HOW TO RUIN A GOOD THING

Scottish Film Site Becomes A Dumping Ground

Glen Etive Before

Glen Etive, a pristine pastoral dale in the Scottish Highlands has been the location of several films, including 'Braveheart', several of the 'Harry Potter' movies, and most recently the latest James Bond episode, 'Skyfall'.  In fact, the home of Ian Fleming, the creator and author of the Bond legacy, is located in the Glen.

However, this idyllic setting has now become a dump of refuse and trash,  with dead grass, and ash remains of fires from local shrubs and bushes. All of this devastation the result of movie fans and tourists visiting the site to satiate their inner needs to think that, somehow, being in the place where their favorite movie was filmed will offer them some modicum of reality to their fantasies.

Local residents set up a Facebook page to document the environmental destruction of the 14 mile Glen. "It's just baffling the mentality of these people, who show no respect for such a gorgeous part of the country.  They usually come on Friday and party all weekend", say local Mar Shone.

Glen Etive Now

The Bond films have always been good money-makers for British tourism.  There is even a Bond-themed tour sponsored by the Scottish Tourism Board to assist global tour operators to sell travel packages around sites in the famous Bond spy movies.  Last year over 114,000 tourists/fans visited Glen Etive and that figure excludes campers who avoid official tourism registration.

The National Trust of Scotland, which owns part of Glen Etive stated that they understood that, "the litter and environment abuse is due to uncaring travelers and tourists", but it seems that the only remedy is to strictly enforce camping and littering laws - and that is just what the Scottish authorities should do!  People, be they movie fans or tourists, for the most part, are conscientious and use proper care but there is always that element which is uncaring and abusive to the environment and others' enjoyment -Glen Etive is but one example.