The Tourist Season in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park is now well under way as is the Camping Management Byelaw regime. There appear to have been fewer Camping Byelaw Exemption Applications this year than last but that has not stopped the tents!
Interestingly some of applications appear to remain as “awaiting decision”, either that or the decision has not been published on the LL&TNPA planning portal. A notable example is the application by Loch Ard Sailing Club (ref. no. 2018/0017/BYCEXE ) who are applying for exemption from the Byelaw from 1st March to 30th September 2018. This application first appeared on the Planning Portal on week 12 date 19 March 2018.
The case of the Drymen Agricultural Show
Drymen Agricultural Show was held in what is known as Drymen Show Field just south of Drymen village on Sat. 26th May 2018. Drymen Show Field is within the east Loch Lomond Camping Management Zone in LL&TNPA. There is an interesting history:
Drymen Community Council Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting, held in the Village Hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday 5th April record: –
“National Park Update
Willie Nisbet (WN) (elected member to the National Park Board) informed the meeting that there has been a ministerial decision on extending the ELC (East Loch Lomond Camping) Bye laws to include no wild camping in the Drymen show field from March 2017. The LL&T National Park will be working to have other campsites open and available.”
Drymen Community Council Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on Tuesday 07th February 2017 record:–
“National Park Update. Willie Nisbet (WN) informed the meeting of the following matters: · James Stuart is the new convenor for the National Park, and he will take over from the 01st March 2017. · New bye-laws come into force from the 01st March 2017, and cover Buchanan Castle Estate as well as the Drymen Show field. FR asked how the new bye-laws affected the show field. WN replied that camping would no longer be allowed.
The advertisement for the show indicates that there will be numerous tents there.
In Camping Management Zones fishermen (or anyone else for that matter) may not even erect an overhead shelter other than an umbrella.
“LL&TNPA Angling and Camping Q&As
- What if I put a tent up when I am fishing during the day but don’t camp overnight?
Yes, under the byelaws you need a camping permit to use or occupy a tent, wigwam or bivouac at any time. You can have an umbrella up at any time.”
There was no Camping Byelaw Exemption applied for this year or last by Drymen Show organisers. This also applies to Luss Highland Games (see here) and Tarbet Games or other events taking place within the camping Management Zone such as Beer or Food Festivals.
As far as I am aware LL&TNPA have taken no action to challenge these events for breaking the byelaws for, in the case of Drymen Show, two years, otherwise the organisers would surely have applied for exemption and stayed within the law?
Personally, I applaud the organisers of these events for defying the National Park Authority Byelaws. For these are longstanding events and are part of the cultural heritage of the areas in which they are held.
“Drymen Show (instituted 1816) and Luss Highland Games (The first Luss Highland Gathering was held in 1875 and has been held annually since, except for a break during the two World Wars. It owns its inception to the enthusiasm of local farmers and sportsmen, all of which were member of the Luss Company of Dunbartonshire Volunteers. The Gathering was held for three years in the field north of the River Luss, but as it became more popular, the site was changed to the larger field on the south side, where it is held today).”
However, in my opinion the LL&TNPA are failing in their duties by ignoring the erection of enormous tents for these events – how could they miss them or be unaware of what is happening in the area they are charged with looking after? – yet pursuing individuals for erecting a small tent or overhead shelter in some much less visible spot. It seems grossly unfair and makes a further nonsense of the whole debacle of the Camping Management Byelaws.