- Jan 31, 2016
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I copy a letter from Historic Assynt, we go to the castle and park there in summer & winter as its a good place to stop and go for a hike in the hills with the dog. Assynt is a great place to travel around as its full of caves and geological sites and is famous as The “Cradle of Geology” where the thrust structures were first discovered and proved by pioneering Victorian geologists, Benjamin Peach and John Horne. And the following letter really hacks me off, as I hope it does others on here :
I post below a letter we have had to write this weekend to various groups (police, msp, council amongst others which has been shared with the NC500 management also). I wish though to begin by publicly thanking Chris at Inch lodge and Craig Ross who today with permission from the landowner, the police and Historic Assynt dug a ditch and put up barriers to help prevent further issues.
We have since lockdown has ended (and before) pretty much every night had "wild" campers on the scheduled monuments at Calda house and Ardvreck. Of particular concern (though not the worst offence and I make no apologies for sharing one image which you may prefer not to view - it is what you think it is and is in Calda) has been the track literally created by vehicles driving across private land to park inside the scheduled area of Calda house. This is a criminal matter and our local police officer has been actively moving irresponsible people on.
There is a huge difference between wild camping and the active vandalism of historic sites. People would not camp on (or defecate on) Windsor Castle, Edinburgh Castle or any other historic building across the country. Behaviour like this would not be tolerated anywhere else and it will not be tolerated in Assynt. We welcome visitors to Ardvreck and Calda but they are Historic monuments not campsites. Please visit, take photos, even have a picnic - but please do not light fires, drive where there is not a road or pitch tents on these sites (anywhere - but particularly not on the scheduled sites which are protected by law).
This post and the letter below, probably isn't for the readers of this page (I think almost everyone will know better), but the message to report irresponsible and illegal behaviour needs to be put out there. Thank you for reading
Our public Statement below:
“Wild camping” at Adrvreck and Calda house
Historic Assynt have been receiving phone calls and messages daily about irresponsible behaviour at these two scheduled properties. We appreciate that lockdown has affected many of us and respect that people wish to get away from it all for a few days, but due to the actions of a few we feel the need to ask the community and the authorities for help. We all want to enjoy this stunning environment and these two ruins are at risk of being damaged by a small number of irresponsible people.
There are signs at both sites stating that camping is forbidden, and we have asked Historic Environment Scotland for more and larger ones. Over the past few weeks our members have witnessed and had reported to them:
• Tents right under the walls of Calda house
• Tents on the islet promontory at Ardvreck (including reports of a tent on top of the castle vault).
• At least half a dozen fire pits on Ardvreck promontory
• Cars parked right next to Calda house which have clearly been driven across private (and scheduled) land
• People defecating in the building at Calda and then removing stones to cover it.
• A wall walker on the ruins of Ardvreck.
Every one of these acts can be an offence under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 if they are done on scheduled land without express written permission from Historic Environment Scotland. The maximum fine for breach of this act is £50,000 (or a prison sentence).
For the avoidance of doubt the scheduling on these sites is as follows:
• Calda House: the house itself including an area around it extending 5m from the walls
• Ardvreck Castle: the entirety of the peninsula with the modern drystone dyke on the isthmus as its landward boundary
We have to stress that most of the people camping around both sites are well outside these scheduled area but stress that this is not a camp site and has no facilities for campers so whilst technically as long as they have the landowners permission, take their rubbish and leave no trace are not breaking the law. We would hope that responsible visitors would choose make a small donation towards the upkeep of both properties in return for the privilege of using what is not a camp site (nor really anything close to “wild” camping) to stay overnight.
There are a small minority who are acting illegally and we ask that if you witness any illegal acts, as described above, please call Police Scotland on 101 and ask that they deal with the matter – the damage that is being done to these monuments is a criminal matter and needs to be reported to the correct authorities. Please do not tackle people personally as we have heard of one or two unpleasant exchanges.
We want everyone to enjoy Assynt, our spectacular scenery and our history, but please if you are visiting the area can we ask that you act responsibly – as the vast majority are – visit both properties, take photographs, enjoy the history and leave nothing behind but footprints and memories. Whether local or visitor, if you see people breaking the law, contact the police and help the vast majority of responsible people enjoy these amazing properties and help us to preserve them for future generations.
