Concern after ‘irresponsible campers’ illegally set fire near north-east ancient monument

Concern has been raised about “irresponsible campers” who illegally set a fire beside a north-east ancient monument.

The Buchan Aberdeenshire Council Ranger found evidence of camping while out patrolling Drinnie’s Wood and Loudon Wood near Mintlaw.

The campers had lit a fire beside the stone circle that is located in the woods.

This circle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, which makes it illegal for people to destroy or damage it.

Other evidence of campers being on-site included damage to trees and human excrement which had been left un-buried nearby.

This behavior was described as “irresponsible” by the ranger service.

They said: “It is actually an offense to light a fire near a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and irresponsible to light one under trees or on peaty soil.

“The miscreants had also cut down trees for their firewood and left ‘other traces’ of themselves behind.

“If you need to poo when you are in the woods, you should, at the very least, bury it and ideally bag and remove your toilet paper.

“There is some very good advice to be found on the Mountaineering Scotland website.”