Loch camping ban slammed by supporters

NEW byelaws to ban wild camping in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park will affect thousands of climbers, walkers, cyclists and others, according to rambling and mountaineering groups.

The national park yesterday unveiled new proposals to create four management zones, where the only camping allowed will be on the 300 official camping pitches offered by the authority. If the proposals are approved by the Scottish Government it will effectively outlaw wild camping in some of the park’s most accessible areas.

Supporters believe the byelaws will tackle problems with litter, drinking, and general antisocial behaviour. However, opponents believe these proposals will penalise many innocent users of the park.

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland and Ramblers Scotland have gone further and warned that the introduction of byelaws could have a massive effect on Scotland’s historic land reform act.

Speaking on behalf of both groups, Andrea Partridge from the MCofS said: “Many thousands of people will be affected by these proposals, from the climber and walker to touring cyclists and kayakers.

“The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 was a landmark piece of legislation and yet it is being eroded by a national park authority which has a primary aim to promote understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the area by the public.

She continued: “The national park is simply removing the rights of the responsible majority to camp in ‘management zones’.”

Gordon Watson, chief executive of the park authority, said action had to be taken: “The national park has some of the best places to pitch a tent in Scotland. However, these areas can no longer withstand the unmanaged camping activity and further action is required.

“These proposals seek to achieve the better conservation and protection of our busiest and most heavily used loch shores which experience significant damage and degradation from unmanaged camping.”

The proposals come after a consultation last year was criticised for using what opponents felt was misleading data about the success of a similar byelaw in east Loch Lomond.

Partridge added: “Despite 51 per cent of respondents to the consultation opposing the byelaws, the National Park has continued to pursue this policy and has ignored many of the comments made.

“Crime figures and statistics that were presented to the public in the consultation have been shown to have been misrepresented.”

A spokesman for Police Scotland said: “Police Scotland is generally supportive of the introduction of a byelaw replicating the purpose and spirit of the existing east Loch Lomond byelaw in other parts of the national park.”

Cameron McNeish, the writer and broadcaster, accepted there was difficulty with problem campers, but that the park authority’s solution would “affect lots and lots of innocent people who are just enjoying the access provision that we boast about in Scotland”.

“My great fear is that all will happen is that the people who are largely responsible for the antisocial behaviour here will be displaced,” McNeish said.

“We’re already seeing much bigger numbers in Glen Etive, south of Glen Coe.”