Data from sports tracking app Strava have revealed cyclists and runners are using Scottish renewable energy tracks to rack up the miles.
The app, which allows subscribers to share and compare a wealth of information on their sporting activity, shows they have logged more than 13,000 miles in less than four years. They’ve also climbed and descended more than 290 miles – the equivalent of conquering Mount Everest 54 times, or 358 ascents of Ben Nevis.
The statistics only include 82 tracks at 23 Scottish wind farm and hydro developments with significant levels of activity.
Scottish Renewables senior policy manager Joss Blamire, said: “We have known for some time that people are putting renewable energy tracks to good use, but this is the first time we have been able to quantify it.
“This snapshot of how people are using the tracks around wind farms and hydro power stations is a good indicator of just how popular these routes have become. We believe many more miles have been covered not just by runners and cyclists but also walkers and horse riders too.”
The tracks are given names by users on the popular site, including “Alpe d’Cruachan”, a comparison between an infamous Tour de France stage and the gruelling 2.6 mile climb to Cruachan hydroelectric dam near Lochawe, Argyll.
Strava allows users to record their routes using GPS devices or smartphones and then compare their timings for certain sections with other competitors online.
The site, which started in 2009 in California and came to the UK around January 2012, is now thought to have more than eight million users.
The most popular route in Scottish Renewables’ study was a segment dubbed ‘Whitelee Blue & Red’ at Whitelee wind farm near Glasgow, which has been attempted 1,025 times by 351 people and takes in dedicated mountain bike trails which opened in 2014.
Some tracks have been visited by 420 outdoor athletes, while in contrast a 4.1-mile route which climbs almost 1,400ft uphill to Allt Dearg wind farm near Lochgilphead, Argyll, has been ridden by just one cyclist.