Campers urged to follow site’s rules

● Glencoe Mountain Resort staff in call for visitors to be considerate

Staff at a popular Highland resort are appealing to campers to be mindful of others as they pitch up on the grounds. Glencoe Mountain Resort has recorded around 100 campervans using its car park in recent weeks and making use of on-site facilities.

Staff have endorsed a “light touch” approach by not chasing campers away but are instead urging them to register their visit on their contact tracing app while seeking a £5 donation towards use of amenities.

Now staff have revealed they have received just £15 in donations – and have been left picking up waste on behalf of campers.

Andy Meldrum, managing director, said it was disappointing there is a minority “using and abusing” the system.

He said: “For the first couple of weeks our official take on it was that we were asking only vans who were booked into our official spots to stay, but unfortunately reasonably quickly we discovered that even if we chased people, as soon as our staff left at night they were arriving.

“For a week or two we weren’t bothered but our big issue is that for the last wee while our staff have been clearing and emptying all the bins before leaving and then when we come back in the morning, we find everything is stacked up with bin bags everywhere and just a sheer amount of rubbish.

“I am guessing it’s because campervans are struggling to find other places and other bins are full.

“It seems to just be a minority who seem to be using and abusing and don’t think they have to contribute in any way, despite the fact that for us, waste refuge is an expensive business when you live as isolated as we are.”

The revelation comes as councillors demand immediate action to protect the Highlands against wild campers as UK residents continue to venture north for the holidays.

Concerns have been raised over the health implications due to the lack of facilities such as toilets, bins and adequate parking areas, leading to a call for additional funding to employ countryside wardens.

Mr Meldrum is urging those travelling to the west coast to respect the procedures in place.

He added: “We don’t mind our customers leaving their waste with us if they are paying to stay but the people who are not paying to stay and think it’s fine to dump three bags of litter at our bins is a bit off.

“We can’t prevent people coming and if people don’t want to pay then just don’t use our facilities and don’t leave rubbish and litter, that’s absolutely fine. But if people are going to choose to use our

“There just seems to be a minority that think it’s all righttoabuse”

facilities we need them to register their stay on our contact tracing app and all we ask is for a £5 donation.

“A lot of campervans come and stay with us and are brilliant.

“They spent money at the centre, go mountain biking and up the chair lift and we do very well but there just seems to be a minority at the moment that think it’s all right to abuse.”

A Highland Council spokesman said: “While we welcome visitors to the Highlands, we urge everyone to ‘leave no trace’.

“People can report litter using the report form on the council’s website at highland.gov.uk/report.”

The spokesman added that £80 fines could be issued for dropping litter and larger sums for fly-tipping.