Skye’s the limit II, as tourism damages isle ‘beyond recognition’
FROM the rutted roads to piles of discarded rubbish and scarred landscapes, these images of destruction resemble the aftermath of a giant outdoor music festival.
In fact, they show the devastation caused by mass tourism on the Isle of Skye.
The pictures were taken by local gamekeeper Scott Mackenzie, who believes more damage has been done to the island in a couple of years than in the previous half-century.
Mr MacKenzie, 42, said the landscape at many visitor attractions, such as the Fairy Glen – known to locals as Na Cnocan – is now ‘beyond recognition’.
The father of three added: ‘Na Cnocan has been damaged through erosion from foot traffic and verges have been damaged by the high volume of traffic – more in the past two years than in the past 50 years.
‘The heavy foot traffic brought in by tour operators has eroded the landscape beyond local recognition.
‘Our daily lives are now impacted by the increased tourism to the area, the
‘This is causing a massive strain’
road is in a poor state and the verges are almost non-existent because of careless driving and poor parking.
‘If an ambulance or fire engine needed to get down this road, they would struggle.’
During peak season, Skye’s population of 10,000 swells more than sixfold, leading to traffic jams, bottlenecks and churned-up fields, according to locals.
Earlier this month, the Scottish Daily Mail reported that Police Scotland had issued a warning to visitors, urging them not to arrive on Skye without booked accommodation, amid scenes of road chaos.
Mr MacKenzie, gamekeeper at the 23,000-acre Fearann Eilean Iarmain estate on the island, added: ‘These hills make up a number of crofts and a common grazing. The impact on those trying to make a living from their traditional way of life is becoming increasingly hard.’
But he said rather than curb tourist numbers, visitors had to be ‘educated’ so that their presence causes minimal damage and disruption.
Mr MacKenzie added: ‘If an area looks busy, try not to add to it.
‘Tourism-based businesses also have an obligation to put the correct message out to their potential customers – their role is key in good management.
‘We are continually told that Skye must not stand still, it must move forward, we must embrace tourism.
‘This is what we all want but laws and regulation should also change and move with the times to run alongside of it.’
Skye has become a favourite for film and television location scouts and features in such hits as the historical TV drama Outlander and 2016 children’s movie The BFG, as well as 2014 sci-fi thriller Prometheus.
Professional photographer Gordon Willoughby, 56, of Uig on the island, said: ‘Skye has been a tourist destination for decades and always gives a warm, friendly welcome to our visitors. In the past, our visitors would explore all of the island and find their own special places.
‘Now TripAdvisor and other internet guides rate places and give top-ten lists causing all the visitors to go to the top-rated three or four places on the island.
‘This is causing massive strain on these particular sites, creating unprecedented erosion both to the landscape and the verges.
‘In the case of the Fairy Glen, there are no parking places, so the visitors park on people’s drives, in passing places and on the verges.’
He added: ‘Tour companies have exacerbated the situation, doubling the amount of footfall with day trippers to the top three or four destinations and leaving little for the island’s economy but doubling the erosion.’
A Highland Council spokesman said: ‘The tourism demands placed on Skye, while a welcome success, are ones that we cannot provide an instant resolution for.
‘Where we are responsible for a local site, we are engaging with the community and looking at planning and investment. We are also assisting sites that we are not responsible for by helping bring relevant parties together.’