It was even better back in the 70s and 80s. Nobody around for miles. I think this naming things was started with the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland. The Scottish tourist board saw how successful it was and created the NC500. A proper shame.
The naming of the NC500 coincided with the Covid “staycation”, it was in all the outdoor/camping/motorhome magazines at the same time and rightly caused outrage with the locals as there wasn’t the infrastructure ( still isn’t in places) to cope as toilets were closed & staff on furlough etc, great planning!!
It shouldn’t have mattered to the motorhome owners re toilets. Well my motorhome has a toilet, shower, sink etc. I’m sure most others do too.
Google poo, potholes and park ups, an article by Gail Anthea Brown in 2021, the issues started on the NC 500 before Covid but got far worse as more people got vans, threw a mattress in the back and called it a campervan after the lockdowns and several articles promoted the area.
I very much doubt the poo mentioned in a great many articles is from motorhome owners. Camper vans maybe, they don’t all have toilets. I try to be self sufficient, leave nothing but footprints and take only photographs. However it is much easier to blame all motorhomers, campervan owners etc than to actually catch and prosecute the ones making this mess. It does seem to be beyond the comprehension of people that don’t have motorhomes that a large part of the reason for owning one is that we don’t want or need a campsite. Just why these people cannot understand that is way beyond my comprehension. Perhaps they’re not very clever? Perhaps they want everyone to live how they say? Perhaps they want to make the rules? Or just maybe they’re campsite owners and don’t like the fact that they make no money from motorhome owners?
You are right saying we are easy to blame and people definitely don’t understand how Campervans/motorhomes are different from a caravan regarding sites etc, I have seen daytrippers here dumping nappies and the days rubbish by the car when they leave the beach but also seen the rubbish and the tell tale blue stain round a drain in the area solely used by vans as well, it’s a regular topic for lively discussions on the local community FB groups.
Not that many motorhomes use the old fashioned Elsan blu any more. Many of us have a SOG or similar system. This negates the need for chemicals. Having said that there absolutely no excuse for emptying one’s cassette in any place except the correct place for it. I empty mine down the toilet at home of if I can’t find a service point.
