Abuse of the Countryside

[Pretty Boy]

The below article caught my eye this morning:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-53713593

I posted on the pet peeves thread about the scene I found at Loch Earn a couple of weeks back with littering, willful damage to woodland, noise, people parking in passing places and one class act urinating in the middle of the road. It both frustrates and infuriates me when people go into small rural communities and display inherent selfishness. The Land Reform Act of 2003 which enshrines the 'right to roam' into law makes it clear that this is dependent on the individual behaving responsibly. That quite evidently is too much to ask for some people.

We can argue all day about the pros and cons of the marketing of the likes of the NC500 route and the impact, positive and negative, on the local community. However some of the stuff being reported and that I have personally witnessed is inexcusable and it's ultimately down to people refusing to take responsibility for their own actions. No one should need to be told that leaving broken glass scattered around is unacceptable, no one should need to be told that leaving human waste uncovered in a public place is unacceptable, no one needs told that leaving litter strewn across a field, scorching ground with a fire or BBQ, blaring out music in the early hours of the morning and blocking access roads and passing places is unacceptable. It just boils down to an 'I'm alright Jack' attitude and an arrogance that small communities should be grateful for a visit and a few pounds.

It's hardly a shock but a huge driver of such anti social behaviour appears to be alcohol. I was at Whitesands near Dunbar recently and compared to the madness of Portobello it was brilliant. A handful of families dotted about, kids playing and just good old fashioned peace and quiet. Mid afternoon a group in their mid to late 30s pitched up, erected a massive tent, lit BBQs (right next to the sign saying no BBQs on the grass, please use the beach) and cracked open the cans. Within an hour it was a riot and people who had been peacefully keeping themselves to themselves started to drift away.

I am a fairly regular visitor to the countryside, I enjoy the hills and mountains, I enjoy camping and I enjoy more than anything peace and quiet. People behaving irresponsibly is not a new things but it has definitely escalated in recent weeks. It's at the point where I almost feel uncomfortable venturing into certain places because there is a feeling that people are sick and tired of outsiders abusing their space.

[DaveF]

I am utterly fed up with the young teen / early twenties group leaving cans, bottles, food wrappings all around the woodland out here. I'm constantly picking up litter on walks with the dog and it's depressing how selfish and stupid these idiots are.

[Chorley Hibee]

The below article caught my eye this morning:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-53713593

I posted on the pet peeves thread about the scene I found at Loch Earn a couple of weeks back with littering, willful damage to woodland, noise, people parking in passing places and one class act urinating in the middle of the road. It both frustrates and infuriates me when people go into small rural communities and display inherent selfishness. The Land Reform Act of 2003 which enshrines the 'right to roam' into law makes it clear that this is dependent on the individual behaving responsibly. That quite evidently is too much to ask for some people.

We can argue all day about the pros and cons of the marketing of the likes of the NC500 route and the impact, positive and negative, on the local community. However some of the stuff being reported and that I have personally witnessed is inexcusable and it's ultimately down to people refusing to take responsibility for their own actions. No one should need to be told that leaving broken glass scattered around is unacceptable, no one should need to be told that leaving human waste uncovered in a public place is unacceptable, no one needs told that leaving litter strewn across a field, scorching ground with a fire or BBQ, blaring out music in the early hours of the morning and blocking access roads and passing places is unacceptable. It just boils down to an 'I'm alright Jack' attitude and an arrogance that small communities should be grateful for a visit and a few pounds.

It's hardly a shock but a huge driver of such anti social behaviour appears to be alcohol. I was at Whitesands near Dunbar recently and compared to the madness of Portobello it was brilliant. A handful of families dotted about, kids playing and just good old fashioned peace and quiet. Mid afternoon a group in their mid to late 30s pitched up, erected a massive tent, lit BBQs (right next to the sign saying no BBQs on the grass, please use the beach) and cracked open the cans. Within an hour it was a riot and people who had been peacefully keeping themselves to themselves started to drift away.

I am a fairly regular visitor to the countryside, I enjoy the hills and mountains, I enjoy camping and I enjoy more than anything peace and quiet. People behaving irresponsibly is not a new things but it has definitely escalated in recent weeks. It's at the point where I almost feel uncomfortable venturing into certain places because there is a feeling that people are sick and tired of outsiders abusing their space.

