Responsible tourism in Scotland

When you take a holiday in Scotland, you are benefiting from one of the most accessible, wild open spaces in the Europe. Traditionally, it has always been considered important and right that every person should have access to countryside in Scotland. This right is now enshrined in law, which basically says that as long as you act responsibly, you can walk, cycle, canoe and horse ride in all open land or waters. We love a country that puts responsible tourism in its statutes, and encourage all visitors to take extra time to read ways in which you can maintain that responsibility on your wandering. One issue that the statues may need to address, however, is overtourism in certain parts of the country, where freedom to roam has been taken to a whole other level.

Although overtourism in cities like Venice and Barcelona has been regularly hitting the headlines, Scotland also has some serious issues when it comes to Caledonian crowds. One of the worst hit areas is the Isle of Skye, where growing giant cruise ship numbers are most definitely rocking the boat. With sometimes two or three cruise ships in a weekend, carrying up to 2,000 passengers, this island with a population of just over 10,000 people is far from bonny in certain parts.

It is important to point out, however, that Skye is a big island and you can travel to many parts of it without being affected by mass tourism. This is great for responsible tourists who travel with companies that take them off the beaten track or on small ship cruises to remote coves. However, this is not so great for local people who can’t access their homes because of coach traffic jams on tiny roads, or who have to put ‘no entry’ signs on their gates to stop tourists barging through their gardens. It’s also not ideal for tourists who have seen images of quaint ports on travel websites, only to be greeted by a deluge of disembarking daytrippers.

What you can do

It is easy to plan a trip to Scotland that stays clear of the large crowds, taking a railway holiday or a small ship cruise to many of the other islands, for example. Do also read our Overtourism tips for travellers, for more ideas on how to avoid the crush.

If you are in the hotspots and feel that tourism is being mismanaged, don’t hesitate to take photos and share them on social media, including #Scotland or #VisitScotland as hashtags. When travellers start complaining about their holidays being spoiled by overtourism, tourist boards start to listen. Sadly, they are very slow to listen when local people shout out about it, so – join their cause.

There are various issues when it comes to deer. The fundamental conflict is between those who are managing estates and deer herds for conservation reasons, and those who do so for sporting reasons. Shooting weekends and all that. The latter want to keep up the number of deer so that they can maximize the number of people coming to shoot, which includes feeding them in winter to keep the wild herds thriving because there isn’t enough forage in the hills. At the same time, just a few miles away, an estate manager is minimizing the number of deer for conservation reasons, to let the natural habitats come through which support other wildlife. It will take some time and reeducation to show the sporting tourism sector, which is very important to Scottish tourism, that it is possible to gain a happy natural balance, and reach mutual agreements when it comes to deer management plans. But at the moment, successful cooperation on this front is rare and there are no statutory requirements to produce sustainable deer management plans at present.

One way of showing that natural management procedures work best is by allowing other forms of tourism to thrive. For example shooting with cameras instead and diversifying into other forms of tourism, such as photography and wildlife watching. If hunting tourism is your thing, you need to enquire about their conservation policies as some do so purely for conservation reasons, such as the Glenfeshie and Corrour Estates, but they are few and far between. But awareness is growing, slowly but surely.

Another vital issue for tourists who keep their shooting to that of a photographic nature, is to take all the necessary precautions on the hills during stalking season, from 1st July to 20th October, with a hind season until 15 February. The Heading for the Scottish Hills website is invaluable for keeping you up to date on what the various estates are doing and when with detailed maps and regularly updated information. This is a time when cooperation between hikers and stalkers is vital. Land managers will give all the information you require, but often at short notice, so always inform yourself before walking during this period. And stick to three other rules: read and adhere to any warning signs to follow a different path; do not cross land where stalking is taking place and avoid wild camping where stalking is planned for the next day.

Charity climbs have long been a contributor to localised overtourism in Scotland. From overnight climbs to conquering the Three Peaks in a heartbeat, the slopes of Ben Nevis, Scotland’s highest mountain, get quite a bashing. What is unknown to many is that this is not National Park, and does not have the management structure to oversee these events which bring people in their thousands. Nor is there ready funding available when paths are trampled and destroyed. Even though the lower half of Ben Nevis is owned by the multinational Rio Tinto Alcan, which runs a hydro-powered aluminium smelter from the mountain’s rainwater, the upper half is owned by the John Muir Trust, the world renowned wild land conservation charity. It is rare for an event organizer to have an environmental policy or, indeed, to contribute towards the maintenance of the land they are running all over. There is an argument that they bring tourism money to the area, but many climbers swoop in and back out again in 24 hours, so this is not always the case.

The Institute of Fundraising has created a Code of Practice for such events, which give excellent guidelines regarding what your event organiser should and should not be doing. Such as avoiding weekends, staggering start times, and informing all land owners. But as Ben Nevis is managed by volunteers, this is hard to police.

• Whale and dolphin watching is possible in Scotland, and spectacular it is too. There are now strict guidelines in place when it comes to cetaceans, so please look at our respective whale and dolphin watching holiday guidelines for more detailed information on this subject.
• Cycling is popular and welcomed in Scotland but please do so responsibly. If you are on towpaths, such as the Caledonian Canal, remember there are many other users, including hikers and canoeists. So slow your pace and share the space. On the mountain biking tracks,respect signage, don’t skid as it wrecks the paths, be aware of other trail users and if in doubt, slow down. Read Do the Ride Thing on more tips for responsible mountain bike riding.
  
  
• Be a responsible dog owner, and always put it on a lead near farm animals. During the bird breeding season (usually April to July), keep it on a short lead in areas such as moorland, forests, grassland , loch and riversides.
• If you are wildlife watching with an expert guide, they will know all the codes of Practice that Scotland has put in place, One of the most important is “If you approach wildlife, do so slowly and cautiously. Make sure that your movements are steady and predictable and do not approach directly. Do not chase them or feed them. Let them do what they do best. Be wild. Water lovers, check out the Scottish Marine Code.
• Be safe in the mountains. Always check the conditions, take maps and compass, a safety kit, proper clothing and tell someone where you are going. If there is a sign of a storm, especially with lightening, find the lowest ground possible to retreat to. Then crouch on top of insulating material such as rucksacks and sleeping mats.

• Be safe on the water. Always check the forecasts, and buoyancy aids are a must. Ensure they are tightened on children, who can slip out of them easily. And if you are swimming in the lochs, always wear a bright hat so you can be seen, try and swim with someone else and keep within your capabilities. If possible, swim with a canoeist or kayaker alongside. Blue green algae can be a problem during the warmer months so adhere to any warning signs.
• Drive carefully on Scottish roads. Local people drive quite speedily as they know the roads well, but don’t be tempted to speed up. Aggressive motorcycle riding can be a major problem on some of Scotland's rural roads, but just keep a gentle pace and do not feel hassled by them. When there is snow, police sometimes close the road with snow gates. So, always check the weather forecast.
  

Photo credits: [Venison: Paul Wilkinson] [Conservation: Derek Hatfield] [Path repair: John Muir Trust] [Wind turbines: Patrick Finnegan] [Overtourism: Neil Williamson]