# No emptying loos on Isle of Arran



## barryd (Jul 20, 2016)

Well in the north at least.  There are public toilets at north Sannox picnic area and near the ferry at Lochranza.   Both now have unofficial signs up asking people not to empty campervan loos there as they are not on the mains system.  Does anyone know if these are new as we used to always empty at Lochranza in the past?

The sign points out that there are facilities at Whiting bay and Blackwaterfoot where indeed it seems proper mh elsan points have been installed behind the toilets but they are at the other end of the island.

I know that a few years ago the camp site owner at Lochranza refused to let us use their facilities even when I offered to pay to use them so is this a deliberate move to deter motorhomes?  More worryingly I found this article that was recently in the Arran Banner.  I'm posting this from a mobile so not sure if the link will work.

PressReader - The Arran Banner: 2016-06-18 - Action planned on ...
https://www.pressreader.com › the-arran-...

Are we about to see the dreaded no overnighting signs start to appear here?  As for the signs on the toilets I don't really understand what the difference is from the contents of my thetford compared to the stuff that's coming out of the bottoms of the half a dozen families camping in tents at the picnic area currently at north Sannox.  I don't want to break the rules but do wonder if these signs have been put up with the intention of steering motorhomes towards the only campsite in the area at Lochranza who I know is anti wild camping.  What would you do?  Would you ignore the signs?

It's great that they are providing facilities in the south of the island but worrying that there seems to be a move to deter wilding in the north. 

I spoke to the care taker at one village hall and he mentioned that some were becoming anti Motorhome but he was very positive. The problem is it doesn't take more than a couple of moaners or those with other motives with the ear of local councillors to start putting in restrictions.  I'm considering writing to the banner to put the wild campers point of view across.


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## GWAYGWAY (Jul 20, 2016)

It could be that the cesspit is being killed by the use of the Thetford Blue liquid which kill the bacteria that break down the waste in a pit. a few doses of that liquid will kill the pit dead and then it becomes a stinking mess that is not going to break down anything.  Waste by itself is OK just not the poisonous additives.


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## wildman (Jul 20, 2016)

I suspect it is more a case of people trying to preserve the bacteria of their septic tanks.


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## barryd (Jul 20, 2016)

Thanks, that would make sense if I was convinced they were both using septic tanks but the one at Lochranza is on the main road and has houses or buildings either side of it.  How do the cl septic tanks cope then?


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## vwalan (Jul 20, 2016)

barryd said:


> Thanks, that would make sense if I was convinced they were both using septic tanks but the one at Lochranza is on the main road and has houses or buildings either side of it.  How do the cl septic tanks cope then?



we have similar problems in cornwall in summer .the population is 20 times normal. some of the smaller main sewage works have to be totally emptied washed out and refilled with good ****. the chemicals in m,home caravan toilets kills the bacteria in the works . 
many sewage works are only like enormous septic tanks . the bigger ones have digesters that do mix other good bacteria in with it all . some its ultra violet light that does it . but in summer its a nightmare . 
villages and bigger campsites very often arent on mains as we know it sewage . 
chemical waste needs special treatment . if every house used chemicals that m,homers and caravaners use we would all be in the **** . 
works would just stop working . 
islands like arran etc just cant cope with the infux of visitors at times ,it all makes sense . 
not using chemicals in your toilet is the best thing you can do, and dont wash the insides out keep a bit in it keeps bacteria working .
alot of small campsites dont have a septic they have a cesspit that gets emptied regularly and took to special plants that can cope with it . some may be on mains sewage and dont realise the damage they could be doing .


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## Caz (Jul 20, 2016)

I reckon the answer to this and other places on septic tanks, cess pits etc is a nationwide ban on blue stuff, stop selling it and then we could all empty all over the UK.  

Stayed at a campsite earlier this year that had no disposal facilities available (I thought that was against campsite planning regs, but hey what do I know). Had to bring it home to empty down my loo. I tried to explain that it was only s**t, poo and washing liquid, so only what was going in her toilets and from the washing machine in the laundry area, but she was having none of it, said it would upset the microbiology of her cesspit.


