Exclusive:NC500: Call to clamp down on 'dirty campers' with enforcement teams and fines
Highlanders say the Scottish Outdoor Access Code needs to be updated to introduce stricter enforcement and fines.
Highlanders are calling for a clamp down on “dirty campers” on the North Coast 500 with specialist enforcement teams and fines.
Tens of thousands descend on the now-iconic 500-mile road trip around the northern Highland coast every year. However, residents say they have been faced with “violence and abuse” from a growing number of disrespectful visitors.
Robin Pettigrew, who lives in Lochcarron and is part of the ‘NC500 The Dirty Truth’ campaign group, said: “We are getting overrun in the Highlands by very unpleasant camping, with people dumping chemical waste, setting fires, going to the toilet outdoors, disrespecting the environment and chopping down trees, and parking up in small communities and blocking them off.
“Just recently we have had people in Skerray Bay and Applecross parking on the machair.
“Tourists have been chopping down ancient hawthorn trees, making it look like a moonscape.
“At Ceannabeinne Beach the rangers say there are up to 6,000 people a month camping there which is ludicrous because there are no toilets there so the back of the beach is now a sewer.
“When residents went to speak to these people, they got violence and abuse.”
He has now launched a Holyrood petition to have the Scottish Outdoor Access Code strengthened, including explicitly banning camping in a vehicle outside a designated site, and making the code legally enforceable by introducing dedicated enforcement teams and fines.
He said: “A small number of people are spoiling it for the vast majority, and we don’t want to lose the much-fought for right of reasonable access, which I totally agree with.
“But we need to have sensible discussions to find a resolution to these issues.
“A number of people say the solution is building campsites, building more waste facilities and toilets - but the problem is some people will use them but there will still be a substantial number of people who won’t and will still dump their waste.
“For example the Corrieshalloch Falls’ new visitor centre has a waste disposal facility with an advisory price of £7, yet people are still going to the car park and dumping it on the verge.
“It happens all the time because people don’t want to pay.”
Mr Pettigrew also wants Scotland to take inspiration for how “dirty” campers are dealt with in other countries such as New Zealand and Iceland.
Claire Winskill, executive chair at NC500 Ltd, said: “Scotland is an extraordinary place for visitors, and our aim at NC500 Ltd is to help ensure tourism continues to thrive while protecting the communities and landscapes that make the region so special.
“We know that responsible camping, waste disposal and pressure on local infrastructure are major issues for communities.
“These challenges extend well beyond the NC500, and we support efforts to keep national guidance effective and up-to-date where needed.”
She said they are focused on “positive, practical solutions” and said a recent study by BiGGAR Economics highlighted that improved infrastructure and working with local communities was a key priority.
Ms Winskill added: “While many of these issues require action at a national and local government level, we are encouraging positive action through our visitor pledge, asking visitors to leave no trace, and by working closely with communities and stakeholders on the priorities identified through the impact study.”
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