Spent a month at the top of Scotland in June in my first timer MH. Revisiting places I’d been to, before. 40 years ago. (Before swearing off because of the midges.) I like mountain walks and it is, unsurprisingly, still just as jaw-droppingly beautiful.
But, IMHO, the days of parking up in scenic solitude are over. There’s no going back or even standing still. Scotland has to live with the vastly increased numbers of visitors. A plan is needed. Not just parochial local councils and community groups who will be overwhelmed by the weight of tourism and probably react by oppressive regulations in a war against tourism. I believe that many other countries have grasped this nettle with coherent regulation, facilities and their enforcement. I’m off to Spain, next, to find out
Strangely, it was my own off-gridding that made me realise that what I was doing was unsustainable. And unfair. As I ate my breakfast watching the local dog walkers, fishermen, hikers and joggers roll up, I felt like a big white blot on their landscape. I’d naively expected that I’d be part of a tiny band of folk who didn’t need services and left no trace in my idyllic dell. But, nowadays, more and more folk are self-sufficient.
Also, naively, I’d thought that the NC500 was mainly a cyclists' domain. I was astounded at the convoys of MHs and bikers. In bad weather! And was embarrassed as the heavily laden cyclists had to keep stopping on the single track, in the driving rain, as they couldn’t squeeze past. In high summer it must be infuriating for them. A bit of a conundrum as, if I waited, it could sometimes be for 5 or 10 minutes!
I hadn’t realised that it had become a fashionable selfie-opportunity. (So glad I bought a compact!)
In some ways, I feel that the Highland Scottish people are, unconsciously, their own worst enemies. An example: in museums and shops there were notices “please don’t touch the display”. And uncased items. Car parks and toilets had honesty boxes. I saw folk taking their cassettes into the toilets in spite of the polite signs explaining why this was a Bad Idea. Sadly, these anachronisms will not be respected and the inevitable disrespect will lead to “locals vs tourists” wars. And MHs are the easiest to spot. The door of a control shed at the base of a communications mast left wide open. Masses of expensive equipment protected by a No Entry sign on the low gate.
I read the article referenced above and was not surprised by the polarised comments.
But, IMHO, the days of parking up in scenic solitude are over. There’s no going back or even standing still. Scotland has to live with the vastly increased numbers of visitors. A plan is needed. Not just parochial local councils and community groups who will be overwhelmed by the weight of tourism and probably react by oppressive regulations in a war against tourism. I believe that many other countries have grasped this nettle with coherent regulation, facilities and their enforcement. I’m off to Spain, next, to find out
Strangely, it was my own off-gridding that made me realise that what I was doing was unsustainable. And unfair. As I ate my breakfast watching the local dog walkers, fishermen, hikers and joggers roll up, I felt like a big white blot on their landscape. I’d naively expected that I’d be part of a tiny band of folk who didn’t need services and left no trace in my idyllic dell. But, nowadays, more and more folk are self-sufficient.
Also, naively, I’d thought that the NC500 was mainly a cyclists' domain. I was astounded at the convoys of MHs and bikers. In bad weather! And was embarrassed as the heavily laden cyclists had to keep stopping on the single track, in the driving rain, as they couldn’t squeeze past. In high summer it must be infuriating for them. A bit of a conundrum as, if I waited, it could sometimes be for 5 or 10 minutes!
I hadn’t realised that it had become a fashionable selfie-opportunity. (So glad I bought a compact!)
In some ways, I feel that the Highland Scottish people are, unconsciously, their own worst enemies. An example: in museums and shops there were notices “please don’t touch the display”. And uncased items. Car parks and toilets had honesty boxes. I saw folk taking their cassettes into the toilets in spite of the polite signs explaining why this was a Bad Idea. Sadly, these anachronisms will not be respected and the inevitable disrespect will lead to “locals vs tourists” wars. And MHs are the easiest to spot. The door of a control shed at the base of a communications mast left wide open. Masses of expensive equipment protected by a No Entry sign on the low gate.
I read the article referenced above and was not surprised by the polarised comments.
).
