Signposting

In May 1885 the ScotWays Board approved the installation of the first ScotWays signposts in Roslin Glen near Edinburgh. They were quickly followed by others in the Pentland Hills south of Edinburgh and the Mounth and Cairngorm Passes. These signs, possibly the first rights of way signs in the UK, were the start of one of the main activities for which ScotWays is known, and our fingerposts of white letters on a green background have been marking the start of mini adventures across Scotland ever since.

Rights of way are classed in law as roads, which means our signposts need to follow the same design standards as road signs. Distances are shown in miles, occasionally miles and kilometres, with bilingual signs in English and Gaelic in the north and west.

Our signs don’t just give directions.  Some remind people that a route is a right of way whilst others tell the history and heritage of a path.

Today there are over 4,000 of our signs distributed throughout Scotland. We’re always interested to hear about the condition of our signposts, so if you see one why not carry out a quick survey of it and send us the results?

Repair a Sign

With the passage of time, and as the Scottish weather takes its toll, some of our signs need repair or replacement. Can you help by covering the cost of repairing a sign? You can even opt for a dedication plate to be installed on the repaired signpost, acknowledging your contribution, perhaps in memory of a loved one or to commemorate a special event. Find out more and see the signs you can help to repair.

Seen a sign in poor condition?

We welcome reports about ScotWays signs that are in poor condition. While you are at the sign, please record the exact location, ideally using a smartphone app, and take 2-4 good, clear photos that together show the following:

• What the problem is.
• Exactly where the sign is positioned in relation to its surroundings.
• The face of the sign, so we can see what it says and the condition of the lettering.
• Our organisation’s name, usually “Scottish Rights of Way Society, “Scottish Rights of Way and Access Society” or “ScotWays”. This might be on the face, rear or pole.
• How the sign is attached.

Send us an email to surveys@scotways.com, including the location in any format, a description of the problem and don’t forget to attach your photos!

If the sign doesn’t have our name on it, then it probably isn’t ours – in that case, please send your report to the local access authority.

If you’d like to survey signposts in a systematic way, or help us to repair them, why not volunteer?