Forest car parks will allow motorhomes to park there overnight

Perthshire sites among those taking part in project launched by FLS

Motorhomes and campervans will be allowed to park overnight in forest car parks as the fight against weekend camping chaos continues.

Forestry and Land Scotland has launched its Stay the Night trial to help it “understand the practicalities of offering this visitor experience”.

Kilvrecht car park and Queen’s View – both in Pitlochry – and Glen Sherrup on the Perthshire border are among 30 areas in Scotland to be part of the trial.

Due to limited facilities, the organisation says forest car parks are intended for informal stop-overs on longer journeys across the countryside.

It comes after beauty spots across the area were over-run and a crackdown on so-called dirty campers was launched by Perth and Kinross Council and the emergency services.

Forestry and Land Scotland says allowing people to stay overnight in selected areas may help.

A spokesperson said: “Members of the motorhome and campervan community are passionate about what they do and have been asking us for many years to allow overnight stays.

“Unfortunately, the fact that it wasn’t permitted didn’t stop people from stopping for the night, so we decided to trial this idea at a select number of car parks to see if formalising it will give us more control over the issue by being able to set down some rules and guidelines.

“It will help to meet a clear demand, channel people to participating sites and potentially also raise a bit of revenue to help with the maintenance of our visitor facilities.

“We anticipate that this move could also help to generate business for local communities and that those who take up the offer will behave responsibly and act appropriately.”

SNP councillor for the Highland ward, Mike Williamson welcomed the move and said: “I do have concerns that there will be no advertising, at the sites, of local businesses or where mobile home users can dispose of their waste.”

British Holiday & Home Parks Association (Scotland) said: “Given the environmental blight caused by ‘wild camping’ in Scotland, we welcome any initiative to control inappropriate overnight parking by motorhome users.”

We decided to trial this idea at a select number of car parks to see if formalising it will give us more control over the issue... SPOKESPERSON FOR FORESTRY AND LAND SCOTLAND