I’m amazed. I guess Glen Etive’s problem is that it must be within a couple of hours drive of Glasgae and has some fantastic swimming pools in the Etive river as well as plenty of flat camping spots. To my surprise I find that the glen is also reviewed on Tripadvisor! Scottish landowners are going to have to adopt the subtle management methods of the Lakes and Dales national parks who site tempting amenities around the peripheries of the parks so as to filter out the 70% of visitors who never venture more than 100 yards from their cars.

I’ve been up at Loch Lomond quite a bit over the last month, particularly the west shore. The ned camping thing seems to have got worse in recent years. I think it’s probably to do with the availability of cheap camping kit and possibly more people looking for cheap get aways. The waste generated is absolutely staggering. I just can’t comprehend the logic – presumably they’ve chosen to go there because it’s a nice place and then choose to wreck it?

Anyway, I can’t really see an obvious solution. A good chunk of the population are neds. They don’t care and probably never will, and if they do care they assume someone will come and clear up after them.

I have seen the police going after neds camping on the east side of loch lomond. As someone has said above, it’s no mean feat taking on 10 drunken neds and they need a mini riot squad to do it. There’s also the thing that it just pushes the problem somewhere else where the neds feel they’ll be left alone, e.g. Glen Etive.

One thing that possible could improve the situation is establishing more camping areas or campsites. Most commerical campsites won’t accept groups at all and can be a total rip off cost wise. This might be a way to go combined with better eductation and enforcement against the worst offenders.

Cheap kit indeed. Here’s our camp for the TDF: the brown Maréchal tent on the right dates from 1975 and has had regular use on dozens of camping trips all over Europe and in British mountain conditions and it’s still going strong. The pale tent on the left cost £25 from ASDA and it’s a piece of garbage; on the first trip last weekend one seam started to unravel and the carry case zip self-destructed. It also leaked when wind driven rain found its way under that silly top cover. It’s no wonder people don’t bother taking them home; it’s the camping equivalent of a paper cup.

Although I did buy a massive tent on special offer from Go Outdoors four years ago for £50. I didn’t have high expectations, but it’s been brilliant! It’s been all over the place, including two two-week alps trip and it’s still going. Waterproof and well made. So not all cheap kit is junk, it’s just so cheap that folk feel they don’t have to look after it. I bet many of the same £50 tents died a firey death on Loch lomond’s shores after one night. Sigh.

One thing that possible could improve the situation is establishing more camping areas or campsites a flamethrower

Yes that would help although I fear there is inexhaustible supply of neds.