Petition Against NC 500 Campers

2cv said:
The local Lib Dem MP does not appear to like us. Link
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Is it any wonder, the N500 has drawn many bad campers. Scotland was much more attractive before the N500 was widely popularized.
My husband attending his boat, found the shielded side was being used as a toilet. Lots of excretement. He had to use a No 7 shovel to remove it before he could climb into his boat. Just because someone was too lazy to walk to camp toilets. Now thats filth.
 
mariesnowgoose said:
Then it would be just Cornish residents plus all those many holiday properties that would stand empty with no occupants contributing to the daily local economy.
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Until our village was bought up by the English for holiday homes we had a garage, 2 shops, a Post Office + a busy Pub Now the only one left is the pub which only opens 3 nights in the winter so what daily economy are you talking about

mariesnowgoose said:
Land's End has charged an entry fee for donkey's years. Are you maybe talking 18th century?!
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No free until 1987 when bought by Peter Desavery
 
Tookey said:
Which suggests tourism is vital to some UK local economies but it is the long stay tourist and not the day visitor which is key to the community benefiting, which seems to be confirmed by the fact that Blackpool economically is on its arse but gets thousands of tourists...........but the wrong kind.
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Apologies for talking about a place that is not on the NC500, but the problems are the same, and it is a good microcosym of the issue.
The classic example of this is Whitby. The VAST majority of their visitors are day trippers from Teesside.
The shops cafes and chip shops in the down reflect that. The attractions and facilities are geared towards people who are only there for the day.
The vast majority of the problems with rubbish dumping and poo is from these day trippers, who bring their own packed lunches (and closing the toilets where visitors are still around doesn't help).
Motorhomes didn't cause these problems: indeed, they alleviated them by stopping quite so many day trippers finding places to park.
Motorhomes were the target of media campaigns because B&B owners were frustrated by so many vacancies, despite crowds outside.
I know this was the cause: the editor of the local paper was a friend of a friend. The local paper was the prime driver of this hate campaign.
Motorhomes tend to stay a few days, so the town was actually biting the hand that feeds it. Driving them away has not made things better - though perhaps staycations will do.
 
witzend said:
Until our village was bought up by the English for holiday homes we had a garage, 2 shops, a Post Office + a busy Pub Now the only one left is the pub which only opens 3 nights in the winter ...
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Until your village was bought up by the English for holiday homes, our village had three pubs, a post office and two shops. Now we just have one community shop, no pub, no post office.
Bloody English!
 
witzend said:
[Of Lands End] No free until 1987 when bought by Peter Desavery
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In the mid-1990s, Lands End was bought by the same guy (Cairns Boston) who then owned John O'Groats. The Lands End & John O'Groats Company Ltd. is Liverpool based at the same address as Heritage GB, who are now the public face of these and many other tourist attractions both in Cornwall and the Highlands. So, like much of tourism money, the profits from operating these attractions at both ends of the country go straight to England.
 
lands end was still free last time I was there .... PARKING on the other hand is stupidly expensive. I park in the national trust (free) and walk there

kyran
 
2cv said:
The local Lib Dem MP does not appear to like us. Link
Click to expand...
We should all write to this MP and explain that campervaners & Motorhomers do not destroy things . His address is ......Twat ,Scotland, that will definitely get to his letterbox.
 
Jude said:
Is it any wonder, the N500 has drawn many bad campers. Scotland was much more attractive before the N500 was widely popularized.
My husband attending his boat, found the shielded side was being used as a toilet. Lots of excretement. He had to use a No 7 shovel to remove it before he could climb into his boat. Just because someone was too lazy to walk to camp toilets. Now thats filth.
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Sorry to hear about your Husbands Boat But I have to ask what is a NO 7 shovel? Does it leave a perfumed Aroma behind maybe?
 
mickymost said:
Sorry to hear about your Husbands Boat But I have to ask what is a NO 7 shovel? Does it leave a perfumed Aroma behind maybe?
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Looks like a 'Black Diamond' thing.......is all I can suggest

rockrun.com

Black Diamond Deploy 7 Shovel

The Black Diamond Deploy 7 Shovel is a durable, rapid-deployment snow shovel that is ideal for daily use in the backcountry.
rockrun.com rockrun.com

www.facewest.co.uk

MARKED FOR DELETION Black Diamond Evac 7 Shovel

MARKED FOR DELETION Black Diamond Evac 7 Shovel: Compact and durable two-way use shovel. 794g.
www.facewest.co.uk
 
The roads on the NC500 are a disgrace, not because of the traffic but because they have had very little spent on them from the start. They should be capable of handling freight trucks for commerce and the development of Scotland. Scotland will never be developed and create jobs in the highlands without commerce and the roads are strangling that. To blame campers is a farce and diverting the attention away from the inferior quality of the roads
 
I'm a paid member on here, but not a poster.

