Scotland NC500 responsible tourism pledge

The people that are going to sign that are not the people that park where they want and think they are “wild camping”, and/or poo in the grass, have fires and bbqs, leave trash etc.
 
Craikeybaby said:
It should include something about how to use passing places on single track roads...
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The problem I find with SOME people and passing places are those who don't look far enough ahead to spot other traffic and those who spot you and pull into a passing place, even though you are already stationary in the passing place up the road.

Pound Coin said:
The people that are going to sign that are not the people that park where they want and think they are “wild camping”, and/or poo in the grass, have fires and bbqs, leave trash etc.
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Agree. I think the only way to stop the appalling behaviour of some is to ban overnight parking other than in campsites or other designated areas(with facilities). I'd make an exception for commercial drivers who might need to park up for the night. It would not stop everyone but as someone who knows quite a lot of what is now called the NC500, most of the overnight stayers are clearly motorhomes/campervans.

Unfortunately this would affect those who leave their vehicle overnight while they do a few days walking/cycling in the hills, but perhaps it is a price that needs to be paid.

It would take investment for people to travel around recording overnight parking and some bye laws too. A fine of, say £100/night would, I think fairly quickly reduce the problem.

This isn't a problem just in NW Scotland and some other areas have already introduced bye laws to restrict overnight parking.

Dave
 
Some of the most unpleasant behaviour I witnessed while staying at Shieldaig about 3 years ago was the sheer number of motorists using the route as a race track - bikers and cars. Those drivers couldn't give a **** about the scenery they are (not) experiencing or the wildlife they can't see, all they want to do is get from a to b as fast as possible. Being a camper vanner myself I have sympathy for those who are doing the NC500 in that way themselves, and I don't find it a problem if a few people spend nights in laybyes or by the side of the road.
 
jerry12953 said:
a problem if a few people spend nights in laybyes or by the side of the road.
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that isn't what is going on. And never used to be.

It was way less than a few people.
 
Pound Coin said:
that isn't what is going on. And never used to be.

It was way less than a few people.
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Perhaps the answer to that then is for the local authorities to provide basic, cheap camper van spaces at regular intervals around the route. They need to be cheap because people will be unwilling to pay - say, £25 - to park a van in a field overnight, especially if no facilities are provided.

I think banning overnight parking on the route is going way beyond what might be acceptable legally or otherwise.

My week near Shieldaig (in a rented cottage) a few years ago really taught me to avoid the NC500 completely, and there must be many others who feel the same way. A victim of its own success?
 
jerry12953 said:
Some of the most unpleasant behaviour I witnessed while staying at Shieldaig about 3 years ago was the sheer number of motorists using the route as a race track - bikers and cars. Those drivers couldn't give a **** about the scenery they are (not) experiencing or the wildlife they can't see, all they want to do is get from a to b as fast as possible. Being a camper vanner myself I have sympathy for those who are doing the NC500 in that way themselves, and I don't find it a problem if a few people spend nights in laybyes or by the side of the road.
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Sounds a little bit like Richmond Park on the weekend, the battle between the walkers, cyclists, runners and cars, and then the idiots who go too close to the deer in rutting season
 
jerry12953 said:
Perhaps the answer to that then is for the local authorities to provide basic, cheap camper van spaces at regular intervals around the route. They need to be cheap because people will be unwilling to pay - say, £25 - to park a van in a field overnight, especially if no facilities are provided.

I think banning overnight parking on the route is going way beyond what might be acceptable legally or otherwise.

My week near Shieldaig (in a rented cottage) a few years ago really taught me to avoid the NC500 completely, and there must be many others who feel the same way. A victim of its own success?
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There are some Aires now, but often there are complaints that they aren’t being used to capacity, and there are vans being parked illegally not too far away.
 
I avoid the NC500, there are other roads, off the route where the scenery is just as nice, but without the stream of motorhomes.
 
jerry12953 said:
Some of the most unpleasant behaviour I witnessed while staying at Shieldaig about 3 years ago was the sheer number of motorists using the route as a race track - bikers and cars. Those drivers couldn't give a **** about the scenery they are (not) experiencing or the wildlife they can't see, all they want to do is get from a to b as fast as possible. Being a camper vanner myself I have sympathy for those who are doing the NC500 in that way themselves, and I don't find it a problem if a few people spend nights in laybyes or by the side of the road.
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the NC500 was devised by the tourist board to bring more tourists to the area, ive ridden up there for 40 years and back then it really was desolate with very few ameneties in some places for miles and miles and miles, they were not particularly bothered why people come and visit as long as they did, in a lot of ways there has been positives from the visitors, i bet if you go on motoring pages and there will be people there moaning about photographers driving slowly taking in the views and blocking the roads so they can take pictures every 2 minutes, we are interested in one thing they are interested in another, neither has a greater right to be there doing what they like to do as the other and vice versa( im sure there are loads more different groups that go there for their particular pleasure). its a victim of its own success and some locals have not coped or benefited as much as others with the added visitors but with everything there is a opposite and equal reaction. the motorhomes get a bad press because a lot of them are rented out so may not be as aware of the correct way of doing things especially with regards to emptying toilets and of course parking issues. i go round it at least once a year and usually a couple of times, i visit scotland probably 15 times a year and thats mainly in the summer, like lewis said there are loads of great places to visit not on the official route.my biggest bug bear is the increased cost and sometimes total lack of accomodation in places, anyway roll on march when il be back up and round it again barring snow
 
When you go to a tourist destination you can't complain about finding other tourists there. But I do find I slightly resent the kind who do as little as they can to benefit the local economy. To turn up with a motorhome, intent on 'wild camping' and spending next to nothing, is at best inconsiderate.

We drove the NC500 in May 2019. It was actually pretty quiet. Frankly we did it because it is a 'thing'. Although we enjoyed it, it is easy to find touring routes in the Highlands that are equally attractive and much quieter, and in that sense these promoted routes are self defeating except in that they deflect some of the masses from the quiet parts!

If you are 'doing' the NC500 some of the best bits are off-route. I'm thinking of the unforgettable bimble from Lochinver to Polglass, with views of the Summer Isles, or watching dolphins at Rosemarkie.
 
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