Stay the night
Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2021 9:25 am
No news yet as to whether Forestry and Land Scotland are going to reinstate their excellent Stay the Night scheme that so many of us used last year. Time we reminded them. This was my attempt, perhaps a few more might nudge them along...
Stay the night
Post by Grey Wanderer » 28 Feb 2021 21:14
Dear Sir/ madam
I’ll start with a thank you for the excellent Stay the Night scheme you trialled in 2020. I stayed in many of your locations.
I own a motorhome and am one of the small but significant number who have parked up quietly, usually out of season in your numerous small remote car parks over a period of many years, unnoticed and tolerated, quiet, respectful and tidy, leaving not a trace. Indeed as a member of a small group known as Motorhome Wombles, we, as the name implies make it our business to clear up the rubbish others leave behind.
For folks of our advanced age who can no longer manage the long treks we once used to make up into the mountains it was a real blessing to be able to park up near the start of forest walks without having to drive away again immediately after our now more modest walks and have to find somewhere else to stay in the uncertainty of the darkening evening.
Sadly all good things come to an end; with increasing numbers and the overwhelming Staycation of 2020 inevitably some measure of management was inevitable. Your scheme was much commended as supporting regional tourism policies of dispersing visitors, rather than having them all crowded around small vulnerable communities, it also gave somewhere tranquil for those who eschew crowded places and seek natural peace.
Over the winter local and regional authorities have been struggling as best they may to put in place more facilities to welcome visitors in motorhomes to Scotland next year. They are recognising that campsites are not the solution for self-contained motorhomes that don’t need and wont pay for their range of facilities. But such is the speed that things move in local government it is probably going to be a case of too little too late. Despite their best efforts there is every sign that after another several months of incarceration this year’s Staycation threatens to be even more overwhelming than last years.
No need to worry that your scheme competes with campsites, they will have more than enough business, even in October in 2020 many were still full. Indeed many touring motorhomers including myself will only use them on sufferance and in extremis. They serve a different market.
Many sites are in any case already booked up for the entire 2021 season, leaving nowhere for people who don’t have the luxury of booking months ahead. Forward booking far ahead is in any case impractical for touring motorhomes, and for people with uncertainties of health. Booking or no, visitors will still turn up; such is the pent up demand. At least last year some people managed to get abroad, but with more intense travel restrictions due to Covid, and now with Brexit on top of that the runes are not favourable for 2021.
In this situation it seems very obtuse for Forestry and Land Scotland to close its car parks to motorhomes once again. Actually it is worse now, places that formerly had no prohibitive signage now forbid staying in all car parks. Surely you should be looking to opening up more of your car parks not closing the few that were open. As a public body it would be expected that your organisation should also be endeavouring to play its part in turning the Staycation into a celebration of freedom and relief and not the source of stress and conflict that it became in so many places last year.
So my request is simple, please reinstate the Stay the Night scheme, and extend it to more of your car parks…and at the same time please encourage your so far less welcoming counterparts south of the Border to do likewise.
Regards
Quick reply, but not giving much away.
Dear...
Thank you very much for your email.
We had an overwhelming response to last year’s trial and received a lot of feedback covering a range of views. This feedback, together with our experience of managing the trial, is being factored into our discussions as we consider future options for this year and beyond.
Any updates or outcomes from our discussions will be posted on our webpage www.forestryandland.gov.scot/staythenight so please check from time to time.
Best wishes,
Alice
Forestry and Land Scotland
Stay the night
Post by Grey Wanderer » 28 Feb 2021 21:14
Dear Sir/ madam
I’ll start with a thank you for the excellent Stay the Night scheme you trialled in 2020. I stayed in many of your locations.
I own a motorhome and am one of the small but significant number who have parked up quietly, usually out of season in your numerous small remote car parks over a period of many years, unnoticed and tolerated, quiet, respectful and tidy, leaving not a trace. Indeed as a member of a small group known as Motorhome Wombles, we, as the name implies make it our business to clear up the rubbish others leave behind.
For folks of our advanced age who can no longer manage the long treks we once used to make up into the mountains it was a real blessing to be able to park up near the start of forest walks without having to drive away again immediately after our now more modest walks and have to find somewhere else to stay in the uncertainty of the darkening evening.
Sadly all good things come to an end; with increasing numbers and the overwhelming Staycation of 2020 inevitably some measure of management was inevitable. Your scheme was much commended as supporting regional tourism policies of dispersing visitors, rather than having them all crowded around small vulnerable communities, it also gave somewhere tranquil for those who eschew crowded places and seek natural peace.
Over the winter local and regional authorities have been struggling as best they may to put in place more facilities to welcome visitors in motorhomes to Scotland next year. They are recognising that campsites are not the solution for self-contained motorhomes that don’t need and wont pay for their range of facilities. But such is the speed that things move in local government it is probably going to be a case of too little too late. Despite their best efforts there is every sign that after another several months of incarceration this year’s Staycation threatens to be even more overwhelming than last years.
No need to worry that your scheme competes with campsites, they will have more than enough business, even in October in 2020 many were still full. Indeed many touring motorhomers including myself will only use them on sufferance and in extremis. They serve a different market.
Many sites are in any case already booked up for the entire 2021 season, leaving nowhere for people who don’t have the luxury of booking months ahead. Forward booking far ahead is in any case impractical for touring motorhomes, and for people with uncertainties of health. Booking or no, visitors will still turn up; such is the pent up demand. At least last year some people managed to get abroad, but with more intense travel restrictions due to Covid, and now with Brexit on top of that the runes are not favourable for 2021.
In this situation it seems very obtuse for Forestry and Land Scotland to close its car parks to motorhomes once again. Actually it is worse now, places that formerly had no prohibitive signage now forbid staying in all car parks. Surely you should be looking to opening up more of your car parks not closing the few that were open. As a public body it would be expected that your organisation should also be endeavouring to play its part in turning the Staycation into a celebration of freedom and relief and not the source of stress and conflict that it became in so many places last year.
So my request is simple, please reinstate the Stay the Night scheme, and extend it to more of your car parks…and at the same time please encourage your so far less welcoming counterparts south of the Border to do likewise.
Regards
Quick reply, but not giving much away.
Dear...
Thank you very much for your email.
We had an overwhelming response to last year’s trial and received a lot of feedback covering a range of views. This feedback, together with our experience of managing the trial, is being factored into our discussions as we consider future options for this year and beyond.
Any updates or outcomes from our discussions will be posted on our webpage www.forestryandland.gov.scot/staythenight so please check from time to time.
Best wishes,
Alice
Forestry and Land Scotland