Labrador Chapters. Because of scheduling conflicts, the other Chapters were, unfortunately, unable to join the team and wished us well.
On May 31, 2009, the IAT/SIA team traveled to Fort William, Scotland via Edinburgh where we met, over dinner at the Ben Nevis Inn with our hosts Hugh Barron and Graham Leslie of the British Geological Survey. Socializing and plans for following days were finalized.
On the following beautiful day, the IAT/SIA team with numerous interested parties ascended to the summit of Ben Nevis, the highest peak in Scotland at 1344 meters. An animated, well attended evening meeting was held in the Highland Council Chambers of Fort William with presentations by numerous Scottish government and trail representatives, including Roseana Cunningham, Minister of Environment, Keith Hoole, Noel Williams, David Findlay, and Rob Gill of Lochaber Geopark, Michael Foxly of Highland Way, Lynda Dodd, Manager of the Great Glan Way. Chris Townsend, noted hiker, author and lecturer gave an interesting talk on the West Highland Way and the Great Glen Way. Dick Anderson, IAT/SIA Council President and Paul Wylezol Council Vice-President both gave well organized power point presentations on the organization, mission of IAT/SIA
with emphasis on the economic benefits of a British Isles/ Ireland IAT/SIA membership.
The IAT/SIA team broke into two groups, one to Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and the other, into the north and west of Scotland. Paul Wylezol, Annie Wylezol, Kevin Noseworthy, and Paulette of the IATNL Chapter and Earl Raymond of the Maine Chapter left for meetings hosted by the Geological Survey of Ireland, and the British Geological Surveys of Northern Ireland and Wales.
The Scotland IAT/SIA group, Dick Anderson, Walter Anderson, Don Hudson, Torrey Sylvester and Eric Horschak were transported by the BGS to Inverness, visiting many interesting trail sites and scenes along the West Highland Way and the Great Glen Way, Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle just outside Drumeadrochit.
We arrived in Inverness for a meeting with with Geoff Robson, Gordon Forrester, Scott Armstrong and Colin Simpson all officials of the Highland Council, West Highland Way, and Visit Scotland. Hugh Barron provided the geological background and Dick Anderson made a presentation of the genesis of the IAT/SIA. After a thorough discussion of issues and opportunities there was genuine enthusiasm for an IAT/SIA project all around.
We departed Inverness transported by Ms. Meryl Carr, Professional Tour Guide, to our reservation at the Inchnadamph Inn (“meadow of the deer” in Gaelic) with a small cottage all to ourselves. For three days we visited many points of interest and met with locals and managers of the Northwest Highlands Geopark.
We were attended by and met with Fiona Mackenzie, Director of the NW Highlands Geopark, Roger Morris of the Scottish Natural Heritage, Fiona Saywell, Geologist,
Murdo McPherson of Mountain Rescue and Donald Fisher who lead a wonderfull geological field trip on Knochan Crag which correlated Appalachian geology to the NW Highlands of Scotland. We gave an informal IAT/SIA presentation to locals at the Inn.
We returned to Inverness where we caught the train to Edinburgh. We arrived at our lodging late afternoon at the Budget Backpackers Hostel at Cowgate. We found dinner at Half-Hanged Maggie Dickson’s Pub in nearby Grassmarket. Before our scheduled presentations we engaged in typical tourist activities. Earl Raymond rejoined us from the Ireland - Northern Ireland – Wales trip.
Our first meeting was at the offices of the British Geological Survey on the campus of the University of Edinburgh. A geologist piper opened our well attended BGS staff meeting !! Graham Leslie of the BGS provided a brief overview of the geological events that connect the Appalachian and Calidonide mountains and Dick Anderson made another great presentation of the history and accomplishments of the IAT/SIA.
Our second and last Edinburgh presentation, organized by Hugh Barron of the BGS, took place at the Scottish Parliament Building and was hosted by Alasdair Morgan M.P. Hugh Barron and Dick Anderson began with an overview of the geological connections and the mission and organization of the IAT/SIA. Those in attendance were: Representative for Roseanna Cunningham, Minister of Environment, Gorden Forrester of the West Highland Way, Keith Hoole, Director of the Lochhaber Geopark, Drew McFarlane-Slack, Highland Regional Director of the Scottish Rural Property and Business Association, Bob Aitken, Loch Lomond and Trossachs NPO Board, ScotWays, Helen Todd, Ramblers Scotland, Geoff LePage, Isle of Man Govt., Helen Todd, Ramblers Scotland and John Rafferty, Consulate of Canada. Much discussion followed with a consensus that the idea of
extending the IAT/SIA to Scotland was worth pursuing. A committee, with Hugh Barron as chairman, will be formed to flesh out the idea and submit recommendations.
Meanwhile, Paul Wylezol’s IAT/SIA team met and traveled with hosts: Peardar McArdle, Director, Geological Survey of Ireland, Garth Earls and Patrick J. McKeever of the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland and Adrian Humpage, Ian Mitchell and Jeremy Davies of the British Geological Survey,Wales. For details on this part of this see: www.iatnl.ca
We ended our stay in Edinburgh with dinner with our BGS hosts at the Royal McGregor Pub on the Royal Mile. Our thanks go to Hugh Barron of the British Geological Survey and all the other people who assisted us in making this a very enjoyable and productive experience. The time, financial and energy commitment of the IAT/SIA members who participated in this historic event is also to be commended.
To summarize, this visit generated significant interest in the IAT/SIA. We had many opportunities to market our trail in the United States and Canada and our hosts showed a great deal of interest in the idea of including a long distant trail, possibly called the IAT/SIA in their mountains.
We have developed a power point presentation of our visit across the Atlantic which we plan to present at the approaching ATC Conference in Vermont, the ALDHA Gathering in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and our own AGM in Prince Edward Island. We have invited representatives from each jurisdiction we visited to attend our 2009 International AGM. Further developments will be entered on this web site as they occur.
Respectfully Submitted,
Walter Anderson
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