It's exactly how I feel too.

Some of the stuff I've witnessed, and seen on social media, from some beautiful areas of Scotland have almost made me weep at what we're in danger of becoming as a society.

Now that's it for me, it's not something unique to visitors to the countryside, it's becoming prevalent throughout our society. The 'I'm alright Jack attitude you speak of is everywhere now and it's something I'm at a loss on how to address.

It saddens me greatly.

[Sean1875]

Im sure ive seen an article recently in the EEN about the same but i took a walk up Harlaw reservoir with my dog a couple weeks back and again it was the same as mentioned above scattered around the place were broken bottles, litter discarded without any attempt at clearing up and human waste/toilet tissue strewn everywhere - really is sad to see, especially when you consider how easy and basic it is to tidy up and keep these things in order. We're truly blessed to live in such a beautiful country like Scotland that its heartbreaking for people to take the piss and advantage of it and not treat the place like it deserves.

[JeMeSouviens]

This has been a growing problem for years. You used to get bottles, cans, bits of glass etc and sometimes outright vandalism, kids setting fire to trees etc. Now its wholesale abandonment of everything they brought - pop up tents, camp chairs, bbqs and all sorts of rubbish.

I blame festivals where "camping" consists of getting pished and then just abandoning everything for the clean up crew coming in after.

[DaveF]

I've no idea if litter picking forms any part of community service but I wouldn't be against those serving that sentence spending 80hrs or whatever filling bags of rubbish.

[JeMeSouviens]

I actually got one back a couple of years ago.

Among the usual bombsite mess were some half burnt school books and folders, including one with a legible name from George Heriot's. Managed to find the guy on social media and threatened to forward the pics to Heriot's headmaster. The next day I got a panicked message from the kid, then one from his Mum and then everything got cleaned up tout de suite. :greengrin

[speedy_gonzales]

Corstorphine Hill regularly has tents left behind, thankfully we have occasional clean-ups.
Unfortunately, along with the usual anti-social behaviour we have done irresponsible behaviour. There are signs up now, but a few years ago bushes were set alight. There's suspicion the campers were looking for firewood, unfortunately a lot of nesting birds were disturbed and I think a healthy population of Weavers were unsettled/killed.
That kind of behaviour can have a lasting effect on the local area.

[Logie Green]

I am utterly fed up with the young teen / early twenties group leaving cans, bottles, food wrappings all around the woodland out here. I'm constantly picking up litter on walks with the dog and it's depressing how selfish and stupid these idiots are.

Hopefully next year when they all clear off for their two weeks in Magaluf or wherever this type of behaviour won’t be as evident. Shame for the places these tramps do visit though.

[stokesmessiah]

I am utterly fed up with the young teen / early twenties group leaving cans, bottles, food wrappings all around the woodland out here. I'm constantly picking up litter on walks with the dog and it's depressing how selfish and stupid these idiots are.

Bit harsh blaming it on one slice of society. I am lucky enough to Louvre in a stunning part of the country, which attracts a lot of visitors. Likewise I am always picking up rubbish when walking the dog. Have seen just as many people who are older and should know better leaving their crap. And to totally counter your argument, when I was out the other night, there was 5/6 kids from the village picking up rubbish voluntarily. - looked maybe about 16.

Edit - sorry I just read your post again, it’s a problem specific to your area.

[stu in nottingham]

I've a feeling that lockdown has exacerbated a growing problem. As well as the countryside, similar could be said for urban parks and beaches. It appears to be widely reported in these outdoor environments too. I've wondered whether there is a rebellious 'well you've locked us down for months and now we're going to go out and do what we like' attitude. Rural footpaths and country parks have had the same treatment here. Nobody goes out much to camp in the pleasant and quiet countryside, these are mostly drinking expeditions with vast amounts of empty bottles and cans left behind because the people doing it don't give a ***** and have a sense of entitlement. Take the booze away and few would actually bother.

There's a willfulness about it. In the parks it would be a simple matter to put empties and other rubbish in a bag and deposit it in a bin on the way out. instead, volunteers are going there at regular intervals with binbags and litter pickers the day afterwards to clear up after them. There is a real breakdown in respect and a worrying rise in selfishness.

