Rangers at Queen’s Balmoral estate shame wild campers and Lake District is buried under rubbish

Staycationers have been blasted for littering the UK’s beauty spots with rangers at the Queen’s Balmoral estate shaming wild campers for abandoning tents as the Lake District is buried under mounds of ‘heartbreaking’ rubbish. 

The estate’s rangers posted a picture of an array of abandoned tents left on Saturday. 

It echoes a catalogue of other similar incidents throughout Scottish countryside over the summer. 

Meanwhile, volunteers cleaning up litter left in the Lake District have described the piles of rubbish as ‘heartbreaking’ as visitors flock to the area.

Rangers at the Queen’s private Scottish estate posted a picture, above, on Twitter of three abandoned tents, thanking a nearby camper for helping to tidy up the rubbish

Friends of the Lake District, a charity, shared a picture, above, showing leftover camping equipment, food and nitrous oxide cans abandoned at the beauty spot

Friends of the Lake District, a charity, shared a picture, above, showing leftover camping equipment, food and nitrous oxide cans abandoned at the beauty spot

Balmoral’s rangers wrote on Twitter: ‘Three abandoned tents at Loch Muick today! Thanks very much to George from Edinburgh, who was camping responsibly nearby, for helping to tidy up the mess.’

Social media users reacted to the post, with one writing: ‘The people who left those must have money to burn!! Hope you can auction them off and put the money towards covering clean up costs!’ 

Many praised the man who helped clear up the mess, saying: ‘Well done to George shame there not all like him. Would they leave there (sic) homes in this mess keep Scotland clean.’

‘Give that man a knighthood,’ said another, while Willie Munro wrote: ‘Well done for tidying it up but I really cannot understand what goes through them minds of people who camp in such a wonderful location and then ruin it by leaving a mess.’

It comes as the Friends of the Lake District, a charity, shared a picture showing leftover camping equipment, food and nitrous oxide cans abandoned at the beauty spot. 

Engagement officer Ruth Kirk told the BBC: ‘It just breaks my heart. It makes me want to cry.

‘It’s been replicated right across the Lake District, particularly around the lake shores.

‘It’s understandable people want to spend time here, but it has created quite a problem with the amount of litter left behind.

Engagement officer Ruth Kirk said the rubbish 'breaks her heart' and 'makes her want to cry', adding: 'It's been replicated right across the Lake District'

Engagement officer Ruth Kirk said the rubbish ‘breaks her heart’ and ‘makes her want to cry’, adding: ‘It’s been replicated right across the Lake District’

A volunteer for Friends of the Lake District pictured picking up litter, including leftover BBQs and bottles, left by campers at the beauty spot in a picture posted at the weekend

A volunteer for Friends of the Lake District pictured picking up litter, including leftover BBQs and bottles, left by campers at the beauty spot in a picture posted at the weekend

Recently, Balmoral estate warned over the growing problem and asked people to camp responsibly and leave no trace. 

Scores of followers on social media were furious at one mess describing the scene as ‘diabolical’ and ‘absolutely clueless’. 

One wrote: ‘Unfortunately it’s all so cheap & disposable these days, that once-a-year campers / festival goers think nothing of just leaving / dumping it for somebody else to clear up & throw away.’

Another added: ‘Seriously??? All that gear dumped – people never cease to amaze me.’

The Mountain Bothies Association previously announced that two vital shelters on the estate have been locked – at least one due to ‘irresponsible’ behaviour.

It came just days after Balmoral hit out at wild toileting on the 50,000 acre estate.

Recently, Balmoral estate, pictured above, warned over the growing problem and asked people to camp responsibly and leave no trace (file photo)

Recently, Balmoral estate, pictured above, warned over the growing problem and asked people to camp responsibly and leave no trace (file photo)

The Queen, 94 (pictured in a file photo on her 14-year-old Fell Pony Fern) and Prince Philip, 99, moved to Balmoral for their annual summer retreat after self-isolating at Windsor Castle

The Queen, 94 (pictured in a file photo on her 14-year-old Fell Pony Fern) and Prince Philip, 99, moved to Balmoral for their annual summer retreat after self-isolating at Windsor Castle

Balmoral staff took to social media to post pictures of toilet wipes dumped even next to monuments and warn of ‘increasing quantities of human waste on the estate’.

For a period, traffic will be managed at two Deeside locations to protect public safety and ensure that two of the Cairngorms National Park’s best-known beauty spots are not damaged by off-road parking.

Access to Loch Muick will be limited at the entrances to Glen Muick once the car park is full, with barriers staffed and cars only being permitted entry if there is capacity at the car park.

It is crucial people have an alternative plan if they cannot access Glen Muick, warned the park authority.

At the National Trust for Scotland’s Linn of Dee – once the Quoich and Linn of Dee car parks are full – people will be asked to park in a new overflow car park just before Linn of Dee. If this also becomes full people will be asked to find an alternative location to enjoy a walk.

Social media users reacted to the post from Balmoral's rangers, praising a nearby camper for cleaning up the mess, with one writing: 'Give that man a knighthood'

Social media users reacted to the post from Balmoral’s rangers, praising a nearby camper for cleaning up the mess, with one writing: ‘Give that man a knighthood’

The formal restrictions will be in place for 21 days. The ‘No Entry’ restrictions do not apply to pedal cycles, emergency vehicles or vehicles requiring access to properties only.

‘The Cairngorms National Park is 4,500km2 and so there are plenty of alternatives for people to consider. There are 666 miles of core paths and quieter locations for people to enjoy around the park,’ said the park authority.

Balmoral has also attacked litter louts who have plagued the estate over the years – and in 2016 one group left such a mountain of rubbish in a bothy that it needed three trips by one of Her Majesty’s land rovers to remove the mess.

Among the items left were shopping trolleys. 

It follows the Queen, 94, and Prince Philip, 99, moving to Balmoral for their annual summer retreat after self-isolating for the last four months at Windsor Castle.

They have created a new ‘bubble’ of staff although visitors will still not be able to get too close.

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