by Chris258 » Wed Sep 22, 2021 9:07 pm
Briefly, I was asked for a £10 overnight parking fee at Loch Quoich (did not pay). Although I have my doubts, I wish to know if this request for an overnight fee is legally enforceable? And perhaps of greater concern, wonder if this a sign of things to come in some areas of Scotland if estates erect parking notices?
Here's what happened ...
Last weekend I drove up to Loch Quoich for a couple of days walking. I parked on a small area of level ground a couple of hundred metres east of the dam, by the track that splits off to the lower part of the dam. Just before 8pm a Land Rover arrived and pulled up close to my car, and the stalker introduced himself. I was told that I was on private land and was asked to either move on from the spot, or pay a £10 fee to park there overnight. I was also told I could walk or pitch my tent anywhere in the glen for free (ha!), but the car had to be paid for. The land is owned by East Kingie Estate, and I was told I could park overnight at the dam because the small car park there is owned by SSE, but other spots would face a £10 charge, unless I travel a few miles further west until I was off East Kingie and onto West Kingie's patch.
I laughed and disputed the request, then moved on to another spot, and did not pay. The stalker told me that he had been charging since last summer and had only had three refusals to pay the fee. I'm assuming the stalker was acting on the estate's behalf (as he stated), and not his own.
There are no signs in the glen informing of designated parking areas, parking charges, or penalty fine, or contact phone number or even the name of the owner/Estate. I am no legal expert, hence my post here, but with the absence of any notices about fees or warnings, then I suspect that cold-calling strangers for money is not enforceable and if approached for a payment then walkers should refuse to pay, as things stand. Am I wrong?
The Estate's, and stalker's issue here is campervans and motorhomes (and I guess some cars too). Apparently, they drive up the glen for a night, leave their mess, and disappear the next day. He did comment that hillwalkers are usually ok, but this somewhat dodges a wider issue. I have great sympathy with the stalker and the estate on this issue, and understand why they wish to charge, although I disagree. Coincidently, only two nights later I found an overnight spot in Perthshire where someone had dumped their portable/motorhome toilet waste.
Just to be clear here, I had no issue with the stalker, who was not rude or intimidating. I met him again later that evening and we chatted amicably the best part of an hour on all things hills, stalking, walking and stuff. My issue is the seemingly cold-call policy of an unwarned overnight car parking fee by the estate; is it enforceable?