National park says plan ahead before visiting

The Cairngorms National Park has urged people to plan ahead if they are going to visit.

After being shut for 14 weeks, the park reopened on Friday after the five-mile travel restriction was scrapped by the Scottish Government.

Self-catering holiday homes can also reopen and second homes can be used.

But Grant Moir, chief executive of the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA), said it was unlikely people would “see a return to normal service for some time yet”.

He added: “For example not all car parks or toilets may be open straight away and many of the park’s visitor attractions may not be ready to fully welcome back visitors while maintaining safety guidelines.

“It is extremely important that visitors familiarise themselves with all the current guidance. They should plan and book ahead, prepare to adapt – if they arrive somewhere and it feels busy, they should go somewhere else – and most of all, be kind.”

The impact on businesses, employees and communities of lockdown has been significant in the Cairngorms National Park and the economic recovery is likely to be slow but with less people travelling abroad, places like the park could see a rise in the number of people coming, who have never been here before.”

The CNPA has a COVID information and advice webpage which is updated regularly and includes information on what public toilets are open and what car parks are open and their capacity.

“There is also information on the Visitcairngorms website where visitors can see at a glance which businesses, attractions, etc are open and what restrictions might be in place to protect communities, employees and visitors.”