Leave No Trace
Give your litter a lift, take it home!
Whether you are travelling by car, bicycle, motorcycle, campervan, motorhome or foot, it is your responsibility to dispose of your waste responsibly. Keep Scotland Beautiful reports that 50 tonnes of litter is abandoned on Scotland’s roadsides each month, much of which includes cans, bottles, cups, crisp packets, and food wrappers, tubs and boxes. Not only can litter ruin the amazing views along the North Coast 500, it can also pose a hazard to wildlife and the environment. Clearing up discarded litter can also be difficult, dangerous and expensive to clean up.
If you find that there are no bins, or that the bins provided are full, DO NOT leave your waste at the roadside or beside a bin, take it with you and dispose of it responsibly, recycling where you can. If you are travelling with pets, make sure that any pet waste is collected in a bag and disposed of at the nearest “poo bin” or waste bin.
Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, littering is a recognised criminal offence in Scotland. If a person is found guilty of this offence, they can be issued with a fixed penalty notice of £80, or potentially prosecuted and issued a fine of up to £2,500.
You can report incidences of littering, flytipping, graffiti and dog fouling on the North Coast 500 to the local authority, Highland Council. Keep Scotland Beautiful have produced a useful information document to help you do this.
Motorhome Waste Disposal
No-one likes to see waste left beside the roadside and it is your responsibility to ensure you leave no trace of your travel and dispose of your motorhome waste in the correct manner.
If you are hiring a campervan or motorhome, make sure the hire company show you how to empty and maintain any on board toilet facilities.
There are a number of campsites and places around the route that you can dispose of your chemical waste and grey water (even if you are not staying there).
Free for staying guests, charge applies for passing visitors:
- Black Rock Campsite, Evanton (chemical waste and grey water)
- Beauly Holiday Park, Beauly
- Inver Caravan Park, Dunbeath
- Ferry View Night Stop, Gills Bay
- Dornoch Caravan & Camping Park, Dornoch
- Torvean Caravan Park, Inverness
Waste disposal facilities for staying guests only:
- Fortrose Bay Campsite, Fortrose
- Port A Bhaigh Campsite, Achiltibuie
- Gruinard Bay Campsite, Laide
- Dornoch Firth Caravan Park, Tain
- Shore Caravan Park, Lochinver
- Wick Caravan and Camping Park, Wick
More useful information and advice can be found here, on the Campervan & Motorhome Professional Association (CaMPA) website, and from your campervan or motorhome hire company.
