Pitlochry residents are saddened and angry that cars are now being charged to park at Faskally Forest.
Many have now vowed to boycott pay and display rules introduced by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS).
The popular walking place about a mile-and-a-half from Pitlochry town centre is one of numerous FLS sites which from Monday started new parking charges.
The government body FLS has introduced signs and parking meter machines in the Perthshire beauty spot – the site of the Enchanted Forest.
The charge was introduced from Monday, April 24. It now costs £1 to park for an hour, £3 for the day and £10 for a minibus where before it was free.
A group, Friends of Faskally Forest Parking Charge Protest, was formed in November when plans to put a price on all FLS-managed woodlands were made public.
Due to one-in-three of Pitlochry’s 3000 population being over 60, the idea of a daily walk in the woods, a rare route on the flat, suddenly costing came as a huge shock.
An online petition to ask FLS to reconsider charges at Faskally gathered 1000 signatures.
Retired PHS teacher Susan Boyd (62), spokesperson for Friends of Faskally Forest Parking Charge Protest, said: “On Tuesday the meters were switched on, but they cannot take cash at the moment. You have to use Ringo which incurs and additional charge and obviously is not available to elderly people who may not have apps or smartphones.
“This is just the beginning, not the end,” she vowed. “We are hoping to have a further meeting with FLS, our new community council, and John Swinney next month.
“There are still a lot of unanswered questions.”
Susan pointed out that at a time when the cost of living crisis is biting and the population is still recovering from the pandemic, the charge is “very worrying” and is “taking away something valuable” from the population.
She told the PA that Highland Ward councillor Xander McDade and Perthshire North MSP John Swinney had been “supportive of the group’s desire to find a local solution to FLS’s car charge policy.
She said: “I am lucky in that I can walk here rather than drive, but many are not. The road past the Boating Station is up and down and not suitable for many older people and families.
“By introducing this charge, FLS has destroyed its relationship with local residents.
“There has been no budge from the FLS offer that for a £50 annual charge you can get a pass to park at Faskally and three other FLS managed sites, Braes of Foss, Queens View and Doll. Or at all FLS parking sites for £100 a year. They are talking but not listening.”
An FLS representative met with John Swinney and Pete Wishart on January 27 but there has been no concessions offered.
Ms Boyd told the PA that walking in the pine forest “saved” her during the stressful times of the Covid lockdown when home schooling brought huge anxiety to all.
With charging live, an unofficial boycott has been agreed by ‘hundreds’ of locals.
Susan vowed she would be staying away from the pay and display zone at Faskally.
On Sunday she posted about what would be her last stroll with her dog at Faskally.
She said it made her sad: “I walked my favourite paths and remembered more than 50 years of special times with family and friends, and talked to lots of fellow walkers.”
A spokesperson for Forestry and Land Scotland said: “Scotland’s forests and land provide an important resource for visitors, which require constant management to make sure people are safe and have
a great experience.
“Maintaining those visitor trail and facility standards, especially at the most popular destinations, places increasing demands on our resources and while our central budget meets some of those costs, it does not meet all of them.
“The modest daily fee we charge at some of our destinations, which most visitors find acceptable, helps relieve the pressure on the local teams that work to maintain them to the standards that visitors expect.
“Visitors should remember that many of our carparks are still free to use, all of our car parks are free to Blue Badge holders and money-saving annual passes for regular visitors are available.”
The spokesperson added: “We generally find we have a high honesty rate at most locations and don’t need to take further action.
“In the event that visitors do not pay, an FLS ranger will place a ‘reminder’ notice on their vehicle, asking that they pay within 72 hours of their visit, either via their home computer or a dedicated phone line.
“As the land manager, we can pursue unpaid parking charges through a third party.”
