Loch beauty spot patrols planned to tackle dirty camping

Extra patrols are planned on Loch Ken in the summer months

Extra patrols are being planned at a south of Scotland beauty spot in a bid to tackle dirty camping.

It follows issues at Loch Ken where trees have been damaged and nesting birds disturbed.

Talks have been held with the police to see what can be done to help address the situation ahead of the busy summer months.

The Loch Ken Trust hopes to start joint patrols on and off the water to help educate visitors on what they can and cannot do.

The loch is popular with visitors during the summer months

Ranger Ken Scott said it was only a small number of people who caused problems.

"Most of the visitors to Loch Ken are quite respectful of Loch Ken, its communities, its environment and its wildlife," he said.

"But, as in many areas, there's a small minority that do spoil it for the rest, and they don't respect any of those things.

"They think it's OK to disturb wildlife, damage property and leave their litter and rubbish behind for others to clean up."

He said there had been problems last year in quite a few areas due to dirty camping.

"People come in and just leave the tents, they leave all their rubbish, their beer cans and broken bottles and worse things than that as well, which are quite a bit of a health hazard sometimes to clean up," he said.

"They are in a minority, it doesn't happen all the time.

"I would say at least 95% of the visitors that come to the loch do look after it for us."

Dirty camping has been an issue in the area in the past

He said it was not about discouraging people from visiting.

"Please do come and enjoy using the loch, but remember it's a wild space and help us look after the loch for the sake of today's users and for future generations," he said.

Mr Scott said they were looking at improving signage around the loch to help tackle the issue.

However, he said an increased presence in the area had also been talked about with police.

"We did discuss having joint patrols both on the water and off the water which is very encouraging, and we're hoping to do that in the near future once it gets a little bit busier," he said.

"These are not bad people as such, they're not coming to deliberately wreck our environment, they enjoy being here.

"It is just a little bit of ignorance of how to look after the countryside."