Educate people rather than ban wild camping

Campers should be taught how to be more responsible and clean up

Moves to ban wild camping should be resisted, according to the head of Scouts Scotland.

Katie Docherty, Scouts Scotland chief executive, spoke out after it was suggested that Perthshire might benefit from by laws to curb “loutish behaviour”.

“Wild camping has so many potential benefits; it’s a chance to experience the real outdoors,” she said.

“It allows children and young people to learn about nature, learn about their surroundings. It builds resilience and confidence.

“In the UK, 96% of adults believe they were happier as a child because they spent more time outdoors. Let’s teach more people to be responsible outdoors rather than restrict where people can camp. That’s part of what we teach in Scouting.

“Lord Baden Powell put it best when he said ‘leave the world a little better than you found it’. Certainly that’s the view of Scouts Scotland when it comes to wild camping or any activity in the outdoors.”

The mess left by some people was highlighted by grandmother Sue Band from Murthly who was disgusted by the debris on the shores of Loch Tummel and contacted The Courier.

MSP Murdo Fraser said banning camping from certain places – as introduced by the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park – should be a “last resort”.

Councillor Caroline Shiers, Blairgowrie & Glens, said people should report hotspots to the police.

“The core issue for me is there are a few people who through their carelessness cause problems for everyone else who wants to enjoy the countryside and is responsible and takes their rubbish home,” she said.

Some campers leave a mess.