Author Topic: Anger amid rise in 'dirty camping' in rural Scotland  (Read 1443 times)

alan de enfield

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Abandoned campsites strewn with litter and even human waste have increasingly been found this year in Scotland's rural areas, say outdoors groups.


Locations include beauty spots in the Highlands and hillsides and woodland in the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh


Hillwalkers and climbers group Mountaineering Scotland has dubbed the behaviour "dirty camping".


It said the sites were usually close to a road and unlike wild camping, which involves leaving little or no trace.




https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-49406333


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-49177918
« Last Edit: 08:18:43, 21/08/19 by alan de enfield »

vizzavona

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Re: Anger amid rise in 'dirty camping' in rural Scotland
« Reply #1 on: 09:15:15, 21/08/19 »
Totally sad and depressing....we have, even before any of the freedom to roam days, come across and taken away left behind rubbish left behind by folks at our usual stopping for a rest  places when heading out North....river banks, loch-sides and some pull off the road stops.
This as shown in the images a whole different crazy way to treat the countryside. I have seen on the news reports from 'events' where tents are left behind after use but this madness is, now it seems, appears to be taken into the hill areas.
An overpromoted part of Skye within walking distance of the Cuillin has become severely trashed by huge numbers  folks arriving there perhaps having come across the location in Sunday magazines. Additionally some of the same folks have also read about the magnificent sanctuary of Loch Coruisk, probably using the boat access from Elgol, then ask the question how can I connect the two areas by 'nipping' over the Cuillin Ridge.

barewirewalker

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Re: Anger amid rise in 'dirty camping' in rural Scotland
« Reply #2 on: 09:23:03, 21/08/19 »
Is this a walking issue?
Abuse of access? I think the article holds both the cause and cure within it's own text without knowing that the answer lies within the problem.

Quote
Ness Fishery Board said the rubbish-filled site it found represented an abuse of access rights enjoyed in Scotland.
This is just the sort of statistic the occupiers of our countryside will grab to find arguments to limit access.
So really is it anything to do with walking or is it due to lack of surveillance by those responsible for land management and finding the real cure.
Quote
Mountaineering Scotland has called for greater enforcement of legislation to tackle the problem.
come on be a bit more imaginative, your membership has eyes and ears all over that area, what the occupiers of the countryside have not provided is the means by which information can be channeled back to the right source to take immediate and effective action.

It boils down to the age old notion landowners have, they believe anyone other than themselves are a potential wrong doer.


Do I have to spell out, how they could go about it. I tried to when I was on a Great Outdoors Liaison Group, fat lot of good that did!
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

Slogger

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Re: Anger amid rise in 'dirty camping' in rural Scotland
« Reply #3 on: 19:41:09, 21/08/19 »
Ive seen this in the White Peak at the entrance to caves and in the Lake District low down and close to a village. I don't for a minute associatte this with walkers and backpackers, I think it is homeless people and travellers (on foot) that stay a short time even just overnight before moving on. Of course there are the casual car campers who don't have the same mindset as the rest of us.

Dread

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Re: Anger amid rise in 'dirty camping' in rural Scotland
« Reply #4 on: 20:32:29, 21/08/19 »
For an increasing number of young people their first camping experience is at a festival and I wonder if part of the issue is caused by the festival attitude. Camping for many now means turn up, party then leave the mess for someone else to deal with.

Jac

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Re: Anger amid rise in 'dirty camping' in rural Scotland
« Reply #5 on: 09:55:13, 22/08/19 »
My sister, who lives in the Highlands near the Bealach na Ba to Applecross, commented that this year has been particularly bad. On a small flat area often used by campervans/motorhomes at the bottom of their track and someone had even emptied a chemical toilet on the ground. She attributes general increase to the much advertised Scottish 500 road route.
So many paths yet to walk, so little time left

richardh1905

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Re: Anger amid rise in 'dirty camping' in rural Scotland
« Reply #6 on: 10:51:19, 25/08/19 »
Sadly these pigs have even reached Orkney - someone abandoned a dirty sodden duvet after 'wild' camping down at our local beach.

I would say shame on them, but they have no shame.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

richardh1905

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Re: Anger amid rise in 'dirty camping' in rural Scotland
« Reply #7 on: 10:53:51, 25/08/19 »
Ive seen this in the White Peak at the entrance to caves and in the Lake District low down and close to a village. I don't for a minute associatte this with walkers and backpackers, I think it is homeless people and travellers (on foot) that stay a short time even just overnight before moving on. Of course there are the casual car campers who don't have the same mindset as the rest of us.

