A red squirrel enthusiast has described as “disgusting” the dollops of human excrement and used tissue paper that is now littering the North Lakeland landscape.
Paul Dixon says that there has always been a problem but it had now intensified because of the increasing number of people visiting Derwentwater to walk around the lake or go up Catbells.
Mr Dixon, who is a member of the Portinscale Red Squirrel Group, says that when checking on feeders he can see trods into the woods where people have strayed off the footpath to relieve themselves.
“It’s disgusting and it highlights that this must be a problem throughout the whole of the Lake District,” said Mr Dixon, who makes daily early morning visits to and area that covers Stair, Gutherscale and Hawse End.
He has taken a video of the mess he encountered in a patch of woodland at Hawse End which, he says, shows the scale of the problem.
“Everybody who has been out for a long day runs the risk of being caught short and there are no public toilets in the area,” said Mr Dixon.
“It’s a difficult one, but it does not make it right. There has to be discretion as well. There does need to be an attempt made to hide the fact that they have been there.”
He said people could use nearby cafes provided they spend money to use the facilities.
Mr Dixon, who lives at Great Broughton, said that he welcomed a planning application for a permanent car park at Ullock Moss that has been lodged with the LDNPA which he says will have toilet provision.
“I would welcome that on two fronts,” he said. “It gives people an opportunity to park and keep off the road and there will be toilet facilities that people can use.”