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## barryd (Jul 20, 2016)

Thanks for the further responses.  It seems then that this could be a genuine concern.  As the situation seems somewhat delicate on Arran I think its important then that we observe the rules because its likely then that they have been put up for a reason and not just by the local campsite owner which was my initial sceptical thought.  Just got online properly and realised the mobile link  in my first post does not work so here are two more that make interesting if a little worrying reading.  PressReader.com - Journaux du Monde Entier

PressReader.com - Journaux du Monde Entier

I think they should work.

I did wonder if the new low cost ferries would cause a problem here but its hardly crawling with motorhomes here and the campsites seem to be very busy.

I am toying with the idea of writing to the banner to put our point of view across but not sure whether it would be best to say nothing.

Ideally the campsite at Lochranza should offer a service point for a few quid but as mentioned we were refused such service a few years ago even when I offered to pay.


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## colinm (Jul 20, 2016)

vwalan said:


> we have similar problems in cornwall in summer .the population is 20 times normal. some of the smaller main sewage works have to be totally emptied washed out and refilled with good ****. the chemicals in m,home caravan toilets kills the bacteria in the works .
> many sewage works are only like enormous septic tanks . the bigger ones have digesters that do mix other good bacteria in with it all .



A lot of people don't know how the system works in some areas. Many places have large holding tanks which work like large cess pits and are pumped throu the system, the next village to us pumps up to the end of our road, in the past when the chemical balance has gone wrong we got to smell their brewed up ****, after a lot of problems where AW cut back on adding the chems we got them to fit a sealed drain cover in our road, the previous one leaked smell in middle of night when the pumping occured and it would come in our bedroom window.


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## colinm (Jul 20, 2016)

barryd said:


> I did wonder if the new low cost ferries would cause a problem here but its hardly crawling with motorhomes here and the campsites seem to be very busy.
> 
> Ideally the campsite at Lochranza should offer a service point for a few quid but as mentioned we were refused such service a few years ago even when I offered to pay.



We came back from Col and Tiree a couple of weeks back, apparently the next Saturday ferries where booked solid (not sure on vehicle mix).
On Tiree there is a new dump facility near the Co-op, this is for 'croft campers' and campsite users, but AFAIK anyone can use it, but be aware Tiree has a strict 'No Machair' parking policy, which pretty much precludes any wilding.


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## davef (Jul 20, 2016)

*Arran Banner article*



barryd said:


> Thanks for the further responses.  It seems then that this could be a genuine concern.  As the situation seems somewhat delicate on Arran I think its important then that we observe the rules because its likely then that they have been put up for a reason and not just by the local campsite owner which was my initial sceptical thought.  Just got online properly and realised the mobile link  in my first post does not work so here are two more that make interesting if a little worrying reading.  PressReader.com - Journaux du Monde Entier
> 
> PressReader.com - Journaux du Monde Entier
> 
> ...


The article in the Arran Banner was pretty much out of order on an island largely dependent on tourism. This was quite forcibly pointed out in the following edition where 4 local readers wrote in ( myself included). There was 1 further letter complaining of being stuck behind a slow motorhome. Tourists in general drive more slowly than locals and it is only common courtesy to allow vehicles behind to overtake - some do not seem to understand that on single track roads, passing places are not just for cars to pass in opposite directions, but for slower vehicles to let following vehicles overtake. If this considerate driving was always followed, there would be much less resentment towards motorhomes.....Though I find the worst culprits are actually a minority of cyclists who seem to think they own the roads.
The ill will shown by some islanders to motorhomes is mainly the current difficulty of getting on the ferries with them being full - and the feeling that some motorhomes are merely using Arran as a short cut arriving on the Brodick ferry and driving straight to the Lochranza ferry to head up the west coast,giving no benefit to the island and clogging up the ferries. It only takes a couple of large motorhomes to almost fill the small Lochranza ferry.


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## barryd (Jul 20, 2016)

davef said:


> The article in the Arran Banner was pretty much out of order on an island largely dependent on tourism. This was quite forcibly pointed out in the following edition where 4 local readers wrote in ( myself included). There was 1 further letter complaining of being stuck behind a slow motorhome. Tourists in general drive more slowly than locals and it is only common courtesy to allow vehicles behind to overtake - some do not seem to understand that on single track roads, passing places are not just for cars to pass in opposite directions, but for slower vehicles to let following vehicles overtake. If this considerate driving was always followed, there would be much less resentment towards motorhomes.....Though I find the worst culprits are actually a minority of cyclists who seem to think they own the roads.
> The ill will shown by some islanders to motorhomes is mainly the current difficulty of getting on the ferries with them being full - and the feeling that some motorhomes are merely using Arran as a short cut arriving on the Brodick ferry and driving straight to the Lochranza ferry to head up the west coast,giving no benefit to the island and clogging up the ferries. It only takes a couple of large motorhomes to almost fill the small Lochranza ferry.



