Cairngorms Recreated In Video Game Minecraft

Cairngorms recreated in video game Minecraft

26 February 2021

To help young people learn how to manage a national park, the Cairngorms landscape has been recreated in Minecraft.

The virtual world, where players can build anything with blocks, covers 1,700 square miles (4,402 square km) of park, which also includes parts from Highland, Moray Aberdeenshire, Perthshire, and Perthshire.

The settlements were removed and Cairngorms Youth Team members are being asked for help in building new communities.

It is designed to get them thinking about how planning decisions are taken.

But it is fair to say that the team are not taking it totally seriously.

Minecraft creates remote islands

Campbell, aged sixteen from Aviemore, says he has been building a hill fort on the top of Cairn Morm, one the UK's tallest mountain peaks.

He said, "It doesn’t get temperature across very well, but it gets landscape.

"We've seen the corries and been up the Cairngorms. MINECRAFT The Lairig Ghru's quite recognisable.

It's as realistic and accurate as possible. The different types and locations of trees can help you determine where you are located, as well as whether or not there are any trees.

Ellie Moore, a fellow player, stated that: "While building things and farming there's this constant barrage monsters and enemies out at night."

"So, it's been quite difficult to venture out in the world because your constant struggle to survive, but I'd still say that where we've been sofar has been fairly accurate."

Dan Harris was able to complete the park's restoration in his spare hours.

During the day he's planning manager for the Cairngorms National Park Authority.

He said, "They're basically placed on the map at Aviemore. They've been asked create a community that meets all the requirements of the national parks.

"They need to think about how they can protect and enhance the natural world and how they can sustainably use resources."