Alphabet Soup

Roger Smith looks at recent confusion in Scotland over designated areas

- Roger Smith

AT FIRST GLANCE, Glen Brittle on Skye and St Mark’s Square in Venice might seem to have little in common. The link is that both are in serious danger of being overrun after major increases in visits by tourists. In Venice the problem is huge cruise liners disgorging thousands of people every day. The authorities are seeking to move the liners to a new facility some miles away. This does not solve the basic problem and there is a growing movement in the city to ban these ships altogether.

On Skye there has also been a sharp increase in tourist numbers, as reported previously in this magazine. Vulnerable places including the Quiraing, the Storr and the Coral Beaches have come under huge pressure. Glen Brittle is one of these places – to be more specific, the walk up the Allt Coir’ a’ Mhadaidh known as the Fairy Pools.

Numbers have jumped in the past few years from about 30,000 to over 100,000. At present there is just a small car park – no visitor centre, toilets or café. The situation is clearly unacceptable. The car park for the walk is reached by 6km of single-track road. Cars and campervans are blocking passing places all along this road and the area around the existing car park has become insanitary with human waste.