AN irate Skye resident has admitted kicking over tourists’ stone piles which she claims are a dangerous eyesore.
Online tutor Claire Irons, took to Facebook to share her frustration at the masses of stones which have appeared at the Fairy Glen on Uig, Skye.
The picture clearly shows around 100 stone piles, some of which she claims pose a danger to young children.
The problem of stone piles has become a major issue for local communities across the country. Residents of Skye are even planning a mass collapsing of the stone piles tommorrow (Saturday) in Fairy Glen.
Claire, 50, also claims a stone from one of the piles almost flattened her pet dog, Treacle.
She wrote: “I started knocking them down only to cause a group of tourists to start having a go at me.
“I explained that moving the stones to make the piles were unsafe and could kill a toddler.”
She added: “Apparently I am spoiling their fun and enjoyment of the place and they demanded I stopped.”
Claire claimed the tourists’ view was that if a child got hurt it was their fault, and that any erosion caused by moving stones does not matter.
“With attitudes like this what hope do we have, and I ask who is promoting them?” she asked.
On social media, Anne Babs: “Disgraceful, needs to be removed. Beautiful Glen being destroyed by idiots. Something needs to be done to stop this.”
Louise Gibbard said: “Ffs. This land is part of a working croft, rendering this bit unusable. Animals can’t roam and graze in that.”
Claire Fey Mullin said: “I knocked over a fair few and had the same response from folk. I was breaking something someone had created.
“I say, create it in your garden at home. Leave the landscape to be.”
Graeme Deas commented: “This is vandalism and mindless stupidity, I personally would be happy to give up a day to go up there and knock every one down, stone circles , stone stacks the lot, leave only footprints.
“If someone wants to organise a clear up, count me in.”
Claire’s post was also shared by the Staffin, Isle of Skye, Scotland page who are trying to plan a mass “collapsing piles session.”
Their post stated: “Anyone willing to join us. The more that do, the less likely we are to get aggro from people who think this is art.”
Speaking today, Claire said the tourists seemed to display a lack of empathy for the area.
She said: “They didn’t seem to appreciate the area, there was a lack of understanding.
“It’s a place of geograhic interest not a place to put pretty stones.”
Stone piling has caused a huge debate lately with many environment experts coming out against the trend.
Speaking to the Dorset Echo last month, founder of the Blue Planet Society, John Hourston expressed his concern about stone piling saying an increase in social media has deeply affected our beaches.
He said: “If damage has not already been caused, it certainly will be.
“The visitors can disturb the nesting spot of sea birds, damage historic sites, the places where people go, they don’t realise they have had an adverse impact on these sites, some of which are yet to be uncovered.
“Some places are covered in them.”
