The president of Ramblers Scotland is calling on Scottish Government ministers to reject the proposed Beauly-Denny power line.
Dennis Canavan called for an alternative means of transporting electricity between Scotland and England.
He said a new approach was needed to provide better value for money and a more effective grid transmission system for future renewable energy development.
Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission, a subsidiary of Scottish and Southern Energy, is behind the plans to upgrade the line from Beauly, west of Inverness, to Denny, west of Falkirk.
It says the work is essential to connect any future green energy generated from wind and tidal power in the north of Scotland to the national grid.
A public inquiry report was handed to government ministers on February 18.
Speaking in advance of this weekend’s annual conference of Ramblers Scotland at Pitlochry, former MSP Mr Canavan said the proposed power line was yesterday’s solution to tomorrow’s challenge.
He said: “Electricity transmission in modern Scotland must show much more regard for the protection of our wild and beautiful landscapes and the needs of the public, not the financial benefits flowing to the directors and shareholders of the energy companies.”
Mr Canavan called on the public to ask their MSPs to do everything possible to stop the proposed power line.
He added: “Over 17,000 people wrote or e-mailed their objections to this power line.
“The results of the subsequent public inquiry are now before Scottish ministers and a decision will be made in 2009.
“Now is the time for our MSPs to get the message – if they want to show the public, by the time of the next elections to the Scottish Parliament in 2011, that protection of the environment goes hand in hand with a modern grid transmission system.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said the report was now the subject of detailed consideration.
“Ministers will take a decision as soon as possible. It is inappropriate to comment further while the application is being considered,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Highland pressure group has echoed national campaigners who have questioned the need for a new Beauly-Denny overhead power line when most windfarms are in southern Scotland and it is unlikely to be utilised by offshore windfarms.
Pylon Pressure, representing the Kiltarlity, Kilmorack and Beauly communities in the fierce battle against Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission’s controversial plans, yesterday endorsed the views of Scotland Before Pylons which wants the cost of the line to be reassessed.
Commenting on information he said had surfaced since the report was submitted, Pylon Pressure spokesman Ron MacLean said: “None of the huge, unavoidable cost of transmitting the power on from Denny to its market in England has entered calculations.
“The subsea links now being proposed could be extended to link the northwest coast to the south.”