DIRTY campers have been slammed for leaving “disgusting” piles of rubbish behind at a popular nature trail near Helensburgh.
Discarded tents, sleeping bags, plastic and glass bottles were found at Ardmore Point, between Cardross and Helensburgh, last weekend.
Wild camper Nicky Turner, who went for a walk with her dog to the site on Sunday, said the whole area “stank of alcohol” after what appeared to have been a party the night before involving a large group of young people.
She said: “It was really horrible, the state of it.
“We had seen a young guy in his early 20s staggering up Ardmore Road and when we drove past I realised he had a bloody face and a burst nose.
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“Obviously we couldn’t turn around until we got to the bottom of the road. By that time, the gates came down for a train going past, so we lost him. Seemingly he was from that group. There must have been a fight.
“The area stank of alcohol and there was rubbish everywhere, including tablets which could be fatal if a dog picked them up. Luckily I had just put ours on the lead as I know people often camp at that section of the walk.
“We have never seen it like that before. Everything discarded, burnt, broken glass. I genuinely find it hard to get across how disgusting it was.”
Helensburgh and Lomond’s Police Scotland area inspector, Roddy MacNeill, confirmed that officers attended the site just after midnight on Sunday following a call about noisy campers.
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However the noise had stopped by the time police reached the area and there was no obvious mess.
Nicky added: “Myself and my husband are wild campers and we always make sure we leave it as we found it.
“We wild camp to enjoy the wilderness and wildlife not to damage it. Since when did people think that we are so superior and special that we can treat places and nature like this?
“Ardmore is a lovely place to walk, take the dogs and forage. The sea life there is brilliant as well. I would hate this to put people off, I want more to visit it to see how lovely it is.
“Maybe more would respect these types of places then.”
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