I'm Irish, but bought up in England where I still live, but also have a second home in Kinloch Ranch, Perthshire.

I bought my first Motor Home in February as we wanted to continue our trip around the UK which had taken us from Kings Lynn to Runcorn in a Sports car and felt the next section would be best suited to a motor home.

So I feel anyone wanting a dig has all the ammo they can get.

So we set out from Runcorn but hit an issue when covid struck and stopped in March at Carlisle, we then returned home and locked down until 14th July when we set off for Carlisle again and on the 15th entered Scotland to continue our around the UK trip, this included Islay, Mull, Syke, and Orkney etc

Part of our journey joined us into the NC500, it wasn't our reason for being there, just a coincidence.

At Durness, we were surprised to see so many camper vans, motorhomes, bikes and sports cars all of which I love.

We spent a magical night by Loch Eriboll, and moved on the next day.

Now the NC500 from there follows the A836 to Thurso, but we were following the coast, had done so since Kings Lynn and intended to do so all the way back there. This means we visit every single harbour etc and only move away from the edge when we have no choice.

BUT We came around a bend on the road to Talmine and this just went wrong, we had just passed a passing place with a clear road ahead when an Audi coming the other way simply accelerated past a passing place and pulled into the middle of the road so we could not go on, he was very offensive and kept referring to the NC500, I obviously thought what a plank and we exchanged views...... etc.....

At Talmine, I couldn't believe the number of camper vans (I'm not anti camper vans, just observing how many there were)

This happened again at Skullomie, but a mix of motorhomes, camper vans and caravans etc.

It was worse at Skerray, but Skerray bay was an utter disgrace, I was ashamed to feel part of this community. We had issues getting to the harbour because Motor Homes, camper vans, caravans etc were simply blocking the road. I had to get out and sort a route through as I needed to find space to turn back.

But the real issue was the mess, the smell and the attitude of the people camping in places they really should not have been, its no wonder that locals aint happy.

Aggression and disrespect for others and for the environment is NOT what wild camping is about, and these people should be ashamed.

NOW THAT SAID,

Back to the A836 and apart from an idiot with a caravan who couldn't get above 30 mph and didn't know he was straddling the white line and blocking traffic I didn't see any major issues other than rubbish in lay-bys etc which happens everywhere because people are selfish, we spent 2 nights at Dunnet bay CAMC site so I could have time off, cook a Sunday lunch and have a beer (or 12) and moved on.

It was obvious that too many travellers were in the area, but thats a covid lock down issue, not a NC500 issue as far as I could tell, but still respect please.

At Munlochy we stopped the night in a car park overlooking the loch parked next to a German camper and some other mainly hired motorhomes, some locals beeped their horns as they passed by but no other issues.

The NC500 is NOT the issue here, it seems to be people either need to respect the local area, or leave.

The simple fact is a camper van without facilities is NOT a suitable option in an area with no facilities for an extended stay, the guy I spoke to in a VW transporter at Skerry Bay, stood on the road with beer expressing his right to stay there for a week with no on board toilet and no public toilets available just isn't doing our image any favours.
 
