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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I know IABU.... Scottish Highlands tourism

290 replies

Firefightress1 · 08/04/2023 20:31

I know IABU as we were tourists before we moved to Skye but I'm absolutely gobsmacked by how busy it has been over the weekend. I know its not even the busiest time yet but I'm already struggling to get diesel to get to work and the coop is stripped bare. Had a campervan nearly drive into us earlier on the wrong side of the road at a junction and people parking in passing places on single track roads which means traffic is at a standstill.
We always followed the rules and pulled in/let people overtake but there seems to be a new selfish version of a tourist. I know we need to get used to it but people just blatantly disregarding signage and peeing/sh*tting all over the place is just awful!
I honestly don't remember it as bad as this when we were tourists but i guess we didnt live here then
There are so many facebook groups trying to make improvements but the tour buses and guides still insist on stopping at closed sights and encouraging groups to force open gates and move cones to gain access. Its causing so many issues to wildlife and repair operations that are badly needed.

OP posts:
Randobelia · 08/04/2023 20:33

Yep, people are minging. Whereabouts are you? I find Sleat far quieter.

NurseCranesRolodex · 08/04/2023 20:34

My father has said for 60 years that if Scotland was sunny it would turn into a shit hole and the current rampage of Skye illustrates that. Awful, why are the gov not putting some boundaries in place.

supernaturaldelight · 08/04/2023 20:34

We’re in the highlands, not too far from Skye but really rural. We don’t notice it much, but there’s a house not far from us that’s a b&b type thing and I do dread this time of year for tourists. A lot of the time they can be quite noisy and leave litter. I dread to think what it’s like in more populated areas.

Original poster
Firefightress1 · 08/04/2023 20:36

Randobelia · 08/04/2023 20:33

Yep, people are minging. Whereabouts are you? I find Sleat far quieter.

I'm in Broadford not too far from Sleat. Its beautiful but is slowly being ruined too. Its so sad!

OP posts:
Original poster
Firefightress1 · 08/04/2023 20:38

supernaturaldelight · 08/04/2023 20:34

We’re in the highlands, not too far from Skye but really rural. We don’t notice it much, but there’s a house not far from us that’s a b&b type thing and I do dread this time of year for tourists. A lot of the time they can be quite noisy and leave litter. I dread to think what it’s like in more populated areas.

We are surrounded by holiday homes, there's so many people on Skye that can't afford to get on the property ladder and these houses lie empty for 6 months of the year.
Something needs to be done to save island life, young people all leave as there are no opportunities or possibility of housing x

OP posts:
AwaaFaeHom · 08/04/2023 20:39

Skye has had this issue for a few years now. Also see: NC500.

The bridge definitely has its pros and cons

supernaturaldelight · 08/04/2023 20:41

Firefightress1 · 08/04/2023 20:38

We are surrounded by holiday homes, there's so many people on Skye that can't afford to get on the property ladder and these houses lie empty for 6 months of the year.
Something needs to be done to save island life, young people all leave as there are no opportunities or possibility of housing x

Show quote history

It’s terrible isn’t it. We relocated to Scotland a few years ago before we had our eldest and even in that small space of time it seems like tourism has gone rife. It wouldn’t bother me at all if people had respect, but the Highlands and Islands are gorgeous parts of the UK and full of natural beauty, it’s a shame people don’t seem to respect that. More needs to be done regarding holiday homes, it doesn’t seem fair that there’s so many people who can’t get on the property ladder and yet others have 2 homes minimum, and 1 of them isn’t in use most of the time.

midgemadgemodge · 08/04/2023 20:43

No second home till everybody have their first home for starters

I'm in a less well known area and the local politicians want to get it on the tourist map for money - low cost seasonal jobs

Thursa · 08/04/2023 20:44

The NC500 seems to be ruining the north of Scotland, especially the last few years since lockdown.

duvetcovereddissident · 08/04/2023 20:48

It sounds awful. I had no idea it was like that. I have always wanted to visit the Scottish islands, Orkneys in particular, I suppose I am one of the people who would be making it a horrible place😥

Mum2jenny · 08/04/2023 20:48

If I remember correctly, the coop in Broadford is one of the main supermarkets on Skye. If it’s running empty, there will be no food….

