We are due to go to the Western Isles on Monday and had planned to stay at Barra, Uist, Harris and then onto Syke. I am getting very worried as there appears to be a lot of negativity about motorhomers on the island. Has anyone been there recently and can advise??
Hi!
I wouldn't worry too much about going to the Western Isles and wildcamping provided you use commonsense where you park.
Large numbers of motorhomes congesting an area are not what wildcamping is about. If that is the type of motorhoming you require - camp on a camp site.
Being inconspicuous is the way to wildcamp. I'm afraid I am selfish where I park and any more than me is too much. That is the beauty of wilding in Scotland there are so many places you can go and bother no-one.
The trouble with the Islands is that the land is in the main controlled by some government agency or other - Crofters Commission - Scottish Natural Heritage - Agriculture Fisheries and Rural to name a few. All have an input and restrictions on the land use are tightly controlled for everybody including crofters.
A description of a croft is often given as " a piece of land surrounded by legislation".
It might be of interest to know a bit about the crofting structure. Each township has a grazings committee. That alone will explain why some areas have little restrictions while some are more difficult over camping. Consequently there are dozens of grazings committees all over the Western Isles with different views and all having to adhere to regulations laid down by government agencies.
As I said at the outset commonsense will keep you right. If there is a sign asking you not to park - there will be a reason. Don't do as some posters do and interpret the sign to not include them - if it doesn't include their particular mode of transport. " It said no camping - not no motorhoming".
That attitude will be treated with the contempt it deserves. It takes a lot to rile Hebrideans - who are in the main rather reserved by nature.
They are also very polite and just because they don't say to your face that they think you were rather stupid to drive out on the grazings and get bogged down and have to be recovered by tractor - rutting up the SSSI with rare flora and fauna - don't think for a minute your stupidity goes unsaid. At the next grazings meeting after you are long gone and tucked up in your suburban bed your misdemeanor will be discussed and decisions made.
How do I know this? I was at these meetings attempting to mediate over a lifestyle ( Motorhoming ) that was alien to most crofters. Sometimes successfully sometimes not.
That is when signs go up - gates get locked. This action is against the Hebridean's nature. There are large numbers of homes that are never locked - vehicles with keys in - very trusting. By the same token they can be unforgiving if trust is abused.
If I had a shilling for every motorhome I've pulled off grazings I might be able to pay the fees for this site.
When I read of people dumping there toilet behind bushes - ignoring no overnight camping signs it makes me cringe. I like to think I am as environmentally friendly as I can be and cause harm to nobody. I leave my wildcamping spots as I find them and better if I can.
After that rant - please go out to the Western Isles and enjoy yourself - I know you will.
