The path through the Steall Gorge will be closed. Photo: Nic Bullivant CC-BY-SA-2.0

Walkers will be unable to use a popular Highlands path while repairs are carried out.

The Steall Gorge footpath, at the base of the Ben Nevis massif, will be closed from Thursday 26 August.

The John Muir Trust, which owns the land, said the complex repairs are necessary as the path is badly damaged.

It said contractors plan to airlift in rock for the work by helicopter on the day after the closure begins.

“This will be a complex operation requiring skilled contractors to deal with the difficult terrain and logistics of repairing a path in such a wild spot,” it said.

Between 12 and 15 tonnes of rock and material will be flown directly into the gorge to be used to repair several revetments to stabilise the footpath. This work is essential to prevent further degradation and maintain public access and safety, the trust said.

Alison Austin, the John Muir Trust Nevis property manager said: “The damage to the footpath is extensive and a team of specialist contractors will be on site to rebuild a number of stone revetments which support the narrow path and maintain access to this magnificent wild spot.

“Unfortunately, this work has forced us to close the path during these repairs, but we are working flat out to make sure the work is carried out as speedily as possible. Apologies for the inconvenience the closure will cause.

“The work to restore safety on the Steall Gorge path is expected to be expensive, and comes at a time when we are embarking on other major footpath restoration projects on upper Ben Nevis.”

The section to be closed runs from the easternmost car park in Glen Nevis eastwards towards Steall waterfall, for a distance of about 1km.