An ancient gorge in Scotland is "at risk of being destroyed" by irresponsible campers, officials have warned. The Coire Gabhail Valley in Glencoe is in immediate and serious danger according to the National Trust for Scotland.
Coire Gabhail, also known as the Lost Valley, climbs more than 1,500ft / 457m, and welcomes around 150,000 visitors each year to camp, hike and explore the narrow gorge.
Yet popularity hasn't come without its pitfalls, as rangers have reported a number of irresponsible activities that damage and permanently ‘scar’ the natural environment. These include abandoning litter and human excrement, lighting campfires with the wood of surrounding trees, and using nearby rocks to create artistic displays.
Taking to Facebook, the Scottish Highlands Nature Reserve, a branch of the National Trust for Scotland said: “We won’t labour the point as everyone knows why this is wrong…we can only imagine that after the challenging walk up, people want to lighten their load. If that sounds like you, probably best to stay low level.”
During a recent litter pick, rangers and volunteers filled large plastic bin bags with various finds, including the contents of an entire tent full of gear, which had recently been abandoned.
Visitors were also criticised for cutting down nearby wood to use for campfires, which the reserve described as "vandalism".
This practice leaves “a long lasting scar on Coire Gabhail’s shallow, fragile mountain soil”, they explained, “causing irreparable damage to the ancient woodland habitat.”
As the number of visitors continues to increase every year, the valley has now become a popular spot for artwork, with visitors arranging nearby rocks in intricate and artistic patterns.
Despite their creators intentions, these formations are also damaging, explained the reserve: “Though we hate to stifle creativity, dislodging rocks to position them into pretty designs has a lasting negative impact on nature.
“These rocks offer shelter to wee creatures and protect shallow, high-altitude soils from erosion.
“The concentrated trampling around these artworks also damages tiny fragile wildflowers and plants too.”
Coire Gabhail lies in the Glencoe Nature Reserve, on the remains of an ancient super volcano which erupted around 420 million years ago. The area’s geology was further shaped by the last ice age, which took place about 10,000 years ago, creating the dense, lush Highlands of today.
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