Wild Camping and facilities in Scotland

[Jillygumbo]

A friend of mine lives on Skye (lucky bugger) and she has asked for some advice. Here is her message:

"Hi guys. Am after a bit of advice/info. There's been a bit of discussion/planning going on locally re the phenomenal rise in tourism due to online (often irresponsible) marketing of remote places on Skye and Highland in general. The issues are that the environment is suffering because the infrastructure (roads, parking, toilets,cafes etc) is unable to cope with the sheer volume of traffic.

Up here there are no facs for chemical disposal and most establishments have septic tanks. We are having a real problem with human and chemical waste disposal in the environment and are trying to come up with solutions that we can propose to the council or get grants for like composting toilets etc.

I know you guys wild camp and use britstops etc - my question is how do you dispose of waste? Are campsites willing to let you use their facs if you don't stay there? Is there a network of stops for water/waste disposal? Is there any advice/procedure publicised on campervan/motor home forums for waste disposal when wild camping?

Any info would be really useful - links, comments, advice given, awareness etc etc

Many thanks in anticipation"

It would be a great shame if the Councils in Scotland start trying to restrict the wild camping due to some bad practices. So what do all you wild campers think - and do? Any suggestions etc as requested.

[Muzorewa]

It's not just chemical toilets, there are a lot of irresponsible people littering beautiful sites with rubbish and even disposable barbecues. It beats me why people take the trouble of going to somewhere idyllic and then refuse to leave it the same for the next visitor. On many occasions we've collected other people's litter as well as our own in case people think it's us who have sullied the site. Once we leave a wild-camping site you wouldn't know anyone had been there.

[nth]

I stayed at the sligachan campsite on skye a couple of years ago which clearly states the have no chemical disposal facilities on the site but it didnt seem to bother everyone tipping their chemical toilets straight down the pans & leaving it splattered everywhere, the smell in the toilet block was making me wretch every morning.
They have already started to restrict wild camping in up here, the East shore of Loch Lomond has wild camping restricions for a few years now between March & October due to the amount of scumbags ruining the place.
http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/thi ... d-camping/

[g8dhe]

The Camping & Caravan Club site has chemical disposal facilities and also does Motorhome stop off where you can pay a £7.20 fee and make use of all the facilities for three hours, i.e. chemcal disposal, Showers, Cloths washing etc. for members without booking a pitch.
http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co ... icepoints/
that includes the one on Skye;
Skye Camping and Caravanning Club Site, Loch Greshornish Borve, Arnisort Edinbane, Portree, Isle of Skye, IV51 9PS

[Bob]

We've always wild camped for two nights then booked onto a site with facilities, but the problem is you can't force people to do that and I don't like things over regulated, anyhow.

The price for 3 hours use of facilities makes an overnight stop attractive in comparison, but a good ide for those who are travelling a lot. I wonder if more sites with full facilities would be prepared to offer this for a fee?

As usual its a few morons will cobble up a good thing for the rest of us, once they killed it they'll be going back to Spain etc. Thanks for giving us the chance to comment and look for a solution.

[Tertiary]

We haven't wild camped yet but its definitely the way I want to go, so anything that can be done to enable anyone to wild camp has to be done - if only to preserve our natural habitat..

If it were possible to get all campsites to allow all wild campers to use their facilities - even if it was only waste disposal - then that would be the ideal solution, wouldn't it? Obviously there would have to be a (small?) charge and therein lies the problem...

Not only will you ALWAYS get small minded and selfish people who never clear up after themselves, you will then get the small minded and selfish cheapskates who will always look for a way NOT to pay!

As Bob says, over regulation is a pain in the arse but it will come to that unfortunately... The few spoil it for the majority, yet again!!

Its a difficult one, for sure

I'll be following this topic with interest...

