Lost Valley 'spoilt by litter and rock art'

The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) says anti-social behaviour has again blighted Glen Coe's Lost Valley.

Also known as Coire Gabhail or Hidden Valley, it was once used by Clan MacDonald to hide stolen cattle.

Today it is part of a site of special scientific interest, partly because of its rich and internationally-important plant life.

NTS said the glen had been littered with abandoned camping equipment and stones have been moved to create "rock art" - just a year after previous warnings about damage at the location.

There has also been a repeat of a problem with tree branches covered in mosses and lichens being cut to build fires.

Glen Coe gets 150,000 visitors a year, according to NTS which manages large parts of the area.

Operations manager Emily Bryce said an increasing problem was people using deadwood and branches to make camp fires.

She said: "This causes irreparable damage to the ancient Scottish rainforest, which clings to its steep slopes and crags.

"What people may not realise is that as well as being vandalism, making a fire from damp or living wood is pointless, as it doesn’t burn well."

Ms Bryce added: "We also want to raise awareness that the trend for 'rock art' in the coire - where rocks are dislodged and repositioned into towers or spirals - has a lasting negative impact on nature.

"These rocks offer shelter to wildlife and protect shallow, high-altitude soils from erosion, and we ask visitors to avoid disturbing them."