[hibsbollah]

I’m a member of a hillwalking group on social media and some of the photos they’ve been posting of post camping sites are just ridiculous. Abandoned tents, litter everywhere, human waste and unforgivably, trees cut down for firewood. Live wood doesn’t even burn properly you doss ****s :grr: As Stu says it’s just a consequence of lockdown and hopefully will be temporary.

In terms of simple litter, I’ve always picked up what I find on a walk and take it home with me. Not virtue signaling, I just assume it’s usually accidental littering and don’t let it grind my gears. The widespread vandalism at camp sites is something else and unless thousands of wardens stewards and police are in the countryside which isn’t going to happen, it can’t be stopped.

[Antifa Hibs]

I'd be intrigued to see if this is happening in France, Denmark & Germany etc? Or if its just another case of a sizeable tiny minority of Britons behaving like complete ******g a-holes again?

Lockdown has definitely made it worse. Not everyone but I guess the majority of the "dirty campers" will be youngsters who have missed out on Transmit, Magaluf and Ibiza. Can't really get a good swally here with the clubs shut so think this is now the acceptable thing to do. With things like Inverleith Park, Gypsy Brae/Silverknowes and the Meadows, when its a heatwave the council could do with putting in some temporary infrastructure to cope with the demand. I went to Gypsy Brae and it was mobbed last week with the heatwave. One bin though which was quickly full up, no toilets so people pissing everywhere, surely a couple of skips and dozen porta-loos could be brought down? Similar story at the Meadows last month with the public toilets shut.

Hoping things will get back to normal next year when people can go abroad. I've never seen the Forresty Commission carparks so busy. Every single one absolutely rammed with people parking everywhere. Again not condoning the weapons parked in passing bays etc but some of the most popular hills 60-90 minutes away from Edinburgh and Glasgow have spaces for a dozen cars - madness really. Urge people to stay at home, venture out and spend money in this country while trying to bring tourists in but again the infrastructure can't cope, especially the highlands. That's just like Edinburgh during July and August now - a massive tourist's playground for those with a few quid in their pocket.

[Hibrandenburg]

I’m a member of a hillwalking group on social media and some of the photos they’ve been posting of post camping sites are just ridiculous. Abandoned tents, litter everywhere, human waste and unforgivably, trees cut down for firewood. Live wood doesn’t even burn properly you doss ****s :grr: As Stu says it’s just a consequence of lockdown and hopefully will be temporary.

In terms of simple litter, I’ve always picked up what I find on a walk and take it home with me. Not virtue signaling, I just assume it’s usually accidental littering and don’t let it grind my gears. The widespread vandalism at camp sites is something else and unless thousands of wardens stewards and police are in the countryside which isn’t going to happen, it can’t be stopped.

I got myself a grabber and take it out with me when walking my dog through the village. Most of the rubbish I find is concentrated in and around the main road which would suggest to me it's generated by people passing through.

A large proportion of what I find is fag butts and packets. We're pretty much surrounded by fields and forests and due to the hot dry weather we're on high alert for forest fires. It's one thing throwing rubbish out the car but it's a completely different level of stupidity throwing fag ends out the window into what is effectively a tinder box. We had massive fires 50km to our south last year and the smoke was so bad that we had to keep our windows closed. The whole situation was made worse because the local forests used to be Soviet training areas and the ground is riddled with unexploded munitions meaning the fire brigade rely heavily on fire fighting robots for their own protection. It was all over the media but still these goons don't give a ****.

[HappyAsHellas]

I travel around a bit with sea fishing, visiting some beautiful places most of which are quite remote. There are very few places nowadays where you still turn up to a pristine environment. Bottles, bags, beer cans - all the detritus that people carry with them and then just leave at their backsides. It doesn't even seem to occur to them that the items are lighter to take away than they were to get to their destination. Sadly this type of person can check out google earth and find these otherwise "secret" little hidey holes that were only known to the few. Welcome to the future.

[Moulin Yarns]

I hope the wild campers around Perthshire enjoyed the last hour of thunderstorm and downpour ⛈️