UKC

Could anyone please give an update on the current Reiff parking situation?

Unfortunately last I heard, it has got worse. Heard 3rd hand so not much detail.

Someone asked on Walkhighlands and here's what i replied. 

We were at Reiff over Easter Weekend. We stayed at the campsite and cycled as we didn't want to risk it. There's space for about 4 (maybe 5) cars in the village. Apparently the locals weren't all anti climbers/visitors so have made some space available so that climbers and locals have somewhere to park. 

The old parking is totally blocked off with farm machinery and any places you could pull off have been blocked with large stones.

There was a serious issue post lockdown with folks camping and vannig everywhere. The new parking had someone (a climber given the gear) looking like they were getting settled for the evening etc. I was too chicken to say anything, they might just have been making a cuppa! But, I really hope they weren't stupid enough to doss there as whilst legal it's right next to someone's house and a bit off. If folks do take the **** like that and camp in the new parking I imagine it won't be long before that goes.

The spaces are on the right as you drive through the village.  The gate on the other side of the bridge is now padlocked shut but the fence is low enough you can sling a leg over easily enough.  If going to the further away crags just walk along the side of the Loch (path) and you don't need to go over the fence. 

On Friday there was a sign saying 'no entry lambing' on the gate. 

Thanks! Very useful.

Fun and games. However I don't think you can entirely block access with lambing as the reason. 

https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/practical-guide-all/farm-animals/fi....

We walked through the field but tried to keep clear of the sheep. The sheep weren't at all bothered. 

That sign has been there for several years, all year

Spoke to the very friendly lady who lives in the house behind the old parking spot on Thursday and she let us park outside hers as she had no guests coming, so the locals are responsive and happy to have climbers there as long as we’re not taking the mick. We also walked through the field to go to Black Rocks and the sheep seemed completely unbothered and most hadn’t actually given birth yet. 

There’s a few spaces that you could use but I was just there over the weekend with a lovely forecast and seen no one else around so wasn’t hard to find somewhere to nip in. There’s a little lay-by on the way up out the hill that can take 3 cars if parked decently, a few other options along the road towards Stone Pig as I’m sure you’ll know. Dare I say things have quietened down over the last wee while but the old rotting farm machinery doesn’t look to be going anywhere any time soon! 

Thanks Fiona. So where is the new parking that's viewed as permissible ? From reading the above I'm not quite sure where is the best place to park a van without annoying the locals. I don't mind walking further. Thanks

I'd say you're welcome to park your van wherever is suitable at the end of the road so as not to block any local access, just not to park there overnight. The folks running the campsite are nice too and you can pay for showers etc without staying there and there's a well stocked shop if you need anything extra. I'd say the size of the van is important too, unfortunately big Transit high tops/Sprinter styles have been tarred with "van lifers" who seem to just do as they please, not to mention they're big enough to stick out like a sore thumb and take up lots of space compared to cars and smaller vans.

I parked up and stayed overnight a bit further east at the beach at Polbain which was lovely and loads of room for people but there's a request not to park on the beach side for environmental reasons. 

One option is to take a bike for if you end up parking further away. Faff, but might be worth it.

I'm out there quite often and I've not yet seen it busy enough that biking would be needed. That said, I haven't been on a sunny holiday weekend.

I'm guessing it's this gravelled area? Couldn't see anywhere else on street view.

https://www.google.com/maps/@58.0716225,-5.4499059,3a,75y,38.28h,67.43t/dat... 

Hopefully passing through there in the next couple weeks and don't want to be part of the problem so please do revisit this thread if you're there before me. Would appreciate any updates.
Also in the market for tips on where to stay etc. in the area but that's probably for another thread.

Boulders have been placed in a lot of the obvious parking spots though I can't remember if there were any in the area you link to.

We were there as a group a couple of weeks back with several cars. There is plenty space for parking on the rhs just before the road from Achnahaird meets the Altandhu-Reiff road. You can either shuttle from there or it would be an easy peasy bike ride. Probably about half an hours walk to the road end.

The new parking is on the right hand side as you approach in the middle of the houses. It's a good bit before you get to the bridge and old farm machinery. You'll get a small van,  like a transporter size in but a big monster like a sprinter or a motorhome isn't going to fit. Please don't overnight there though as you are next to houses etc.  For overnight you'll need to go a fair bit away - we left ours at the campsite where we stayed for 3 nights and cycled. I didn't look for other overnight options as we'd paid for the campsite. 

Yup, that looks right

That's a great idea actually, we are taking bikes for Sron, if not bird banned

Certainly won't be overnighting in town, even ten years ago didn't feel right. We use to go to the big grassy beach a few miles away, although now sounds like staying at the campsite and cycle in is probably the best and easiest option, I have a fairly big van. Thanks for all the info

The parking spaces now occupied by machinery had been used for years (as you probably know). It's likely that these spaces have been misused and the person responsible for the machinery believes he/she has a proprietary right to prevent people parking there. Last year at Shegra Beach campsite (Community owned) there is a sign that no campervans are allowed. When a friend and I put up our tents two campervans were parked there. I went and spoke to the owners who denied that they'd seen the sign. When I informed them there was no campervans allowed they did not move. This disrespect for community wishes is the cause of resentment. 

The community wishes are not the sine qua non here, they're important but they exist within a wider range of wishes, rights and responsibilities. 

I heard that people parking had been blocking entrances so that the farmer couldn't go about his business and he finally decided he'd had enough - seems fair enough really.

The wonderful and much lamented Achnahaird campsite - beautiful, spacious and basic facilities at a fair price. When it closed on the retirement of the couple who ran it, many of us regulars made a point of going for the very last weekend in October (must have been around 2009). There was a sort of spontaneous party atmosphere with skinny dipping at midnight. The lady who used to come round taking everyone's £5 seemed quite touched and nobody was charged that weekend. Happy days.

Now we have a cramped and expensive commercial campsite and parking issues

Are these "No campervans" signs available in a portable, folding format? Asking for a friend....

That said, I'm sure I read in one of the Latter books a recommendation to ignore a "No camping" sign installed by the owner of a nearby campsite. Can't remember where that was now. Will edit this if I find it.

Doesn't sound like a very good business strategy.

People who run campsites sometimes put up signs to try to stop others camping outside their sites.

There are no camping signs before Fidden on Mull and in Glen Brittle on Skye. There was a no camping sign at the forestry picnic site in Glen Brittle, the forester was considering adding a ’no putting up signs’ sign.

Cheeky, but it is probably also cheeky to camp just outside a campsite!