Thanks for that.  Do you know which edition it was in or have a copy of the letters?  If its all been said ill keep my trap shut.

Your always going to get a few moaners in the UK though I guess.  We stayed one night at Lochranza near the ferry and hardly saw any vans crossing or full ferries.  Maybe in August I dont know.

Some of the tourists in cars drive so slowly I could outrun them in the Kayak!


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## davef (Jul 20, 2016)

*Arran Banner article*

The "Motorhome Menace" edition was 18thJune, with the following edition on the 25th June containing the 4 letters on page 8.
I am not sure if this link will work - http://pocketmags.com/onlinereader/html5_reader.aspx?custom=false&issueId=132604


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## Floridaphill (Jul 20, 2016)

davef said:


> The article in the Arran Banner was pretty much out of order on an island largely dependent on tourism. This was quite forcibly pointed out in the following edition where 4 local readers wrote in ( myself included). There was 1 further letter complaining of being stuck behind a slow motorhome. Tourists in general drive more slowly than locals and it is only common courtesy to allow vehicles behind to overtake - some do not seem to understand that on single track roads, passing places are not just for cars to pass in opposite directions, but for slower vehicles to let following vehicles overtake. If this considerate driving was always followed, there would be much less resentment towards motorhomes.....Though I find the worst culprits are actually a minority of cyclists who seem to think they own the roads.
> The ill will shown by some islanders to motorhomes is mainly the current difficulty of getting on the ferries with them being full - and the feeling that some motorhomes are merely using Arran as a short cut arriving on the Brodick ferry and driving straight to the Lochranza ferry to head up the west coast,giving no benefit to the island and clogging up the ferries. It only takes a couple of large motorhomes to almost fill the small Lochranza ferry.



I think you make a good point, the locals generally welcome considerate camper van owners.
Myself as a local and motor home user I find the slow camper vans that do not consider the locals cause frustration and daft overtaking at times too.
People work in theres lovely places too and its harder to make a living in these places.
A bit of consideration be it parking, letting faster traffic pass and not parking where theres no overnight signs goes a long way.


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## barryd (Jul 26, 2016)

I do wonder if motorhomes are using the island to hopscotch to Kintyre. We spent six nights at Sannox which is on the main route up from the ferry at Brodick to the one from Lochranza to Kintyre and there were loads coming up but Ive not seen that many wilding around the island.  If its true its a bit bonkers as Arran for me is the best island to visit.  Why would you come here, pay for a ferry and then just leave an hour later?

Unless they are just absorbed into the island.  It never seems over busy here just about right.  The service points at whiting bay and Blackwaterfoot are great though it would be good if they could put one somewhere in the north as well but perhaps its not possible.  Loving our time here but the weather is not great.


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## maingate (Jul 26, 2016)

You flaming fibber Barry. You have been carrying your cassette out to sea on your Kayak and emptying it. :mad1:

A passing Nuke thought it was under attack by Chemical Warfare and has launched its missiles at Russia ......
*
........ and it's all your fault. *


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## barryd (Jul 26, 2016)

maingate said:


> You flaming fibber Barry. You have been carrying your cassette out to sea on your Kayak and emptying it. :mad1:
> 
> A passing Nuke thought it was under attack by Chemical Warfare and has launched its missiles at Russia ......
> *
> ........ and it's all your fault. *



Not quite true but a great idea!

There was a three mile exclusion zone set up at Brodick bogs yesterday though when our six days worth of wilding at Sannox was deposited there.


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## caledonia (Jul 26, 2016)

Six days wilding at Sannox? That's not wilding that's taking up residence. Hogging the best spots for 6 days on a small island that is already pi55ed off with motorhomes. That's why my vans parked up till after August.


