Group 28

2022-09-24 00:25:19 By : Mr. David liu

Tens of thousands of visitors to the UK's highest peak are leaving their mark on the mountain paths instead of bagging up the waste and taking it away with them

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It attracts more than 150,000 climbers and walkers every year - but it seems too many are getting caught short, high up on Ben Nevis.

The UK's highest peak is being soiled by human excrement according to a leading guide and the area's organisational head. The situation is so bad that one estate has even reported the "severe" level of waste to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Rubbish has long been a problem on Ben Nevis - which has been dubbed 'Bin Nevis' at times. But now Mike Pescod, who co-founded Abacus Mountain Guides more than 20 years ago - and which is now based in Inverlochy - has described in graphic detail the human impact of those scaling the 4413ft high peak.

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In a blog he said bluntly: "It's crap on Ben Nevis".

"This title doesn't mean that climbing Ben Nevis is not a good experience, it refers to the amount of crap that we walkers and climbers leave behind on the mountain," wrote Mr Pescod, who is also Chair of the Nevis Landscape Partnership which manages and maintains the Nevis area.

"We need to have a matter of fact conversation about our impact. This blog will talk plainly about pee and poo, and it's past time that we all became a bit more comfortable talking about these things in order that we can lessen the mess we leave behind.

"The situation is so severe that Jahama Highland Estates has formally reported the huge amounts of human excrement on Ben Nevis to SEPA. I have been faced with a pile of poo in the middle of the path complete with toilet paper poking out of the top.

"I have just spent a few days at Lochan Meall an t'Suidhe which is one of the few areas where people can find a little shelter from the wind and viewers on the path.

"Inevitably there was a lot of toilet paper, poo and tampons as well as three pairs of boxers and two odd socks.

"Ben Nevis enjoys around 150,000 people walking up it each year. For this reason it is quite different to other mountains, and our impacts are much more focused.

"The advice from Mountaineering Scotland is excellent and, as they say, in very busy places like Ben Nevis we need to carry out all our poo. Even if everyone buried their poo and took down their toilet paper, the impact would be too great. Especially on the summit where there is no vegetation or mud to carry bacteria to digest and decompose everything.

"Instead, we will need to get used to the idea of carrying down poo, toilet paper, tampons and anything else that we normally dispose of in the bathroom at home. Without a toilet to flush things away and without bins to drop rubbish into we need to do things differently. But, once we have got over the thought of it, it's actually quite easy to do.

"Going for a pee does not have the same problems as going for a poo. But, we should take down any toilet paper we use. To do this, carry a ziplock bag or a dog poo bag or a nappy bag. It's a tiny bit of preparation but it will make a huge difference to everyone else if you can take down your paper.

"It's the same with sanitary products such as tampons, sanitary towels, nappies and incontinence pads. We can not leave them on the mountain side, we need to take them down in our rucksacks stored safely in a tough plastic bag. So, carry a couple of plastic bags, it's really very easy to do, and we are all very used to carrying little bottles of alcohol gel to clean our hands afterwards."

Fellow mountaineers backed Mr Pescod, who is also a member of Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team and holds the highest mountaineering qualification in the world.

"I was quite shocked when I climbed Ben Nevis and saw what you describe. As a mum of three I am so used to scooping up poo and carrying it in little bags inside my bag until I find a bin. It’s the same as any rubbish we produce when we are in the wild - bag it up, carry it out. Hopefully you can build awareness and spread the word," wrote one.

Another wrote: "I have always avoided the Ben because of the crowds and I’m glad I have. I won’t be rushing to tick it off after reading this."

While a follower added: "It's sad to see this needing such commentary when Ben Nevis is relatively close to normal amenities and the ethos of 'leave no trace' is relatively easy. The problem of human waste at high altitude is a very real issue wherever you are in the wild."

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