by Tinman » Mon Aug 19, 2019 7:52 pm
When I read the original post I thought to myself that has not been my experience so I decided I would undertake my own research the next time I was up in Scotland which so happens to have been the weekend just gone. I landed back at home in Durham about three hours ago.
Not the best of weather I have to say but there you go.
On Saturday I bagged Beinn Dearg (Blair Athlon); on Sunday Carn a’Chlamain and today, Ben Chonzie.
In terms of number of ascents per Walkhighlands, Beinn Dearg is in the third quartile, Carn a’Chlamain about half way whilst Ben Chonzie is in the top ten. A mixed sample. With Carn a’Chlamain though, one must remember the suggested route is up Glen Tilt which does get a lot of footfall for many reasons. So it’s busy as is the car park at Bridge of Tilt but more of the latter later.
For all three hills I kept to the designated paths/routes without exception. And they all have paths.
Having done so I can safely say that I did not see any litter/rubbish or whatever of any description and certainly not a plastic mountain.
Re Bridge of Tilt car park, I couldn’t actually find a bin but even there I couldn’t see any litter either. Similarly there was no rubbish to be seen at Ben Chonzie car park albeit there are some monster bins there which I assume the locals use for their own bin collections.
I accept there will be litter somewhere (particularly Ben Nevis, Scafell Pyke and presumably Snowden) but these really are the tourist hotspots. With that said, the last time I was on Ben Lawers and also Ben Lomond both in August, again, no litter.
No doubt virtually all (if not all) of the 144,000 or so members on this website take their responsibilities very seriously and act accordingly. Remember you are not going to get your average Liverpool supporter up many Munros.
In short I don’t see it as being the major problem as suggested and therefore have to agree with the comments made by Caesar.
And don’t get me started on a Tourist Tax, motorbikes and a wish to be able to hit people.