Why it is NOT a good idea to rush off to a Scottish island to "get away from the crowds"

Not helped by images like this going viral on social media! Luskentyre, Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides, Tuesday 28th July.

Its the same in the Trossachs cars parked all along narrow roads and police having to close roads to keep crowds away .The mess left behind is awful.
Police were at a local railway station taking large amounts of alcohol off under age would be drinkers,the problem is they drink until they get into fights in the local country park and its a scary atmosphere for the locals who use it with children .The virus was carried in two weeks ago from another area,thankfully we're on top of it and everyone was tracked and traced ,but when we're managing to keep the numbers so low its not the direction we want to see.

9 deaths in Scotland for the whole of July .....none for over 2 weeks
Over 2000 deaths in England in the same time.Please keep to your own areas until its safe

But this is what Nicola Sturgeon was encouraging people to do!
Her message was be very very cautious about going abroad. She said if she had time to go on holiday, she would be choosing to spend it in Scotland.

Many people seem to have heeded the message.

Not making excuses but it can’t all be laid at the door of the English can it?
Might there not be Scots who fancy a day/weekend/trip out before the schools go back?
It’s a heck of a long way from England to Loch Muick, little Cumbrae or the Trossachs and just possibly some of the unspeakable litter louts and road hogs might come from the northern side of the Border?
(???behind sofa)

As an Aussie who is used to wonderful beaches (and definitely not travelling to Scotland at the moment) I would have to say that the beaches along the north coast of Scotland are just so spectacular that I totally understand their appeal. They will be still be there for a later visit.

We drove from John O Groats after visiting the Orkneys, across to Tongue and then down the centre of Scotland to Inverness and it remains one of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen. It was so unexpectedly wonderful.

A friend went to Tenby the other day to visit a relative but was horrified to see people crowding the streets and the beaches. They left again and met somewhere more quiet.

MawB

Not making excuses but it can’t all be laid at the door of the English can it?
Might there not be Scots who fancy a day/weekend/trip out before the schools go back?
It’s a heck of a long way from England to Loch Muick, little Cumbrae or the Trossachs and just possibly some of the unspeakable litter louts and road hogs might come from the northern side of the Border?
(???behind sofa)

Ooooh Maw. You're living dangerously.

With England having several local outbreaks and still one of the highest infection rates in the world, while Scotland has one of the lowest, common sense would dictate that people coming to Scotland should be tested and/or quarantined before they come. However this is such a political hot potato that no one in a position to implement this would dare to say so. We are after all "All in this together",,,,, for better or worse

So what is the message here? If you live in a densely populated area, please protect those of us who live in the countryside by staying there, even though you are at high risk of getting the virus, but do come back and spend money when it has gone?

If you live in an area of natural beauty (as I do), one of the downsides is that those who are not so lucky will want to visit. I don't think that that is unreasonable, really - the countryside belongs to all of us. Yes, it can be annoying when you can't get a parking space, or when the roads are clogged, but it's the price you pay, and you know that that's the deal when you move in.

Let’s be honest...The Scots are crowding the beaches and beauty spots in Scotland, the Welsh doing the same in Wales and the English doing the same in England....they’re all at it!

Very true Doodledog

Has anyone done a survey and produced the statistics to prove that it is mainly The English who are crowding into Scotland bringing their germs with them?

Perhaps someone could do a head count at the border.

Gagajo

Of course these numpties are not all English, MawB. We have plenty of our own, unfortunately, although at the moment it seems that fewer of them are likely to be carrying the virus in spite of their stupid behaviour.

Wherever the half-wits come from, the stories of how many of them are leaving litter, abandoned tents and copious quantities of human waste all over the Highlands and Islands and in rural areas in the rest of the UK too, are horrifying and disgusting. Why do so many people think that they can do this, and spoil everything for locals and for well-behaved holiday makers?

It’s the same everywhere. Yesterday bought the crowds, rubbish and disgraceful parking to our small town.
We are about almost as far from the sea as you can get but some newspapers suggested that people might like a swim in the river.

Yes the problem is not just the 'English' invading Scotland or Wales, there's going to be a lot of natives travelling to their sea side resorts or beauty spots. Which is really not surprising after not being allowed to go far from their doorstep for months. Perhaps restrictions shouldn't have been lifted but this might still happen again in the not too distant future, closing of national and international borders. A depressing thought!

Those of us fortunate enough to live near the sea or open Countryside are extremely lucky.

Spare a thought for young families in inner cities who just want a few days away, people working from hone who want a change of scenery.

Leaving litter anywhere is disgusting.

Small businesses in these places are benefiting from visitors, it could be the difference in them surviving or packing up for good.

MawB I don't think anyone said that the crowds were all English - I certainly didn't. People will tend to go to the nearest woods/beach/loch/lake/beauty spot. However, the appeal of travelling just a bit further, now that restrictions are being lifted, could tempt them to visit one of those beautiful "deserted" beaches, whether they go there from Glasgow or from south of the border.

I was passing on the information that these places can fill up remarkably quickly in a rare burst of hot weather.

I heard tales of disgraceful rubbish left at a picnic spot near us too, by a group of teenagers. Our friends who were there said they were prepared to clear it up themselves but the mother of one teenager came to pick them up and made them go back and pick it up and take it home.
Well done her.

paddyanne

Its the same in the Trossachs cars parked all along narrow roads and police having to close roads to keep crowds away .The mess left behind is awful.
Police were at a local railway station taking large amounts of alcohol off under age would be drinkers,the problem is they drink until they get into fights in the local country park and its a scary atmosphere for the locals who use it with children .The virus was carried in two weeks ago from another area,thankfully we're on top of it and everyone was tracked and traced ,but when we're managing to keep the numbers so low its not the direction we want to see.

9 deaths in Scotland for the whole of July .....none for over 2 weeks
Over 2000 deaths in England in the same time.Please keep to your own areas until its safe

This post assumed The English were to blame.

Scottih people are free from COVID, apparently, so there should be no fear of passing on the virus.

It is The English with their germs who should stay away.

Another news report was of four young male numpties who visited a reservoir in the Pentlands (South of Edinburgh) When a 70-year-old warden spoke to them of the dangers they faced, in a place known to have drowned swimmers in the past, one held his arms while another punched him several times in the face. Their home town was not mentioned - I would assume it was nearby.

Two families, very well known to me ,so I know of their plans directly from them, went on holiday yesterday.
One to Wales and one to NE England.
We are in a partial lockdown here in G.Manchester.
According to the rules they shouldn’t have gone.
Both families are well up the social scale in terms of professions and incomes.
Should they have known better?

I am not claiming that the crowds in Scotland are all English Tourists. My point is that People from England travelling to Scotland, NI or Wales are statistically about 10x more likely to be carrying the virus, than the 'native' populations.

annsixty Yes, without doubt.