Fury as UK's most beautiful road trip ruined by tourists and incredible species endangered

Scenic road-trips across Scotland's and route have been popular with Brits and international for decades - but campaigners say the region's wildlife is at breaking point. Locals have launched an impassioned plea for visitors not to park up by a vulnerable puffin colony in Drumholistan, along the route, which spans the country's northern coast, starting and ending in Inverness. Hundreds of visitors a year stop at Puffin Cove, , endangering the largest colony of the seabirds on the British mainland - with around 3,500 breeding pairs recorded by the RSPB in 2019.

Puffin Cove does not have an official parking area for drivers pulling off from the A836, with cars often stopping on a roadside verge and making the kilometre walk on foot to the home of thousands of seabirds. Councillors said the birds were at risk from wandering and ignorant tourists who could disturb their habitat - and pointed to a decline in the site's puffin population in recent years.

Following pressure from the community, Highland Council has installed clearway signs on the A836 near the cove, forbidding drivers from stopping except in an emergency - but some think it won't be enough to stop intrusion on the animals.

Community council chairman Peter Fittock said: "Tourists continue to park there, possibly in ignorance of the meaning of the signs. We are still concerned about people, children and dogs wandering about on that section of the road. Accidents are just waiting to happen."

While overtourism has taken its toll on the NC500 route as a whole - leading to its inclusion on Fodor Travel's annual 'No List' in 2024 - campaigners have called for Puffin Cove to be removed from the guidebook entirely in a bid to preserve its population.

"The puffin colony is suffering badly; numbers go down each year, and their long-term survival is worrying," Mr Fittock said.

Highland Council said a traffic order forbidding parking on the 'clearway' section of road would be in place until November 9 after signs were erected at the beginning of May.

Travel guide Fodor said the NC500 road trip was among 15 holiday destinations suffering from "untenable popularity" in a list published in November.

The 516-mile route across north Scotland was described as an example of overtourism "threatening the natural environment and becoming a nuisance to the communities living alongside it".

"Wild camping on beaches, in laybys, and even on private property is common, and residents report finding campfire scorch marks, trash, disposable grills and even human faeces in their wake," it added.

"Roads are [also] congested with traffic, increasing the frequency of accidents and causing significant delays for locals."

The Highlands are among regions across the UK considering introducing a tourist tax to discourage heavy footfall. A proposed levy on overnight stays could come into force in 2026, with officials suggesting the generated funds would help to strengthen the area's infrastructure, which has buckled under the weight of demand from holidaymakers.