Thousands of people have vowed to follow responsible tourism principles when visiting Scotland on one of the country’s most spectacular journeys. Road trippers intending to do the North Coast 500 – a route bringing together over 500 miles (800 km) of Scotland’s coastal scenery – are invited to pledge to respect the environment, engage with and support local communities, and promote responsible tourism, becoming “stewards” of the area. To date, over 3,600 people have promised to do so.
Known as the NC500, the circular journey starts and ends in Inverness, the UK’s northernmost city, famous for its proximity to Loch Ness and its legendary “monster.” But the trip is valued for far more than mythical creatures, taking in castles, whisky distilleries, white sand beaches, and rugged mountain scapes, including the steepest single-track stretch in the British Isles, at Bealach na Bà. This writer can confirm the stunning nature of the scenery, having completed part of the route when researching her debut novel Sea of Bones, set in Culbin Forest and sands near the buried village of Findhorn.
Originally launched by the Tourism Project Board of the North Highlands Initiative and Prince Charles, to bring economic development to one of the country’s least populated regions, the NC500 was credited with generating 200 jobs in its first year. But research undertaken by Stirling University’s Gary Woodcock showed that people living along the tourist route became so fed up with the influx of people and disruption it brought, that they started to want to move house.
It’s against that backdrop that the NC500 website is promoting the environmental pledge, raising awareness among visitors of the impact they can have. The oath includes promising to “leave no trace”, disposing of waste responsibly, as well as being “mindful of wildlife” by driving carefully and observing from a distance. Keeping noise levels down, only staying overnight and lighting fires in permitted spots, respecting cultural landmarks, and shopping locally are also among the undertakings listed in the pledge.
Once the pledge has been signed, signatories can access a further page, detailing “Extra Mile” tasks they can choose to fulfill. These vary from beach clean-ups to sharing responsible travel tips, to donating to local foodbanks. Even pleasurable activities such as visiting a local distillery can earn so-called NC500 “champions” points as they progress to Gold Level status.
David Richardson, North Coast 500 Ltd’s development manager, told press the initiative is about “conscious choices,” noting: “It’s been really encouraging to see just how many people want to do the right thing. The pledge isn’t about rules or restrictions – it’s about giving people the opportunity to understand the place they’re visiting and how they can help look after it.”