Boris7 said:
The simple fact is a camper van without facilities is NOT a suitable option in an area with no facilities for an extended stay, the guy I spoke to in a VW transporter at Skerry Bay, stood on the road with beer expressing his right to stay there for a week with no on board toilet and no public toilets available just isn't doing our image any favours.
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Did this chap tell you he hasn't got any on board facilities or did you have a look inside? Please do not make assumptions about VW's as there are so many variations. We have owned a T5 Leisuredrive conversion (see my avatar) since Jan 2015, which can sleep 4. We bought it purely for visiting Scotland having rented cottages for 3 years prior. We have everything you do in your motorhome except a shower and fixed toilet. We have a gas double hob, oven and grill. A sink with pumped water with 45 litre tank (a grey water tank inbuilt) and a fridge which runs on gas, hook-up or engine when travelling and we have a porta potti. If you look at it when loaded ready for travel; apart from obviously more windows, it looks like a commercial van with bike rack. We have generally spent 2 weeks in May and 2 weeks in September for last 5 years touring Scotland and the Isles. We generally visit small quiet campsites or 'Wild Spots' (for the odd night) that motorhomes simply cannot reach due to size - the T5 is afterall less than 5m long, 2.0m high and car width. We always buy our general groceries etc local to help support their economy and camper fits into normal size parking bays. There are some T5 conversions that do actually have a cassette toilet like this one https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classi...g-location=at_motorhomes&page=22&modal=photos (and some a fixed shower) also they are excellent on fuel as when loaded we get on average high 30's low 40's mpg - also no speed restrictions like vans. We are now considering upgrading to a full VW California which is the highest value retaining general production vehicle on the road currently!! Several at the moment are selling for more than they were new - they are that good, drive like a car and can be used as a daily driver. These come loaded with kit. Electric roof, 2 large beds which are very quick to set-up, double leisure batteries, hot and cold water with large tanks for fresh and waste on board. Table in side door and chairs in tailgate. Some now come with shower connections at the back with an awning that quickly fits rear tailgate to make fully enclosed pumped hot water shower even with shower tray. SO please please don't say these vehicles are not suitable; I would suggest they are more suitable than a motorhome TBH and also being 3000kg are not heavy!!!!

Oh and BTW since 1st July it has been travelling down the West Atlantic Way in Ireland with my son and his Irish partner. In that time they've only stopped at campsite for 2 nights; the rest they used Wild Spots using local facilities as and when needed. No issues and locals have all been fine considering the Irish are still unable to do international travel.
 
Norfolk Jim said:
Did this chap tell you he hasn't got any on board facilities or did you have a look inside? Please do not make assumptions about VW's as there are so many variations. We have owned a T5 Leisuredrive conversion (see my avatar) since Jan 2015, which can sleep 4. We bought it purely for visiting Scotland having rented cottages for 3 years prior. We have everything you do in your motorhome except a shower and fixed toilet. We have a gas double hob, oven and grill. A sink with pumped water with 45 litre tank (a grey water tank inbuilt) and a fridge which runs on gas, hook-up or engine when travelling and we have a porta potti. If you look at it when loaded ready for travel; apart from obviously more windows, it looks like a commercial van with bike rack. We have generally spent 2 weeks in May and 2 weeks in September for last 5 years touring Scotland and the Isles. We generally visit small quiet campsites or 'Wild Spots' (for the odd night) that motorhomes simply cannot reach due to size - the T5 is afterall less than 5m long, 2.0m high and car width. We always buy our general groceries etc local to help support their economy and camper fits into normal size parking bays. There are some T5 conversions that do actually have a cassette toilet like this one https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classi...g-location=at_motorhomes&page=22&modal=photos (and some a fixed shower) also they are excellent on fuel as when loaded we get on average high 30's low 40's mpg - also no speed restrictions like vans. We are now considering upgrading to a full VW California which is the highest value retaining general production vehicle on the road currently!! Several at the moment are selling for more than they were new - they are that good, drive like a car and can be used as a daily driver. These come loaded with kit. Electric roof, 2 large beds which are very quick to set-up, double leisure batteries, hot and cold water with large tanks for fresh and waste on board. Table in side door and chairs in tailgate. Some now come with shower connections at the back with an awning that quickly fits rear tailgate to make fully enclosed pumped hot water shower even with shower tray. SO please please don't say these vehicles are not suitable; I would suggest they are more suitable than a motorhome TBH and also being 3000kg are not heavy!!!!

Oh and BTW since 1st July it has been travelling down the West Atlantic Way in Ireland with my son and his Irish partner. In that time they've only stopped at campsite for 2 nights; the rest they used Wild Spots using local facilities as and when needed. No issues and locals have all been fine considering the Irish are still unable to do international travel.
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Boris has touched a nerve with you on his post.But you are right just because your van is small doesn't mean to say you don't carry a small toilet and have other similar facilities to the bigger Motorhomes.And you only are going around in an economical small footprint with better mpg so hats off to you and other responsible Vw owners.
 
I stayed in a forest car park a couple of weeks back and a large m/h had taken up a complete bay of 4 car spaces by parking lengthways.
It rightly Got a few dirty looks from the dog walkers who arrived early morning and had to park on one of the other few bays there were.
We will only ever use one bay (only 4.7 m long) and usually leave before 8am.
 
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