Police patrols being stepped up at Glenmore for the summer
Police are to step up patrols at Loch Morlich and the surrounding area as the school summer holidays get under way in Badenoch and Strathspey from today.
So far more than 12,000 visitors to the local countryside have been spoken to by Cairngorm National Park Authority and partner rangers since the start of April.
The figure for April 1 to June 18 was revealed by CNPA chief executive Grant Moir at the latest meeting of the park authority in Grantown.
He said rangers had held conversations with 12,115 people including campers in 1033 tents as the CNPA and partners try to get their message out about responsible behaviour especially when it comes to lighting fires.
Mr Moir told the meeting: “There are very significant efforts going in around the park on this side of things.
He added: “There will be increased police patrols into Glenmore at weekends and that will be happening throughout the summer hopefully and we also have infrastructure improvements which the park authority has been funding within the area which we hope will come on stream in due course including the new toilet block which is due to happen in September.”
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A CNPA spokeswoman said after the meeting: "The park authority has been doing a lot of work with partners across the national park around ‘no camp fires’ and ‘no disposable barbecues’ messaging during times of high fire risk.
"There are over 45 rangers out on the ground dealing with issues as they arise, working closely with the police and fire services.
"There will be increased patrols including later patrols in key areas over the coming weeks, with park authority rangers undertaking joint patrols with Police Scotland at Glenmore who have wider powers of enforcement that could be used where necessary."