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## Campercaillie (Jul 26, 2016)

There appears to be a little confusion with regard to Thetford products and their disposal into a septic tank system. We use Thetford green for the cassette and Thetford pink for the flush. Both are entirely safe for septic tank systems, and will have no adverse effect on the bacteria that keeps the tank in a healthy condition. Thetford blue however is NOT advertised as "septic tank friendly." I suspect that problems are caused by the use of chemicals and/or other additives that are not suitable for septic tank systems. A healthy septic tank does not need emptying every year - looked after, it needs virtually no maintenance for many years. If it's abused however, the need for regular emptying becomes essential, if not the adjacent soak-away will eventually become choked and it becomes a major job to restore it. Stick to these "friendly" products and we may see less of the prohibitive signs.


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## vwalan (Jul 26, 2016)

Campercaillie said:


> There appears to be a little confusion with regard to Thetford products and their disposal into a septic tank system. We use Thetford green for the cassette and Thetford pink for the flush. Both are entirely safe for septic tank systems, and will have no adverse effect on the bacteria that keeps the tank in a healthy condition. Thetford blue however is NOT advertised as "septic tank friendly." I suspect that problems are caused by the use of chemicals and/or other additives that are not suitable for septic tank systems. A healthy septic tank does not need emptying every year - looked after, it needs virtually no maintenance for many years. If it's abused however, the need for regular emptying becomes essential, if not the adjacent soak-away will eventually become choked and it becomes a major job to restore it. Stick to these "friendly" products and we may see less of the prohibitive signs.



having worked in the sewage industry i would say even thetford green should be avoided and forget the pink . 
use nothing ,use as little water as possible . dont wash cassette out let bacteria live .


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## Teutone (Jul 26, 2016)

Just install a SOG......


Nothing in our cassete except what comes out of humans :dance:


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## barryd (Jul 27, 2016)

caledonia said:


> Six days wilding at Sannox? That's not wilding that's taking up residence. Hogging the best spots for 6 days on a small island that is already pi55ed off with motorhomes. That's why my vans parked up till after August.



Well firstly I am not sure the "island" is pished off with motorhomes just because someone wrote a letter in the banner.  The caretaker at Corrie village hall where we filled with water very much pointed this out to me that most welcomed us.

The spot at Sannox is quite large and we shared it with a family of Cockle pickers (travellers I think) in a caravan and a tent who were clearly going to be there for some time.  Only a couple of small campervans came in the whole time we were there.  There are hardly any motorhomes here.  Last two nights at Blackwaterfoot there was one other van the first night and last night just us!

You have to be somewhere so if there are not loads of vans trying to get your spot which there are not why not stay a few days tucked round the corner out of the way?

If anything there seems less motorhomes this week after the start of the English school holidays than last week.


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## 2cv (Jul 27, 2016)

There may be no logical reason for it, but staying in one location for days does antagonise local residents.
As an example, last week I stayed a night on a car park in Berwickshire. In the morning I was approached by a mildly irate farmer whos rights over the land I am uncertain of. When I explained that I only intended to stay the one night his demeanour changed, saying that he had no problem with that. He explained that he was fed up with motorhomes taking up residence there for several days.
I think that in order not to antagonise and potentially lose locations it's best to only stay in places for one night when not on a site.


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## barryd (Jul 27, 2016)

2cv said:


> There may be no logical reason for it, but staying in one location for days does antagonise local residents.
> As an example, last week I stayed a night on a car park in Berwickshire. In the morning I was approached by a mildly irate farmer whos rights over the land I am uncertain of. When I explained that I only intended to stay the one night his demeanour changed, saying that he had no problem with that. He explained that he was fed up with motorhomes taking up residence there for several days.
> I think that in order not to antagonise and potentially lose locations it's best to only stay in places for one night when not on a site.



Its a fair point but on this occasion the spot I was in was well hidden around a corner.   The only nearby resident who could not see us came down occasionally to talk to the traveller family who were pretty much resident.  He clearly knew them.  Maybe they give him free cockles I dunno but they seemed to get on.

We dont use the van during the day as we can get anywhere on the island on the scooter or locally on push bikes and its an ideal spot for the Kayak.  Its also a spot not popular with cars so its ideal.  If I thought we were in the way or annoying someone I would have moved.


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