PARKING MAD
‘There’s no excuse’, blast NC500 locals as they slam ‘freeloading’ motorhome tourists’ choice of parking location
But some people disagreed
LOCALS living on the North Coast 500 have blasted "freeloading" campervan owners for where they parked.
Residents on the tourist route have had yet another run-in with motorhome visitors passing through their homes.
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The 516-mile route attracts thousands of tourists every year.
But many still end up on the wrong side of people living there.
There are constant rows erupting during tourist season about the behaviour of visitors - especially those in campervans.
A common gripe is the mobile homes clogging up the winding Highlands roads.
READ MORE ON THE NC500
Others have been slammed for not knowing how to use passing places on rural routes.
Some tourists have even been spotted driving dangerously on the route.
We previously showed how one motorhome maniac nearly caused a head-on crash with his reckless driving.
Just yesterday, we told how traffic cops in the Highlands launched a massive crackdown on bad driving - which saw two Swedish tourists charged for allegedly driving dangerously.
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And when they are not on the roads, they often spark fury with their parking.
Motorhomes have been spotted parking in beach car parks - which have no overnight parking rules, in passing places and even on people's land and outside their homes.
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Others have ended up in bother by blatantly dumping waste in public.
But the latest motorhome madness comes as scores of campervans were lined up in a local car park.
Four campers were pictured staying outside the local Coop.
A picture uploaded to A local NC500 Facebook group showed one camper with its front windscreen covered up.
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The tourists were soon slammed as "freeloaders" by locals for taking up space outside the local business instead of a nearby campsite.
One person commented on the photo: "I thought that Brora had 2 campsites. One at the radio station and a club site as you go north. I very much doubt that both sites were full."
Another added: "Should block the entrance at night so the freeloaders can't park there."
A third said: "Why would you want to spend any part of your holiday in a shop car park in the middle of a housing estate? It baffles me all this!"
Inside two of Scotland’s lesser-known road trips that rival the NC500
BY PAIGE BERESFORD
SCOTLAND'S North Coast 500 is one of the most popular road trips in the world, with thousands of people flocking to the Highlands every year to travel along the iconic route.
And now that we're officially into summer, tourists and families alike are gearing up to take to the roads.
Regarded as Scotland's answer to America's Route 66, the 516-mile route is full of magnificent coastal views, castles and distilleries.
It first opened in 2015 but has soared in popularity in recent years due to the staycation boom after the coronavirus pandemic.
But the increase in visitors means it is often busy with traffic, including slow-moving caravans and motorhomes.
As a result, experts have reminded people that there are plenty of other stunning driving routes across the country that offer equally stunning landscapes and unforgettable experiences.
Goboony, the UK’s leading campervan-sharing platform, has reminded tourists that "Scotland has so much to offer beyond the NC500.”
Read the list HERE
One fellow tourist even said: "There's no excuse to keep parking on car park land don't care were they come from all they have to do is plan look were all the campsites are in Scotland, I go to Scotland a few times a year we book b&b or hotels."
But some people were on the same side as the tourists, with one person saying: "Unless you are really tired and need to pull over, it's not exactly the nicest place to overnight. But then again, once they are parked up, they don't get out anyway.
"The sign only says 'No overnight parking of caravans' nothing about MoHos or campervans.
"So technically they're not contravening the rules of the car park. But again it's a pretty rubbish location for a holiday."
Read more on the Scottish Sun
Another replied: "Maybe they have asked permission, perhaps even booked - some supermarkets do offer paid overnighting.
"But even if not, so long as there is space for others, are they actually doing any harm? They will presumably shop there. If the business doesn't want this they need to make it clearer I guess."