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9 Jul 2025

Encouraging responsible access to the countryside

Written by Devan LaBrash
Glencoe under a stormy sky. A river meanders through a valley between two hills, with some purple heather in the foreground.
Glencoe National Nature Reserve is one of our busiest countryside locations.
We welcomed more than 2 million people to our countryside locations in 2024 in a record-breaking year.

But with increased numbers comes increased pressure on our special places, and so we are encouraging people to access our landscapes responsibly.

David Frew, Head of Mar Lodge Estate NNR, said: ‘Our charity’s purpose is to share our places with people, so we’re really pleased to have reached our highest-ever visitor figures in 2024. We saw a 37% increase on the previous year and we want this growth to continue. We also want to continue to improve access for people who may not have had the chance to explore countryside landscapes in the past.

‘A lot of the challenges we face in maintaining our countryside properties come from people who simply don’t know how to visit these places in a responsible way, and so we want to raise awareness.

Seemingly small actions can actually have large impacts on fragile habitats, and this is especially true when multiplied by hundreds of thousands of visitors.

‘Fire safety is also an exceptionally important topic, even more so now we are experiencing increased periods of wildfire risk in Scotland. Sadly, we have seen more wildfires at our places. We encounter dozens and dozens of campfires during these periods and people often just tell us they’ll be careful. Many don’t realise that fires can ignite underground in areas of peatland. Even though it appears extinguished on the surface, it can have devastating consequences. Far too often we see a seemingly well-managed fire get out of control from just one or two errant embers. We would really appreciate visitors listening to our No-Fire guidance and helping us protect our landscapes.’

A view looking down a wide glen on Mar Lodge Estate. A river winds its way through the centre, with trees on the banks either side and heather-covered hills rising into the distance.

Here are some key points from our advice for responsibly visiting the countryside:

A pile of litter on the ground, including cans and plastic.

Don’t leave anything behind

All rubbish – wet clothes, food, tents, camping supplies, disposable barbecues, nappies and even human waste – needs to be taken home with you. Our rangers and volunteers spend hundreds of hours removing these things from the landscape to protect nature and improve the experience of other visitors.

Nine small pebbles of various sizes sit on a table outdoors. They are painted with images of cats. A small island is visible in the background.

Keep the land as you found it

Creating ‘rock art’ has become more popular, where people stack stones into towers or arrange them in various patterns. While this may seem harmless, the practice can unknowingly disturb precious habitats and creates lasting disruption in the area.

Varied woodland fills a mountainside.

Consider responsible ways to leave tributes or memorials 

While many locations have a special place in people’s hearts and they may want to leave a marker for someone dear to them, it’s important to protect the natural beauty and wildlife of these places. Physical markers may inadvertently harm wildlife, so we encourage people to think of other ways to leave a tribute to loved ones.

Find out more about Giving in memory

A solitary tree grows on a hillside, with open ground seen in the background. A large section of its trunk has been stripped and scored away, leaving a bad scar on the tree.

Protect trees and woodland 

There has been an increase in people cutting down and burning precious trees and deadwood to make campfires, which can cause irreparable damage to fragile habitats. Not only is this vandalism, but it is also often pointless – damp and living wood doesn’t burn well.

A destructive fire on Ben Lomond

Remember fire safety

Fire safety is becoming extremely important, especially as Scotland’s temperatures rise and amount of rainfall decreases. We ask people to never light an open fire during prolonged dry periods or in areas like forests, woods, farmland or on peaty ground. Dousing a fire with a few bottles of water, or letting it go out by itself, simply isn’t sufficient to safely extinguish it – they can still reignite days later. 

BBQs can also be very dangerous, especially disposable ones, so we always encourage people to use a properly supervised camping stove. 

We also ask people not to drop ashes or cigarette ends, which can set dry vegetation alight. Glass bottles and broken glass can also act as a magnifying glass for the sun – please take all rubbish home with you.

A steam train crosses a tall viaduct, with steam billowing out its funnel. Grassy hillsides surround the viaduct.

Think about sustainable travel

Many countryside locations are most easily accessed by car, but this is not always the only way to get there. Car parks can become very busy, and people choose to park dangerously on busy roadsides and verges, increasing the chances of collisions and damage. 

Before travelling, check whether there are public transport options like trains, buses or shuttles – these can also remove some of the stress of the visit. Have a plan in place if parking isn’t available at your first choice of location.

David continued: ‘We don’t want anyone to feel that the outdoors is beyond their reach, or somewhere they’re not welcome, so we hope that our sharing this advice is the easiest way to help people get the most from their visit.’

Quote
“We love sharing our special places with people from around the world, but we ask that everyone treats them with the care and respect they deserve. ”
David Frew
Head of Mar Lodge Estate NNR

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