[Jillygumbo]

This post has been put on Wild Camping for Motorhomes as well. Deborah suggested; "“Rather than a set charge how about an honesty box or donation. Like they do in cathedrals. E.g. It costs ££ s day to run this facility, if every user gave £... Etc. Then people who won't pay will still use it and not dump. And the honest ones might pay a bit extra and hopefully cover the cost?”

I think the issue is that there are not enough facilities to cover the people that do wild camp and the toilet tanks are overflowing with 'yuk'. Keep the ideas coming peops. If a really good suggestion does come up, my friend in Skye will take it to the authorities.

[mikeonb4c]

This post has been put on Wild Camping for Motorhomes as well. Deborah suggested; "“Rather than a set charge how about an honesty box or donation. Like they do in cathedrals. E.g. It costs ££ s day to run this facility, if every user gave £... Etc. Then people who won't pay will still use it and not dump. And the honest ones might pay a bit extra and hopefully cover the cost?”

I think the issue is that there are not enough facilities to cover the people that do wild camp and the toilet tanks are overflowing with 'yuk'. Keep the ideas coming peops. If a really good suggestion does come up, my friend in Skye will take it to the authorities.

Given that encouraging people up to Scotland ought to have benefits for the local economy, a little investment in elsan points and the honesty box approach would seem to have the rudiments of a business case. Perhaps they could be sited near (but not too near!) places that would like to see more visitors pass their way. Incentives/subsidies could be offered to existing campsites to allow use of their facility at an attractive rate too maybe, or maybe through offering a pre-purchased pass that can be used at any facility and offers discounts on campsite shopping and overnight stays. Headline making fines for illegal defaecators and litter dumpers also. And strong awareness promotion through social networking sites and forums.

"Beautiful Scotland - keep it wild, keep it clean"

should do for a campaign strapline

[Bob]

Spot on Mike.

Education, Engineering and Enforcement. (Not mine)

[Bongolia]

Spot on Mike.

Education, Engineering and Enforcement. (Not mine)

This post has been put on Wild Camping for Motorhomes as well. Deborah suggested; "“Rather than a set charge how about an honesty box or donation. Like they do in cathedrals. E.g. It costs ££ s day to run this facility, if every user gave £... Etc. Then people who won't pay will still use it and not dump. And the honest ones might pay a bit extra and hopefully cover the cost?”

I think the issue is that there are not enough facilities to cover the people that do wild camp and the toilet tanks are overflowing with 'yuk'. Keep the ideas coming peops. If a really good suggestion does come up, my friend in Skye will take it to the authorities.

Given that encouraging people up to Scotland ought to have benefits for the local economy, a little investment in elsan points and the honesty box approach would seem to have the rudiments of a business case. Perhaps they could be sited near (but not too near!) places that would like to see more visitors pass their way. Incentives/subsidies could be offered to existing campsites to allow use of their facility at an attractive rate too maybe, or maybe through offering a pre-purchased pass that can be used at any facility and offers discounts on campsite shopping and overnight stays. Headline making fines for illegal defaecators and litter dumpers also. And strong awareness promotion through social networking sites and forums.

"Beautiful Scotland - keep it wild, keep it clean"

should do for a campaign strapline

Agree.
Maybe site the drop offs at existing recycle points.

[Bob]

That's a jolly good idea.

[mikeonb4c]

That's a jolly good idea.

I think its a sh*tty idea But seriously, great idea - its highly recyclable stuff in an age where we should be

[Bongolia]

Off topicish, I have just been reading about poop,what else is there to do on a rainy afternoon, I was surprised that the pathogens are still there after a year buried in soil.
I learn summit new everyday!

[mikeonb4c]

Off topicish, I have just been reading about poop,what else is there to do on a rainy afternoon, I was surprised that the pathogens are still there after a year buried in soil.
I learn summit new everyday!

48 years with Anthrax!

[Jillygumbo]

Thank you everyone for the responses so far. I've fed these back to my friend in Skye and she's sent a message to the Council involved. She hasn't heard anything at all yet, not even an acknowledgment, but keep the ideas coming my friends.