Katiecoffee · 08/04/2023 20:50

Not Scotland but we live in a village in the Derbyshire Dales. One main road in and out. Weekends and bank holidays we just stay home - a usual 5 minute trip to the next town can take 45 minutes. We are currently surrounded by road works in every direction - I went out yesterday and what would usually take me 30 minutes (5 minutes there, 20 minutes in the shop and 5 minutes back) to 2 hours!!!

We knew it was a tourist spot when we moved here (28 years ago) but year on year it gets worse. Absolutely loved lockdown - peaceful and no tourists. Fortunately it will all stop come the end of October and we will become our own little ghost town again until Easter.

PerpetualStudent · 08/04/2023 20:51

YANBU - I’m Highlands too, there’s a place near me where people often wild camp and the same spots get used as a wild toilet over and over until it’s an open sewer, complete with loo roll and wet wipes festooning surrounding trees 🤢 This all runs downhill into a Loch the grubbers then happily swim in?!

I always thinks who travels to be surrounding by all this natural beauty, just to literally shit on it…

midgemadgemodge · 08/04/2023 20:51

Thursa · 08/04/2023 20:44

The NC500 seems to be ruining the north of Scotland, especially the last few years since lockdown.

Yip - someone's made a thing without the infrastructure to handle it - including virtually no camping sites , small roads ...

We've gone up that way for decades and last year we felt so uncomfortable- like pp says - no longer welcome just part of the problem

Katiecoffee · 08/04/2023 20:51

Our favorite summer pastime is to sit in the local pub garden with our friends and watch the tourists. Embrace them - just make sure you don't have to go out at peak times.

FrostyFifi · 08/04/2023 20:52

@duvetcovereddissident You wouldn't be. The issue is with people who behave badly or inconsiderately, which I'm sure you won't.
If you can come outwith Peak holiday times though you'll have a much nicer experience.

duvetcovereddissident · 08/04/2023 20:53

FrostyFifi · 08/04/2023 20:52

@duvetcovereddissident You wouldn't be. The issue is with people who behave badly or inconsiderately, which I'm sure you won't.
If you can come outwith Peak holiday times though you'll have a much nicer experience.

I will bear that in mind. I would like to come bird watching.

FrostyFifi · 08/04/2023 20:54

@duvetcovereddissident I meant to say, you'll find Orkneys quite peaceful. It's specifically Skye and the NC500 that are inundated. People aren't in general very imaginative so they follow the herd.

supernaturaldelight · 08/04/2023 20:55

duvetcovereddissident · 08/04/2023 20:48

It sounds awful. I had no idea it was like that. I have always wanted to visit the Scottish islands, Orkneys in particular, I suppose I am one of the people who would be making it a horrible place😥

You wouldn’t make it a horrible place. It’s people that don’t seem to have any respect that do that. As a PP poster said, things like going wild camping and then having a wild wee/poo and leaving tissues there.

Original poster
Firefightress1 · 08/04/2023 21:00

I completely understand why people want to visit, and fully encourage it if you respect it for how precious and beautiful it is. we fell in love with it and decided to make it our home. Walking earlier we seen so many scorch marks from open fires and bbqs left around the bay, there are so many alternatives and you can still have an open fire without causing damage that takes a year to recover.
Some people just have no respect for the land or the area.

OP posts:
FrostyFifi · 08/04/2023 21:02

Those scorchmarks make me so angry.

midgemadgemodge · 08/04/2023 21:03

Open fires that later in the year can lead to wild fires weeks later if the peat starts to smoulder

Eggseggseverywhere · 08/04/2023 21:04

We arrived on Mull at teatime. Ferry issues but we made it. Been coming for 10 years. Always well road mannered when we drive here!

supernaturaldelight · 08/04/2023 21:08

Oh gosh the scorch marks really annoy me. I’m right by a bay and it’s a lovely spot on an evening to have an open fire, but there’s ways to do it safely that doesn’t damage the environment.

Username917778 · 08/04/2023 21:08

YADNBU. I live on the NC500 and it is a nightmare. The hoardes of campervans have started already.