SKYE locals have slammed tourists for causing “total chaos” that forced a lifeline single-track road to close for two days in a row after cars and campervans gridlocked the Scots beauty spot.
Images shared on social media showed multiple vehicles backed up along the island’s seven-mile winding Glenbrittle Road after some drove off-road soft verge and got stuck on Monday.
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One picture showed at least five camper-vans try to pass each other on the single track – bringing the only road in and out the glen to a standstill.
The poster wrote: “Yesterday we attempted to go down to the Fairy Pools – we never made it! The road down to it was barely passable in a car a motorhome was a no go!
“The road is in bits due to heavy rain, with pot holes you could lose a small car in .. most of the passing points are deep mud.
“A motorhome was being pushed out of a pothole.
“The roads on Skye are the worse we’ve encountered on our trip.”
And today, Highland Council announced the C1237 road, between Merkadale and Glenbrittle, had to be closed again to recover the vehicles that had left the road and blocked the road.
The rural route – which passes tourist hotspots like the Fairy Pools towards Glen Brittle Beach – is also used by hill-walkers who wish to take on the island’s magnificent Black Cullin mountains.
The road is frequently used by emergency services and mountain rescue who need quick access to Scotland’s 12 most-challenging munros.
But the road relies on motorists to use passing places to facilitate two-way traffic as the grass verges are delicate with a liability for wheels to get stuck.
Today the beauty spot, which leads to one of the island’s biggest campsites and a youth hostel, was inaccessible for around three hours until specialist vehicles could arrive to dislodge the trapped motor.
Last month the road was closed for hours after vehicles became trapped on the verges due to poor overtaking.
Annoyed island residents took to Facebook and sparked fury over how they were becoming dangerously overcrowded by tourist vehicles.
Some blamed the “social media effect” of over-edited photographs of the fairy pools going “viral” and drawing too many people to the area at one time.
One wrote: “Fairy pools were never called that until a local photographer took a photo, and edited it to high heaven with Photoshop before posting it to Social Media about 14 years ago, and he regretted it ever since.”
Another said: “Never been there and have no desire to go.
“Folk know the issues, but they still insist on going.
“Those who promote this place (wild swimmers, travel bloggers, photographers) need to take a long hard look at themselves.
“There are plenty of other places to go, but folk need to be fed information rather than going out and exploring themselves”
A third commented: “The Highlands and Islands have never had to deal with this amount of over exposure or over tourism of course the infrastructure won’t handle it.
“There needs to be some sort of legislation over social media trends encouraging folk to these places it’s depressing seeing all these places getting destroyed for profit.”
A fourth said: “This road was probably built for the use of horses and carts and not for the misuse of bus sized motor homes.
“Soon, if nothing is done, most of the single track roads in the north and west will end up in a similar state .
“Seems the local people and their right to use these roads for their every day lives is being sacrificed for the selfish interests of the NC500 profiteers and the endless convoys of large motor homes.”
A fifth added: “Total chaos!!”
Highland Council said they are working on potential visitor management solutions and are exploring funding options to take away pressure on the roads.
Surfacing works on the Glenbrittle Road are also planned for their capital spend budget this year.
A Highland Council spokesperson said: “The Highlands are a popular holiday destination choice for many and the Council welcomes all visitors who come to explore our beautiful landscape and attractions.
“However, it is also appreciated that the increasing number of vehicles has led to pressures on infrastructure and traffic management in some areas, especially along our rural, single-track roads.
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“Council officers are working on potential visitor management solutions and exploring funding streams to help alleviate some of these pressures which are currently being experienced in the Skye area.
“In the meantime, we ask that all visitors please follow key guidance and advice on visiting the Highlands which can be found online.”
