Loch Lomond: wild camping set to be banned on its eastern shore

Wild camping will be banned in parts of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs national park in a move to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Informal campsites, with toilet and litter facilities, will be set up in an effort to contain a growing problem with visitors who abuse the countryside. New bylaws will be introduced covering the area on the east bank of the loch, in the Luss area and around Lochs Venacher and Lubnaig.

The national park authority says it has had to take the steps because of the problems caused by some of the visitors to the area. The park is the most visited rural area of Scotland, and lies within easy driving distance of Glasgow, Stirling and many of the other large towns in the central belt.

More than 3.5m visitors come to the area each year, generating an estimated £247m. The authority says the move is necessary to conserve the area, Scotland’s first national park.

Chief executive Fiona Logan said: “Our success in encouraging large numbers of people to visit the park has led to a number of issues that the national park authority and partners need to resolve including informal camping, litter, toileting and traffic management.

“There are also the problems of excess –  the extreme issues caused by a minority of people resulting in a range of anti-social behaviours including drunkenness, vandalism, criminal damage, assault and vehicular trespass that we wish to reduce through increased management.”

The authority will also tackle problems caused by the volume of traffic within the area and will consider measures to reduce traffic and car park congestion at peak times.

MSP Richard Lochhead, Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment backed the move, saying: “Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park is one of Scotland’s most spectacular assets and an area of astounding natural beauty. There are many visitors during the summer months which has put considerable pressure on the area over the years. So it is essential we all pay due respect to the area when visiting.

“I understand the national park board is taking an innovative approach towards large visitor numbers and tackling the anti-social behaviour of a small minority.

“With a ranger patrol boat to enforce navigation byelaws already in place, they are now planning to concentrate their efforts on the lochside, building on the success of the wider Respect the Park initiative and its partnership working with police forces and Forestry Commission Scotland.

“And with the introduction of special constables plus extra ranger patrols they have helped to ensure that everyone can enjoy their visit to the fullest. I commend the park for this forward-thinking approach to improving the visitor experience and look forward to coming back in the next few years to see even more progress on the ground.”

The Land Reform (Scotland) Act introduced a legal right to wild camp, but demands the rights are exercised responsibly, including respecting people’s privacy and peace of mind, and caring for the environment. Lawbreakers automatically lose the right of access and authorities were given the right to introduce bylaws, subject to consultation.