Not fair to make the homeless scapegoats - it is the casual car campers that are to blame in the vast majority of cases.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

richardh1905

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Re: Anger amid rise in 'dirty camping' in rural Scotland
« Reply #8 on: 10:54:53, 25/08/19 »
Is this a walking issue?

No, in that walkers are not responsible in the vast majority of cases. But it will have an impact upon access, none the less.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

gunwharfman

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Re: Anger amid rise in 'dirty camping' in rural Scotland
« Reply #9 on: 11:47:49, 25/08/19 »
I come across rubbish all of the time, it makes me annoyed as well but looking on the positive side, rubbish, even lots of it, can be cleared up, if there is a will to do it. Focussing on the rubbish creators will not solve the problem, unfortunately. Even when I camped at Tarr Steps a few days ago someone had left their sodden towel at the water's edge, plus three used wet wipes. I just picked them up and put them in the nearby bin.

At one time and not so long ago, supervised prisoners used to be sent out to clear up these areas. I used to see them regularly a few years ago in my area and they performed a great public service. No longer though! Rubbish, cans, packaging, fly tipping and so on are all over the place. I blame the Tories myself, they have let everything that we value go to the dogs!  >:(

Mind you if we were talking about buildings and permanent structures that blot the landscape then that is a far greater problem to solve, or couldn't be solved at all.

barewirewalker

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Re: Anger amid rise in 'dirty camping' in rural Scotland
« Reply #10 on: 13:01:40, 25/08/19 »
I blame the Tories myself, they have let everything that we value go to the dogs!  >:(


Come GWM, bit of a sad generalization. Were you out in the countryside in Harold Wilson's administration? Full 3 piece suits heaved over field gates and stolen cars dumped in running ditches and the police saying we would have to leave them for weeks, as no one had any authority to move them.

British Rail so corrupt that the warehouse men would actually sit on a packing cases with emergency spare parts, playing cards with excess man power inviting a bribe so that someone might get up and look for it. (and my combine harvester standing idle in fine harvesting weather) I think it was around that time I translated DFS as Damp Floating Sofas.

Teachers Unions threatening strike action over foreign policy and refusing to do physical education that would be competitive.
Not sure if that did not give rise to the selling off of playing fields, certainly was the start of the fall off of discipline that is a root cause for the problem we are talking about, and now burdening our teachers in pulling back the need for 'citizenship' in school time because their parents have lost that notion.




« Last Edit: 13:04:48, 25/08/19 by barewirewalker »
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

Bigfoot_Mike

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Re: Anger amid rise in 'dirty camping' in rural Scotland
« Reply #11 on: 13:21:09, 25/08/19 »
Let’s not descend into talking politics on a walking forum.


Definition of politics:


Poly (from Greek) = many
Tics = blood sucking creatures

gunwharfman

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Re: Anger amid rise in 'dirty camping' in rural Scotland
« Reply #12 on: 13:28:00, 25/08/19 »
Whoops, thought I'd try being funny. Failed!

barewirewalker

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Re: Anger amid rise in 'dirty camping' in rural Scotland
« Reply #13 on: 13:46:28, 25/08/19 »
No, in that walkers are not responsible in the vast majority of cases. But it will have an impact upon access, none the less.
But unfortunately the Scottish Mountaineering pressure group responded in an all to predictable way without recognizing a practical and positive way forwards.
Modern land management should be aware of the position their holdings have in the countryside at large. Therefore they should aware of vulnerable locations, as they should also be aware of locations that might be of value to the community around. Why are investors attracted to land, it holds it's value long term and is a tool to avoid inheritance taxation. It also brings with it social status. It is about time the people attracted to this started to take their responsibilities seriously.
And before someone starts saying poor farmers, the issue is clear, the CLA made it so,when they lost peers in the House of Lord's. Land management and agricultural production are two separate issues.
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

Rob Goes Walking

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Re: Anger amid rise in 'dirty camping' in rural Scotland
« Reply #14 on: 18:43:57, 25/08/19 »
It's (some lazy and selfish humans) human nature unfortunately. I'd place money on it being associated with a rise in numbers camping rather than blaming festivals even if it's the same attitude that causes problems at festivals, some people are just like that. The only thing that can be done is clean it up, money should be made available to clean it up from taxes if the problem is growing.

Hopefully it doesn't become such an issue access rights are affected, because the majority of people like this don't care about access rights anyway, they will do it regardless. Hopefully reason wins out rather than knee jerk reactions.

 

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