Glencoe, one of the areas to benefit from the Sole Trading appeal

Generous souls helped foot the bill for maintaining some of Scotland’s most important upland paths by donating a mountain of cash to a conservation charity.

The National Trust for Scotland has passed its target for funds raised by its Sole Trading appeal, which helps look after mountain paths on its properties which include Ben Lomond, Ben Lawers, land in Glencoe, Kintail, on Arran and on the Mar Lodge Estate.

In 2010 the fund topped £140,000, delighting bosses at the charity, which looks after 46 of Scotland’s 283 munros, and 634km (394 miles) of paths, many at an altitude of 760m (2,500ft) or more.

Direct marketing manager Amy Gunn said: “Thanks to generous donations from companies, charitable foundations and individuals, not only did we reach our target for 2010, we’ve exceeded it. This will help us to continue to protect some of the most spectacular landscapes under our care.

“By repairing paths worn away by extreme weather and thousands of footsteps, we can prevent the disastrous effects of erosion on our hillsides. Creating subtle paths that blend in with the landscape means we can keep these areas naturally beautiful and accessible for everyone.”

The National Trust for Scotland owns and manages 76,000ha (187,800 acres) of some of Scotland’s finest sites for wildlife, containing over 10,000 species.

It employs 45 countryside rangers and supports hundreds of volunteers every year to carry out conservation and educational work in Scotland’s communities and schools.