Glencoe property manager Scott McCombie, fourth from left, receives the cheque from HF Holidays chairman Brian Tilley, with NTS and HF Holidays staff

A walking-holiday organisation has handed over more than £4,000 to help the upkeep of paths in one of the Highland’s most popular mountain areas.

HF Holidays made the donation to the National Trust for Scotland to use in maintaining Glencoe’s footpaths.

The conservation charity owns and cares for some of the area’s best known peaks, including Buachaille Etive Mòr and the donation of more than £4,300 from the co-operative society that organises holidays across the country, including Glencoe, will help the upkeep of the paths across Scotland which annually cost £300,000.

Representatives of HF Holidays’ Pathways Fund handed over a cheque during a visit to the National Trust for Scotland’s Glencoe Visitor Centre. HF Holidays makes regular use of the path systems around Glencoe on its walking holidays which it operates from Alltshellach, North Ballachulish, a country house owned by the society since 1929.

Glencoe property manager Scott McCombie said: “Ongoing path maintenance is vital in protecting the delicate mountain environment for which Glencoe is famous.

“Good paths prevent erosion and protect alpine plants from the impact of walkers. Without the generous support of HF Holidays and many other kind donors, we would be unable to keep Glencoe and our other mountainous properties across Scotland in the condition that we can.”

The trust’s Sole Trading Appeal raised over £152,000 in 2010 for the conservation of Scotland’s mountains.

The conservation charity manages almost 645km (400 miles) of paths on some of Scotland’s mountain ranges, including Kintail, Torridon, Arran and Ben Lawers.