Residents of Highland Perthshire fear the return of dirty campers as summer looms.
Warmer weather and longer days normally bring joy to people living in beauty spots but the area has been blighted by litter, fires and excrement during the last two summers.
Now locals are becoming increasingly concerned they are facing another season of misery.
‘Horrifying’
Kinloch Rannoch resident Andrew Jackson, who is a member of a local walking group, fears local beauty spots will be ruined if visitors do not clean up after themselves.
It comes after an elderly dog was poisoned by drugs left at Loch Rannoch last year, just one of hundreds of anti-social incidents.
Andrew said: “Our area was over-run with people camping last summer and leaving rubbish behind them.
“This is such a beautiful area and I am concerned campers will destroy it.
“As someone who lives round here, it’s really horrifying seeing local spots be ruined by rubbish left by irresponsible campers.
“Look after the areas you visit, it’s not hard to do.”
Aberfeldy resident Sally Murray, who campaigns for improvements to the tourism offering in her area, thinks cheaper official sites would help reduce irresponsible camping.
“I think we need to look at the models of other countries where there are lots of small basic campsites, often in wooded areas that have very basic facilities and are not expensive,” she said.
“Then we need massive fines for anyone who litters, cuts down trees or empties their tanks in the countryside.”
How can dirty campers be stopped?
Last year Perth and Kinross Council recruited seven countryside rangers to advise and educate campers.
The rangers have already returned for this year.
As well as talking to visitors, they can also re-assure locals and clear up litter and abandoned campsites.
Leading councillors including environment convener Angus Forbes and Highland Perthshire councillor Mike Williamson have been holding meetings to decide what else should be done.
Mr Williamson said: “It is important we move towards a sustainable tourism model, by creating a strategy which enhances the tourism business and gives greater protections to the residents of Highland Perthshire and its environment.
“I have facilitated a number of meetings with my constituents and Ivan McKee MSP [tourism minister] to discuss how this can be best achieved.
“I have been campaigning for more to be done about wild camping and welcome the steps that have been taken to date.”
Environment convener Mr Forbes said more facilities are needed to help visitors behave responsibly.
“Irresponsible campers were a large problem during the pandemic, that’s why we employed seasonal rangers to try and solve it,” he said.
“There is no doubt that they made a huge difference and the continue to do so, the new intake are just getting started now.”
He added: “We are working with local land owners, factors and land managers to provide better facilities for all visitors to Perth and Kinross whether that’s more parking spaces and toilets or better waste collections.
“Just last week I met with Mountaineering Scotland to discuss how we could work together to facilitate responsible access to the Perthshire mountains whilst keeping the area looking beautiful.
“Over the past year council staff have been working on plans to introduce waste disposal points for campervans and motorhomes at strategic points across Perthshire.”
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