Guide book warns of gay zone and sex car park

Published on Wednesday 20 May 2009 22:04

A NEW guidebook has raised eyebrows after highlighting a Scottish landmark as a gay cruising zone and naming car parks where people are alleged to have sex in their vehicles.

Edinburgh and East Coast Scotland, published this month as part of The Best of Britain series by Crimson Publishing, mentions "ten places to avoid" at the beginning of the book.

Claiming some lovely picnic spots or otherwise innocent car parks can play host to dogging action after dark, the listing says: "Sites include Longniddry Bents car park, East Lothian, Kinnoull Hill, Perth – on Wednesdays for some reason – and if you go down to the woods at Tentsmuir Forest near St Andrews, prepare for a big surprise."

It also recommends avoiding Calton Hill in Edinburgh late at night "unless you wish to join the cruising fraternity".

Another guide book, released today, warns of a backpacker accommodation scam in Glasgow. The eighth edition of the Lonely Planet guide to Great Britain says that "hostels advertised at train and bus stations often amount to nothing more than a scam".

A VisitScotland spokesperson said: "Guide books to every destination highlight the good and the bad. We prefer to focus on the positives, of which there are hundreds throughout Scotland."