Dave McBain
Chair Historic Assynt
I post below a letter we have had to write this weekend to various groups (police, msp, council amongst others which has been shared with the NC500 management also). I wish though to begin by publicly thanking Chris at Inch lodge and Craig Ross who today with permission from the landowner, the police and Historic Assynt dug a ditch and put up barriers to help prevent further issues.
We have since lockdown has ended (and before) pretty much every night had "wild" campers on the scheduled monuments at Calda house and Ardvreck. Of particular concern (though not the worst offence and I make no apologies for sharing one image which you may prefer not to view - it is what you think it is and is in Calda) has been the track literally created by vehicles driving across private land to park inside the scheduled area of Calda house. This is a criminal matter and our local police officer has been actively moving irresponsible people on.
There is a huge difference between wild camping and the active vandalism of historic sites. People would not camp on (or defecate on) Windsor Castle, Edinburgh Castle or any other historic building across the country. Behaviour like this would not be tolerated anywhere else and it will not be tolerated in Assynt. We welcome visitors to Ardvreck and Calda but they are Historic monuments not campsites. Please visit, take photos, even have a picnic - but please do not light fires, drive where there is not a road or pitch tents on these sites (anywhere - but particularly not on the scheduled sites which are protected by law).
This post and the letter below, probably isn't for the readers of this page (I think almost everyone will know better), but the message to report irresponsible and illegal behaviour needs to be put out there. Thank you for reading
Our public Statement below:
“Wild camping” at Adrvreck and Calda house
Historic Assynt have been receiving phone calls and messages daily about irresponsible behaviour at these two scheduled properties. We appreciate that lockdown has affected many of us and respect that people wish to get away from it all for a few days, but due to the actions of a few we feel the need to ask the community and the authorities for help. We all want to enjoy this stunning environment and these two ruins are at risk of being damaged by a small number of irresponsible people.
There are signs at both sites stating that camping is forbidden, and we have asked Historic Environment Scotland for more and larger ones. Over the past few weeks our members have witnessed and had reported to them:
• Tents right under the walls of Calda house
• Tents on the islet promontory at Ardvreck (including reports of a tent on top of the castle vault).
• At least half a dozen fire pits on Ardvreck promontory
• Cars parked right next to Calda house which have clearly been driven across private (and scheduled) land
• People defecating in the building at Calda and then removing stones to cover it.
• A wall walker on the ruins of Ardvreck.
Every one of these acts can be an offence under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 if they are done on scheduled land without express written permission from Historic Environment Scotland. The maximum fine for breach of this act is £50,000 (or a prison sentence).
For the avoidance of doubt the scheduling on these sites is as follows:
• Calda House: the house itself including an area around it extending 5m from the walls
• Ardvreck Castle: the entirety of the peninsula with the modern drystone dyke on the isthmus as its landward boundary
We have to stress that most of the people camping around both sites are well outside these scheduled area but stress that this is not a camp site and has no facilities for campers so whilst technically as long as they have the landowners permission, take their rubbish and leave no trace are not breaking the law. We would hope that responsible visitors would choose make a small donation towards the upkeep of both properties in return for the privilege of using what is not a camp site (nor really anything close to “wild” camping) to stay overnight.
There are a small minority who are acting illegally and we ask that if you witness any illegal acts, as described above, please call Police Scotland on 101 and ask that they deal with the matter – the damage that is being done to these monuments is a criminal matter and needs to be reported to the correct authorities. Please do not tackle people personally as we have heard of one or two unpleasant exchanges.
We want everyone to enjoy Assynt, our spectacular scenery and our history, but please if you are visiting the area can we ask that you act responsibly – as the vast majority are – visit both properties, take photographs, enjoy the history and leave nothing behind but footprints and memories. Whether local or visitor, if you see people breaking the law, contact the police and help the vast majority of responsible people enjoy these amazing properties and help us to preserve them for future generations.
Dave McBain
Chair Historic Assynt