Thursday May 29th 2025
The proposed camp site marked in red at St Mary's Loch. Satelitte image courtesy of Google.
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
Plans for a new camping site at an isolated but popular beauty spot in the Borders have been revealed.
St Mary’s Loch lies right at the heart of the Borders between Selkirk and Moffat and provides a beautiful setting for a relaxing and scenic walk.
It is an isolated location but popular with passing tourists, mainly due to this remoteness as well as its natural beauty, local walking routes and tranquillity.
The loch is also popular with water sports enthusiasts, motorbike riders and cyclists given the quiet and open roads. Subsequently it is a popular tourist stop-over and there is an ongoing problem with wild and unauthorised camping. This can lead to litter, habitat destruction, unsafe camp fires and general disturbance, noise and nuisance impacts.
Now an application from Wemyss & March Estate has been submitted to Scottish Borders Council for the creation of a formalised camp site with space for four campervans and 20 car parking spaces.
The location of the proposed new camp is south of Gillwood Cottage at Cappercleuch.
A report with the application states: “The loch is popular with water sports enthusiasts and from spring to autumn will often see the water busy with paddle-boarders, windsurfers and canoeists.
“Again this brings demand for daytime parking but also an increased desire for people to stay overnight and whilst overnight permits are currently required, given its remote location, it is difficult to administer and enforce.
“There are few facilities in the area, with the existing Glen Café and toilets at the southern end of the loch the only place for people to stop.
“Once into the site, the proposals will provide parking for up to 20 cars and four campervans with respective electricity hook-up points for the campervans.
“Bookings and check-in will be done online so there is no need for an administration presence on site whilst there will no toilet/shower facilities provided.”
A report adds: “The intention is to ensure there is an accessible and controlled camping site to minimise the impacts of unauthorised camping and overnight parking elsewhere.
“Overall, this is a positive proposal to provide a much needed, yet low impact solution to create an overnight tourist facility in the St Mary’s Loch area to help mitigate unauthorised and damaging wild camping and more sporadic overnight parking.
“Local businesses including the Glen Café will benefit from an increased capability to stay in the area bringing more people to stay and spend in the Scottish Borders when previously they may have passed through.”
The planning application is available to view on the Scottish Borders planning portal HERE.
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