Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is urging people to take extra care when visiting woodlands as prolonged winter conditions continue to affect sites across the north and east of Scotland.
Heavy snowfall, freezing temperatures and ongoing weather warnings have left many forest car parks and trails icy, even where access remains open, with FLS warning that conditions may be more hazardous than they appear.
The organisation says the scale of recent snowfall has also limited its ability to carry out full site inspections, with staff following safety guidance and unable to reach all locations as quickly as usual.
FLS Regional Visitor Services Manager Paul Hibberd said woodland walks can be tempting during snowy weather, but conditions on the ground remain unpredictable.
“We know people enjoy going for a woodland walk in the snow especially after the festive period as it can be a really refreshing experience and some of our trails and sites are stunning when blanketed in snow.
“But the snow and ice can make things pretty treacherous underfoot.
“Heavy snow can also bend and break tree branches so paths may occasionally be obstructed.
“With our staff following safety advice during this time, it has also meant we have not been able to get out to fully inspect the conditions.
“So, if you are intending to visit one of our sites that is local to you, enjoy it but please take extra care and pay attention to any safety signage that might be in place.”
Visitors are being asked to take particular care in forest car parks, which FLS says are especially prone to icing as snow becomes compacted by vehicles and foot traffic, creating hidden hazards even when nearby roads appear clear.
With temperatures expected to rise slightly next week, FLS has also warned that thawing snow and ice could lead to wet, muddy and unstable ground conditions across trails and access tracks.
The prolonged cold spell has also disrupted forestry operations, with some work suspended across the north and east, potentially affecting planned forest activity in the weeks ahead.
FLS East Region Manager Doug Harvey said the priority is ensuring safety before operations resume.
“We are advising our staff to avoid accessing severely impacted sites as vehicles in the forest will only compact the snow down leaving ice which will take longer to melt once a thaw starts.
“The freezing conditions look to continue into the weekend which will mean that it may take some time for the snow to clear.
“Clearance work is being planned and undertaken on a priority basis where it makes sense to do so to enable operations to restart when it’s safe.
“We’ll keep working as hard as we can to get things back to normal as soon as we can and we appreciate the patience and understanding being shown.”
FLS does not routinely salt forest car parks or tracks, as this can damage path surfaces, and visitors are being urged to use their own judgement when deciding whether conditions are suitable for access.
Please visit FLS webpages for local information: Destinations Search | Forestry and Land Scotland
