Highland tourists ‘destroying’ Glen Etive

Rubbish and abandoned belongings litter a site at Glen Etive. Picture: Contributed

A Facebook page has been set up to expose the “destruction” of the 14-mile glen, which has also featured in Harry Potter films.

Mark and Phillipa Shone, who claim “wild” campers and fly-tippers are ruining the area, are documenting the mess on the page, entitled “Glen Etive – The Dirty Truth”.

The page features bags full of rubbish, tents, camping equipment, broken bottles, drinks cans and drugs paraphernalia.

Mr Shone, 29, said: “It’s the festival mentality that some people seem to have, rocking up on a Friday and partying all weekend. It’s just baffling the mentality of these people who show no respect for such a gorgeous part of the country.”

He claims that “whole campsites” are left, with tents full of dirty nappies. He added: “There’s broken bottles and even supermarket trolleys which appear to be used for cooking food on the fire.

“The Facebook page has sparked a good debate and discussion about what the possible solutions might be.

“There have been just one or two negative comments but that is probably from people just looking for an argument. We don’t want people to stop coming here, we just want people to respect the place and not trash it, because it is just sickening what is happening.

“There are signs in the glen telling people to take their litter home yet I find black bags full of rubbish piled up under them.”

The couple have lived in the area for two years but are now considering moving.

Highland councillor Andrew Baxter has called for a meeting between landowners, public bodies and police in a bid to tackle fly-tipping in Glen Etive.

He said: “I am angered that such a beautiful glen might as well be renamed ‘Glen Midden’ because of the lazy and selfish actions of those who think it acceptable to simply drive away, leaving their mess behind. There’s no doubt it has got even worse since the ban on camping around Loch Lomond was introduced.”

Glen Etive featured in the 2012 film Skyfall, and was included in promotions for the movie with stars Daniel Craig and Dame Judi Dench.

The northern half of Glen Etive is tidied regularly by landowners the National Trust for Scotland (NTS).

A Trust spokesperson said: “We share concerns about the mess left behind by irresponsible campers in Glen Etive. However, there are no straightforward solutions.”