Ben Wyvis walkers urged to park safely and have a 'plan B' as coronavirus lockdown measures ease
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Hill walkers intent on climbing Ben Wyvis are being asked to have a back-up plan in case the car park is too full.
The parking area for the hill, off the A835 near Garve, was often busy last summer and Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), which operates the car park, says the same could be true as more people emerge from lockdown this week.
FLS is asking visitors to Ben Wyvis to plan ahead and have a ‘plan B’ destination in mind in case the car park is too full when they arrive.
The car park serves not only the Munro but also the national nature reserve (NNR). Both are managed by NatureScot, although FLS is responsible for the parking area.
FLS visitor services manager Paul Hibberd said: “The NNR and Ben Wyvis are really popular sites and have become busier in the last year, but the capacity of the car park is limited. This means that there are a growing number of occasions where people arrive to find that there are no spaces, so some will just park at the roadside.
“This creates a hazard and causes roadside safety issues.
“That’s why we are asking all visitors to plan ahead, be considerate and park safely, and consider alternative sites to visit if they find it’s too busy when they get here."
He added: “Please bear in mind that if it’s a beautiful sunny day it’s not just you who’s thinking about visiting. There is often space in the car park by early afternoon, as other walkers leave.”
FLS says it improved the car park earlier this year, but expansion is not possible due to the surrounding land being deep peat. It is working with NatureScot to explore other possible solutions.
