OUTDOOR groups have reacted to the new camping bylaws that have come into effect around the western shores of Loch Lomond.

The bylaws, which were agreed last year, came into effect on March 1. The rules create four Camping Management Zones which will be in place from March to September, when visitors will need to have a valid permit to camp in a permit area, or stay over in a campsite.

Some groups have said the bylaws undermine Scottish access rights and “criminalise” wild camping.

However the national park claims the rules will stamp down on anti-social behaviour.

Brendan Paddy, director of Ramblers Scotland, tested the bylaws to see how things had changed. He said: “There’s been widespread criticism of the ban throughout this week in the media, on social media and from many well-known outdoor enthusiasts and recreation bodies.

“We hope the park leadership will take stock of these concerns as part of their work to monitor the bylaws, which we do not want to see renewed when they are reviewed in 2020.”

Mr Paddy encouraged anyone camping in the park to heed advice from rangers or police, but also let Ramblers Scotland know of their experiences.

He added: “On Sunday night, I had to book and pay for a permit to free camp in an area with no toilets, bins or drinking water.

“I was just a hundred yards away from a spot I visited a few months ago where camping is now completely banned for seven months each year, starting in March.

“These bylaws are making it harder, and sometimes completely impossible, for responsible campers to enjoy some of the most beautiful and accessible parts of the park. A national park should be a showcase for Scotland’s world-leading access rights but instead free campers now have fewer rights in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs than anywhere else in the country.”

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park have received a mixed reaction to the rules but maintain the first week of the new permit system has gone well.

A spokesman for the national park said: “We have provided a mix of camping options, including permit areas with little or no facilities in order to provide a ‘wild camping’ experience within our busiest lochshore areas. Our booking system helps campers identify the different types of sites available and the charge is a nominal £3 per tent.

“Gathering feedback is an important part of the project. We welcome the comments we’ve received so far, particularly from those who have booked permits and come to camp already. Overall the response has been encouraging.”

“We accept that there are people who do not agree with the bylaws but we’ve also received many messages of support and have had lots of people booking to camp.

Mountaineering Scotland is opposing the rules when they were first announced have encouraged people to familiarise themselves with the new system and make sure they’re following the rules.

A spokesman said: “There seems to have been a fair bit of confusion over what the bylaws will mean for people and how far the zones extend.

"This will hopefully ease as people become more accustomed to the system but these are ill-thought-out bylaws which risk criminalising responsible campers while failing to address the problems.

"They undermine Scotland’s hard-won access legislation and send out the totally wrong message to visitors to the national park.

"Our advice to members is to abide by the bylaws because of the legal consequences they face otherwise, but we remain opposed to the bylaws and will continue to call for their removal.”