Edward Mountain: Time to revisit rules on visiting the Highlands

I’m not usually one for advocating greater involvement of the state when it comes to people’s behaviour and personal freedoms.

But in the case of the North Coast 500, and the repulsive trail left by far too many of its pilgrims, there is simply no option left.

As another summer of activity beckons, some measures should be implemented now to improve the countryside for those who enjoy it responsibly - and for those who choose to live here all year round.

There was great excitement around Caithness when the route was unveiled, and the economic bounce it brings for many businesses does not go unappreciated.

And yet, as each year goes by, more constituents report to me – usually anecdotally but occasionally on the basis of a formal complaint and call to action – that they can’t bear the consequences of how some visitors behave and, in particular, the mess they leave.

We don’t want to put people off coming, but we do need to implement some policies to remind everyone of their responsibilities.

The lay-by campsites that many use are among the problems.

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Too often the lay-bys are next to people’s homes or within villages and they all have one thing in common - there are no waste disposal facilities.

Consequentially rubbish and what is euphemistically called grey waste, or what the rest of us would call poo, litters the verges.

A shake-up of the planning rules to include banning vehicles staying overnight outwith recognised campsites would help.

Bans like this are already in place in national parks across the world and so it is not a huge step to take.

But to make this work we also need to update the rules regarding campsites.

Currently a temporary campsite can be established on any land providing it is not there for more than 28 days a year.

While I generally support this I think it needs to be qualified.

Firstly, I can’t see anyone agreeing that these sites should be in villages or adjacent dwelling houses without the support of those villages or the residents.

Secondly, I think if agreement was reached we could extend the 28 days to three months of the year providing the site has full waste disposal facilities.

I must stress that this relates to the issue of motorised campers and while we cannot ignore ‘wild campers’, I don’t think anyone wants to curtail walkers enjoying the countryside.

However, I struggle to understand how wild camping can include being directly next to a road or on the village green. It is therefore time for some modern codes to put alongside the Scottish Outdoor Access Code which is nearly 20 years old. A refresh rather than a rewrite, which is something I am jointly working on in the parliament.

So, with the NC500 becoming increasingly popular and alluring visitors from all over the world, we must ensure it remains attractive to them and those that live along it.

It can’t carry on as it has been. Tourists themselves will soon be turned off by a natural environment turned over to litter and human waste.

It’s in everyone’s interests to nip this in the bud now, and I hope both Highland Council and the Scottish Government back me up in my efforts to do so.

Edward Mountain is a Scottish Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands.

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