Campers vandalise Pentland Hills Regional Park Published duration 31 July 2019

image copyright Pentland Hills Regional Park

Rangers have been left "angry and upset" after campers vandalised large areas of the Pentland Hills Regional Park by burning out grass and leaving litter and tents behind.

People have even been leaving human excrement behind at sites across the 35sq mi (90sq km) park, which lies to the south-west of Edinburgh.

Rangers are urging campers to follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code

They said landowners made a living from farming the land in the park.

image copyright Pentland Hills Regional Park

Rangers left a message for campers on the Pentland Hills Regional Park Facebook page: "Sadly, this sight is becoming all too familiar to us in the Regional Park.

"Abandoned campsites with food, cans, bottles, BBQs, tents, chairs, fire debris, human poo…(often everything but the kitchen sink!) left strewn across our beautiful countryside.

"This is not only unsightly it is often very disgusting and unhygienic for the people who are left to clean it up.

"This is not wild camping.

"This is not 'Leave No Trace'.

"The Pentland Hills are not suitable for party or festival style camping, it is a wild area where landowners make a living from the land.

"Please respect this and follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code whilst wild camping and always leave no trace."

image copyright Pentland Hills Regional Park