Loch Venachar. Photo: davidBt CC-BY-SA-3.0
A group of campers was given an official police warning after officers discovered they had chopped down a lochside tree for their fire.
The men were camping on the south shore of Loch Venachar on Tuesday when a police patrol discovered the damage.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said it worked with the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs national park to encourage and promote responsible camping.
National park police officer Paul Barr said: “Cutting down trees to burn is vandalism and on this occasion the men involved were dealt with by way of a recorded warning.
“The vast majority of people who visit the area do so responsibly, but damaging trees, leaving litter or even abandoning tents in the park detracts from the natural beauty which attracts tourists in their thousands.
“Through Operation Ironworks, Police Scotland is committed to working closely with our partners in the national park and Forestry Commission to encourage appropriate use of the great outdoors and target inappropriate behaviour.”
The national park authority has faced criticism from outdoor bodies for the introduction of bylaws banning wild camping. The rules already cover a large stretch of the eastern shore of Loch Lomond but from March next year will be extended to many other lochs in the national park, including Loch Venachar.
Ramblers Scotland pointed out implementation and enforcement of existing legislation could be used to tackle the problem.
Mike
11 August 2016Stupid b&stards!
Do not cut live wood - it won't even burn properly anyway!
Gary D
12 August 2016They should have been prosecuted.
Phyllis Khanna
12 August 2016That's near to Tigh Mor where we stay often! Disgraceful!
Wonder where they were from.
Beth Roberts
12 August 2016Bl**dy vandals!!!!!
Nigel
12 August 2016It must have been really cold, so maybe it was the right thing to do to keep warm & stay safe.
Aultbea
14 August 2016For goodness sake, Nigel, this was a roadside in summer, not the Cairngorm plateau in a February blizzard!
Nigel
14 August 2016I got myself a decent sleeping bag from sports direct & still felt a bit chilly in July, but I ware extra layers in my bag now to keep warm , hypothermia is still a risk .
Margaret
15 August 2016Aultbea, Nigel must be having a little joke?
If not, as well as despairing, I agree with your Cairngorm comment.
Mike
15 August 2016Our Nige is either a troll or a tool, I can't quite decide which. Maybe both. Yes, that would explain his utterly retarded comments.
Nigel
15 August 2016How's using extra layers to keep warm retarded ? And yes hypothermia is a risk at anytime of the year , sensible to me .
Aultbea
15 August 2016Using extra layers to keep warm isn't retarded, but cutting down live trees to try to keep warm, definitely is. (see Mike's comment)
outdoorsAndy
16 August 2016Yeah Mike, good question, a cleaver troll or a really stupid hill goer??
Nigel
16 August 2016Sensible hill walker who dose it on a budget & who knows his limitations . Sorry for having an opinion
Outdoorsandy
23 August 2016"Knows his limitations"- such as cutting down a green tree for firewood? Or even starting a fire next to a lake that others use often, removing a part of the scenery? Its such a sad site to come across fire scars, that are unnecessary once you learn how to dispose of a fire safely- go on a bushcraft course- I would recommend woodsmoke, they will put you right!
Learn your hill craft, all the money in the world won't buy you that, (although courses can help), its field time and learning that counts.
Your give away was your sleeping bag comment, thats why I thought you might be a troll having some fun- decent and sports direct in one sentence, cold in July, made me laugh...
You are entitled to an opinion, very much so, just please try and make it an informed one.
(oh, and burning of forest dead wood can be bad too, such as in areas of the cairngorms that we are trying to regenerate, as it robs the wood of a valuable source of nutriment- as an outdoors person you should always leave no trace and cause as little damage as you can, but this of course is my opinion)!
Nigel
23 August 2016It's a karrimor 900 , from SD & it dose the job, it's where I get most my gear as said , it dose the job as I don't camp 4000ft up in the hills. Yes cold in July , we live in Britain so extra layers as needed . & I never said I've cut down a tree I just made the comment that maybe they were cold & needed it , this is an informed opinion
OutdoorsAndy
24 August 2016Well, still not sure your a troll, but...
"It's a karrimor 900 , from SD & it dose the job"
If your cold in it in July at around sea level, it dose not sound like its "doing the job", but perhaps you need to look at your ground insulation?
Karrimor went bust, SD bought the name and in a sense it sadly ceased to be a brand at all. Its mostly false price pointed trash made in sweat shops with no regard for the environment. Such a shame as it was once a great UK brand.
If you are cold, by a road side, in the UK in July, to the point were you need to light a fire to survive, (and hence it is not raining heavily), you have either had an epic thats gone very badly wrong, (and so find shelter in a house etc i.e. raise the alarm you are in trouble), or someone so out of their depth that they should never have left their house in the first place. I fear given that they are given a caution for criminal damage, they were just out on a jolly.
Informed opinion, having some accurate information and insight to base you comments on.
Nigel
26 August 2016Its been used in the hills many times & really is a great bag , I just use a pair of thermals to take the edge of the weather , I also use a self inflatable mat (also karrimor) .