[Closed] Loch Lommond Camping Ban

Thats pure shite by the way.

Whaur am a gonnae pitch ma tent so I can drink buckie and listen tae happy hardcore noo!

lol at Keep the Jakeys in the Schemes. Sounds positively Churchillian.

Seems a bit OTT anyhow - what's the motivation for it? Surely the, er, jakeys aren't the tent-pitching types? I'm east coast though, and don't know that stretch particularly well.

Now they need to extend it to Loch Tay and the other locations which have become open sewers thanks to the less desireable members of a certain west coast scottish city.

Surely the, er, jakeys aren't the tent-pitching types?

If only.

It's a shame - and as I've long said, one of the issues with the LR(S)A. The Wild Camping provision was largely aimed at back/bikepacker types camping out in the wilds on some through route. However, it has made it impossible to stop the sort of camping that we are now seeing on Lomondside and in places like Loch Lubnaig and Glen Etive. None of these areas can support the numbers of people now camping and they are being turned into open sewers.

The danger is that we have now opened a pandoras box and that we will still start to see similar by-laws being introduced where the problem is simply not there.

If the LR(S)A was modified to restrict wild camping to areas more than 1km from a public road, the problem would disappear overnight.

I've never seen so much litter anywhere as I have around Loch Lomond

Doubt it will have any effect, and if it does it will only be to move the same folk on elsewhere, my bet is those sections of Loch Long which can support camping (not many, granted) or maybe even the wee glen west of Killin (Glen Lochy?).

Whenever I head into the hills/woods/countryside I end up coming home with more rubbish than I left with. Even at Glentress the other week I seen loads of bottles and plastic packets lying around. I just can't comprehend!

Do they teach kids the country code in school any more? Not sure if it was ever taught to me, my Mum was always there to give me a slap if I dropped litter.

Loch Lomond's proximity to Glasgow is it's downfall. The ban will be respected by the law abiding and ignored by the very people who need it, so will make bugger all difference to the current mess around Balloch, Balmaha and Luss. Laws don't work unless they can be effectively enforced. Park Rangers can't arrest people and the polis have other things keeping them busy.

+1 with the OP. I'm seriously p1ssed off about the thin end of the wedge for our otherwise excellent access laws, but I agree this ban was necessary. I have a house on the west coast and drive along the shores of Loch Lubnaig most Friday nights - this needs clamped down on too.

+1 for druidh - amend the law to ban camping near a public road except in a campsite or your own garden and problem solved more or less immediately.

Druidh,

I'm not convinced they need to change the LR(S)A at all, they just need to police the problem areas and enforce existing laws. I expressed this view in the consultation process for the camping ban and was duly ignored.

The LR(S)A/OAC only allows wild camping if it is responsible. Firstly there is already a strong argument that wild camping is not "wild" if you drove there and are within sight of your car! Secondly the fact there is a problem clearly means the camping is not being executed responsibly - i.e. there is litter, criminal damage to trees, breach of the peace, drunkeness etc. All of which not only eliminate any access rights but also are criminal offences.

If they have the resources to enforce the new restrictions they must have the resources to enforce the existing ones.

As it was explained to me most of the problem areas are accessed by car/van and some overnight parking restrictions would probably have been just as effective (and easier to police - as you don't need to catch the people only the vehicle). I think I also suggested a ban on "open" fires as these are part of the problem, are probably not responsible, and seem to be part of the attraction. They are also relatively easy to find compared to a tent.

My wife was not impressed with me when I shouted at a "youth" for attacking a large tree (living) with an axe on the lochside of Loch Lubnaig.

It is a shame when the drunken groups spoil the freedome of campervan & fishermen along these lochs.

poly - I accept that my suggestion would still need enforcement - and I agree about the "Responsibility" aspect. I also wondered about the overnight parking ban as being relatively simple to enforce. The thing is, I'm not where the police's stretch extends. For instance, if I turn up in Glen Etive and drive 200yds down a dirt track - i.e. off the public road - do the polis still have the powers to come get me/move me on, or could this only be done once the landowner had complained?